Chapter 4 ***
Avery Rose
It was almost noon the next day when I finally realized that last night really did happen. First, I caught my best friend with my boyfriend and they did not even look apologetic.
Secondly, someone had leaked fake news to the press and I got fired for misconduct. It was safe to say I was completely and utterly fucked. Although my name was all over the news, thankfully my face was not clearly shown in any of the articles.
My socials were under a nickname but I knew it wouldn't take long before someone dug it up.
I took a quick shower and changed into a clean set of clothes Zizi had left before leaving earlier. It was a comfortable knitted shirt and a pair of jeans.
The jeans were a bit loose on the hip area because Zizi was way curvier than I would ever be and this was her “old” pair. I tied my hair up in a loose ponytail and sighed.
First I was going to meet Caleb. I had thought about it all night and five years of my life was not a joke. I deserved to get answers. I also texted Melody and asked if we could meet up later. She just replied with a location and time.
Something in me still hoped that it was one big misunderstanding and I was the one blowing it out of proportion but seeing that no one had tried calling me to explain the situation, the hope disappeared.
As I stepped out of the house, I got a message from the company asking me to come and carry my stuff. I laughed humorlessly. I didn’t have any stuff to carry apart from my coffee mug and several motivational books that I never read. I only used them to make my desk look serious.
I considered leaving it with them but decided against it. I dialed a particular number hoping that at least she would do me the favor.
“Avery?” Laura called and I let out a breath of relief. She was one of Mr Rashford’s cleaners and she only worked on the top floor. She and I had seen each other so much that I even considered her a colleague.
“Hey, Laura.”
“Girl, what’s happening? What’s with the whole fake story? You and Rashford? That’s not even possible.” Tears welled up in my eyes as I heard her speak. At least she did not believe it. It was crazy how anyone in the company believed the story.
“Can you do me a favor?” I asked.
“Sure thing.”
“Apparently the company packed my things and left them with the front desk. Can you get them to the bus station for me?” I asked and she instantly agreed.
Half an hour later, I was seated at the bus station. A place I never sat. I was either jumping down from the bus and running to the company or tiredly dragging myself into the bus after a long day of work. I never sat on the bench but here I was today seated and waiting for my things.
“Avery!” I turned and saw Laura still in her cleaning outfit waving at me. She had a covered box in her hand and my heart sank.
So it is real.
I was really fired.
“The whole office is buzzing. Everyone keeps asking me if I was aware and I told them it was not possible. You know those people, once they get their heads fixed on something, they don’t really care about the truth.”
Laura said before giving me a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry sweetie.”
I gave her a small smile, “It’s fine.”
“I heard it started with some chats and pictures that were leaked to the company group yesterday evening then somehow the press got their hands on it,” Laura added.
“They twisted everything. Even down to the part where he asked for your help in getting his daughter a birthday gift.”
The bus pulled over and Laura shook her head. “I’ll be fine.”
“Be safe.”
I boarded the bus and sat at the very back. I scrolled through my phone and found the initial chats that were leaked and truly, the screenshots taken were strategic.
In one image, Mr Rashford had been asking which town in Thailand he could go on a quiet getaway and I told him I would personally not go to one of the two he liked because of the mosquitoes.
Whoever leaked the screenshots was careful not to show the part where he said he was going to show pictures of the town to his wife to see if she liked the place. The whole thing then looked like I was the one going on the trip.
I looked through the rest of the screenshots and they were all similar. One distinct thing was that the screenshots looked like they were taken from MY phone. At first, I didn’t notice because it felt like I was reading my own chats but then I realized that these were the images the press had.
I checked my gallery and those pictures weren’t there. My trash too had been emptied which was weird because I never emptied it. Did I lose my phone in the office yesterday and give someone access to it?
A text came into my phone and it was from Caleb asking to move our meeting because he had somewhere to be. I scoffed. It was funny how I was the one who was betrayed yet it seemed like I was begging for attention.
Either way, I had thirty minutes before meeting up with Melody so I decided to go straight to the cafe she suggested.
After almost an hour of waiting, Melody finally walked through the doors of the cafe. As soon as she entered, everyone froze and stared in awe. All she was wearing was a pair of low-waisted jeans and a crop top yet she looked like she was ready to walk the runway.
Maybe that was why Caleb wanted her instead. Who would want someone like me who only rotated between office clothes and oversized home clothes? I contemplated raising my hands to call her over but she spotted me before then.
She walked over and gave me a sweet smile. One that would have usually calmed my nerves but now it only made my heart squeeze.
“Avery, you look like shit.” She said with mock sympathy laced in her tone.
I really wanted to be angry, to scream at the top of my lungs or throw my drink at her face as those in the movies do. But all I could do was stare in disbelief at the girl I grew up with. At what point did she stop being my best friend? High school? College? Or during her career leap?
“Why did you do all of this?” I finally asked, my voice breaking in the end. “I thought you hated him. Both of you barely even talk to each other.”
Melody sighed before waving the waiter over. “Green tea.” Then she turned back to me. “Remember the Christmas party we went to five years ago? The one where you met him for the first time?”.
I nodded recalling that night. “He had asked me out and I refused. Then he asked you and I thought of it as a challenge. The rest is history.”
“You’re my best friend.”My voice was barely above a whisper at this point. I couldn’t even process what was going on anymore. I just stared at the girl whom I grew up with and turned to someone I didn’t know.
“I am.” She said with a sweet smile on her face. “I just can’t afford for you to use something I haven’t used. Like my old pencil cases and spare socks. Don’t be too sad. Our lives have been intertwined. You can have him back.”
I looked at her with so much disgust. I quickly stood up and my chair almost flew backwards. I stormed out of the cafe hoping Melody didn’t see the tears about to leave my eyes. Ironically, I was met with a handful of the press pointing microphones and cameras at my face.
“Did you really have an affair with Mr Rashford?”
“I heard he was the one who had the final say on your employment. Was that when it started?”
“Did you..”
The lights were blinding and I tried to push my way through but it seemed impossible.
“I’m sorry, I..”
Before I could finish my sentence, a cloth covered my face and a strong arm wrapped around my shoulder and led me out. The voices of the reporters were now a bit distant and I was grateful for whoever my savior was.
