Sketch

77 - Sam

Dedicated to samoas52 for all your lovely comments on Sketch :)

Emmy's face says it all.

"Why?"

I shrug, the anger still pulsing through me.  My hands are balled into tight fists, my nails biting into my palms.

"Does there need to be a why with Michelle?"

I look to Vince.  He looks as pissed off as I feel. 

"She can't stand to see any of us happy," he adds.  "It's like she thrives off being narcissistic."

I glance at Tandy to see that she's staring into the middle distance.  This must be hard for her, hearing nasty things about her own sister.  But then it's not like it's uncalled for. Michelle always finds a way to make other people dislike her.

Ollie's reading the blog with a scowl on his face; his features look even harder with the added glare from the laptop screen.

"Let me read it."  Emmy gets up and makes her way over to me. 

My first reaction is to guard the screen from her.  It's not like I've read the blog yet, but there's not even a slight chance that it's going to be anything good.  Emmy knows that Michelle's got it in for her, even more than she has for me.  It's like ever since Emmy joined Sketch, Michelle's redirected almost all of her hatred from me to Emmy.  It's obviously fuelled by jealousy.  Not only does Emmy have the female lead in Sketch, but she's got me too.  Not that Michelle seemed to care about me before Emmy arrived.  It's like she suddenly wants everything Emmy has, like seeing someone else have it all has made her wish for her old life again.  She wants to be the one to help rebuild Sketch; she tore it down so she has to be the one to put the pieces together again.  It's almost scary how well I know Michelle.

"Sam?"

I snap out of my thoughts.  "Sorry?"

Ollie rolls his eyes.  "I said she's really done it this time."

My heart hammers against my ribs as I bend down next to where Emmy's peering at the laptop screen.  She's biting down on her bottom lip, her eyes flitting furiously over the huge chunk of text Michelle's posted on her blog page.

I start reading, but as soon as I've digested the first line I wish I hadn't.  It's slander, plain and simple.  The truth is far from what I'm reading.  Lies.  Big, fat, horrible lies.

"It's sick," Ollie says, sinking back in his seat. 

Tandy offers him a sad smile, rubbing his shoulder tenderly.  "I better tell Mum," she says.  "She's gonna find out soon enough anyway."

I catch sight of Tandy getting up with her phone in her hand but I can't stop reading.  It's like I can't take my focus away from Michelle's words until I've read it all, processed it, and really started to believe that this is actually happening.  She really isn't going to stop until she's happy that Sketch isn't going to carry on without her.

"She's gone too far this time," Ollie mutters.

I barely hear him.  Emmy's sitting back on her heels, already finished reading the pile of crap that Michelle's trying to force down everyone's throats. 

Vince is a player; his next victim Emmy's friend who's only after fame .  Ollie and Tandy are on the rocks; Tandy seeing a model from a shoot she did, behind Ollie's back.

I glance at Ollie.  He looks heartbroken even though he must know that it's not true.  This is just what Michelle wants.  She wants to drive a wedge between us all.  If she can't have what we've got, then we can't have it either.  She's messed up.  My fists tighten and I breathe deeply, trying to expel the burning fire in my gut.

My eyes are back on the screen when Emmy gets up from beside me.  She heads to Alex and then they both disappear to Emmy's room.  I wonder if Emmy's planning on telling Alex about what Michelle's written.  My palms are sweating at the thought of dragging Alex into this.  I've only meet her twice before.  I don't even know how Michelle's found out about her and Vince.

I read on regardless, the lies getting heavier and harsher.  Emmy's only in Sketch for the fame.  She paid her way in.  She's self-obsessed and snobby.  She's been planning to take-over Sketch for a while.  I laugh out-loud when I get to the part about Tanya purposely persuading Michelle to leave the band so Emmy could replace her.  It's bullshit.  Tanya and Emmy didn't meet until six months after Michelle quit.

The last lines are by far my favourite though, making me want to laugh and yell at the same time. 

Emmy is a fake and Sketch has lost all credibility as a band now she's associated with it. Only a fool would buy their music.

I stand up straight, rubbing my eyes like I'm trying to make Michelle's words make sense.  "Do you think she's trying to make everyone hate her more?" 

Ollie snorts.  "I reckon she thinks it'll make people feel sorry for her."

Vince drops down into Tandy's empty seat.  He's making a point of not reading the blog post.  He barely managed the title before he resumed his pacing to the door and back.

"By slagging off your old friends and people you barely know?"  I shake my head, hardly being able to process my anger and comprehend Michelle's selfishness.  "Even your own mother?"

Vince sniggers.  He doesn't seem at all shocked that Michelle would turn on her own family.  None of us are.

"She's mental," Vince says.  "Completely barmy.  If she was on fire, I wouldn't even piss on her."

I can't even answer that.

***

Okay guys, it's time for your input :)  I'd really like to know whether you want to read the full blog post that Michelle's written or not.  I'd like to know if you think it's necessary to the story that the reader gets to see Michelle's attempt to ruin Sketch.  I'm kinda on the fence with this one, so I'm leaving it up to you guys to decide.  Thanks for all the support with Sketch.  The story really wouldn't be what it is without you <3