Spin

Eight

[RORY]

I rationalized my heightened emotional state, blaming the persistent head cold for the tears that were threatening to fall as I walked out of Marisol's office. I had a hunch why she wasn't giving me as many stories but I had never been one to back down, figuring she'd hear me out if I tried to fight back. Unfortunately, I underestimated her distaste for any opposition and she'd made it abundantly clear who had the power.

"Hey, need to take a lap?"

I avoided making eye contact with Christopher as I dug through my bag, looking for my phone. I could feel his gaze burning into me as he leaned over my desk. I gave in, his concerned expression more comforting than I liked to admit.

"Sure."

He nodded, gesturing for me to follow him. I was less immune to the blatant stares than usual, opting to keep my eyes on my feet as he led me down the unfamiliar hallway.

"Where are we...?"

"Fun fact, this building once housed Rolling Stone," he smirked over his shoulder as he blindly led the way. "Back when I was an intern, fresh out of high school, I'd take my lunch out here."

"Out where?"

We got to the end of the hallway as he gave me a knowing smile, boldly opening the emergency exit door. Once we were in the stairwell, rather than heading down, he guided us up the remaining two steps and opened the door at the top - to my surprise, revealing the rooftop.

"Oh?"

"Kind of sick, huh?" He walked backwards with his hands shoved in his pockets, squinting at the sun behind me. "Not too shabby a view."

"You have no idea how many times I would have hidden out here if I'd known," I admitted, smiling as I shut my eyes and let the sun warm my cheeks. I sniffled, wiping at my nose with my jacket sleeve. "Better than a bathroom stall. At least I'd get a tan."

Christopher was quiet as I peeked my eyes open. His head was cocked, hands on his hips.

"She's still giving you a hard time?"

"Understatement of the century," I mumbled, looking out at the skyline. "She always acted like she hated my last name, but I think that's bullshit. I think she liked the natural appeal, that it piqued the public's interest, drew them in. I think she even liked the idea of Finn and I. At first."

"At first."

"Yeah, until it became real," I scoffed. "Until it went from an idea to a tangible thing. When he and I went public with our relationship, I figured I'd have to beat her off with a stick. That she'd be tossing stories at me left and right, just wanting my name tied to it, his name tangentially tied to it. Instead, she's berating me for supposedly parading around with him."

"That's bullshit," he laughed, crossing his arms. "I mean, come on. The industry is full of those kinds, but you two aren't that. I'm more in tune with the media than most, given what we do for a living. I never see pictures of you two together and when I do, it's clear neither of you get off on that. If anything, the opposite."

"Well, tell her that," I laughed bitterly, picking at my lip. "I just went in there to ask what the deal was with the lack of assignments lately. To which she immediately pulled up my last article and pointed out all of the comments. How none of them had any substance, how they were all asking about Finn or commenting on our relationship."

"Right. Your fault how?"

"That doesn't matter, apparently. She said the publication is not a circus and that if I want to be the ring leader, I can go somewhere else."