Stay Peachy

Chapter Nine - Bad Press

I smile to myself as I place down the new lamp I had bought for my desk.

It had been a month now, my desk was decorated to feel like me. Everyone else had unique decor so I had slowly been building up money to spend for bits and pieces.

Dropping down on my chair with a sigh I scoot closer to my desk, opening up a google tab on my monitor. There was a moment where my eyes had scanned the news pop ups on the page before my smile faltered and my throat had become blocked from what I had seen.

"You alright?" Sierra's hand met my shoulder and my head jerked towards her. I knew she had seen the article on my screen by the quiet "Oh, shit." that left her mouth.

"Yeah," I pause and slowly stand up, grabbing my phone from the desk and turning to face Sierra. "Can you excuse me for a moment?" She nodded and I moved towards the private kitchen.

I closed the door behind me and slumped to the ground. There were windows that looked onto the office, so if I had stood up my friends would have seen me.

My eyes well up and I can't stop the sob that escaped from my throat. Quiet pathetic whimpers flooded the room as I sniffled and sighed. Wiping at my nose with the back of my hand.

'Walter Manuel dies unexpectedly, resulting in rescheduling his daughter's long awaited wedding closer.'

I felt like the worst person in the world, Julia's father is dead and I couldn't be upset about him. In matter of fact, I never knew him really. Really, I was upset with the second part of that article... 'rescheduling his daughter's long awaited wedding closer.'

I hadn't dared click on the header but I knew that it was time to maybe not check the news as much as I normally would for the next few months.

Finally, after about five minutes, I decided to wipe away my tears before standing up to wash my hands and face. When I turned around I could see Sierra standing at the kitchen door. Her back facing me as she leaned against the glass panel, staring down at her phone scrolling through an app.

A deep breath leaves my lips as I push out of the staff kitchen. I try to hide my small smile as Sierra immediately stands up, shoving her phone in her pocket.

"You al-" she doesn't get to finish before I walk away.

"I'm going to the toilet." I announce and head over to the small toilet at the end of a small hallway on the right side of the elevator.

•

"What happened with you?" Zack says as I slump back down at my desk.

"I'd rather not talk about it..." I groan and he shakes his head to himself.

I had finally been able to hold a conversation without bursting into tears. Sierra hadn't left my side, and when she couldn't be directly next to me, she'd be watching my movements like a hawk.

I glanced over to her and she avoided my gaze, staring at something that seemed to have suddenly interested her. I look back over to Zack, his lips pressed into a line, raising an eyebrow as he tilted his head. It was a look of 'I told you so'.

As much as I had ignored Zack's comments over me and Sierra, often times he told me that it was obvious that she liked me. I would shrug him off most times. I hadn't told either him or Audrey about what happened that night at my party.

It was undeniable that Sierra was beautiful. That fact alone had been enough to attract me. She would definitely be some fun... but there's such an attractiveness that comes from her. Every time she looks at me my stomach drops and I have to battle with my face from growing flushed. This is a dangerous game and I've played it way too many times before. Too many ruined relationships.

If I was to start a relationship, I'd want to do it properly this time. I really like Sierra Abreo but there is no way that I'd ever start a serious relationship with her. It will only end in heartbreak and I've been on the giving end of that heartbreak too much.

I groan and chuck my phone over at him, he almost dropped it. The phone had stumbled out of his grasp and he grabbed it last minute. I sit there trying to hide my smile as he reads the article, his eyebrows pulling together.

"Oh shit," I nod and spin round in my chair, leaning back. I've become numb now. Cried so much that it doesn't even make me feel anything anymore. "Yeah we're not gonna be looking at the news for a while."

"Damn right," Sofie chimes in as she stands up, moving over to where I was sitting. She spins my chair round to face her as she pulls me up out of my seat to hug me.

That was nearly enough to knock every last feeling out of me. The tears welled up again and I sniffle quickly, pulling away.

"We should go out for drinks, distract you from everything," Sofie announced and I smile before wiping at my eyes.

"I'd love that, thank you."

Zack immediately agrees, knowing he loves a good excuse for a night out. Sierra nods silent in the corner still refusing to look me in the eyes.

I can't change what's happened so I shouldn't dwell on it anymore. That's not the best way to go about it, but I should focus on bettering myself. There's a good chance now that I'll never have a chance with Julia again even when I go back next year.

So I should enjoy this time away. My dad's gonna be fine... everything is gonna be fine.

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bro exams are kicking my ass rn deadline wise. and apparently brain wise cause i can't count

but i've finally got conditionals from my uni choices yay. hopefully I can actually make it through college to actually get to uni