Unscripted

Chapter 46: Cruel Summer

Y/N POV

"Have you seen it?"

I'm caught off guard by Scarlett's question. "What are you talking about? Have I seen what?" I ask, utterly confused by whatever this is unfolding before me.

Scarlett rolls her eyes, clearly annoyed by my lack of understanding. She lets out a huff and breezes past where I'm standing in the doorway to enter my apartment. Tom and I share a look. At least he's just as confused as I am.

"For fucks sake, y/n! Don't you ever look at your phone?! I've been trying to get in touch with you all day!" She exclaims as she props herself against the kitchen counter.

Maybe I shouldn't have rejected her call earlier....

"Scar, I'm sorry I didn't answer your call. It's just that I was about to get in the elevator and I always lose service and...." I begin, but she rolls her eyes again, effectively cutting me off.

She pinches the bridge of her nose and takes a deep breath before looking back at me. "It's fine. When you didn't answer I just freaked out. I thought you had already seen everything and bolted. So I took a longshot and decided to come see if you were here. Guess I got lucky."

"Well you found me. Now please tell me what's going on, because I have no idea what you're talking about." I say. Tom takes a step so that he's standing beside me. He rests his hand against my back for support. I get the feeling that whatever Scarlett is about to say to me, I'm not going to like it. Seems like Tom is sharing that feeling.

"Where were you last night?" Scarlett asks, adding to my confusion.

"She was with me." Tom interjects. "I invited her to New York to spend a few of my off days with me. We went to a show and then hung out at a restaurant bar. Z was with us too. It was late when we got back so she crashed at mine. What does this have to do with anything?"

Scarlett nods as she chews on her lip. "So you didn't see Hailee last night?" She asks, her question pointed at me.

I shake my head. "No. I talked to her before we left but that was it. I haven't seen her since she left for New York. Why? Did something happen to her?" I ask hurriedly, starting to worry.

"Fuck." Scarlett mutters under her breath as she visibly deflates. Whatever information she's holding isn't anything she wants to share.

"Scarlett please. You're acting mental. Whatever it is, you've got our full attention. Clearly you came here for a reason, now say it." Tom says, and I can tell by the tone of his voice that he isn't playing. He's getting impatient. Frankly, I am too.

Scarlett pushes herself away from the counter and pulls her phone out of her pocket. After a moment, she finds whatever she's searching for and slides it across the island. "I can't explain this. I really hope you can."

I take a step forward and look down at her phone. I don't know what I was expecting to see, but it certainly wasn't what my eyes landed on. I look at the picture. It's Hailee and some guy I don't recognize. I look at the picture and back up to Scarlett, who's eyeing me carefully. "Keep scrolling." Is all she says.

I pick up the phone and do as she says, regretting it as soon as I do. With every picture I see, my stomach sinks more and more as bile rises in my throat. Pictures of Hailee walking with some guy who bears a striking resemblance to her ex, pictures of Hailee and said guy going into a restaurant together, pictures of Hailee and said guy leaving together in the same car.

No...no...this isn't happening...this can't be happening....

I take a deep breath as I scroll. Tom's hand is still rested at my back, but I can feel it tense with every swipe I make on the screen. When I get to the final picture, I can't take what I'm seeing anymore. How dare anyone have their arm around my girlfriend! And yet, right here in front of me is a picture of the same guy on a different night, based on the outfit change, with his arm draped around Hailee's shoulders as they smile freely into the camera.