With love, your dearest hater

Chapter 8 (Past)

"So, a stranger cleaned your wounds and let you sleep at this house?" - Annie asks in disbelief. She's trying to wrap her head around all the details I gave her since I got here half an hour ago. She was scared to death, even tried to push me to go to a doctor.

"Yes! And it's not only that. When I woke up, I had my own clothes on, a cup of water by my bedside along with an Advil" - I add - "Oh yeah, and this note" - I tell her while handing over the note I found under my phone. I kept it just in case.

"I don't know, Nono" - she says clearly not sure what to make of it - "This sounds off. Are you sure nothing happened? We can really just pay a visit to a hospital, to clear any doubts" - she offers, but I'm entirely sure nothing happened.

"Annie, I don't want to sound to graphic. But I'm entirely sure. I had my period 2 days ago, the tampon I put in last night was still there when I woke up" - I reassure her and she looks completely relieved.

"Yeah yeah, ok that's good. And you're sure you passed out because of the blood and not any drugs? There's no way of knowing that for sure" - she says, trying to cover all the options.

"You have a point, but the only drinks I had yesterday were either from our fireball bottle or Mikey's" - I say making an effort to think about each and every one of them. Mikey...wonder what happened to him after I passed out.

I remember that I needed to go and that he was not too happy after that, but nothing else. He wasn't the one who made my glass shattered for sure, he was too far. But he was definitely there. Maybe I should get his number from Piper to clear things up. Maybe not, the guy clearly had a fragile ego, probably for the best just to let this one be.

"Nono, that's something I wanted to talk to you about" - she says looking at her hands. Trying to apparently choose her words carefully. And yes sure! She has a lot to tell me, I've been so absorbed in this drama that I forgot to ask her about the after party, about Ethan - "Yesterday, Mikey showed up at the after party, like really late. He was super drunk and he had probably gotten into a fight. He had a deep cut on his lip. I don't know what happened between you two, but he was talking a lot about it. About everything that you let him do to you...?" - What the fuck?

"Wait what? Nothing happened, Annie. I passed out literally not even ten minutes after you guys left" - I tell her in disbelief.

"Doesn't matter, Nono! Nobody likes this guy apparently, everyone was saying that he just wants to leverage his career by hanging out in parties like that" - She tells me - "No one bought into that, he does that a lot to girls Ethan told me" - and I thought Ethan was the bad guy - "He has absolutely no credibility, his known for talking shit behind girl's backs" - she looks at me pitiful.

"Hey, you know what, I'm glad" - I tell her - "I feel like I dodged a bullet, what a son of a bitch" - I get over this, that's what men in manhattan have turned into. Wanna be celebrities, who would do anything for a small spotlight. I also do not know anyone in that party, so honestly I'm gonna wipe my mind clear of that information. Fuck him.

"You should be! Guy's an asshole, Ethan tells me it is not the first time. But somehow he always finds a way of getting a job near them. It's pure desperation, it's just sad" - she says making a face.

"Ethan!!! You have to tell me everything!" - I tell her already feeling the creeps of having to push all the work through to send the deck Monday morning. But I have to be a good friend in return. And also, I'm hella curious.

"Oh Nono, he's amazing and I'm in love" - she says pretending she's wiping off a tear on her face and I laugh - "At first I thought, ok the guy's a douche, the way he was putting his arm across my shoulder and the way he was treating Mikey when we thought he was a nice guy. Ugh. I felt disgusted, but you know me I'm always in for an adventure. In the end, I thought the after party could be an opportunity of meeting someone else too. Someone more interesting" - she says rolling her eyes and smiling back.

"What? I also thought the was a douche! But honestly, 90% of that perception came from Mikey and now that information is shedding a new light on it" - I add, I wiped off the information but I still feel betrayed somehow.

"So technical! But yeah yeah, exactly!" - Annie says laughing - "When we got to the Uber, he said he was sorry about all that, but that was work" - she says gesturing heavily with her hands - "That his douche persona is part of the image the producers are trying to create for his new role. Blá-blá-bla" - she rolls her eyes and lift her palms in the air. That's absolutely her personality - "I thought it was stupid and at first I didn't believe him, but come on how hot is this guy, so I kept going" - she dismisses - "He said the only time he was not acting was when he treated Mikey poorly, but that's because he really cannot stand the guy. After all that, fine by me, girl" - she concludes.

"Annnnnnd?" - I make a rolling gesture with my hands, telling her to go on with the story, because I'm really curious - "Did you make out?" - I focus on her trying to catch a reaction. She covers her face with both her hands, pretending she's shy. But I know she isn't it. I grab her shoulders and shake her, cheering - "Finally!!! The ship has finally sailed!!! You think you're seeing him again?" - I ask hopeful, I really support her fan fiction moment, wan this to work out for her. Can also be an opportunity for her to meet new people and finally launch her career.

"Yes...ahhhhh Nono! I'm so happy. We're going  out Friday night again" - then it finally hits her - "Maybe he knows this Dave guy! Ethan knew everyone at the house... and PIPER! OMG!!! Of course she knows him, he was lending her his house. I'm gonna text her right now!!" - Annie says and I'm hopeful. I honestly don't know what I looking for with this interaction, but I feel like I owe him at least an apology for all the  trouble I put him through.

Annie rushes to her bedroom, grabs her phone and sits back with me on the couch. She types at speed light. When she hits the send button, a message sound comes off almost instantly, did she already respond? On my God. But yeah that would make sense with the nature of her career. Annie throws her back deep on the couch cushion, she rolls her eyes and makes a ugh sound.

"Sorry girl...Automatic Message" - she turns her screen phone at me and it reads -

"Hi this is Pipes!

I'm off to a seven day silent retreat in Bali.

No access to any social media.

For any job related inquiries, please contact my agents in LA.

Be back bitches."

"That sucks but fine, he has my number, Annie" - I can tell she's already invested in this story as if it was her own - "If he messages me, you'll be the first one to know" - I reassure her.

"WHEN, Nono" - Annie corrects me - "When he messages you, and you better. I'll be here waiting!" - she demands.

I get back to my desk. A lot of work to do in the next 12h.