Dead Ends // Hugh Jackman

Chapter 25

Falling asleep the first night doesn't come easy. I've rewatched that interview several times now because I still feel like it wasn't real. Like I was hearing it imagining things.

I haven't responded to Carlos either, but since he's sent that link, I've also received messages from Avi, Presly, and Ruth.

Avi: Carlos told me everything. What's going on, Erin? OMG has Trenchie been Hugh this whole time?

Presly: Girl, you've been holding out on me?! WTF

Ruth: I'm only asking because Presly is making me. Would you answer him already? He's being such a big baby.

I'll answer them eventually, but I don't want to deal with it at the moment, especially not since they all know everything.

Right now, all I can think about is Hugh and what he said.

"So, Hugh," the interviewer began, looking through her cue cards before resting them in her lap. She greets him with a grin.

"You've had more of a social presence these last few months. In a recent post, you hinted at maybe a possible project in the coming weeks, and I think I speak for every one of your followers and fans that we're all really curious about what it is. If you can tell us, of course."

Hugh flashes her one of his infamous smiles, but it doesn't fully reach his ears.

"Ah, actually, it's not something I'm working on. It's not exactly mine to share. When I put in the caption on Instagram that I was looking forward to it, it was about a project that a, uh, friend is writing."

'Friend' came across with an uncertain tone, but the interviewer didn't notice. If she did, she didn't prod any further.

Her eyes widened slightly in surprise that she had been so wrong about it.

"Really?"

He nodded in reply, clasping his hands above his thighs. "Yeah, she's going through the process of getting her book published. I've read the latest version, and there was this part that really struck me to the core that I just had to post about it. I'm really excited for her. I just know she and her book will do extremely well."

When I first heard that, I sucked in a deep, shaky breath, because that's when I realized he was talking about me. Even after everything that happened, he was hyping me up. He shouldn't be.

I hadn't been keeping up with him on any social platforms, because I knew I'd have an even harder time moving on, but I paused the interview right there and went to Insta for the first time in a while just to see what post was being referred to.

The photos weren't really giving much away. Most of them were just selfies, ones he looked so damn good in. I had to go through each one until I got to the post they were referencing, mindlessly admiring each picture of him until I reached it.

The caption of it read:

Excited for what's ahead ❣️

Short and simple. Also super vague. No wonder the interviewer thought he was alluding to an upcoming project he'd be a part of, when in fact he wasn't hinting at himself at all. I would've thought the same in her defense.

Hugh had to have known it would be taken out of context, especially since the pictures he used for it, once is swiped past the initial selfie, contained what looks like a blurred out manuscript.

Wait a second? Was that a printed copy of my book? I knew for a fact that it didn't come from me. I hadn't made a hard copy of any versions of my story. Where did he get that from?