CHAPTER 6! The Aftermath

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Emma’s POV

As I trudged down the elevator, the weight of the day felt heavier than ever. Michelle Cole Roller was an absolute nightmare, and yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that this chaos had only just begun. I unlocked my phone, dreading the flood of notifications that awaited me, and scrolled through the endless messages and comments.
My stomach twisted as I read Ryan’s DM: “Hey, I saw that post! Are you really dating Michelle?!”
Ugh. Why did he have to see that? I could already feel my face flush with embarrassment.
I took a deep breath, attempting to calm my nerves as I stepped out of the building and into the cool air. The sunlight felt harsh against my skin, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions brewing inside me. I wasn’t ready to deal with Ryan's questions. I just needed to get home and figure out how to untangle this mess.
Once I arrived at my apartment, I kicked off my shoes and headed straight to the kitchen, where I could smell something delicious. Sophia had taken the liberty of making pasta, the comforting aroma wafting through the air.
“Hey, there you are!” Sophia called out, her mouth half-full. “I was starting to think you’d been swallowed by the drama monster!”
I rolled my eyes and plopped down onto one of the bar stools at the kitchen counter, still clutching my phone. “You have no idea. It was worse than I thought.”
Sophia wiped her mouth with a napkin and leaned in, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Spill it! I want all the juicy details.”
I sighed and recounted the entire encounter with Michelle, from the moment I walked into the building to him handing me back my phone. As I spoke, Sophia’s expression shifted from amusement to concern.
“Wait, so he just posted that on your account without asking?” she said incredulously.
“Yep. And he acted like it was no big deal. He’s such a jerk!” I grumbled, stirring a fork into my pasta. “And now Ryan thinks I’m dating him.”
Sophia’s eyes widened. “No way! What did you say?”
“Nothing i will explain later. But I don’t know how I’m going to do that without sounding like a complete idiot,” I confessed, feeling the weight of impending embarrassment wash over me again.
“Honestly, just tell him the truth. You were just looking for food and accidentally ended up crashing his event. If he can’t see how ridiculous this all is, then maybe he’s not worth your time,” Sophia advised, grabbing a forkful of pasta and shoving it into her mouth.
I chuckled despite myself. “It’s just hard to explain how all of this happened. I mean, I feel like the universe is conspiring against me.”
Sophia took a sip of her drink and leaned back, her expression serious for a moment. “Well, you can’t let him get away with this. You have to fight back somehow. What if you posted something on your Instagram?”
I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Like, something completely ridiculous that would turn the tables. Something funny that shows how silly this all is!” She grinned, her excitement contagious.
As much as I wanted to roll my eyes at the idea, it was actually a little tempting. Maybe I could poke fun at the situation instead of letting it control me. “Like what?”
“Maybe a picture of you with a giant sandwich and the caption: ‘Found my true love! #NotMichelle’ or something!”
I laughed, the idea making me feel lighter. “Okay, that could work. But I’ll have to think about it. First, I have to deal with Ryan.”
Sophia nodded, suddenly serious again. “And then there’s Michelle. What are you going to do about him?”
I thought for a moment, remembering the way he had smirked at me, how arrogant he had seemed. “Honestly? I think I’m done with him. I don’t care about his stupid posts or whatever drama he wants to stir up. I just want my normal life back.”
Sophia raised her glass as if toasting. “To reclaiming your life!”
“Cheers to that!” I laughed, clinking my water bottle against hers.
After finishing my meal, I felt a little more resolved. The chaos was still swirling around me, but maybe I could find a way to flip it on its head.
I picked up my phone and opened Ryan’s DM again. Maybe it was time to set the record straight.
“Hey, I’ll explain everything later, but I’m not dating Michelle. Promise.”
As I hit send, I felt a small sense of relief. I wouldn’t let this mess ruin me. I was going to take control of the narrative, one ridiculous post at a time.
“Let’s see how he likes it when I start posting my version of the story,” I said, feeling a newfound sense of confidence.
Sophia grinned, leaning closer. “That’s the spirit! And hey, if you need help coming up with the perfect revenge post, I’m your girl.”
I smiled, grateful for her support. “Thanks, Sophia. I really appreciate it.”
As I and Sophia settled into my comfortable room,  I picked up my phone again, scrolling through my notifications.
I paused. “Wait a minute. What’s happening?”
Sophia, who was halfway through her third forkful of pasta, looked up, curiosity piqued. “What do you mean?”
I squinted at the screen, and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. “Oh no. No, no, no!”
Sophia leaned closer. “What’s going on?”
“I just got a bunch of notifications. I think Michelle just posted something on his account, and it’s about me!”
“What?!” she exclaimed, quickly putting her pasta down. “Let me see!”
I opened Instagram and stared in disbelief. There it was—a candid photo of me taken at the café earlier, mid-laugh, my eyes sparkling with unfiltered joy. My hair was slightly messy, but in that moment, it captured a part of me I didn’t always let people see.
“Did he really just post this?” I muttered, feeling a mix of anger and embarrassment. The caption read, “Some random girl who just crashed my event and stole my heart. #NotSoRandom”
“Ugh! What the hell?!” I threw my hands up in exasperation. “This is so embarrassing!”
Sophia snorted, trying not to laugh. “Wait, this is hilarious! Look at the comments!”
I scrolled through the comments, and my stomach dropped as I read them.
“OMG, who is she?”
“I can’t believe he’s dating someone!"
“This is a total power move, Michelle!”
“Why can’t I be this girl?!”
“She looks cute, but is she his type?”
“Is this just a publicity stunt?!”
“Seriously? What the actual hell? This is turning into a full-blown circus!” I groaned, slumping onto the counter, my face buried in my hands.
“Emma, it’s not that bad! Look at the bright side!” Sophia said, trying to contain her laughter. “You’re getting attention, and people are loving the picture!”
I peeked through my fingers at the screen, frustration mounting. “I don’t want this kind of attention! I just want to go back to being a nobody, eating my pasta in peace!”
Sophia nudged my shoulder, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “But you’re not a nobody anymore! You’re the girl who caught Michelle Cole Roller’s eye. That’s a big deal!”
“Yeah, right. More like the girl who accidentally crashed his event and ended up being his social media fodder.”
My phone vibrated again, and I groaned, knowing it was more notifications. I reluctantly pulled my phone back up to see another flurry of DMs.
“Did you see the post?”
“OMG, are you dating him?”
“Tell me everything!”
“I’m so jealous of you right now!”
“Great. Just great,” I muttered. “How do I even deal with this?”
“Honestly? You embrace it. Make it work for you!” Sophia said, her excitement bubbling over. “You could turn this into something amazing. Imagine all the followers you’ll get!”
“I don’t want followers for this kind of nonsense!” I exclaimed, my voice rising. “This isn’t who I am!”
But as I scrolled through the comments again, a thought crossed my mind. What if I embraced it? What if I played along for a bit? I could have some fun while trying to regain control of the narrative.
“Okay, hear me out,” I said slowly, a new idea forming. “What if I post something back? Something funny that shows how ridiculous this all is, like what you said earlier?”
Sophia’s eyes widened with excitement. “YES! Do it! It could be the best way to turn this around!”
I felt a flicker of determination ignite within me. “Alright, let’s brainstorm. How about a post where I’m pretending to be a ‘newly crowned queen’ or something?”
“Yes! Something over-the-top!” Sophia exclaimed, clapping her hands. “You could wear a crown made out of pasta and take a silly selfie!”
I burst into laughter. “That would definitely get people’s attention!”
As I contemplated this ridiculous idea, my phone buzzed yet again, and my heart sank when I saw it was another DM from Ryan.
“So, what’s the deal? I need the inside scoop on this ‘relationship’ with Michelle!”
“Ugh! Why can’t he just take a hint?” I groaned, dropping my head onto the counter.
Sophia patted my back, clearly relishing my plight. “You have to tell him the truth. Just be honest and let him know it’s all a misunderstanding!”
“Yeah, but how can I explain that I’m not dating a guy who’s clearly using me for his amusement?” I replied, my frustration boiling over again.
“Just do your thing, girl. You’ll figure it out. And who knows? Maybe you’ll end up finding a way to put him in his place while you’re at it.”
With a deep breath, I decided to take the plunge. I grabbed my phone again, my heart racing with excitement and apprehension.
“Alright, let’s do this,” I muttered to myself, already drafting my post.
I snapped a quick selfie with a goofy face and, channeling my inner queen, captioned it: “Just found out I’m dating the King of Chaos. Pray for me.  #NotSoRandom #DramaQueen”
Sophia cheered beside me, her laughter infectious. “This is going to be epic!”
As I hit “post,” I felt a mix of anxiety and exhilaration. Maybe, just maybe, I could turn this chaotic situation into something that worked in my favor.
But deep down, I also knew that the saga with Michelle was far from over.

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