Beyond The Lie

Chapter 51: Facing home

Adeline.

I woke up at the crack of noon - okay, fine, it was 10:56 am. As I stretched my arms and opened my eyes, all I saw was the ceiling. I twisted into a comfortable position, arching my back and extending my limbs like a cat waking up from a nap. That's when I noticed them - Soph and Liv sitting on my bed beside me, looking like they'd been there for hours.

"Morning!" I croaked, my voice husky from sleep. I expected a response, but instead, they just stared at me with serious expressions.

I looked at them again, this time with a raised eyebrow. "What's with the stoic faces? Did I miss the apocalypse or something?" I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Soph spoke up, her voice laced with amusement. "Didn't you see?"

I was confused. "See what?" I asked, sitting up straighter.

Liv chimed in, "Didn't you know?" Her tone was ominous, and I started to feel a sense of trepidation.

And then it hit me - the reason they were staring at me like I'd grown an extra head. My heart sank, and I felt like I'd been punched in the gut.

"Um... Yeah... From a scale of 1 to 10, how bad is the damage?" I asked, already knowing the answer. I was stalling, trying to prepare myself for the worst.

Liv nodded solemnly. "The scale broke. It's worse!"

Soph added, "And to make matters worse, your mom called and asked for you." Her voice was sympathetic, but I could sense a hint of amusement beneath the surface.

My heart sank further. Oh no. I'm done. Oh no. Oh shit. No. Wait. Calm down... Breathe... Maybe it's not the end of the world... Yet.

"What did you said?" I asked, my voice laced with dread.

"I didn't even get a word in edgewise," Soph replied. "She just told you to get your butt home, or she'll come here and drag you back herself."

I let out a dramatic sigh. "I'm toast..." I threw my hands up in the air. "Should I just start digging my own grave now?"

Liv rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Drama queen, much?"

I shot her a mock-offended look. "Hey, this is serious! My mom is going to kill me!"

Soph patted me on the back. "Well, before you start planning your funeral, maybe you should check the internet and see just how bad the damage is."

I reached for my phone, but Liv snatched it out of my hand. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

My curiosity was piqued. "Come on, just give me one headline. What's the worst they're saying about me?"

Soph and Liv exchanged a nervous glance, and I knew I was in trouble.

Liv's voice cut through the air, quoting the headline that made my heart sink: "'ADLINE & ERYX: THE FAKEST COUPLE IN TOWN - Shameless Publicity Stunt Exposed!'". I felt like I'd been punched in the gut.

"Told you, you didn't want to know," Liv said gently, her expression sympathetic. "The comments are even worse."

I couldn't bear to look at her, or at anything, for that matter. I gazed off into space, feeling a toxic mix of shame, disgust, and fear.

Soph wrapped her arms around me, holding me close. "I'm so sorry, Adeline," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. Liv joined in, enveloping me in a warm hug.

I sat there, frozen, letting their comfort wash over me. But my mind was racing. I didn't regret meeting Eryx, but this...this was different. This was about my career, my reputation, and my parents. The thought sent a chill down my spine.