Shaforostop It (2015)

Chapter Twenty Four - Money Is The Anthem

"It looks like someone tried to fuck-start your head with a cheese grater." I spat at the radio show host sitting across from me. Well, that's what I wish I said.

"So, you long do you think you can go without make up?"

"Um, many hours?" I snorted. I was done with him. He'd been a sexist meninist shit sack the whole time.

"Really?"

"I don't even wear make up most days. Is that really what you think I can't live without because I'm a girl?" I sat back in my swivel office chair. It was only Tim - the host-, Roger, and me in the small office cubical.

"Anyways, so you're dating the lead singer of a band, right? Asking Alexandria?" I took a deep breath and welcome the thoughts of Denis.

"Yes." I smiled. "They're on tour right now."

"Oh? Do you ever get jealous? That girls all over the world are falling all over him? Hugging him and kissing him and stuff?"

"No, I trust him." I said flatly.

"Oh. Well," He was searching his mess of papers, assumably for a topic I wouldn't fight him on. "are you excited for the Olympics? Not long now. Do you think you're good enough to compete against the new athletes in the sport." I sighed.

"I think my three fucking gold medals can back me up when I say I know I'm good enough."

"Woah, you know you can't swear on this show." Tim's shit-coloured eyes went wide. I stood and smirked into the mic.

"Fuck shit piss bitch ass twat whore cunt." I glared at him before walking out of the office, Roger trailing behind me. By the time we got home I was fuming. And Roger's lecture was not making it better.

"You can't just do stuff like that. Do you have any idea the repercussions that will have? You know everyone already thinks you're a total bitch. You didn't have to prove it to them." I braided a small part of my hair out of boredom. I was done with the whole fake-nice interview scene. I just wanted to compete, and train, and be done with the whole thing.

"Yeah, well, they aren't the ones judging me in the finals, are they? The judges can't base anything on personal afflictions or disagreements."

"And? The more people that like you, the more people that buy things with your face on it. The more people that do that, the more money you make."

"It's not about the money!" I screamed. I didn't realize how angry I was. "It was never about the money! Isn't that what you always told me? The money doesn't matter as long as you're doing what you love? As long as your happy? Has all that shit just gone out the fucking window?!" Roger didn't speak. "Does it mean nothing to you?" I whispered through the lump in my throat. His shoulders sunk in sadness, as if he'd forgotten everything. Everything he'd taught me.

"Leda-"

"I want you to leave."

"I don't have anywhere-"

"Go to a hotel. Go to Kyle's house. I don't care. Just leave me the fuck alone." He picked his keys off the table and walked out without another word. I took a deep breath, before breaking down. I fell to my knees and burst in to tears. I felt like everything he'd ever told me was a lie. I'd known him so long, and grown so close to him. We'd taught each other so much throughout the years. He told me to stay true to myself. Work hard no matter what. Now he wants me to be fake for money? What could possess someone to change like that? I was too stressed to think. I pulled myself up and walked up the stairs to the bathroom. I turned on the tap in the bath tub and stripped naked. I dialled Ben's number.