The Scandal

6. Downfall

A/N: ughhhH updating quick cause i'm writing quick, already have like two other chapters finished tell me why

okay the cover changed a couple times i think i finally decided on this

idk her manager's name, it might be somewhere on the internet but i don't feel like looking so i made it up hahah

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Bright rays shone through my window, and my mind was clear. Early morning had become the best time. By early morning I mean just the few seconds right after I woke up—the few seconds before I remembered everything wrong with my life.

But I had to get up. My feet had to hit the floor, my thoughts had to jumble up.

That particular morning, something was different, though, because I woke up to my mother sitting on the other side of my bed. I didn't like that; I was never a morning person. It was even worse since I'd been feeling awful every day.

"Sweetie," she said, holding her hand to the top of my head.

"What?" I said, cranky.

"Chris called me this morning with some very exciting news!"

Chris, my manager. Usually that would enthuse me, but then I was just thinking that whatever kind of opportunity it was, I didn't want to do it.

"Great," I mumbled. I turned my head away from my Mom, so her hand slid down to the pillow.

"Liv! Come on, we're gonna go meet with him in two hours! This is a big thing. Get up!" She still sounded happy, but she became more forceful with her words.

I rolled my eyes and jumped out of bed quickly.

"Fine!" I half-yelled. "I'll get up even though I'm tired and don't feel like going anywhere, look, I'm up!"

"Olivia?" my Mom said my name, shocked. She narrowed her eyes at me in utter confusion. "What is your problem?"

"Nothing! Can you get out so I can get ready?"

"Don't talk to me like that!" Mom snapped.

I took a deep breath. I don't know why I was acting so ridiculous. I knew better. "I'm sorry. Will you please leave so I can get ready to go have this exciting meeting with Chris?"

She nodded, still clearly peeved, but letting it go.

"Two hours." She held up two fingers.

Then she left, and I curled back up on my covers in exhaustion. The thing inside me was draining me for all I had. I didn't want to do anything, no matter how 'exciting' that anything was. A magazine cover? A brand deal? A commercial? I didn't care; I didn't want it.

I didn't know it would end up being so much more.

We got to Chris's office at ten, and we walked in to see him on his computer, typing with his rapid fingers, just like always. But for me, he was quick to stop.

He looked up, saw me, and his fingers quit moving.

"Olivia!" he said happily. He clapped his hands together as he said my name. "So good to see you. I've got something for you."

He motioned for Mom and me to sit down, and we did.

My chair sat far from my Mom, a large gap dividing us. I wanted to move closer for some reason. I wanted to let her hold me like I was a child; I felt so adult in that room. Then again, maybe I should have stayed in there forever. Maybe I'd feel less young and alone.