Smoke and Mirrors (Smoke #1)

[ 64 ]

I wiped my nose and let out a sniffle as I sat on the beach, my arms wrapped around my legs, my body not being to do anything. After the break up with Marcus, things have gotten from bad to worse, with many news updates and interviews conducted about the future of the club. Just last night, the men of The Bounce was having a debate on Marcus' attitude towards his career, which shouldn't have been a discussion in the first place. My Twitter was flooded with hate messages blaming me for the article I supposedly written and my Instagram was also flooded but with comments about my relationship - well, ex relationship - with Marcus as well as the usual crap I was used to seeing when I first began dating the AFL star.

The worst part of it all was the people I ended up developing a close friendship with have decided that they want nothing to do with me and that was unfortunately including Abby. She's ignored all my texts and calls I have left her and everytime I try to go and see her, Jake's always keeping me away from her.

Still sitting on the beach, I could hear movement from behind me as I rolled my eyes and trailed my eyes back on the waves crashing on the beach in front of me. The water at the beach was probably the only thing that was keeping me sane at the moment.

"Scarlett." A voice crept from behind me as I ignored it - it was probably another football fan telling me how much of an embarrassment I was to the industry - still keeping my eye on water as I buried my face on my knees. Within moments, I could feel a pair of hands around me as I looked up and saw Gemma, looking down at me with fear in her eyes.

"I don't know what I'm meant to do anymore Gemma. I'm the most hated person in Australia at the moment, the people who I've gotten close with don't want to have anything to do with me and the only man I have ever truly loved in my life thinks I'm the reason that his career is doubt and absolutely hates me."

"Wait, wait please start from the beginning. I don't actually know what's going on." Gemma answered panicked as she flipped her earbuds around her neck and took a seat next to me on the sand.

"The other night, Marcus stormed into my house and completely lost it at an article posted about the Western Bulldogs and when I tried to explain my side of it all, he just ignored me and just there and then, ended it all."

"What?" She asked as I wiped away the tears from eyes and let out a shaky sigh before continuing.

"We're over Gemma, Marcus and I are no more because of some stupid article that was allegedly written by me. Now I'm in huge trouble with a lot of people and I honestly had nothing to do with it." I cried out loud as Gemma stared back at me with concern in her eyes before pulling me in and giving me a hug. Moments passed by as I sobbed on her shoulder.

"I'm - I'm so sorry Scarlett."

"I just don't understand how someone could be so cruel and just write something that had an intent to ruin people's lives and then to blame everything on me. What did I do to deserve this? I have been nothing but determined to be successful in my job yet here I've got some piece of shit, out there ready to tear me down." I cried as Gemma rubbed my back before releasing from the hug and biting her lip anxiously.

"Do you have any idea on who it could have been?" She asked as I just shook my head and sniffled.

"No, and I can't just go around to point fingers at people, I'm already in so much shit, I don't need anymore problems for me." I admitted when it fell silent between us for a moment before Gemma turned her attention onto me.

"Can I ask what Marcus had to say about it all?"

"He basically just said he wanted me to have nothing to do with the club or the people associated with it. He also warned me to say away from him because I'm the reason for all of this to happen. Gemma, he hates me, honestly I'm the reason why he's so angry and that makes me so disappointed especially seeing as I'm getting blamed for something I would never do."

"Oh god, I - I'm so sorry Scarlett that you two broke up." She said as I cried out loud and Gemma did her best to comfort me. As the waves crashed hardly, so too did my heart as it began to pick up its pace. Right now I had no idea what I was going to do. I mean, I had already lost most of the things in my life that I truly loved, what else more was there to lose?

Gemma helped me up as we she wrapped her arm around me and begun to talk to me but I was struggling to listen. My mind was flashing with a million different questions as each step I made contact with the warm sand underneath my toes.

"I never saw him as mad as I saw him that morning. During the months we dated I always saw him so happy and so vibrant, vibrant in a way that would always manage make you smile because of how infectious his ways were. When I watched him completely lose it at me and begin to rip apart my heart without even realising it, it killed me to see someone so nurturing suddenly break and turn into someone so fiery. Gemma, I can't even explain how much it hurt to see a completely different side to the man I love and it was all because of some stupid article I had no idea how it got published in the first place." I admitted, sobbing uncontrollably as we continued to walk along the beach. The warm rays which soaked into my skin weren't enough for me to feel better as much as anyone could share their love for the great Australian sunshine.

As we continued to walk, my phone began to ring as I sighed and noticed it was Madeline who I was just wondering if the call was worth to answer. As much as Maddi has been a great support, right now I wasn't in the right headspace for anymore shit. I sighed and answered the call to a more solemn sounding Madeline.

"Hey Scarlett."

"Hey Maddi." I replied, looking into the distance as I watched where the horizon of the sky meet the water.

"Uh, I was wondering if you would want to meet up at the cafe to catch up? I mean, that's if you're interested." I paused and looked at Gemma before sighing and turning my attention back to the phonecall.

"Ye-yeah, I think that would great. Thank you." I answered as I hung up the phone call and decided to slip my phone back in my pocket. Explaining to Gemma about the phonecall, all she could do was nod her head as she moved her arm and walked alongside me to my car. I decided that I should still go out and live my life even with everything going on. As I started the car's engine, it was moments later that the stereo began to play and before I managed to reverse, I felt my body begin to tense up during the song that began to start playing.

"I'm trying to keep my head strong,
but my heart won't just let me grow away from you"

Of course a song just like this would be playing during a time like this, of course a G-Eazy song would play after I had just broken up with Marcus. It's as if fate was trying to test me, like I wasn't struggling enough already.

"You alright?" Gemma gently asked as I just shrugged my shoulders, unsure of what I was meant to say.

As I pulled up in front of the cafe, I parked the car and just sat in my seat, still trying to grasp everything that had just happened. I knew Madeline would be waiting for me but honestly, all I wanted was just to go home and hide myself from everyone seeing as majority of the people were avoiding me anyway.

"If you don't think you can do this, then you don't need to go through with this."

"N - no. I need to do this Gem, I mean even though the article is really giving me a lot of grief, I can't allow myself to stay indoors. I've got a life to live and no article is going to stop me from doing so." I added as Gemma nodded her head and got out of the car. I done the same as I closed the door behind me, locked the car and made my way into the cafe.

I could feel people's angered glare upon me as I tried my best to ignore them as Gem and myself sat at the table awaiting for Madeline to arrive.

And knew that I was bound for one long and painful afternoon.