Publicity

43

Nick's POV

Cory had managed to pry me and Miley apart and locked me outside in the back porch, I sat on the weaven chair that was facing the glass doors and windows of her house, and I could see through inside.

Cory sat oposite of Miley, his back turned to me. Miley was gripping a glass of water in her jittery hands; She spoke passionately and enthusiastically to Cory, her eyes and cheeks wet while Cory nodded along. A look of guilt, symphaty, anger and disbelief on his face.

Could have I really raped Miley? My hang over wasn't even gone yet, how could I possibly think straight and ask myself this question? I don't even know, all I knew was how broken Miley looked through the glass doors as she spoke to Cory.

You really did it. My subconcious told me, but my heart disagreed. I didn't know what to believe.

Cory and Miley had been talking for a while now, it has probably been more than half an hour, I couldn't tell what they were saying, I was so panicked that I didn't care about what they might be discussing. I watched as Cory sucked in his bottom lip, Miley's eyelids fell over her wet eyes and she uttered a few last words. Cory nodded a single nod and looked up to Miley, he said something, she didn't reply, at last finally Cory slowly stood up from the seat and walked towards the locked glass door, Miley reside in her seat, wiping her tears, I felt like she was trying to avoid my eye through the windows.

I heard a click and I looked up to see Cory exiting the house, he looked quiet, not calm but not a wreck either. I stood up and wait for my fate.

"What is it?" I asked weakly, Cory kept his gaze on the floor.

He shrugged but didn't say anything. I looked at him apologetically, and then he suddenly shook his head and threw his hand towards me, smacking me on the head.

"Ow!" I cried.

"You idiot!" He exclaimed and shook his head again violently "What the fuck?!"

"What, Cory?!"

"It's over, Nick! You fucked up, okay? I couldn't believe what you did...and it's over now, this is it. We lost Miley. For good. She doesn't want to see you, she wont ever speak to you--"

"Wait, what?!"

"Well, what do you expect?! You raped that girl!"

"No," I denied, shaking my head "I didn't...I couldn't have--"

"She told me everything." He cut me off "How you got stinkin' drunk, how you started coming on to her and the next thing she knew you had her pinned down to the goddamn bed!"

"That's not true," I shook my head "I...I would never--"

"Well, you did! How can you deny it, Nick? There's a girl in there...traumatized to death, and fucking scared of you! And you have the audicity to say you didn't do it?!"

"I can't believe this," I said breathlessly, walking back and forth "I..."

"There's nothing you can do to fix it this time," He told me "This is fatal. It's over Nick, I'm sorry but...Miley wont help you anymore."

I felt my knees wobble like I could drop to the floor, but I remained standing and stared at Cory. "But she...I--"

"Listen, just be grateful that she's not pressing charges. This is a federal crime, Nick. She's very very traumatized right now, but I made her promise that no one would know about this on one condition...we end the publicity contract."

"Please...no," I said helplessly "No, please...Cory, I can't...lose her,"

"Well," He scoffed "You should've thought of that before you done all this. No offense but...this is all your fault, God...what were you thinking?!"