Hard To Get

Chapter 23 - The Bad Boy is Right

"Sit." Juliette said in a stern voice while pointing on the couch.

"I'm not a dog, J." I said crossing my arms.

"SIT THE FUCK DOWN MIA." She yelled. Then I raised my arms as if I was surrendering then sat on the couch as she said. As I sat, Paul and Xander headed down the stairs and looked at me. "You too Xander, sit beside her." She added then Xander obeyed Juliette as if she was our mom.

"Okay, what's happening?" I say as I tried to look at Juliette as she walked around in front of me in circles.

"Do you two remember anything that happened last night?" Juliette said.

"Maybe" Xander and I said in chorus then looked at each other.

"Do you guys like... did something last night? You know something... if you guys know what I mean." She said which made me have goosebumps all over my arms and made me slouch on the couch, but we just shook our heads. 

"Can you just tell us what happened?" I said. 

"Here's what happened." Paul said then gave us a newspaper that he found on the table a feet away from the couch.

On one of the headlines of the newspaper on the left corner was written: "Teen vogue model Mianelle Victoria Diarmuid, 17 caught partying in her mansion last night!

Mianelle Victoria Diarmuid, 17 was caught partying last night in her mansion with her high school friends until she fell asleep! Reports have been said that she was drunk until she was knocked out beside a man's arms names Alexander Parker, the son of Senator Parker. We also have interviewed one of her close friends Tiffany about the relationship between Mianelle and Alexander, "They have been dating since then, they have been flirting and making out all over the high school building!" she said as one of our paparazzi's gave her an interview. Although, Ms. Tiffany may have said those things, the people across California are waiting for her answers to be revealed if ever she is going to set up an interview with us." 

And that was it, that was the whole article. But beside it was my picture beside Xander with his arms on my stomach as we slept together. Now what will my mom say? That her daughter is partying with a guy just because she became famous? Or what will the staff of Teen Vogue say about me? What if they don't hire me like before? What if my dad knows about this? Or what if Xander's dad will know about this? I have to do something. Think Mia, think.

That's it! I am going to set up an interview where this article was published. I soon got up and bolted outside of my house without even telling anyone why. And as I reached the door, I felt tears streaming down my face up to my chin. Then I suddenlt felt bad for myself, I should've not let myself do that when I know that I can't just trust people who came to that party.

"Where are you going?" Xander said, stopping me by squeezing my arm. But I shook my arm to let go of his grip.

"To fix things, and my life that you ruined." I said then headed out of the door.

"I didn't- I didn't ruin your life, Mia."

"You did! If it wasn't for you, clutching your arms on my stomach while I was asleep, I wouldn't experience this. I wouldn't see a picture of myself sleeping with a guy on a newspaper!" 

"You told me to sleep beside you, Mia! Don't blame all of this to me when all I did was do what you said!" He yelled, he was right.  He told me this morning that I told him that, maybe I really was getting selfless just because of this. 

"I- I'm sorry." I whispered.

"What was that?" He said, leaning forward because je preteneded he didn't hear me.

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry that I blamed you, I'm sorry that all I think of was myself and be so selfless." I yelled. My heart was racing as fast as it can, and I was breathing heavily from crying.

"I'm sorry too." He said, and came close to hug me. I didn't mind it because I needed a hug- something to comfort me. "We're gonna talk to the author of the article and fix this, okay?"

"Okay." 

                                                                           ***

Finally we were in my car, Xander offered himself to drive the car since I was still sobbing. 

In minutes, we arrived at the office of where the article was published. I carried the newspaper on my hand and went to the secretary. I looked at the newspaper and checked the name of the author: Satria, M. 

"May I help you?" The secretary said.

"Yes, may I please speak to Ms. Satria."

"Name please?"

"Mianelle Diarmuid."

"Okay, just log in here and follow me."

So I wrote my name on the log book then followed where she was taking us. Until I saw an office where there was "Satria, M." on the door and that was it. The secretary knocked and said our names, finally we were sitting on a chair in front of her desk. 

"Good afternoon, Ms. Diarmuid and Mr. Parker." 

"What's good in the afternoon?" I said, sternly.

"Pardon?"

"Here, look at this article you wrote." I said, then tossed the paper on her desk.

"Oh, I am sorry Ms. Diarmuid, but it's my job to write about it." She said, then intertwined her fingers and sat comfortably like she was doing nothing wrong.

"Well, you're doing the wrong thing." 

"May I know what's wrong with what I wrote?"

"First is, the interview with Ms. Tiffany. All she said were lies, and she was never my friend. Second is, there is no relationship between me, and my friend here, Alexander. Third is, I was not knocked out nor drunk at my party."

"So what am I going to do about it?"

"I want you to make another article for tomorrow's newspaper."

"Okay, I will work on that."

"No." I insisted, slamming my palm on her desk, making her and Xander jump. "I want you to do it, in front of me and pass it to the publisher." 

"I'm sorry but-"

"If you can publish the article that you wrote about me so fast, then you can make another article of me again and give it to the publisher, right?" I cut her off.

"Yes ma'am." She said, then swallowed. I felt sorry for her, and mad at myself. I was being rude, but what she did was not right. 

And in seconds, she turned to her computer and started making an article that there was no relationship between me and Xander and that we were just best friends, and that I was never drunk. And in a moment, she sent the article to the publisher.

"Good, I will be expecting that tomorrow morning." I said then got up off of the chair.

"Anytime, Ms. Diarmuid." She said. Xander and I then, walked out of the room and headed to the car. As we shut the doors, we were silent. 

"That... was..." Xander started.

"What" I said, looking at him cluelessly.

"That was... amazing." He said, looking at me with his big eyes.

"I know, but I feel so bad for letting her do that. I'm so rude." I said, resting my palm on my forehead.

"No, you defended yourself. It's okay. Sometimes we have to be rude to save ourselves." He said then I nodded. Xander started driving and we headed home. We were silent, because I was thinking of Xander. Sometimes he's always right. He just has this thing where I always fall in and believe in. Maybe he isn't that bad at all. And so far, the bad boy is right.