Being With Brooklyn

6. The Daily Slander

6. The Daily Slander 

Gossip dies when it enters the ears of the wise  -Unknown. 

***

  Ringing. There was the ringing again. This was the third time my phone rang. I groaned into the pillow my head was rested on.

Leave me alone.

I forced my head up and grabbed my phone before noticing my two friends on the couch with me. Oliver and Carmen were still sleeping and they looked funny. Oliver was laying on his stomach while Carmen's torso was rested on his back.

I looked at my phone and saw it was a private number. The fact that it wasn't my mother surprised me. I only communicate with her, Carmen, and Oliver. Who could be calling me?

I answered the phone hesitantly. "Hello?"

"Good morning, Brooklyn."

"Hudson?" I asked. Why was he calling me at... seven in the morning? How did he even get my number?

As the thought came to mind, our conversation​ from yesterday came up. He told me he already had it, I don't even know how.

"The one and only." He answered. His voice sounded sharp and judging from the familiar sounds of taxi cabs, I could tell he was outside. "Did you just wake up?" He asked me.

"Um..yeah. I did. How'd you know?" I asked carefully.

"Well, your voice is deeper than usual. And kind of hoarse." I remained quiet as I sat on the couch listening to him. "But, Damn, Mami. Your bedroom voice is sexy as hell."

I remained silent as my face heated up. I cleared my throat, not knowing how to respond. "Umm...Why'd you call?" I tried to change the subject.

"Well, I called because I have some very special Information you might want to know. I'm assuming you haven't seen The Daily Slander."

I furrowed my eyebrows as I stood up and walked towards the bedroom. "Why would I want to read that anyway?"

"Maybe because, I'm the number one topic everyday." I rolled my eyes at his arrogance. "But I think you should check it out, when you're done, give me a call." He spoke. "Talk to you later."

"Wait, Hudson-" I was cut off when he hung up on me. I pulled the phone away from​ my ear and looked at the screen. I sighed. "What the hell?" I mumbled as I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked terrible.

I groaned at my reflection​ and slowly made my way back to the living room. Oliver and Carmen were still sleeping. I laughed again at their position. "Oliver, Carmen, wake up!" I screamed.

They both jolted up from the couch, Carmen falling to the floor as she was pushed off of Oliver. I couldn't help but laugh. "What the fuck, Brooklyn?" Carmen groaned as she stood up. "What's happening?"

Oliver stood up as well. "Oh my god." He stretched his hands over his head. "I had the craziest dream. Brookie, you were in it." He told me.

I clicked​ my tongue. "Then I don't want to hear about it." I started to clean up the soda cans from last night and put away all the Star Wars films back in their designated place.

"Why not?" Oliver pouted.

I gave him a look. "The last time I heard about me in one of your dreams, I was- and I quote- 'Riding you like a fucking stallion.'" I crossed my arms.

Oliver gave a one sided smile. "Fair enough." He turned to Carmen. "Yikes, what animal crawled in your hair at night?"

She glared at him. "I'll tell you when you answer me what age you got your first period."

I laughed at that. "Come on, you two. Help me clean up." Carmen started to walk towards my bedroom.

"Bookie, I need to borrow underwear." She half screamed down the narrow hallway. I just sighed.

Oliver just went into the kitchen and he took out the stupid vegetables he stored in my fridge. Indicating, he was going to make his disgusting smoothies. My friends practically lived in my home.

"Oliver, I'll be in the shower." I told him, while walking back into the hallway.

"Okay, Brookie." He answered.

My mind went back to Hudson's phone call. He wanted me to check out the Daily Slander. It was the town's gossip page and it was filled with nothing but ridiculous rumors about the upperclassmen of New York.

I absolutely hate attention, I'm hardly in it. The only time The Daily Slander talked about Brooklyn Miller was when my dad died, of course.

But, why would Hudson want me to check it out? It was probably just some stupid article about himself. He was a pretty arrogant person, I can tell.

I saw that Carmen beat me to the shower and I just pulled out my phone instead. I hesitated before pulling up the Daily Slander.

The headline got my eyes widened. Wow.

HUDSON VASQUEZ CAUGHT PLAYING WITH FIRE!

Hudson Vasquez, 26 year old, heir to Freeman Inc., was caught flirting with the daughter of Olympia and Michael Miller. Our favorite young and sexy bachelor is known for his steamy scandals and relations with different women. Who wouldn't want a slice of the yummy Hudson Vasquez? Women and Men would faint of the sight of this hot businessman. We were certainly shocked when we found him with The Daughter of Miller Enterprises in a tiny coffee shop at the end of town. Insiders state that Hudson and Brooklyn spent at least a good half hour flirting with each other. Sources also state that this may not have been the first time Brooklyn and Hudson met. The two young adults looked quite engaged with one another, we know what that means. So what is Hudson doing with the daughter of his future competition? Maybe Hudson and Brooklyn are the next thing to hit New York since charcoal,or maybe Hudson wants to keep his well maintained reputation of the Playboy we know and love. He most definitely is playing with fire, and we most definitely don't want our little Hudson to get burned. Only time will tell...

-Article by Tori Lezman.

I stood there in the middle of my room shocked. What the hell did I just read? I looked below to see a distant picture of Hudson and I in the coffee shop. It was taken from outside and you could see Hudson and I laughing as he was leaned in.

I had to remind myself that this was supposed to happen. Grayson wanted us to make the public think we were going falling in love.

Just thinking about it made me want to cringe. Additionally, the article I just read, seemed mostly about Hudson. Not that I have a problem with that. It seemed like many people clearly knew about him already, by the gossip page alone.

Once again, I don't pay much attention to those ridiculous rumors. The fact that they used 'The Daughter of Miller Inc.' Must make the article serious.

I groaned. I felt like my life was an ongoing season of Gossip Girl. Grr. I could hear Carmen's singing all the way from where I was standing.

I waked back to the kitchen to find Oliver blending his nasty vegetables and fruits together while using one hand to scroll on his phone. When I entered the kitchen he raised his eyebrows at me. He clicked off the blender and smirked at me.

"My little Brookie is growing up." He said and I looked at him while taking a granola bar off the table.

"Oli, what are you talking about it?"

He lifted his phone and showed me the same article I just read a few minutes ago. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say this picture is real."

"It is real." I said, and Oliver raised his eyebrows at me. "No, I mean it's real...but it's not real..." I trailed off.

"Whatever. But, if your boyfriend doesn't come through, I'm here for you, baby girl." He winked at me. I rolled my eyes playfully at him.

Okay, I just needed to focus on school today. Maybe I'll survive the day that's coming ahead of me.