Like Hell

Chapter One

Helena could feel her heart beating at a rapid pace inside her chest as she watched the TV screen. She had been staring at the screen for over an hour, listening to all the horrible things E! News had to say about her. She didn't even attempt to change the channel, choosing instead to revel in self-hatred. She deserved this. She deserved every awful thing that was said about her. She started a relationship with a man that was already taken, disregarding the consequences, treating the people she hurt into nothing but collateral damage.

She turned to her phone that was still lighting up with phone calls that stayed unanswered and messages that remained unopened. Most were from the same three people; her manager, her publicist, and James. With trembling hands and sweaty palms she reached to answer the phone. Clicking the green button, she pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" Her voice came out raspy and broken, sounding pitiful to even her own ears.

"Why the hell have you not been picking up the phone! And how could you not tell me that you were having a bloody affair with James Rutherford!" Her manager screeched through the phone.

"Brenda, I'm sorry I didn't tell you-"

"No, I'm not doing this with you over the phone, I will yell at you face to face and you will apologize to me face to face. I'm heading to the airport right now, I'm catching the red eye to L.A. you can expect me there early in the morning. I've already called your publicist, she is on her way to you. I contacted James' manager and he wants to meet with us. For now you need to stay put, make no statement, don't even post a picture on fucking Instagram, okay? You need to fly under the radar until we figure how we're going to fix this. Got it?" Her manager rushed, business as always.

"Yes, I understand." Helena mumbled back, sounding like a child scorned. She heard the phone beep, signaling that Brenda had hung up without even a goodbye. She laid her phone on the bed beside her, getting up and turning the television off. She walked into her bathroom, heading straight for the sink. Gazing into the mirror that hung above it, she couldn't help but cringe at the girl that stared back at her. Her eyes were puffy from all the crying she had done. Considering that she woken up to this huge shit storm, her hair was still a complete mess. She ran her fingers through her hair, attempting to comb it down, before washing her face. She reached for a small towel to dry her face with when she heard knocking. Helena quickly patted her face with the towel before heading towards the front door. There she found her publicist, Jules, who greeted her with a very disappointed look on her face.

"Tell me the whole story now." Was all she said as she pushed pass Helena and into the living room.

//

"It started about three months ago. My friend invited me to his house, he was having a small get together, just a few A-listers. I met James there. Soon enough the get together turned into a full blown party, so no one noticed when we left together. Nothing happened that night, we just talked."

"You talked all night?" Jules asked, disbelief clear in her voice.

"Yeah, just talked."

"When did it turn sexual?"

"The next morning." Helena answered timidly.

"Well you sure don't waste anytime." Jules said sarcastically, leaning back into the plush couch. "Did you ever try to break it off?" She asked, getting back to business.

"Not really. I would bring up Katya, and he would just shut me down." Helena was starting to feel like she was under interrogation. And, in truth, she was.

"So this has been going on for three months, without break?"

"Yes."

"Okay, now answer this honestly, Helena. Is it serious? Your relationship with him, is it serious?" Jules asked, scared of the answer. Helena remained quiet looking away from her. "Helena! You have to answer me! Please tell me you did not risk your entire career for some thrill. Because I need to know how the hell I'm gonna fix your entire image. Do you love him? Does he love you? Do you love each other? And if so, then why the hell did he not end it with Katya?!" Jules yelled, getting increasingly frustrated with Helena's sudden lack of cooperation.