Losing My Mind

Chapter 19

The remainder of the day passed by, but she knew she'd have to face Russell at some point, and she kept thinking about what to say to him and how she wanted him to trust her again.

She became increasingly clear about how she wanted their relationship to work as she wrote her song. Her fantasies that he would accept this new change and relocate to the city would give their relationship new strength and a fresh start.

It's 10 p.m. in the United Kingdom, and she had a free afternoon in Los Angeles to chat. The laptop booted up, and as Russell accepted the call, Ryleigh saw his face was troubled and exhausted.

'Hey, Rus...How are you?' She says, a little sheepishly.

'I'm fine, I guess.' He responds flatly.

'Whatever you're seeing is not true, you know.' She calmly said.

'Pictures don't lie!' He spat out, and she tried to explain to him what had happened before it was broadcast on TV so that he wouldn't be as shocked.

'My drink got spiked, and he was helping me. He knew something wasn't right.'

'Probably done it on purpose so you can get closer to him.'

'No, it wasn't him.' She said quietly. Although, she didn't mind waking up close to him in the morning and having him hold her tight when he was frightened. It all comes back, and has a pang of guilt thinking about it.

'Is there anything going on between you and him?'

'No.' She said to him without hesitation.

'I don't trust you.'

'Please, don't believe anything you read.' Her eyes started to fill with water. 'I just have a really good friendship with Rory, that's all. It's no different than it is with Paul at work.' They joked once and referred to him as the "work husband" in the office. 'Or you are with Yasmin.'

'No, it's not like that, and you know it.' He rolls his eyes in disbelief.

'All you're doing is reading the bad stuff so they can get a reaction, that's what is happening right now, and you're falling for it.'

'The photos that were taken show something different. How can I believe you? You clearly don't care about me or your family anymore. Why have you decided to become selfish all of a sudden? Do you think you could come back and everything will be fine? All the things we build up to and been through, you're throwing it away because you want fifteen minutes of fame.'

Ryleigh's tears flowed down his cheeks due to his hateful and spiteful comments. 'I love you, Russell. Please don't be like this.'

'It seems clear to me that you've found a way to keep yourself occupied by being in someone else's arms.'

'Russell, please stop! Please don't talk about him like that, and he's done nothing wrong. He's doing what you should be doing is being supportive, but I can't seem to get that from you.' She snapped. 'I'm sick of you bringing me down all the time!'

She was afraid of becoming defensive about Rory, which she did not want to do, but he accused her of cheating again without saying those words.

'Tell you what, Ryleigh, I didn't give up on what we achieved and what we have done to get ourselves here, but it obviously means nothing to you. You need to come home.'

'No! I've come this far, and I'm not backing out.' She yelled.

'Well, then it seems to me you've already made a decision.'

Russell hung up on her, and she tried calling him again, but the line went to busy. Finally, when she couldn't reach him any longer, she sobbed, hugging herself into a ball, crushed by the outcome. She has no idea if this is the end of their relationship, as this is an argument they might never be able to resolve and their relationship being irreversibly destroyed.