The Difference

Chapter 41

"Hey, how's your weekend with Troy?" Ava asks over the phone, an hour after I return home.

"It's good," I lie.

"Rosemary, I saw you yell at him on live TV," she admits. Brad makes a comment in the background and she tells him to be quiet.

"It wasn't my best moment," I admit, though I hate when Ava holds me accountable sometimes.

"You just opened up a whole can of worms for not only that entire family, but yourself, too," she lectures and I nod.

"I'm seriously considering going to New York for the week and visiting Michael. Yesterday was my last day with the nurses, and I'm feeling a lot better," I say.

"Clearly, you looked pretty able-bodied today," Brad mocks, though I can't tell if he's amused or annoyed with me.

"Don't you dare lecture her!" Ava says ironically, but I don't argue.

"That's a good idea. We'll be home in an hour!" She says.

As I hang up, I search for Michael's number in my contacts. I'm interrupted by him calling me first.

"Hey, I was just about to call you," I say, cheerfully.

"Well, I wish I was calling with good news," he says, killing the mood.

"What happened?" I ask.

"One of the top reporters at JustFab was assigned the story about the press conference today. Turns out it only took a quick question to one of the people in attendance tonight to find out your name. Now, I'm not sure if it was a worker or an audience member or who, but the press knows you now, Rosemary. They have an opinion piece going out tomorrow breaking down your timeline and the nature of you and Troy's relationship. And since they now know you were the mystery girl in the kiss outside the ball, there's a good chance their story will hold weight. The writer has connections. Alexandra is thrilled it's you, on the bright side, though. She said she was really happy she hired you," he says, all in one breath.

"Oh, good grief," I protest, taking it all in.

"Don't go Charlie Brown on me," he jokes. "I'm sorry to break the news to you. But hey, the offer still stands. If you want to throw them off your trail, you can come to New York City and lay low with me for a week," he offers.

"I'm really considering it," I say, nervous to turn the TV on. The top news story shows me in my ragged clothes confronting Troy in a room full of people and him getting up and following me off the stage. The story then cuts to the photo of us kissing after the ball, along with many other photos of us I hadn't even realized were taken that same night. I shut the TV off.

"Did you see that?" Michael asks.

"Yep," I admit.

"So, do you want me to pick you up at the airport or will you drive in tomorrow?" He ponders.

I laugh, and book a cheap flight for 9:00am.

"See you then," Michael says, hanging up.

Ava and Brad find me in my room packing an hour later, and I feel like a child getting lectured by my parents when they both walk in and sit on my bed.

"Though he had it coming," Brad starts.

"There was definitely a better way to handle that," Ava finishes.