Page 25 of The Pursuit of Happiness
If what was worth it?
Unknown Number
Breaking up with me for this. You’re a fucking slut
and the entire world knows it. Did you dump me just
to fuck other guys on video?
Me
Stop it
Unknown Number
I fucking hate you, Aria
Me
So stop texting me. I’m blocking you
I have tears in my eyes. The angriest of angry tears. How dare he text me for the first time in five years and slut shame me when he has no clue what actually happened? How dare he do this to me? He’s clearly drunk. He never would’ve messaged me otherwise. I guess seeing me all over the news while he’s intoxicated really set him off.
I quickly block his number before he can send me another betraying message and I don’t even try to force back the tearsthat freefall down my cheeks at the emotions he’s stirring inside me. God, I hate him. I hate him for not respecting me then and I hate him for not respecting me now. He and I were never meant to be but he just can’t let go. He can’t let go of his jealousy and his pride and that’s why he wants to kick me while I’m already down and bleeding.
I send my mother an angry text demanding she never give anyone my phone number again and then mute her message notifications so that I don’t have to speak to her until I feel like it. I feel my legs shake and I sit on my bed, cupping my face in my hands as I sob.
I know the entire world thinks I’m a whore. I know that the entire world thinks I’m disgusting. I know that this will always be attached to my name anytime it’s brought up anywhere in the future. I just thought for one second that the world gave me this perfect day with Slater to make up for all the bad I’ve been through lately. I thought it couldn’t get any worse, but the rug was ripped right out from under me and I just fell flat on my fucking face.
Chapter 6
Aria
“Where do you thinkthe wax in a candle goes when it burns though?” Ivory furrows her dark brows in the deepest of thoughts. She and Brody came over about two hours ago to get ready for a public appearance at the club. It’s PR for the new album and since my fake date with Sly a week ago, Selene thought another public appearance at a place Satan’s Angels typically frequents would be a good idea.
Brody laughs as she glides a tube of clear lip gloss on her lips. Usually, Selene would have an entire hair and makeup team at my house getting us ready for a PR appearance, but we demanded we do it ourselves and spend some quality time together, something we don’t get much of with our hectic schedules.
I notice that Brody refuses to look down and it makes me smile to myself. We’re getting ready in my bathroom which means my entire countertop is a mess of all of our makeup and hair products. Brody can’t stand messiness. It gives her anxiety which is exactly why she’s refusing to look at it, intently focused on her lip gloss application.
Out of the three of us, Ivory is definitely the messiest. She’s also the girliest, with three makeup bags worth of products I don’t even know the names of. The only thing I do know is that most, if not all of her products are pink. Figures.
Ivory’s question lingers in the air and I ponder it, shrugging, “Honestly, I have no idea. That’s a really good question.”
Brody laughs and I look at her reflection in the mirror andmake eye contact, “What?”
She gives me an amused look, “When candles burn, the wax melts and turns into liquid. The liquid is absorbed through the wick and when it meets the top where the flame is, it evaporates into air which is what causes the scent to permeate.”
Ivory’s nose scrunches, “That word was way too big for me.”
I take a sip of my vodka soda from my red solo cup and raise a brow at her, “What’s up with you and these big words lately?”
She laughs, “Harvey’s been rubbing off on me. He started reading a lot of non-fiction manly books that have big words and then he tells me about them also using the big words and I just nod and look pretty because I have no clue what the fuck he’s talking about.”
Ivory snorts a laugh and takes a sip of her margarita. Brody shakes her head as her laughter dies down and takes a sip of her water. I’m really proud of her. It’s taken a lot of work and commitment for her to stay sober and I know that she’s better without the alcohol and the drugs. She’s thriving in life and I’m even more proud that she can tolerate going out with us and being around us when we’re drinking or other people are around drinking. It takes one hell of a strong will to resist temptation when surrounded by it.
Brody puts her drink down on the counter and instantly frowns, “Can we start cleaning up? This counter is making me itchy.”
I smirk, knowing her complaint was coming at some point as I start to pack my cosmetics back into my makeup bag. Ivory continues applying powders and lipsticks, ignoring Brody’s request and I try not to laugh. It feels good to have this time with my friends. It almost feels like old times, before I jeopardized our chances of winning the award and before I made my porn debut.
