Page 66 of Seeking Stars
Ana hung up, muttering a softfuck. Her eyes filled with tears, but she didn't need her sight to navigate to Ely's number.
Her best friend answered on the first ring.
"This sucks," Ana said in the place of a hello, her face now wet.
"Tell me everything."
Comforted by the gentleness in her voice, Ana poured her heart out.
***
Ana laid in bed, the blankets a mess. She'd hung up her call with Ely just a few minutes ago and was now lost in her thoughts; the knock on the door made her jump.
Liam.
"Come in," she said, sitting up on the bed.
He opened the door, leaning on the door jamb. "Hey."
She looked at him, thin gray track suit and cut out shirt. He hadn't changed yet for the day, it seemed.
"Hey." She knew her voice sounded morose, but didn't try to change it.
His eyes surveyed the room; he cataloged the untidy sheets, her hair up in a knotty bun, and her impossibly crumpled pajamas.
"You look like you're a messy sleeper."
"I'm told it's not that bad, but you wouldn't know that because, despite what the tabloids are speculating, we are not sharing a bedroom."
"Ah," he said, coming to sit at the corner of her bed. "You saw already. I thought I might have to tell you what's going on."
"No, I saw."
"I heard you talking on the phone so I didn't want to interrupt. I was hoping it had nothing to do with this." He watched her, pensive. "How are you doing?"
"I'm overwhelmed, to be honest. They're saying some pretty nasty things."
"Please tell me you didn't go looking."
"I haven't. Ely sent me just a couple of screenshots. Then I asked her to check while we were on the phone. Not to read anything out loud to me, but to tell me the tone of what they were saying."
"Ana, try not to—"
"Yes, I know. Looking makes it worse."
He didn't say any more, but he crossed his arms and furrowed his eyebrows.
"You can say it," she told him.
"I'm not going to say anything."
"Then I'll say it: you told me it would be like this. And Diana… ugh. She's already giving me advice. Said she's going to get a PR rep involved."
"She thinks this needs to be managed?" His eyebrows formed a high arc at that.
She nodded. "She thinks it's good publicity but I should aim for Joel instead."
"What the hell does that mean?" Irritation had wormed its way to his tone.
