Chiara [PUBLISHED] ✔️

Sixteen

I woke up to a headache and confusion. The memory of how I managed to walk to my room and my bed faded from my mind. I didn't even bother to check when I arrived. Ignoring the pounding in my head, I glanced towards Steph's bed. Empty.

I lifted my head and a wave of pain washed over me.

"Fuck." I mumbled and rubbed my aching temples. Last night's events flashed before my eyes and I frowned and grunted and threw myself back in the bed. "Fuck."

At least for the first time in my life, I had a story to tell. Listening to Bryan's adventures turned frustrating over the years. That guy literally tried everything once.

I checked my phone and sat upright when I noticed dozens of notifications. All Instagram follow requests. All from the people at the party.

"I guess that's how you become one of the cool kids." I muttered for myself and scrolled through the notifications. My phone buzzed. Bryan.

"What?" I answered as I got out of the bed. I was still in my dress. Gosh, I didn't even bother to put on PJ's and I smelled like shit. My hair was sticky and my dress was stained, probably from the champagne. I would have to change my bedsheets.

"It's noon." Bryan's frustrated voice reached my ears.

"I'm dying." I grunted.

"Well, you're about to die some more." Bryan smile sounded smug. "I just posted my first Chiara chapter."

I stopped on my way to the bathroom.

"What? Why?" I whined, but I was too hungover to show any other emotion. I expected at least one blogpost coming from Bryan. He said he'd write something the moment she returned to Astley.

"Because I have to feed my kids and pay the bills." Bryan mocked. "I told you I would write it. And it's here. But don't worry, it's nothing incriminating, just some juicy speculation."

"Gosh, Bryan, can't you wait for my approval at least once?" I proceeded to the bathroom, trying to wiggle out of my disgusting dress.

"And why would I do that? You never approve." I could see him raising his eyebrow through the phone. "But anyway, that's not why I called."

"Why did you call?" I popped an Ibuprofen and drank some water greedily. My head still pounded. And I desperately needed a shower.

"Chiara broke up with Josh."

My heart stopped.

"Where are you? I need to take a shower." I managed to slip out of my dress.

"Terrace." The underlying excitement in his voice didn't ease my anxiety. "Drinking coffee with Steph, but I might switch to tea."

I hung up on him.

I grunted over the sink, cursing myself inwardly and outwardly for allowing myself such recklessness last night. What the hell was I thinking? Making out with the most popular girl in school in a fucking limo, with a driver literally next to us and drinking champagne like tomorrow didn't exist. That wasn't me!

I slipped into the shower and let the hot water wash away my sins. The overall dirtiness disappeared with the water, but an empty feeling in my heart remained. 

Tracing back the steps of what happened, realisation hit me like a tidal wave. Chiara was most likely only using me to make Josh jealous. And when he beat her to it, she made out with me out of spite.

And then I remembered what she said, how he had a tape of her. I wondered whether I should tell Bryan about it. He said he'd go through Chiara to take Josh down and I couldn't allow it. Not if Josh really threatened to release the tape. I didn't want to imagine what might be on it. But I was certain it was enough to ruin her.