𝐔𝐆𝐇! ── 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐬𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝.

00:23

── 𝟐𝟑 . * .°・( 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 / 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 )
      ❝︎ 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 ❞︎

──

          Aurora Park's shaking hand raised the phone towards her ear, eyes darting around Rae's bedroom for some form of clarity. After reading the article about Val, she couldn't help but want to demand the woman for answers. Had she really done all of that...?

          The sudden ceasure of the ringing tone brought a sudden silence upon Rory, mouth agape with no sign of a greeting blessing either end of the call. Val, now seated on the couch of her hotel, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear while wracking her brain for something to say.

          "Hi..." She whispered, fingers picking at the stray threads on the couch beneath her.

          "Hey..." Rory replied. "I, uh, saw the article."

          Val let out a little chuckle. "Yeah, I figured."

          Unwelcoming silence interrupted their conversation, neither woman knowing how to approach the severity of the topic.

          "I'm sorry." Val blurted, hand smacking over her mouth.

          Rory jumped at the sudden noise, eyes wide. "Uh..."

          "I— Sorry, that was loud..." She sighed. "I just... miss you, Rory."

          The blonde streamer gazed out the window, fluffy clouds occupying the light blue sky in a form of comforting art. "Then why did you push me away?"

          Val knew the question was coming, but still felt her heart drop as it echoed between them. "It's all my fault..." She plucked a thread out of the couch, examining it as if it would embrace her. "Jennie was the one who was texting you during... you know..."

          The mere sound of the actress' name was enough to warrant a surge of rage through the Park woman. "When you called me a horrible friend?"

          "Yes..." She confirmed. "I was... so afraid she would ruin my career, Rory. I know it wasn't fair to you, but I didn't want to lose everything."

          "No, Val. You wouldn't have lost me. You chose to do that. In your head, you decided that our friendship wasn't worth fighting for. You gave up the moment something went wrong."

          A tear dripped down Val's raw cheek, Rory's words ringing true in her mind. "I know, and I'm so sorry."

          "You need to stand up to her."

          "What?"

          "Jennie. You can't keep hiding behind her like a child. I hate seeing you like this, Val. You deserve so much more than what she's giving you."

          Val shook her head, tears now flowing freely from her swollen eyes. "But my job..."

          "She's going to be the cause of your downfall eventually, Val. At least when it happens sooner, you have more time to rebuild." Rory muttered, finding cute cartoon characters in the shapes of the clouds.

          Val remained silent, letting everything sink in. "I think Jennie's the one behind the article."

          Rory's attention abandoned the sky at that, brows furrowing. "How do you know?"

          "I can't think of anyone else who would want to do that to me."

          Nibbling on her bottom lip, the streamer fought herself; should she really ask?