The Rush

Chapter 33

The next morning, I woke up to Mamma gently stroking my hair. I groaned and pulled the covers over my head. "Five more minutes," I said almost out of reflex. Fuck mornings and everything to do with them. As soon as the words left my lips I realized how strange it was that Mamma was waking me up like this. This literally never happens. I pulled the covers down again and looked up at her. The worry on her face was immediately evident. "What's wrong?"

Mamma sighed, "It's about Lenora... about what happened last night."

I sat up, "How do you know what happened last night?"

"I wanted to wait for you to wake up by yourself, but you need to see this. The paparazzi photos that were taken have hit all the tabloids. Lenora Ashley's team released a statement."

Mamma handed me her phone. As soon as I took it my eyes were focused on the pictures, Lenora's forced kiss then her slap. The pictures made my blood boil and my skin crawl at just how violated I felt at seeing my worst moment painted across the internet. Everyone I know must have seen it by now. It took me far too long to read the headline which made the entire thing even worse. Melody Wilson Assaults Lenora Ashley and Pays the Price. I screamed as I shot out of bed. I started pacing as I read the article. Elenore and her team worked fast. They concocted a story about how obsessed I was with her and how I wasn't taking her rejection well. Her rejection! They said that I kissed her when she turned me down. No mention of how I was at an event that I booked and she was supposed to be in LA. Explain what she was doing there you fucking psycho bitch.

"I'm going to fucking kill her!" I tossed Mamma's phone on the bed and grabbed mine. I turned it on and the first thing I did was call Elenore. It didn't take long for her to pick up.

"Melody I-"

"I assaulted you! That's what you're going with? I fucking assaulted you! You fucking psychotic pathological liar! You force yourself onto me and slap me but you're saying you're the victim!"

"It was my team! I didn't write that story, they saw the pictures and came up with the story themselves. I had nothing to do with it!"

"Bullshit! You're just a fucking spineless coward! You refuse to ever take any accountability for any of your actions which is now going to ruin my fucking life! You do realize that, right? This is sexual assault you've accused me of! You and your team made me look like a predator who has been stalking you because you turned me down! Every single homophobic piece of shit out there is going to use this as an excuse to hate me and everyone like me because of the narrative that you spun."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"That's your problem but I'm done. I hope you finally nut up and do what's right." I hung up and blocked her number. I immediately turned my phone off and tossed it on the bed. I was so filled with anger that I was almost calm. A silent rage, numbness, and a sprinkle of despair all filled my system. I think so at least. I was a complete mess inside my still body that I was struggling to identify the emotions I was feeling. My heart was racing and I think I was on the verge of a panic attack. I couldn't move. I was frozen.

I felt hands on me, two on either side of my face wiping away tears I hadn't realized had fallen. "Melody, listen to my voice. I know you're freaking out but you need to calm down. Look into my eyes and breath with me. Alright, in two three four and out two three four." I focused in on Mamma's eyes and tried to follow her instructions. I struggled to control my breathing but eventually, I was able to. Once my breathing was under control I just sat down on my bed feeling drained once again.