Page 16 of The Enemy of My Enemy Is… My Fake Boyfriend?

"And of course, it's all written in a way that protects him, like not directly from him, but from asource."

"Of course," I groaned.

I collapsed on the couch, my phone in hand, and did a search, sick at having to face the cold, harsh reality that had become my life. And there it was, headlines blasting out awful things about me.

Aria Stratton Caught up in Cheating Scandal

From It Girl to Outcast: Aria Stratton's Downward Spiral

Aria Stratton: Pretty Face Hides Ugly Soul

Ugly soul? Excuse me? Outcast?

Just a week ago, they couldn't get enough of me, shouting out my name in a repeating chorus as flashes blinded us on our way in to the event.

Us. Our way. I had to stop thinking in those terms. Now it was back to me, I, and my again.

Outcast that I was.

I skimmed one article with a sad picture of Chase slumped against our doorway, the caption saying I'd locked him out to be with my latest boy toy. Such utter bullshit! How could they get away with printing this stuff? And who on earth had taken this photo to begin with?

Chase? Had he somehow set it up? I wouldn't put it past him.

"You shouldn't read all that crap," Annalise said, looming over me. "And most definitely don't read the comments."

"Never read the comments," came Astrid's voice. "Never. They'll make you want to jump off a tall building."

But it was too late.

I've always hated her. With her smug, know it all face.

She's the worst. Ugly inside and out.

Poor little rich girl's gonna run back to her daddy.

On and on they went. Not a single person taking my side.

Annalise grabbed the phone from my hand, turning it to see what I'd been reading. "What did we just tell you? No comments. Ever."

"And you shouldn't even read the articles," Astrid added. "Never google yourself. It's absolute torture."

They were right. Of course they were right. But I had to see what people were saying about me, didn't I?

"This is such a nightmare.I'mthe one who got cheated on.I'mthe one hurting right now. And somehow it's all been turned against me?"

The tears welled up, almost always surfacing when I was angry and upset, despite my best to keep them at bay. Hatred forChase swirled around inside me, and I despised it. I didn't want to be filled with hate. But it was there nonetheless.

Astrid came over and sat down beside me, putting an arm around me. Then Annalise did the same on my other side, creating a sisterly triangle of support.

God, I loved these two. My two best friends in the whole wide world. The three of us together were a force to be reckoned with. When I was up, they shared in the joy. And when I was down, they were always here for me. As I was for them.

They both whispered soothing words as I let out the tears, Astrid handing me my nearly empty tissue box. They never judged me, didn't care that I had snot bubbles, didn't appear bothered by the pizza sauce stain on my hoodie or the fact that I couldn't remember the last time I'd brushed my teeth.

Once I was done, I felt oddly empty. Not better exactly. Just numb. Blank. A void blob of nothing.

Annalise tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "You know what we should do?"

"What?"

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