Page 7 of The Pursuit of Happiness

I click the notification to see if this is just clickbait, but really to find out what the actual fuck is going on. Immediately when I click the article, I regret my decision. Right there, underneath that treacherous headline, is a censored photo of me and Slater with Slater between my legsfucking me. Oh my God. I gasp and nearly drop my phone, but Slater catches it and stares at the screen, his jaw open in shock. “Oh my God,” I panic as my legs wobble.

He wraps an arm around my waist to hold me steady but I can hear his breaths coming in as rapidly as mine are. The picture was censored and our intimate parts were covered, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t copies of it uncensored and in video format all over by now. The entire world must’ve seen it by now. I start to hyperventilate and Slater whispers in my ear, though his voice comes out shaky, “Aria, breathe,” he commands.

“I can’t! There’s a video of us out there! Having sex, Slater!” I cry out as tears start to stream down my cheeks.

He gives me a panicked look as he looks between me and the article. “How did this happen?” He whispers to himself.

I’m wondering the same thing. I snatch the phone out of his hands and open Instagram even though I know I shouldn’t, and sure enough, it isallover my feed. I click the comments section in the first photo I see and immediately feel bile rise in the back of my throat as I read.

Bethymusiclover:What a slut. She’s disgusting.

Rockgirl308:WHORE!!!!

SatansAngelsFanPage:Wow…Aria was always my least favorite Angel for a reason…

A tearless sob wracks from my chest and Slater snatches my phone away before I can read any more. My body trembles fiercely. How did this happen? I went to bed last night with no problems and woke up to the entire world slut shaming me and hating me. The worst part is that I don’t remember any of it.

I hear my phone start to ring in Slater’s hand and I know it must be Selene or Brody or Ivory. I need to talk to them, I need to know that they don’t hate me or think I’m a disgusting whore. I reach for my phone, but Slater holds it out of my grip, “Aria, don’t read those comments,” he urges, sympathy in his voice.

“I’m not trying to read them. I need to talk to Selene and the others,” I protest, continuing my useless battle for my phone. He doesn’t give it back right away and I get impatient, more aggressive with my movements.

In a second, both of our hands are on my phone, the screen lighting up in six different colors. My phone stops ringing and the next thing I hear is moaning coming from the device. We both freeze, our eyes wide and locked on each other. The moaning continues and I know without having to look that it’s me who’s moaning. Then a drunken slur of, “Fuck, Sly you feel so fucking good.”

My cheeks turn bright red and I want so badly to break down and sob right here and now but I’m frozen in place completely. I can’t move. His voice comes next in the video, “Show me how good. Come on my cock,” he demands.

The next sound is me screaming out a loud cry, as I reached my orgasm. I get so utterly humiliated that I would give anything to shut the video off, to throw my entire phone out of this building. I finally gain control over my body and snatch the phone out of his hands, shutting it off after noticing that the video was playing on social media. This can not possibly get any worse. Tears stream down my cheeks and Slater attempts to comfort me, “I’m so sorry, Aria.” He reaches out and places hishands on my shoulders to steady me.

I shake my head and take a step back, breaking the connection between us. “How did this happen?” I repeat his question from earlier.

He gives me a look of defeat and I let my mind go rampant, formulating possibilities of how this could’ve happened. I’m so desperate for some kind of explanation. The video was taken from someone else, not from us because we were both in full view. The only thing that my mind catches on is the fact that the media isn’t ripping Slater apart the way that it’s ripping me apart. He doesn’t get slut shamed, but I do. This could decimate our chances of winning that Muse. Just as that realization sinks in, the rest of the puzzle pieces seem to fall together perfectly, the picture coming into view. I give him a look of betrayal, “You.”

He flinches as if I just slapped him across the face, “What? You think I had something to do with this?”

I scoff as tears continue to stream down my cheeks, “Of course I do. Nothing else would make any sense. Was winning the award so important to you that you had to destroy me and my reputation to get it?”

“No Aria, that’s not what happened, I-” he stammers but I cut him off.

I hold a hand up to silence him, “I don’t want to hear any more lies from you.” I need to get out of here before I really lose it. I quickly put my clothes on as he tries to explain his lies and cover his ass but I ignore him. He’s nothing but a filthy liar. Once I’m finally dressed I charge over to the door, but he pushes in front of me blocking my exit, “Get out of my way!” I bark, aggression in my voice.

He shakes his head in denial, “Aria, I wouldneverdo that to you, I swear.”

“Your word doesn’t mean shit to me,” I snap.

“I am telling you I had nothing to do with this!” He pleads with me to listen, but I have no interest in hearing any more lies.

I step around him and open the door. Just as I’m about to exit I look over my shoulder at him, “You know, you had me totally fooled. I knew I should’ve just let you walk away last night. I think the dumbest thing I’ve ever done in my life was ask you to stay, you lying piece of shit,” I seethe disparagingly before slamming the door behind me just when he was about to respond.

Slater Nicks just ruined my entire life and he did it for a fucking Muse Award.

As I hurry for the elevators of the hotel I check my phone to see who that missed call was from. My call log is horrific. I have seventy-two missed calls from Selene, forty-four from Brody, fifty-one from Ivory, and ten from my mother. Fuuuuuuuckkk.

The chrome doors open before me and I sigh in relief when I realize nobody is inside. I step inside and press the main lobby button. I take a deep breath for courage before I press Selene’s name on my phone. I bring it up to my ear as it starts to ring but Selene answers on the first ring, “Aria Kane!” She screams into the phone and I wince from the volume. This hangover is still kicking my ass and her screaming at me is not going to help.

“Selene,” I choke out.

“What happened? Where are you?” She demands, her voice softening only slightly when she hears how broken my voice comes out.

I wipe fresh tears from my cheeks as the elevator door opens and I’m faced with the hotel lobby. I step out and immediately look around for some clue as to what hotel I’m at. When I see the large H engraved into the stone floor I answer, “I’m at the Hidden hotel. Can you please send a car for me?” I beg, trying my best not to cry so as not to draw any unwanted attention to myself.

---