AllFreeNovel
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"Nothing. We're all asking around. It popped up first in the Hong Kong newspapers, but it's been picked up everywhere. As far as I can tell, there are four pictures. They're all of you guys in front of or next to that club. In one you look like you're arguing. In another, I have to admit, it looks like you're paying her. It's Kiara, right?"
"Yes, it's Kiara! What the fuck?"
"Hey, I've never met her, I was just making sure. Maybe it wasn’t actually a—"
"A hooker? No. I'm with Kiara."
"Really? That's great!” He sounds genuinely happy for me.
I pull on a pair of boxers and grab my phone. "I don't know if she's going to feel it's so great right now. I have to go talk to her. She's... this is not going to go down well."
"Which part, the being called a prostitute or the being linked with you?"
"Nathan." How did my best friend’s name become a taboo word for me.
"Well, you’ll sort that out. And let’s not pretend you’re not going to hear about this from the board."
"Fuck them. I’ll explain. It’s not like none of them have been caught with their hand down someone else's pants."
"Go. Call me when you're on your way to work, and we’ll talk about what to do about this."
Kiara's all curled up in a little blanket cocoon when I come out to the bedroom. For a split second I wonder if there is any way to hide this from her. But snippets of our conversation the other night reminds me that I have promised to treat her like an adult. Like a person who has a right to know the things going on in her life.
My weight sinks the mattress when I sit back down on it, and I pull her into my arms,
"Morning, angel."
"I sleep."
"Yeah, um, you can get more sleep later. I need to tell you something."
One eye peek open. "You've showered? I thought we agreed you'd wake me so I could join you."
I brush the hair out of her face and she pulls the sheet right up to her chin, closing her eyes again.
My heart feels like it's tearing itself to pieces knowing I have to tell her that, once again, her privacy had been violated. And that a shit storm is about to be upon us,
"Kiki, we need to talk about something. Can you open your eyes, please?"
This time she opens both eyes, the tone of my voice telling her something bad is coming.
"What is it? Is it everyone okay? Someone hurt?"
"No. No, it's nothing like that."
Her shoulders relax, and I wish I could just leave it like that.
It’s now or never. "Um, do you remember the other night outside the club? We talked for a little while before leaving?"
“Sure!”
"So, er, someone must've seen us and took some photos. Those... those photos are being reported on the news.”
Her forehead resembles a page of sheet music, furrowed lines, confused. “What do you mean?"
I pull up the news story on my phone, and hand it over to her. Headline and all. Ice shards pierce my veins as she clasps her hand over her mouth and looks up at me, her eyes filled with horror.
"Kylian! this is... this is us." She holds up the phone, the picture of us embracing plastered on the internet for everyone to see. Everyone.
