It's Not A Game Of Chance When It Comes To Love

Chapter 55

Chapter Fifty-Five...

"Jessica McCarthy!" An obnoxious man with a camera called out to me as I took my seat on one of the picnic benches dotted around our school field next to Grace. "Jessica McCarthy!" He called again when I refused to turn around and acknowledge his presence whatsoever. "Me and my team would just like to have a quick chat to you."

Not only had I gained the man's attention, but the majority of the school, who, like Grace and I, had chosen this surprisingly nice day to sit outside, also tuned straight into our conversation and the loud man's voice. It was something that could have been filmed, the way everyone's heads turned towards me at once. It wasn’t long before the man and his 'team', consisting of a woman holding a microphone and another man, much younger this time, with a notepad, had surrounded my table. "Go away." I said coldly, not lifting my head from my food, but not eating any of it either.

I guess I should have expected this, after seeing the news reports, which came with Matt's warnings, but I certainly hadn't expected it on this scale. I thought maybe one person with a camera when I arrived at school in the morning, maybe one when I was coming out again, but this was ridiculous. When I'd gotten here, a whole crew from the news channel had been waiting, begging me to 'just talk to them for a couple of minutes'; to 'tell my story, just like Arthur was doing'. They weren't going to persuade me though, so it was a hopeless attempt, even by this straggler and his crew who had been brave enough to invade the school grounds for a chance to talk to me.

"Come on, don't you want to get yourself in the news? Surely it would be the lifelong dream of every teenage girl to be on the TV?" He goaded, his voice thick with false kindness.

I couldn’t help the snort that came out of my mouth. "I'm already on TV." I reminded him sharply. "Otherwise you wouldn’t even be here. Now, could I please eat my lunch? In case you haven't realized, you aren't getting anywhere with me."

I heard the sigh that emanated from his mouth, probably not meant for my ears, but he instantly reverted to another tactic. Instead of labelling me as a fame-hungry teenager, appealing to my vengeful side. "What about to get Arthur back. He's trying to get you into trouble, saying you're in danger at school. How many things do you think that can mean?" I narrowed my eyes at what he was obviously insinuating. "And he's insulting your family. Don't you want to make people hate him for what he's done to you?"

"People already hate him for kidnapping his own daughter, I don’t see how me going on TV would make that any worse for him.” I pointed out seriously.

The TV man was scowling when I glanced up at him, not quite bringing myself to look smug at his annoyance, but finding the grimace that came easy to my face acceptable. “Is there nothing I can do to get you onto the screen?”

I shook my head resolutely. “Nothing.”

“Well, then I’m just going to sit here and see if I can persuade you.”

I glowered so hard that I thought my eyes were going to become permanent slits, then stood up sharply, bringing my tray of food with me. “Go for it,” I declared darkly. “But I’m not staying here with you.”

I knew Grace was following me, but she was smart enough to trail behind the film crew, who instantly responded to my movement, mimicking my every step as I stalked back to the school building, anger evident in my stride.

I was hoping that they wouldn’t be foolish enough to actually come inside the school building - it was bad enough that they’d been school grounds. They didn’t heed any of my wishes though and I found them trailing my every move even as I weaved through the corridors, knowing already where I was heading.