Pretty Please Don't Pinch Me

18. Poppy Elston

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I wake the next morning at 6:30am feeling surprisingly well rested. I check my phone and have no new messages.

Oh.

That sinking feeling of dread hits me like a tonne of bricks. That feeling where you wake, forgetting the previous day's troubles, only to remember them all of a sudden. I quickly get changed into my workout shorts and crop top along with my runners, and go for a jog around my neighbourhood. I love this time of morning, where it feels like the rest of the world is asleep and I don't have to share the sunrise with anyone. I love the fact that when I run it's just me and all I have to think about is putting one put in front of the other. It clears my head and I feel somewhat normal again.

When I return home, I run into Mum in the kitchen, and pour myself a big glass of water and drain the entire thing before I refill it again.

"Feeling any better?" she enquires warily.

I'm halfway through the second glass before I nod.

"What did he want last night?" I ask, referring to his visit.

"He said that the headlines were a lie, and he wants you to call him."

"Well that's not happening," I raise my eyebrows in skepticism.

"All I'm going to say is that he seemed genuine, Ava," she informs me.

"Yeah, well I'm not taking my chances and being made out to be a fool in front of the entire world," I say with certainty, and finish off the remaining contents of the glass before going upstairs.

I don't understand how she can be falling for his spiel. I would rather just forget anything ever happened and move on, and I'm extremely grateful that it didn't progress any further. I can't imagine what it would be like to be even deeper in 'like' with him, because it's already hard enough as it is. I just want this all to blow over so I can move on.

I quickly shower and throw on a summery dress for work. Today I'm scheduled to work with Scarlett, and I'm really anxious about seeing her. I want to explain everything that happened right from the start and hope and pray that she'll forgive me. I stash the magazines that I'm featured in into my bag and plan to read them properly before I begin work.

I get to work nice and early and buy two Vietnamese iced coffees for when Scarlett arrives. I turn on the television to a morning show and have it on in the background while I flick through the pages of these gossip rags.

Some of the reports are so far fetched that I don't understand how they can legally be published.

"Sources close to the pair claim that Harry has been cheating on Kendall with the unknown model for months. The pair met at a fashion show after party in London that Styles attended and have been messaging each other for months."

Me? A model? Yeah right!

A couple of young girls in the store are brought to my attention as I feel their eyes on me, whispering in between their glances.

"You ask her!" one whispers.

"No - you," the other one replies, elbowing her friend.

"Can I help you girls?" I smile, but they look at each other shaking their heads before nervously exiting, but outside the store I manage to hear,

"I told you so! It's definitely her."

Were they be referring to me? Could they have seen the magazines and recognised me? Surely not! I go back to the articles, trying to see what other outlandish things have been written about me.