Rhythm of the heart | Rick Savage

Chapter 11

((*JOCELYN*))

"Jocelyn!!" I heard Sav's voice following me, I turn around to face him. My face full of sadness evident with my tears.

"Is it true?" I ask him, I feel a pain in my throat making it hard to speak.

"I'm so sorry, Jocelyn" he said his voice filled with guilt.

"Adam wanted to improve my image, make me more marketable. He suggested we create a fake relationship for me with someone who had power. That's when he brought up your name"

"So, it is true. You were paid to date me" I said as the tears continued falling.

"Yes, I was. At first, it was just a plan, but then... then I fell for you, Jocelyn. I didn't expect it to happen, but it did" He said looking remorseful.

"How could you do that to me, Sav? How could you pretend to care about me when it was all just a lie?" I shout, hurt and angry.

"I never wanted to hurt you, Joss. When we started spending time together, I realised that my feelings were genuine. I regretted ever going along with the plan" He tried to explain.

"You should have told me the truth, Rick. I trusted you, and you betrayed me. You lied to me" I shouted teary-eyed.

"I know, and I'm so sorry. I should have been honest from the beginning, but I was so scared of losing you" he said he held his hand out to touch me, I batted it away.

"I don't know if I can trust you anymore, Rick" I state trying to compose myself.

Later that evening, after all the guests left. I am sitting on the couch, visibly upset and teary-eyed. Jenny sits down beside me fetching me a warm cup of lemon tea.

"I heard the argument, Are you ok?" She asked softly.

"You were right, Jenny. He was too good to be true, I feel so stupid" I said wiping away my tears with a torn up tissue.

"I'm so sorry, Jocelyn" she replied gently,

"I trusted him, Jenny. I thought what we had was real" I say tearfully.

"I know, and it's ok to feel hurt. He should have been honest with you from the start" She said holding onto my hand.

"I don't know if I can forgive him for this" I sniffle.

"You don't have to decide right now. Take your time to process everything" she says understandingly.

"But I love him, Jenny. I really do" I say feeling conflicted.

"And that's ok. Love is complicated, and sometimes people make mistakes" She supports me,

"But how can I trust him again?" I ask as my voice breaks,

"Trust takes time to rebuild. If Sav is truly sorry and willing to change, he'll work hard to earn back your trust" she reassures me,

"Thank you, Jenny. I don't know what I'd do without you" I say gratefully.

"You don't have to go through this alone. We'll figure it out together" She said with a reassuring warm smile.

She embraces me with a warm friendly hug, she knows how to make me feel better. Then a realisation hit.

"Oh, Shit" I shout backing away from Jenny.

"What, what is it?" she asks worriedly.

"Through all of this excitement, I forgot about the article. I'm supposed to be doing a live reading of it at the release party tomorrow" I say not believing myself.

"Well come on, I'll help you write it" She says just like the best friend she is.

She stands up and grabs my hand pulling me out of my slumber and to my computer. I open up my computer and look at the Emails that have been stacked up for the last week, from my boss. They get more aggressive as they continue.

The last one reading.

"Dear my faithful employee,

I hope you have your stuff packed, because if I don't have this article by the end of today you are FIRED.

DON'T TEST ME YOUNG LADY.

Yours sincerely, YOUR BOSS"

and that was from 9am this morning, it is currently six thirty. PM.

"He seems angry" Jenny joked.

"You think" I replied with a laugh after reading the Email.

Jenny and I worked tirelessly all night gathering everything together and writing up my now dreaded article about Def Leppard.

I proof read and proof read and proof read as much as I could switching with Jenny every time, until we couldn't keep our eyes open anymore. But just long enough for me to press the send button on my computer, ready for my irritated boss to read. God, I hope I don't piss him off even more.