𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓-- (𝕍𝕖𝕝𝕧𝕖𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕍𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕣 𝕩 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣)

IV

"Massive argument, my ass," you mutter. It was purely just a little interaction gone haywire, but of course, Mt. Rageous just loves to be dramatic.

At the sound of Charlene's sigh, you glance up. She looks tired as she runs a hand through her auburn curls, and you can't help but feel kind of bad for her.

"...We need to do something," she says finally, pressing her hands to the sides of her face. "We can't risk ruining your reputation because of a silly little argument."

You nod slowly. Even though this wasn't her career at stake, she still looked worried. "Yeah..."

Swinging your legs under the glass table, careful not to jab her knees with your foot, you push up the pair of sunglasses resting on your head as you think. Well, it seemed like Charlene was doing most of the thinking, her expression conflicted as she went silent.

God, you reach the top of the charts for not even a month and you're already in deep shit. How much bad luck do you have?

Cons of being a celebrity, you guessed.

"I got it," Charlene says after a moment, snapping her fingers, before she deflates. "Actually.."

"I'll take any idea you have," you plead. "I don't care how stupid, or reckless, or whatever it is. I'll take anything at this point."

Yeah, you're not gonna let the public catch you saying that to anyone, especially while sounding that pathetic.

Your manager eyes you for a second. "..I'm not sure you're gonna like it."

You raise a brow. "It can't be that bad."

"Eh, it's not, not really. But for you? I'm not sure you're gonna enjoy it."

"Char. My sweet, sweet manager. Spill."

"Okay," she says, taking a deep breath. "Right now, the people think you and those two are fighting over the charts. Which you are," she says, pressing her hands together.

"Yep. Care to elaborate on why that needs to be mentioned again?"

"Then.. how about you just pretend you're not?"

What.

"Okay, I'm a teensy bit lost. How is flat out ignoring my current problem gonna make anything better?" You ask.

"I don't mean to ignore it. I mean to deflect it, in a way— act like you aren't mad at them. Act like friends, is what I mean. The public will be more focused on this new, aspiring friendship between their idols," she waves her hands around, "that they'll eventually forget about the whole fight."

"So you're basically telling me to just go up to Velvet and Veneer and start kissing their asses and beg for friendship?"

Your manager sighs. "You always find the worst way to word things. But yes, that is what I'm trying to say."

You cringe. Upon seeing your expression, she shrugs. "Told you that you wouldn't like it. We can always come up with something different."

"No, no," you say, putting your hands up. "It's a good plan. It makes sense, at least. It's better than a shitty apology video with fake tears and a song, or something."

Charlene snorts. "That would be a nightmare, for both me and you."

You nod, before you tilt your head. "But how do we know that the siblings will go along with this? I cant exactly act all buddy-buddy with two people that'll still act like they hate me," you point out, leaning back on your chair.