Avery's POV
"Nina! Nina! are you there?"
I begin to panic after hearing what seems to be a crash.
"Nina can you hear me?", I try yelling out over the sound of a horn blowing in the background. After a few seconds I hear a click and the phone disconnects. Fearing that Nina may be in trouble I grab my keys and wallet and rush downstairs.
"Where are you off to in such a hurry?", my mother questions as I almost bump into her.
"I'll tell you later, I think something might have happened."
"What's wrong honey?"
"I don't know, hopefully nothing", I race to my car and try dialing her again but she doesn't answer.
The last thing I heard her say before the phone disconnected was that she was headed to my house. Assuming that she left from her home, I decide to drive in that direction.
Getting every red light in the city I try to keep my composure and not think the worst.
Suddenly my phone begins to ring and I rush to answer thinking that it's Nina.
"Hello Nina?"
"Uhh no it's Olivia. Why do you sound so frantic?"
"Olivia I really can't talk right now."
"Ok wait before you go do you know where Rachel is? I've been trying to get a hold of her ever since she so rudely hung up on me earlier."
"No....I'm sorry I have to go. I'll call you back."
A few blocks away from Nina's home I pull up to see police cars, a fire truck and ambulance blocking the road. I park my car and run over to where an officer is taping off the street with yellow tape.
"Hey Ma'am I need you to back up and stay behind the line."
I lean on my tip toes trying to look around him. As I look closer I get a glimpse of a car flipped over. I make a dash for under the tape and immediately regret it.
"Oh my God!", I yell out.
"Hey you can not be in the perimeter. This is an active scene."
My breathing becomes out of rhythm as I start to panic,"That's my friend's car. Is she ok? What happened?"
"Ma'am I need you to calm down and step behind the line. Once you do that-"
As he touches my shoulder guiding me back across the line I see a gurney being wheeled away. I look at the van that has Los Angeles County Coroner spread across it.
"Where is my friend? I need to see her."
"Ma'am I regret to inform you that there was an accident and your friend did not make it."
"What?! that can't be right. I was just on the phone with her."
"She came out of nowhere. I blew my horn and tried to swerve but it was too late", a man standing by talking to another officer says. "She ran the red light and didn't stop... It was an accident I didn't mean for this to happen", the man says with his hands over his head looking worried.
"I know this is a lot for you to process, but maybe you can help us with getting in contact with her next of kin", the officer speaking with me says.
Tears roll down my face as I see the lifeless body of my friend being placed in the back of a van.
***********
Jennifer's POV
I take a sip of wine looking off into the Malibu hills as a million thoughts run through my mind.
"You haven't touched any of your food", Greg says gaining my attention.
"I don't have much of an appetite."
He chuckles, "You always said I'd be the one to ruin your career but look now. Fucking things up all by yourself, good job."
"Greg I'm not in the mood."
"At least the world will finally get to see you for what you really are."
"Do you not have any kind of decency? This affects you too in chase you forgot."
"I didn't forget. Maybe I'll sell my story like your girlfriend did to make up for the shit show that is about to occur."
"Rachel didn't leak this."
"So an unknown source just happens to have evidence of the two of you laying around? Who else knew about you two besides Frank?"
I glance over at him.
"Come on, I'm not stupid. That man would wipe your ass if you'd let him."
I roll my eyes.
"All I'm saying is you'd be surprised what people can do when they think they can get away with it. From the start I could see Rachel was trouble."
"Ok David will just have to chastise me later. I'm done with this dinner, let's go", I say getting up and grabbing my purse.
As we walk out to the valet we see a group of paparazzi running our way with their cameras pointed towards us.
Greg holds me by the waist and I lean into him pressing a kiss on his lips for show.
"Senator Abner! Senator Abner! Can we get a quote?"
Greg gives the valet his ticket while we try to plaster smiles on our faces.
"Senator what do you have to say about the allegations?"
"Senator Abner is it true you're having an affair with a staffer?"
I make eye contact with Greg and he assumes the role he knows how to play so well.
"We know you have a job to do but please back up and give us space."
"Who is the staffer? Are you getting a divorce? Will you suspend your campaign with these new allegations?", the paparazzi all shout out at once.
I take a deep breath and try not to let them see me sweat.Thankfully our car pulls up and the valet assists us in clearing the way.
Greg stands behind me with his hand placed on the small of my back leading me to the car as cameras flash and phones are shoved in my face.
"No comment. You all have a good night", Greg says to the crowd after he closes the door for me.
When he gets in the car they surround us giving us no way to exit.
"Greg get us out of here."
"What do you want me to do? Run over one of these assholes? You'll have another scandal and lawsuit on your hands."
I sit back in the passenger seat and try shielding my face from all the camera lights.
Greg unbuckles his seat belt and unlocks the door.
"Greg stop, what are you doing?"
"Saving your ass, he says looking over at me before he exits the car.
He gets out to speak to them."We're just trying to get home. You'll get your story soon enough." He nods his head and shakes a few of their hands. Before I know it he's back in the car and they have cleared out the way. He puts the car in drive and speeds out of the parking lot and down the canyon.
"Thank you."
He glances over at me and continues to drive.
I pull out my phone to see an abundance of missed calls and text from just about everyone in my contact list. Out of everyone I decide to give David a call.
"Hello?"
"David what is going on? We were just bombarded by a swarm of paparazzi asking about the allegations. How did it get out?"
He takes a deep breath, "Because the article was published. The word has been getting around fast and TMI wanted to be the first to break it."
"My career is over."
"It's not if haven't done anything wrong. I've been in meetings and on calls with your attorney, publicist, the whole team is working overtime to ensure this story is killed."
"Once it's out there it's out there", I say hanging up furiously.
I sigh and close my eyes.
"I know your reputation means the world to you, but are you really this ignortant? You need to tell him so he can get ahead of it", Greg says.
"I don't need to do that. Rachel and I are over, I'm ending things with her."
"That's all fine and dandy, but that doesn't stop this so called evidence from coming out does it?"
He parks the car and I slam the door startling my nosy neighbor who was obviously waiting outside.
"Jennifer, Greg I couldn't believe it when I heard the news. I just know it's not true is it?"
"No Margaret it's not."
"I knew it wasn't, you too are such a perfect couple. I told my daughter there wasn't a chance you could do a thing like that to such a wonderful man. Greg treats you like a queen from what I see."
Greg smiles and thanks her while I continue walking on.
"You'll have to excuse her, as you can imagine she's under a lot of stress right now."
I leave him outside talking as I rush inside to call Frank.
"Hello"
"Have you taken care of it?
"Yes."
"All the evidence is gone?"
"Yes I don't think you'll have a problem again."
"Thank you."
I take a deep breath throwing my head back feeling somewhat relieved.
**********
Rachel's POV
"Hello?"
"Where have you been? I've been trying get a hold of you for hours."
"I've been a little busy."
"That's what I was worried about, earlier you were really upset. I just want to make sure you don't do anything stupid."
I look over at the bag that lays in my passenger seat. "Stop being such a mom. I'm fine Liv."
"We're sisters I know you better than anyone. I know when you've been slighted how you react. I've been on the receiving end of that once or twice."
"I promise I'm ok. I love you, I have to go."
"Why does everyone keep telling me that? Does no one want to talk to me today?"
"Bye Liv."
I park my car a few houses away and take a deep breath while I wait for Jenn to open the door.
She opens the door looking beyond stressed and I can tell that she's been crying.
"What are you doing here?"
"You aren't answering my calls or texts so I didn't have an option... I saw the article."
"Then you should be smart enough to know you can't be here-"
"Jenn"
"All eyes are on me right now. Before I know it paparazzi will be at my goddamn doorstep."
"Jenn- would you just stop for a minute and hear me out?"
She looks away annoyed before finally meeting eyes with me.
"I found a solution to our problem."
"Rachel there's nothing you can do to help this situation besides staying away. Frank took care of it. After tonight the allegations will be debunked, so moving forward I just need to make sure nothing like this ever happens again...and it won't."
"How are the allegations going to be debunked?"
"Don't worry about that."
"Jenn I have Nina's computer which holds everything we need to forget any of this is happening."
"What?"
I sigh, "I knew the only way to rectify this was to make sure she doesn't have any power over us. Now that she has nothing it's our word against hers. Who are they going to believe? The Senator or the girl who has been written up by you and has proven that she'll do anything to get ahead?"
"How did you get her computer?"
"Don't worry about that", I say using her words against her.
She gives me a look that tells me I better tell her or else.
"Fine, I had every intention of going to her house and talking it out, but she's literally a psychopath so I knew it would be useless. Still I was going to do it until I saw everything I needed laying in the seat of her car."
"So you broke into her car and stole her property? You committed a crime. Rachel you're so much smarter than this."
"It's a larceny burglary from motor vehicle, a misdemeanor at most. But I was careful and don't plan on getting caught. Plus it's payback for her vandalizing my car. We're even now."
She shakes her head in disbelief, "It's almost like I don't know who you are anymore. You're getting into fights, committing crimes."
"Jenn are you serious? I'm the woman that doesn't want to see the person I love lose everything she's worked her entire life for that's who I am."
"I don't like this side of you."
"I did this for us. I didn't have a choice."
"You always have a choice and you picked the wrong one."
"So what did you want me to do? Just let everything burn while I sit back and watch?"
She sighs and my phone begins to ring.
I look to see it's Avery and press reject.
"Jenn-", I say walking closer to her.
"No, all of this could have been avoided."
Avery calls back and I press reject again.
"Yes, but it happened. We can't change that. All we can do is move forward, and now that she has nothing we have that opportunity."
"In moments like this our age difference really shines through. For you to think everything can just magically be ok-"
My phones goes off again, but this time it's a text. I look down to read it and I drop my phone out of shock.
"What's wrong?"
"Nina-"
"Rachel what is it?"
"There's been an accident. Nina is dead."