Far Love (Book 1)

31 | Reconnections

November 1st, 2023

Laying in Amy's living room I have a damp rag over my forehead, another on my chest.

She walks over with a cup of tea and some fruit in a bowl. "How are you feeling?"

I feel okay, I guess.

I change my mind, I do actually care about the paparazzi. They seem more obsessed with me than when I was little, and it's starting to get tiring.

"I'm fine, really," I say as I sit up. She hands me the bowl and the tea.

"I have to get to work, do you need anything before I go?"

I shake my head, "I'm really fine, I didn't even get that drunk last night."

She chuckles, "Okay. Stay as long as you need, I'll be back later tonight."

Going back to the TV, I watch the news on last night's events. Thankfully, many celebs got into scandals--or what the reporters have made out to be scandals--last night so mine seems to have been looked over.

I change to Netflix, looking for something new to watch. Something in fantasy perhaps. I scroll and scroll and scroll until I settle on a new adult fantasy series that was adapted into a movie last summer.

My phone pings from the coffee table as I take a bite of cantaloupe. I lean forward to pick up my phone and gasp at the notification.

Instagram: DylanWoods: We need to talk.

I stare at my lock screen in disbelief.

He texted me on Instagram?

I open my phone and go to my group chat with Mara and Nina. I call them, knowing they probably aren't at class right now. They seemed pretty ready to get blackout drunk last night.

Nina picks up immediately.

"I just saw the news, what's wrong? I mean... are you alright?"

I pause, "What news?"

"On GossipNews, you didn't see?"

I flip from Netflix to GossipNews, then get impatient as it loads and open their article site on my phone instead. I gasp as the top headline pops up;

Rylie Monroe, daughter to tycoon owner Matthew Monroe, announces her relationship with Lance Galon last night at Halloween Party.

"What?" I yell. I stand up and read into the article where multiple pictures of him and I kissing and dancing are shown. I groan internally as every new one pops up.

"I'm guessing you didn't see it yet?" she guesses.

"Yeah, just now, after you told me."

"I'm sorry,"

I interrupt her, "No, I would have figured it out soon enough." I rub my forehead and close my eyes. "I have something else to tell you though."

"What's that?..." she asks hesitantly.

"Dylan texted me."