[Blake] Rumor Has It

[Scarlet Rose Harris]

Scarlet flipped the page on her Cosmo magazine, smirking at a picture of Ethan before she bent the corner of the page down so she would remember to give him shit about it later. But she looked up instantly as the elevator doors opened straight into her penthouse. Only people with the right access code to her penthouse could use the elevator, so clearly it was someone she knew. Instantly her heart seemed to stop. Zack, Logan? Which was she hoping to see more. She was mad at both of them, so did it even matter? She tossed her magazine down on the side of the couch and stood up, pulling her t-shirt down over her hips as she made her way towards the entrance. But when she saw who was standing there she came to a complete stop. “ Blake..” she said out of surprise. She scanned Blake over to try and capture her demeanor. Hair straightened, bangs styled, that cult Barbie smile that her and Mackenzie seemed to have perfected. But then again, she was guilty of it too – which is exactly how she could tell it was fake. “ What no muffin basket?” she asked sarcastically before she crossed her arms over one another and looked back over at her. ‘ What, no half naked man trying to make an escape through your elevator?” Blake matched back all while keeping her smile before she gave a quick smirk and added , ‘ Look Harris, let’s just get to the point of why I’m here’.

Scarlet watched as Blake made her way past her and walked into her living room. She begrudgingly turned on her heel and followed Blake into the living room, sitting down on a chair across from the couch that Blake had perched herself. “ And that point is?” she questioned, pulling her legs up into her chair. ‘ Well obviously we’re not exactly friends.’ Blake started off. Scarlet shook her head, “ I think you’re a whiney country bumpkin who writes and sings songs about finding and losing love because she isn’t capable of doing anything else with her life,” she said matter of factly. She wasn’t trying to be rude, that was just her interpretation of her. ‘And I think you’re an attention seeking slut who excuses her behavior by throwing out the ‘ life’s been unfair to me’ card. Life isn’t fair to anyone. ‘ Blake added as though this conversation was already boring her. Scarlet took in a deep breath and sighed, trying to look to see what time it was. Whatever she wanted to talk about, Scarlet had a feeling it wasn’t anything she wanted to hear.

[Blake Emma Renner]

Blake pushed some of her hair behind her ear, trying to think of how to exactly start this conversation. It was one that needed to be had for a while. But she didn’t want to get in the way of Logan going through… well whatever the hell he was going through. And after the night they had spent together, and going to see Shane, she knew she wasn’t ready to take him back as her husband yet, but that didn’t mean he had left her life completely. If anything it made her decide to fight for him more, for the Logan she knew was in there. She knew who he was, what he was capable of, she just needed him to figure it out. He hadn’t figured it out yet- and she knew she wouldn’t take him back until he did. “Logan loves me. He’s a little lost right now but he’ll find his way.. and im not saying I would take him back right away. I’m saying I took vows, and that our journey is long from over. He and I will be together, and you are going to stay out the way… and here’s why. You two don’t love each other anymore. You’re infatuated with the idea of who you both used to be. Logan isn’t the same man anymore. He doesn’t want the party girl voted prom queen. And you .. I’m sure you have grown somewhere in your personality as well. Why are you fighting so hard to steal the love of my life, when you have one of your own? What happened when you loved Logan in high school? As much as we want to pretend we’ve all grown up, and we have.. there are certain traits within us that never will. You run. I’m the girl who sings about finding love and holding onto it. I loved him in high school. I’ll love him until the day I die. You loved him in high school, you ran. Now who are you running from? I don’t care if he lied to you..take it from me, sometimes the truth hurts worse than anything. But if you love someone, if you actually love them, Scarlet… you forgive anything. You’re not what Logan needs anymore, and quite honestly… he isn’t what you need. Zack is everything you need. And.. you screwed with my husbands head because you were too scared to admit it. “ she said, watching as Scarlet became tense and uncomfortable. Which, she should. She wasn’t the other woman persay, but she was an unwanted presence in her and Logan’s marriage. And Blake knew what all of this boiled down to. Logan wanted to protect someone he cared about and was confusing those feelings since he had once loved her, and honestly? It came down to Zack for both Logan and Scarlet. Blake had thought about it for a long time, and she didn’t think Logan wanted to admit it. But Zack was the love of Scarlet’s life, he was the man that was going to step in and protect Scarlet whenever she needed it. Logan had never been replaced before, in anything. He was the best brother, most talented label owner, been a great boyfriend to Blake then husband, best friend to multiple people. And here was Scarlet.. replacing the one guy that protected her from everything, with Zack. It had to be scary for both of them. But now it was time to quit playing games. You couldn’t be everything to everyone. Relationships changed.

‘Scarlet there’s a lot I let you get away with. I put up with your presence in my life because for some reason people seem to like to look past your .. personality flaws.. and my ex-husband as some deep rooted affection for you. I’ll put up with you at Sunday dinners, parties, weddings, celebrations, hanging out at random times with the rest of the group, an occasional hug here and there. But let this be clear.. you ever try to confuse him or mess with his head again, and I will make my life’s mission be about ruining yours.” she said before she licked her lips and waited for anything Scarlet might have to say. She figured a ‘ fuck you’ or two was coming her way. But instead there was silence for a long time, awkward tension feeling the air between two women who loved the same man. One who loved the idea of who he used to , and what they had been in the past, and one who was willing to stand by his side as he changed and became a better man- no matter what that took, and let’s face it her claws were dug a little deeper in him than Scarlet’s were , even if it meant delaying being with him for both of their best interest. Just because she knew they weren’t going to get together say tomorrow, or next week, or next month.. it didn’t she wasn’t invested, and that she wouldn’t go to hell and back to clear any distractions from his life.

[Scarlet Rose Harris]

Scarlet bit against the inside of her cheek multiple times to keep herself from interrupting Blake. Clearly she had a lot to say, so instead of interrupting her she just let Blake let it all out. The less she interrupted her, the sooner she would leave. They didn’t need to have a long conversation about this. But something Blake said did stick with her. She didn’t want to date the Logan she knew back in highschool. Think about it, did she really want to revert back to the girl she used to be? She was still weak, she still ran from love, Zack scared the hell out of her. But despite what Dolly Parton thought here, she had grown. She ran from men, but she didn’t run to different countries. She didn’t do drugs, anymore. And maybe she was scared that loving Zack meant losing Logan completely but.. it sort of sounded like Blake was willing to let them all be friends. She took in a deep breath and held it as Blake said that if she continued messing with Logan’s head she would ruin her life. She never really thought of it that way, messing with Logan’s head. But maybe she had been. Maybe she had been taking advantage of his need to protect her. After the long silence that stretched out she started off quietly, “ Maybe its best if Logan doesn’t know about this conversation,” and to her surprise when she looked up, Blake was smiling slowly. ‘ Look at that, you’re getting the hang of it’ she said as she picked up her purse and stood up. “ You know it’s always the quiet ones that are sort of crazy…” she said, watching Blake taking her phone out of her back pocket and checking the time. ‘ I prefer to be underestimated’, Blake said distractedly, already making her way towards the elevator.

Scarlet jumped off of her chair and followed her over to the elevator. It wasn’t like her and Blake were ever going to be ‘ BFFs’ but maybe they were at least on their way towards coming to an understanding of one another. “ Hey do you really think Zack loves me like Logan loves you?” she asked, placing her hands on her hips as Blake pushed the door for the elevator to open. ‘ I know he does’ Blake said, still typing out on her phone and stepping into the elevator. But when she stepped inside and turned around, she lowered her phone and looked up at Scarlet, adding, ‘As you pointed out, I write the songs. And whatever childish grudge you’re holding over him, get over it. Because you aren’t going to find someone else strong enough to handle someone like you’ she said, giving a curt wave as the elevator doors started closing. Scarlet watched as the doors closed. So Logan wasn’t going to protect her anymore. But Zack could. Only he hated her now, so that wasn’t going to be the easiest. She was busy, staring at the same spot in the elevator, trying to think of any way to get Zack to talk to her. Then it hit her. He had to protect her. Like, he literally had to protect her. Scarlet ran towards her room and grabbed a pair of jeans and quickly changed her outfit, pulling on a pair of heels as she hopped her way to the elevator. For the first time in her relationship experience, going out to look for trouble was going to lead her to the guy, instead of causing her to run away from him.