four | a declaration of war

EINSTEIN ONCE SAID THAT THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY WAS DOING THE SAME THING OVER AGAIN AND HOPING FOR A DIFFERENT OUTCOME. As cliche as the overused saying was, it applied perfectly right now. Dionne Stanley is convinced Patrick Carrigan must be insane to not only privately message her but publicly call her out on social media. Didn't the Broncos have rules around going rogue online? If they didn't, they should really get onto creating one (she'll be using that in her article).

She'd been getting ready for work when the first notification came through, followed by a flurry of onlookers wanting to get a front row seat to the drama. The brunette had honestly been prepared to let it all go in hopes of just moving on but he'd now set his fangirls (and fanboys, which were arguably more ruthless) on her. Dionne's DM requests were a war zone and she'd gained about 500 follow requests in the last hour, hoping to floor her comment section she assumes. Thankfully, she'd managed to get a screenshot before the comment was delete (though, it didn't matter because Timothee was also blowing up her phone about it).

TIMOTHEE WORK • 9:00AM
This just keeps getting better
and better!! [attachment]
Reckon we can get something
out about this before lunch?
Don't want Dailymail getting
to it before us.

Dionne couldn't help but sigh, was this truly what her life had come to? Petty drama with Rugby League players (who clearly had too much time on their hands. . . ooh, that was a good one: 'Patrick Carrigan spends more time searching his name online then winning Premierships'). She was supposed to be a professional and now all her career was going to be boiled down to was this. Anytime you searched her name, it was going to be attached to his until the next time an athlete got angry at what she'd been forced to write.

Back at her desk because where else could she go, and once again staring at the word document that wouldn't write itself, she sighed. Not only was this cycle insane on Carrigans part but it was tedious for her having to regurgitate to the same sentiments about him over and over. There were only so many ways she could call him an idiot.

"Hey, Di," said Timothee, who she'd not noticed was looking over her shoulder, making her almost jump out of her seat. (On a side note: she'd not approved of him abbreviating her name like that). "How's about you take a break and come have a chat in my office?"

Oh, god, he'd seen her blank word document and was about to get angry at her for wasting company time. Gulping, she nodded compliantly and allowed him to guide her by the small of her lower back to his office. Shutting the glass door behind them, he offered her the seat across from his desk before taking a seat himself. "Relax, Di, it's good news," he assured her, noticing the worried look on her face.

"It is. . . ?"

Timothee nodded enthusiastically. "I was talking to the big boss—" (his dad) "—and with all this attention you've garnered at the moment, we're looking to use that for growth of the paper." That, she already knew.

"Are we not doing that with the constant articles?" She asked genuinely, crossing and uncrossing her leg's awkwardly. It wasn't often she spoke so candidly with her boss.

"Yeah but then I was thinking—do the greater percentage of the population even read articles anymore? Not really," he stated. "With all these new social medias, attention spans are lower then ever." Again, she wasn't sure why he was explaining such common knowledge to her. "With Frances retiring last month, we were needing a new field reporter," he said finally and Dionne could help but protest.

She began shaking her head, sitting up straighter so that he properly listened to her. "Oh, Timothee, I'm flattered that you'd even consider me for that but I'm a writer not—"

"You can do both," he replied, holding his hand up to stop her from speaking. "I know you're not as creatively challenged in what you're doing so here's your chance to branch out, who knows maybe you'll end up loving talking to the players." She doubted it very much.

"Will there be any other uhm. . . benefits?" She asked, wringing out her hands and staring up at the roof.

Timothee cracked a smile. "Yes, you'll get a raise if you accept."

Dionne finally looked him in the eye. "So, what exactly would this have me doing—if I were to accept, that is?"

"Well, you'd have to go to majority of the training sessions and to the games. We can organise media passes that get you special clearance to certain areas," he explained, sliding a contract across the desk.

She raised an eyebrow, picking up the thick stack of papers. "So, basically I'll be interviewing players?"

"More or less," he agreed. "It's about time we expanded into video media." At her pensive face, he added, "you'll still be needed to write articles about the players you talk to, just not as high of a workload as before."

"So, when does this thing start then?"

💌

(@dionnstanley via instagram stories!)

LUCY STANLEY REPLIED TO YOUR STORY!
Call me & tell me everything rn!!!

INCOMING CALL FROM LUCY STANLEY. . . !

"Dionne Stanley, why were you on Nine News last night?"

"I was?"

"You didn't tell me you were beefing with those scary Rugby guys up in Queensland, that's kinda insane."

"Not by choice, my god. His fans won't leave me alone."

"I mean. . . I read some of the articles and they're way harsh, Di."

"It's my job."

"I know, I know but I'm honestly surprised this is the first time you're beefing with any of those guys. You've said some out of pocket stuff about them."

"How's home?"

"Freezing at the moment, Melbourne weather isn't being very kind to me lately."

"I miss the cold, I'm sick of melting every-time I step outside."

"Tell me about this promotion!"

"Oh, right, that."

"You don't sound as excited as you looked on Instagram?"

"They're making me interview the players now—on camera."

"Like, as in meeting them?"

"No, via carrier pigeon—obviously by meeting them."

"Don't be a cow, my school teacher ass wouldn't dream of getting paid to talk to hot guys all day."

"Your year one class probably has a higher IQ then all these players combined."

"That's mean, I'm sure they're not all stereotypical dumb athletes."

"Have you seen the way these guys knock each other about? There's no way any braincells are surging the blows to the head they get."

"I watch AFL, how should I know?"

"I wish I was interviewing AFL players."

"Specifically Bailey Smith."

"Don't let Dan hear you thirsting over another man."

"He knows I'd leave him for Bailey Smith in a heartbeat."

💌

🌸 KARLA YAPS!

surprise!!! double update because i couldn't sleep and i felt bad for how inconsistent i've been with this book compared to how much i updated double trouble. anyways, the plot is finally plotting & im so excited!!!

i'm sorry the social media graphics are really lazy compared to double trouble but i just cannot be bothered to make fake screenshots that no one appreciates again.

also a massive shout out to i08ren & her amazing nrl fics for inspiring me to actually write for this again. you should definitely check her out after you vote & comment here.