six | eavesdropping is impolite

PAT CARRIGAN HAS NEVER BEEN ONE TO LET THE MEDIA GET UNDER HIS SKIN. Even during the dark years when his team finish last and second last, he held his resolve and didn't bite back. He'd never do much as breathed the wrong way at a journalist, worried that he'd be suspended for misconduct. But there was something about the way she wrote him that got so far under his skin, he couldn't help but search her name into Instagram and match the profile picture up with her journalistic headshot. Maybe he'd got a bit carried away with his digs at her but who wouldn't hate someone that threw dirt on your name every week? It's like she had a special fascination in going after him.

He laid in his bed, legs sprawled out and shoulders still feeling stiff from all the drills he'd been made to do—Kevvie had been extra into him today, though it might have to do with all the questions about his outbursts he'd had to endure at the press conference. Not a word from HR yet, thank god. He had his Macbook balanced on his knees as he scrolled aimlessly through YouTube, trying to find something good to watch. It felt like all his favourite creators had slowly disappeared off the face of the earth.

ADAM REYNOLDS GETS CANDID WITH DIONNE STANLEY ABOUT WHY HE REALLY LEFT SOUTH SYDNEY FOR THE BRONCOS.

Her annoying grin sat across from his teammate on the thumbnail penetrated him through the screen and his eyes narrowed. He'd thought he was hallucinating when he saw someone that he thought to look like her walking up to reception. Thanks, Reyno for mentioning this. . .

After a moments contemplation, he clicked on the video and waited as the obnoxious Menulog ad violated his eardrums. As soon as the video loaded he was bombarded with her sitting in his training facilities office wearing an obnoxiously fake smile while she addressed the viewers. "Hi everyone, this is my first time doing a face-to-face interview so please go easy on me," she said into the microphone slowly, smiling awkwardly at the lens. Pat realised this was the first time he'd ever heard her voice and it only made his eyes narrow.

The camera panned to Reynolds, who laughed quietly. "They've given me a rookie, eh?"

"They've freed me from my desk," she replied, shuffling her notes.

Adam shook his head at the thought. "God, I don't think I'd cope being sat in front of a desk all day—barely survived that in school."

Dionne laughed, looking a lot more relaxed. "Well, the pay sure does help," she muttered, looking up to gage his reaction.

"I thought journalists did it for the passion of sharing hard hitting stories?"

The brunette shrugged. "I think they made me do a piece ranking Reece Walsh's nail designs the other week—if that's what you'd consider harding hitting?"

Oh, so she had jokes, did she? Patty crossed his arms as he continued watching the interview—the entire fourth-five minutes worth, wondering where the hell he was to miss this occurring. As it drew to a close and his name had yet to been brought up, he felt a pang of annoyance once again. He's probably the only reason they've got her doing this shit and he doesn't get a shout out?

Slamming his laptop lid shut, he stared out his window trying to figure out why he cared so much. It's not like he even knew this chick, they'd spoken twice in the DM's and neither time had been pleasant. If Adam wanted to waste his time talking to someone like her, then so be it.

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THE FOLLOWERS HAD STARTED COMING IN STRONGER WHEN THE VIDEO WENT LIVE. Kind messages saying how much they loved her personality juxtaposed with those who were claiming she was trying to sleep with Patrick Carrigan and needed to back off their man. She couldn't help but giggle when she'd check their accounts to see 'fourteen' written in their bios. She can't even be mad, she felt the same way about Luke Hemmings' girlfriend when she was their age.

Smiling at herself in the mirror, she was determined to enjoy her day off. Another perk of her new promotion, she didn't have to work Fridays if her interviews were edited and posted beforehand. With all the chaos of the last two weeks, she decided to dedicate the day to herself and what better place to do that then Burleigh Heads?

Summer was still roaring in Brisbane and she didn't trust the murky waters of the so-called swamps the council called beaches. The sanctuary of the Gold Coast with its salty air and Açai places at every corner made her forgot about all the noise. She could lay on the sand listening to the crashing of the waves until she died. The only downside was the sun itself and the severity at which it always managed to fry her skin. The only tan she could ever rock would be out of a bottle, sadly.

Dionne had lathered her body in sunscreen but was too paranoid to lay out for too long. Sliding her denim shorts over her bikini bottoms and shoving her towel into her tote bag, she was off to peruse the small stores and cafes that Burleigh had to offer. The smells of coffee beans and freshly baked goods clogged her senses and she couldn't help but sigh happily.

However, her serenity was cut short just before she rounded a past a cafe located on the street corner as an irritatingly familiar voice rang out. One she'd been subjected to enough already with being forced to watch copious amounts of gameplay footage and post-match interviews. Keeping her head low, she scurried past before stopping near the fence to listen in.

"Oi, Patty, did you see Reno did an interview with your nemesis?" One of his friends said, barely able to contain his laughter. Jordan Riki, more useless the Pat was to the team—it's Dionne's conspiracy theory that he's only on the team for marketing. Girls love a pretty man with an accent and muscles. Not that she was into that stuff.

Patrick, himself, shook his head as he took a sip of his coffee. "Oh, mate, don't get me started on that."

Another one of the boys elbowed him, "I bet you watched every minute, aye?" His words made the others laugh—bar Patrick. This one was Jessie Arthur's, a slightly more competent player then the other two but should've permanently stayed on loan at the Warriors. He was attractive, too. Another one the club tried to sell to young girls in order to get them to watch with their boisterous fathers.

"You did, didn't you?" Jordan threw his head back, letting out a real and obnoxious laugh while Jessie shook his head.

Patrick looked less then impressed. "Don't tell me you's didn't? I got curious," he grumbled, kicking Jordan under the table.

"My sister always goes on about some book shit. . . enemies to lovers or whatever, maybe that's what's happening here," Jessie snarks, squishing his friends cheeks as Jordan laughs even harder.

"You're hilarious," Patrick deadpans, rolling his eyes. "I hope you lose all your money in Vegas."

"Don't doubt my skill, aye," Jessie replied, feigning offence.

Dionne had heard enough. She sped down the sand stricken footpath, hoping to find a cafe that wasn't invade by the three stooges. It's like she couldn't escape that bloody Patrick Carrigan, even on her day off and in a different city. If she hadn't already despised him and his fragile ego, she outright loathed him now. She almost hoped that Timothee would assign him as her topic for one of her weekly articles on Monday.

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(@dionnestanley via instagram stories!)

viewed by ppaattyycarrigan

🌸 KARLA YAPS !

insert that one vine: so i heard you were talking shit about me?!

i actually have no self control because i've been binge writing & tell me why i wanna post everything as soon as i write it but whenever i do that, the engagement on the first chapter i posted sucks lol

that being said, if you're reading this & enjoying it, blow up the comments as you go along. i love reading & replying to comments so so so much !!!! don't be shy, yap on every line <333