I Hate You More

Contract & Conflict

Kilani's POV

"And you are?" I shook my head. Jaden's voice was low, dripping with cockiness and pride as I kept my gaze fixed on the screen in the large boardroom that had been projecting a chart for the last five minutes or so while Jaden and I had our second agonizing interaction; making the choice to continue ignoring his stupid question that I had assumed could only be rhetorical.

I'm snapped from my daze as someone says my name, so I glance in the direction of the noise, noticing it had come from none other than my manager trying to get my attention in the most professional way possible. I clear my throat as an executive dressed in a blazer speaks up from across the table. "Does that work for you Ms. Rae?"

Unaware of the topic of conversation, I nod my head in agreement as my manager reciprocated this action but quickly interrupted the discussion. "I'm sorry, but what am I agreeing to again? I would like to make sure I heard all the fine details correctly." I explain to the table of people hoping it had covered up the fact I was barely paying attention due to the arrogant tattoo covered rock singer seated beside me.

"Kilani... that's an intriguing one", the whisper came from the seat next to me as I jotted notes in my navy blue notebook, trying my hardest to pay attention to the already overwhelming meeting I still didn't quite understand the purpose of.

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Jaden's POV

After hours of people blabbing on about deals and contracts and numbers, I lost track of time. Snapping from my daze, I feel someone tap my shoulder only to find out it was Kilani, and we were the only ones left in the room.

"Are you coming or what?" She stood infant of me, holding her bag and notebook in one hand as she checked her phone with her free hand before looking at me quickly. I stood up from the seat I had just spent zoned out hours in and nodded, pulling the disposable from my pocket I had shoved in there hours ago. Taking a hit, ignoring the signage clearly stating 'no smoking' on the wall. I silently followed the short, brown haired girl out of the room and down the long winding halls of the studio. "You know, being nice costs zero dollars, and it wouldn't hurt you to be nice considering we're going to be spending more time together with this song." I confidently state as I continue to follow her out the front doors of the studio. Kilani almost immediately whips her head around as she turns on her heels to face me, staring as if I had five heads, completely unfazed by the complete downpour we were standing in.

"I'm sorry, did I hear you correctly or are you just full of complete and utter bullshit?" She hastily remarks as I take another hit off my green vape before shoving it back into its place in my pocket, shaking my head, and chuckling as she spoke. "You're telling me we just sat in there for three hours and you absorbed none of the information given to us? Or were my good looks just too damn distracting?"

She stood in the pouring rain, staring up at my taller frame, looking as if she was in her own little world before she spoke. "You know Jaden, not all of us think you're attractive so no, you weren't the one distracting me. Pull your head out of your ass for once." And with that the 5'3 female I had just met three hours ago, walked away in the direction I could only assume her house was in.