No Control (Book 1)

36. Tell Me A Lie

I met up with Callie for lunch on Sunday. We went to one of our favourite pubs that did an all-you-can-eat carvery, and I gave her a full update on everything. While we were eating, my phone pinged and I saw I had a picture message from Sarah.

It was a screen shot of a Daily Mail article about Louis Tomlinson splitting up with his girlfriend Eleanor Calder. Apparently he'd been pictured kissing some girl at a pool party in Thailand and had been forced to announce he and Eleanor had split up a couple of weeks ago.

"Bad week for 1D," Callie observed, while I privately had a meltdown at this latest piece of news. Louis genuinely was my second favourite member of the band and I totally loved his relationship with Eleanor. I followed her on Twitter and everything.

Callie and I debated how awkward Monday morning would be between me and Gary. I had considered texting him over the weekend to smooth things over but I was too embarrassed. I was dreading facing him. Sarah had heard all about it thanks to Twitter, which meant most of the office would also know, and probably Gary's (ex) girlfriend too. I hoped I hadn't wrecked any chance of a reconciliation between them. With any luck, Sarah and James would be a hotter topic than me and Gary.

I made sure I was in early on Monday morning, before anyone else. Gary sloped in about ten minutes after me and I felt my cheeks flush crimson when I saw him. He didn't look over at me, but sat down at his desk and fixed his eyes on his screen. There was no one else in yet.

"Gary?" I called, tentatively.

He looked over at me and gave me a half smile, and I could see his cheeks reddening. I got up and walked over to his desk and perched one leg on the corner.

"Sorry about Friday night, and all the shit that came with it," I said, not properly looking at him.

He looked up at me. "Oh God, why are you apologising? I was the one who... well, y'know." His face went redder.

"I didn't stop you," I said. "At least, not straight away. We were both drunk. It wasn't your fault."

"I feel like I made a right idiot out of myself," Gary muttered.

"No you didn't," I said. "Why would you say that?"

"You're way out of my league," he said quietly, not looking at me.

"What?!" I said. "That's ridiculous."

"Come on, you pulled Harry Styles," he said.

"So?" I demanded. "He's just a person, like you and me. And you're a really, really great guy, Gary. That counts for far more than a pretty face in my book."

He smiled at me. "Thanks, Jess."

"Seriously, though, I don't want this to ruin us being friends," I said.

"Me neither," he said.

"Did, um, did you see Twitter?" I asked tentatively.

He grimaced. "Yeah. So did Laura. She went crazy."

"Oh God, I'm so sorry," I said. "I know it looked really bad."

He shrugged. "It wasn't your fault."

The office door opened and Sarah and Nicki walked in. Sarah raised an eyebrow at me sitting on Gary's desk.

"Still friends?" I said.

He smiled. "Course."

I smiled back and stood up. I walked back over to my desk and opened my laptop, feeling relieved that things seemed to be relatively normal. But of course, my happiness was to be short lived.