The One After [SHAWN MENDES]

Chapter 80

I looked over the menu at The Morning After. "I'm feeling a spicy Bloody Mary instead of a mimosa."

Briya wrinkled her nose. "I'm not in the mood to drink vegetables."

"A tomato is a fruit. Don't you teach this stuff to your students?" Fallon said.

"I know that's technically true, but it's eaten like a vegetable so I stand by my statement. I want a grapefruit juice mimosa."

After our drink orders had been placed, we perused the brunch options. When the waitress returned, we told her what we wanted and requested another round of boozy breakfast cocktails to be brought out with our food.

"So how are things with Shawn?" Fallon asked.

"Very good. I think I texted you that I saw his crocodile movie on Friday and that it was really cute. His Miami show was last night, which you'd think I'd be anxious about because of Camila, but I'm trying to not let any lingering fears ruin what we have," I replied.

Fallon raised an eyebrow. "Lingering fears from your dream, you mean?"

"Yeah. And I know that sounds crazy, but I can't help it."

"It might be a little crazy, but as long as you're not basing decisions off things that never happened, it's not harmful," Briya commented.

"I'm trying to do the opposite. My goal isn't to turn the dream into reality because honestly, the reality is so much better. Shawn and I don't have the same problems we had in my dream and I'm so much more content."

"But is that because you learned from the dream?" Fallon questioned.

"Maybe. Is that wrong? People learn life lessons from books, movies, television, and even songs, so why can't I use a dream to grow?"

"Hey, I'm not knocking it. Any growth is a good thing, and if you're happy, that's what matters."

I was ridiculously happy with Shawn. Things were so easy and comfortable, which I knew could be because we hadn't actually put our relationship to the test. He'd been on tour for most of the time we knew each other, so until he came home, it was hard to know what things would be like. I was optimistic that we'd continue to get along.

Briya leaned towards me. "Do you think you're falling in love with him?"

This topic had come up before, but I still didn't have an answer. I never stopped loving the imaginary version, so what we had felt like love. That didn't mean it was. "It's too early to say."

"When are you going to dish about the sex?" Bri was so predictable.

"Never."

Fallon took a sip of her mimosa. "Briya, you're always hounding Lucy about her sex life but you never share anything about your own. That's not right."

"Because I don't have one! Every guy I meet at the clubs or on Tinder or Bumble is such a dud. Why can't I find someone amazing like Lucy?"

"You'll find your lid," I quipped.

"What the fuck does that mean?" Briya asked.

"Every pot has a lid out there somewhere." I decided not to mention that she'd told me that saying in the dream.

"Some pots choose other pots instead of lids," Fallon stated.

"I don't think there's a gender assigned to the pot or the lid, but I get your point," I said.

"If I were a pot I'd want to be one of the pretty Le Crueset kind that come in assorted colors," Bri told us. "The type I'll never be able to afford."

"As if you even cook!" Fallon snorted.