LOOKOUT

PART 3 - RECOGNITION

I wake up to the blaring alarm going off on my phone. The loud sound this close to my ear causes me to roll over my couch and fall onto the floor. I let out an audible groan. Blinking, I stretch on the floor and slowly stand up. I yawn and crack my neck. My body aches all over and I remind myself to never write on the couch unless I want to fall asleep and wake up feeling like shit again.

I pick up my phone from the floor, checking to see the time, 07:01 AM. I was about to turn my phone off when I see a text.

3 Messages from: Aubrey

Hey, told you I'd text.

It's Aubrey btw, I promise I'm not some creep haha.

What are you up to? :)

I blink and stare at the screen for a few seconds. I look at the timestamp and notice he texted at 11:35 PM yesterday. I must've been so distracted with writing I didn't even realize it. I type up a quick text to send to him but pause for a second.

Is it weird to send a text this early? I think it's weird. Yeah, it's weird.

I delete the text I'm about to send and remind myself to message him back at a better time.

I stretch one last time and head off to the bathroom to start my day.

After getting ready, I head over to my laptop and check my e-mails. I see a message from my literary agent, Malissa.

Hi Bey,

Please come into the office today at 12:00 PM, the team wants to discuss tour dates and

catch up on where you are on the next book.

Thanks,

Malissa

I sigh and get up to make myself a cup of coffee. Walking over to my kitchen, I grab my mug, appropriately titled "World's Best Mom", a birthday present from Nora. I switch on the kettle and let my thoughts flow to my meeting today. I haven't seen anyone at the company in months, after constantly updating that I'm still working on the book, which everyone knew meant I haven't written anything yet. My thoughts trail to Aubrey, how I might be avoiding going to the coffee shop in case I bump into him again. It's not like I don't want to see him, it's just I haven't been able to control my reactions around him. Hell, even a text from him causes me to get flustered for no reason.

Once the kettle stops bubbling, I make myself a cup of coffee. I go over to the couch and sip on it while I mindlessly scroll through my phone. I scroll at tweets about the recent political issues in the UK, controversies surrounding the met gala, cat memes, and pictures of muslim refugees smiling at the camera. I think for a second that maybe, we as people shouldn't be exposed to so much different content at, I glance at my phone's clock, 10:30 AM.

Finishing up my americano, I get up and stretch. My bones crack slightly, and I let out a soft groan. I put my mug in the sink and head over to the shoe rack, I grab a pair of beat-up white sneakers and my denim jacket from the coat rack. I grab my purse and keys and unlock the door. I sigh and step outside.

Sitting in the empty room, I scroll through my phone. I wait for the meeting to start, or for someone else to enter. In the middle of a text conversation with Nora, I hear the door open, and I look up to see my editor, Andy walking in. He gives me a wide grin, and excitedly walks over to me. "There's my favourite girl!" He says, hugging me. I laugh, "I bet you say that to all your girls." I say. He rolls his eyes, fake gasps, "I would never. How have you been? Tell me everything."

We catch up for a few minutes and continue laughing. A few other people walk in and greet me, and finally, when the room is full, Malissa sits down and everyone else follows suit. "Alright, let's get this starte-" She is interrupted by the door opening and I look over to see who it was.