I'm Meant To Hate You

8

"Sit down, both of you." Richard said as he entered the room, closing the door behind him as he set his steady gaze on us. Emily reluctantly sat, urging me to follow suit.

"That stunt you pulled yesterday could have cost us everything Emily. What were you thinking?" He scolded her, a frown etching onto his face.

"I wasn't. I'm sorry." She barely whispered. If the room wasn't as quiet as it was, if the silence wasn't as obvious, I am certain that I would have missed it.

"These are the types of things that we have to avoid. I would have maybe let it slide a bit more if it was another celebrity, because competition can get ugly. But it was your agent Emily. Kiana is only here to help you out. You either get your act together or you leave. You can be as hostile as you want towards one another behind closed doors, but out there, you have to look professional." He reasoned, as he was about to go again I butted in.

"Richard, we get it." I sighed, looking over Emily as her eyes stayed glued to the floor. He seemed to understand what I meant, in reference to her father. He gently perched on the edge of the seat beside her, placing his hand over hers.

"Listen Emily, I mean this in the kindest way. I'm giving you constructive criticism, and I need you to not let it go to your heart. I know you and Kiana have a complicated relationship, and you don't have to kiss and make up. But you need to try and get along when you're out there. The media eat these type of things up. Don't be the next front page for something that no one wants to be on the front page for." He said softly.

"I wouldn't say our relationship was so complicated. We hate each other, those words form a very simple sentence." She defended herself. Ricard chuckled at this.

"I know you're only being silly because you know I'm right. I won't push you to admit it, but denial is a river in Egypt Emily. Don't drown in it." He smirked at her playfully, winking at me as he left us in a nearly comfortable silence.

"Well. I must be getting you down to Mel, she actually could use your number." I spoke up, rising from my seat and waiting for her to do the same.

"Right." She said, standing and joining me as we both walked out the door of my office. The elevator dinged as it arrived, readying itself to take us to the floor below. We stood in the elevator in silence too. I think we both had too much on our minds to consider talking to one another. I wouldn't have to guess twice to know that she was stuck in her head about everything Richard had said. I couldn't blame her. Asking us to pretend was a step she clearly hadn't been asked to take before.

"Hello sugar muffin." Mel said to me as she hadn't her registered that Emily was with me, making her clear her throat as she stood, walking towards us, her eyes widened slightly. "I mean, hello Kiana, Emily how nice of you to drop by." She said, her voice a few octaves lower than before. Emily watched on in amusement as Mel tried to redeem herself. "Anyway, what can I do for you?" She asked Emily, her tone becoming flirty.

"Not interested." Emily dismissed her straight away, looking over at me to take control of the conversation.

"Well for starters you can pay me twenty pound, and then you need to add Emily's number to your phone in case she needs to contact you or you her, under strictly professional circumstances only." I warned her. She raised her hands in defeat, typing in Emily's phone number as Emily slowly read it to her and then plonking her phone on the desk in front of her.

"You just made me lose a bet darling." She spoke to Emily.

"Oh?" Emily's eyes bounced between the two of us.

"She bet me twenty pounds that you would shut me down as soon as I tried it on with you. She couldn't have been more correct." Mel huffed, glaring at me as I smiled triumphantly. But my smile dropped when Emily's eyes met mine. I wasn't sure what was floating around in them, but I'm sure I would hear about it at some point in the near future. The near future being now of course.

"And how were you so sure that I would reject her?" She asked me, sternly. Mel butted in for me.

"Because you're overly straight babe. I can almost smell it on you. She could too." Mel muttered, focusing her attention on the screen in front of her.

"How can you tell I'm straight?" Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked between me and Mel.

"Because you don't want any woman looking at you sexually. You made that very clear to us when I gave you my first piece of advice, which you also rejected." Mel spoke, annoyance clearly distinguishable in her tone.

"And what if I am gay?" She questioned.

"Babe, listen to me. If you were gay, you would have almost leaped at the opportunity to post something that could indirectly express that. People would assume, but you would know. It would have made you feel good, because most people would have seen it as just women supporting women, but deep down you would always know that it also had another meaning. So to answer your question, if you are gay, then you are very good at hiding it." Mel waffled on.

"Whatever."

And then that was the end of that very interesting conversation. I think that was the most she had ever spoken.

"Do you need a ride home?" I asked, looking over her as she watched Mel on her computer. Her eyes snapped to me, shocked at my offer.

"No, but you can walk me down?" She said, unwilling to let the opportunity pass.

"Let's go then. I'll see you at home Mel." I offered her a half wave as I let my hand rest on Emily's back, gently nudging her to walk in front of me to the elevator. I pressed the button for the ground floor once we were in, but this time Emily wasn't going to let the silence eat us both up.

"Have you spoken to Richard yet?" She asked, nervously. She clearly knew that it was a touchy topic, but she was curious.

"I haven't."

"Are you planning on?" She questioned, the anxiety leaving her tone.

"I'm- I don't know. Okay? But this is a line that you've crossed, so I'm going to once again remind you that it is none of your business Fox." I snapped. I didn't mean to. But the questions were getting weirdly friendly and I felt uncomfortable with how well I found myself opening up to her.

"Excuse me for trying." She mumbled, storming out of the reception, her bodyguards latching on close behind once they noticed her presence. I heaved out a breath as I watched her leave the reception.