𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒𝐄𝐘
For the past five years, I've managed to avoid him. I've managed to forget about him and move on from him. Mostly. Alex Lancaster and I have history, but nothing will ever change between us.
At least until he shows up at my dad's work...
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My phone vibrates on the ride to Alex's penthouse. I check it, feeling disappointment flare as I realize it's just my dad.
Post a picture of you and Alex, Lindsey, he messages. I don't even have his number saved. If I could block him, I would, but he'd just find a way around it.
I shut my screen off, tossing my head back against the seat as I look out the window. Alex turns on the radio, scrolling through the stations until he stops on a song. I recognize the singer's voice, a punk-rock beat echoing in the silence of the car.
I immediately press the button to turn off the radio. Alex gives me a weird look. "You don't like Avril Lavigne anymore?"
Of course I do. But I won't tell him that. "No." I turn back to the window. "Find something else to put on."
I hear him sigh before he goes back to scrolling through stations. He lands on another station, this time of a band I hate the sound of. God, he has horrible music taste.
I move to change the station, but he grabs my wrist, stopping me. "You can't be picky about music. It's either this or Avril Lavigne."
I rip my wrist from him, glaring. "Fine." I grit. "Just turn off this god awful music."
He listens, turning off the band and putting Avril Lavigne back on. I recognize the song as Complicated. I stare out the window as he drives, the music filling the silence.
After a moment, he speaks. "You have a beautiful voice, you know that?"
"What?" I turn to him, and he continuously glances at me.
"You were singing under your breath." He admits.
"Oh." I murmur. I didn't even realize I was. I clear my throat, crossing my arms and turning back to the window.
We stop at a red light and he turns to me. "You could've been a really good singer."
I snort. "Yeah, okay."
"I'm serious."
I sit up straight. "Look," I turn to him. "I'm not interested in whatever stupid scheme you're trying to use on me. You chose to become a rockstar, I didn't. And I would never choose to. I got dealt my hand in life, and now I have to deal with it."
"Would you ever sing?" Is he even listening to me?
"No." I say firmly. "No. My dad controls every aspect of my life otherwise. So drop it."
"Lindsey—"
"No." I shake my head. "You can't just barge into my life one day and force me to fake date you to uphold your reputation and try to turn me into you. I've worked hard to get where I am. I'll be damned if I let you take that away from me." I slump back into my seat, the light green. "Go."
He sighs but says no more. It's not until we're in the elevator that opens to his penthouse that he speaks, "Make yourself at home."
Against my better judgment, I find myself walking further inside, scanning the bookshelves idly. Books line the shelves along with pictures. One of Alex with Theo and Lucas. Another of Alex with his parents at graduation.
