Hired | b.w.s

Twenty Three

I open the door to the meeting room and sit in the chair next to Brad, along with James and Sylvia. Joe called a meeting this morning and I had to rush to get here due to the long commute. I wish there was more preparation in this job but I can deal with it. Especially since I've crossed all professional boundaries, and my job has now just become a reality. Not that I'm his girlfriend or anything, but I definitely don't mind kissing him.

"Hey." Brad whispers to me which makes me smile. I need to be professional though, so I can't let him distract me.

"Right guys, now that you're all here, there's something we need to discuss. Sylvia and Alexa, as you both know, you were hired to destroy the rumours about Brad and James."

I stifle a laugh at the thought of the two of them together now that I know Brad so much better.

"Well I have some good news."

My stomach drops.

"As of now, most of the rumours have died down and the press is pretty much focussed on you two." Joe proudly announces, pointing towards Brad and I.

"The boys will be going on a world tour in about a week and a half, so we're hoping most of the press will be focussed around that. You ladies have done an incredible job, so well in fact that you'll no longer have to pretend to be in a relationship with your assigned band member." Joe informs us with a grin but my chest feels uneasy.

I feel Brad's hand grab mine under the table and squeezes tightly. I should be happy that I did my job so well, but I did my job so well that I fell into the role. With him going on tour and us having no reason to meet up, I'll hardly see Brad. This is the end. Just when I started to like him. I sigh quietly and try to compose myself. It's fine, it's not like we were too involved with each other anyway. At least this is happening early on so that it can be a clean break. I can deal with this, I'm not in love with him or anything.

"Thank you for your time, girls. You will receive full payment at the end of this month." Joe stands up, indicating that we should leave.

I can't seem unprofessional and hug Brad so instead, I stand up and thank Joe before leaving the room with Sylvia. My heart is thumping quietly in my chest.

"Thank God that's over eh? Mine was so whiny." Sylvia rolls her eyes as she speaks to me for the first time.

"Oh...yeah." I mumble.

She gives me a strange look before leaving me to walk on my own. I leave the building and get a tube back home, overthinking the whole way. At least I won't have to travel so much all the time and I'll save money, not like I need to with the payment of this job. It really has helped me out and I'm glad that I took it, I just wish I hadn't fallen for the person I was acting with. The tube seems to go slower this time and I quickly rush off of it as soon as it pulls up at my stop. I practically speed walk to my apartment and slam the door when I shut it. My back leans against the wood and slides down until I'm sat on the floor with my head in my knees.

Why does this happen to me? As soon as I begin to like someone, it has to go wrong. I pick myself up off of the ground and flop onto my bed. I'm exhausted, emotionally and physically. I can nap and deal with the wreck that is my life when I wake up. I let my eyes drift shut and I fall asleep in all of my clothes and make up.

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A harsh banging jolts me awake, loud thumps sounding from behind my door. What the hell? I reluctantly get out of bed and walk towards the commotion, my brain not thinking very clearly after just waking up. I unlock it and swing it open, when I go to greet the person I'm instantly attacked by a familiar pair of soft lips. It takes me a second to realise what the hell is happening, but as soon as I do, I kiss back and almost melt into it as he holds my face with a hand on each cheek. All too soon, he pulls away and lets himself into my apartment.

"Brad...what are you...how did you find my apartment?" I stutter, trying to make sense of what is happening and trying to recover from that kiss.

"I don't know if you know this, but you're kind of famous now, and you haven't been careful at all. It isn't hard to get your address." He says as I close my front door and run my hand through my hair.

Famous?

"Why are you here?" I ask him the more burning question on my mind. "Shouldn't you be preparing for your tour or something?"

"I couldn't let you leave without saying goodbye." He blurts out. "This isn't goodbye." He corrects himself with more determination.

"It is, Brad. You're going on tour, I'm not going to see you and we both know that would never work out." I scratch my head, convincing myself of this too.

As much as I like him and I can't explain my feelings towards him so soon, it's not practical. It would all come with too much heartache.

"We could make it work." He says as he steps closer to me and brushes my hair behind my ear.

"You know that we couldn't." I look into his eyes and see that he knows I am right.

"This is so unfair." He sighs and the sadness in his eyes gives him away.

"I know, but at least it's ending before either of us get too emotionally invested." I try to see the positive side to the situation.

"I'm going to miss you." He mutters as he rests his forehead against mine.

"I'm going to miss you too, Dick Boy." I giggle, sadness evident in my laugh.

He laughs too and connects our lips in a sad kiss filled with unspoken emotions and final goodbyes.