Smoke and Mirrors || jerrie au

[7] An Epitome of Loneliness

Predictably, Leigh-Anne wakes up with a hangover the next day. Perrie's startled awake by retching and gagging from the bathroom, and she stumbles out of bed, smacking her dry lips. "Need some water?" she asks casually, as if she isn't leaning against the doorway watching her friend puke her guts out. "I hope you had fun last night."

"Come hold my hair for me, you bitch," Leigh spits back at her.

Perrie chuckles and gingerly gathers Leigh-Anne's curls for her as the other girl vomits into the toilet. Perrie's own mouth tastes sour and bitter from all the alcohol she'd consumed last night. "Really, though, did you have a good time? I damn risked my life, staying there for you."

Leigh-Anne shakes her head, too drained to laugh. "And I thought I saw you have a good time with Jade over there."

"I did not," Perrie denies, but Leigh gives her a look. "Alright. It was kind of fun. Kind of. Aside from the fact that there were cameras pointed at us half the time."

"First world problems."

"Stop, you're making me sound spoiled," Perrie whines.

"You are."

"I'm not giving you a ride to HQ today then."

"I'm sorry," Leigh-Anne apologizes and breaks out into laughter. Perrie pouts - like a spoiled child. "I know you're eager to see Jade but don't drag me into this."

"What does this have to do with Jade? She's just not such a bitch after all. Still scary, sure. Still weird, sure, but just probably not a manipulative bitch. Probably."

Leigh makes a noncommittal noise and shrugs, gargling mouthwash. She spits it out. "If I wasn't piss drunk by then, I'd have passed my own judgement."

"Also. I did the dumbest thing last night. Like. I didn't know I was doing and yet I just went ahead and um, sorta kissed Jade on the neck since she has this weird 'no kissing on the lips' rule. I bet it'll be over the news by now. Don't people have anything better to do with their lives?" the blonde grumbles. She grabs her phone and opens Twitter, and sure enough there are another two tags trending - all about her and Jade. And the fucking pictures.

Oh well, they don't look that bad...Hell, Perrie and Jade even look like a real couple, lighthearted and worryless, just having fun in some pool - Perrie gives herself that. But Perrie does not want all this... attention. She just wants the money - at least that's what she repeats to herself again and again as she drives down the road, fingers clenched tight around the wheel.

Once they get to the Modest! building, Leigh-Anne excuses herself for the water machine. Perrie steps into the meeting room, quite knowing what to expect. And yes, Jade is there, hands clasped neatly in front of her, in a white button-up and jeans that probably cost more than Perrie's entire flat. She doesn't even look up as Perrie takes a seat beside her.

"Back to ignoring me again?" Perrie jokes.

Jade ignores her.

Wow. Fucking wow.

Perrie ignores the familiar lump in her throat that she is certainly not supposed to feel. "Well...I guess I proved myself right. Jade Thirlwall apparently is not human."

"Will you stop saying that? That is ridiculous, and on top of that, you are being annoying." Jade turns around and gives Perrie a sickeningly sweet smile that does not look like her smiles from last night. Perrie's throat goes dry and she can't find any fucking words to say. So she bites down on her tongue and moves three seats away from the other girl.

Fuck you, too.

"What's your fucking problem," Perrie mutters instead and stares at the table petulantly before Leigh-Anne comes in. Leigh-Anne glances at the space between the two girls, shrugs, and takes a seat beside Perrie.