Just A Job (Lauren/You)

Chapter 28

I was trying so hard not to laugh at the clear frustration on Ariana's face.

It was my second day guarding her and I've kept my promise so far. I wasn't saying a word. At first, I had this scowl on my face all the time but now, I was mildly amused by what's happening. On my first day, she asked me so many questions like what I've been doing or how I got to be Fifth Harmony's bodyguard but I stayed silent and just stared at her. When she realized I wasn't going to talk at all, she huffed out a breath and pouted.

I felt a small smile tug on my lips.

Now we were on the second day and she took me out to go shopping with her but I still hadn't said a word. I had to admit, it was pretty fun messing with her like this. My eyes wandered to the girl tapping her foot in front of me. She was biting her lip and studying me as if she couldn't decide what she wanted to do with me. Soon enough, she sighed and walked past me. I matched her pace and we walked in silence for the first time in two days.

Ariana's boots clicked on the pavement as she walked in front of me. There weren't many people here who second looked her. But the few who did, didn't bother to take a picture with her. They just pointed in our direction and went on their way.

We stopped in front of a quaint little café located on the corner of the street. There were only a few patrons inside and as far as I could see, it looked safe enough for Ariana. She entered and immediately turned for the stairwell on the far side. I followed her up and into the balcony where there were three unoccupied tables in a straight line. She sat at the middle one and motioned for me to take a seat. I complied and sat across from her looking out at the horizon in the distance.

"You've changed."

I turned my gaze to the girl in front of me. She was looking at me with those brown eyes of her as if she could see right through my soul. She hasn't changed one bit. Her face, her posture, her voice—her everything was the same. And that sucked because it meant, she was still the same girl I fell in love with.

I looked down at the table until the waitress brought us two steaming cups of coffee. Ariana lifted it up to her lips and as the liquid poured down her throat, she closed her eyes. It was a habit of her to do that when she drank something hot. And even now, I still noticed those little things about her. Her eyes met mine once again as she put down the cup on the table.

"You're really not going to talk to me, are you?" she asked. Even shaking my head wasn't an option. So I just stared at her, not moving, not blinking.

"That's fine," she said as she straightened in her chair. I felt my eyebrows slowly furrow at her words. "I just need you to listen to me. To listen to the truth."

My jaw ticked at her words. I didn't want to hear her excuses. I wanted to run. But I couldn't leave or I jeopardized my job of protecting the girls. I just have to take it. All the lies and the apologies—I just have to sit here and let them all roll of my shoulder.

There was nothing Ariana could say to make me forgive her.

Nothing at all.

"Those pictures you saw of Jai and I? They're real. He did become my boyfriend. But Y/N, I never loved him."

I let a bitter chuckle come out of my mouth. She's seriously trying to cover up the fact that she cheated with a stupid excuse like she didn't love him? And that's supposed to magically move me to forgive her? The amusement in my face was now replaced with contempt.

"I'm telling the truth, Y/N. He was just some guy who had a crush on me. But my management pushed the two of us together. Because we looked good together, because he was internet famous. But I never wanted to be with him! I wanted to be with you!" she cried out.