Try.

Chapter 7: Will We Ever Learn

"You've been awful quiet all morning, Viv," Louis spoke up. I glanced at the clock, realizing I had been here for nearly three hours without speaking a word to them. I sighed and looked from my laptop screen to the window, wanting to speak but not being able to find the words.

"Did something happen?" Leigh-Anne asked quietly. "Like, a bad thing?"

"Yeah, is something wrong? Maybe we can help." Louis added, but I shook my head.

"No, this is my problem, not yours." I said. "I just. . . I don't know. I'm just mad at myself."

"For lying about your interview to Tanner?" Leigh-Anne hesitantly asked, and I shrugged.

"Well, that. And what happened after."

Louis nearly fell out of his seat and stared at me in awe. "What do you mean, what happened after?" He questioned. "What happened, Viv?"

I groaned and let my forehead rest on the desktop. "I may have kissed him."

They both gasped and I sat up. "Okay, wait. He kissed me first, just to clarify."

"But you let it happen." Louis confirmed, and I nodded. "What happened after?"

I cringed. "I said, "Thanks for letting me interview you," and I got the heck out of there."

Louis looked at me wide-eyed and said, "You left him hot and bothered and didn't even finish the job?"

I nodded sheepishly. "I felt terrible. Tanner thinks everything went great and this article will be a great boost for my career."

"Well, everything went great until you left my man hanging." Louis scoffed, and I rolled my eyes.

"What happens when he sees your name under the article?" Leigh-Anne asked. "How mad do you think he'll be when he sees you've completely done exactly what he told you not to do?"

I shook my head with a shrug. "Honestly, I don't care. I need this article to become an editor and he knows how much my job means to me. I can apologize after, it's way easier than asking for permission."

Leigh-Anne laughed and said, "Clearly Louis' influences have been rubbing off on you."

We talked a little more about Chelsea's party at Tyson's, and I was excited to have a night away with Tanner again. Our dinner date was a little bit of a mess and I hoped tonight would go much better. I spent the rest of the day working on both my article and editing other authors' works. I was excited to present my article to Chelsea, but I definitely didn't want it half-ássed. No matter how long it took, I wanted this to be perfect when I finished it.

At the end of the day, I reassured Louis and Leigh-Anne that I would be at the party tonight. I headed out the doors and went straight to the bus stop. I felt my phone buzz and I knew it was Tanner asking if I would be home soon.

Unfortunately, it was Harry's name that popped up on the screen. I bit my lip and felt my heartbeat pick up speed. I nervously but answer, worried of what he was going to say.

"Viv?" He spoke. The phone had stopped ringing on his end and my voicemail hadn't played, so he knew I answered. "Viv, speak so I know it's you."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and I said softly, "Hi."

"Hi," he breathed a sigh of relief. "How are you?"

"'M fine." I muttered, kicking the rock next to my shoe.

"You don't sound fine."

"Why did you call?" I asked. I was careful not to say his name around the people near me; there was only one Harry in this town and they'd flock to me with questions if I brought him up.