In Front of My Eyes (Ansel Elgort Fanfiction)

Chapter 7

"Okay, have a safe flight to Amsterdam!" Lara said to Ansel through the skype call.

"I will, thanks. And if anything happens, don't forget to call me, okay? I'm always there."

"Don't worry. Thank you so much!"

Lara ended the call and shut her laptop, reaching for her phone. She saw a text from Shailene asking her to come hang out. She texted back a quick 'yes' and got ready to meet her friend at a nearby Starbucks. 

*~*

Lara walked in the coffee shop, noticing the girl with the glasses and a pile of heavy textbooks on the table next to her, and a group of teen boys with baseball caps and hoodies, a businesswoman talking on the phone about deals and board meetings, but not Shailene. She walked over to the counter, placing an order, then grabbing a table. She saw Shai enter the shop and waved over after she watched her friend place her order. 

"Hey, how are you doing?" Lara asked, hugging Shai.

"Great, sorry for being late! I've got a flight to Amsterdam tonight, right after Nat and Ansel's. I'm going with John, and I had to finish packing first."

"That explains why you're here, and Ansel's leaving. I was wondering."

Shai smiled, then switched to a more serious expression. "Look, we need to talk about Derek. John was really concerned yesterday, and so was I. I mean, you deserve way better. How long has this been happening?"

"Not long, I mean...a month?" Lara trailed off, "I don't know. It's not serious, I just need to break it off, and we're done."

"It doesn't end there. What about what he did to you? There must have been something..."

"No, no.. I can break it off. I'm fine, Shai. I can do it," Lara confirmed. "But tell me about TFiOS. How's filming, how's your costars?"

"If you mean how's Ansel, then you won't be disappointed. He's great."

Lara shot Shai a look that was a mix between 'shut up' and 'you know me too well'. 

"You two are great together. I bet you hear it all the time, but it's true. You two are really best friends. I mean, seriously," Shai said, "You don't get a friend like him every day."

The conversation continued into Saturday lunches and high school memories, talk of old friends and boyfriends and life in the spotlight for Shai. By the end, they'd promised to hang out as soon as Shai came back from Amsterdam, and both girls left Starbucks happier than an appreciated Hank on Esther Day. 

*~*

Ansel stared out the plane window, looking out at the clouds. Augustus Waters would be thrilled to be on a plane -- Amsterdam was his first -- but for Ansel, it was one of many. This one, though, was special. He didn't know what to feel about the breakup. Their relationship was built on popularity and looks, and he wasn't even sure if she liked him that much. Since Viv's first day at LaGuardia, he'd noticed her. She just looked radiant and new and yet so alike; he did ballet, so did she. He thought back to the times when Viv would choose the cinema over staying in, just because she wanted to instagram that she had a date. 

But then again, Viv was different. There was something about the way they spoke with each other and how they connected. Ansel brushed off the memories and tried to focus on something else.

"You okay, man?" Nat asked from the seat beside him.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Why?"

"I don't know, you look a little off. What's up? Everything okay with you and Lara?"

"Wh-what? Lara? Why the hell do you think it's about her?"

"Nothing, I don't know...sorry."

"No, sorry. It's not her, I'm fine, don't worry."

"Okay..."

*~*

Lara walked out of the bookstore, bag in hand. She looked to her right and saw a figure she recognized. Derek. Their eyes met, and she shot back in the bookstore as quickly as he walked towards her. She ran up the stairs, dashing towards the cashier, looking back to see where he was -- she could just see his figure ascending. The cashier was situated just behind a wall, where Lara quickly hid.

"Excuse me, miss, are you okay?" The lady behind the desk said.

"There's someone I really don't want to see right now...could you help me?"

"Your parents?" The lady guessed.

Lara shook her head. "Ex-boyfriend."

She peered out behind the wall and saw his figure walking towards the cashier.

"That's him," she said, heart beating faster.

"Quick. Hide under my desk."

Lara did so and a few seconds later, she could hear his voice.

"Excuse me, have you seen a girl about this height, brown hair? She's my girlfriend, and I need to talk to her," he said, faking a disappointed tone.

Lara tried hard to breathe quietly and keep calm, focusing on the wall in front of her. To the side was just a staff exit door.

"No, I haven't. Sorry. She might be downstairs, or up on the third floor. We've got an attic section for used books on discount."

"Where's that?"

"It's just near the stairs to get to the first floor. You can go ahead and---Macy, would you please show this kind man where the attic is?" Lara heard the lady say, calling out to another employee.

"Of course. Follow me."

She heard the two leave and heard the lady breathe out a sigh of relief. She heard rubbing on the desk above and saw a post-it note fly down to the floor.

Follow me out the staff exit. Wait until I unlock the door.

She saw the lady get up and unlock the door. She got up herself and ran towards the door and inside after the lady, making sure no one saw her. The lady locked the door and started walking down the stairs to the ground floor.

"Thank you so much. I don't know what I would've done without you."

"No problem, dear. The exit's just this way, I suggest you take a cab back home. Stay safe," the lady said as she opened the door outside and led Lara out.

"Thank you so so much," Lara said once more, exiting.

She hailed a cab and got back to her apartment, ending the long day. The last thing she heard that night before falling asleep was the ring of her phone.

Hey, how's NY without me? :) -Ansel

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I know I haven't updated in a long time, but here you go! What'd you guys think?