Exposed//Shawn Mendes

45

"Ugh, I just wanna crawl in a hole and die..." I groaned as I clutched the paper Daniel left for me in my hand and laid on Shawn's bed.
"I don't know why you're even bothering with that, you should honestly just destroy it and forget about him." Shawn scoffed.
"Shawn if I left you after saying I never loved you wouldn't you at least want to express yourself to me in some way?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Well... yeah..." He hesitantly and sheepishly answered.
"Then shut up." I teased.
"Fine, fine." Shawn gave up as he threw himself next to me. He leaned his head on my shoulder waiting for me to open the paper. I just rolled my eyes before holding it up and starting to unfold it.

"Lelia, it's ok if you never loved me, I always had my suspicions, I'm sure spending time with the man you truly loved made you realize your feelings and it was just something I wasn't ready for. I'm sorry I was never good enough and I'm sorry for what I've done to you..." I read the letter but when I finish I felt heartbroken.

"Are you ok?" He asks looking at me sympathetically.
"Yeah, I just feel terrible..." I sighed.
"Listen, this is honestly for the best..." Shawn said. I just nodded in agreement.
"Shawn..." I started as I looked over to him.
"Yes?" He responds looking back at me.
"Do you love me too?" I asked point blank, thinking about what Jake said back at the airport in LA.
"What? Leila I-" Shawn was cut off by a loud thumping coming from downstairs. It made us jump from the suddenness.

"Who could that be?" He said quickly rolling off the bed. I felt a little upset that he didn't answer but at the same time had a bad gut feeling at who was at the door.

Shawn and I both went downstairs, I was close behind him just in case. Shawn pulled open the door to reveal a worried looking Alice.

"Alice? What's wrong?" I said as I stepped out and up to her.
"Leila, Shawn, is it true?" She asks looking between the both of us.
"What? Is what true?" I asked furrowing my brows at her.
"That you and Shawn faked everything! Your relationship was fake?" She asked making my eyes widen.

"What?!" Shawn spoke up shocked by Alice, stealing the word right from my mouth.
"A-Alice where did you hear that?" I asked.
"Daniel." She answered.
"He told you that?!" I asked surprised.
"No, he's posted it...! That you and Shawn were under a contract agreement to date while you stayed at his assistant..." She explained calmly. I felt my heart drop as I stared at her in shock.

"Fuck!" Shawn barked making me and Alice jump.
"Shawn! Please, we'll figure this out, we'll just-"
"Leila you don't get it! My image is-"
"You don't think I don't know what the fuck will happen to your image Shawn?! Ever since I started this job it's always been about your image! Do you want me to be here for you or do you want to fix your fucking image, huh? Because after this blows up, it seems like you're not even going to need me!" I raised my voice as I turned back to Shawn. He just stayed quiet as he shot me an all too familiar glare.

"Well?" I pushed, tired of his constant worry of how he looked t the public.
"I-I don't know!" Shawn said turning his back to me.
"You don't know? You don't know if you want me to stay or not?"
"Just... Just give me a minute to think." He mumbled as he turned back around, his head down and he bit his index finger.
"Is this really something to think about, Shawn?!" I raised my voice again.

"Leila, we are both about to be exposed for fucking lying to everyone for so long! I'm kinda not ok to be making these kinds of decisions right now!"
"We're going to just have to come clean about this, Shawn! We have to tell the truth." I said.
"The truth?! The truth makes me look like a fucking asshole who-"
"Who was tricked by Jess from the beginning until you realized you've been making a mistake!"
"I can't do that! People will think I'm a bad guy! I don't want them to think that!"
"Well, Shawn it's either the truth or me because I'm not going to get involved in any more of your lies!" I exclaimed. Shawn just stayed quiet once again

"Right... what an idiot I was to think I mattered in your life again. How stupid was I to think you actually loved me as much as I loved you... let's go, Alice." I scoffed before grabbing Alice's hand and pulling her away.

"Don't act like that, Leila... Leila!" Shawn called but I just continued to ignore him as I walked out the door.

Alice and I went back to my house. Once we were there I ended up telling her everything just like I did with mom.

"Whoa... I-I have a new perspective on Shawn... I kind of feel dirty for liking him in the first place..." Alice said looking saddened.
"Well... he was just confused and mad and I understand now why he acted the way he did but now he's so much better... kinda. Obviously, that fight back there wasn't his good side but after we figured things out, we haven't fought the way we used to. We're friends again and I love him so much, Alice..." I admitted.

"Oh, Leila... I suppose you're right... I'm happy for you." She gave me a small smile as she reached out and held my hand in her own. I smiled back at her but as soon as I did there was a knock on the door. Alice and I quickly looked over at it, I'm sure we were both thinking the same thing as we looked at it.

"Leila? You ok in there?" I heard my moms voice and instantly felt relief, then hearing Alice sigh, I looked over to see her relax as well.
"Yeah mom, come in!" I called. As I was looking at the door I saw mom walk in with a full face of makeup, hair slicked back in a high ponytail and a black cocktail dress with a dramatic front low cut dress.

"Whoa!" I exclaimed as I looked at her.
"Mrs. Harris you look stunning!" Alice gasped.
"Thank you, Alice, maybe you can help Leila here look just as stunning." Mom said with a devilish smile on her face.

"What?" I asked confused and caught off guard.
"Your mommas business partner invited her to a high-end fashion show promoting Rihanna's new clothing line and her darling daughter is her plus one tonight." Mom explained.

"Oh... Ma that's sweet but Shawn and I-"
"I know what's happening, I read the media outlets that are posting all about it which is why I'm taking you. You need a break my dear and I'm giving you one. Come on it'll be fun." Mom smiled warmly at me. Making me smile a small smile in return.

"Alright, yeah let's do this." I agreed.
"Oh yay! I've been dying to see you in this one specific outfit! Let me get it together while you do your makeup, Mrs. Harris would you like to help me?" Alice asks my mom.
"Of course gotta make sure my baby looks completely gorgeous!" Mom cheered before quickly running to my closet with Alice making me huff a laugh.

After about an hour I was all dress in a lowcut pure white jumpsuit with a black bralette peeking out from the top not revealing too much of my cleavage. To complete the look I wore a white trench coat with cavemen drawings designed on it as well as floral black 4in pumps. My hair was tied back in a high ponytail much like moms was and I wore large silver hoop earrings. As for makeup, I didn't want to go overboard so I just did eyeliner, eyeshadow and my eyebrows.

"All ready?" Mom asks standing next to Alice as they looked me over.
"Yeah, I'm good," I said with a smile on my face.
"Great, Drew is at grandma's tonight so we can get wild!" Mom cheered as she started walking out of the room I just rolled my eyes before walking up to Alice and throwing my arm around her shoulder, pulling her in for a side hug.

"Thank you so much for everything Alice." I said as I pressed my cheek against hers.
"Anytime Leila." She let out a sigh of relief.