Try Again: Shawn Mendes ✔️

3

Athena Elle Carter

"Wow you had a whole ass life in Canada huh?" Erica says after I finished telling her everything. "Are you still in touch with your friends?" She asks.

"No, when I moved in with him I didn't see them much. I was going to go back after a week of living here but no one called or texted me. And everyone in the media made me the bad guy" I say taking a sip of my cocktail.

"Oh I bet he sulked around and everyone thought you ruined him?" She took the words straight out of my mouth.

"Exactly" I nod. "I hope I never see him again" I scoff.

"So you never went back? You know after that night?" She asks. "No, I called my brothers and they told me to come home. I also took this job with Yvette and she signed me up straight away" I say.

"What if you did go back that night?"

"I don't know but I do know that I'm doing better right now" I shrug. "I have an amazing job, a best friend" I smile at her. "I get paid a ton, I'm near my family" I finish.

I loved that about New York. I could see my family whenever, my dad and I worked it out after a while and I've never been happier.

"So are you looking to find someone?" She asks. "I'm not looking but if someone comes along I won't try to hide" I tell her honestly.

"Did you love him?" I look up at her and she sends me a sad smile. "I did" I nod.

"Still?" She asks. "Maybe a part of me always will, we had good memories but no, I don't love him" I shake my head.

"Fair enough, here's to being single" She clinks our glasses. "Erica you're married" I chuckle. "Well here's to being badass women" she says.

"Wait hold on, last question I promise" she puts a hand on her chest. "Do you know who the girl was?" She asks. "No I don't, I did want to find out but my mum told me I shouldn't because I'll start comparing myself to her and seeing all the things she has that I don't. So I didn't bother finding out" I explain.

After that we didn't talk about Shawn once and I hoped that was the last time.

-
I got to my office an hour early today just going through the final girls I had picked. I also went over my the line up for my own fashion show I'm hosting. All my designs would be featured and it had to be special, Empire only does this for certain people and I was one out six.

Whilst I was looking through my final outfits and models I heard the door slam shut. I turned around seeing Sam stood there with a brown file in his hand.

"What the fuck is this?" He yells throwing the paper into my desk making me papers mess up. "Jesus, sam! I had them all in order" I walk over to the desk. "Goddam it Athena! Look at that file!" He shouts at me.

I take it opening it up. "I'm not a lawyer Sam" I throw the folder back down crossing my arms over my chest.

"I'll tell you what it is!" He shouts. I was really starting to get annoyed now, why was he shouting like a maniac. Before he can speak Erica walks in with a worried expression.

"Everyone can hear you Sam" she whisper yells. "Get out Erica, this isn't about you" he spits. Erica looks at me I nod telling her I'll be okay.

"That's a law suit against Empire Zane New York" He exclaims. "Okay well my dad knows a few lawyers, I can make a few calls" I tell him calmly.

"No Athena. There's nothing we can do, we're being sued by a Miss Lia Stone being represented by Dave Stone for wrongful doing, wrongful hiring and assault" he spits. He holds his temples in stress.

That bitch!

"Sam we didn't do any of those things" I say. "But Dave Stone has never lost a case" he shakes his head. "And Athena the only way out is by firing you, Lia Stone whoever the fuck she is said if we don't fire you she'll take action" he tells me.

I feel my heart drop. I could either be fired or put other people out of a job.

"Athena I think you know my only option" he says sadly. "But Sam, I've been loyal to the company since I was nineteen. I'm now twenty three and I've never done anything to harm the company and you're telling me I have to get fired?" I was past the point of anger right now.

"We can't fight this, please don't make this harder" he sighs. "What about my show?" I ask.

"It's this Saturday, you can do it and announce you'll be moving on. We can't have any bad publicity around this time, it's almost fashion week" he explains. "And Athena I recommend you resign instead or me firing, it'll be easier to find a job after. And you can always come to me for a recommendation" he smiles gently.

This was my dream. I was living it and now some petty girl was taking it all away.

"I need a minute" I tell him. "I'll be in my office" he nods at me then leaves.

I stand in front of my desk placing my hands flat on the glass table. I felt a shock of anger though my body and I swipe everything of my desk making it hit the wall and my designs, I scream grabbing my laptop throwing it on the floor. Hot tears running down my face.

I go over to my art wall and begin ripping it all down.

"Athena sh sh, calm down" I fell Erica pull me away and she pulls me in to a hug.

"You heard?" I ask. "Yeah and I'm so so sorry" she whispers. "Everything I've worked for Erica, it's gone" I cry.

I was more than hurt, I felt a pang of hatred in my chest. That girl came to my office, threw my relationship in my face and now got me to leave my job. I was full of hate.