Chapter 11.

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"So..." Mia says with a long, drawn out tone. "Did you want to talk about what Beau saw?"

"We kissed, it's no big deal." I sigh, standing up from the bed.

Mia sits upright on the couch where she had crashed last night. We got home late from the after party, and she was totally drunk out of her mind. I didn't want mum and dad to see her like that, so I let her stay with me. 

"What about Toby?"

"What about Toby?" I ask.

"Look, just because I asked our parents to keep quiet last night about the whole thing... for you, doesn't mean we all aren't wondering the same thing. Are you two officially over or not?"

"I don't know!" I admit. "He hasn't spoken a word to me since we broke up. I don't know what he's been up to or if he's okay. I feel awful."

"It sounds to me like he's cut you off."

"He said he needed a break, and that's what I'm giving him." I argue.

"It sounds to me," She says again. "Like you don't believe in the break bullshit anymore. I think you're trying to convince yourself that you and Toby are over so you can keep tongue fucking Austin. So again... what about Toby?"

"I don't know, Mia." I repeat. "I guess I'll have to talk to him about it. How long has it even been?"

"Almost a month." She tells me.

"Shit." I groan, rubbing the back of my neck. "This has been the longest we've gone without talking to each other."

"Maybe it's for the best. I mean, you've only ever been with Toby..."

"I love him." I argue.

"Really? It doesn't seem like it to me given that you've moved on so quickly."

I narrow my eyes at her. I already knew I fucked up when it came to this whole Austin thing. But to be fair, Toby hasn't made an effort to show any signs of wanting to get back together. As much as I loved Toby, I had to love myself enough in order to move on in case there was no chance of us getting back together.

"I need to keep my options open..." I tell her quietly. "In case..."

"It's fine, Annie." Mia says before lifting herself off of the couch.

"Where are you going?" I ask her as she makes her way towards the door.

"I'm going back to your parents' house. Beau is much better company than you. His love life always keeps me on my toes."

I roll my eyes as she slams the door shut a little too loudly before I head into the bathroom.

Austin had asked me to meet him in the studio today because he had something 'urgent' he needed to speak with me about.

Whatever it was, I knew I had to go in there and nip this thing in the butt. Until I knew for sure that there was no chance that Toby and I were ever going to get back together, we had to keep our relationship strictly professional.

Which is how it should've been in the first place.

I don't need anything coming in the way of my newfound career.

Things haven't been quite as I expected however. I haven't been recording as much as I was when I first got signed, given that most of my sessions were replaced so Austin could record. I still didn't even have a record out yet, but I tried to keep telling myself that good things came to those who waited.

Even though I've been waiting for a while now.

Pushing my thoughts aside, I throw on a pair of black jeans and a navy flannel then make my way out of my apartment.

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