Professional Publicity Stunt » Shawn Mendes✔️

thirty-two: it's inevitable, everything that's good comes to an end.

A/N: Before you freak out: No, this is not the last chapter. Continue on xx. Song up there is "Love You Goodbye." I listened to it while I wrote this and it made me cry, so apologies for this.

The number of headlines that stem from the exposing account just the next day are staggering. And frightening.

It's one right after another, accusing me of being the next 'serial dater,' which is disgusting because that insult is so old, but it's still there.

Watch out Shawn Mendes: Rylie Banes seems to go through lovers like Taylor Swift.

Is Rylie Banes as innocent as she seems? Here's what's happening.

Shawn Mendes's girlfriend Rylie Banes was in 3 relationships last year. Watch your back, Mendes. You might be the next victim.

And because no one in the industry is as dumb or oblivious as they like to appear, the accusation (is it an accusation if it's the truth?) of our relationship being for publicity begins to float around.

Is Rylie Banes using Shawn Mendes for publicity? We examined the facts.

An expert insider told us all there is to know about PR relationships. Here's what she said about Rylie Banes and Shawn Mendes.

I really try not to let any of them affect me, but I've had more headlines mention my name negatively in the past twelve hours than I have in my entire career. And I would be able to stomach it if they weren't dragging Shawn down with me.

Was Shawn Mendes forced into a PR relationship, or is he totally okay with it?

If his fans believe these – and I know most of them will, if they haven't already – then they're just going to be upset with him for...for lying, essentially. And I told myself going into this that I didn't want to turn his fans against him.

This has just gotten blown way out of proportion, and I know a majority of the blame falls on my shoulders.

I should have continued to treat this like a job. I should have been the one that kept up the rule of sleeping in a different bed, of turning off the feelings and the relationship once the doors closed and cameras were turned off. I should have kept all of this up, but I didn't. I let myself get comfortable and I let myself think this was something real, when I shouldn't have. I've led Shawn on this entire time and that can't be blamed on him for being so sweet. It's blamed on me for accepting it so willingly, instead of keeping my distance and reminding him I'm here for a job.

Because it's never hard to leave. It's never as hard as it is right now, as I'm writing a letter to him on hotel stationary while he does interviews downstairs. It's never this hard. But this time it is, because this time I was stupid enough to let my heart take control. And I know better. I know better than to do that because that never ends well.

The Billboard Music Awards ended with Taylor hugging me and asking me if I knew what I wanted to do yet. And I told her I did.

Because I know what I want to do. What I've wanted to do since the first day.

Stay.

But I also know what I can't do. What I need to do because it's fair this way.

And that's leave.

I finish the letter and fold it up, writing his name on the back of the paper and leaving it on the table, the pen placed neatly next to it. He's been doing interviews all morning with the album just coming out last night, so that's given me time to pack my things without him here. Which was better. I imagine he'd call me pathetic for the amount of tears I shed if I'm the one who is leaving.