Holding On & Letting Go [✓] (Boyxboy)

Chapter Fifteen

Somehow, I made it through work the next day with a sense of ease. Heartache only caused anguish and after last night, I'd chosen to ignore it for the rest of this trip.

This morning I hadn't muttered one word to Jack as I got up. I left the hotel room early, only catching a small glimpse of the attire Jack had laid out for whichever meeting he had on today.

The thing was, I needed to let go of everything that was happening with Jack lately and focus on tonight, because tonight I was meeting Gabriel for the first time.

We had texted the previous night for an hour and a half. Apparently, he had somewhere special he wanted to take me and I couldn't help the jolt of guilt that shot through me because there was really only one reason I was going through with this.

Gabriel was sweet and funny and laid-back and everything I needed in my life right now. The problem was, what I needed wasn't necessarily what I wanted.

So, tonight I would meet up with Gabriel, sit down and tell him how I so badly wished I could've been the guy he deserved. I wanted that more than anything, but I knew where my heart lay, and it wasn't in the hands of a gorgeous Spanish.

Perhaps, it could've once been but somewhere along the road of moving on, I did just that with the very person I never expected.

I was in love with Jack. There was no denying that, but what was happening between us only made everything so complicated and I was tired. Tired of whatever game Jack and I were playing where he was insecure and I was falling apart.

Claire hailed taxi's to take us to the venue and from there, everything was on fast-forward. Designer clothes shone crisp and clean on their racks, measuring tapes and containers of pins littered the ground of the fitting rooms and men and women in black bustled about, ensuring the rehearsal ran smoothly in preparation for the actual night.

A man announced our arrival and soon we were ushered inside a makeshift fitting room. The girls were directed to one side of the room whilst the boys were escorted to the other, a thin sheet strung across the middle acted as a wall between the two.

A woman hailed me over. "Mr Evans," she greeted with a friendly smile. "I'm Layla, your stylist."

"Troye." I shook her hand and she ushered me over to a corner where a rack stood, filled with numerous clothing items.

"Now," Layla said, sifting through the rack. "Because you're participating in numerous exclusive shows this year, we have an assortment of designers works here that we need tailor to your figure. I assume you've been eating adequately?"

Layla asked me a handful of questions before getting me to strip down and try on pieces of clothing. As she works, I stand and listen to her explain basic organisational methods and what to do between shows and outfit changes. As a model, I had heard all of this before.

Claire wanders over to me as Layla pinned the cuff of my pants up. "Everything alright here?"

I flashed her a thumbs up and the director nodded, clearly appreciative of the easy-going response in a time of stress.

A little while later, a woman holding a clipboard made her way over to me. "Troye Evans, you're up next on the runway. Please follow me to the backstage area."

Layla had dressed me in a basic suit for this exact purpose. I followed the event organiser towards the function room where a makeshift runway had been set up strictly for rehearsal purposes.

The runway itself was a simple replica of the one that would be used in Milan. Stretching out to the centre of the room, a handful of models were already taking turns practicing their catwalks.