𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝, shawn mendes

𝟧.𝟥

ONE WEEK LATER

aurora versini
30/04/18
9:22am
new york city, usa

"Fuck, oh, fuck..." Kal heaves, thrusting repeatedly inside me. "Close. I'm gonna-"

I can't say a word in response before he does so, filling up the condom and flopping down next to me with a grunt. I turn onto my side, allowing his hand to snake around my waist smoothly.

"Good morning to you too?" I chuckle, neatening up his hair.

"And what a good morning that was." He replies, swinging his legs around the edge of the bed and not bothering to ask me if I felt the same way. I wasn't going to dwell on the fact that I didn't, picking up my phone to distract myself. And at the top of my lockscreen, is a reminder about a meeting with a name I hadn't expected to see, especially not after having sex with someone else.

I force myself to get out of bed to face him at the office, knowing I have to do it at some point. My feet hit the floor with a thud and I pad them over to the kitchen, rolling my eyes at the sight of Kal as he loads up his playstation. Since he's not been working for the past week, he's spent it sat on my couch playing video games and emptying out my refrigerator.

"Kal?" I say, hoping to get his attention. He doesn't respond, clearly engrossed in the loading screen of some violent video game. "Yo, Kal!"

"What?" He slams his controller down, facing me angrily.

"I was only gonna ask you if you had any plans for today?" I raise my eyebrows questioningly at him. He nods, gesturing to the TV and dismissing me with a wave of his hand as he resumes his video game.

"Rory!" He shouts me back, just as I've walked out of the room. I crane my neck around the corner to reply. "Make me some pancakes?"

"Gotta get changed." I answer bluntly, disappearing again. "Big meeting today." The last part is almost to myself, since I know if he knew who the meeting was with he wouldn't let me go. But it's work, purely professional.

I stand in front of the mirror, analysing my outfit. I picked out a classy navy blue dress and lace-up heels that matched, with a coat for the relatively cold spring weather here in new york. And I, of course, applied some red lipstick, convincing myself yet again it wasn't for him.

I leave the apartment and travel across the city via an uber that drops me right outside the building, which stands taller than ever before. I'd never been this nervous for a meeting, not even when I met with Vogue's editor-in-chief last October.

I hum anxiously in the elevator, running through scenarios in my head. The worst one comes to the forefront of my mind just as the elevator dings and Liv's apologetic face greets me.

"I had no idea." She whispers, in a state of shock. "I would've cancelled, I'm so sorry."

"Liv? I know." I assure her. She was the only person in my life right now that actually knew what was going on. Well, most of it. "It's ok. I have to face him at some point. It might as well be in professional circumstances."

"Ok, but-"

"Is he here?"

"He's just through those doors. I gave him the suit to try on. Are you sure?" I nod.