𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝, shawn mendes

𝟧.𝟪

aurora versini
07/05/18
11:43pm
new york city, usa

"Care to explain?" Troye begins as soon as we climb into the car that will take us to the club, all of us changed into our afterparty clothes. Both him and Ari turn to me, expectant looks on their faces.

"Explain what?" I act innocent, knowing exactly what he means.

"You and Shawn?" Ari raises her eyebrows. "All night, talking and flirting."

"We were not flirting." I hiccup, more than a little drunk.

"Oh honey, yes you were." Troye chuckles. "Do you two have a thing?"

"We had a thing." I state sadly. "And then I ended it for someone else."

"Kal?" Ari speculates. I nod.

"Biggest mistake of my life." I confess, suddenly able to say the words I'd kept to myself for two weeks. I knew them both from designing their outfits for previous met gala's, and from talking to them at other events. But I couldn't explain why I was comfortable enough to tell them that. "But I can't end it because he needs me." I stress.

"Ok, ok. Why does he need you?"

"Because we need each other, that's what he says, anyway. We've been through so much, and he knows me so well."

"But if you aren't happy with him, why do you stay?" Ari asks, "He's clearly making you miserable, but you seemed so happy in there with Shawn."

"It's none of our business, but I know who's side I'm on." Troye tells me. "But just be careful, ok?"

"Yeah. I can tell it's a complicated situation." Ari agrees.

"Ha. Complicated doesn't begin to describe my life right now." I chuckle wryly. "It's nice to talk to people that aren't my boyfriend's sister."

"What about Zahara and Florence?" Troye says, and a surge of guilt passes through my body.

"I haven't spoken to them since Coachella, and I keep putting it off." I sigh, "That's another thing in my life that's complicated."

"Well, I hope you figure it out." Ari says. "You deserve to be happy."

"Thank you." I smile, grateful for someone to talk to.

----

"I love this song!" I exclaim, pulling my two new friends to their feet. "Dance with me!"

"My feet hurt." Ari complains, pouting.

"Take your shoes of then, silly." I tell her, dragging them both to the dance floor.

"You are the life of the party tonight, Versini." Troye declares, watching me dance clumsily.

"Because I'm drunk!" I giggle, feeling genuine happiness for the first time in so long. "And I'm happy!"

"I'm glad, Aurora. I really am." Ari smiles.

We've been at the party for twenty minutes, no sign of Shawn and Hailey yet. He said he was coming, so my curiosity gets the better of me and I excuse myself. "I need the toilet!" I sing, drifting away from them as I walk out of the main club area.

"What is this, Shawn?" A female voice shouts, angry. I identify her to be Hailey, of course. They're just in the doorway, behind a wall. It's not right for me to listen, but in my drunken state I do it anyway.