That One Canadian Guy

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter 19 - Decisions Must Be Made

[Lauren's POV]

The whole magazine group stand on the pavement waiting for a cab. The building is only a few blocks away but this is better than everyone turning up in their own time. We end up standing here for about ten minutes before a big yellow taxi pulled up. It was more like a school bus but it fitted all 16 of us. Alice and Travis were already there. I sit next to Cesca and she didn't say anything. She just looks at me.
"What?" I ask and she just smiles.
"Oh, nothing" she says innocently.
"Bull crap, tell me"
"You and Mitch did it, didn't you?" She asked.
"Yeah" I say "have you and Mat?" I ask.
"Not yet"
"Still innocent then"
"Yep" Cesca said as we come to a stop. We must have been really close to the place. We get escorted inside quickly and I never caught the name of the building. We are escorted to the second floor and lead into a board room.
"Hello, sit down in division pairs starting with Ella and Alex leading down this side and then anyone leading to Lauren, Andy, Tori and Ben, that side of the table in that order please" Alice pointed and ordered and we did as we were told. Once were sat down, there were four empty chairs at the opposite end if the table to Alice and Travis. Five minutes later, four blokes walk in wearing gray and black suites with ties. That all sat down in unison and I look over at Cesca and she glances at me. If these are my new bosses, working won't be fun anymore.
"Hello everyone, let's get this going. I understand that there are pairs of the top dogs in every sector that This Is Life writes about. One of you will be perminantly moving out here and the other will be running their section in England." One of them explains.
"Hi, I am Dan. On my left is George, on my right is Adam and and my far right is Josh. I am the main personnel at This Is Life USA so I have Alice's job but over here. I have chosen who is moving and staying." Dan introduces himself.
"Hey, I'm George and I run the News and advice pages. I also help edit but unfortunately our main editor in chief couldn't make it today" George explains himself.
"Hello everyone, I am Adam and I run the photography side of things" Andy and I look at each other "I decide what gets printed monthly and where you guys will be going for trips and social events though I understand that Alice let you chose your assignments, is that correct?" He asks and Alice nods "right then I think we can do the same" he concluded and he smiled at me. I just stared at my pen.
"And finally, I'm Josh and I do music and fashion. At the moment they are one section but I think that in time it can expand to being two different sections" he said and his smile was amazing. He looked at all the girls around the table and went to Amy last. She just blushed and looked down.
"Right, we will look through the portfolios of all of you and make our final decision." Dan said and they all walked out in unison. They already creep me out. The group wait in silence for a few minutes and Dan comes back in.
"Lauren, Cesca, Amy, Luke, Tori, Travis and Alex please come with me" he says and we all get up and follow him. We are lead into the room next door and get asked to sit down. I sit in between Tori and Cesca.
"So I'm just going to out with it, you guys are the group that are moving here. Of course you have a choice but if you don't take it, you can never have the opportunity to move to these places ever again. The offices are in Chicago, New York and LA. You will work in all three offices and you have a pay rise of about fifteen percent. Work hours you guys can choose with in options we have for you and we have accommodation planned for you" Dan explained and we all just nodded along.
"Any questions?" Josh asked. I put my hand up.
"Yes, erm... Do we choose where we are based? Like LA, Chicago or here?" I ask.
"Yes you do. That is where you will based for most of the time, you get to chose this too. You have until the first to decide" Dan said and then he dismissed us. We walk back to the main office and sit in our previous seats and the other half are sent out. Alice looks at us and we look back at her.
"We are the ones moving" I say quietly. I look at my hands.
"What about our dance school?" Amy asked.
"I have no idea... I guess we sell it on?" I ask.
"Or one of us stays behind?" She asks.
"I want to move though, this has been a dream of mine moving" I say sadly. I worked so hard for that dance school but I can't not take this opportunity.
"I don't want to move" Amy said bluntly.
"Well, I can open one over here?" I offer.
"Yeah! We can talk about this later" Amy says. We, as a group walk back in the main office. Luke walks over to Lizzie and they hug. They will have to chose their job or each other.
"Lizzie could take Amy's spot. They both work on the same stories" I think out loud and everyone looks at me "what?" I ask.
"That's genius Lauren!" Lizzie said. All three walk out and come back smiling. I guess they got what they wanted. The four suits come back in and line up by the table.
"So, everyone discuss this with partners and parents and the group who is moving we have a meeting on the first at half one" Adam said and they all disappeared. We all leave the room in our own time. After a few moments, its just Amy, Cesca, Lizzie and myself in the room.
"I can't believe we are being split up, after all this time" I say, trying not to cry. I look at them and it looks like we are fighting tears.
"Group hug?" Amy asked.
"Group hug" us three agree and we just hug each other, crying silently.
"We have to go and know the perfect place half an hour away from here" I say. We walk to the lift, get in and travel down the stories until we are on ground level. I call a cab and say the address. The driver drives us there and I pay and tip him. The girls gasp.
"No way" Cesca says.
"Yep, come on! We don't have all day!" I say pushing the girls towards the Hot Topic store that stands in front of us. We laugh and mess around in the store and stay there for about two hours just looking at items and trying them on. I buy two Disney sweaters, three pairs of jeans, a few band T-shirts, Doctor Who and The Hunger Games merch and some simple dresses and skirts. It ended up being an expensive treat with it totalling to about $130. I payed for my items and so did the girls, it looked like we all splurged on the store.

*Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Skip*

[Lauren's POV]

I walk away from the microwave with a bowl full of popcorn. I sat on the sofa next to Mitch. Mat and Cesca were on the other sofa lying down. I place the bowl on the coffee table.
"So we need to talk, about mine and Cesca's work" I say.
"Lauren and I are being transfered" she bluntly said.
"Where to?" Mat asks quickly.
"Either Chicago, Los Angeles or here in New York" I said.
"Oh..." Mitch said.
"Cesca, where do you want to go?" Mat asks.
"Either LA or here in New York but anywhere will be awesome" she said.
"Lauren? Where for you?" Mitch asked.
"I don't know, the same as Cesca really" I say. I haven't really thought about it. LA would be far away from home but a new start is needed.
"Well, if you move to LA it could be close to the house and if you move here its close to Canada and so is Chicago I guess" Mitch reasons out loud.
"I guess so" I reasoned. I don't want to move, just for Mitch because we are dating.
"We have until Thursday to decide so there is no point in stressing about it now, I'm going to bed now night" Cesca says and stands up and starts walking to the stairs. Mat quickly joins her and me Mitch share a look. We burst out laughing and turn the TV on. We watch The Ring, Paranormal Activity and Shaun Of The Dead to finish off. Its now 02:48 and Mitch and I are too scared to move. I look up at him and he looks down at me. I snuggle up to him more and pull the blanket up around us. I fall asleep like that.

[Mitch's POV]

Well, I am officially not sleeping tonight. Lauren and I had a horror movie marathon and I regret it completely. She enjoys the rush of it though so I go along with it. Once the credits start rolling for the last film we watched she looked at me tiredly. She was about to fall asleep. She pulled the covers up to her neck and was soon asleep on my chest. I rolled my eyes and pulled the covers off us. I slid my hands under her knees and shoulders and picked her up bridal style. I carried her to our room and placed her on the bed. I go back down stairs quickly to get the comforter and run back up to our room. I make the bed and get in it next to her. She finds me in her sleep and pushes her way under my arm. I accept her and turn to face her. I place one hand on her waist and the other was under her neck and head. I pulled us close.
"Good night baby" I whisper and kiss her head. She smiles in her sleep and soon after I join her.

*Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Skip*

[Mitch's POV]

"No... No!!" I wake up to hear Lauren talk in her sleep. Her heads moving and I move away from her slightly. Her breathing gets faster and beads of sweat are glistening on her forehead and neck. Her head jolts, her eyes split open and he blots up right panting.
"Lauren? Baby?Are you okay?" I ask quietly, not wanting to frighten her. Her head turns slowly towards me and her eyes are hollow and dark brown. No hazel, emerald or copper in them. She slowly shakes her head and comes to lye down beside me, her back facing me. "Lauren?" I ask again, frightened and worried.
"Yes?" She asks in a whisper. She turns to face me and her eyes are glassy.
"What happened?"
"Just something from my past, its okay now I know I'm with you" she said smiling and it was probably fake.
"You can tell me anything, if you didn't know" I say softly. She nods and moves towards me. I wrap my arms around her and pull her close. She tilts her head up towards me and she kisses my lips softly before we fall asleep.