After blowing hot air on his hands, Shayne shoves them inside the pockets of his jacket. It's five thirty in the afternoon but it's dark already and he can see his breath condensing in front of him while he makes his way home. LA can be a really cold city this time of year but after growing up in many different cities winters, Shayne is used to them.
The chilly breeze bites his cheeks and the tips of his ears. They are already reddened when he turns the corner on the road.
He really hopes Courtney has baked something, or maybe even has hot cocoa waiting for him. He also wishes Damien hasn't beaten him to it because if that's the case, there are small chances there's anything left for him to warm up.
As he approaches the building, he sees a petite woman with several bags in her arms, juggling them to ring the intercom. He'd recognize that perfect jet black hair anywhere, because that's a signature Olivia Sui look. Shayne rushes to her, to help his coworker and friend.
"Hey, Oli–" He begins.
Before he can finish his greeting, he hears a sharp yelp and gets smacked with a heavy bag. He lifts his arms in sign of surrender.
"Olivia, it's me! Shayne!" He shouts before he can get hit again with another bag.
"Oh, my–" She babbles.
"Shayne!" she scolds him.
As if he had provoked her and deserved the few smacks she landed on him.
"Sorry" He apologizes anyway, because he is sorry for scaring her.
But he can't help the laughter that bubbles inside of him and then she giggles too, snorting a little laugh that lets out a puff of her breath condensing between them.
"What are you doing here?" He asks, taking a few bags from her hands and retrieving his keys from his pocket.
"Courtney and I are supposed to work on the sequel to Girls are Gross" Olivia said.
Once the door is opened, she scurries into the building, shivering as they feel the change of the temperature.
"And apparently my anxiety drove me to do some shopping, hence the bags" She said.
She starts climbing up the stairs to the second floor, towards Courtney's place.
"But I at least managed to cross some names off my Christmas list, so it wasn't all just for me, also there were these silver baubles that would look just marvelous with the decor of my apartment" She said.
Shayne chuckles when she looks over her shoulder to look at him, a couple of steps behind.
"So stress shopping?" He asked.
She turns her gaze upwards, playful smile on her lips as she shrugs one shoulder.
"You could say so" She answered.
They reach the apartment, and Shayne raises his hand to knock, when the door is ripped open and Courtney stares at him with wide eyes.
"Finally!" She said.
Shayne and Olivia frown.
"Me?" They ask at the same time.
Courtney reaches for Shayne's sleeve, tugging him in with such strength, Shayne just might wonder if she's the one stealing his protein bars.
"Him" Courtney said.
Shayne's not sure why she's so desperate until he sees the brunette girl studying her nails on the couch. Alexis doesn't notice him at first but it must be the way his panic attack gets his heart hammering against his chest, because she lifts her gaze from her dark green nails to look at him, predatory smile in place.
