Her.

Chapter Nineteen.

A few days later..

Perri's POV:

"Do you think it's weird how she hasn't been at the studio this week?" I mumble to Jordan, as I pull the hoodie over my afro and walk down the Kiss hallways, blocking out anyone else who seemed to pass us. "I assume you're on about Esme?" Jordan states, his eyebrows raised, almost as if he was questioning why I would be asking about her. "She's different, she doesn't jump up to wait on me hand and foot" I whisper, as Jordan nods his head. "She's a good person, but it does feel like she's hiding something sometimes" Jordan whispers as we enter our usual studio, throwing the bags of snacks we always brought with us in the corner, anything to make this feel like it wasn't a work thing, kiss never felt like it was work, it was always me and Jordan jamming to songs and having fun, it was something that was a dream to me. "She is though, that's the thing" I whisper, as my eyes widen at the realisation of what I had said, the realisation that I may have just let one of Esmes biggest secrets slip out of my mouth.

"So what do you mean by that then Pel?" Jordan questions as I shake my head. "I wish I could tell you" I whisper, as I look down at the floor and hear Jordan sigh to himself. "If this is the reason you're loosing yourself footing in rehearsals and reasons why you can't land a backflip without stumbling then I think I have a right to know" he whispers, as he pushes my shoulder, making me look up at him. I shake my head. "She's girl behind a microphone" I whisper, as Jordan's eyes widen, his hand covering his mouth as if he was going to scream like a fan girl. I shake my head. "She's so different, she's so fragile, and I think deep down, I'd rather have her than Olivia" I mumble. "You never explained what you and Olivia were doing leaving the doctors or the hospital whatever story they had made up" Jordan mumbles, as I roll my eyes, letting my hand rub the side of my face. "She rand me, asked me to pick her up from there that's all there is to the story" I mumble, as Jordan shakes his head. "So there's no baby Kiely on the way?" He chuckles, as I look at him and shake my head. "If it is a baby, I can assure you it isn't a baby Kiely" I mumble, as I take a deep breath. "I need a minute" I whisper, as Jordan looks at me, his mouth opening as if he was going to say something, but nothing comes out, as he nods his head.

I turn around on my heels and walk out of the studio, bumping into a small female, the perfume she always wore filling my nostrils, making me smile momentarily. "Esme" I whisper, as her eyes dart up to mine, looking into my soul. "Perri" Esme whispers, as I smile down at her. "It's good to see you back in these hallways" I smile, as she shakes her head. "It won't be forever" she mumbles. "What do you mean?" I question, as she looks at me and shakes her head, tears filling her eyes, instantly pulling at the emotions inside me, feelings I didn't fully know I had emerging. "Come here" I whisper, as I open my arms, and go to pull her in for a hug, but she steps back, her back hitting the wall behind her. "It's best you just forget about me" she whispers, but before I can open my mouth and say anything to make her stop, she's gone, almost as if she wasn't even there.

As I look down the hallway, it's hard to notice which door she would of walked through, and although my mind was telling me to go and find her, to listen to what she had to say, my heart was telling me to let her go. I had seen enough chick flicks with Starr and Naomi to know that sometimes you just needed to give someone space, to give them the time they needed to feel better themselves, but something inside me was telling me this wasn't the case, that I needed to follow her, but it felt like my feet were placed and glued to the ground, it felt impossible to move from the spot I was in.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, and looked on the camera roll I had saved, the album of photos that never really made it anywhere, they were more for my sake than anyone else's. But, if you looked closely at the videos, at the photos that were saved in the album you'd see Esmes face, or the back of her head. It was almost like she was always in the right place at the wrong time, things I had never noticed, moments that were captured that I didn't always remember, but looking back she was always there, she was always just someone in the background.

"Pel?" Jordan questions from behind me. "Yeah?" I whisper, as he looks at me, but the look he was giving me wasn't that of a best friend, it was that look from someone who was concerned. "What's going on?" He whispers, as he places his hand on my shoulder, letting the door close behind him softly. "Esme" I whisper. "You need to break up with Olivia" Jordan states, his voice bold, but he was telling the truth. "I know, but Esme" I whisper, as Jordan shakes his head. "She doesn't live in this world" I mumble, as I look at the photos that were scattered around the hallways, photos that stood proudly, photos of the Kiss presenters, the DJs, the parties. "If it's meant to be, it will be" he whispers, as he pulls me into a hug and a single tear leaves my eyes.