Chapter 35 - Deadline

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     I go to work as I do every Friday, trying to focus on my students and what I must teach them, but it’s difficult because my mind keeps drifting towards Liam. I steal glances at my mobile, hoping but dreading to see a message or missed call. I don’t know if I should go to him or if he’ll come to me or if we’ll see each other at all. I mean, officially it’s over; we don’t need to do anything. But we at least need to say goodbye, don’t we? We’ve been together for six months. Fake as it was, it still was a relationship. We forgot the whole contract at some point until it came back to haunt us and force us apart. I do have strong feelings for him, feelings that keep growing no matter what I do and now I feel a hole in my chest because I know we won’t be together anymore. It makes me want to tell Simon to think of something else because I can’t let him go.  I know that’s not the wisest choice, but it’s what I would like.

We have to make sacrifices for the people we love and for our futures.

However, I’m scared to say goodbye because maybe I won’t be able to walk away. I don’t know how he’ll look at me. Will he try to stop me? Will he try to convince me to forget about the contract and try this time for real? Will I be able to decline if he asks that? God knows I want that. I want to forget all the dubious past, the lies we told and the shady way we got together. The unconventional way I fell for him.

When I’m free to go, I check my mobile just to confirm that I have no notifications whatsoever. I sigh heavily and decide on one course of action. I’ll go to the label, to make sure everything is settled smoothly, and say goodbye to Havi. She was supposed to coordinate everything, but the lines merged together and we didn’t need her anymore. I feel a bit bad for her. She couldn’t do her job because we confused real from not real.

Once I’m at Syco’s headquarters, I look for my father first and of course he’s with Ariel, recording a new track.

“Belle, what a surprise. How was work?” he asks after giving me a hug. Ariel runs outside the booth towards me.

“I came to see Simon. The contract ends today,” I tell my father and he smiles radiantly.

“You did it, Belle! I knew you would. Thank you so much. We’re almost done with Ariel’s album, so all this’s been worth it.” I know he’s really grateful. But he doesn’t know I fell for Liam. He doesn’t know that this contract came back to bite me in the bum and I can’t tell him that. I would rather him focus on his own problems and duties instead of getting distracted with my own little drama.

I feel Ariel taking my hand and I turn to look at her. She’s worried, I can tell, so I smile reassuringly at her, to tell her I’m okay even if I’m not. “Louis,” Ariel tells my father. “May I take a break to have a coffee with Belle?”

“Of course, dear! Go with Belle. Be back in twenty minutes, though,” my dad instructs and we both nod as Ariel drags me outside.

“Are you doing okay?” she immediately questions and I sigh.

“I’m not. I’m so confused and scared. I don’t know if I should see him but I feel like I owe him at least a goodbye. But then, won’t that be painful?” I rant and Ariel surprises me by giving me a hug. She’s sweet and caring, but she’s very awkward and not good with physical contact, unless it’s Niall or Harry.

I let her hug me and give me the comfort I need. I hold on to her and hide my face in her shoulder, her hair tickling me. She’s shorter than me and thinner, almost like a little girl. I know she’s barely eighteen, but she feels like a fifteen-year-old girl in my arms. Yet she’s still so warm and welcoming, almost like a mum should feel like.

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