the silver lining playbook// a. irwin

chapter fifteen

I woke up in a strange room, a giant chandelier hanging from the room. As I looked around, I saw some clothes that belonged to a man that had been folded and placed on top of the dresser. However, what worried me what the fact that my own clothes were right next to this pile.

When I looked down, I noticed I was wearing only a t-shirt of a band that my dad probably listened to. As I got on my feet and walked around the room, I noticed it was completely empty.

Then, it dawned on me. I was late to meet Ashton. I was late for work. I looked for my phone everywhere, but it just wasn't anywhere in sight. Maybe there was a phone downstairs I could use.

I made my way downstairs, my feet padding against the really cool stairs as I speed-walked down the steps. As I got to the bottom of the steps, I was met by a very nice cleaning lady. She was clearly elderly, but her bright blue eyes still gave the life of a small child. She smiled at me.

"Are you Calum's girlfriend, dear?" the lady asked, her melodic voice resounding over the apartment.

"U-Um, I'm afraid not. I just woke up here and I can't find my cell phone and I'm late for work an-" I rambled, making the woman chuckle a laugh of pity.

She grinned, setting the broom aside and resting it on the wall next to me. Then, she placed a hand on my shoulder, "Don't worry, hon. Come with me."

She led me to the kitchen, holding my hand as she did so. There, she ordered me to take a seat in one of the black stools. As I sat down, she handed me a home phone, black and green all around. The lady spoke, making me look up, "You can call whomever. What would you like for breakfast?"

"Um- I- I really shouldn't," I said, starting to get up from the stool. However, the lady shot me the type of warning glare my mother would send my way, so I sat back down.

"Calum insisted that whoever stayed over had breakfast. So, what do you want?"

"I- I guess I'll have whatever he had." I stammered out, not really caring much for breakfast at that moment.

The lady chuckled, but comvered her mouth as she did so, "Calum doesn't believe in breakfast."

"How do you not b- never mind," as much as I wanted to know, I restrained myself, "pancakes, please."

"Ah, that I can do," the lady smiled and began to gather ingredients and pots and pans. Standing up, I dialed Ashton's number, one I knew by heart and allowed it to ring.

Once he hadn't picked up by the third ring, I began to worry. He probably wants me fired. Or worse, he'll tell everyone about how we slept together. That would ruin me. Oh god.

His voice mail got me excited, thinking for just a second that he might have picked up. But he didn't. I just hung up instead of leaving a voicemail, letting out a sigh.

What to do now?

I decided to call Calum, whose phone number I didn't know. Maybe the lady knew what it was. Running back into the kitchen, I smiled at the woman, who was cracking and egg. "What do you need, sweet cheeks?"

"Could you please dial Calum's phone number? I'm afraid I don't know it."

Without even speaking, she grabbed the phone softly from my hands and dialed the number quickly, as if her fingers had gotten used to dialing these digits.

The phone didn't even ring twice, when Calum's melodic voice flooded through the speakers, "What is this about, Betty? I'm in a meeting."

"It's not -uh- I can get you Betty if you want. It's just -uh-" I couldn't get the right words to leave my mouth so I closed my eyes and covered then with my hand in embarrassment, "it's Layla."

"Layla?" Calum asked, almost not believing that this was me calling from his home phone.

I could almost hear Ashton step up from his chair as he said, "Pass the phone."

"No wait," Calum mumbled into the phone, directed to what Ashton had just said. I heard some shuffling and the slam of a wooden door after a little while. Calum had gone out of the meeting room, which was glass all around, and gone into his office. "Why are you in my apartment?"

"I- I don't know," I said, groaning and whining as I realized that I could have slept with anyone and I would have no clue.

"Where did you wake up?" Calum asked, almost careful with his words. For all we know, I could have slept with Calum too.

"The room with the chandelier," I told him, sure that I had seen that this morning.

"Okay, perfect," Calum spoke, and I could feel the smile of relief grow through the phone. "listen, Ashton really needs to talk to you. I'll talk to you later, babe."

Did he just call me babe?

The phone was fumbled around and then, I could hear Ashton mumbling whatever to Calum. "Hey, Layla."

"Mr. Irwin, I'm so sorry I didn't show up to work, it-" I began to ramble, trying to say as many things in a short span of time.

"Layla," Ashton spoke, his voice calming me down immediately, "it's fine. I put you to sleep and I have your phone. You left it in my jacket."

"But aren't your clothes in the room?" I asked, my voice sounding innocent.

"Not my jacket. I always keep that on me," Ashton spoke, explaining to me whatever the hell he was trying to explain, "listen, do you remember anything?"

"Not really," I chuckled, my arms crossed over my chest and I looked out to the skyline of the city.

"Okay. Don't worry about coming to work, it's already late. Take a cab down to the mall and use the company card to buy an outfit. I'm taking you to dinner. I have good news," Ashton blurted out, making my head turn with all his demands.

"But-"

"Shush," Ashton demanded, "See you later, gorgeous."

Yeah, that totally beats 'babe'.

"Sweetie, your food is ready," the lady called out to me, making me smile as the dial tone was just but a mere ringing next to my ear.

I walked over and sat down in front of Betty, who had made this beautiful plate of pancakes for me. She asked as I grabbed my utensils, "So, who was that?"

"Ashton Irwin," I smiled, remembering his compliments and heat rushing up to my cheeks.

"Oh dear," Betty said, giving me a chuckle with it, "good luck."

—/—

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