Pretty Please Don't Pinch Me

72. One Month Later

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~ONE MONTH LATER~

Walking through the Chelsea streets, papers signed in my handbag, and the deal is done.

Everything is fitting into place.

I am walking on air and I dial the number of the one person who helped make this dream into a reality.

"How did it go?" she asks, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice.

"I got it! It's officially mine," I reply back, just as excited, gaining me a few strange looks from passers by.

I hold the phone away from my ear while Scarlett squeals into the speaker.

"I can't believe that this is all coming together," she gasps. "You do realise we have to celebrate."

"You'll use any excuse to celebrate though," I reply.

"Excuse me, opening a store warrants the need for celebratory drinks don't you think?"

"Fine," I moan, feigning resistance, "Just do what you have to do."

"I'll call the boys now. Bye love you bye, bye." she says, and disconnects the call.

"Bye," I laugh, to myself, shaking my head.

She is no doubt is referring to Calum, Ashton, Michael, and Luke. Now that her and Calum are being more open about their undeniable affection for one another, we have been seeing quite a lot of them. Luke normally has an excuse, and I've thankfully only really seen him that one time since the kiss. The kiss that literally changed the course of my life. When we did see each other, it was definitely awkward, but thankfully as it was at a club, where we weren't really expected to chat. Though we normally ended up being the only two left at the table whilst everyone else went to dance or make a trip to the bar.

I kind of hope we can move past that night. For Scarlett's sake at least.

Without properly looking, the toecap of my heel hits an uneven part of the pavement, and I stumble, causing my bag to fly, and sending the contents everywhere. I fumble on the ground, struggling to pick everything up whilst people continue to walk around me.

"Ava?" a familiar voice greets me, "Ava is that you?"

I look up to see the friendly face of none other than Gemma Styles.

Oh God.

"Gemma," I say, getting up and kissing her on the cheek.

We kind of gasp and there's a moment of uncomfortable silence. We both speak at the exact same time and stop to laugh a little awkwardly.

"Yeah, this is odd, not gonna lie," she points out.

"Yeah it is," I laugh. "How's everything with you?"

"Yeah, just finished work actually. If I have to spend one more minute of this beautiful summer day cooped up in that office, I swear I'm going to start pulling my hair out," she says, shaking her hair. "What about you though? I hear you've been looking at spaces in Chelsea for a store?"

"Yeah, I literally just signed the papers ten minutes ago."

"Oh well done! You're like a true Londoner now," she says, tapping me on the arm. "Are you looking into getting a VISA or anything?"