Just One Night || Evan Peters AU

regret

      An hour later, you laid next to each other, your breathing finally returning to normal. This time was different. You'd gone slower and there was more eye contact; he even moaned your name when he finished. He was successfully driving you crazy: you were becoming someone you weren't. You found yourself constantly wondering what he was thinking when he looked at you, desperately wishing you could read his mind or that he'd speak it.

Even now, he didn't look at you, didn't say a thing. You began feeling self conscious. He was on your left staring at the ceiling, his left wrist limp over his forehead, hair still clinging with sweat to his temples. You finally saw his hand move under the covers, and it grabbed yours. You turned your head but he stayed still, only blinking. You two laid like that a while, after a few minutes he began rubbing the back of your hand with his thumb, and somehow that was enough. He had to answer when his agent rang his phone, and he put it on speaker so he wouldn't have to move.

   "Peters?" a man's voice came through the phone.

   He held a finger to his lips for you to stay quiet, then said, "Yeah, what's up?"

   "It's the 20th, you get rid of that girl yet?" Evan jumped out of position and scrambled to grab his phone. "You did good and now a lot of women are--" he frantically tapped at the button to take it off speaker, and when he succeeded, looked at you completely panic-struck.

You'd heard enough to be sitting totally upright, and totally distressed. You climbed out of bed as Evan motioned for you to stay calm and sit down, but you ignored him and got yourself dressed. Whatever the explanation for this was, you couldn't imagine it'd be good news. He nodded for the rest of the phone call with a few yups, mhms, and got its, keeping his eyes on you the whole time. He threw his phone to the middle of his bed and locked his hands behind his head once they hung up. You stood staring, your eyes probably the size of saucers, telepathically willing him to explain. He sighed in defeat and sat at the foot of the bed.

   "So, technically," he began sheepishly. "They never asked me to extend the contract."

   Your brows knitted, "E-Excuse me?"

   "My agents, they didn't... really want you to be around any longer."

You were the embodiment of idiocy. When you only stood with your mouth open, he continued revealing the truth.

   "That's why you didn't have to sign anything else," he said, avoiding your gaze. "The public got their fill of seeing me in a committed relationship. They bought my whole innocent and romantic façade, and now that they've seen I date 'fans', they want their chances too."

   "Oh," you crossed your arms, fully offended now. "Pardon me for standing in your way!" You were out of his room at once, and you heard him stand to follow you. He caught your arm in the hallway but you jerked it away.

   "Y/N wait," he pleaded. "Doesn't it matter that I asked you to stick around? Gave you my own money?"

You turned to face him, betrayal turning to anger, "So you want me to be thankful that you tried to buy me? I'm a living, breathing person with feelings-- not some pawn in whatever sociopathic game you people play!" You hurried down the hall staying just out of his reach. When you got to the front door and turned to scowl at him one last time, he seemed at a loss for words. You shook your head and fought back tears before saying, "Tell your team and all the bitches that want you congrats, I'm out of the picture for good."

*****

   When you got to your house, you instinctively checked the mailbox, and found an unmarked envelope inside. You brought it in, and opened it in your living room: $2500 cash. Evan's people must've dropped it off while you were at his place, not having known he lied about the contract extension. Hmph, you guessed you would've figured it out anyway. You stashed the bundle in your underwear drawer until you could deposit it because, no reason to turn down cash, and flopped face first in your bed to saturate your pillow case with hot tears.

You were so immensely ashamed and embarrassed: you'd not only fallen head over heels for this untouchable guy, but believed lies told straight to your face, and now you'd be made a public fool, the laughing stock of the city for who knows how long. You screamed into your pillow and punched your bedding a few times. It was nice for a minute, but not enough release. You needed to be wild again, to lose your worries, get witlessly drunk. You planned another night out in your bed, and remembered how tiring crying was a moment before you drifted to sleep.

Eight hours later you were awakened by your phone buzzing and ringing next to your head. You glowered at the disruption and answered before even checking the caller ID.

   Evan's voice replied, "Y/N? You alright?"

   You sat right up, instantly awake, "Alright?" you repeated.

   "Well, probably not but I mean.. can we talk?"

   "I think I've got all the information I need," you shot back. "Lose my number before your team puts you in time out."

   "Listen I don't care about that right now," he sounded exasperated. "I can deal with that later, can I see you?"

   "No," you said, a little harsher. "What don't you get? Whatever this whole thing was is over."

   "I know you don't mean that," he said, voice full of doubt. "You can't, right?"

   "Look, I don't know what you thought this was, but I only took your stupid deal cause I needed the money," your words were venomous. "If you got attached that's on you."

   That last jab seemed to finally get the message across, and his voice was a little more resentful when he spoke, "Answer me one thing: do you regret last night?"

   Your heart skipped a beat, "Yes, I do! It shouldn't have happened."

   "You know what I regret? Thinking you could've ever liked me, truly,"  he spat. "I should've known."

He ended the call.