Neighbor // j.b feat. c.b [bwwm]

ten | secrets

"I've got some good news for you, chica." I told Jessica. We were back at this restaurant she loves. We both were done eating and were just left with our drinks. I felt like now would be a great time to tell her what I talked to Hailey about. A month has passed already since we talked about it and I keep forgetting to tell Jessica about it. I've just been so busy with not only work, but actually going out and having a good time.

The past month has really been amazing. I go out way more than I did, whether it's with Hailey or Justin. I've grown really close to them both, but I'd definitely say I'm closer to Justin. He's just knows how to listen and respond without making you feel like he's judging or bored of you. Hailey is the same way, but... I just feel a greater bond with Justin. Probably because he's the one who brought all of these great changes into my life. Between the two of them, I've made some great friends, though, and have already had some great times. So much that I'm always consumed with thoughts about our future plans or the fun we had the night before. It always slips my mind to tell Jessica that I promised to introduce Hailey to her so I have to do it now before I forget again.

"What is it?!" she yelled, making every waiter and costumer in earshot look at us. I glanced around us as I let out a laugh.

"Calm down before they put us out of this place." I told her.

"Niña, please, I wish they would. Now tell me the good news." she told me. I chuckled again before getting ready to tell her.

"So, I went to this bonfire a while ago-"

"I know, I saw! You looked cute, mami. You can tell me all the details on the famous cutie you were matching with amd why you're just now telling me about this later." Jessica took a sip of her lemonade, but not without giving me a knowing smirk first. I shook my head at her before continuing to tell her about Hailey.

"Anyways, I met Kendall Jenner and this other model, Hailey, there."

"You met Kendall?! I love her whole family, I'd kill to style them one day." Jessica said.

"Can I finish before you chime in, por favor?" I said, smiling afterwards. She side eyed me for speaking in spanish, knowing I was mocking her. "Like I was saying, they both told me how they really love how I dress. Hailey ended up asking who styles me and I told her, but I also told her that I'm working with a new stylist who happens to be named Jessica..." I paused and waited for her to catch on. Her eyes got as wide as I've ever seen them.

"You didn't!" she yelled. I laughed and nodded my head. "Oh dios mío, thank you so much Ivory!" she jumped out of her seat and walked around the table to give me a big hug. I laughed as I hugged her back as best as I could since she was locking my arms down to my sides.

"You're welcome." I said, still laughing. Jessica is always a little overdramatic but I can't say I expected her to be on this happy when I told her.

"I love you so much right now! A lot of people just say they're going to do stuff, but you really did it!" she said once she was sitting in her seat again.

"Well, I like to keep my word. You really have to pull through, Jessica. I referred you to somebody, you have to deliver or else I look bad. She wants to meet you, but I told her you're really busy just to buy you a little time to learn more about styling." I told her.

"I promise, I promise I won't mess it up. I'll research! I'll style my uncle's cachorros if I have to." she said. I found myself laughing again. I love how excited she is about this, but she's a little too excited.

"There's no need to be dressing up any puppies. Just research, learn some stuff. She's a model so I assume she's really familar with stuff like this already. She's a sweetheart, too, so she won't give you a hard time. Don't be nervous." I told her.

"I'll try." she said. I just gave her a comforting smile. The waiter came by and dropped the check onto the table. I picked it up and slid my card inside, deciding I was going to pay for both of us today. "No, at least let me pay for lunch." Jessica said.

"It's fine, I got it." I told her, smiling at her before I drank more of my juice. One of her eyebrows raised as she looked at me and a smirk slowly spread across her face. "What?"

"Why are you being so nice?" she asked. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"I'm always nice."

"Yeah, but you're all smiley. You're paying for my lunch and launching my career. Who's got you so happy? Who's sticking their meat in your taco, huh, chica?" I almost spit my juice out from laughing. I grabbed the napkin on the table in front of me and wiped my mouth as I forced myself to swallow the drink.

"Don't ever say that again." I said, still laughing.

"Come on, you can tell me. Is it Bieber?"

"I have a boyfriend, remember? His name is Chris." I reminded her.

"He's also out of town and can't be the reason you're so happy today." she said. I shook my head again and smiled at the waiter as he picked up the check. I put my gaze back on Jessica before I spoke again.

"Why can't I be happy for reasons that don't involve sex? I've been having fun lately, I've made some friends. No one is sticking their meat in this taco, okay?" I asked. Jessica rolled her eyes and I laughed.

"Whatever." she replied. We waited for the waiter to come back and I grabbed my card and signed the receipt before getting up to leave. It was a short walk back to the office and we talked the whole way. Well, Jessica talked. I was mainly laughing at the things she said. This went on until the very second the elevator doors opened on our floor and we were in view of a few people on the floor.

At first I wasn't so sure, but as soon as we stepped onto the carpeted floor of the fashion department, I knew something was up. It was like a scene straight out of a teen movie. The main character walks into the lunchroom and everyone there stops talking as soon as they see her. I wasn't sure if that was me or Jessica, since the low hum of chatter all stopped at once when we walked past. I looked at Jessica and she looked just as clueless as I was before she wandered off to probably go see what had everyone acting so weird.

As soon as she left my side it was clear which one of us was the outcast. No one would keep eye contact with me when I walked past by myself. I tried to say hey to some people just to double-check and they'd look away as soon as I looked at them. A couple of people had smirks on their faces as I walked past them to reach my desk. The few females I never exactly clicked with for whatever reason would whisper to each other in a small group then send a look my way as if I didn't notice. Well, that, or they just didn't care either way.

I sat down in front of my computer and took one more glance around me, getting the same reaction. Jessica still hadn't made it to her spot next to me and I was starting to wish she would hurry up. I didn't feel right being alone with all these silent eyes on me, judging for whatever reason. It made me feel so uncomfortable, like everyone knew a secret about me that I didn't even know. I didn't really like that feeling very much.

I knew I wouldn't be able to get any work done with the way I felt right now so I decided to go on our blog and check today's posts. I typed in the url and waited the few seconds for it to load before the main page appeared. I absentmindly scrolled  down as soon as the page came up, but once the main story registered in my brain, I scrolled back up with lightening speed, damn near breaking the mouse.

"Life On The Road: Touring With One Of Music's Biggest Stars" was written in bold letters above a picture of Chris, his dancers, and none other that my blasian coworker herself, Jade.

-

if it's unclear in the chapter, chris has been on tour for a little over a month at this point.

what do you guys think ivy's reaction is gonna be? what would your reaction be to that? i'd love to know. :)

♡don't be a silent reader♡