The Contract. (Book One)

Nineteen || You're Fired

Klay was woken up early the next day with ten missed phone calls from his manager, Kathy. He rolled over and groaned as he pulled his phone to his ear.

"Hello?" Klay said with a groggy voice.

"Klay Alexander Thompson! Get your ass into the building now, we have a meeting, and bring Lauren with you!" Was all Kathy said before she hung up.

Klay rolled over to the other side of the bed, shaking Lauren to wake her up.

"Lauren, Lauren, wake up, management needs us." Klay said in an annoyed tone, taking the sheets off and walking to the bathroom.

"Why so early?" Lauren whined.

"I don't know, Kathy said to get there as fast as we could." Klay brushed his teeth as Lauren fixed her hair.

"I'm nervous." Lauren confessed.

"I am too." Klay said, taking a deep breath.

"But everything's gonna be okay." Klay kissed Lauren's forehead as they both finished getting ready.

After fifteen minutes, Klay and Lauren headed down the stairs and into Klay's Range Rover. Klay drove off to downtown San Francisco, which was half an hour from where he lived.

"I can't take this suspense anymore, I hate this." Lauren put her face in her hands.

"I know, but we just have to see and hope for the best." Klay put his hands on Lauren's thigh, giving her a sense of comfort.

"I just don't wanna lose you again." Lauren whispered, looking out the window.

"Hey look, no matter what happens, we're fighting until we can be together. We can't let anything stop or get in the way of what makes us happy." Klay said, giving Lauren a sense of comfort.

"We got this." Klay rolled up to the front of the building, valet service taking care of  his car for him.

"We'll be fine, I got us." Klay said, lacing his hand with Lauren's.

They walked into the building and got into the elevator. Lauren's hands were shaking and Klay could feel it. Instead of speaking, he just pulled her into a hug, and rubbed her back.

The elevator buzzed, opening the doors to the dreaded top floor.

"Take a deep breath." Klay said as they walked in, hand and hand.

"Well if it isn't the stubborn couple that  can't seem to follow simple rules." Lauren's manager, Bryana, said with crossed arms.

"Good morning to you too." Lauren rolled her eyes.

"You two, sit down." Bryana said in a stern tone.

"What part of 'don't talk or spend time with each other' do you two not understand?"

"A contract is a contract. If it's violated, it's dead and gone."

"Actually, the contract said that no matter what happened, it isn't over until the twelve months are up." Klay defended.

"Bullshit!" Bryana yelled, making Lauren jump in her seat.

"He's not wrong, I read it before I signed it." Lauren said.

"Bring in the contract." Bryana said, annoyed.

The contract that Klay and Lauren both signed four months ago was brought back into the room. Bryana snatched it from the worker's hands and immediately flipped to the terms and conditions.

"Bullshit, I don't see it." She threw the paper onto the table.

Klay's manager then took it and began reading.

"Actually, it says it right here." Kathy said pointing to the bold words.

"After this contract is signed, no matter what may occur, the contract is enforced to continue in effect until the twelve months are up. There are no circumstances where the contract can be null and void. Anything can happen within the twelve months, but the contract will remain in play." Kathy read out loud. Klay and Lauren looking at each other and smiling.

"Did you just provide us with false information, Bryana?" Lauren said, putting her manager in place.

"I-I didn't see it." Bryana said, turning read.

"Bullshit, it's right in bold words." Klay said, pointing to where it's placed in the contract.

"All you wanted for this contract to go wrong in the first place. You knew the day we came in to sign this contract that Klay was different from the other guys I've been placed in a contract with." Lauren said, getting heated.

"As a manager, you knew that if I did develop feelings for Klay during the twelve months, you wouldn't get paid at the end of the year. You planned this all along. You care more about money than making me, your client, happy." Lauren was infuriated, and almost in tears and Bryana couldn't believe what was coming out of her mouth.

"You only set me up with shitty guys because you KNEW, you fucking knew that the contract would just be a contract and you'd still get paid. The only way for you to still get paid was if the contract was violated, well guess what, Bryana, you're not fooling me anymore."

"You treated me like a moneymaker throughout my career, well you got what you wanted, are you happy? Hope you enjoy your new job because you're fired." Lauren said, pointing straight to Bryana.

"Lauren, you can't do this." Bryana said sternly.

"Watch me. I can easily get a new manager but I sure as hell can't get another guy like Klay. Now get the fuck out of my face." Lauren said, never wanting to see her manager's face ever again.

Lauren's security escorted Bryana out of the building as Lauren sat back down in her chair.

"I can't believe I trusted her, she only wanted money from me." Lauren said, wiping the tears from her face.

"But you were the one who did all of the hard work to get to where you are now." Kathy said, comforting Lauren.

"She deserved getting fired, she did you wrong." Klay said, backing her up.

"It's easy to find a new manager too, I mean I could sign you temporarily for six months until
you get a permanent manager." Kathy suggested.

"I'm an NBA manager, but I'm sure I can manage a model for a couple months." Kathy smiled.

"That would be great, until I find a new manager." Lauren smiled.

"Thank you." Lauren said with a smile.

"Now you two go get some relaxation before the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show." Kathy said, ushering the two over to the elevator.

"Thanks again, Kathy." Lauren said as Klay and her waved goodbye.

They got into the elevator and Klay pulled Lauren into a hug.

"I must say, you're kinda hot when you're mad." Klay said as Lauren rolled her eyes playfully.

"Shut up, Thompson." Lauren laughed.

They got into Klay's car and drove off to have lunch. Klay and Lauren were starting off fresh, with no rules. The only challenge was finding a new manager, but that was the least of Lauren's worries right now. All she cared about was that she was back together with the person who really makes her happy, which is nobody else but Klay Thompson.

Author's Note: Happy Friday! Stay tuned for more updates throughout the weekend! Who's watching NBA All-Star Weekend? Hope you all had a lovely week! Please continue to vote and comment! What do you think will happen next in The Contract? So many things are about to happen so hold on because it's about to be an emotional roller coaster! Happy reading! Much love❤xoxoxoxo