the mystery girl | COMPLETE

chapter 34 | the pressure

" Liv is in New York with Keith and Noah? " Shayne asked Courtney, from a distance. A few of the members of Smosh stayed at Ian's to help clean up.

" What are you talking about? " She widdened her eyes, at least she was back to him so he couldn't see her face.

She heard footsteps approach her and she cursed under her breath, she had no excuse to tell him. It was gonna come out now and everyone was gonna hear about it. She didn't even have time to ask Keith if he could talk about it.

" Court, don't lie about it. " She turned around and saw Lexi with her phone. She showed her the pictures of Noah, Keith and Olivia in New York posing with some fans in Times Square.

" I thought we were on no speaking terms with Noah? " Mari chimed in, picking up a few more cups from the living room.

" Keith still talks to him since they're best friends. " She turned away and went back to folding the extra chairs.

" Yeah, but what's Liv doing there? " Ian also joining in. He was in the kitchen making breakfest for his guests, with Pam. How did everyone hear the conversations from differents parts of the house?

" I don't know, she said she was going to see her mom. " She lied terribly, and Shayne knew that. " One. "

" Don't do the countdown. " She begged, " Two " Everyone always did to Courtney when they knew she was lying, because she felt under pressure and she would just blurt it out.

" Thr- Noahfacetimedusandhewassorryeverythinghesaidwasntfromhislipshewasframedandhesverysorrynowtheywenttoseehimbecausewereallfriendsagain " She said very quickly, no one understanding what she said.

" What? " Mari asked, stopping her cleaning.

" Last week, Noah facetimed us. He explained us the whole situation concerning the interviews and that girl he was dating was framing him. She looked through his phone and saw everything. " She explained to the ones listening.

At this point of their lives, whenever someone mentionned Noah, everyone would stop what they were doing and literally bounce to the room where the conversation was going on.

And for this story, of course everyone was listening.

" So he didn't say those things? " Wes asked his roommate, and she shook her head. " No. She took his text messages out of context and she twisted his words to make him look like a bad guy for more publicity. "

Anthony, Ian & Alexis all sighed of relief at the same time. Their hearts felt way lighter after she said that. They knew that wasn't the guy that used to work there. They knew he was still his too goody shoes self. Their inner gut just knew Noah wouldn't be that way since the beginning and it was right.

" Me and Livliv talked to him for hours and we forgave him. " Courtney bit her lip nervously. She was afraid of their reactions. She knew that there was tension between some of them but now that it was a misunderstanding, she was hoping they would take it easy on him.

" How could you know it was the truth ? " Shayne said, shaking his head. He didn't believe it for a second. " He's an actor, he can easily make up lies and make it seem believable. " He shaded the old best friend.

" No, you have to believe me. He even broke up with her. " Courtney pleaded. " I believe it. " Wes said from the living doorway, with arms crossed. " How? " Shayne felt like he was the only one that didn't have a hungover.

" Bab-" Alexis stopped herself from calling him that, she wasn't sure if they were on nicknames yet, everyone looking at her with smirks on their faces, " Shayne, calm down. "

" Weren't you the one who cried in Ian's office when the stories went viral? Why do you believe it? " He was not angry, he was frustrated. " Okay, come here. " She sorta napped, pulling him towards the guys room in Ian's room.

" First, you could have totally called me babe, totally don't mind that. " He said, shutting the door behind them. She let a small laugh, going to sit on the bed. " But why do you look like you're defending him? You were the one that asked HR to sue him for destruction of privacy. "

" I know! " She started rudely, " I know.." She inhaled deeply, the next thing she was gonna say wasn't gonna make Shayne happy.

And it didn't make him happy. He almost yelled at her for thinking that. He couldn't believe the words he told her, the emotions he made her feel about him.

" So you're telling me, that all this time, you never wanted that to happen? Because that wasn't the guy you got to know? " He was angry.

" Shayne, no. You're not listening to me! " She started getting frustrated with him, " I am, but all I hear is that my girlfriend would have enjoyed it better if he didn't move to New York because none of this would have happened. LIKE OUR RELATIONSHIP. "

" That's not what I mean! " This was their first day as a couple, and they were already bickering. Then again, she always bickered on this subject with Mari.

" What do you mean then? Enlighten me. " He said, crossing his arms over his chest.

" I mean, I never believed that Noah was this spiteful. He wouldn't ever talk mad crap about anyone. " He scoffed, putting his arms up in defeat. " Whatever. I'm done with this conversation. " And he walked out of the room.

" Shayne, you can't be mad at me for having an inner gut. " She said, running after him in the small hallway that lead to the main room where everyone was cleaning again. He turned around to face her and spoke softly.

" Yeah, well you inner gut has been lying to you about your feelings. Maybe you're lying to yourself about your feelings to me, too. "