Back to the Beginning || Raura

1

just want to say thank you for nearly 70o reads and almost 100 votes on this story so far. the amount of work i have put into this is insane and to see all the lovely comments from you guys make me incredibly happy. i cannot thank you enough <3

Back to the Beginning | 1 |
| Laura Marano |

| Monday: January 14th, 2019 |

To Ross🤞🏻💛:
You got a minute?

I pace the length of the women's staff bathroom, tapping my phone against my thigh while I wait for Ross to answer his damn phone. This has got to be the worst day of my life. No way in hell have I had a day worse than this, and it's only nine o'clock in the flipping morning. The sound of my phone dinging stops me in my tracks. With wide eyes, I read his text.

From Ross🤞🏻💛:
Yeah. What's up?

I didn't bother replying, I just tap the FaceTime button and within seconds it was ringing. Ross picked up on the third ring. He was still in bed under his covers, sleep in his eyes and his hair an absolute mess. Not to mention, his room was only lit by his window which is probably only happening because he forgot to close his curtains again.

"Why are you FaceTiming me this fucking early, buggy. You better have a good explanation for this." He mumbles all hoarse. In my defense, Colorado is only an hour ahead of California, which means that it's almost eight o'clock for him, and that's not early in my book. In fact, that's kinda late.

"Shut up, you can complain to me later. Right now, I could really use some of your oh so lovely and kind reassuring words about how everything's going to be alright." Ross sighs through my phone screen and reaches over to turn on his lamp. He curses as he gets blinded by the sudden light and quickly rubs his eyes with his free hand.

"What am I trying to reassure you on?" He asks. I wince and lean against the bathroom wall beside the hand drier. I lower my voice for my next several words.

"Remember how I told you about the scandal my boss was involved in right before Christmas?" Jake Keller, my very rich and successful politician boss, was involved in a tax fraud scandal that may or may not be true. He's currently in court three days a week to try and get this settled. Ross simply nods at my words. "He just pulled me aside like, twenty minutes ago, and told me that with everything going on, he's losing too much money and needs to lay a few people off." My heart started to beat faster at my own words, the panic suddenly coming back to me. "Since I was only hired seven months ago and the least experienced, he said I'm being the first to be let go. He told me Friday will be my last day."

"Okay, so breathe, first of all, bug." He gives me a moment to calm down my breathing. "Your résumé is incredible, I have no doubt you'll find another job in no time." He tells me.

"I'm out of a job Ross! Usually, people quit after they found a new job. I didn't prepare for a new job!" I was back to full-on panic mode again. "And, he's leasing me my apartment for dirt cheap, like, you've seen it! There's no way in hell I could afford that shit if I was paying the full rent! He straight up said, if you can pay the full rent you can stay in the apartment, but if you can't afford it then we can break your lease and you'll have to be moved out by the end of the month." I exclaim. "What on earth am I going to do?!" The last time I freaked out this bad was when Ross and his family moved away. I was 11. I'm 23 now, I shouldn't be freaking out like this anymore.