Beautiful

Chapter 28

Veronica POV

I compose myself once again and go back inside. I'm unbelievably relieved to see that everything has gone back to normal. Zeke and Hannah race up to me.

"Hey-," Hannah says but I stop her.

"Honey, I'm so sorry. I know how important this was to you-," I start but then she cuts me off.

"You are apologizing to me? Are you serious?" she says.

"I ruined your night and all these people-,"

"Honey, I don't care about them. As long as I keep the alcohol flowing they're fine. I care about you," she says.

I shrug. "I mean . . . It's over," I say.

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry," she says.

"Is there anything we can do?" Zeke asks. I give him the best smile I could muster, which is pathetic at best, and shake my head.

"The press already got my picture so they know I was here. Is it ok if I just head home?" I ask.

"You don't have to ask my permission! Go home and rest. Don't worry about him tonight. That's a Future Veronica problem. Let that poor bitch handle it," Hannah says in an attempt to make me laugh. It works.

I nod my head and say, "okay. I love you guys." I give each of them hugs.

"If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to call us," Zeke tells me.

"I know. Bye guys," I say and turn to leave. The hotel is close to my apartment complex so I walk it. I love walking the streets of my city. It makes me feel calm. The cool wind blows on my face and relaxes me.

I soon reach my building and ride the elevator all the way up. When the doors open on my floor, I walk into my foyer and stand there for a moment. I take everything in. It's cold in here, just the way I like it, and all the lights are out. I move to sit on my couch in the dark. I just sit there for a moment and think. So many emotions are hitting me at once that I try to differentiate between them all.

I'm relieved because Theo said that nothing has happened between him and Layla. Angry because of what he said and still had yet to explain why he's acting so weird. Confused because he has been acting so weird. And finally, I'm sad because I miss him terribly. I wish he would just come here to talk to me but I know that space is just what the both of us need now. I just hope that it isn't really over.

All of a sudden, my phone rings and it startles me, pulling me out of my own head. I look down and see it's Camille.

"Hello?" I answer.

"I'm great! I'm amazing! I am the best ever!" She exclaims.

"Why? What did you do?" I laugh.

"I got your deal," she says as my heart stops.

Music has always been my number one passion. I've been after a record deal forever and Camille and I have been putting our heads together for the last year to try to make it happen. I have so much material written and ready to go. I can play all of my songs on the piano.

"Cami, don't mess with me. I'm serious," I say.

"This is one hundred percent real baby," she says. I squeal and start laughing.

"Oh my God!" I say. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" I exclaim. I hear her laugh from the other end as tears start to form in my eyes.

"No problem sweetheart. Now go celebrate with your boyfriend," she says. Her words bring me back down to reality.

"Yeah, um, about that Cami-," I start.

"Toodles!" She says and hangs up the phone. I spin around and laugh. Happy tears make their way down my face. All of a sudden, I hear a ding and my elevator doors open.

I turn and see Jonathan walking towards me. "Honey I just heard about everything. I'm so sorry," he says as he goes to hug me. I stop his arms and hold his hands.

"JJ, I got it," I say.

"You- you got what?" He asks confused.

"I got the deal. I got the record deal," I say. He squeals and the two of us start jumping up and down. I'm ecstatic and I'm so happy that I could share this moment with my best friend, someone who understands just how important this is to me.

"Wait, when did you find out?" he asks when we stop jumping.

"Camille just called me," I respond laughing.

"Just now?" he asks.

"Literally right before you walked in," I say.

"This is amazing," he says.

"I know!" I squeal.

"Now I hate to spoil your moment but what the hell happened with Theo?" he asks.

"Have a seat first," I start, "I'm too sober for this conversation." I go into my kitchen and grab a wine bottle. I come back and plop down on the couch next to him. I notice he turned on some lamps.

I open the bottle and take a quick swig. "No glasses? Just the bottle?" he asks laughing.

"Just the bottle," I say before taking another big drink.

I go to start talking but before I can get anything out, Jonathan says, "by the way, you look amazing. Your dress is fierce." I laugh lightly.

"Thank you," I respond and then I tell him the whole story, starting with the night Theo snuck out.

When I finish, he asks, "so do you believe him?"

"I think so," I reply. "But what else could he have been hiding? What else was so important?"

"I don't know," Jonathan says. "Do you think it's really over?"

I sigh and take another drink. Without looking at him, I say, "God, I hope not."