Falling slowly ...

PAAAARTYYYY!!!

Ian gave his typical hehehe laugh, and Matt burst out, but Shayne was just disappointed.
"Y/n, why don't you just tell her that I am your favourite? Don't worry, she won't do anything." he said.
"But why would I say that when Ian is my favourite."

Courtney was laughing too. Only Shayne was getting sore.
"Ok then, I hate you too." he said.
Like a grumpy old grandpa.

The series of jokes and laughter went on for some time and meanwhile we all stuffed ourselves with loads of food.
I know that nobody's taste in music is bad, everybody has a different taste. But sitting there and listening to Olivia's playlist was a pure torture.

"How was the shooting you guys?" I asked.
The main cast members shoot the new parent company announcement video today while I was inspecting the office. It must have been so good to shoot again.
"It was amazing. I mean, I would hardly call it a shoot, no script or nothing, but it still was amazing to have things back on." Keith said.
"Yeah, all good until Shayne pulled another stunt." Courtney said while air quoting stunt.

"Why, what did he do now?" I asked.
"Nothing." Shayne was the first to say, followed by Noah
"He went shirtless again."

"Really, again?" Sarah asked.
She too wasn't there today.
"Yeah, and he also wrote 'i helped' on his chest." Damien added.

I first didn't understand it, and then when they told me the scenario, I said
"You know what, Courtney is my favourite."
Luckily even Shayne took this as a joke.

Amidst all of this I still had a goal- I had to talk to Ian. He had been acting normally since the meeting, but the image of him talking to those people still bothered me.
I got my chance when everybody was busy cheering Kevin during the karaoke, and it was just me and Ian in the kitchen.

"Hey, um Ian."
"Yup?" he asked as he turned towards me.
"I, uhh, just wanted to ask you something." I said.
These kind of talks are better when straight forward. Running around in circles will only fuel up the confusion.
"I think I know what you want to talk about." he said.

There is no way that is possible, he didn't see me.
"Whaaat?" I asked in a low voice.
"About me talking to those people during break today." he said as he finished putting ketchup in the small dish.

How...
How did he know?

"You saw me looking?" I asked.
"Yeah, I have good peripherals." he said with a sly smile.
"So what were they saying, you looked tensed." I said.
"They wanted Anthony back." he said.

What?

I think my expression at this was spot on because he smiled. Or did he laugh? I don't remember. He did one of those.
"Anthony?" I asked out loud.
"Shhhh. Tune it down." he said whispering.
We looked around and waited some seconds to see if anyone comes, but I guess my voice isn't loud enough to break Kevin's immature opera.
"Why do they want that?" I asked.
"They think it would pump up the veiws." He said.

Well, they aren't wrong.

"But would he come back?" I asked.
I would not lie. I suddenly had a slightly new expectation. I was curious. How would it be if he comes back?
"Eh, he denied it." Ian said, immediately breaking my young hopes.

"As a matter of fact, I and Anthony had a good laugh about it later." he added.
"Alriiiiight. But, why were you tensed?" I asked. That part still remains unexplained.

"Oh, that was just a show i had to put infront of them to show that I was disappointed by his answer." He said while trying to balance two plates in one hand.
I took one plate from him, so that he doesn't drop the fries.
"Ok." I said as we both walked out of his kitchen.