Everything is better
With you
Everything has been
Better since you
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"One more time!" Ryan orders the nth time when he didn't feel satisfied with his breathy note.
"Ryan..." His producer called behind the glass door of the recording room.
"Yes?" He grumbles.
"Let's take a little break, shall we?" He asked, Ryan gladly agreed, not seeming to be in the mood to record. he still had a lot of time, just two last songs left to record in the album, and with Ryan's record he could do it within just 3 days, but only if he is determined which he doesn't seem to be right now.
He get out of the recording room, took a water bottle with him, sat on the couch and drank it whole, and huffed in annoyance. Daniel came forward and handed Ryan a file to sign which he did without even looking.
"Ryan, will you tell me why are you grumpy? I'm watching you since the day before yesterday, you are getting irritated with little things!" Daniel looks at his friend who looks back at him then looks away unable to say anything.
"Can we just not talk about it?, I'll tell you when I feel like it!" Ryan mumbled softly after a minute's silence.
Daniel nodded. "You should go home and take some rest, you had a hectic day today, you need to be healthy for upcoming concerts." Ryan nodded, grabbing his hoodie, phone, and mask he left for his home, bid by his team, and promised to continue the song tomorrow.
Ryan wears his mask and cap to avoid the paparazzi who still got a few pictures of him, his bodyguard helps him to get in the car.
Ryan sighed, closing his eyes he recalled what happened the day before yesterday.
❤️❤️❤️
At Ryan's cabin.
"Will you go on a date with me, Miss. James?"
When those words left a nervous Ryan, made Elena stop leaving. A deep frown settles on her face.
"What?" She softly whispered but in the dead silent room, her voice was loud enough for Ryan to hear.
Ryan immediately got up from his chair, and rush to explain. "What I mean to say is, if you have time I would love to go on a date with you and get to know you better..."
Elena waited for him to continue. A slight flush settled on the tip of his ear and cheeks and his pale skin did nothing to hide. "I think I like you."
Elena nodded, her face was blank. "I have a boyfriend, Mr. King." She softly explained.
Ryan's mouth opened and close like a fish out of water, unable to understand what she said. "Oh?"
Elena continues. "And I love him."
Hearing this Ryan turned redder in embarrassment, he should have guessed, that Elena was beautiful, smart, confident, and a drama-free girl. He cursed himself now. "I'm sorry, Miss. James."
"It's fine, I think I should leave." Ryan nodded as Elena walk out of the room.
Ryan falls back on his chair, holding his head in his hands. "Fuck, what I did!"
•
•
•
Present, inside the care.
"What I did!" Ryan mumbled to himself.
"Sir?" His driver asked as he heard Ryan mumble something.
"Ah, nothing." He smiled sheepishly, again feeling embarrassed.
He would not lie that he felt jealous, there is something different about Elena that even when she doesn't give a fuck about him, he still found her attractive.
He never felt this much attractive to anyone, he remember when he caught feelings for a girl in his high school for the first time, even that wasn't this intense.
Now all he is doing was ignoring Elena, but even if he tries he had to get the report from her at the end of the day as Denial was busy with the upcoming album, so he didn't attend the office from the same day when Elena and Noah came in.
He cringe at his thoughts and decided to go to the club instead of going home, so he took out his phone and texted his friend first, the owner of one of the famous clubs in the city.
Ryan requests his driver to take him to the given address. Reaching there Ryan get down and went inside, the guards let him as they recognized him. Ryan straight up goes to the VIP area.
Jonathan Brown, the owner of the club met Ryan halfway, they did sit on the big couch and immediately the drinks were served. The glasses around the private area help to see the whole club and give them the privacy they need.
"So, what brought you here all of a sudden?" Jonathan questioned.
Ryan chuckled. "What? You don't like me being here?" He joked.
"Dude, you know what I mean!" Jonathan looked slightly concerned, from the look on Ryan's face he clearly look tired and overworked.
Ryan took a sip from his whisky, as he doesn't want to get a heavy hangover tomorrow. "Just a bunch of stuff. I'm just trying to clear my mind from all the activities."
"Activities huh?" Jonathan raised his brow.
"Yeah! The album about to come out in the next month and sudden deals of business me and Dad were working on, I barely get time for myself." Ryan answered honestly.
Jonathan nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I can see that. You look like shit!"
Ryan chuckled. "No need to remind me."
"So... What about Casey?" Jonathan wiggles his eyebrows.
Ryan immediately groaned. "Man, don't even start with that. I literally had to call her and apologize because of remorse. I still feel embarrassed about that." Ryan cringed, as recalled the incident three weeks ago when the media caught them.
Jonathan laughed throwing his head back. "But aren't you guys a thing?" He asked calming down a little bit.
"Not even a little bit."
"But what happened, all I know is that you guys were in a relationship through media, bro you can't hide things like this from me, I'm your friend." He pouted, sadly.
Ryan glared at him before gulping his whisky as a burning sensation goes down his throat, before glaring at him, he answered. "Well, she had a breakup and she called me when she was in the club, I had to come because she sounds drank as fuck but as I got there she started to cry over the dick of her ex-boyfriend, by the time I had a couple of drinks to myself, hearing her sob story I had least interest in." Jonathan's brow raised at the new information and he smirked making Ryan pinch the bridge of his nose.
Throwing another glare at his teasing, Ryan continued. "And, she kissed me. The camera caught us as we left the front door. And when the guy who she had a crush on 'as she said' called her and asked about her and me."
Jonathan frown. "But why were you sorry about that."
"Well, of course, I let that happen she was really drunk to think but I wasn't so it was my fault that happened in the first place."
Jonathan rolled his eyes. "Dude you are too nice for your own good. She took your adventive not the other way around. He looks at Ryan who turned his face away. "But didn't you guys have things?"
Ryan answered nonetheless. "It was like ages ago. It was a mutual agreement she never wanted a relationship and neither did I, especially with her
"Yeah, so it's weird to see you guys again in rumors, especially you after a long time."
"Yep, it was one of the reasons for my headache. We all knew there was nothing but physical attraction but I'm glad we move past that. She deserves more than that."
"So do you!" Jonathan pointed out.
Ryan gave him a small smile. "So do I, hopefully."
"Now why don't you go and do some physical activity when you are finally here." Ryan chuckled at how he put it.
"Hmm, I got that a long time ago if that's what I wanted."
"What do you mean?" Jonathan took a shot of his vodka.
"I'm not just looking for sex, I'm kind of tired of having that momentary pleasure for just that certain amount of time and trying to be the best bed partner." Said Ryan as he took another sip.
"So what is that you want?" Jonathan asked looking genuinely curious.
"I'm looking for a long-term partner. I am now settled down, got my shit together at least for me. Somebody I can share my experience with and learn from their experience. To somebody, I can share my day with, where I can find comfort with instead of a club. Getting pleasure by not just being physical but just sitting together and all those little things. I wanna take out time for that relationship, for that person. Where I can be just Ryan. Not Ryan King." As Ryan finished saying this he turned to Jonathan who was looking at him with his mouth open.
"Damn..." Ryan laughs at his expression. "..., Man, I knew you were that romantic kind of dude, but this. I never saw you talking like that before." Ryan laughs along with him.
"Have you found that person yet? "
Ryan nodded making Jonathan's eyes widen. "I thought I did and also got rejected!" Ryan scoffed.
"What!"
"Calm down, no need to shout!"
"Bro, who is that girl who rejected you?"
"Well, someone really beautiful and brave!" Ryan smiled softly, remembering his first meeting with Elena.
"Bro, what the fuck. I can literally see the hearts in your eyes, it's disgusting." Jonathan cringed.
Ryan shook his head but said nothing. "Tell me more about her, I'm already a fan of her for making this superstar her fan."
"She is working for me now just for a short amount of time! And that's all you got to know."
Jonathan whined but got nothing, after a minute later, Ryan said what he was holding back to say. "You know, the weird part is. I just met her a week ago and this instant connection."
"It happens when you find somebody attractive."
Ryan shook his head. "You don't get it. I never felt like this before. It's so new yet so familiar. Like something, I can feel but can't put into words. What I used to write about and finally feeling it."
"Ryan, stop. My single ass can't handle that."
"Yeah, now there is no point in saying all this too." Ryan shrugged his shoulder.
"But you can at least try again, maybe she is just playing hard to get."
Ryan shakes his head. "No, she has a boyfriend."
Jonathan's face immediately falls, hearing the disliking in Ryan's voice. "Bro..., I don't know what to say!"
"You don't have to say anything."
After a few minutes of silence, Jonathan again asked something to distract Ryan from the sore topic. "What about that, Mr. White's deal? Are you going to buy that restaurant?"
"Yeah, he agreed when Daniel went to him. Soon we might start the paperwork." They continue to talk about their business, and it helped Ryan to distract from the topic of Elena.
As they talk about business, they lost track of time, Ryan pulled his gaze away from Jonathan to put his empty glass down and that's when his eyes fall on the figure.
A figure way too familiar.
Ryan shook his head, thinking he was drunk but he knows his limit and he just had 2 glasses of whiskey he can handle a certain amount of alcohol and, he sure is not light-headed. Look back again through the glass window, down at the crowd. he confirms it.
He could recognize that figure even in his sleep and he doesn't even know how. Ryan didn't waste any time and he dashed there.
Jonathan called out for him, but Ryan was too focused to hear anything. Getting down, he rush to look and stood quite far away from the sweaty crowd, as he didn't have his mask with him, and frowned. He wasn't expecting that.
There was Elena, dressed in full sleeves mid-thigh length dress, paired with black high heels. Her long dark hair was in a bun giving her neck and chains a chance to show.
Ryan liked that, she looks cute, and from what Ryan knows Elena doesn't do cute. He noticed there were a few other people with her from his office though he didn't remember their names.
A frown makes its way to Ryan's face when he saw her, sneakily from the group and making her way opposite to where was Ryan away from the crowd, slightly tipsy.
His eyes narrowed at Elena when he took in her face, she looked clearly drunk. Ryan run towards her as he saw she was about to fall and before she could hit the ground he caught her.
Pulling her back on her legs, Ryan made her look at him with one hand around her waist and the other on her cheek. "Miss. James...?"
"Elena...?" He called out again when she didn't answer
"Hmm?" She look at him with her half-closed eyes as she smiled when she heard her name and Ryan felt his heart stop for a whole second.
Ryan never saw her smile, though she wasn't smiling fully but just a small drunk stretch on her lips that show her teeth and he noticed a single dimple on her left cheek.
Ryan was awestruck and he immediately wonders how would she look like when she would have a full-blown smile on her face.
Clearing his throat, and snapped out of his daze when he realise he has other priorities. Taking a look at her outfit Ryan thought she must be cold, taking her to the side he make her stand by the wall and remove the leather jacket he was wearing over and made her wear that.
Elena bobs her head along to the music as she hums the song that was playing behind, giving Ryan a hard time balancing her.
"You are way too drunk!" He mumbled to himself in amusement as for how carefree she looked then the straight face and away from her all-put-together persona she wears every day.
But Elena heard him and she shook her head aggressively. "No, I'm not drunk. " She tries to look sternly but a hiccup broke through her.
"Yeah, I see that!" Ryan chuckled.
Pushing him away Elena pointed her forefinger at him accusingly. "Hey, you saw nothing. Look I am not drunk."
His hands instantly went around her waist again as he saw her imbalanced and her head hit on his chest. "Careful, darling."
Elena let out a whimper rubbing her head. "It hurts!" She whines.
Ryan grabs her head gently lifting her head with a frown on his face. "I'm sorry, Where does it hurt?"
She pointed at her forehead, giving it a little massage he asked softly. "Is it fine now?"
She smiled this time a little more brightly nodding her head, making Ryan smile as well. "Thank you. You have magical fingers." She slurs. Ryan laughs at her comment, and adoration filled in his eyes.
"Thanks, darling!" He said, kissing her forehead, Ryan was surprised as to why he did that, it was just a pure gesture that came so naturally, without knowing him, and the fact that he did, not felt awkward as he definitely put himself as an unaffectionate person and tries his best to stay away from any physical contact.
While Ryan was lost in his thought, he noticed that Elena was looking at him more precisely in his eyes and when he did she smiled again showing him her only dimple. Lifting her hand she caresses his under-eye area with utmost gentleness. "You have beautiful eyes!"
Ryan was too stunt to answer as he surrender to her touch as if his body was never in his control and her breathtaking smile. "And your eyelashes are longer than mine." She pouted.
Ryan can't help but smile, now that he was seeing this side of Elena he can't help but feel relaxed against her as his eyes shone with gentleness. "I am sorry, sweetheart, but your eyelashes are pretty big too." He plays along to erase that sad pout, he so wanted to kiss away.
"You should be and they are fake!" She giggled, the last part saying in his ear as she pull him down to her as if telling him a secret.
"Ohh, I won't tell anyone!" He whispered back in her ear.
"Hmm, Good boy!" Ryan cringed hearing her praise.
When she moves back, Elena holds him tighter. "Hey, are you fine?"
"N-no, my head hurts, and everything is moving around." Concern leeched on Ryan's face, yet he understands why this was happening and as much as he was liking this interaction he knows he should take her to a safe and better place away from the crowd and loud music.
"Let's go!" He was about to move when he pulled back and was pinned against the wall by a fragile body and his body moved in surprise.
Before Ryan could have a chance to react, a soft pair of lips landed on his and just stay there for a second or two, then he felt the sharp tug of his bottom lip until he tasted his own blood mixed with alcohol.
Ryan felt the soft body fall in his arms limb and his lips felt colder. Still warping his arm around her, his fingers made their way to his lips and found a tiny drop of blood, then he down at the reason for it.
The drunk girl mummers softly and Ryan couldn't hear this loud music if she wasn't close to him.
"I love you..."Ryan's eyes widened.
"Luke." And his body felt cold hearing the name that wasn't his.
________________*
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Not edited)