Something between the lines of elation and uncertainty bubbled within Averies body.
It was just a few hours after the group had gotten back to their hotel from the runway show, where Averie supposedly won the competition.
After Malfoy announced that she wasn't being fired that day, Averie rushed up to her room—their room—before she had the mischance to talk to him again. When the interns were about to leave to freshen up from the long ride, he told them to be ready for the annual Milan party hosted by Mature Divinity, which was late tomorrow night.
All she wanted to do as of right now was rest.
Malfoy hadn't been in the hotel room since they arrived, luckily for her. It gave Averie more time to process everything that happened— and she needed it.
She decided to take a long, hot shower to bring her some peace. Which was exactly what she was doing.
The lavender scent of the shampoo eased the unsettled nerves as she massaged her scalp with it, it was her favorite.
Firstly Averie was processing her win, the fact that she had actually impressed her boss enough to make him choose her designs over Zara's.
If she were to be completely honest, she didn't expect to win. Sure she was confident, maybe a little too confident sometimes, but dealing with Malfoy as a boss was a whole other thing. He was insufferable to talk to, and didn't mentor her at all. Averie didn't even know he liked any of her designs, much less enough for her to win.
When he called her name, she half expected him to play a sick joke and laugh in her face, saying that Zara won instead of her—just to make her look like a fool in front of her co-workers. That hasn't happened yet though, so she tried to not expect the worst.
She wasn't sure how she won—not just because of Malfoys unnecessary hatred, but because of the incident that happened. Averie wasn't sure what exactly happened, her mind was still wrapping around it, trying to piece things together.
Overall she was just confused. She didn't expect for Zara's collection to have designs so completely matched to hers, especially because they were the ones she was most proud of.
Which also led to her confusion about why she won instead of Zara, when hers came out first. Anyone else would have easily thought Averie copied her competitor, because of the order they came out. She was suspicious of Pansy at first because of her smug look when it was shown, and how everyone else looked just as confused as Averie was.
It wouldn't be surprising for her to try and sabotage Averies whole career.
But what was surprising was the fact that despite their more than similar designs, Malfoy still chose her to win. She got the publicity from it, her collection would be featured at all Mature Divinity stores, titled Averie Wilson: Summer in Milan. In addition to that, she also would be allowed to conduct the next show's lineup, whenever that may be.
This was only her first of many collections, and she knew that.
But was it a set up?
Would Malfoy just make her look like a fool and get her hopes up?
Was he that cruel?
Averie shook her head as she thought of all the possibilities. It didn't matter what had happened or how, all that mattered was that she won, and she was more than proud of herself for that.
After scrubbing every inch of her body clean, she turned the shower tap off, ready to step out and dry herself off. Of course the only towel was black and embroidered with DM on the corner of it. She rolled her eyes at the fact that Malfoy had his own custom towels. Still, it was the only one she had, and so she had to use it.
To see her reflection she had to wipe down the fogged mirror— the effect of her steaming hour shower. Averie gently combed through her fresh hair until it was no longer dripping wet, just dry enough to rest easily on her shoulders. She was tucking the towel around her body when she realized she forgot to grab her nightwear before the shower. She would have to go out of the bathroom and grab it.
Though the towel didn't cover much, it only ended right above her thighs. At least Malfoy wasn't in the room at the moment, she could easily change into her clothes without fear of him seeing anything.
She still couldn't believe the luck she had with having to share a room with her boss. It wasn't like there weren't other rooms available— the hotel was huge.
Either way she was stuck with it, but it wasn't for much longer at all.
Averie was prodding lightly on the floors, holding her towel against her body with one hand. She was headed towards the closet when she heard the hotel door whip open from behind her. In a sudden shock her hand came up to rest on her chest, feeling her beating heart from the startling incident.
But then she realized—
The hand was supposed to be holding her towel up.
Before she could even react to the fact that she was completely naked and Malfoy just walked in, she heard him sigh, then footsteps.
She heard footsteps.
Averie meant to hurry and pick up the towel that fell but he was quicker, his frame then showing himself as the girl desperately covered herself with the fallen towel.
She lightly squealed as he stopped in his tracks— obviously seeing something on her exposed body. Much to her surprise he was blushing.
That's something she's never seen on him before.
"What the fuck are you doing!?" she yelled.
His eyes were glued to her chest, making her own skin heat up. Malfoy definitely noticed how flushed she was becoming because much to her utter annoyance—he smirked.
"Unfortunately this is my room too. Are you planning on walking around in here without clothes? Because I'd advise you not to. I know you're trying to seduce me," he scoffed, stepping out of her way and towards the bed behind her.
She had to quickly spin around as well or else her bare ass would be on display for him. He'd like that, though.
"You're the one who barged in on me!" She quickly wrapped the towel around herself tightly. "I'm just trying to get dressed."
He chuckled.
"Try to hurry while I'm in the shower then, won't you?" he said, walking towards her again. He came intimidatingly close to her body, almost trying to frighten her with the size comparison. He reached out over her shoulder and pulled out some clothes from behind her before teasingly waving it in the air. "These are called clothes, Wilson."
Averie glared maddeningly at him, though he wouldn't be able to see it as he was already stepping into the bathroom space.
"I know what clothes are!" she yelled just after he shut the door.
Oh he would get it, she thought.
The still-flustered girl pulled out the thinnest pajamas she packed, a short silk nightgown in a pretty shade of pink.
It was a bit tight, but the silk was still comfy all the same. She wanted to tease him. After all, she'd seen the tent in his pants after she'd dropped the towel— even if he tried to be slick about it.
Who knew what he was actually doing in the shower.
Averie crawled into bed and pulled the soft duvet over her body. She turned to her side and tucked her arm under the pillow for comfort, simply staring out of the balcony window in view, just thinking again. She wasn't sure how much time had passed before she heard the shower stop, Malfoy stepping out of the next room in nothing but grey sweatpants.
Oh.
That was a sight to see.
Even more when he flexed his arms up to weave them through the black shirt in his hand. The next second he was running his hands through his damp hair— similar to how Averie had done it. A single piece of his blonde locks fell above his eye and she had the sudden urge to stroke it back.
Before he could catch her looking, she quickly diverted her eyes back to the window.
"Move over."
"What?"
He sighed.
"I said move over. Stay on your side of the bed, Wilson."
Averie looked down at the space she was occupying. She was barely on 'his side' of the bed.
"And where does my side stop?" she questioned.
"Fucking there," he pointed to the bed, how there was a small gap in between the sets of pillows.
"I'm all the way over here, Malfoy. I'm sure you won't have a problem with me crushing you in my sleep," her eyebrow raised.
"You better hope not, or else I have no problem kicking you off the bed," he said seriously, making her roll her eyes.
He was unbelievable.
It was a very large bed, but the boy seemed to be determined to set bed boundaries. Averie doubted he would ever touch her like that, but he was more annoyed over the smallest things with her.
She knew it was pointless to argue with him, so she shuffled over just a few inches.
"Better?" she smirked.
"Hardly."
Averie almost forgot to put on her hotel necessities for bed— fluffy socks.
It was silly, she knew, but she wasn't comfortable enough in another one's bed without them. So she scrambled out of the bed at the same time that Malfoy plopped down on it with a long sigh.
After grabbing them from the closet, she bent down at the edge of the bed to slip them on each of her feet. They were soft and blue, with a funny little face of a whale on each of them, and she wiggled her toes satisfied as she felt better now.
But once she heard a quiet groan not meant for her ears— that she still heard anyway— she realized that she was currently bent over in the smallest piece of clothing with nothing but her panties underneath.
Fuck.
But wasn't the whole point of wearing this to tease him?
Averie smirked to herself again, wiggling her body in a slightly sultry way as she was still bent over before Malfoy. Popping back up, she pretended to be innocent, waddling back over to her very specific part of the bed.
Since the only light in the room was coming from the lamp on her nightstand, she looked over at the man next to her to see if he was ready for it to be turned off. He seemed to be asleep already— which she knew he wasn't. But she flicked the lamp off anyway, as they both were in bed about to sleep.
"You wear whale socks to bed," Malfoy chuckled.
Another roll of her eyes.
"Yes. Only in hotels, thank you very much. Do you have a problem with them?" she huffed, actually offended by his lack of understanding.
"No more than you have a problem with me."
She turned her body back over to the sight with the city lights, different from the lights in London. She studied those lights for hours by now. This had a calmer aura to it.
Her peace was disrupted by constant shuffling on the other side of the bed.
"Malfoy?" she whispered, not sure if she wanted him to hear if he was sleeping. Even though he wasn't— unless he danced in his sleep.
"Hm?"
"Thanks for choosing me..."
Averie didn't think he was going to respond after some moments went by of them just breathing into the air. She settled back into her sleepy state and closed her eyes.
But before she fell unconscious for the night, she heard him mutter, "Whatever, Wilson. G'night."
And she smiled, for it wasn't malicious at all.
A/N
hi i made a divinity inspired pinterest board it's in my bio and i'm obsessed w it go check it out
next chapter will be out in like an hour ish i have to edit it lolz
adore u still
-hay 😱