The first time Andre texted me after the demise of STAN was now for the demise of us.
The Garden Cafe was meant to look like a walkable garden without the bugs and all the first. It was somewhere in the fringes of Los Angeles, where influencers and the occasional celebrity visited. The tables were all clear and white.
Nobody noticed me, but I didn't care. Somehow, everyone was so wrapped up in their own business that they didn't even notice Andre walking in there.
My heart tightened and sank. I wanted to run up and kiss him. But I couldn't have all of that. I couldn't have Andre.
I pretended my heart didn't ache for him and sipped my coffee as he smiled and walked towards my table.
Andre was in his paparazzi get-up. No one seemed to notice him as he walked in. Outside would probably be a different story. Paparazzi were a different breed.
Before he sat across from me, he leaned into a hug and I unfortunately hugged him back, inhaling his perfect woody scent and his perfect everything.
"Hey," he said, sitting across from me. "How's it going?"
"Not bad," I said. "I'm just chilling. I'm leaving tomorrow."
"I'm going to miss you so much," he said. "I've enjoyed having you here. I've enjoyed it too."
I squeezed my eyes shut out of cringe. This was going to be so hard.
"See Andre," I began. "I've enjoyed this too. I like you so much. But I'm afraid I cannot do this anymore."
The smile faded across his face, turning into panic.
"What?" Andre stuttered. "We can fix this I-
"No," I talked over him. "I know about the fake relationship and the PR stunt you guys are doing with Ray. I can't have you like me while you're pretending to be with another girl."
"But it's not real!" He shouted prompting stares. "As soon as the cameras are off, we're over. I don't even look at her. I'm doing this for you."
"I trust you," I told him. "But I don't trust her, not after what she did to me. Ray was the one who tipped me off to Spencer. She tried to sabotage my career, and she lied about it. She'll manipulate you into loving her and then you'll know it's real. I won't waste my time trying to convince you of everything otherwise. I have to put myself first."
Andre swallowed back. "Do you really want to do this?"
Did I? Maybe I was just being such a big baby about all of this. Andre liked me, didn't he? Yet I couldn't trust him when he trusted me and I broke it.
My lip wobbled.
Andre wanted me. I wanted us.
But someone would find out. And this time, there was no way I could take down a media mob or change the narrative.
"Yes," I agreed, before reaching into the empty chair beside me, revealing his black hoodie. "Please take it from me."
"Okay," he mumbled, before looking up at me.
"Can you promise me something?" I asked.
"Sure," he said with light eyes. "Anything for you."
"Let's try not to be friends anymore," I huffed. "I know I'm going to fall for you again. I can't have that. This was never going to work."
He clenched his jaw. "Sure. Anything for you, Ezra."
I leaned in slowly, before cupping his cheek and colliding our lips together. It was slow and chaste, unlike our first one, which was rushed and hurried, even if we had all the time in the world. I pulled away before getting up.
"Bye."