Author's Note:
Sorry for such a long gap of uploads! I hope I am able to update again soon. My goal is to finish this story before I write the new one! VOTE and COMMENT please, I love to hear from everyone.
-Amy
Valerie's POV:
I looked across the table, watching Lyndsey's eyes skim over the menu. As her eyes caught mine, I could feel my face flush. I always hated the fact that my face gave away my embarrassment. When I looked back to her, she was looking at me intently.
"You two ready to order?" A young woman asked with a smile directed towards us. As she looked over to Lyndsey, her expression changed. "Aren't you... Oh my God!" I smirked as I took a sip of my water. "You're Lyndsey Ryan!"
"Yes, I am." She nodded, not taking her eyes off me. I looked up to the waitress, trying to ignore Lyndsey's stare. I could feel my body heat up under her eyes.
"Do you have any type of cake? It's her birthday." I winked towards the unamused Lyndsey. The waitress gasped, hurrying off towards the kitchen.
"Ugh... They better not sing happy birthday." She groaned as she crossed her arms over her chest. I stuck my tongue out at her playfully. I couldn't help the grin that grew upon my lips as I looked over her shoulder to see the chain of restaurant staff that were approaching the table.
"Happy Birthday!" They yelled in unison, startling Lyndsey. I laughed as she placed a hand on her chest. "Happy birthday from all of us to you!" They sang, clapping and dancing. I looked around to see the entire place looking in our direction as they placed a massive piece of cake with a lit candle in the middle of the table. No faster than it all started, the staff all cleared out and Lyndsey blew out the single candle. I looked at the birthday girl who rose a brow at me.
"I hate you." She said quietly, tapping a finger on the table. I clicked my tongue on the roof of my mouth as I grabbed a fork. "What do you think you're doing?" She asked as I stole a bite. "It's my birthday." She added with a sly grin, grabbing her own fork.
"Technically..." I mumbled through the bite. "It's not anymore." I smiled as I showed her the time on my phone; two a.m.
"So, what you're telling me is that you used me to get a free piece of cake?" She asked, even though she already knew the answer. I nodded before taking another bite. "Wow." She laughed as she enjoyed the food. "Not going to lie... It's pretty delicious."
"My mom loved coming here on the weekends," I said with a half smile. "They have excellent crepes..."
"I'm sorry..." She faded off with a genuine frown. I shook my head.
"Don't. It's not like what happened was your fault. Robert was very abusive... Everyone tried to tell her to leave him but, she wouldn't. She was scared." I expressed honestly, trying to keep my composure. I looked up at her to find her glance looking elsewhere. "What are the odds that we'd share the same fucked up story?" I asked in the silencing moment. Her eyes fluttered up to me slowly; as if afraid of something. "Though I suppose your situation was much worse than my own..."
"Yeah..." She sighed, digging her hands into her hair. "My mind is so messed up right now." She laughed as she dropped her hands on the table. I bit my lip as I moved my hands forward; interlocking my fingers with hers. Her eyes shot up at me, confused. "What are you doing?"
"I'm here... If you ever want to talk. I know what you're going through. Maybe it was fate that brought us together..." I breathed, rubbing my thumbs on her hands. Her brow creased as she pulled her hands away.
"One fucked up fate..." She sighed, looking away from me. I chewed on the side of my cheek as I looked at the girl in front of me. She was exhausted, probably from all of this emotional relation of both of us.
"Maybe for a reason." I frowned.
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"Where the fuck have you three been?" Michele screamed at us. I frowned, looking at the other two. Ana had a solemn look on her face while Lyndsey's expression was dark.
"What do you mean?" I finally asked. Lyndsey stood next to me awkwardly. Michele looked at us, baffled.
"I have been trying to call you for a few days!" She yelled as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "We are leaving for Paris in a week and you haven't come up with anything!"
"Don't worry about her," Ana said with a smile. "She does amazing work. She'll pull something out of thin air." Michele gave her a blank look before turning her attention towards me.
"Listen... Your designs have to be on my desk tonight." She said sternly. My eyes nearly fell.
"Tonight?" I asked, dumbfounded by her request. Not that I couldn't do it... but...
"Yes. No exceptions. Now, Lyndsey, you have a shoot in an hour with Vogue." Michele spoke with a stern voice. She was clearly pissed off at the three of us... but I don't think we cared much. Though, I was excited to go to Fashion Week in Paris... 'Oh fuck... 'I thought to myself as I realized that people from all around the world were going to be there.
"Joy. So, can I go now?" Lyndsey asked as her voice resembled that of someone who could care less what the conversation was about. I looked at her with a puzzled look, but she wouldn't look at me. Michele dismissed us as she now was talking to Ana about her next project. Lyndsey exited first with me closely behind.
"Lyn?" I called after her, but she didn't stop for me. I bit my bottom lip, debating on whether I should go after her. After the shitty day, we both had yesterday maybe she just wanted to be left alone. So, I headed off to my office to somehow draw up some inspiration.
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"So..." I looked up from my desk to see Ana standing in my doorway. I pushed my glasses above my head, leaning back against the desk chair. I smiled in contentment as I cracked my knuckles. "Working hard?" She asked as she looked at her before closing the door.
"I'm trying to." I joked with a smile. She smiled in return, taking a seat in front of me. "So, what's up?" I asked, placing my pencil down and swiveling my chair away from my drawing table to face her fully.
"Well... I just wanted to talk to you about yesterday." She mumbled, her mood changing instantly. I could feel my chest tighten as I feared that Randy had told her everything.
"Oh? What about it?" I questioned, trying my best to play dumb.
"It's just that, I really like you, Val. I really, really do..." She said with a half-smile, throwing me off now. I sat there, not sure what to say to that. "But..." She sighed, rubbing her triceps as she looked at me finally. "I don't know.... I met Emalie and we just... I don't know what the hell happened." I rose my brow in interest as her cheeks blushed. "I'm sorry..."
"Why are you sorry?" I smiled, "There's nothing to be sorry for. Emalie is an amazing woman. She cooks really good too." I complimented the women who wasn't even here. Ana blushed more at the mention of her. "Besides, it not like you and I were a couple," I added.
"No, I know, but you know... we kissed. And you uh... saw me you know." She blushed once more, causing me to blush now.
"Yep, yep I did. Well then..." I laughed awkwardly, rubbing the top of my thighs as I looked at her. She smiled, shaking her head.
"I know you like Lyndsey." She said randomly, catching me off guard. I swallowed the lump that was growing in my throat before looking back to her. "It's okay, I really don't blame you. I used to have a crush on her when I first started here." She laughed, obviously reliving some sort of Memory of her and Lyndsey's beginning. "Emalie knows too... she said she was okay with it."
"What?!" I asked, startled by this. "What do you mean?!" I groaned in frustration.
"We talked about a lot last night after Randy left." She said with a smile, causing me to give her an impressed look.
"Oh really? So... she slept over your house? Lyndsey didn't tell me she wasn't home this morning." I mentioned, trying to recall the memory if she had.
"We uh... you know..." I swore, her face was as red as her hair. "We talked about you know... stuff."
"You guys hooked up, that's so obvious." I laughed, moving back to my drawing table.
"Well, what about you and Lyndsey? Have you guys ever hooked up?" She questioned, causing me to stop mid-sketch. I clenched my jaw, looking back at her.
"No, we haven't. I don't think that's really any of your business though, is it?" I felt a chill run down my spine as I looked to Lyndsey leaning against my doorframe. Ana looked taken aback as she too looked at the irritated looking brunette.
"Sorry... I guess we can talk later, Val?" She asked, not really receiving an answer as she stood up and left in a hurry. I looked to Lyndsey, whom just looked back to me, making me uncomfortable.
"Are you okay?" I demanded mostly. Her attitude was completely opposite from last night. Gone was the loving and caring Lyndsey. She was jaded and cold, more than she normally was. She clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth, averting her glance. "Lyndsey, come on... really?" I practically begged, standing up to move towards her.
"Don't." She said, stepping away from my advance, causing me to stop. I frowned in confusion as I looked at her. Her face had makeup on it, obviously left over from her shoot today. I sighed as I looked at her.
"You know." I laughed, out of irony, "Ana told me she liked me today." I said out of the blue, causing Lyndsey's eyes to dart up towards me. "Why can't you?"
"What?" She asked, shocked now. I shook my head of what I was about to say. I couldn't do that right now. She was too emotional, and I was too. "Why can't I what?"
"Nevermind. I have to finish these... so..." I said as I looked back at her in question. She gave me a blank look before she frowned and left without a word. I ran a hand through my hair, looking at the now empty doorway. Every time that girl was in presence, it would totally fuck me up... "God damn..." I said aloud with a release of air. This week was crazy, and I didn't really know how to process it. I looked down to the sketches I had splayed out on the large drawing table. With a sigh, I picked up my pencil and went to work.
Author's Note:
Hope you liked it, sorry for mistakes! VOTE and COMMENT please!