"We need to talk."
It was four words that usually made Luke nervous. And, even as he was the one saying them, it was doing just that. He realized it was something he needed to do and say for his own peace of mind but it didn't make it feel any easier. The woman he said it to looked up from the papers piled on her desk. She almost wanted to scoff at him, like she didn't have time for whatever he was trying to pull.
The woman was his manager. Her name was Camille and she was a lot like Luke in more ways than one. She had a bit of a temper, she cared only about certain people, and she didn't have time to be wasted. Even so, she never saw them alike. The way she saw Luke she would never admit if she wanted to keep the job she had. She knew her place, somewhat.
"I don't have time for that," Camille mumbled, misinterpreting what Luke was even talking about. Which, ultimately, bothered him. He came up to the edge of her desk and sat there, pulling the papers out from under her hands before she could stop him.
He flung the paper to the other side of the room and kicked the pen with it. She shot him a glare, but now he had her full attention, so he didn't really care, "what do you want?"
"Who told Nellie?" He asked. Camille rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair. She didn't know why Luke was bothering to ask. To her it didn't make a difference who told Nellie or how she found out because Nellie seemed content on moving on without him.
"Does it matter?" Camille responded. Luke glared back at her, thinking that the answer was obvious.
"It does," Luke said. Camille waved him off, standing up from her desk before she walked over to the other side of the room. She closed the door quietly, leaning against it for a moment before she spoke.
"I told you I handled it," Camille said, "don't you trust me?"
"Not really," Luke said, making her give him a look. He was being honest. He didn't really trust Camille with much, which was ironic, but Luke was, well too himself to realize it. Camille didn't really trust Luke either. She thought he was too easy on certain people, but it was her job to make him look tougher than that.
"We spoke about this," she sighed, "people got pictures of you and that girl—whatever her name is—they put them on the Internet, and Nellie inevitably saw it that way. Everyone thinks you're with her just like they're supposed to believe. I handled it. Just like I promised I would."
Luke looked indifferent about the response, as if Camille was lying to him right to his face. For all he knew she was. He didn't exactly trust his gut anymore. He did once impulsively and now he lived alone.
"See the part where you say Nellie probably saw it on the Internet is the part that confuses me," he said. Camille raised an eyebrow at him as she placed the papers he threw back onto her desk.
"And why is that?"
"I have a hunch Nellie doesn't really spend her free time looking me up on the Internet. She doesn't exactly cry with joy when she thinks of me," he mumbled, the words stinging more than he wanted to admit when he heard himself say them out loud.
"Does it really matter, Luke?" She asked, sounding tired when she spoke. Luke clenched his jaw when she asked him that for a second time. It did matter, because he needed to know exactly what Nellie knew; he needed to know exactly what truth to tell her if he wanted her back. Lying about it was only going to dig him a hole, and he was already stuck deep enough in the one they dug now.
"It does, actually. Let's just end it," Luke said. Camille looked at him like he has lost his mind. She laughed and shook her head, making Luke furrow his brow.
"We're not ending it right now, Luke."
"I don't really think that's entirely for you to decide—"
"Well when it's generating talk of your name, I think it is," Camille argued. She missed his point, just like Luke had missed Michael's the other morning. Except, Luke called her out for it unlike Michael did to him.
"That's not what I'm talking about," he said. Camille paused, glancing over at him before she pursed her lips and nodded her head. It was the first time Luke had made such a statement, so she didn't really care for his word then. "I'm serious. I'm gonna get her back, I don't have time for it anymore."
Camille looked at him like he was naive, and for a while she did believe that he was. Luke was still so in love though that he didn't care, and any encounters he had been having along the way we're just to cope. But he was taking Michael's word now. He felt that's what was best if he was serious about it.
"You're gonna get her back? The same girl you just said cries about you?" Camille asked, sounding as if she was mocking him somewhat. She just didn't think that it was going to work. Luke had said it before, and every time he came back telling Camille that Nellie told him to leave her alone.
"Things are changing now," he shrugged. Camille sighed and shook her head, giving him pity that he didn't want.
"You're naive," she said.
"Yeah? What are you? Jealous?" He asked. Camille only scoffed, looking at him again a few seconds later. The thought of Luke getting back together with Nellie costed Camille a few things. At least a few things she could think of. One of those was her job, assuming that Nellie would make him stop fighting; but Luke had already been stubborn about it, so maybe it would drive them apart. Camille felt bad for wanting it, only for a few moments though.
"What are you gonna do? Get back with her? Let her control if you fight or not, and then waste all the money you have on her like you did before?" Camille asked. Luke smiled slightly at the thought. He really did spoil Nellie before, and he missed doing so; he felt like the joke was really on Camille because he hadn't in so long he had saved enough to spoil her for years without making a dent in his fortune.
"Yeah, maybe you should start job hunting," he said. Camille shot him a glare, placing her palms on her desk top as she rubbed her forehead.
"It's not funny, Luke."
Luke nodded his head after he said it, standing up from his spot before he took a step closer to Camille. It was more intimidating than she expected it to be, and maybe it was because he went from laughing at his joke, to glaring right into her soul. But she was already ruining his plans, so she pinched the wrong nerve with him that day.
"I'm gonna find out who the hell told Nellie," he said, accusingly, "and you're gonna agree to end this. How's that sound?"
"Terrible," she mumbled, making him laugh coldly as he stepped away.
Luke didn't really care for how she was feeling, even if it was insensitive. But the feeling was clearly mutual after what she said about ending it, so he didn't really care. Instead, he just left. He had a party to get to anyways.
⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
Nellie sat in Lainey's bedroom in a dress she didn't really want to be in. But she was appeasing her crowd (Lainey and her father). If Nellie had it her way, she would have just put Gemma to bed early and then binge watched the entirety of Parks and Recreation but she didn't have it her way. Rather, she was giving into Lainey's way after being lectured about how she was lonely and boring.
"Would you look alive, Nellie?" Lainey asked.
Nellie sat up after she said it, feeling like she was being called out on manners. Nellie couldn't really help the demeanor she had. She was exhausted, and she really didn't want to go on a date. She didn't like being alone, but she didn't really want to go out with someone who wasn't Luke. That fact wasn't exactly easy to tell her family though, and it wasn't the easiest to tell herself either.
"It's nothing personal, Lainey, really. But I really have no interest in this date," Nellie whined. Lainey frowned at her, whining along with the girl as she took her hands to make her stand up. Nellie frowned as Lainey pinched her cheeks, doing her best to make Nellie feel like she wasn't going to have the worst time of her life on such a date.
"I'm gonna pinch your cheeks until you stop frowning," Lainey said. Nellie looked sadder when she said it, the feeling of Lainey's press on nails already hurting her cheeks is the slightest.
"Well, your nails are hurting my cheeks so I would appreciate it if you stopped," Nellie mumbled out, making Lainey furrow her eyebrows before she let go. Nellie sighed when she did, rubbing her cheeks softly afterwards.
"Why are you so against this date anyways?" She asked.
"Im not against it," Nellie lied, "I just—I'm a mom. I'm tired."
"When was even the last time you got laid with an attitude like that?" Lainey joked, making Nellie mumble under her breath as she sat down again. She was looking at her phone when she did, so the words she said got away from her.
"You're the second person to ask me that. Why does everyone care?" Nellie said. Lainey furrowed her eyebrows as she put earrings in.
"Who else asked?"
"What?" Nellie asked, looking up from her phone after she sent a text.
"Who else asked you if you'd been laid?"
Nellie paused for a moment, realizing she didn't plan on telling Lainey she had talked to Luke when he came to see Gemma. She didn't really know how the girl would have reacted, but Lainey felt whatever reaction she would have had was justified. After all, she was on the team trying to protect Nellie.
"Um, Michael," Nellie muttered. Lainey made a face but let it go, knowing she had more important things to worry about with how uninterested Nellie truly was in the date she was being offered.
"Well, for the record, you look hot; especially in red. Maybe tonight will change your record," Lainey smiled, raising an eyebrow at Nellie, who wasn't even looking at her. Nellie wasn't interested in 'getting laid' by anyone who she wasn't in love with or didn't have a connection with. So really that narrowed it down to one person, and they weren't exactly on reasonable speaking terms.
"Okay, are you ready to go?" Lainey asked.
"Technically, yes. But that doesn't mean I'm interested," Nellie said.
Lainey waved her off and grabbed her hand. She was doing her best to help Nellie, even if she didn't really ask Nellie what extent of help she wanted. Dates weren't on Nellie's list and she was surprised that, even with her lack of dates, her family still thought a date was what she needed. But Nellie was Nellie, and she was too nice to tell them she wasn't interested.
Which was why, an hour later she was in the middle of a date in a restaurant that was all too fancy for a date she didn't want. She felt bad about her lack of interest, after all the guy Lainey found her was incredibly nice and he was easy on the eyes; but Nellie couldn't really get over the thoughts in the back of her head about how the restaurant they were at was the one Luke always took her to. Lainey didn't know, and if she did, she would have picked just about any other place.
Lainey kept glancing at Nellie throughout the night, trying to see if her interest ever went up any. It didn't. She looked rather bored, and she wasn't hiding the sadness she had very well. She smiled every now and then to seem polite, but it wasn't convincing anyone she was out with. She was going to feel bad about it later, but she had a lot on her mind. By the end of the night, Nellie started to realize how rude she really was; even as she continued her unintended rudeness.
When the group finished their date, they stood outside in the cool air of the night. Lainey was saying goodbye to her date as Nellie and hers stood next to each other awkwardly for a moment. She glanced at him before she spoke abruptly, which caused him to glance at her quickly.
"Adam, I'm sorry," she said, "about my whole attitude tonight." He smiled at her as he shook his head softly. "There's this guy. I'm not over him," she shrugged, "and you can't tell Lainey that but I think it's only fair that I'm honest with you."
"I admire that," he said, making Nellie smile in the slightest. "The honesty with me I mean; I think you might need some honesty with your sister."
Nellie laughed slightly. He was right, and she knew that he was. He was surprised with how nice he was being about it. She hadn't really spoken much that night. He probably thought she was someone extremely shy, which was really the opposite of Nellie's nature.
"It's complicated," Nellie mumbled.
"With what? Him or Lainey?"
"Both, actually. It's all kind of intertwined," Nellie said. "We have a kid and were engaged, and things—happened. And now my family hates him—wow that's all really bad," she sighed. She hadn't actually said it out loud before. It always sounded less complicated in her head, and now it sounded like the mess it truly was. Her date laughed quietly, furrowing his eyebrows. He had a lot questions, but everyone always did.
"You're a mom?" He asked. Nellie looked at him quickly, laughing shortly before she crossed her arms. She hadn't really heard someone else say that either.
"I'm not like, an old mom. I'm like a young one," she said, furrowing her brow after she said it. She cringed slightly as her date laughed. She smiled at him before she glanced out at the street, "that sounded worse," she laughed.
"No," Adam smiled, sliding his hands into his pockets, "I think you look great for a mom. A hot mom," he said. Nellie blushed slightly, feeling slightly awkward about his words; yet also reassured.
"Thanks," she chuckled. Nellie couldn't help but feel somewhat proud of herself in those moments. Maybe it was because she was joking with her date, or the fact that she talked about Luke and didn't cry about it after. It was a small thing, but it was liberating in the slightest.
"If you don't mind me asking, what happened between you and this guy?" He asked. Nellie looked a little overwhelmed by the question. She didn't really intend on answering it, fearing that when she would start crying; and not talking to her date until it was over was bad enough. She didn't really want to mix crying about an ex into it.
"It's a long story," Nellie said, waving her hand, "things just didn't work."
"What's his name?"
Nellie furrowed her eyebrows at him, smiling slightly as he looked at her like he was genuinely curious. He kind of was. Everyone always was. He didn't really think you could go from being engaged and having a kid to things just not working out. Maybe he was nosy, but so was Nellie.
"You do realize you're my date, right?"
"I was your date," he clarified, "our date is over. Now I'm merely a nosy stranger." Nellie rolled her eyes a little, still smiling regardless of the action. She sighed as she looked at him, giving into his question as one nosy person to another.
"Luke. His name is Luke," Nellie said. Adam nodded his head and pursed his lips.
"He sounds like a douchebag," he said, making Nellie give him a look before she laughed a little and pushed his arm gently. Adam only shrugged, like he didn't regret what he said.
"He's not—he isn't—" Nellie hesitated, causing Adam to raise an eyebrow at her, "even if he is, he's my person; he's my douchebag, even if that's fucking weird to say."
"If that's the case, why did you come on this date?" Adam asked. Nellie shrugged, it was really only to please Lainey. To avoid making a rift in any matters, and really because she was too nice to say no. It didn't really have anything to do with Luke. It had more to do with not disappointing those who were trying to help her.
"Because Lainey means well," Nellie said, honestly. Adam nodded his head as Lainey started back over towards the pair. She smiled at them as Nellie started at the ground for a moment. She had a new wave of thoughts hit her, something that bothered her; even if they were sparked by the words of some guy she hardly knew.
Nellie looked at Adam with furrowed eyebrows for a moment before Lainey spoke to her. It took her a minute to realize she was, but she needed a new minute to collect her thoughts.
"Are you ready to go, Nell?" Lainey asked.
"Actually, I think I'm going to catch a cab to Michael's."
"I can drive you," Lainey said. Nellie shook her head and smiled, playing it off better than she expect herself to.
"Don't worry about it. I think I need some space to think," Nellie said.
Lainey frowned slightly, masking it quickly with a smile instead. She gave her sister a hug, waving goodbye to the two before Nellie looked back at Adam. He asked her if she had a pen, the girl pausing before she looked through her purse. She pulled one out and handed it to him, taking Nellie's hand afterwards. He started writing numbers on it, the action being something Nellie felt indifferent about.
"Give me a call if things change," he said, handing her her pen back. Nellie gave him a tight lipped smile and a nod as she put the pen back into her purse. She didn't think things were going to change, and she was exhausted over the fact he used her letting her talk about her ex as a ploy to seem unbothered and almost uninterested. If she knew she was still going to get his number, she wouldn't have even bothered with all of her rambling.
He continued with his chivalry after, calling her a cab and paying to for her ride. Nellie hated that, too, suddenly feeling like even though she said all she did; that it was all out of an exploit of momentary weakness. Maybe she was being too hard on herself, but she couldn't help it. Everything overwhelmed her these days.
Nellie texted her dad during her ride, making something up about going to Michael's after something went wrong with her date. He didn't question it, even if it meant he might have to have Gemma stay longer so she wasn't alone. He didn't mind. He spent the last few hours of Nellie's date watching whatever he could find on Netflix with his husband while Gemma slept. It was simple enough for him, and it was free time with his granddaughter.
Nellie knew that as she made an impulse decision not to end her night; especially not with Lainey. Her choice actually landed her somewhere she should have asked herself twice about. But instead, she just tipped her cab driver and got out. She looked at the building in front of her with the feeling of nausea coming on, a spot on the sixth floor lighting up differently than some of the others. She still could have turned back, but she thought it would have given her the same feeling she already had. So instead, she stepped in and took the elevator up to Luke's apartment. And regret ensued the whole way there.
⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
i really wanted to get this up before it was 4 days late and u know what: mission accomplished
hello friends!! this was (imo) the first filler chapter of repercussions and im sorry if it's slow, next chapter will be a doozy for real
sorry ive been like m.i.a for a few days (and late with this update) bc i was on vacation and i had a little time to write and then the one night i finally decided to I ended up crying in bed instead nice
but im here now ready for gifs of livesos to come back because that's what really made my updates so great tbh
i dont really have anything else to add to this note besides shit is about to get interesting
i love y'all lots