A/N: just some fluff i desperately needed to write
Kate and I spend the rest of the evening having a dance party to Taylor Swift's album Reputation. I don't know about you, but dancing to just about any song off that album is empowering as hell – "I Did Something Bad" in particular.
Kate stayed for a couple hours but couldn't stay for too long because she does have to pack before she leaves for Vancouver for filming again. She texted Andrew Moore about me, though, and he has said he wants to meet me, so we're supposed to be setting up a video call sometime soon – he's a busy man and doesn't want me flying to Vancouver just to meet him. Even though I could because I could hang out with Kate while she's there, but I'm going to be traveling enough with Shawn here soon.
I did have Kate pinch me before she left, though.
After she left, I finally moved my suitcases into my room and laid back down on my bed. Which is where I am now when I get a Facetime call from Shawn.
We've never Facetimed before, so I am a little confused, but I sit up in bed, answering the call anyway.
"Hi—"
Shawn is not the one I see on my screen, but the girl does look vaguely familiar.
"Um, hi. Who are you?"
"I'm Aaliyah!" She smiles.
Aaliyah...Shawn's little sister. Of course. But also, um... "I thought you looked familiar," I chuckle. "I'm Rylie."
"I figured," she laughs. She looks so much like Shawn that it's a little eerie, but adorable. She's really pretty. How old is she again?
"Can I ask what you're doing with his phone?"
"He's in the bathroom," she explains. "And I've seen the stuff online, but he wouldn't tell me about you, so I...decided to call you."
"Okay," I sigh. "Well..."
"How long have you known—"
"Aaliyah!"
The girl in question grins, yelling back to her brother, "In here!"
Shawn's voice gets closer as he enters the room, and then when he sees me on the screen, he turns all shades of white.
"Hey," I laugh, waving at him.
"Hi..." He smiles for a second, but then turns to Aaliyah looking a little less kind. "What are you doing?"
"Talking to this mysterious girlfriend you won't talk about," she replies like it's obvious.
I'll admit, this did catch me off guard. But I'm not mad about it – or worried, though I probably should be. Aaliyah seems sweet, and she really doesn't mean any harm. I can tell.
"Well Mum needs some help in the kitchen, so can I talk to my mysterious girlfriend?"
Aaliyah rolls her eyes, but agrees anyway. "Fine. It was nice to meet you!"
"It was nice to meet you too," I chuckle, giving a small wave.
She hands the phone back to Shawn before running out of the room to the kitchen. Shawn lets a deep exhale out through his mouth, shutting the door behind him before he practically throws himself down on his bed.
"I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, Shawn, really," I shake my head. "She seems sweet. And we didn't talk about anything. She had just called a few seconds ago."
"Okay," he breathes. "But now she's going to say something to mum, and I'll be forced to talk about it, and I know you didn't—"
"Hey," I interrupt, giving him a look when he finally meets my eyes. "Breathe, first of all. And second of all, it's okay."
"What if they ask why you're not here?"
"Tell them I'm working," I shrug. "I technically am," I sigh. "I've got to clean up this place a little while I'm here and I should have a video call with that director sometime soon."
"Really?" He asks, sitting up. Ever since I told him about Kate's acting proposition, he's been the most eager to hear any new information. Probably more eager than I am, really.
"Yeah, nothing official, he just wants to meet me but he's directing something in Vancouver this week."
"That's not far from here."
I raise an eyebrow. "Last I checked, Toronto is on the other side of Canada from Vancouver."
"Still Canada," he grins.
"Anyway," I laugh, "shouldn't you be spending time with your family?"
"I was chilling with my sister," he explains, "and then she decided to call you."
"Hey, it was harmless. I'm okay, she just met me for a few seconds, that's all."
"Yeah," he runs a tired hand over his face. He's stressed about it. "She's the only one who really keeps up with pop culture stuff," he begins. "My parents aren't big on that, but she is, and she said she saw the interview."
"Your parents didn't?"
He shakes his head. "Since it didn't air, all they saw was my performance."
"Oh, yeah!" I grin. "What'd they think?"
"They loved it," he laughs. "They always say that."
"Hey, you sounded good."
"I think you also have some bias."
"Maybe a little," I admit, trying my hardest to bite back a smile. "Seriously, though. I don't want to take time away from you and your family."
He smiles a little. "You're not."
I give him a look.
"Alright, alright. I'm going. I'll...call you when I get back to my place?"
"Sure," I nod. "Now go. Spend some time away from the electronics."
He grins the widest grin I've ever seen on him. "We're playing hockey later."
"Fun!" I grin. "If I have to tell you to go one more time I'm just going to hang up on you."
"Okay, fine," he laughs. "Call you later."
"Bye," I wave.
He blows a kiss in return, smiling brightly before ending the call. I sigh deeply, closing my eyes.
I know I said I need to clean, but that's not what I feel like doing right now. I don't feel like doing anything, which lately has translated to looking through some Shawn fan accounts to see what they're up to and thinking.
As usual, I find them freaking out about how cute he looks all the time (which, me too). I do find a few pictures from him at the airport that I like, one of which I add to my Instagram story with a heart next to it, tagging him underneath the photo.
My smile only grows as I switch over to scrolling through Twitter. Most of them are the same as others, a few actually talking about me as well.
Shawn was right, they were pretty upset about me not being with him. Of course, a lot of them brush it off because we are two individuals with lives of our own. But of course, some media sites eat it up, talking about how this is the first time he's been seen alone since confirming the dating rumors.
It kind of makes me laugh. And sigh in relief at the same time. People are talking, which is good. It's what they're supposed to do.
Any press is good press. For sure.
+++
My sleep later that night is interrupted by the continuous buzzing of my phone, radiating through the mattress and into my skull. But when I see the caller is Shawn, some of the annoyance fades away.
"Good morning," I chuckle, looking at the time.
"Oh shit," is his reply. "Fucking time zones, I'm so sorry."
I shake my head with a laugh. "It's okay. What time is it there?"
"Nine..."
"Ah," I breathe, "it's six here. What are you doing?"
"Couldn't sleep."
I close my eyes. "Why not?"
"...you're not here."
"Shawn," I yawn. He can't be serious. He slept fine without me before.
"I'm serious."
"Well I can't sleep either when you call so early," I tease.
"I'm sorry..."
I shake my head again, burying my face in the pillow.
"Do you want me to let you go so you can sleep?"
I open my eyes then, leaning my phone against the pillow and hitting the button to switch it to a FaceTime call. He accepts the call, furrowing his eyebrows.
"Hello?"
"Hey," I smile. The sun is barely beginning to rise here, so there isn't as much light on me as there is on him. But the sunlight through his curtains suits him. It's a good look – shirtless with the sunlight.
He always looks good, though, so that's a bit unfair.
"Did you mean to do that?"
I nod, folding a pillow underneath my head. "I wanted to see you."
He smiles, and I swear that's a blush on his cheek, but he hides behind his hand. He breaks into a yawn a second later, causing me to frown.
"Did you sleep at all last night?"
He shakes his head. "I was out late with some friends and then I forgot to call you and I think I watched the sun rise," he chuckles, rubbing his eyes. "I miss you."
"Shawn...it's only been a day."
"I know," he laughs. "I'm pathetic."
"You're not pathetic," I assure him. "I miss you too."
"Did you sleep last night?"
"I did," I breathe through a small laugh. "Until someone called me before the sun even rose."
He laughs again, but he still sounds so tired.
"Get some sleep."
"But I'm talking to you."
"I know," I reply. "I mean prop your phone up where you can see me," I nod to my phone, implying that I've done the same, "and get some rest."
He still looks skeptical, but settles down into his bed anyway. He props his phone up against a pillow, laying down so his face is in the frame. With another sleepy smile, he stares at me.
"You're pretty."
"You're delirious."
"I mean it."
"Thank you," I say, mostly to humor him. When he's this sleepy, he's not necessarily different, but he is. It's strange to know there's probably only a handful of people who see him like this. And it's strange to know I'm one of them. "Get some sleep."
"Yes ma'am," he jokes, pulling a blanket up around his ears. "Are you?"
"Close your eyes."
"You first."
"You're stubborn," I chuckle, grabbing my own soft blanket and tugging it around my ears. Since he woke me up long before I was planning to be awake – and only four hours after I laid down – it isn't hard for me to close my eyes.
I hear him yawn again before more rustling which sounds like he's settling. I open my eyes for a brief second to see him breathing deeply, and that's enough to bring a smile to my lips. A smile that stays when I fall asleep.