| Olivia's POV |
"Great job on the single boys, fans on social media love it," I say, scrolling through my Twitter feed. During the investigation, they learned that there were 2 applicants with master's degrees, but they all just studied general business. I was the only finalist who was under 40 and had previous experience with social media. Luke knew that it was most likely me, but he hadn't mentioned to the boys that I was even applying for the job till after they learned that it was me. The majority of the vote to choose me was unbiased, so HR decided that I could have my job back.
~later that afternoon at Luke's house~
| Luke's POV |
"Hey, babe," I said.
"They fired me," the voice on the phone said.
"Wait. What? Why?"
"Well, I kinda called out my boss, Karen, for being racist, homophobic, and xenophobic."
"Well, that would do it. What about your apartment? That was through your job, right?"
"Well, that's why I'm calling. I have till 9 pm to be out of there."
"Oh shit."
"And I know this is awful timing because the single was released today, but I need help packing."
"Let me get the boys. You wanna meet at your apartment?"
"Where am I going to live, though?"
"With me."
"Are you sure I don't want to impose myself? It's your space, and we were going to wait for the tour to be over."
"Babe, I'm sure."
"Okay, I'll see you soon. Love you."
"Love you too," I said, hanging up the phone.
"Boys!" I yell into the hall, trying to find them.
"Kitchen!" I hear my sister yell.
Walking into the kitchen, I say, "We are going to Danielle's. Calum, can you go get a UHaul? Michael ordered some pizzas to be delivered to her apartment. I'll pay you both back. Obviously, we are going to be there for a little while."
"Wait. Why?" Olivia asked.
"Danielle got fired, and because her apartment was through her job, she has to be out of there by 9 pm."
"Shit. Where is she going to stay?" Olivia asked.
"With us."
"Olivia! You can stay on my couch sometimes if you want, so you don't have to hear sex sounds," Ashton said.
"EW!" Calum said.
"Thank you, Ashton. I'll take you up on that sometime," Olivia laughed.
| Olivia's POV |
"Hey Michael, on the stream last night you said you'll be taking a break from streaming for a bit. What's that about?" I asked
"Oh, so my lease on my apartment is up at the beginning of September. So in like two weeks and I have to move because they are raising my rent with the new lease and I don't wanna pay that much for a one bed one bath," Michael explained
"Ah that makes sense, If I help you pack your apartment, will you help me pack my stuff at Luke's because I really need to not be living with him and Danielle anymore, it's only been a week but I'm tired of the PDA."
"For my best friend, anything." Michael laughed.
"So are you going to tell me why you had me take the day off?" I ask.
"Well, we are going to look at apartments."
"Why take me and not Ocean?"
"Well because I don't want to live with Ocean."
"So why me?" I ask, slightly confused
"Well you need an apartment and I need an -"
"Michael Gordon Clifford, are you asking me to move into an apartment with you?" I jokingly swooned.
"Yes, you asshole. I even found some that are two bedrooms and two bathrooms so we either don't have to share or can have a guest bathroom."
"Okay, but we have to have rules and chores."
"Boo. you're no fun"
"I am not doing all the housework, Michael," I said crossing my arms.
"And I don't expect you to."
"Does Ocean know? Know that you are going to be living with me? I don't want to get between you two."
"She knows I'm getting a new apartment and that I'm getting a roommate."
"But not that it's me."
"Uh, yeah."
*at the first apartment*
I take a deep breath, looking around the cramped and outdated apartment. The peeling paint and cracked tiles do little to endear me to the space, and I can't help but wonder if it's worth the hassle. "All of the appliances are dated, and honestly considering on top of rent there are still utilities and such, this apartment isn't worth it," I say, my voice tinged with disappointment. "What do you think about it, Michael?"
Michael shakes his head, his eyes scanning the room with a critical gaze. "The bedroom isn't big enough for my bedroom and my streaming setup," he says, his tone matter-of-fact. "So it's a no from me."
I nod in agreement, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this apartment isn't worth the trouble. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," I say, my voice tinged with regret. "I really wanted this to work out, but I guess it's back to the drawing board."
Michael nods in agreement, his expression sympathetic. "Don't worry, we'll find something better," he says, his tone reassuring. "We just have to keep looking."
*at the second apartment*
I scan the small living room, trying to imagine what it would be like to live in this apartment. "So this one is okay rent-wise and stuff..." I say, my voice trailing off as I take in the details.
Michael nods, his expression thoughtful. "I guess, but I can hear the conversations that the neighbors are having," he adds, his voice laced with concern.
I frown, imagining how intrusive it would be to overhear the conversations of the neighbors on a daily basis. "That's not ideal," I say, my tone uncertain. "I mean, we could try to soundproof the walls, but that's going to be expensive."
Michael nods, his expression grim. "Yeah, and who knows what other issues this place might have," he says, his voice tinged with skepticism. "We should probably keep looking."
I nod in agreement, feeling a sense of disappointment wash over me. It seems like every apartment we've looked at so far has had some major flaw or issue, and I'm starting to worry that we'll never find the perfect place. "Yeah, you're right," I say, my tone resigned. "Let's keep looking."
*at the fourth apartment*
I stand in the middle of the small, cozy living room, taking in the details of the apartment. "Walls seem solid," I say, rapping my knuckles against the nearest wall. It doesn't sound hollow or flimsy like some of the other apartments we've looked at.
Michael nods in agreement, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Not smelly like the last one," he adds a hint of disgust in his tone. "It's close to Ashton's house too."
I nod, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. It's always a plus to have a friend nearby, especially when you're moving to a new neighborhood. "And the rent is pretty reasonable," I say, my tone optimistic. "I think this might be the one." Michael grins, his expression mirroring my own excitement.
"I also have a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom on the next floor up, if you want to take a look. Maybe for a 3rd roommate or office space," the property manager said.
"Olivia can we!" Michael said like a child.
"Why would we get a third bedroom?" I ask.
"Well cause then I could have a streaming space and you could have a home office," Michael said.
I roll my eyes at Michael's suggestion but couldn't help but smile at his excitement. "Fine, we can go look at it," I say, "But like I said, you'll be paying the difference in rent if we decide to get it. And that's a big if."
The property manager leads us up a flight of stairs, and we follow her down a hallway to the three-bedroom apartment. As soon as we step inside, I'm struck by how spacious it is compared to the two-bedroom unit we just saw. The living room is much larger, and the extra bedroom would make a perfect home office.
Michael, on the other hand, is already envisioning the extra room as his own streaming sanctuary, with all of his equipment set up just the way he likes it. "This is perfect," he says, practically bouncing on his toes. "We have to get it."
~ 2 weeks later ~
"So you have never lived alone?" Michael asked, bringing in the last of our boxes.
"I haven't," I said following behind him. "My freshman year I had a random roommate and then the girls and I moved into a place my sophomore year."
"It's a Friday night."
"Yeah? So what?" I asked.
"We should play a 2 person drinking game. To commemorate getting an apartment together."
"What would we ever play?" I ask.
"Never have I ever. Or a variation of it." Michael suggested.
"I have the card game version of that somewhere. I'll get the drinks."
I walk over to the alcohol cabinet and pour myself a cup of vodka, sprite, and grenadine and I make Michael a rum and coke.
I go over to my box of games and find Never Have I Ever. "One person will draw a card and if you've done it you drink," I said.
"Sounds easy enough I'll draw first," Michael said, "never have I ever been blindfolded during sex."
"Nope. But seems like I'm going to need to drink a lot more for this game," Olivia laughed after Michael read the card.
"Okay," I said, drawing a card," Never have I ever masturbated using a vegetable."
"I can safely say I haven't," Michael said laughing at the question.
"I don't even know why someone would. You can buy things to use that are better and safer online," I say confused.
"Okay, next... never have I ever used olive oil as lube."
Michael takes a drink. He's had sex with other people. Of course, he's had sex with other people. For fucks sake he has had a girlfriend for like 4 months. And he's a popular musician. Am I jealous? I mean I haven't had sex since then but that is just because I have no game and I'm not really into hookup culture.
"Oh my gosh Michael, did you know that oil-based lubes can dissolve condoms?" I asked slightly trying to cover up my reaction to him drinking.
"What?" Michael said shocked at what I said.
"Yeah, they dissolve latex condoms, anyways..." I said reaching to grab another card, "Never have I ever gone home with a stripper." We just sat there staring at each other.
"I have never gone home with one," Michael says leaning forward to grab a card, "Dammit. Never have I ever walked into a glass door." Michael takes a drink.
"I'm proud to say I've never done that... Never have I ever... Oh my gosh. Never have I ever broken something in a store and left." I said reading the card. Michael and I both drink. "You remember that?" I ask, genuinely surprised.
"Yeah, we were in London."
"Way back in the day." I smile.
"What were we even doing? I remember we broke a snow globe of the London Eye but why were we in a gift shop?" Michael asked. Oh. He doesn't actually remember.
"It was our first date. You were going to get me the snow globe because that was where we had our first kiss. You had dropped it and nobody saw or noticed and so we just left. We were so young and didn't know what else to do," I said. My face softened.
"Oh. My turn to draw a card I guess. Never have I ever... had my boss tell me that my work sucks. Does Luke count?" Michael asked.
"Do you consider him your boss?"
"No."
"Then No," I said taking a drink.
"Wait, you're great at your job? Has Richard said you're bad at your job?" Michael asked, surprised.
"No," I laughed, "the opposite actually Richard has said I'm great at my job. When I was in school I was a waitress to make money. My manager one night pulled me aside and said that I was doing awful and that if I didn't change something I would lose my job. I ended up quitting. I hated how the people treated me."
"Smart."
"Thank you. Never have I ever... played strip poker," I said reading the card.
"I have not done that before," Michael said. I quickly try to take a drink so he doesn't notice. "Olivia Claire Hemmings. You have played strip poker! When?"
"It was with Danielle and Elodie. We were drunk."
"Ah. Never have I ever gotten something for free and then pretended like I bought it and gave it to someone as a gift." Michael said, taking a drink.
*multiple drinks later*
"Never have I angrily thrown a drink at someone's face, okay I've never actually done it but I've almost done it," I admitted.
"Little rebellious one you," Michael giggled. "Never have I ever told a significant other, past or present, that my ex had a bigger dick, I've definitely never done that."
I finish up my 3rd drink of the night, luckily Michael doesn't notice.
"You want me to top you off?" I said, my words slightly slurred.
"Sure."
I top off Michaels's drink and make myself a new one.
"Okay, one last card." Michael said, "and it's gonna be all or nothing, you've done it you gotta drink the whole drink."
"Fine," I said.
"Never have I ever dated someone who was bad at giving head," Michael said. Chugging his drink.
"Hey..." I said hitting his arm. I chug my drink.
"You can't give me shit-"
"I never said it was you." It was him, he just didn't need to know that. And in his defense, he was like 17.
*later that evening*
"Michael, would you have stayed?"
"What? What do you mean?" He asked.
"Like if you had known. If we hadn't broken up. Would you have stayed with me?"
"At the time I would've gone to the moon and back for you Liv. I'm going to go to bed because I don't feel great and you should too. We should unpack some more tomorrow since you don't have work. And we need to be fully unpacked before the tour with The Chainsmokers."
~ two weeks later ~
"Thank you, calpalbaby for donating, they said," squinting his eyes Michael reads," Is that a new streaming area? Yeah, my best friend and I actually moved in together like 2 weeks ago because they were living on a different friend's couch, and my lease at my old place was up. She actually let us get the three-bedroom place instead of the two-bedroom so that I could have a streaming space and they could have a home office area."
Sitting on the other side of his streaming setup I notice his eyes light up when he is interacting with fans, like how when a kid comes down the stairs to Christmas presents. His eyes.