Taking chances
I need coffee.
Desperately.
I had the worst night ever, having spent most of the night tossing and turning, unable to shake off what happened yesterday. And eventually, which they always do, the unsettling memories of high school crept back, haunting me, hanging over my head like a dark shadow.
I always end up back there, in that damned closet. Five feet of space that haunts my every thought.
My feet drag as I attempt to keep my eyes open long enough until I can get some caffeine. I’d take it in an IV if possible. When I lift my eyes and spot Gabi leaning against the wall, staring down at her phone, I relax a little, knowing that I’m almost there.
I met Gabriella freshman year, so it’s been a little over two years since we were paired as roommates, and become friends ever since. But that girl has too much energy. Like a puppy or a kid hooked on candy.
So when I see her look up at me with a grin on her face, my eyes narrow in suspicion. “What’s going on?” I ask her when she stands in front of the door, blocking me from my caffeinated happiness.
A smirk breaks out on her face as she holds her phone out to me. “Anything you want to tell me?”
I grab her phone and glance down at the screen, my eyes widening when I see the mention of my name. I quickly swipe, scrolling down to see what the hell is going on.
Lucas Silva has a new girlfriend!
“What?” I practically yell.
Scrolling down further, I spot a picture of me, or more accurately, of Lucas holding me in his arms like a baby. We’re drenched from the rain, my hair a complete mess stuck to my face, and my eyes are widened in shock.
I can still feel the way my stomach dropped when he picked me up in that elevator. I didn’t even realize the doors had opened. I was stuck, thinking back to the darkness, the hours I spent alone with no one else to talk to. So when I finally came to, I was more than a little shocked that I was halfway up in the air, in the arms of a stranger.
Little did I know it would end up all over the internet.
I scroll down again and scan the article, my head shaking in bewilderment the more I read. Lines and lines of absolute lies about how I’m his secret girlfriend, and we’re finally announcing our relationship. Who the hell is this guy?
My brows furrow as I keep reading. A picture of him shows up, and my eyes linger on it. I remember thinking he was attractive yesterday, but this picture is another level.
“When did this happen?” Gabi asks. “And why didn’t I know about it?”
“It didn’t,” I say, keeping my eyes on the screen. “I only met him yesterday.”
“Wait, so you don’t know who he is?” she asks.
I lift my head and sigh. “No, I don’t. This is all bullshit,” I tell her, giving her phone back before pushing the doors open to the café.
“Woah,” she says, trailing behind me. “I’m going to need more information. How did you meet? Where did you meet? Why’s he holding you? Did you kiss? Is he single? Did you get his number?”
“Gabi,” I cut her off. “I’m running on two hours of sleep. Let me have my fix first, and then I’ll be more inclined to answer those questions.”
“Oh my god. Something happened, didn’t it?”
I turn to face her and lift my eyebrows. “Do you even know me?”
She scoffs, shaking her head. “Right.”
“What can I get you?” I lift my eyes to see a warm smile from the barista in front of me.
“I’ll have a medium brewed coffee with two pumps of vanilla syrup and a hint of caramel drizzle, please,” I tell her, pulling out my wallet.
“Coming right up,” she says before heading into the back.
“So this guy,” Gabi asks, moving out of the way while I wait for my drink. “He just picked you up?”
“We’re still talking about that?”
“C’mon,” she says, giving me a smirk. “This is huge.”
My shoulders lift in a shrug. “It’s nothing. I don’t even know the guy. It all happened so fast.”
“Where did you meet, though?” she asks, furrowing her brows. “How did you end up in his arms?”
The door opens, and I spot Leila and Rosalie walking in, my other two best friends whom I also met freshman year. Leila’s phone is in her hand, and I already know what’s coming. “When were you going to tell me about this?” she asks, her brows lifted.
“Not you, too,” I groan.
She shakes her head. “You’re dating one of my best friends and weren’t going to tell me?”
“Best friend?” I ask. “Since when?”
“Yeah,” Rosalie adds. “Since when?” I smirk when I see Rosie narrowing her eyes at her best friend since high school.
“You know Lucas,” Leila says to Rosie. ‘You met him like three times.”
“Not as your best friend,” she replies, crossing her arms in a huff.
Leila chuckles. “I said one of my best friends. Your position is safe, don’t worry.”
“Wait.” I shake my head, trying to understand. It’s too damn early for this. “How do you know Lucas?”
“We met when I was a younger, doing commercial modeling,” she says. “How do you know him?”
“He’s a model?” I ask her.
“Madi.” She shakes her head. “He’s a very well-known model. He’s been on billboards, and he’s been the face of clothing brands, underwear brands, even perfumes.”
“Perfumes?” I repeat, narrowing my eyes. Bastard stole my spot in that audition, didn’t he?
“That’s not important,” she says. “Question is, why is there a picture of you two, and why are people saying you’re dating?”
“She says she only met him yesterday,” Gabi tells her. “Doesn’t even know the guy.”
“Then how did you end up in his arms?” Rosalie asks, flicking her blonde hair behind her shoulder.
“I asked her that,” Gabi says. “Still hasn’t given me a response.” They all turn to me, seeking for answers I can’t give them. I still don’t quite understand what the hell happened yesterday and why it’s all over the internet.
“Medium brew, two pumps of vanilla.”
My head snaps to the left, seeing my drink on the counter. “Oh, thank God.” I grab the drink and quickly pay. My eyes close when I take a sip, and my shoulders slump, feeling the caffeine travel down my veins. I might be a little addicted, but hey, at least it’s legal. When I look up, all three of the girls are staring back at me, waiting for an answer.
I let out a sigh and head to the nearest table, taking a seat. “It’s a long story,” I tell them, waiting for them to sit. I take a sip of my coffee and blow out a breath before I continue. “The elevator broke down yesterday because of the blackout.”
“Fuck,” Leila says, her lime green eyes softening. “Are you okay?”
I nod. “I’m fine, I was just…” I shake my head, not wanting to relive it, or anything else for that matter.
“Why didn’t you tell me this yesterday?” Gabi asks, with a frown on her face.
I shrug. “I just didn’t want to talk about it. It all happened so fast. One minute, it was dark. The next, he was picking me up, and people were taking pictures.”
“The paparazzi go crazy over Lucas,” Leila says, shaking her head. “I’m lucky people don’t care about me as much.” She lets out a laugh. “It’s insane with him, especially when he was still living in New York.”
Leila’s been modeling since she was a child, doing small commercial shoots before she bloomed out into plus-size modeling once she graduated. She manages to attend college as well as do some jobs here and there, but something tells me the same can’t be said for Lucas. I only had a small dose of what it could be like for him yesterday.
“And now he’s not?” I ask her.
She shakes her head. “He moved back to be close to his family. I’m actually surprised that you don’t know who he is.”
I groan. “I’d rather keep it that way,” I say, taking a sip of my coffee. “He was an ass.”
“What?” Leila asks with a laugh. “Lucas is one of the kindest people I’ve met.”
I shrug. “Maybe with you, but he kept yelling at me the whole time.” I shake my head, remembering how he was being a pain about me being freaked out. “I mean, come on, who doesn’t freak out when an elevator stops?” I ask with a huff, swallowing harshly.
My phone buzzes, and I snap myself out of thinking about what went down yesterday and grab my phone. My eyes widen when I see the first line of the email and I quickly open it.
“Oh my god,” I gasp, my eyes scanning down the email.
“What?” the girls ask.
I lift my head with a grin. “I just got an email from an agent. Someone called Ana Parker at Merge Media wants to meet with me.”
“You’re serious?” Gabi asks.
I nod, reading over the email again. “She said she had an interesting opportunity for me and would love to schedule a meeting.”
“That’s huge,” Leila says.
“Do you think it’s from yesterday’s audition?” Gabi asks.
I scoff, shaking my head. “No way. That audition tanked.”
“Maybe it was from another audition?” Rosie asks.
I shrug, my smile too big to contain. My heart starts to beat with anticipation and something similar to hope. “Maybe,” I say. “But I’m excited for what this could mean,” I admit, feeling a little better after the whole fiasco with Lucas Silva.
“I’m so fucking happy for you right now,” Gabi says, reaching over to pull me in for a hug.
I shake my head, unable to say any words. How long have I been waiting for an opportunity like this? For someone to see my potential and want to hire me?
Way too long.
