Bookworm (A KSI Fanfic)

NINE

I looked in the mirror once it was morning and groaned. My eyes had dark bags under them and I looked like I hadn't slept in weeks.

It wasn't entirely my fault. Sam kept me up the whole night on the phone, and I fell asleep during our call. I constantly tried to tell him that I was tired, but he always seemed to either not care or not hear me as he continued to talk about himself for hours. Me, being the pushover I was, didn't want to hang up on him.

I opened my door and slowly made my way to the kitchen, where Simon and JJ were sitting and there was some random woman cooking something on the stove.

"You look like shit," JJ told me. I narrowed my eyes, but Simon nodded in agreement so I tentatively reached a hand up to my face.

"Oh, uh, I didn't get much sleep last night," I mumbled. I yawned and smiled at the woman in the kitchen before looking at what she was wearing and turning to Simon.

He chuckled. "Yeah, JJ hired a chef. He starts training soon and he needs to eat healthy."

"A...a chef?" I was in awe. How did they not run out of money?

"I'm Natalie," She held her hand out to me so I took it.

"Cassie," I shook her hand before checking my phone. "I should leave soon. He said wear something tight, should I wear a dress?"

JJ and Simon looked at each other before JJ spoke. "You're going to let him tell you what to wear?"

I stood up straight and rolled my shoulders back, glaring at him. "He's not telling me what to wear. He just suggested it."

Simon opened his mouth to speak but I turned around before he could, going back into my room and changing into black, high waisted skinny jeans and a tight red crop top that highlighted my curves well.

I put on makeup for the first time in months, mainly to cover the prominent bags under my eyes. I put on mascara and eyeliner, and stared at myself in the mirror for a long time. I was a completely different person, and I hated it.

I glanced over at my nightstand, staring at the books and itching to call off the date and read.

But I wouldn't.

I put on a black coat and walked out, ignoring the surprised stares from JJ and Simon and quickly leaving.

I got into Sam's car.

"What took you so long?" He demanded.

"I woke up late, sorry," I mumbled. He looked me up and down with a smirk before pulling away from the building.

As we drove, he talked about what we would be doing and I sighed.

Domino's at his place wasn't exactly romantic. Not to mention all of his friends would be there, which made me extremely uncomfortable.

As we pulled up to another building and started walking inside, he wrapped an arm around me and pulled me to his side. His hand rested a little too close to my butt, but I knew better than to complain.

*****

The sun was already setting as I raced up to the steps of the mansion we would be staying at. Sam had refused to drop me off at the house to get ready, but I eventually convinced him to let me take a cab to where I needed to be that night. I knocked on the door multiple times until Vik opened it, and I sighed.

"I'm so sorry I'm late. I had to take a cab here and—"

"You took a cab?" He let me in and cleared his throat. "You look...different."