Grey

Thirty-Three

[RORY]

"Nooo, come on. The white one by far," Em was stomping her foot like a petulant child, eyes scanning my body. She was frowning deeply, even though I knew the dress was hardly offensive. "The black is nice but it's so predictable, can you be girly for once?"

"I'm going to ignore the implication there," I muttered, glancing in the store's dressing room mirror. Em hovered in the doorway, judging me judging myself. "I don't know, this one is nice. I like how it fits."

"You like it because it's a bag and it hides your body."

"Correct."

"No, Rory, come on. Don't you want to look all nice and sexy for Finn?"

My neck nearly snapped as I glared at her, shaking my head in annoyance. She smirked, though I didn't find it funny. "I told you, that is done."

"That's bullshit and you know it," she scoffed. "I heard you on the phone with him last night. And the night before that. And before that."

"We're still friends, obviously. I just think that it has run its course in a romantic way and I told you that."

"Have you hooked up recently?"

I turned away, busying myself with getting the dress off as she slipped into the dressing room and locked the door. Flashes of the night before made my cheeks heat and I didn't want her to see that, because it was misrepresentative - it had been the first time in awhile. "That doesn't matter."

"Did you invite him to the gala?"

"He can't make it."

"That's not what I asked."

I turned around to catch Em rolling her eyes at me. "I did not invite him, no. I know he can't make it. His schedule has been crazy and I doubt he'd want to come anyway."

She gave me a look that made it abundantly clear she disagreed, though thankfully kept her mouth shut. It was the 20th of December and while most were running around the city doing last minute Christmas prep, Em and I were shopping for an outfit for my dad's annual New Year's Eve gala. While I hardly agreed with everything my father did - business-wise or personally - the event was one I greatly approved of and looked forward to. All of the proceeds went to charity, there was an abundance of free liquor and hors de'oeuvres, and cameras weren't allowed inside.

At the end of our shopping, I didn't buy either dress. Em was pleased with the one she found - something red, something floral, something very girly as she would say. I was over shopping and ready to go grab food, dragging her straight from check-out to the cafe across the street.

We were seated outside quickly, the waitress pulling over a space heater so we'd be comfortable. While summer would always be my favorite season, winter in LA wasn't so bad. We ordered our food and started chatting about Christmas Eve plans when my phone started buzzing on the table. I glanced down, seeing it was Finn trying to FaceTime and immediately silenced it.

Em eyed me from across the table, unenthused with my immediate reaction. I began to try and carry on with the conversation when the phone started ringing again.

"Sorry," I muttered, looking down to see him calling again. I ignored it, once more. "As you were saying."

Barely 10 seconds had gone by before it began ringing again, Em finally laughing. "Just answer it, Rory! Why are you being so weird, just answer it."

I huffed, giving in with full intent to scold him for his persistence. Instead, I was met with a far less annoying sight than Finn's smug smirk. 

Oli's cheeks were flushed, his smile wide, eyes dancing with excitement. It was later on in the evening in London, his breath coming out in a puff that confirmed just how cold it was.