THIS LOVE | shayne topp

1.07

   THE SOUND OF ELEANORE'S phone ringing and buzzing interrupted her and Laurie trying to film the podcast multiple times, Laurie finally snapping.

   She slammed her hand down onto the couch. "Just turn it off already! What is so important that it's taking time away from our job?"

   Eleanore has never heard Laurie yell like that. Especially at her. They've definitely gotten mad and upset with each other, but just the look on the blonde girls face made Eleanore uneasy.

   The moment between the two felt like hours for Eleanore. Her eyes were widened and her hand was resting lightly on her phone that was face down on the couch next to her. Her gaze dropped to her phone, but right back at Laurie knowing that she was expecting a response.

   "Uh, Shayne was just texting me plans for in a few weeks. I may be in a Smosh video. I'm sorry." Eleanore's voice was low and quiet, definitely taken aback by her friends outburst. Which she was going to take full accountability for, knowing she should have just turned her phone off and let them do their job and worry about this later.

   Laurie takes a deep breath. "El, I love you, but we have a job to do here. Just turn your phone off and figure it out later, okay?" Her voice was lowered now and her shoulders were less tense and dropped back down.

   The two took a breather and grabbed water from the fridge before grabbing Hunter and returning back to their spots to film. They weren't awkward this episode, but definitely not as lively as they normally would be.

   Eleanore was overthinking it the whole way home, keeping her music low the whole drive. She did end up texting Laurie just to apologize and explain it wont happen again and that she'll have her phone on silent for recording starting now.

   Laurie really didn't care, she was just stressed out about family stuff, and that made Eleanore not as stressed about it. She plopped down on the couch next to Alyssa and Maude, explaining everything that happened today with her friend and coworker.

   Maude put it into great perspective for her. The immediate difference in Eleanore's demeanor after the amount of time her and Laurie have known each other is going to throw her off big time, but neither of them were wrong for what happened earlier.

   She sat with this for a while, and thought it over. There have been a lot of changes in Eleanore's life recently, and Laurie had only ever known her with Sam. So of course things started to change once they broke up and she began reconnecting with friends and family from before that relationship.

   For a long time, Shayne was sort of her therapist before she actually got one, which she stopped going to when her and Sam got together. But whenever anything would happen, she would immediately call Shayne or be driving to his apartment and they would sit and talk for hours about whatever she needed to.

   And he would always listen. Shayne was extremely patient with her, always. Whatever was on her mind, no matter how insane she sounded, he was there for her no matter what.

   During the time of Eleanore being dragged away from all the important people in her life, she always tried to keep that bond and relationship with Shayne. He did too. He could tell immediately when she started to drift because of her relationship and he continued to try and pull her closer.

   Her mind stayed on this while Love is Blind played in the background, an almost empty bowl of pasta sitting in her lap while she sat at her desk. The only light on was the corner lamp and an old Bath & Body Works candle lit by her side.

   There was still sound coming from the living room where Alyssa and Maude were watching a movie. The two invited Eleanore to join them but she was too in her mind right now to sit with friends.

   Eleanore didn't know what she was gonna do. There was still this voice in the back of her mind wondering why these people all just let her into their lives with open arms and with no complaints. No one was mad at her, no one was upset with her.

   She couldn't decide if it was pity, if it was all some sort of big joke, or if they really wanted her back in their lives. The latter was the most obvious answer, but she still just couldn't believe it.

   Texts were continuously coming through her phone, from multiple people. Laurie, talking about some podcast ideas, Aaliyah and Damien, making plans for the two of them to hang out, and Shayne, making both plans for her to be featured on Smosh and just for the two of them to reconnect and be how they used to.

   It was weird for her phone to be blowing up like this. A few days ago she called her mom, and it was one big crying fest. Eleanore and Damien were flying out to see her and their older sister within the next few weeks. She was extremely excited.

   There was a large pile of laundry laying out on her unmade bed that she was dreading dealing with. But its Sunday, and she wanted to get it all done before the week got started.

   She quickly finished the rest of her dinner and paused the show playing through her laptop, going and putting her dish in the sink. Alyssa and Maude were no longer in the living room, and now in Alyssa's room with the door open as Sadie had joined them in there.

   There weren't too much that Eleanore had to do tonight. Just laundry, putting away her shoes that laid on her floor, and then vacuum and that was it. The sooner she got it done, the sooner she could go to bed which was calling her name

   A lot of emotions followed her throughout the day and honestly the past couple of weeks as well. Eleanore was still trying to navigate all the changes that have happened since Vidcon a few weeks ago.

   As these thoughts took over her mind again, her phone began ringing. The contact was bright on her screen, reading 'Shayne Topp'. He thoughts immediately left her mind as she answered the call with a deep breath and a smile on her face.

   "Hey, Shayne." Eleanore said while she sat on her desk chair which was pulled out into the center of her room so she could vacuum under the desk. Her phone was on speaker, resting it on her knee which was tucked up to her chest.

   "Hey! Sorry, I know its late. But I talked to Ian, Anthony and our production managers and you're good to come to the Smosh office whenever. We can actually plan more tomorrow."

   She smiled, "Okay, sounds good! Thanks."

   They talked more for the next twenty minutes, just catching up from the last couple of days. Eleanore really did love talking to him and the conversations they shared. With him everything was completely normal. And that's all she wanted right now. Just the normal back.