Love Is Symphony |✓

| 37 |

Both Imogen and Kristoff sat upright on their seats when they saw me re-entering the cafe with my shoulders slumped and eyes drawn to the floor.

Imogen's face instantly fell and her lips pursed. "Are you alright?"

No. I was anything but alright. Cherry's call single handedly managed to make my heart beat erratically in my chest and my stomach to churn. Hearing her awfully cheery voice from the other end of the line felt like a slap to my face—a cold slap of reality that I would never be able to have the relationship that I wanted; that I was delusional. Her call clearly stated that no matter how hard I tried, you were out of bounds, Sean. A life with you could never be normal.

"Cherry called," I said instead, taking the seat between them.

"Who's Cherry?" Kristoff asked. He had his chin propped up on his palm and for a moment I felt jealous that he looked so calm while I was anything but. Then again, he wasn't with you. He was with a gorgeous and not-complicated Vanessa Koll.

"She's Sean's personal assistant. Sometimes secretary. An all-around go-to-person if you will."

Kristoff exchanged a brief, knowing look with Imogen which she responded to with wide and warning green eyes, shutting down whatever he wanted to say. I wish I could pretend as if I saw nothing, but in that one brief glance where their eyes met, I realized one thing: it was happening all over again. Another storm was coming up and my friends could easily see what a catastrophe it'd be, yet here I was, trying my best to be okay again.

Imogen cleared her throat and pulled her chair closer to mine. Our elbows touched and the small contact provided me with a bit comfort that I didn't know I needed. "What did she want?"

I sighed. "There's a meeting later this evening at this fancy restaurant —Drago Centro, she said. It's Miranda's birthday this weekend and they're planning on publicizing the relationship on her party. They wanted me to be at the meeting. Everyone will be there including Miranda."

Imogen's eyes turned wide. "Miranda as in Miranda the fake girlfriend slash model?"

How I wish she wasn't. "Yes," I gritted out and she cringed.

Kristoff let out a sound that clearly said oh yeah, I remember her. "Oh! The hot chick with long legs?" One scathing look from Imogen had him shrinking in his seat. He raised his hands in surrender. "Whoa. Okay, okay. Calm down. Jeez. I was just describing the girl."

Imogen turned to look at me, ignoring a sulking Kristoff. She bit the inside of her cheek and traced her bottom lip with a finger, deep in thought. "So if this meeting is about the publicity stunt they're cooking up, then why do they want you there?"

I pursed my lips, suddenly reluctant. It was no less than fifteen minutes ago when I boasted about how much I loved you Sean, and how you loved me back. If I'd tell Imogen the truth, everything that I stood for would crumble down. I didn't know if I was prepared for that. "I don't know."

She gave me a flat look, instantly all the pretense faded away, washing away from my face. I threw my hands in the air. "Fine!" I said, "I have to pretend as one of his assistants and I have to attend as one at the party."

"What?!" This time it was Kristoff who looked stupefied. His mouth hung open as he stared at me in disbelief. "Is this a fucking Netflix movie? I mean... are you effing serious?"

Imogen tilted her head toward our friend as if to say whatever he said,

"I wish I wasn't," I told them, eyes fleeting between them both, "but that's the truth."

"Ha ha. Very funny really." He let out a snort, but sobers up when he saw that none of us was laughing along with him. "No shit," he exclaimed. "You're fucking kidding, right? This isn't a joke? You're really gonna pretend to be your dumbass boyfriend's assistant?"