WICKED GAMES | COMPLETE

THIRTY

Miles

Miles marched out of the auditorium, unable to face the uproar that he had caused. As he dipped into the crowd, he spotted a familiar face. What was her name, he racked his brains as he glided towards her.

He thought about the dead end that Carly had cornered him into. About his unilateral decision to suspend Mad Labs. About being forced to let Andie go. His life was spiralling out of his control, and he would do anything to rein it back. Heidi. Her name was Heidi.

As she turned around to greet him, he pulled her in and smashed his lips against her mouth. Anything to feel different. Anything to feel in control.

Nothing.

"Miles, what the fuck!" Liam's voice thundered through the crowd. Miles broke away from Heidi, muttering a sorry, and strode towards the exit.

Liam stormed up behind him, planting a forceful hand on his shoulder. He swiped it away and kept walking.

"Not now, Liam."

"What the fuck'd you mean, we're going on hiatus?"

"Not now, Liam."

"This was not what we agreed on, Miles!"

"We'll talk in the hotel."

"Fuck!"

As they arrived in the suite, Liam slammed the door shut and threw his notes onto the floor.

"You want to tell me what the fuck that was all about, mate?"

Miles paced the room, unable to look at his red-faced friend.

"Carly spoke to me," he said slowly.

"That fucking bitch? What did she want?"

"She wanted our work. Our new work. She offered an exchange. Our original code back."

Liam crossed his arms.

"I had to make it look like we didn't have anything."

"The fuck is all this then?" Liam gestured to the notes scattered on the floor, detailing the new concept they had been working on. "You're just going to throw away all of our fucking work?"

Miles sank into the couch. "There was something else." He buried his face in his hands. "She accused me of touching her."

Liam strode over to the couch and sat down. "Tell me. You did not. Touch her."

"I did not." Miles took a deep breath. "But she said the cameras could not prove that. If she goes to the press... This could end me."

Liam ran a hand through his hair. "Fuck, mate."

╳◯

Miles gazed forlornly at the Jessa costume he had taken from Andie. He shoved it into his luggage, along with the rest of his clothes, before zipping it up.

He and Liam exited the suite in sullen silence and headed down to the lobby.

As they strode in silence towards their ride, Miles heard a breathless voice call out his name. He turned around, coming face-to-face with Andie.

"Miles, wait."

He looked back to Liam, who had already begun to load his bags into the car.

"I have to leave," he stated plainly.

"Please, just listen to me." Andie tugged on his arm. "I spent all this time telling myself - telling you - that I wanted us to be casual. But casual wasn't enough to explain the chemistry between us. Can't you feel it, Miles?"

He gripped his luggage tightly and looked at her with vacant eyes.

"You knew how this would end. It was difficult to let you go. But I had to, and I did. I suggest you do the same."