Me:Go away.
Unknown:So…no date, then?
Me:Go. Away.
Unknown:I see you’re still grumpy. I guess nothing else has worked, has it?
Unknown:Keep an eye out for a special delivery at your place tonight.
I read the text from my locked screen, but I don’t open it.
Instead, I place my phone face up on my vanity, and call Mara to sit in my chair so I can get started on her hair.
She smiles as she makes her way over. Once she’s comfortably seated, her eyes focus on herself in the mirror. Taking her long, blonde hair out of its ponytail, I get to work.
She sits silently, scrolling on her phone, while mine vibrates again to remind me of Cole’s message. Her eyes flick up to follow where the sound came from, and I watch her eyebrow quirk up as she makes out the message. “You don’t have your own boyfriend’s number saved in your phone?” she questions without looking at me.
It should bother me that she seems to know his number off by heart, too, but I don’t let it.
“He got a new number before shooting started, and I just haven’t gotten around to saving it,” I lie with a shrug. Focusing on her hair, I silently pray that she doesn’t notice the way my hands are shaking, hoping I don’t get caught out in a lie.
I allow myself to look at her screen while she scrolls, and I see her flicking through pictures on Cole’s social media, news articles, and whatever else she can find on him that I’ve no doubt already seen.
“You know, it’s only a matter of time before our managers tell everyone that he and I are dating, right?” She locks her phone, puts it in her lap and watches me for a reaction, but I don’t give her one.
I keep my focus on her hair.
“Is it?” I reply, gripping the handle of the curling iron firmly, swirling her blonde locks around the wand.
“It is. And instead of pretending to be in love withyou, he gets to pretend to be in love withme.” It’s not lost on me that she’s saying these things for me to react, but I’ve also dealt with a lot of shitty comments from people in my life who actually mean something to me.
Mara is someone I’ll never have to see again.
“Places, people,” Laurel Jo claps her hands loudly, the sound echoing through the giant space. Chatter surrounding us lessens, the sound of hurried footsteps replacing it.
“You’re lucky, you know,” Mara says, ignoring the instructions and remaining firm in her seat.
“How so?”
“You’re lucky you met him before I did. Because trust me, if it were the other way around, it would be me he’d be waking up next to every morning. But it’s still early days, isn’t it? Who knows, I could make him change his mind.” She attempts to rise from her seat, but I rest my hands on her shoulders to keep her in place, ignoring another call from Laurel.
I crouch down in front of her, making it look like I’m inspecting Tahnee’s makeup job, inching a little closer to her than necessary.
“I kind of want to see you try.” I keep my voice low, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “Because if there’s one thing I love to witness, it’s the downfall of a mean girl.” I stand, taking a step back from her, and she clears her throat while rising to her feet.
She walks away, flicking her fresh waves over her shoulder, hips swaying side to side, and a smile spread wide across her face.
I hate that I stooped to her level over a man who means little to me. But what I hate even more, is when a woman knows a man is taken, and still does everything in her power to make him pick her.
After all, if I just let her assume she could have Cole, I wouldn’t be able to kiss him ‘hello’ every morning and ignore him for the rest of the day.
I must admit, that part has been fun.
***
There are two boxes sitting on the floor in front of my apartment door, waiting for me when I get home, and I know they’re from Cole.
They have no name, no address, and no sticker to show who sent it, or what it could be, but going by his still unread text from earlier today, it’s obvious.
