Chapter 12

MCKINLEY P.O.V

The girls from work were all sitting in my office eating lunch and talking. I loved having their company. It was difficult to pick up my entire life and move here and they made the move so easy. They made me feel so welcome and they made my job so much easier.

"Wanna go out clubbing tonight with us?" Nicole asked.

"Sure. Where are we gonna go? Do you wanna meet at my apartment?"

"Sure. That would be perfect." She smiled. It was nice to know that these girls didn't just see me as their boss. That we could hang out outside of work and I wouldn't fire them because of their drunkenness.

I had tried to avoid the boys as much as possible so it was nice that I was finally being invited to do something and I wouldn't actually spend this weekend alone. Each person went on their way to finish their work but Nicole stayed behind. I had always been closer with Nicole so it wasn't unusual for her to stay longer.

She closed my office door before sighing and sitting in front of me.

"Can I ask you something really embarrassing?"

"Yeah. What's wrong?"

"After the club do you think I could sleep at your place? My parents kicked me out."

"Oh gosh! Yes of course you can. Do you wanna move in actually? That would be awesome!" I smiled. I had been thinking of getting a roommate for a while now and I think Nicole would be the perfect fit. We were the same age and we both loved the same thing.

"I would love to but what if I call out of work sick and I'm not actually sick."

"I don't care about that." I waved my hand. I always allowed my employees to call out. Even if they weren't sick. As long as they didn't make a habit out of it. "I have plenty of bedrooms for you stay."

"I'll help with rent."

"Not needed. The company pays the rent for me."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah." I shrugged. I couldn't afford to live in L.A if they didn't pay for it. One of the deals of me moving my entire life here to run the office was that they needed to pay for me to live. It didn't take much convincing for them to do it. I figured it would be a small little apartment but no this thing had four bedrooms and three bathrooms and was huge.

"What about Liam? Won't get mad that I'm there all the time?"

"He broke up with me." I answered. "It's a long story." I sighed. I knew that my relationship with Liam was not going to last long. For me, sex is a big thing in a relationship and if you can't please me enough, I can't stay.

"I think I know why." She nonchalantly said as she shuffled through some paperwork. I right away knew what Nicole was talking about and laughed.

"You slept with him too?" She nodded. "Did you like him?" Now I was panicked that I took him away from her.

"I did. Until I slept with him." I rolled her eyes. Liam was the nicest guy. He knew how to treat a women and he was very obviously raised that you respect women. He was always kind. He always held doors for me, he always made sure that I was protected. He never started eating his food until mine was also placed on the table. It was the simple things.

Of course everyone had things that they needed to work on. No one is perfect. If I could have looked passed not being pleased sexually I think maybe we could have worked out but like I said, that's not possible for me.

"Yup. That's why we broke up. And he knows why. And he didn't hear it from my mouth."

"Who told him?"

"Luke. My ex." I commented as I typed out an email. "It was the most awkward thing that has ever happened in my life."

"How did that happen?" I explain to her everything that had occurred. "This Kristen chick sounds stupid." I wasn't sure if she was stupid. I never really got the chance to know her because instead of trying to get to know me, she acted like I was the one who hurt Luke.

"I don't really know her." I shrugged. "But she makes Luke happy."

"You really want him to be happy?"

"Of course I do." I wasn't sure if we would ever get back together and I wasn't going to be the one to ruin it if we could. Luke couldn't say the same.

*LUKE P.O.V*

"Luke, can I speak with you?" My boss came into my office where I was figuring out dates for someone's album.

"Of course." I sat up.

"The office in New York has really gone downhill. Would you be willing to fly out for maybe a week or two to help out over there?"

"Sure." I had no problem going back home. I would also be able to spend time with my family which would be nice.

"We'll probably send Michael too. If he's willing."

"He won't be. Ask Calum." Since moving out here Calum has really stepped up and helped us out. Back home he was lazy and rarely showed up on time. Now Michael came in late and left early because of his girlfriend.

"Why won't he?"

"He won't go if his girlfriend can't go."

"Seriously?"

"Yes." Michael never hung out with us anymore. Ever. The only time we really saw him was when we were working or had a work dinner. Hell we weren't even invited to his engagement party. Michael had hurt me when he did that. "I'm not going if Michael goes."

"I'll ask Calum." He quickly left my office. "You fly out next week with Calum. Thanks, Luke. My assistant will send you the information." And with that he was out of the office and onto a new task.

Within the next two hours I received the information with our flight. Thankfully we only had to be in the office 4 days out of the week so we could spend the other days with our family.

I left work and right away headed home to start cooking dinner for Kristen. But of course nothing can ever go my way and Michael came flying into the apartment like a bull.

"Why did I just get a call from John asking me why everyone hates me?"

"Why do you think?" I really was questioning Michael's friendship lately. It was clear that he didn't care about the rest of us and it was all about his girlfriend. I didn't want to fight with him about this. I knew that he loved her and wanted to be with her but he was putting her above everyone else.

"Seriously?! Because I hang out with her more? I've been hanging out with you morons for years!"

"You didn't even invite us to your engagement party! Do you know how much that hurts?" He obviously didn't care because I'm sure she convinced him not to invite us. She never even tried to mix with our group.

"You weren't supportive of us." I sighed.

"We support you Michael but the last time this happened-" He cut me off before I could say anything more.

"This is not like last time." He gritted through his teeth.

"It's exactly like last time just less death!" I shouted. "Is she pregnant yet?!" Michael rushed into everything he did. I knew he wasn't trying to replace his ex and Callie but it sure as hell felt like it.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that!" I was just trying to get him to see that life isn't all about just getting married and having kids and throwing your friends away for that. There was more to life than what he was doing.

"Open your eyes, Michael! You do not need to rush into everything. Get to know her first. You will regret this for the rest of your life." He just shook his head. "You're missing out on things because you're with her. Me, Ashton and Calum all get to go to London for a three day music festival and you don't get to go because you didn't show up to the meeting. Stop letting a girl dictate your future." With that he walked out of the apartment and slammed the door.

*MCKINLEY P.O.V*

I loved spending time with the girls and I loved the fact that we could all each have a few drinks and dance without getting blasted.

We called it a night around 3am and Nicole walked next to me back to the apartment.

"I really appreciate this."

"I'm just glad I have someone to talk to at night." I laughed. I think she would make a perfect roommate and I was more than thrilled to offer her a room. She came over first today so that she could pick a room and leave some of her things in it. I felt terrible that her parents kicked her out and if I could make this move on easier on her, I would do whatever it takes. "It gets lonely but I think you'll like not living with your parents. Can do whatever you want."

"Yeah." She smiled a little. Of course she was kicked out and I made the decision to move out but that's beside the point. It was awesome to live in your own place, not have to pay the bills and you could come and go as you pleased. "It just sucks that the people who are suppose to take care of me, kicked me out."

"Did you get into a fight or something?" She nodded. I wasn't going to press the topic because that was her business and she did not need to tell me what was going on if she didn't want to.

Once we got back to the apartment I quickly heated up some left overs for us and we went to my room to watch T.V.

"Ashton? Why are you in my bed?"

"Waiting for you to get home. Luke is raging like a madman and I didn't wanna be there. Where have you been?" He asked as I got into the bed beside him.

"We went to the club. Nicole this is Ashton. One of Luke's friends."

"I'm not your friend?"

"I don't know." Nicole got into the bed beside me without saying a word. We both ate and of course Ashton finished off what I couldn't. Nicole eventually got tired and went off to her room while I went to the bathroom to change and got back into bed with Ashton.

"I'm your friend." He commented as he got under the covers and shut the lamp off.

"Alright." I commented cuddling into him. "How's your love life?"

"Non-existant."

"Same." I laughed. "Why do you think Luke did that to me?" Referring to what he did to Liam. I could understand Luke trying to hurt me but he barely knew Liam. Besides Liam not being good in bed, he was a good person.

"He wanted to show off." I had never in my life thought that Luke would ever do that to me. He was always so nice to me and tried his best to not make me uncomfortable when we all hung out together.

"It hurt me." I whispered. "Liam broke up with me."

"I know."

"How did you know?"

"Well if I ever heard from my girls ex that I sucked in bed, we would not be together." He commented. I just never thought that Luke would be the one who would do that to me. I did everything in my power to avoid him but somehow his friends kept breaking in.

"I just never thought he would be the one to hurt me like that. I thought we were okay. I thought that we were getting better. I thought he was coming around to the idea of getting back together and then when he flat out said no and I found Liam I thought there was no way he could be angry at me about it." I rambled on.

"You still love him." I wasn't a question. It was a statement.

"Yes." I whispered. No matter how much I tried to convince myself that I did not love him anymore, I couldn't stop my feelings.

Life for the next few weeks went without any type of adventure or drama. I hadn't seen the boys in a while and I was started to get worried so I went to their apartment. Luke answered with a blanket wrapped around him.

"Hey." He stepped to the side and let me in.

"Hey. Haven't heard or seen anyone in weeks. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah we're fine." He commented going back to the couch. We were quiet for a few minutes before he spoke. "I talked to Ashton."

"About?"

"About what you talked about the night he stayed over. I'm sorry. Really. I should not have done that to either you or Liam and it was wrong of me."

"You have no idea how much it hurt me." I looked over at him. He was beautiful. He was everything I have ever wanted in a partner and he wasn't mine. Not even close. Hell he probably was never going to be mine again. "And I don't understand why that Kristen girl hates me so much."

"She heard you say that I was the best fuck you ever had or whatever and that made her uncomfortable."

"Oh. Well I didn't intent for her to hear that."

"I know that."

"Is it serious with her?" I didn't really want to know about their relationship but I also did. I wanted to know for my own peace of mind. Maybe I would be able to move on from him.

"I think so." He answered. "Obviously not as serious as Mikes." He rolled his eyes.

"What does that mean?" I asked and grabbed a blanket from the couch and wrapped it around myself.

"He's getting married in two months."

"What? How long has he even been with her?"

"By the time they get married, nine months." I shook my head. I just couldn't believe that he was actually getting married. "I haven't even gotten the invite yet."

"How do you know when he's getting married then?"

"He told me the date. If he doesn't invite me then I will never talk to him again." I wouldn't talk to him either.

"How's Jack and Celeste doing?" I talked to Celeste at least every other day so I already knew that she was pregnant. They had announced it a few weeks back.

"Good. They're having a baby." He smiled. I'm sure Luke was excited about becoming an uncle but I'm sure it also sucked being away from your entire family.

"That's fun." I smiled. Making small talk with Luke sucked. We used to be able to sit in comfortable silence and never felt the need to fill the silence with conversation. Now I felt out of wack.

The front door opened and Kristen came through followed by Calum and Ashton.

"Well well well." She crossed her arms. I did not want to deal with this right now.

"Hey. Sorry. I was just leaving. Was just checking in." I quickly stood and headed for the door making sure to stay out of her way as she headed towards Luke.

"So you were cheating." She accused us.

"No. No. I would never do that to you. I know how that feels. It sucks." I commented.

"I didn't cheat on you." Luke commented. I really did not want to be here when this fight went down. I was not the type of girl to purposely cheat with someone. I would never do that to Kristen whether I was in love with Luke or not. I thought that we could try to be friends but that didn't seem like it was going to happen any time soon.

For the first time in a long time I felt the need to cry over him. He should be mine and he's not.

*LUKE P.O.V*

"I know you didn't cheat on me." She commented as soon as McKinley left and I heard Ashton and Calum both sigh in relief. "I know you are not that type of person. I know she isn't either." She commented. At least we were making progress on the McKinley friend train.

"She's our friend." I commented.

"I know she is. I'm sorry." I thought we were going to have a huge fight about it but she seemed really understanding. "I trust you." She smiled kissing me. "How was your day? What were you guys talking about?"

"Just told her I was sorry for what I did at the party and then we started talking about Michael." I shrugged. My entire mind was consumed with Michael. I knew that I wasn't going to be invited to his wedding. I had a horrible feeling deep down inside that he was going to leave me out just to be an asshole. "I don't think I'll be invited to the wedding." I frowned.

"Why do you think that?"

"The wedding is coming up and usually invitations are sent out so they know how many are coming so that they can order dinners." I commented. "I don't think I have a spot." I knew our fight upset him but I also knew that he wasn't planning to invite me before then anyway. "He's not a very good friend." He had moved out months ago and never even stepped foot back into the apartment unless he was confronting one of us about something we said. "I'm pretty upset about it."

Kristen rubbed my back as she listened to me talk. I felt like a child for acting the way I was acting but anyone would when they're friend wasn't being a very good one.

"Did you tell him how you felt?"

"Yeah. He didn't really seem to care about anyone but her. So fine." I wasn't going to give him the time of day. I did not care anymore. "It's stupid. He's stupid." I mumbled.

"He's not stupid. You're just mad." She commented. Which was true. I knew Michael wasn't stupid. But he wasn't a good person.

*MCKINLEY P.O.V*

As soon as I got through the door of my apartment I burst into tears. I had no idea why. Obviously it was because of Luke. I loved him so much that it hurt everything inside of me. I wanted to be with him more than I have ever wanted anything in my entire life.

"Oh my god!" Nicole came out of her room and saw me sitting against the door. "Are you hurt? What happened?" She kneed in front of me checking my body and lifting my arms from where they were sitting on my stomach.

As soon as she got my arms loose from my body I pulled her into me. And she finally understood that I just needed her to hug me for a few minutes.

"It's gonna be okay." I wasn't so sure anymore.