Allies

Elle stared at her friend with stunned silence for a moment before the words "What are you doing here?" stumbled out of her mouth.

Abby gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry if I woke you. You're usually an early bird, I hoped you would have already woken up. You told me about your move the other day remember? I was in the area so I wanted to quickly drop off a house warming gift."

Elle glanced nervously towards the bedroom. "If this is a bad time I can come back later." Abby trailed off.

"No," Elle said as she ran her hands through her no doubt messy hair. "You came all this way, at least have a cup of tea before you go."

Abby agreed with a smile and entered the apartment for the first time. "Still unpacking I see." She noted as she saw the stacks of boxes and bags strewn across the living room.

"Sorry for the mess." Elle apologized as she brought over some tea. "I hadn't been expecting someone so soon."

It was Abby's turn to turn her head away with embarrassment. A silence fell over the two as they sat on the couch and slowly sipped at their tea. At first Elle didn't know what to say, after a while the silence became so unbearable that she would have brought up any topic just for it to be over, but Abby beat her to it.

"Look," She started, finally bringing up her true motive for coming over in such a rush. "Jacob told me about what happened between the two of you. I didn't know the whole story before. Now I realized how rude of me it was to have pushed you to reconcile with him before. I can understand now why you wouldn't."

Elle frowned slightly and leaned back into the sofa. "It's fine. Like you said, you didn't know the whole story before."

"You always had a strong sense of right and wrong." Abby continued. "Even when we were young you never let anyone else's opinion sway you. But Jacob and I…we aren't as certain as you."

Elle narrowed her eyes. "What are you here for? She asked blatantly.

"I won't tell you to meet with Jacob, I won't tell you to forgive him like before, but as a friend, as a favour to me, can't you at least talk to him? Everything that happened has been weighing heavily on his mind. It's put such a strain on our relationship. If he could just put it past him things could go back to normal. I know it."

Elle looked at her friend with pity. She could tell from the way Abby's eyes glistened, the way her lip quivered as she spoke, and from the way her hands fidgeted that she was desperate. Desperate to save her relationship.

"It's not that I'm not sympathetic to you Abby, but I can't help you. I have nothing to say to Jacob about what happened. I already wiped my hands clean from the situation. He can either speak to his director or forget it and move on. I recommend the latter."

"Of course." Abby said as she looked down at her hands disappointedly. "I shouldn't have asked you in the first place. Sorry."

"Don't be. You're here to fight for your relationship, I can't fault you for that. But let me give you some advice. When you like someone you fall in love quickly; you give them your whole heart without reservation. It's sweet but it's also the reason you're so hurt when things don't go well after dating for only a short period of time. It's also the reason why you're here talking to me instead of Jacob. If you want to fight for him go ahead, but don't forget to take into consideration the extent of his regard for you." Abby couldn't help but look upset so Elle quickly added, "I only say it because you're my friend. I don't want you to get hurt."

Abby let out a heavy sigh. "You're right. It doesn't feel good to look into the mirror, but you're right." After a pause she added in a strained whisper, "I don't want to let this love go yet. I really like him Elle."

"What's so good about him anyway?"

After a thoughtful moment Abby replied earnestly, "Him and I are so similar, we were both in a new environment and feeling out of place. New city, new home, new job. He was the only person who could understand what I was going through. He wasn't just a friend to me. He's my ally."

In that moment Elle couldn't help but feel guilty. "I suppose I haven't been a good friend to you for the past few months either."

"Don't feel bad. You were busy too, I understand. I didn't say it to make you feel bad."

"No, but I do anyway."

"So what should I do now?" Abby asked helplessly.

"I can't tell you want to do. It's your relationship. But I don't think you'll get anything done here in my messy place."

"You're right. I should go."

"Sure. I'll see you later. Good luck." After seeing her friend off Elle returned to her bedroom where Adam was now sitting up in bed going through his e-mail.

"Your friend?" He asked.

"Yup." Elle confirmed as she picked her phone back up from where it sat on the nightstand. She discovered the article still open.

"That's right." She exclaimed, turning the phone so Adam could see. "What's this about?"

"Nothing really. Other companies have been trying to copy MK's 'new' style of advertising without showing their models faces."

"You're not going to do anything about it?"

Adam smirked. It was an eerie smile that sent a chill down her spine. The smile of a man who was untouchable and knew it.

"Everyone acknowledges their only copying MK. The people are acknowledging it for us. There's no need for MK to do anything but accept the free press."

"I see." Elle said as she looked back to the article. Suddenly Adam's arms were around her as he hugged her from the back and buried his face into her neck.

"It's all because of you, you know. All this hype is the result of your modelling."

"I was helpful to you?" Elle asked with a smile.

"That's right."

"You and I are allies too." Elle murmured softly.

"Hmm?" Adam asked.

"It's nothing. Come on, let's have breakfast."