Gabi.

"Pass me the butter?" I ask Kenna after my toast pops.

She slides the container of margarine across the counter just as Laur walks out of the bedroom she's been using. Her freshly washed hair is down, draping down her blue bathrobe. Her, Aaliyah and Mishyia are staying here while the boys are staying at Shawn's.

"Good morning Laur, what would you like for breakfast?" Lana asks her.

"Oh don't worry, I'll make myself something." she smiles.

"No, no. You're the guest. I'll make something for you. So what'll it be? Toast and coffee?"

"Are you sure you don't mind?" she asks.

"Not at all."

"Thank you!" she smiles sweetly. She tells Lana what she'd like in her coffee and on her toast, then sits down at the table.

Once I've dressed my toast and coffee to my liking, I join her.

"So, how are you liking LA so far?" I ask her, attempting to start up a conversation.

"I love it. It's absolutely beautiful." she smiles. Laur actually seems really sweet, I wonder why her and Shawn broke up.

A few questions never hurt nobody. "I'm glad!" I smile back. "So how do you and Shawn know each other?"

"We've known each other for the longest time, and we started to become really good friends in high school. We actually dated about a year back as well." She explains.

"Oh," I frown. "Well what happened?"

"It was more of a," she pauses. "He didn't think things were working out. It was out of a lot of impulse, and we left things as friends. Though things have never been the same between us since. I don't even know why I was invited to this, we're not that close anymore." she says with an ironic chuckle.

"Oh, that's too bad, I'm sorry to hear that." I give a warm, sincere smile.

"It is what it is." she sighs. "I'm over it though, I respect that he's moved on and I'm perfectly okay with that. You guys are hella cute." she smiles sweetly. "I'm happy for him, I really am. I just want him to be happy."

Okay, she seems innocent. But I really can't trust anyone completely at this point. My trust has already been broken enough.

"Yeah I understand that completely. And thank you." I smile sweetly, even if it is a little bit fake.

"Toast and coffee, right up." says Lana, bringing Laur's toast and coffee to her.

"Mm, perfect thank you so much!" Laur exclaims giddily. Sometimes she almost seems too happy. It can be depressing.

It's now 10:50, and I work at 11. So, without saying bye, I slip out before anyone can notice I'm gone. They won't care anyways.

I get to work and the second I walk in, my boss comes up to me.

"Gabriella, so nice to see you. May I please have a word?" he asks.

"Yes of course," I say, a bit of a confused expression on my face.

He brings me to his office. "Take a seat." he tells me, and I sit at a chair across from him. My heart is beating right out of my chest. "So I was looking through my security footage because of something that happened a few weeks ago, and while I was browsing, I came across this. Would you care to explain?"

He gestures to his computer screen, which shows footage of Shawn and I dancing in the restaurant. After hours.

"Oh, I-" I start, a million thoughts coming to my mind at once. "Jes-" I stop myself. I can't rat anyone out. Though he can see that on the security cameras as well, that Jess and the others were involved, too, I need to take the blame for this one. They were doing something nice for me so now I'll do something for them. "I'm very sorry, sir. I let my boyfriend treat me to a date that he arranged but I should've told him that it wouldn't be allowed. I'll take whatever punishment you see fit."

"Gabriella, I can't keep letting you get away with things. You're a very hard worker but this is your second strike." he says, not a hint of sincerity in his voice. "One more and you're out."

My heart races at this news. Don't fight, Gabriella. Take this as some motivation to work harder. I tell myself. "Okay, I understand. I'm very sorry again." I bite my tongue. "Do you need anything else from me?"

"No, please just get out of my office. And don't bother staying at work today, I don't want to see your face again today."

He's kicking me out?!? "Yes, Sir." I say and walk out of the building. What was such a romantic gesture turned out to be the event that just about cost me my job.

Once I pull into the driveway, I get out of the car, locking it and walking towards the house, but a confused Shawn stands in my path. I hoped I wouldn't see him in order to keep my anger inside.

"Hey babe, aren't you supposed to be at work?" he asks. He's alone, sitting on a lounge chair reading a book. He stands up to greet me.

"Yeah... I got sent home."

"Oh. What happened?" His eyebrows are furrowed.

"My manager saw security footage from the night you planned that dinner for me."

"What? Why would he be checking that now? That was weeks ago." Shawn looks puzzled.

"He said he was looking for something else when he came across it. Someone must've said something." I propose. "Anyways, not the point. He said that that's two strikes and I only have one more."

"That's bullshit. It's not even your fault, it's mine."

"Exactly. But it still is because I'm the employee and for the record, I'm the one taking the blame."

"Woah, are you mad?"

"Yeah, actually, I am. Thanks for noticing." I say with a hint of sarcasm.

"I was trying to do something nice for you, why are you getting so defensive?"

"And it was nice, very romantic. But it just about cost me my job." I say.

"Wow, Gabi. It wasn't even all my fault. I had asked Jess and the others to clear it with management and they said they'd take care of it."

"Okay fine, sure. But still, you always do this, you try to make things better by blaming things on other people, or hiding things from me, why can't you ever just tell me the whole truth?"

Now him and I both know this isn't just about that date night anymore.

"Is this about Laur?" he asks, looking vulnerable. "Gabi-"

"No! Don't even try to justify it! Everytime she's around us you act so weird. It's like you're a different person, Shawn."

"Gabriella, stop it. Yes, she's my ex-"

"Which you only told me about after I forced it out of you." I mumble.

"Can I finish?" he snaps, startling me. "Yes, she's my ex but I'm completely over her. I didn't expect her to be here and I didn't prepare myself for it and I haven't seen her in awhile, that's why I was so shocked, that's all."

"Why does it sound like you're lying to me, or just making up excuses?" I cross my arms over my chest.

"What? I'm-"

"Or there's something you're not telling me." I look him straight in the eyes. "I hate lying. And I know that face."

"Don't you trust me?"

"It's hard for me to trust anyone these days, Shawn. With everything that's been going on it's justified, and you should know that. But that doesn't change the fact that you're hiding something. I don't know what else to say, I don't-"

"I still love her." he blurts out angrily, with an immediate look of regret washing over his face, my eyes no longer dry, but now wet with tears. I turn in anger to go back to the car. "Gabi." he pleads. "Gabi, please." he grabs my arm but I shake it out of his grasp after looking him in the eyes for a fraction of a second. Before he can grab me again, I get into Lana's car and start it, pulling back out of the driveway and onto the road. I allow myself one quick glance in the rearview mirror, and he's running his hands through his hair and pacing in frustration. I wipe the tears off my face.

I don't even know where I'm going to go. I can't go back there. Kenna and I are still on good terms so I can get her to help me get my stuff without too much trouble. But where am I going to go? I can't go back home.

Then I think of just about the only friend who could help me out. I pull into the nearest parking lot and pull out my phone, clicking the "call" cutton beside her contact.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Jess?"

"Gabi? Are you crying? What's wrong?" She asks.

"I'll explain later. Would you mind if I stay over for a bit?"

"Yeah of course! You're always welcome here." she says sincerely.

"Thank you so much." I smile.

"Anytime. Now get your butt over here so you can vent."

I've been to Jess' condo once, when she had to pick up something before coming to hang out at the beach for a bit after work.

Once I get to Jess' condo, she opens the door and immediately hugs me. My eyes were dry, but once I feel her embrace I start crying again. She closes the door and pulls me inside, sitting with me down on the couch.

"Shawn just- he admitted he still loved Laur."

"What?" she gasps. "Gabi I'm so sorry, I know how much he meant to you."

I tell her everything, from the surprise party and us inviting Shawn's friends from home, to the events of today, being informed that I'm one mistake away from losing my job.

"It'll be okay." She rubs my back. "You just need to cool down, then you can go back and talk to Shawn."

"Oh hell no, I'm not seeing him anytime soon. That jackass doesn't deserve it."

"You need to talk to him at some point."

"Jess, I'm not ready for that anytime soon. He's  still in love with his ex. He needs to think about what he's done and I need to think about whether I'll have it in my heart to forgive him or not."

"Girl, it's ultimately up to you but I think you're going to need to talk to him soon. Don't rush it though, you need to take care of yourself for now, and I get what you're saying. Don't think about it right now, I'm sorry I mentioned it." she says encouragingly. "What he did wasn't justifiable but you need to think of it from his point of view. He wasn't expecting for her to show up here on his vacation so he's obviously going to be confused about his feelings."

"Okay, I guess you have a point. It's just that I didn't expect this. I didn't even know she was his ex, or I wouldn't have let them invite her!"

"There's no way you could've known. And don't blame this on yourself because it's not your fault whatsoever. Now, you need something to get your mind off of it. How about a movie?"

"Sounds great." I smile.

a/n
hey guys!! it's been awhile
but i've finally given y'all
a chapter, look at me go 😅
hope you enjoyed this,
also we're so close to
10k!! can't believe this!!💖
~em