Three months and twelve days. That’s how long it had been since the day he left the island. It was almost that same amount of time since they had spoken. 


They had promised each other that they would keep in contact and try to keep whatever it was they were doing alive. But she broke that promise. Not because she didn’t like him. She liked him a lot. She convinced herself that this was the way it had to be, but if this was the way it was supposed to be, why did it not feel right?


“Get up, bitch. We have a date,” Kala stood in the doorway of her roommate Alani’s room, looking on at her best friend who was in the bed covered from head to toe in blankets and pillows, her head peaking out.


Alani groaned, “I’m not going.”


“Yes, you are. We have to be there in an hour. GET. UP.”


“Why are you making me do this?” Alani asked, still huddled underneath her safe spot, which she had admittedly spent more time in the last 3 months. Coincidence? No, not at all.


“I am sick of you moping around about JC. You chose not to answer his calls anymore. You chose to end it. Now, get over it.” Kala said harshly, dramatically placing a hand on her hip. 


“I didn’t end anything. I just stopped talking to him, because it’s easier that way.”


“Easier for who? All you’ve done is lay in bed and be miserable. I’m sure he’s not exactly happy either.”


Alani sat up, letting some of the blankets fall around her. She ran a hand through her tangled mess of black hair. “I’m sure he’s just fine.”


“Whatever. Then, you can be fine too. Meet me downstairs in 30 minutes.”


Kala stalked to her own room where she began to get ready for the night. She hated to see her friend so down and out, but she also knew the best thing for Alani was a swift kick in the ass. That brutal honesty that only a real friend can give. And as a bonus, a little distraction in the form of another man wouldn’t hurt. 


Alani checked her phone, secretly hoping for a missed call or text from JC, but knew that wasn’t going to be there. That ship had sailed. He had stopped trying to contact her over a month ago. At first, it hurt her to ignore him, but in her mind, it was best. They lived in two different worlds and there was no way a healthy relationship could exist. She made the mistake of looking up pictures of the other girls he had dated and went down a rabbit hole of articles about his relationships. She was not model material like the rest of them. She couldn’t envision herself being on his arm at red carpet events. 


She found her mood quickly plummeted. She went to work and did the bare minimum, then came home and did the same often just eating her feelings then retreating back to her room to her bed. She knew she had gained a few pounds and noticed it around her hips. Now, looking in the mirror was something she disliked, which further made her mood spiral. 


She thumbed through the clothes in her closet, settling for a black maxi dress, hoping it would hide her newfound insecurities. She slipped on a pair of black flip flops. She ran a brush through her wavy hair trying to get it to look somewhat presentable and decided on just some mascara and lip gloss for makeup. Glancing in the mirror at her look, she decided she hated it, but it would have to do. It’s not like she cared whether this date went well or not. 


—-




“Are we one of those love at first sight people? I always thought that sounded crazy.”


“I don’t know what it is, but I know that I don’t want it to stop and I don’t want to let it go. I could see myself loving you,” He confessed, pulling her into his arms.


“So could I, Josh. I don’t know what to do. I just don’t want you to leave already. It’s unfair that I’ve finally met someone who makes me feel so good and it’s being ripped away me,” She said into his chest, trying her best to contain her emotions and the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.





“Jace?”


JC snapped back to reality, vaguely hearing his manager, Eric, trying to get his attention for the umpteenth time that day. His mind kept wandering back to when he said goodbye to Alani in Hawaii. He thought they were on the same page. He didn't think things would be the way they were now.


“Sorry. What were you saying?” JC asked, taking a fry off of his plate and popping it into his mouth. They were having lunch at a burger joint, going over specifics about a commercial that JC was going to be in. 


“I said they want the track sent over by next Friday. Is it almost complete?” 


“Yeah, man. I just need to do a few tweaks and it’ll be ready.” 


“I can’t believe you agreed to do a Meow Mix commercial. You don’t even have a cat. You won’t do a song for yourself but you’ll do one about cat food?” Eric laughed, shaking his head.


JC shrugged, “Less pressure.”


He knew that his fans wanted new music, but he was currently working on other lengthy projects that were at a standstill. When he was contacted about doing a commercial for Meow Mix, he quickly agreed. It was a nice distraction from the tedious work of writing a musical. It was fun. It was hilarious and he didn’t have to take himself so seriously.


“I guess that’s one way to look at it. Anyway, why have you been so distracted lately?”


“Me? I haven’t been distracted,” he answered, unconvincingly. He noticed it himself but had hoped it wasn’t something anyone else could pick up on. 


“Bullshit.”


“Okay. Look man, I just thought things were going well with Alani and now I haven’t heard from her in months. I just don’t get it.” He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hand over his growing beard. 


“Let it be what it was. A fling.” 


“It was not a fling.”


“Okay. So, what did you think was going to happen? Did you think she was going to move out to LA for you all because you fucked her a few times in a weekend?” Eric leaned forward on the table, raising a curious eyebrow at JC.


JC rolled his eyes in response, “No. I didn’t think that but I wanted to see where it could go.”


“You saw where it went.. nowhere. Sorry, man. You know you can have almost anyone you want out here. Why worry about some chick across the ocean?”


JC soaked in his friend’s words. They didn’t feel good to hear. He was worried about her. He thought they left each other on a hopeful note. 


“Plus, pretty soon you’ll have all kinds of pussy cats following you around.” Eric added, jokingly, knowing it would lighten the mood some.


JC couldn’t help but laugh, knowing he would be the butt of any and all jokes concerning cats for the next few months.


—


Alani and Kala sat across from their dates - two guys who looked like they could own the island with their three piece suits and shiny Rolexes, they were practically screaming “I’m rich.” It was quite obvious that Kala had found these two at the hotel they worked at. She was notorious for picking up rich snobs who were staying at The Ritz.


Alani had to admit her date — Gary, George, something with a G? she couldn't remember his name — was actually pretty attractive. For a split second, she entertained the idea of moving on and starting new with someone else. Then, her mind wandered to the man that occupied her thoughts 90% of the time, and she was back to hating the idea. 


She plastered on a fake smile for the entire dinner and ate the fine dining cuisine and top shelf cocktails, barely acknowledging the man sitting across from her. 


She scrolled her phone, and continued to drink on their dime. She was currently on drink #4 and feeling it. Kala made her come along but she said nothing about her having to actually engage with these men. Her goal was to sit here, look pretty and get this shit over with.


“Did you really just order another drink?” Kala asked incredulously. She was quite annoyed with Alani’s behavior at dinner. She was trying to help her friend out, but she was clearly not accepting the help.


“Yes. Yes, I did. That’s okay, right Gary?” Alani asked the man sitting across from her. He was blonde with a man-bun. Who the hell wears a man-bun with a suit? She thought to herself.


“Graham. Its Graham. And sure, whatever you want.” He threw her a kind smile and for a split second, she felt a little bad for using him.


“Thanks, Graham. A few more of these,” she raised her glass. “And I might have actually let you fuck me.”


“Woah. Woah. Okay, Alani. You’re cut off,” Kala grabbed the drink from her friend and set it down on the table. She then grabbed Alani’s hand and pulled her up from her seat. 


“Graham. Derek. Thank you both for this meal. It was amazing. Sorry to run, but I have to get Alani home. Bye.” Kala said before bolting from the restaurant, with a tipsy Alani straggling behind her.


>>>>


“Sorry I ruined dinner,” Alani collapsed onto the couch, her head spinning. 


“It’s no biggie. They were boring anyway. I can’t believe you said that though,” she laughed, taking a seat beside her.


“Me neither,” Alani laughed along with her.


They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Alani said quietly, “I want to call JC.”


“What? Why?”


“I don’t know. I fuckin’ miss him. It’s crazy. We spent 3 days with each other. Why do I care so much?”


“I don’t know, but maybe you should wait until you’re sober to call him.” Kala advised. She had watched her friend make a fool of herself tonight already, she was trying to avoid that happening again. 


“No. I don’t want to wait any longer..”


As Alani pulled out her phone, Kala took that as her cue to retreat to her own room to give her privacy.


Alani nervously scrolled down to his name and pressed it. When she heard the ringing, she held her breath in anticipation.


After several rings, the voicemail greeting sounded through the phone. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment. For a second, she had hope that he would answer. In her drunken state, there was no logical reason why he didn’t answer other than he didn’t want to talk to her anymore. She hung up, opting to not leave a message.


She wished she could erase the phone call as if it never happened, to save herself the embarrassment she felt. She laid back on the couch,  feeling her eyes getting heavy. Her head felt like it was swimming and she knew the only thing she needed right now was sleep. 


There was a time when JC’s calls would go unanswered by her and she would wonder how he felt hearing her voicemail greeting sound through the phone each time. Now, she knew how that felt. She hoped in the morning that the rejection would hurt way less.