Chapter 4
I walked for what felt like forever before finally reaching the main road and flagging down a cab.
As soon as I collapsed into the back seat, my phone lit up with a message from Sean.
[So, have you realized your mistake yet? Just admit you were wrong, stop being so stubborn next time, and maybe I'll let it slide.]
I stared at his words for a few seconds, then tapped on his profile, blocked him, and deleted his number for good.
I did it all in one go.
Just like that, peace returned to my world.
The driver kept glancing back at me. "Hey, miss, cry all you want, but if you get snot on my seats, you're paying for the cleaning."
I wiped my nose with my sleeve. "Hey, do you still believe in love?"
He didn't even bother to turn around. "Can't say I know much about love, but the cleaning fee is 70 bucks, just so you know."
I gave him the 70 bucks, then pressed my face against the back seat and just let it all out, sobbing my heart out.
It was like my heart had been ripped right out of my chest.
Honestly, I got used to it pretty fast.
He was just a total jerk. He didn't deserve a single second of my time.
I thought it was all over, but a few days later, Sean waited for me outside the dorm.
He was wearing a hat and a mask, but I recognized him right away.
Sean called out, "Blaire." His voice was softer, like he was trying to smooth things over.
He said, "I've got a concert in the neighboring city in a few days. You're interning there too, right?
"Why don't you help me out as my assistant for a few days? It's really not much work. We could take a couple of days to relax together just to unwind a bit."
Before I could get a word out, a sickly sweet voice chimed in. "Sean, what are you doing here?"
Lily popped up out of nowhere and immediately latched onto Sean's arm, snuggling up to him like they were super close.
Then she turned to me, pretending to be surprised. "Oh, Blaire, you're here too? Sean, didn't you say I was supposed to be your assistant for this tour? I've already got everything ready."
She shook Sean's arm, pouting and acting all cutesy.
Sean looked embarrassed for a second, gave a little cough, and glanced over at me.
He said, "Blaire, listen, if you just admit you messed up and say sorry, the spot's still yours. Don't throw a fit. This is a rare opportunity."
Lily's smile faltered for a moment. She was obviously caught off guard by Sean's words.
I scoffed. "Me, your assistant? Do you even know what kind of university I go to, my GPA, all the awards I've racked up, and the job offers waiting for me? You think you deserve someone like me as your assistant?
"You're just a dropout loser who didn't even finish high school. Go play idol somewhere else and don't come around trying to gross me out."
Sean's face darkened. "Suit yourself. Let's see how much those fancy job offers actually pay. At the end of the day, you're still just working for someone else."
I let out a mocking laugh. "Oh, look at you, Sean. Struck gold by pure luck and debuted, and now you think you've leveled up in life? Who was it that used to play at live houses and couldn't even give away their tickets for free?
"Must be nice being a guy. Front, back, whatever, you can always find a way to cash in."
The people who cared about each other the most always knew exactly where to hit where it hurt.
Sean's expression went completely dark.
"Alright, Blaire, you're something else!" He shot me a mocking thumbs-up. "Lily, let's go."
Lily clung to his arm without missing a beat.
"Sean, the hotel just called. Because of the concert, it's totally booked up. There's only one room with a king bed left on our floor..." She said it while giving me a look that was way too flirty for comfort.
Sean paused, like he was waiting for my response.
I waved them off. "Just remember to wear your masks when you two start fooling around. The paparazzi can sniff out anything these days."
"Blaire!" Sean totally lost it, his forehead veins throbbing with rage.
He snapped, "Don't fucking disrespect me! Fine. Go ahead, see if I care. Don't come crying to me later, begging me to take you back. It won't work."
Regret? The only thing I regret is not dumping you sooner.
That night, I got an email from Sean Summers' team. The subject line was [VIP Pass for Sean's Concert].
The message itself was classic Sean. Just one arrogant line: [Last chance. If you want in, beg me now.]
I didn't even bother opening the email. I just screenshotted the unique code at the top, threw together a quick post, and put it up on an online resale app.
I posted: [My boyfriend cheated on me, so I'm giving away Sean Summers' concert VIP ticket for free! If you grab it, hit me up. There's a little catch, though. DM me for the details.]
Sean, just waited for the surprise I had in store for you.
My holiday started.
I grabbed my already-packed bag and let the app choose a random flight for me.
No plans, no clue where I was going, just me and the open road.