14 | the audacity

leilani's pov -

"wait so she's still mad at you?" margie furrowed her eyebrows. "after you forgave her for not telling you about her friendship with hasson?"

"yes she's still mad about jacob," i rolled my eyes.

margie sighed. "i mean i get it but like... he pulled up on you. and you just didn't wanna be responsible for a drunk man crashing his car."

"try telling her that," i shook my head. "she rather i let him crash his car."

"i think it's just her overprotectiveness coming out," she suggested. "you know she was worried about leaving you anyway."

"exactly," i agreed. "now she's gonna think that i can't handle my own just cause i let him stay at my house."

marg sighed. "okay well we should finish getting ready so we can head to the event."

"what am i even doing there?"

"it's a luncheon by YSL that invited other representatives of brands like VS," she started. "literally all you have to do is show up and represent victoria and all her secrets," she chuckled.

"got it," i grinned.

i got ready and we headed to the venue.

as we got out the limo, we walked the red carpet, got photos, and made our way to our seats.

"oh my gosh didn't you say there was something i should be prepared for?" i looked at margie. "what was it-"

"oh sorry," a guy said as he sat in the seat next to me.

i looked over and my eyes damn near fell out my head, as well as his.

"holy fuck," matthew mumbled.

i couldn't speak though.

"when i saw i'd be seated at the same table as you, i honestly thought there was a mix up," he shook his head.

all i could do was stare, not even blink.

margie nudged my arm.

"um," i snapped back to reality. "right yeah."

"look," he started. "our beef was years ago," he shrugged. "i've moved on. i'm past it."

i just grinned and nodded.

"and don't worry," he continued. "i forgive you."

i furrowed eyebrows in confusion. "excuse me?"

"i forgive you," he repeated. "ya know, for stealing my girlfriend."

i rose my eyebrows, shocked at his audacity.

"i- i never apolog- never mind," i sighed. "whatever."

the event started and it was the same bullshit i'm always use to with these things. it was cool though. but after while, photographers started going table to table to capture pictures of the celebrities. and they eventually made it to our table.

"can you guys kinda lean in closer?" the photographer asked.

everyone leaned towards my direction at the table since i was in the middle. we all smiled, then at the last minute, matthew put his arm around me. the flashed snapped and the camera guy walked off.

i quickly looked at matthew with the widest eyes. "what could have possibly possessed you to touch me?"

"we need to look like we get along," he shrugged. "don't be a diva. that'll be good for press."

"don't try and make a story outta me," i said with a stank face.

"i don't need to," he said.

"sure," i blinked.

"what that's supposed to mean?" he asked offended.

"nothing," i shook my head. "im not even gonna waste my time."

he rose his eyebrows. "waste your time? im a whole actor. you're literally just a model."

"okay?" i furrowed my eyebrows. cause what's your point???

"you're job calls for all this attention-"

"matthew," i started before taking a breath. "please listen cause that is the only time i will ever call you by your actual name," i said, making him tilt his head in shock at my comment.

"you and i never had one decent encounter," i continued. "we never really knew each other at all. i don't wanna think you're a bad person so please don't give me reason to," i fake smiled. "i just wanna get through this event in peace so please don't act some kinda way towards me."

"well to be fair leilani," he started. "you did steal my girlfriend at the time from me. so i kinda have every reason to feel some sort of way towards you."

"but you literally just said you forgive me," i squinted in confusion. "not that i apologized," i mumbled.

"doesn't matter," he started. "you had no regards for my feelings when you barged in and stole her."

"okay madden," i shifted my body towards him, still sitting in the chair. "if anything, billie is the one who had no regard for your feelings. as your girlfriend at the time, it was her responsibility to be loyal to you."

he rose his eyebrows. "yeah? just like she was loyal to you when she kept texting vinnie after you guys started dating?"

my body immediately tensed up.

"what the fuck did you just say?" margie chimed in.

"im just saying," matthew chuckled, putting his hands up in innocence. "her logic is flawed."

"i will dissect your dick with this knife," margie added.

"fuck off," matthew said sternly.

"let's go," i put my purse over my shoulder and stood up from my seat.

"lani no," margie stood up. "don't let him think he has an affect on you."

"clearly i do though," he turned around with a smirk.

i just rolled my eyes.

"why don't you go run off to your wifey now?" he chuckled.

i squinted. "you're laughing but that probably hurts you to say that huh?"

"beg your pardon?" he rose his eyebrows.

"you're trying to hurt my feelings," i started. "and it's because deep down, you know your girlfriend not only cheated, but left you for me," i grinned.

he huffed.

"and seeing me today just reminded you of that huh?" i tilted my head in a taunt.

"that was years ago," he scoffed. "i can assure you i don't care."

i leaned in closer to his face. "you can say that but it's clear as day mattress," i whispered.

he looked me dead in my eyes, he hates my guts.

and i love that.

"you think i haven't noticed you staring at this ring on my finger all night?" i pointed. "i bet it kills you to see it, huh?"

he couldn't say anything. he was just grinding his teeth together.

"i fucking thought so," i whispered sternly in his face before turning around and walking off, hand in hand with my margaret.

"that's my girl," she smirked at me as we walked out the building.

-

"one peaceful trip to los angeles is all i ask for," i said as i buckled my seat belt in the car.

"at this point im convinced that'll never happen," margie shook her head.

i had the driver to take me to billie's so that's where we pulled up to. i said goodnight to him and margie and unlocked billie's door with my key before walking in.

"b!" i yelled as i set my stuff down on the counter and walked to the back to her room. "b!"

i peeped into her bedroom and she was sitting there drawing in her journal.

"why didn't you say anything?" i asked in genuine curiosity. "i was calling you."

"why didnt you tell me you were with matt?" she asked lowly, still paying attention to her drawing.

im guessing photos from the event are getting released.

"billie you and i haven't even talked today," i started. "you've been mad-"

"rightfully so," she cut me off.

"okay fine yes but that's the reason why i didn't-"

"why was him arm around you?" she squinted.

"he did that last minute right before the dude snapped the picture!" i quickly explained. "i got on his ass for it."

"oh you got on his ass?" she mocked. "when you were all in his face?"

"oh my god," i shook my head. "i don't have time for this," i pulled out my phone, texting margie.

i then walked over to my suitcase, kneeled to the floor, and started throwing my shit in there.

"what are you doing?" billie asked me, lowkey aggressively.

i didn't say anything.

"leilani."

"why are you mad about that?" i turned around to face her, with the biggest attitude.

"you-"

"hush!" i cut her off, standing up. "you literally have been hanging out with my ex for months behind my back!" i exclaimed. "and you have the mother- fucking audacity to get mad just because i was involuntarily seated with your ex?"

she just kicked her teeth, annoyed.

"you need a fucking reality check," i scoffed. "one second you're mad about jacob, the next is matthew. like damn! give me one second i'll go call q!"

"fuck you!" billie exclaimed, standing up. "im more mad about jacob than anything. it just didn't help seeing matthew with you tonight."

"that was out of my control eilish!" i yelled.

"of course it was!" she yelled back. "everything is! nothing is ever your fault!"

then we heard a door open and close. and soon margie came speeding to the back. "the fuck is going on?"

billie and i didn't say anything, we just stared at each other.

"you told the driver to come back and get you?" b rose her eyebrows at me.

i just huffed before storming out of the room.

-

margie's pov -

leilani stormed out of the room, taking her suitcase with her.

billie just looked at me. "you guys sure flew to get back here," she tried being shady.

"billie you're house is so secluded, we were still on your long ass road so we weren't far when lani texted," i shrugged.

"i just don't understand," she shook her head.

"this must be about matthew," i started. "he finenessed that picture billie. that had nothing to do with lani."

she just shrugged and sat back on her bed.

"but you probably don't care about that do you?" i squinted. "you're still mad about jacob."

"i mean, she allowed the dude who literally ruined her to stay at her house," she said. "the same night i left!"

"she didn't want to, b," i explained. "you know she's just so nice."

"nice enough to let him stay overnight in your home is wild as fuck," she rolled her arms. "she's not that damn nice."

"she really was being selfless billie," i told her.

"she told me she just didn't wanna be responsible for him crashing his car," b shrugged. "that's not that selfless. she was still thinking about herself in a way."

"well did she tell you that she locked her self in her bedroom that night?" i rose my eyebrows.

"huh?" she furrowed hers.

"he slept on the couch and she went in her room and locked her door," i started. "because she was scared that he might try something. she was terrified, b."

billie just looked down in thought and shock.

then we heard the horn of the car start blowing from outside.

"i gotta go," i said lowly as i rubbed billie's shoulder.

"wait marg-" bil started.

her face looked sad, like she suddenly felt bad for lani. and probably bad for how she's acted.

"she's fine billie," i nodded. "you guys will be okay," i grinned before turning and walking out.