Chapter 15 ✔️

1 month later...

"So, Jeff," Talkshow host, Clara Finn begins to say, her lithe body leans forward in her chair in a show of anticipation, "Rumour has it, that you met someone."

"Oh yeah?" Jefferson says with a coy look on his face, resting his ankle on his knee and leaning back in a thoroughly relaxed manor.

"Yep," she smiles, staring at him calculatingly through her long dark eyelashes, "A little birdy told me he goes to a college you visited?"

As Clara pries into his personal life, Jeff's eyes wander around the set, to the cameramen with their eyes pressed to their viewfinders, and the producers stood with their gazes fixed on the scene before them.

"It's nothing." Jeff says, wanting nothing more than to end there but knowing he'll be urged to elaborate, "It was something - at least it might've been... Until it wasn't." He finishes, his voice getting less and less confident as he spoke.

Clara, known for being less of  a vulture and more of a caring host, looks at him with an empathetic expression. Her red-painted lips purse, and her eyebrows draw together.

"But you wanted to be?"

"I, uh.." Jeff frowns. His expensive blue shirt feels a little tight around his neck as Clara's hazel eyes stare holes into his being. This must be why all of her guests bare their souls to her. Something about her gaze. Jefferson just nods in affirmation

"Well why did it end if you didn't want it to? Did you hear it from him?"

"I... Well, no." The movie star rubs at his neck and readjusts his body in his seat, "I wanted to speak to him, I even went to see him... But I guess things didn't work out the way I'd planned."

Clara, despite making her living off of dishing the dirt on celebrities lives, actually manages to understand Jeff's non-verbal clues. He isn't going to share anymore with her. So she decides to end the topic with one final query.

"So, it's over?"

Jeff pauses, breathing slow and steady, sea-blue eyes furrowing in a serious, thoughtful expression. Is it?

"I sure hope not."

~~~~~

"Why didn't you tell me he was here?!" Harvey near-yells at Chris as the younger just sits in his chair, reading his book.

He shrugs, not bothering to look up.

"What did you say to him?" Harvey asks lowly, boring holes into his best friend's head from across the table, "Chris! Why didn't you fucking tell me?!"

"I told him about how you're a selfish dick who has no consideration for anyone but yourself?"

"What are you even talking about?" Harvey asks, lowering his voice a fraction, "What did I do?"

Chris finds it funny, really. Harvey spent the better part of 3 months going on, what most people would call, dates with a guy that he knows his best friend has feelings for.

If Luke was just a friend, then why was Chris never invited? Why is it always a secret that the younger boy isn't in on?

And now Harvey wants to act like Chris is coming out of left-field with his accusations?

Well, he isn't, and he knows it.

"You stole my boyfriend!" Chris announces. Slamming a book on the desk and standing up, startling Harvey.

"What the hell?! First off, I don't recall you two ever being boyfriends. And secondly, there is no way in hell that I would do that to you!" Harvey half-shouts back desperately.

"First off, that's not the point! And secondly, I'm not even sure that's the case anymore!"

Harvey's breath hitches at the distrust in Chris' voice. His heart beats with abandon at the idea that his best friend might actually think he'd do something so... so filthy. Sleeping with his best friend's crush. His 'true love'.

"Do you actually hear yourself?" He gets out, his voice noticeably choked, "Do you hear what you're saying?"

"I can hear myself perfectly clear." Chris answers, "You know how I feel. How insecure I am. And yet you sneak around, and leave me out, like you two are part of some big boys club that I can't join."

He pauses and frowns, looking down at the ground then up again to meet Harvey's eyes, "You finally found someone on your level, and that someone was the person I liked. Good for you, Harv. But some brother you are." Then he turns around and walks into the store room, ending the conversation.

Harvey's face falls and he opens his mouth for a second, ready to defend himself, but he can't form any words on his lips. There's so much he wants to say, to explain, but he can't, not yet. Instead, he swallows the nonexistent saliva in his mouth and nods once, exiting the library without another word.

~~~~

Harvey sits alone on a bench in a park a little way away from the library. Silent tears stream down his face like free-flowing rivers, and fall into the book that lies open on his lap.

"Harvey?" A prominent English accent calls to him from behind. When Harvey looks over, he sees Luke jogging over to him, his face a picture of concern, "What's the matter?"

"Get lost, Luke." Harvey mumbles, turning his body away from the Brit, "You've caused enough trouble already."

"Woah woah waoh, Whatever I'm being accused of, I categorically deny." Luke defends himself, sitting down on the cold bench next to his friend, "Wait, what exactly am I being accused of."

"Chris thinks we're screwing each other."

Luke's dark eyes widen comically, and his face contorts into a look of absolute horror. Harvey would be offended if it wasn't such a hilarious picture.

"And that's my fault alone because...?"

Harvey sighs, "It's not. But, we're only spending so much time together because of your stupid plan." He says frustratedly, closing his book with misplaced aggression and looking at Luke, "And now he's got Jefferson thinking I'm screwing you too."

"Please stop saying that, it's making me nauseous." Luke says with a grimace, only half joking.

Harvey slaps Luke's shoulder and then drags his hand down his own face in frustration.

"How has planning a frickin' surprise party caused so much drama?!"

"Well...we have been pretty secretive.... And for a while I was regularly taking you out drinking so you wouldn't throw yourself off a bridge or something." Luke shrugs his shoulders.

"Wait, is that why you kept taking me out?! I thought you were just a little..."

"Wild?" Luke laughs, "Mate, Chris asked me to look out for you. He cares about you, and I care about him. So, I did whatever seemed to work. But I guess it worked a little too well." He pauses, "But I have an idea to fix things."

"Nuh-uh, no more of your nightmare ideas. Look where your last one got us." Harvey moves to get up, but Luke follows him, staying right by him as he explains.

"This one's different, Harv!" Luke assures, face looking like an excited puppy, "Just hear me out."

Harvey turns around, and raises an eyebrow in response.

"Invite Jefferson! To the party. That we have a chance to apologise and explain that they had it all wrong."

Harvey rolls his eyes, "I'm not inviting him. He probably wants nothing to do with me. I'm so fucking embarrassed. There's no way I could text him without dying inside."

At that moment, Luke grins, wide and slow like a Cheshire cat. The corners of his mouth curl upwards and his eyes get back their usual mischievous glint.

"You won't. But I will."

A/N:

So I was re-reading the story like I tend to every few months (just to make sure i don't suddenly hate it) and I noticed that I felt like the surprise party storyline isn't handled in a very satisfying way. Luke and Harvey weren't acting quite as likeably as I'd hoped when originally writing this scene.

If anyone is re-reading this book (like me hehe) and notices any changes, or additions to the dialogue, don't be alarmed, I'm just editting things that have bothered me in hindsight!

Serena x