18 - Nothing Happened

JUNE’S POV

Nothing happened.

Not technically.

Theo interrupted us before either of us would make a decision we would end up regretting.

I shouldn’t have let it get that far, this arrangement was supposed to be useful. Not complicated.

The worst part wasn’t that I almost kissed him.

It was that a part of me wanted to know what would have happened if we did.

That was bad.

“Why do you look like you just witnessed a crime?” Jules appeared by my side.

“Nothing.” I replied.

“That’s not what your face says.” She said.

“I saw you.” She said teasingly, giving me a weird smile.

“What are you talking about?” I said, aggressively pretending my heartbeat was normal while holding a drink I hadn’t tasted in ten minutes.

“Oh please,” she said and held my hand as we walked towards the kitchen.

“You two literally looked like a N*****x climax scene.” She described.

“Please, never say that again.” I deadpanned before we both started laughing.

“Seriously though, you both looked good together.” She added.

I caught Adrien looking at me but I quickly avoided his gaze.

Jules and I kept talking for a few minutes and I calmed down. She went to receive a phone call while I sat on one of the stools by the island.

I watched how easily people talked to each other. How easily they danced and how easily people gravitated towards him.

He belonged here naturally.

I looked like someone trying to borrow confidence I couldn’t afford.

Multiple girls surrounded him, Max and Theo.

A pretty blonde sneakily touched Adrien’s arm but he removed it.

I almost laughed.

As he walked through the crowd, people made space for him. That influence reminded me why I was here in the first place.

I knew what they said about being involved with him, it was impossible to be around him and not feel for him.

Those people weren’t around him for reasons like mine.

I needed to keep my head in the game.

Even if I wanted that kiss, it didn’t happen. I was grateful for that but scared at the same time.

Why? Because it felt like something had changed.

Even if nothing happened.

I moved towards the staircase that connected to the balcony for some air when James cornered me.

“So this is your thing now yeah?” He said.

“Using other footballers to feel important?” He sneered.

“To get my attention?” He added. I held myself from physically gagging.

I could smell the alcohol as he spoke.

I tried to move past him but he didn’t let me.

“Of all people, Adrien fucking Hayes? If you wanted me back, you could’ve said so.” He started. “Using him? That’s just way below you June.” He laughed.

“You lost the right to comment on my life a long time ago.” I said coldly.

“But I can comment on this dress.” He said. I felt his eyes rake over me as sweat trickled down my spine.

“You never dressed like this when we were together.” He attempted to move his hand to my hip but I held it, hard.

I needed to get out of here.

“Step away from her.” I heard Adrien’s voice.

James turned to face him and I took that chance to move away and get out of there.

I found Jules with Theo in the backyard.

They were talking but I could physically feel the tension between them.

I decided to give them some time. I explored the grand house instead.

Framed photographs lined the walls, all polished smiles and perfect lighting.

There were photographs of horse riding competitions and polo clubs everywhere.

The kind of paintings I’d only seen in textbooks were casually in the library.

I noticed antique history books. First editions worth thousands.

One room in this house was probably bigger than our entire flat.

The house was beautiful in a way that didn’t try to impress people.

It simply expected admiration.

The house was so large, it barely felt lived in. I could never see all of it tonight.

I moved back downstairs when I saw Adrien. I didn’t want to talk to him right now.

I checked on Jules again, she was still with Theo.

“Jules, I need to talk to you.” I said, a part of me hating that I interrupted them.

“Alright.” She replied and walked towards me. Theo took that as a sign to leave.

“Can we go now?” I asked her.

“Why? It’s not even been up to two hours.” She said.

“Did anything happen while I was gone?” She asked, noticing the drops of sweat on my face.

“No.” I lied.

“I can tell Mr Jonathan to drop you off, don’t worry.” She suggested.

She walked me to the car and said she’d tell Adrien I left.

I was grateful I could go home.

The silence in the car gave room for my thoughts to become louder.

James might have been wrong about a lot of things but he wasn’t wrong about me using Adrien.

I entered his world with an agenda. I intended to keep it that way.

Reality returned the moment I stepped back into my house.

I took off my dress first. The satin slipped through my fingers carefully.

I treated it like it was temporary. Which, technically, it was.

I opened my wooden wardrobe carefully so it wouldn’t fall apart. The handle was barely hanging on.

I picked the most durable hanger and put the dress on it.

This was my reality.

Max threw parties like they were casual inconveniences. Jules bought dresses without checking the price tag and Adrien existed in a world where failure didn’t threaten survival.

I didn’t.

Adrien : “You home?”

I saw the message on my phone and replied with a simple “yeah”.

The scene at the dance floor replayed itself in my head.

Neither of us moved, when we should have.

Attraction was dangerous but could be controlled.

Attachment was where people ruined themselves.

I promised myself to never be one of them.