Chapter 3

MCKINLEY P.O.V

I had only been in LA for two weeks when my boss had decided that he was sending me to Arizona to meet with college kids who were interested in working for our company. He wasn't willing to pay for 30 students to fly to LA so instead he was just flying me out and a few coworkers of my choice.

I was all packed and ready to leave for the airport but had no idea what I was going to do with the cat. So, I called Ashton. Who of course said he would do it. Obviously he didn't need to sit in the apartment and chill with the cat, he just needed to make sure that there was food and water for him.

I headed to their apartment to hand him the key before I headed to the airport. I knocked on the door and Calum answered. His hair was a mess and he was shirtless and he was only wearing one sock.

"Morning." He mumbled making me give him a small smile.

"Good morning. I have the key to my apartment for Ashton." I handed it to him. "Tell him I said thank you." I smiled.

"I will. Have a safe flight." He smiled as I kissed his cheek and I headed down to the car that was waiting for me. The driver took my bags from me and held the car door open for me to get in. He got my bags in the back before driving me to the airport.

My life in LA is a lot different than my life in New York was. If I wasn't driving myself to work, someone from the office was picking me up at my apartment and driving me in. I had two assistants. One who got me food or drinks and another while ran errands for me. I told my boss that when I moved out here I wanted an assistant but I didn't realize I was going to have two. And then there were the people that filed all paperwork for me.

I'm not sure I really had a job. I basically just make sure that everyone else is doing their job.

The flight was short and the ride to my hotel was short. I had an hour to kill before I needed to go speak to the graduating students and I was nervous. Since becoming a boss I've learned to say whatever I want. It's not like someone can stop me.

But this was different. This was people who wanted to come and work below me. These were people who thought that our company was good enough. These are people that want to somehow make our company better. I could relate to these kids. I was in the same spot two years prior. I knew everything that they were feeling.

I knew the overwhelming feeling of becoming an adult and moving into the working world. I knew the scared feeling of moving into your first apartment alone. I knew the excited feeling of moving into an apartment with someone you loved. I knew those feelings. I didn't want them to be worried. It holds you back.

When I held myself back, I hit rock bottom. I hit it face first. I was too worried to apply for that job, so I didn't. When I finally got up the courage, the spot was taken. I had applied to 3 jobs that all said no. Then I found Courtney, who was more than willing to hire a recent graduate and build me from the ground up. I had her to thank for all of my success. She was there. She believed me.

I believe in these kids. If they trust me enough to help them through life, to give them a job that they'll enjoy. If they trust me enough to know that they won't be waiting until Friday at 4 every week so they can get a break, then I am more than willing to hire them to work at my company.

If they work with me, I'm willing to work with them.

Everyone has a time in their life where they want to save the world. That isn't possible. But maybe you can save people. It's perfectly okay to only save one person. And it's okay if that person is you.

*LUKE P.O.V*

I'm not sure why I was getting yelled at by Kendall. We never made our relationship official. We never even had sex.

"I'm so done with you, Luke. You never listen to me."

"Well, why would I? You're screaming at me over things that I can't control!" I shouted.

"That you love your ex." I was silent. I knew I should have denied it but I couldn't. "I knew it!" She shouted slamming her palm into my chest. "Why didn't you just me that?! I would have never gotten started with you." I sighed.

"I eventually need to move on." She rolled her eyes.

"So you decided to move on with me?" She asked.

"You were the first girl who wanted to go on a date with me. I wasn't going to say no." I commented.

"I'm a rebound." She commented making me sigh. If it wasn't her it would be someone else.

"You're always going to be someones rebound unless you date someone who's never been in a relationship." I said. "And why would you want to date someone who has no experience?" I questioned looking over at her.

"Because then I would know they weren't in love with their ex." She said and I stood from my chair outside the restaurant and started walking home. I didn't need to deal with that. I felt terrible leaving her there but there was no reason for her to say anything about McKinley. There's nothing wrong with still being in love with your ex.

"What's wrong?" Michael asked as I slammed the front door and headed down the hall. He followed behind me and sat at my desk as I laid in bed. "Girl trouble?"

"Like you wouldn't believe." I grumbled. "I just want to be happy again." I sat up looking at him. "I just want to be able to walk out the front door and not worry about seeing her." He listened as I talked. Michael was always the best one to go to with our problems because even if he couldn't give us any advice, he would sit and listen.

"Why do you worry about seeing her? She's just a person." He commented. He was right. She was just a person. But she was a person who I had bee with for nearly two years and I loved her. I love her but I couldn't be with her. It wasn't the right time.

"You're right. I'm letting it eat me alive."

"Just be friends with Kinley." He shrugged. "If you want I'm sure Ashton would let you feed the cat today." He commented.

"What? Why is he feeding the cat?"

"She's away on business." He commented. "Maybe you and her should like hang out or something."

"What good is that going to do?"

"Get your feelings out there. Let her know that you still love her. Let her know that you're always here for me."

"She knows that if she calls that I'll be there for her." I sighed. "I hope she knows that."

*MCKINLEY P.O.V*

I got home really late a few days later and Luke was standing in the lobby on his phone.

"Where are you off to at this hour?" I questioned as I hit the elevator button.

"Michael is drunk at a house party so I'm waiting for my uber." He smiled a little. His tongue licked his bottom lip and I watched him. "How was our flight?" He questioned.

"Fine. First class isn't all that bad." I smiled. The elevator dinged and the door opened. "Have a good night." I smiled before heading up to my apartment. It was so strange how we could have a conversation but it wasn't like how it used to be.

I let Courtney know that I was back in the apartment safe and sound even though she probably wouldn't get it until the next morning when she wakes up with the baby. Courtney and Nick move to Tennessee for Nicks job and as much as Courtney didn't want to leave her family or her job, she did.

Life had been changing for everyone recently and it all seemed a little crazy. Even though life was changing, life was good. There was nothing that I could really complain about. Of course there were things about life that I didn't like but it wasn't bad.

I stood in the bathroom looking at myself in the mirror with a towel wrapped around me. My damp hair was in tangles and I looked like a mess.

I was a mess. I personally was a mess but the things around me weren't. And maybe that was worse. Everything around me was perfect. Everything. But me.

I got this crazy confidence to go down and see Luke. To kiss him. To say I was sorry for how we ended. To make love to him. To run away with him but I knew that he didn't want that and I wasn't going to shove that on him.

*LUKE P.O.V*

In the next few weeks I found myself watching out the window for when McKinley got home from work so that I could run out to the elevator acting like I was leaving so that I could see her.

Today was no different.

"Do you maybe wanna come to the bar with me and the guys tonight?" I asked her. It was Friday and I knew that she doesn't hang out with anyone.

"Really?" She asked as she hit the button for her floor.

"Well, yeah." I shrugged looking at her. She was silent for a few minutes. "So?"

"I'll meet you at your apartment at 9." She commented as she got off on her floor and I went back down to mine so that I could get ready.

"She's coming?" Ashton asked when I asked him. I was smiling like a moron as I picked out a black shirt and black jeans with a pair of boots.

"She's coming." I looked at him getting dressed and putting on cologne. He leaned on the doorframe as I fixed my hair.

"Don't do anything stupid, Luke."

"Like what?"

"Do not hook up with her if you're not going to date her." He clarified. I wasn't going to sleep with her. I can barely look at her without melting how was I suppose to flirt with her and get her naked in my bed?

"You're coming with us right?" I asked.

"Yes. I'm trying to get laid." I laughed looking at him.

"Maybe you should change your jeans then." I looked over at the clock and McKinley would be here soon and I suddenly got nervous as Ashton left to get ready. "Is this is a good idea?" I asked from my room.

"Worst idea of your life." He answered coming out. "Now or never. There's no reason as to why you can't be friends with her." He shrugged just as the doorbell rang and her ran off to get it and I chased him down the hallway so that I could beat him.

"Hi." McKinley smiled. She was in a simple pair of dark jeans and a white tank top that showed off her boobs perfectly. This was a bad idea.

We all walked to the bar together laughing and joking like old times. McKinley and Calum walked ahead of the group while I was behind them and Ashton and Michael were behind me. Calum stopped outside the bar and made sure we were all together before we went in. We all went over to the bar before ordering drinks. We never got drinks this fast and I knew it was because we finally had a girl with us to order for us.

We all did a round of shots before chugging beers. This was bad. This was very very bad.

I don't remember much else but I remember us all stumbling home drunk and attempting to play Monopoly. I looked over at McKinley and slammed my lips to hers. She squeaked into my mouth before pushing me off of her.

"I have to go." She rushed standing up.

"No. McKinley, I'm sorry." I grabbed her hand and she pulled away from me.

"You said you didn't want me. Stop messing with my mind."