Day 100: Tales Of Influencers Parties And Deceitful Invitations
Day 100 Of How To Move On From A Man — 1LD
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I’m Andie and my ex, Douglas, dumped me. This is my break-up, so to speak. Douglas is a power player in Melbourne, worth more than I could ever comprehend.
I have no idea why we broke up.
I work and live at 1 Lovelock Drive. There, my best friend James and I are building Highway, our unisex clothing line. Our two other best friends, GG and Sophia, are investors.
GG is dating Douglas’ brother. Awkward.
My friends have been acting strange since the breakup. Since things have changed, I’ve found papers in James’ briefcase outlining plans for an expensive office space for our business.
“Can you paint a smile on your face?”
James shoved another bao bun into his mouth before criticising my seemingly sour demeanour.
“I don’t know anyone here, James. Who do you want me to smile for?”
I yanked at my dress, a ruby and blue fitted number from the new H&M and Mugler collaboration. I should have worn stockings with the look, but James talked me out of it.
He told me I looked like a celibate shrewd in the warmer attire. I may have been looking the part right, but I was freezing.
And blaming him for it.
“Can you smile for Annabella, at least? She’s the host of this launch. And I’m trying to make the right impression.”
I could tell he wanted to note I wasn’t helping him. Yet, he didn’t tell me why we were at a makeup launch, how he got us invited, and why we had to mingle with a room full of influencers.
Surely, we should be hosting an event like this in the future, not attending them. And if he was here to take inspiration, telling me this would help.
Like a lot.
I hadn’t noticed Annabella standing at the flower arch, used as a photo backdrop, in the corner of the room. I knew her from another life; we went to school together.
A catholic private school.
Same year, same homeroom.
There were only eighty girls in the year level. She knew me as well as I knew her.
Not today, though, or the other night at Taylor’s birthday when she introduced herself to me. I didn’t think she cared to meet me until someone told her I was her date’s ex.
That’s when she clambered to understand who her threat was.
A dreaded thought raced over me. I leaned into James who was about to waltz away and mingle with a group of identically dressed women.
“Did you get this invitation from Annabella?”
He stared at me, trying to hustle away.
“I can’t remember where I got it from, I just got it.”
I pulled at his jacket, dragging it away to discover a patterned graphic t-shirt with pink swirls and puffy letters.
“Why are you wearing this?” I knew the T-shirt by heart. It was one of our samples from Highway, a key piece of our first launch.
“It’s good publicity babe. What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal? The big deal?! You’re wearing something from our fashion line without asking me? You know I am a co-owner. Or have you forgotten that lately?”
This wasn’t about a t-shirt.
It wasn’t about him wearing the fucking t-shirt. It was about his deceit, his backstabbing, his deplorable behaviour anyone with half a brain would know isn’t friendship.
He was stepping all over my heart and mind, and now he was wearing the t-shirt to prove it.
You’re reading The Andie Chronicles, the 2023 romance-fiction series from the 1 Lovelock Drive (1LD) universe.
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