A/N: Sorry! I had writer's block for ages, then I went to London for a couple of days and got some inspiration. I'm aiming for 15 chapters, and it's finished. It may be sooner though. Sorry again!
Katie and Connor sat miserably on the couch, in mutual pity, occasionally remarking on the bad graphics and terrible plot line of the film.
"I guess you were right about Drew." Connor said, the film had finished ten minutes ago, but neither of the two had moved since.
"She rung me up and dumped me over the phone, during my lunch break when Travis was here. When he got back, Travis explained everything. So I guess you were right about it all." Connor concluded.
"Don't." Katie cut in, this victory was not something she relished or wanted recognition for.
"Don't, Connor." This simple sentence was all Connor needed to understand, and he changed th topic. For about five seconds.
"How do you feel? This must be hard on you."
"Like this is any easier for you?" Katie replied.
"It is, actually. Me and Drew... it never felt right. You and Travis are perfect together, without each other you're not complete." Connor said quietly.
"I haven't talked about it. It's been three weeks, I leave for Europe tomorrow and I haven't talked about it." Katie mumbled.
"So talk about it now."
And they did, the whole thing. Katie told him all about the numb gap inside her chest, how she was determined to be better this time, and most importantly, how she would never rely on anyone the way she'd relied on Travis ever again. Not a single tear slid down her cheek, she hadn't cried since the night Travis had left her, but Katie felt oddly better having spoken to Connor. The doorbell rung, and Katie couldn't help but wonder who it would be because she hadn't buzzed anyone in.
"I'll get it." Connor smiled and disappeared into the hall. The door opened and Connor was having a muted conversation with someone. Katie analysed the way she felt about Connor. It was a platonic kind of love, like a brother, because they had a lot in common, but at the same time they were so different.
"Why are you even here?" Katie recognised that voice, she pulled herself off the sofa and tiptoed round to the door.
"Travis?" Katie asked hesitantly. Travis's head popped over Connor's shoulder.
"I see you moved on quickly." He said coldly.
"It's not like that." Katie retorted. "He's being my friend."
"I did you a favour."
"Just leave, she doesn't need this. We're leaving for London tomorrow, just go." Connor cut in.
"Oh, so you're going with her now?" Travis shouted.
"I had leave anyway, you can manage things for a couple of weeks." Then Connor just pushed Travis out of the doorway and slammed the door.
"Thank you." Katie breathed out. It was true, she didn't want to see Travis if she couldn't have him. Katie made a promise to herself there and then. Forget all about Travis, live your life as if he never happened. She turned her attention to Connor and smiled.
"We better book your plane ticket then." Connor looked surprised.
"You don't have to do that. I only told him we were going together because I knew it would make him leave." He said. Katie shook her head.
"Holidays are no fun alone." She insisted.
Katie took out her camera the second the seatbelt sign turned off on the plane.
"My dad asked me to take a lot of pictures." She smiled apologetically at Connor, he shrugged. They'd managed to convince the man in the seat next to Katie's to swap with Connor, he'd only agreed after Katie gave him 10 dollars. Connor took the camera off her and leaned in next to her.
"Smile." He said and grinned. Katie smiled and looked into the camera lens. The flash went off and the camera beeped.
"Fuck I think I'm blind." Connor said, blinking the flash out of his eyes. Katie did the same. An air hostess came bustling down the aisle, and when she spoke, she spoke in a crisp British accent.
"Have you two been together long? You make a charming couple." The air hostess smiled, looking between Connor and Katie. Katie chuckled nervously, but Connor kept his cool.
"We're not a couple. We both just had horrible break ups so we're just hanging out together for a while." Connor explained. The air hostess apparently didn't feel awkward, she didn't even blush. If anything, her flawless smile got bigger.
"That's how it always starts. Anything from the trolley, dears?" Katie snorted loudly and spat out her mouthful of bottled water. Everyone within a metre radius turned to look at her. Katie felt her cheeks burning red.
"It's just... that's what the woman on the the Hogwarts Express says." There was another snort from somewhere down the aisle and a few people nodding in agreement. The air hostess looked blank, and, probably because her pretty brain couldn't compute, moved along. Connor turned to look at her with a massive grin.
"Really?" He asked incredulously. Katie shrugged.
"I just really love Harry Potter."
Katie flicked through the pictures of her English holiday on her computer. There were ones from all the touristy places in London and around the South. A few of Katie and Connor lounging on a beach when it wasn't sunny, only because the Brits were doing the same. Connor had taken the camera in the next few, and had taken pictures behind Katie's back as she was going through Kew Gardens and Bristol Zoo, while Connor died of boredom. Katie was still grinning when the phone rang, and picked up without looking at the caller ID.
"Hello?" She said cheerily.
"You're back." A male voice breathed down the line.
"Travis." Katie said slowly. There was a pause.
"Does Drew know you're calling?" Katie asked after a silence. Another pause.
"No." Travis whispered.
"I'd prefer it if you didn't contact me again. And if me being friends with Connor gets in the way of you two, then pass that message onto him." Katie's pride had stung after Travis left her, but this made her feel better.
"But I miss you." There was a faded slam of a door as someone entered Travis's apartment.
"Babe? I'm home!" Drew's voice trickled down the line. Katie wondered for the first time if there was something wrong with Drew maybe. She'd had Connor, and Connor and Travis were pretty much the same person. And now, surely Drew hadn't convinced herself that her relationship with Travis was normal? Katie swallowed the lump in her throat.
"Could you put Drew on the phone please?" Katie asked. There was silence, but then there was rustling.
"Hello?" Drew's pleasant voice tinkled, she sounded happy.
"I told Travis not to contact me again. Make sure he sticks to this please." Katie said, as firmly as she could manage.
"Oh Katie, I'm so glad you saw sense! Of course I'll do this for you. Daddy is very pleased you took the job, look forward to seeing you around the office." Drew's voice stayed kind, but Katie could read the malicious triumph beneath the words.
"Bye Drew." Katie said, and hung up without waiting for a reply. It felt like a weight had been lifted off her chest. Katie glanced at her debit card on the counter, she had at least a thousand dollars worth of her bonus left, and a bit of retail therapy sounded good right now. Hurriedly scrawling a note, Katie grabbed her keys and card, and left her apartment.
Katie rounded the corner of the next street, laden down with bags of clothes and shoes. Painfully, Katie realised this was the street where Travis had wanted to set up his hotel. The building he'd shown her was surrounded by workmen just leaving work. The high-visibility jackets shone brightly in the evening sun, the glare made Katie glance up as she wandered down the street. It was then that she saw the 'For sale' sign on the front of the building had been replaced with one announcing it was 'Sold'. Katie made the connection to the builders and the building and hurried over to one of the builders.
"Hey, sorry I was looking into buying this building myself. Do you know who bought it?" Katie asked politely with a charming smile. The builder, obviously relaxed by Katie's looks, seemed only pleased to help her.
"We're being paid by a Mr Tanaka. His daughter's boyfriend is having this place turned into a hotel. I assume he also bought it."
All the blood drained from Katie's face, the workman looked at her nervously.
"You've gone a bit pale, love. Do you want to sit down?" He said, Katie realised for the first time that he had a British accent, and must be a migrant. It was this odd thought registering that brought Katie back to reality.
"I'm fine. It's just..."
"Just what?" The builder still looked concerned.
"Well. It appears I wasn't the only one who benefited from that break up."
