This day could not come fast enough. It had been 7 days since the last time I spoke with him. 7 days since the last time I saw his face. 7 days since I saw him walk away from me. I was a bit nervous to see him again after our conversation in the park. I was not sure if today things would be different between us. Was I the one that messed up our friendship? This was going to be one of the final times we would see each other before our holiday break. I wasn't sure if I was happy of the separation we would be having, I knew it was needed but wasn't sure if I wanted it.
When Diana and I arrived at the photo shoot Amber, Mark, Naya and Jenna were already there. I greeted them all. We were so happy to be together once again. It was weird how much we all missed each other each time. Shortly after Kevin and Cory walked in through the door. Kevin came over and greeted each of us. Cory stayed behind to finish a call he was on. Or was he avoiding me waiting until I was away from the group so he could come and talk to everyone, everyone but me.
"Lea, are you ok?" Dianna asked as she came over to me.
"Yea, of course" I told her. She was not aware of anything that had happened between Cory and I. It was better not to tell anyone besides Jonathan as he was the only one that knew about the kiss.
"Really? Because from what I can see once Cory came in through the door it was like the entire color of your face drained." Dianna said.
"What? No I think you are just seeing things, Dianna everything is fine." I told her and walked over to the make-up chair. As I sat there I could see Cory from the mirror, he had just finished his phone call. Or he noticed I was no longer there. He went over and gave everyone a hug, everyone except me. He was laughing, smiling with everyone not even turning my way. I knew things would be different but I wasn't ready for him to completely brush me off. Things were ruined.
He began a conversation with Mark and I could tell by his facial expression it was a serious conversation. Then my eyes caught his. He stared back at me from through the mirror. Not really sure what to do I smiled at him, he returned the smile, but it was a small crooked smile not the one I had become so used to seeing. He focused his eyes back towards Mark. I felt a pain at the pit of my stomach. I decided I was better off not looking at him. If he decided this separation between us was better than I would respect it as he said he would respect me.
It had become a great atmosphere at the photo shoot the music was playing we were all dolled up. I had just finished the last touched of wardrobe when he came up to me.
"Hey Lea" he said as he came over and gave me a hug. "Sorry I didn't come by sooner, I saw you were busy in make-up and then I had to go get ready"
"It's ok Cory. I actual thought you were not going talk to me" I told him nervously with a smile.
'No, of course not I wouldn't do something like that" he said as he put his hands in his pocket. "Imagine how awkward that would be if we didn't talk since we spend so much time together."
"Yea, would be awkward I am really glad nothing like that would ever happen, right?"
"Nope" he said as he was about to walk away when he turned back around. "Plus I don't think I could stay away from you" he said giving me one of his lovely smiles I missed so much.
I blushed and smiled at him. We walked together over to the backdrop to meet with everyone and begin our shoot.
Throughout the photo shoot it was like nothing had ever changed we were back to normal. He was playful as always. We all had so much fun together. We all knew this was something special and we had to cherish every moment of it. We all decided to have lunch together. We were sitting in a table set up by the staff. It was great being with my friends it was amazing that we all had this job and that we got along so well. Jenna, Amber, Dianna, Naya, Chris and I were in own conversation while the boys also had their own. Every once in a while I tried to listen to what kind of things they were talking about, it was mostly sports, music and video games. Boys will be boys.
"So Cory spill." I heard Mark say on one of my eavesdrop moments. "Did you hang out with her or what? I saw you tweet about her"
Her? Who where they talking about? Did Cory tell them about what happened between us?
"What I just said that she was brilliant, she is a great performer that's it" he told Mark as he smiled. I could see a low blush come across his face.
"I know you talked to Taylor, Cory I saw it with my own eyes" Kevin told him. I then realized who they were talking about.
"Ok fine so I did talk to her, Taylor is a great girl, she just isn't Taylor Swift the artist she is actually just Taylor all the time. She is a very nice girl, she is down to earth. She is hilarious, I mean like really she is so funny."
"Ok so what happened?" Mark asked.
"Nothing happened" Cory chuckled in response.
"You like her" Mark teased.
"I can't deny she is beautiful, I like that she is down to earth. I like that she isn't afraid to share her feelings." as he said that I saw him catch my eye. I quickly turned away and acted like I was into my own group's conversation.
"I saw you guys talking for a while" Kevin began saying "You were totally putting your moves on her, I saw how you hugged her." All the boys began to laugh.
Cory was blushing. "Stop it guys, come on she is a great girl but she is only 20 year's old." he said as he got off the table. The rest of the guys got up to followed him. That meant the rest of the conversation would be private.
"Well all I got to say is that if she is single and well you are completely single you should at least get to know the girl more." Mark told him as they walked away.
I couldn't hear the rest of their conversation, and I was done paying attention to my groups own conversation. I had to admit I was a little hurt by this, but then again what can I expect if I told him I wanted to be with Theo. I was watching Dianna do a few solo shots when I heard Mark and Kevin come over behind me.
"So did he decide to call her?" I heard Kevin ask.
"Yea, finally. Man it takes a lot to convince him to go for it. I don't understand why he doesn't at least get to know her." Mark answered.
Trying to be discreet I turned to look at Cory's direction, he was on the phone. He was standing by the make-up table and enjoying his conversation as his smile was from ear to ear. Right then I did something I never thought I would do, I walked over to the make-up table pretending I was trying to fix my eyeliner.
"Yea that would be great. Yea it sounds like fun." I could hear Cory saying to Taylor "Of course. Yes, talk to you later. Yea great catching up. Yes soon I promise. Ok take care. Bye." I saw him stare at his phone for a while with a big grin on his face. He then turned and saw me standing there. He gave me one of his half smiles. I returned him a smile even though I didn't want to look at him right now.
"What a long day, I am sure ready to go home." he said. "Photo shoots do take a long process"
"Yea, they do. I actually have a few more coming up. I have one for ELLE magazine tomorrow." I told him as I tried to hold from asking him about his friendly call.
"Lea I truly don't know how you do all of it." he said giving me a little chuckle. "Are you excited for winter break? Any plans?" He came over and took the seat at the make-up table to be face to face with me.
My heart began to speed up. I wonder if he heard it as he smiled at the same time. "Um, Yea I am excited I just don't really have anything planned. Free as a bird" just in case he had any plans I wanted him to know I was available. "What about you, any plans?"
"Nope, just ready to relax the promotional tour was really fun but I am a little tired. I think I am ready to do nothing" just then his phone rang. "Oh Lea excuse me I have to take this call."
And just like that he was gone. Since when could he not take a call in front of me? We always took calls in front of each other. There were no secrets. Then I remembered the only time I would not take a call in front of him was if Theo called. Which could only mean he was now getting a call from a girl. Who could that girl be? Taylor? Someone new? I had to let it go. Why wouldn't he be able to meet someone new, he was after all single and available, right? He was available to date whoever he wanted. I let him walk out of the park that night so I had to let him really go now.
With my schedule being so busy it kept my mind busy as well, kept me away from thinking about him. That was until I saw his message he was heading back home. I was heading back to NYC and he was heading back to Canada. I had time to clear my head. It was exactly the time and space I knew I needed even though it was bugging me thinking it was something I did not want. The holidays were great. Great to be with the family in my city. I had to start and get ready to go back to work in a few more days. A new year was to come. New changes. All I was really asking for was to get more strength, strength to stay away from him, strength to forget the past, move on to the future. 2010 was going to be a great year I was sure to make it a great year.