chapter four
fake
[anya rose steinburg]
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shawn and brian talk for hours. and i mean hours. we met brian at 7:30, it is currently 1:30 in the morning and they still haven't stopped talking.

their friendship is amazing, like honestly i wouldn't be able to talk to my own friends about one topic for that long.

"anya? are you okay honey?" shawn asks, breaking the conversation.

"a little tired, that's all." i smile, shrugging.

"do you want to go? brian's coming with us anyway." shawn says.

"no you stay and have fun, i'll just go with chris or someone." he nods, pecking my cheek as i walk away, finishing my fifth drink of the night.

chris and i walk out of the venue, getting our taxi back to the hotel.

"you and shawn sure have been getting on well." chris teases. i roll my eyes, looking out the window.

"we talked a little in the car here." i say. "he apologised and we agreed to be civil to one another. after all i am going to be here for a while."

"that's a start!" she cheers, making me laugh.

"yeah i guess." i say. "hey do you wanna go to the pool now?"

"now? is it even open?" chris asks in confusion.

"you brought your bathing suit right?" she nods. "suites have access to the private indoor rooftop pool and hot tub." i smirk.

"oh i forgot you and shawn have that access." she laughs, as i roll my eyes.
-
[shawn peter raul mendes]
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"dude we should go to the pool at the hotel now." i tell brian.

"shawn it's almost 2am is it even open?" he chuckles.

"suites have private access to the one on the roof, come on! geoff and them lot don't have access, only me and anya do, and i'm pretty sure anya's gone to sleep, she looked really tired."

"you really care for her shawn, admit it." brian says, i let out a sigh.

"i care for everyone brian." i say. "i care for her but not seriously if you get what i mean, we just decided to become civil in the past several hours."

"okay okay." he laughs, as i roll my eyes.

"now lets go before it gets too late right?" brian jumps over the bar, stealing a bottle of champagne and a box of glasses. we then walk out, getting a black taxi back to the hotel.

brian checks in as i go up to my suite to get into my swim trunks.

i strip of my clothes and put on the swim trunks, taking a t-shirt with me, and the champagne and glasses. i wait outside brian's room for him to be done.

my mind can't help wander to anya. i should've checked in on her to see if she was okay. she was pretty tired, and i do care for her. she's so genuine and pretty, but i hate my management for making me do this.

"okay let's go." brian shuts his door and we both make our way up to the pool, hearing chattering and high pitched voices there.

"oh shit someone's here." i groan, opening up the glass door.

"shawn?"

"anya?"

we both make eye contact, confused at what each other are doing here.

"i thought you wanted to sleep?" i ask, as she gets out of the hot tub, standing in her black bikini.

"i did, but me and chris decided to come here." anya says. "what are you two doing here?" she peers behind our backs. "with champagne and a box of glasses?"

"party for four?" brian suggests, as anya lets out a giggle, opening the box and opening the champagne, pouring out four glasses.

"shawn has a show tomorrow guys." chris says sternly.

"lighten up chris." i laugh. "i'll be fine."

"okay fine." she take a champagne and downs it in one, topping her glass up almost immediately.

"shawn?" anya holds out a glass, as i take it, putting it on the ledge next to me, stripping of my shirt and taking my glass into the pool with me.

i see anya pour herself another glass, before diving into the water, creasing small waves across the surface of the clear water. she swims up to me, hiccuping from water impact in her mouth.

"hey." she giggles, leaning against the wall, her legs just brushing mine.

being taller then her, i look down at her floating figure, smiling as i stand on flat feet.

"hi." i reply, as she bursts out into a fit of laughter, letting go of the wall. my instincts go first and i reach user, grabbing her from the arms to steady her.

"woah there, careful." i say, still holding her up. she wraps one of her legs around my torso, moving closer to her chest is pressed against to mine. fuck.

"you're cute." she whispers, giggling into my ear.

"and you missy, are drunk." she laughs again, reaching into her bra part of the bikini, taking out a bag of pills.

"shhh i found this at the party." she says. "i think they are pills to get people who are lazy up and moving."

"anya what the hell." i say, snatching the bag from her. "you could've been killed from these! you don't know what they are!"

"meanie." she sticks out her tongue at me, moving closer if humanly possible.

"i know you get nervous around me." i whisper. "i see the way you blush. i see how you suddenly get higher pitched, and you stand up straighter. i see how you try to avoid eye contact with me, but when we make it you're always the first one to break it."

"w-what's that supposed to mean?" she asks, looking down.

"look at me. eyes to eyes." i mumble, tilting up her chin. her brown small eyes gaze up, a glint in them, accentuating her auburn, red brown eyes. "that's all i needed."

"shawn." she murmurs. "i'm sorry." i look at her, smiling sadly.

"i know you are now." she unwraps her leg from me, leaning onto the wall with one of her hands. "should we go back to the suite?" she nods, as i jump out, helping her drunk figure out.

"hey guys we're gonna go, see you in the morning." i nod at brian and chris, as i grab my t-shirt, slipping it over anya's figure.

she yawns, quietly thanking me, and wraps an arm around my torso. i suddenly feel a wave of excitement, and shock wash over me. i just met her and she already has an effect on me.

"come on anya." i say, opening the door as we walk to our suite, anya letting out occasional yawns and holding onto me tighter.

i take her to her room, handing her a robe, and i walk into her bathroom, running a bath, putting in the salts they provide.

"hey anya-" she turns around, tears running down her face. "anya?" i walk forward to her as she chokes a sob.

"hey hey hey, what's wrong?" i sit her down on the bed, crouching in front of her, holding onto her hands.

"i can't do this shawn." she cries. "i can't do this and feel guilty because you can't hang around any other girls now."

"that doesn't matter to me." i semi lie. "don't feel guilty okay?"

"but you have so much in your life, you have so much that you can do and your management offer me of all people this job that ruins your life?" she flings herself forward, crying into her knees.

"i really don't care anya." i say softly. "i know you don't like this, and i don't either, but we can learn to be friends okay? look at us now." i softly smile at her, lifting her head up gently. she sniffles, as i wipe away her tears. "now will you come and get in this bath i ran ever so nicely for you?" she chuckles, rolling her eyes as i stand up, holding my hand out. she takes it and walks to the bathroom, letting go and shutting the door.

"goodnight anya, sweet dreams." i say from the other side.

"night shawn." she says back. i smile, walking out of her room, shutting the door, and into mine, deciding to shower myself to get all the chlorine off me.

i step into the hot running waters, standing there for a few minutes, letting the water trickle over my body
(how hot would this be irl um) and bringing my thoughts together.

i like her.

i soap my body, rinsing it off and stepping out, drying off and finding a pair of boxers, slipping them on, followed by a pair of grey sweatpants. i get into the white duvets of the bed, setting an alarm for 8am.

my eyes close, but a faint knock at the door wakes me up.

"come in!" i say quietly, as the door opens. i switch on the light and anya walks in, my top draped over her body and ending mid thigh, her hair tied into a bun.

she doesn't say anything, but instead walks to the side next to me, getting in and moving closer. i turn off the light, wrapping my arms around her, as she rests her head on my chest.

i feel my heart jump, and electric sparks running over my body, butterfly's fluttering in my stomach.

"night shawn." she mumbles, throwing one of her legs over mine. i wrap my arms tighter around her, pulling her closer.

"night honey."
***
shrilling, my phone alarm beeping, waking me up. sunlight streams through the blinds, reflecting onto anya who is still sleeping, little snores erupting from her lips.

i kissed her yesterday. that was my first public kiss.

i reach over, turning my alarm off and looking down at the beauty queen in my arms.

"hey anya." i mumble, gently shaking her. slowly, her brown eyes flutter open, her eyelashes fanning her skin.

"do we have to get up?"

"sadly, i have rehearsals." i sigh, as she groans.

"do you have any painkillers?" she asks, gripping onto her head.

"in my bag, hold on ill go get them." she nods, letting go of me, and i immediately feel a cold wind settle over me, as i get up, walking to my suitcase, opening it and taking the pack of painkillers out. i go into the main suite part of our shared room, and i run the tap water, getting a glass and filling it up.

"here." i say, handing her the glass and pills, as she shuffles up, downing the pills and water, putting the glass down next to her.

"we better get ready, breakfast in an hour." i say, checking my phone with a text from geoff telling us to get ready for 9am.

"i'll see you in a bit." she stands up, wiping her eyes and walking out my room, through the suite, into hers, shutting the door.

i do my usual morning things, getting out a grey shirt, black jeans and a denim jacket, wiping aftershave over my pulse points, messing up my hair and styling it into the way i usually have it. i take my phone off charge, sliding it into my pocket, zipping up my guitar case and walking into the suite area.

anya walks out at the same time as me, dressed in a khaki crop top, black jeans and a black duster coat over that, her black bag hung loosely over her shoulder. her hair is in a bun again, and she's wearing a pair of white converse.

"you look gorgeous." i smile, putting down my guitar and sitting next to her on the couch, waiting for 9am.

"thank you." she mumbles, taking her phone out and typing a text to someone called kelsey.

"who's kelsey?"

"my roommate in new york." she says. "my course papers have just arrived, well for the one i'm changing to."

"journalism right?" i ask, as she nods.

"i don't want to do medicine, my stupid parents were making me do it." she sighs.

"well now you're doing what you want to do aren't you?" i smile, as she nods again.

"yeah it's something i'm interested in." anya says. "anyway should we head to breakfast?"

"oh yeah let's go." i say, standing up and closing my room door. anya does the same, taking her things and walking out the door first. i shut it, putting the room key into my pocket. anya laces her hand with mine, squeezing it as we walk down the corridor to the hotel restaurant.

"oh look there's geoff and brian." she says, walking over to them, saying hi.

"babe do you want coffee or tea?" i ask her, setting my things down.

"coffee please, no sugar and a few drops of milk. i'll get your food, what do you want?" she smiles.

"i'll have a fried egg, bacon and fruit please." she nods, walking over to the station, getting my food and getting herself fruit and a pastry.

i make our drinks, setting them down on the table, putting my phone on the table as anya makes her way over with the food.

"thanks honey." i whisper, leaning over and pecking her cheek.

she blushes pink, sitting in her seat, starting to devour her breakfast. i reach over, holding her free hand in my free one, as she smiles.

"so what have you got on today?" she asks me.

"radio one teen awards and xfactor." i say. "we have to go early to teen awards for rehearsals and soundcheck and it's pretty far from here from what i gathered, even though we are in london but anyway." she laughs, rolling her eyes.

"thank you for last night by the way, i really needed some reassurance." she mumbles. i smile, shaking my head.

"i guess it was helpful for both of us. i know it's hard anya, i'm going through the same but you have to understand that things will get better. look at us now for an example. we are fine now okay?" she nods, finishing her breakfast.

"look at you two, getting along." andrew smirks from next to ya.

anya and i roll our eyes together.

"you annoy me." i say.

"and you annoy me, anyway, you've got an hour free time, go outside but make sure your back in the lobby at 10:30 okay?"

"sure." i say. i get up, as does anya and we link hands, walking out of the hotel into the busy streets of london.