chapter eight
reveries
[anya rose steinburg]
-
"ugh i'm gonna miss you so much," aaliyah says to me, hugging me tightly in the middle of the airport, as i laugh, hugging her back.

"i'm gonna miss you too, but i will see you soon, and if you want to talk, just facetime me or call me, yeah?" i ask her, smiling softly.

"of course! same to you, have a safe flight." she tells me. "wish me luck with shawn." she whispers, making me laugh loudly.

"good luck, look after him for me, yeah?" i tease, as she nods, laughing, hugging me once more. "have a great christmas and new year too, i'm probably not going to see you till next year."

"see you!" i smile once more at her, before moving onto shawns parents, saying goodbye to them.

"thank you so much for having me for the past week, it's been great." i say to the both of them, hugging them goodbye. "have a merry christmas, and happy new year, too."

"you too anya, and you're always going to be welcome with us, don't forget about us!" karen says to me, making me laugh. "i'm going to miss someone helping me cook."

"i'm sure shawn'll help now?" i smirk at shawn, the five of us letting out a laugh. "thank you so much though, i really have appreciated everything you've done to make me feel comfortable."

"don't worry about it, have a safe flight sweetheart." karen tells me, kissing my cheeks. i smile back, before moving onto last but not least, shawn.

"bye mendes," i say, rushing up to him and hugging his tall frame. "i'll see you in two weeks."

"good luck with your date tomorrow," he says, rubbing my shoulders, and squeezing me tightly. "call me as soon as you get home, okay?"

"i will," i nod, pulling my head away from his neck, so i'm facing him. "try not to think about her, okay? i don't want you moping around like a heartbroken mess." i tell him firmly, hooking my arms around his neck, resting them over his shoulders.

"i'll try my best." he smiles sadly. "i'm gonna miss you."

"it's only two weeks, shawn," i chuckle. "but i'm gonna miss you too, these past five weeks have been amazing with you. you're literally my best friend now, thank you for making so many memories with me."

"no problem, don't cause too much trouble in new york until i get there." he says, making me laugh.

"i'm sure we'll cause enough in london after that." i tease back, before leaning up and planting my lips on his cheek. "see you, shawn." i say quietly, pulling away from the small kiss, seeing shawns cheeks a soft pink.

"bye anya, see you later," he says quietly to me, pulling me in for another hug. "5 numbers and 2 kisses on the cheek, checkmate steinburg." he whispers in my ear, as i quickly pull away, smirking softly.

"7 numbers, and 2 dates i probably won't show up to, and that was what i got in the food court. checkmate mendes, checkmate." he holds his head in defeat, laughing softly at me. "we're gonna play this again when you're in new york."

"it'll be fun." he nods, chuckling. "you win this round."

"i know, see you soon!" i pick up my suitcase and bag, walking away from shawn and his family, and into check in, getting ready for my flight back to new york city.

after checking in my suitcase, i enter security, getting through that in about twenty minutes, since the airport was pretty empty.

i take my phone out of my pocket, turning it on, and then coming to the realisation that this isn't my phone. it's shawns, shit. i mentally groan to myself, before trying to unlock his phone with the only codes i could think of. after for attempts of random numbers, i try his birthday, and it lets me into his phone.

"how original mendes, how original." i mumble, scrolling through his contacts and finding my name. i immediately ring it up, waiting for shawn to hopefully answer.

"hello?" he answers, making me sigh in relief. "wait, why am i calling myself?"

"shawn it's me, listen, we've swapped phones." i begin.

"shit, what are we gonna do?" he asks me, as i sigh, running my hand through my hair. "i can get a flight out to new york now, i'll go back to the airport and try to get a flight."

"any chance you could try to get mine? it leaves in four hours, if you rush, you might be able to make it." i say, looking at my watch.

"what about my luggage, anya i don't have anything apart from your phone and my wallet, and a bottle of water." he sighs. "you know what, i'll tell my dad to drive over now. i can buy some things when we land, i'll just come to new york early."

"thank god, shawn, you're an actual life saver." i breathe a sigh of relief, as he lets out a chuckle.

"i'll see you in a bit. wait at your gate? wait what's your phone password if i have to call you?" he asks me.

"my birthday, and i know yours is your birthday, and yeah i'll wait, if you get that flight that is." i chuckle.

"okay, we're heading back now, hopefully i'll be able to get there." he says. "now we can play the game in new york early!"

"i'm starting now, let's say 15 numbers before we get to my apartment." i make a deal.

"you're on, steinburg. see you later."
-
"oh my god, you saviour." i sigh in bliss, handing shawn an iced coffee and his phone, as he chuckles, holding out my phone.

"no luggage, no nothing, but i'm here." he says to me, taking the coffee. "thanks by the way."

"are you sure you want to stay in new york with me for two more weeks?" i ask him, the two of us sitting in the waiting area of the gate.

"anya, i'd love to." he says, making me smile. "we can have so much more time together then, before the press starts and cameras are back in our faces."

"so we can finally be friends?" i ask hopefully, as he nods, letting out a small chuckle.

"after we get some clothes and stuff for me, speaking of, can we do that as soon as we land?" he asks me, taking a sip of his coffee. "not to be rude or anything, but because of you, i literally have no clothes or anything with me."

"of course." i chuckle. "where's your seat on the plane?"

"first class, 13b." he says. "what about you?"

"first class, 3a." i sigh, frowning slightly. "oh well, it's only like a two hour flight, right?"

"i don't know, i'm not the one who lives in new york." i scoff, playfully flipping him off, as he lets out a laugh. i roll my eyes, sipping on my coffee. "it is a two hour flight, by the way."

"you're such an annoying idiot." i groan, glaring at him.

"so since we are going shopping as soon as we land, have you picked out anything for your date tomorrow?" shawn asks me, as i sigh, shaking my head.

"no, i was just going to find something in my closet. you can help me pick it out if you want." i shrug. "and it's only dinner at his place, nothing too special."

"where is his place?"

"park avenue." i answer, groaning after. "shit, it's gonna be fancy."

"do you have fancy clothes?" shawn asks me, as i look up at him, raising my eyebrows.

"shawn mendes, i live in the upper east side, why wouldn't i have fancy clothes?" i smirk back, as he chuckles, rolling his caramel eyes. "you'll be stuck with my roommate for a bit tomorrow evening though. don't worry, she's chill. and i'm pretty sure my cousin will be there too, since they are dating. you'd like him, he's pretty chill too."

"that's okay with me." he says to me with a light laugh. "do you think they would show me baby pictures of you? you know, since you've basically now seen every baby album of mine."

"maybe, but i only have two of my baby albums in new york city, the rest are in the hamptons." i say to him, as he groans.

"damn, i thought i could see all of them." he sighs. "would they have embarrassing pictures of you?"

"possibly." i say, not giving him a definite answer. "but i don't think mine will beat yours, ian, jon, brian and lyall showed me so many at that party." i laugh. "including some very embarrassing ones with a girl?"

"oh, lauren?" shawn chuckles, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. i nod.

"who is she?"

"my ex girlfriend." he says. "well, we never really released it, but she was my girlfriend for two years? i think. we broke up near the
end of 2016." he says softly. (a/n my shawren heart is honestly broken after what happened a couple days ago oh well)

"oh, i'm sorry," i say to him, as he chuckles, shaking his head.

"don't worry about it, by the end of our relationship, i didn't really feel anything apart from a dull friendship kind of love. i'm over it." he explains, making me smile. "plus, i'd much rather focus on trying to get over that other girl."

"well, i hope you try to. i don't like seeing you upset." i say to him, as he lets out a chuckle, finishing his coffee.

"don't worry about me, i'll be fine."

well, i guess he lied.
-
i sigh loudly, sitting down on one of the play sofas in the mens changing rooms, waiting for shawn to finish trying on the ten button up shirts he picked up whilst going round kooples.

"what do you think of this one?" shawn asks, exiting the dressing room, still buttoning up a burgundy coloured shirt.

"very fancy." i chuckle, as he rolls up the sleeves, looking in one of the full length mirrors outside, turning around in the mirror.

"i don't know why i didn't start wearing these sort of shirts years ago, they're so comfy, and fancy." he states, walking back into the changing room, making me laugh.

"according to your fans, you never really had a style, so that's why." i laugh, as i hear him groan, before scoffing.

"excuse you, the same black jeans and grey long sleeve, is style, okay? i'm just experimenting now." he says, coming out with a blue shirt now.

"shawn, your collar is turned funny, come here," i chuckle, as he sighs, turning his back to me, whilst i quickly fix his collar. he turns around again, and i flatten out the front, unbuttoning the top two buttons, and letting the shirt settle. "there we go, that's what you call style. now all we need is a nice denim jacket, or maybe a black puffer, oh! or one of those boxy duster jackets. that would look dapper."

"nice, i have to say, i really do like this." he says, turning to the mirror once more. "how about i grow out my curls to really change my look?"

"i say do, you'd look older." i nod, folding my arms at him. "your fans would love it."

"i know," he cheekily smirks, before walking back into the dressing room. i let out a sigh, chuckling and shaking my head at him.

"what do you want to do for dinner today? we could go get some pizza." i suggest to him, as he leaves the dressing room in his normal clothes, carrying the ten shirts in his hands, along with the couple jumpers he picked up too.

"sure, i don't really mind." he shrugs. "can you grab my other bags while i quickly pay for these?" he asks me, motioning to his all saints, topman, armani, and zara men bags. i chuckle, nodding, and picking them all up in my hands, while shawn rushes to the cash desk, collecting another two bags to add to his collection.

"okay, can we drop these bags off at yours before we head to dinner?" he asks me, taking the bags from my hands.

"yeah, i was just gonna suggest that," i say, taking back some of shawns bags, so he has a hand free.

"hey, i can hold them," he complains, making me shake my head.

"stop, i'll help you." i tell him, as we leave the shop, being face by paparazzi. "fuck."

"how did they find out i was in new york?" shawn mutters, grabbing onto my hand and walking past them, as we speed away, trying to find a taxi. shawn hails one, the two of us getting in immediately, and shutting the door to the cameras.

"east 72nd street please," i say, settling in my seat, as shawn breathes a sigh of relief, letting go of my hand. the driver moves away from the scene, taking the fairly short drive to my apartment.

"so what do i have to expect at your apartment then?" shawn asks me, a cheeky smile on his face. i roll my eyes at him, looking out of the window.

"nothing too impressive, i mean, it's like a general apartment off of park avenue." i shrug. "theres a pretty good view of central park from my room."

"will you give me an apartment tour?" he asks me, as i raise my eyebrows, chuckling.

"now you're pushing it." i say sarcastically. "i'm kidding, i will."

"so i'm thinking of buying a condo in toronto." shawn says to me, casually dropping it. i raise my eyebrows at him, as he chuckles, nodding. "i've been looking around and i think i found one that i like. it's got a great view too."

"well done." i say to him, as he laughs at me. "no seriously, that's great, shawn."

"yeah i know," he scoffs, as i roll my eyes playfully at him. "i'm kidding, i-" he gets cut off by his phone ringing, making him let out a long sigh. "gerty, hey." he answers. "yeah i'm in new york, long story. wait what? i have press? why didn't you tell me? oh it was planned today, okay that makes sense, right anya and i? no that's fine," he says. "a couples interview? oh god, please say you have the questions. oh thank god, okay, see you then andrew, bye."

"what's happening?" the taxi stops outside my apartment. i quickly pay, getting out of the taxi, shawn following me.

"we've got an interview in a few days. don't worry though, andrew has the questions, so he's gonna email them to me now, and we can prep for it." shawn explains to me, whilst the two of us stroll into my apartment building.

"miss anya! so good to see you again!" the doorman says to me, making me smile widely.

"hey mason, it's great to be back!" i say to him, as he smiles back at me. "how's nicole and the two boys?"

"they're all great, miss anya. the boys have gotten so big! who's this, may i ask?" he asks, motioning to shawn.

"this is shawn, my boyfriend. shawn, this is mason, the buildings doorman." i introduce the two, as shawn smiles, shaking his hand.

"lovely to meet you, sir." shawn says, making mason smile.

"nice to meet you too, i'll leave you two teens to it. see you soon miss anya, and mister shawn." i smile back, dragging shawn to the elevator to the floor of my apartment.

"penthouse? wow, how rich are you?" shawn asks me, stepping out onto my floor. i chuckle, rolling my eyes at him, before flicking the back of his head, as he looks around the place in awe. "it's so cute here, and cozy, it's adorable."

"you're funny." i state, letting out a laugh at him, before walking into the main room, placing down shawns shopping bags, seeing my cousin and kelsey, my roommate, in an intense making out session. i sigh, folding my arms and clearing my throat, making the two of them jump back in shock.

"anya!" kelsey gasps, peter's cheeks flushed, making me laugh. "you're back!"

"how comes as soon as you two get in you want to fuck?" i ask, placing my hands on my hips. "and yeah, i'm back." i embrace the two in hugs, laughing.

"how was london? and australia?" peter exclaims at me, as i smile widely, pulling away from kelsey.

"they were amazing, i loved it," i chuckle. "speaking of, shawn!" i yell, as he rushes into the main room, carrying his bags. "come here." shawn nods, coming next to me. "kels, peter, this is shawn, my fake boyfriend, shawn; this is kelsey and this is peter."

"nice to meet you guys," shawn says, shaking both of their hands.

"you too," peter says to shawn. "honestly when anya said she was fake dating a celebrity, i didn't even believe her, but here you are!"

"hey!" i complain, slapping his arm. "anyway, i'm gonna get the guest room ready for shawn, you guys, make him feel at home." i say to kelsey and peter. "and you, don't miss me too much." i tease to shawn, as he scoffs again, rolling his eyes.

i walk away, heading into one of the two guest rooms, making it feel a little more homely for shawn, and lighting a couple candles to give the room a fresh scent. after preparing the space, i change the sheets into a fresh white set, and taking the current grey set with me into the laundry cupboard, immediately loading it into the washing machine.

"need any help?" shawn asks me, popping his head into the cupboard.

"i thought kelsey and peter were keeping you company?" i ask, confused.

"well they were, but both of them had wandering hands, so i let them be. right now they're probably in bed." he chuckles, his pearly whites showing, and his cheeks flushed pink. "so what about that apartment tour?"

"come on you idiot."
-
shawn and anya make my heart go 🧡💛❤️💓🧡💚💗🧡💓💛❤️💛