Stephanie's POV
Stephanie had changed into her sleep shorts and tank top and was just about to settle down when she heard her doorbell ring. She remembered that Kate was supposed to come over. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was 7:10 already.
She went to her door and saw that it was Kate. She opened her door and came face-to-face with her best friend. They stared at each other for a while before meeting for a hug.
"Don't ever leave me hanging like that," Kate said as they let themselves go. She tried to say it casually, but Stephanie could hear the pain in her best friend's voice, and it made her feel even more terrible.
"I'm so sorry; I don't even know what to say," she said, letting her best friend in. "I was just about to watch gossip girl. How about we do that and order pizza, and I try my best to explain?" She finished looking at her friend, hopefully.
"Yeah, okay, that's fine." Kate agreed and sat down on the couch.
They had been watching their show for about 10 minutes when their pizza came. They continued to watch their show. After a few more episodes of gossip girl, Kate finally spoke up.
"What's really going on, Stephanie? Why did you suddenly go MIA? I thought something had happened to you. That was very unfair."
Kate let out a sigh and turned the television off before facing her friend. "No amount of sorry can show how truly remorseful I am, but after I got fired, it seemed like everything was going downhill for me. My rent increased. My mother had a heart attack, and I haven't even gone to see her. I feel like a truly terrible person. I met someone who had been the only source of light in my life lately, but I don't even think he likes me so much. I modeled for Anabelle Corelli today, and I did it without informing my best friend, and I still don't feel fulfilled. I'm supposed to be apologizing right now, but all I'm doing is trauma dumping and I'm so sorry," she finally let out and broke down in tears.
Her speaking about her mother somehow made it real. She had been trying to ignore it and tell herself it was not really a call. She didn't want to go to the hospital because she thought that'd make it real, but speaking about it with her best friend just made her realize she was abandoning her mother when she needed her the most. She was the worst daughter ever.
Kate drew her friend into a hug for the second time that day and let her cry it out. She felt she didn't deserve Kate or the comfort she brought. How will she push her aside, and she'll still be so nice to her? She didn't deserve kindness. She had never felt so terrible.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Kate asked after Stephanie had been lying on her chest for a while. Stephanie looked at her friend and began to explain everything, excluding the part of the fake marriage, after she remembered the NDA she signed. Alexander had been nice to her so far, but she didn't know what would happen if she violated their terms of agreement. She explained her mother's condition and how she wasn't able to get any gigs because of Chris. Also, how she met Alexander. How he was Anabelle's cousin and that he gave her the gig. She wasn't sure how to explain their relationship. So she just said they were friends. Kate didn't look very convinced about that bit.
When she was done explaining everything and crying her eyes out, she felt a lot lighter and wondered why she hadn't told her everything earlier.
"You know I'll always be here for you. You don't need to hide stuff like this from me. Or bear burdens as heavy as this alone. You need to go see your mom, Stephanie, and I know it's not what you want to hear, but you don't know how much more time you have with her. You can't keep living in denial. Your mom is critically ill, and you have to be there with her and for her. Imagine how scary this is for her too, and she's going through it all alone," Kate said after they sat in silence for a bit.
"You're right," Stephanie agreed, sniffing, "would you come with me to see her tomorrow? I really can't do it alone," she said, and she meant it as well. Stephanie was her best friend, and she made her strong in ways she didn't believe. Alexander has come to mean a lot in such a short period of time, but Kate was her day one.
"Of course. You don't have to do it alone; you have me. Also, it seems it's not just me you have," she said coyly. "Mr. Billionaire seems to have stolen all your senses, and don't give me that crap about you guys being 'just friends'; you don't get all giddy when talking about me now, do you?" she said teasingly.
Stephanie was sure she was blushing hard. "Come on, Kate, we're just friends," she said, covering her face. She wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Kate or herself.
"Mmmhmmm, sure you are. Anyway, when am I going to meet this friend of yours?" Kate asked, laughing. Stephanie buried her face in the couch and mumbled, 'I don't know' Knowing her friend Kate, she is never going to let her live this down. It also doesn't help that she's going to get married to Alexander in, like, two months. Even though it's going to be fake, her best friend wouldn't know that.
"Unto more important matters, Anabelle Corelli!!!" Kate yelled The infamous Anabelle Corelli. I can't believe you modeled for her. She is amazing. It's like every model's dream. In Chris's stupid face. That bastard thought he had the last laugh. That must have been magical."
"It was magical. She's an amazing designer. The dress I wore? The dress, Kate? Fabulous. I couldn't believe what was happening. It was the most confident I had ever felt. Oh, and the pay is great." She said the last part, laughing, which caused Kate to join her. It was the most she had been paid for a gig well modeling gig, and age could not believe her eyes. With the money Alexander sent to her the day after she signed the contract, it hadn't sunk in yet. In fact, she hadn't touched the money, but this one was for her craft, and she believed she deserved it.
"Enough about me," Stephanie said, facing her friend. "Is there anything new at work, or you know a new boo?" she said jokingly. Now, however, it was Kate's turn to blush, leading her to believe there was something her friend wasn't telling her.
"Kate, is that a blush I see? I never thought I'd see the day. Come girly spill," she asked, curious about what was making her friend blush.
"Well, you remember the day at the club? The guy I was dancing with. We may have a little something going on, but we're taking it slow though. It's nothing too serious." She explained
"Okay, miss nothing too serious. I hear you. I mean, your face is saying something different, but okay, okay. I'll let it be. Can we watch our show now?" she asked Kate, who just nodded. They had been watching the movie for hours when she noticed Kate was asleep.
She was about to turn off the TV and sleep as well when she received a goodnight text from Alexander. She smiled and sent one back. She turned off the television and then went to bed.