*Michael*
Lauren had asked to meet at a neutral location, a surprisingly casual restaurant.
As soon as I opened the restaurant door, my heart began to race inside my chest. It felt like a lifetime since I'd seen her, yet it had only been months since the tumultuous conclusion of her and Blaine's attempt to remove me from the picture.
Gritting my teeth, I looked around the restaurant, expecting to find her as I had always known her, dressed to perfection. Instead, I spotted her tucked away in a corner booth, cheeks flushed with emotion, her bare face free of makeup, and her usually-sleek hair swept up in a haphazard bun. She had always been meticulous with her appearance, but now she seemed oblivious to it.
A year ago she wouldn't have been caught dead looking as she did then. It made m
