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Katie’s peace lasted approximately four hours and twenty five minutes. That was how long it took for the caravan of Gearfits to drive to Las Vegas, enter the hotel lobby, and devolve into a squabbling mess. This didn’t come as much of a shock to Katie. They were a group of strong personalities, not to mention the fact that most of them had grown up with pockets deeper than the Marianas Trench. In fact, Katie found herself wishing that the commotion in the lobby had been the most dramatic part of her day.

Unfortunately for her, the debate about rooms was accompanied by a personal lesson in, “Why You Can’t Ghost Your Boyfriend of Three Years 101.” As her friends began to bicker, her phone began to buzz, vibrating rhythmically in her pocket. She pulled it out to see a number she didn’t recognize, sending it to voicemail with hardly a second thought. Moments later, the phone began to buzz again, the same number emblazoned on the screen. Again, she sent it to voicemail.

The third time her phone rang, Katie quietly slipped away, answering it with a terse, [color=980404][b]“Hello?”[/b][/color]

[color=049804][b]“Katie?”[/b][/color] The voice that came through the phone was unexpected, unwelcome, but not unfamiliar. It was Carter Hersh, live and in stereo. For a second, she thought she might pass out.

[color=049804][b]“Katie?”[/b][/color] The sound of Carter’s voice repeating her name pulled her back to reality. She ground her teeth together and stalked off, farther away from the group, doing her best not to stomp. 

[color=980404][b]“What is it, Carter?”[/b][/color]

An exasperated sigh came through the speaker, followed by a chuckle. She could see him, running his hands through his hair, trying to stay calm. He’d always been so much better at it than her. [color=049804][b]“Really? You text me less than twelve hours before we’re supposed to go to Europe, saying we’re done, and then just disappear? I’m sorry, am I inconveniencing you?”[/b][/color] She admired the way his voice remained level, even though she could sense the pain. Pain she’d caused.

[color=980404][b]“Carter, I told you last-”[/b][/color]

[color=049804][b]“You dumped me over [i]text[/i], Katie! You didn’t tell me anything! You sent me three fucking paragraphs and now you think that just erases three years?”[/b][/color] Carter shouted. Katie was shocked by the reaction. Carter’s anger had always been cool, and calm, an icy river. He made a point of never raising his voice. This was fiery and hot. Stunned silence lingered over the both of them, despite the miles that lay between.

[color=049804][b]“Katie, whatever is going on, we can fix it. You just have to let me help you,”[/b][/color] Carter said, piercing the silence with his voice, calm as still water once again.

[color=980404][b]“I don’t want you to help, though. ”[/b][/color] Katie said, glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one had noticed her absence. [color=980404][b]“I’m just figuring some shit out, okay?”[/b][/color] Carter stayed silent for a moment. She knew he was unimpressed by her evasion.

[color=049804][b]“I waited for you. At the airport, I mean. I waited all morning. I thought maybe you’d show up still. And then when our plane left, I was going to leave too, but I guess I hoped you’d still show. Guess that was pretty stupid, huh?”[/b][/color]

She wished so badly that she could say “I love you” and mean it, that she could erase everything she’d done and felt and came to accept, that she could be the girl Carter deserved. Instead, she did what she had to do. [color=980404][b]“Yeah, it was.”[/b][/color] 

Katie ended the call and quickly turned off her phone, shutting her eyes tight and tilting her head towards the ceiling, willing the tears to sink back into her. [color=980404][i]You will not cry, you will not cry, you will not cry.[/i][/color]

Once she was certain that no one would catch her misty eyed, she spun around, and returned to the group, just in time to pick a mint and decide her fate. Well, her room fate. 

The penthouse wasn’t bad, as far as roomies went. Chloe and Reyna at least would keep her sane, and after her conversation with Chris and Aleks, she felt like they had her back. AJ would be… well he would be AJ and she would be Katie, and if all went well there’d only be a little blood spilled. Had Carter’s voice not been so fresh in her ears, she might’ve even felt lucky to have Aleks in the suite. Now though, thinking about flirting with him made her think of Carter, waiting alone at LAX.

Once they’d reached the suite, Katie followed Reyna and Chloe into the room that she presumed they’d end up sharing. Tossing her bags on the ground, she flopped down next to Chloe. [color=980404][b]“Retail therapy and self medication. Count me in.”[/b][/color]