ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪᴠᴀʟꜱ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ

₀₁₂

𝘙𝘏𝘠𝘚 𝘔𝘖𝘖𝘙𝘌

I WAKE UP TO THE sound of music playing at full volume. And it's not just any music. It's heartbreak music. Sad, lame music that I would've put on my playlist if I was a fifth grade boy who had just been through his first breakup.

I run a hand over my face and groan at the music going through my ears. I really need a new roommate, preferably one without girl troubles.

When I make my way downstairs, I see Maxon with his polkadot apron on and hundreds of cupcakes lined up on the center island. He has his hair tied up at the top of his head in two tiny pigtails, chocolate frosting smeared on his cheek.

"What the hell are you doing?" I look at the clock on the wall, it's literally eight-thirty on a Saturday and my fucking roommate decided he wanted to become 'Cake Boss".

Maxon lifts his head for a second to look at me, then he's back to squeezing icing onto the cupcakes; which look more then decent.

"Baking."

"No shit. I mean why does our kitchen look like an episode from Cupcake Baking Championship?" I grab my coffee from the fridge, only to find bowls of different color frosting in there.

"It's...a long story. But a friend," He pauses to sigh. "needed my help and I couldn't say no." His throat bobs.

"Is this the same friend that is causing you to look like a kicked puppy all the time?" I pour my cold brew into a glass and watch as Max nods.

"I won't ask, because I don't really care," Kinda. "but don't put so much effort into that...friendship if it's only one-sided. It's draining." I sip my coffee.

"Don't worry, i'm fine." The music says otherwise.

__________

As i'm contacting more businesses and looking for more support with the contract, I realize I should probably be reaching out to Wren about this. Yet again, she might be doing the same. She might be doing her own thing, and not running it by me.

Still I think we should talk about this.

I take my laptop with me as I make my way down to the kitchen. Max's music stopped a little over two hours ago, so I assume he's done with being a baker.

I see Maxon sitting at one of the stools at the island. He's scrolling on his phone, and the kitchen looks perfectly clean and in order, except for the loads of cupcake boxes on the countertop.

"Max." I place my laptop down on the island and lean on the counter.

"Rhys." Maxon looks up from his phone.

"Do you think I should be running everything I do with the clients by my partner, or at least contacting her with it?"

"Yes. Hundred percent." Shit.

"Okay, well I can't type everything i've done in an email. It'd be six pages long."

Maxon shrugs. "Then invite her over and talk about it."

I laugh. Actually. Wow. Oh my God. He's so funny. Really. Invite Wren James over my house. My house. This is why i'm friends with Max. God, he's so funny.