Page 5 of The Ending is the Best Part
He hit the nail on the head.He might be the bane of my existence, but unfortunately he is one of the smartest people I know.If only he could understand the show’s characters as astutely as he seems to understand me.Maybe then he could write some character development on his own one of these days.
I start to come up with an excuse, but I know it looks bad and there’s no point in prolonging this torturous experience any longer.
‘YES!Fine.You got me – congratulations!Would you like a medal?’
He nods towards the drawer.‘Take it out,’ he demands in that deliciously deep voice of his and my mind starts wandering to other things.Much more sinful things.But then I remember who I’m talking to and I’m snapped straight out of that fantasy.He says it again: ‘Go on, take it out.’
‘W-what?’ I sputter.
‘The notebook.What else could Ipossiblybe talking about?’
I feel a blush start to form but try to remain composed.I reach into the drawer for the notebook and flick through the blank pages until my gaze finally lands on one that has just a single sentence scrawled on it:
JUST ASK NEXT TIME, YAZZA DAZZLER
That blush I was trying to keep in check?Yeah, it’s now bursting like fireworks on Bonfire Night across my cheeks.
He knows.And he knows that I know that he knows.This situation genuinely can’t get any worse.
‘Was I really that obvious?’ I groan into the notebook and dare to look up at him.
‘I mean considering you were trying to get me to leave so you could snoop around, yeah, I’d say you were beingslightlyobvious.’ He cocks his head at me.‘Bearing in mind you’re one of the best writers I know, you really should brush up on your acting skills.’
My ears perk up at that.‘I’m one of the best writers you know?’ I say with slight disbelief.
‘Did I say that?’ He runs a hand through his hair, looking exasperated.‘Ah, it’s late, I’m barely making sense.’
‘Nope, I know what I heard and I will forever hold it against you.’
‘Out of this whole situation, that’s the one thing you pick up on… Seriously?’ Xander scoffs.
I tilt my head and smile up at him.
We stare at each other for what feels like a small eternity but only a few seconds pass.He clears his throat and looks away first.Well, that was weird, but I won’t think into it too much, otherwise my mind will start drifting into dangerous territory.Places that I’ve not been to in a long time.That crush I had on my first day was pretty fleeting in the grand scheme of things.
‘Well…?’ His voice trails off.
‘Well, what?’
‘If you want to play it like that, then fine.Guess I won’t be needing to go through the meeting notes with you.’ He starts to turn but I run up to him and latch on to his arm, which tenses under my touch.
I rip my hand away.‘Look, I’m sorry that I went through your things.It was an invasion of your privacy.I truly am sorry.’
His gaze softens but it’s quickly replaced by a look of mischief.‘Apology not accepted.You’re going to have to do a lot more than that to earn my forgiveness.’
‘Thanks, Xander, I knew we could both be adults abo—’ Wait.What did he just say?My sentence comes up short.‘Umm, I don’t think I heard you properly.’
‘Nope, you heard me perfectly, Yazza Dazzler.I’ll decide when I forgive you.Until then I own you.’
‘I own you,’ I mock him.‘Do you think you’re in some sort of Mafia romance?’
‘Mafia… What?’ He looks confused but it’s all an act to keep up his pretentious persona.He knows exactly what I’m talking about.It’s one of my favourite genres and he’s definitely overheard me in the office talking about them before.
I squint my eyes at him.‘Never mind!Are we going to talk about what happened in that meeting?’
He walks over from the doorway and plops himself onto his chair, then closes his eyes and sighs.
‘Right yes, the meeting.I’ll keep it nice and short.Meagan wants us to worktogetherto write the season finale.Both our names on the episode.Not just writers’ room credits at the end.’
