It's Not Easy Falling For The CEO I Hate

It was a sunny day at Welton High School. The birds were chirping in the trees and the hot weather didn't seem to discourage the students from roaming around the school

A group of girls were crowded behind a fuming girl. The girl had long black hair falling gracefully behind her back, a fair skin complexion, beautiful brown eyes, and cherry-colored lips pulled in a sneer

The young girl's brown eyes glared fiercely at the boy sitting on the bench in front of her. His head was bowed so that his face couldn't be seen

" Vaughn! You have a lot of guts!"

She clenched tightly to the white piece of paper that contained clean handwriting between her palms. It felt like she would rip into pieces in the next moment

" Emily calm down, don't create a scene"

Another beautiful girl approached the earlier placing a comforting hand on her shoulder as she cast a sympathetic glance at the black-haired boy

Honestly, she didn't understand what Emily was making a fuss about. Wasn't it just a love letter? Shouldn't she be flattered that despite her rudeness to him Vaughn would still like her? It was one thing to turn down the other's feelings calmly, but was there really a need to make such a scene and embarrass him

" Why should I calm down?! Lisa, isn't it an insult to me for him to write such a thing ?"

"you're being over dramatic. It's just a letter"

The black-haired girl of course didn't listen. She scrunched up the love letter and threw it at Vaughn

" Vaughn! The day I accept your love is the day the world falls apart!"

She turned around and angrily stumped away closely followed by the crowd of giggling girls

Lisa sighed and turned her gaze back at Vaughn, the boy's head was still downcast. It seemed like the events of just now hadn't registered to him at all

Lisa lowered herself to pick up the paper that had rolled down on the ground before sitting beside Vaughn

" Vaughn, you mustn't mind Emily. She doesn't mean what she said, she was just angry that's all"

" hm," Vaughn said dryly

" it's really sweet what you wrote to her" Lisa thought it was too bad Emily was too childish to see that. The girl was just like that sometimes. She barely noticed the good things in front of her until it was too late. Was there a chance Emily would find someone who loved her as much as Vaughn did?

" hm," Vaughn's response was still the same.

Lisa sighed. She took the lack of response from Vaughn as his mourning for rejection. love was such a complicated thing

A person like Vaughn who had been in love with Emily since kindergarten happened to be the exact person Emily hated the most. Just what kind of fate was it? Even though Emily had spent the best of their school time making Vaughn's life a living hell the handsome boy still loved her this much

She felt sympathetic for him. She hoped Emily wouldn't be so mean to the boy. It was already the last year of high school for them and Vaughn had grown the courage to confess after all, only to be harshly rejected

Lisa suddenly felt afraid. would she also fall for someone like this too? Would she also be rejected?! No way!! She was a lady, she was meant to be chased and not the other way around!

With that thought in mind, Lisa felt appeased. She made to comfort Vaughn again

" Don't worry Vaughn, I'll talk to Emily and,.."

But when she looked over to the person beside her Vaughn was gone

He must have left to go lick his wounds. Poor thing

Lisa stood up and walked off to go scold Emily, she completely forgot about the love letter which wasn't there anymore

That was eight years ago.....and now everything was coming to bite Emily in the back

* * *

Emily hadn't thought to put something more casual. How could she have remembered such a thing if she hadn't even known she would be attending a high-class celebrity after-party

She remembered waking up earlier in the morning with her phone ringing so loudly

It hadn't even occurred to her who would be so rude to wake her up at 5:AM. She hadn't felt like this since her college days, but it seemed that even after graduation she still had to rise so early

" What!?" She didn't bother being polite at all as she answered the phone.

" Are you seriously still sleeping you? Some of us are out working! I don't get why Dad still lets you live in the house when you should be living on your own! He was never so lenient with me!"

" quit whining" Emily fought back a yawn "What do you want Scarlet?"

Her sister didn't even hesitate to blare out her needs like she was some kind of queen that was made to be served

" I forgot to bring some dresses for the shoot. They're in my room so hurry up and bring them over"

" What!? Why do I have to bring them over? Where's Kevin? "

" he's busy Emily. My agent has a lot to do before the shoot so stop complaining and bring the things to me. Maybe you might score a job"

" No"

" lazy ass" Scarlet scolded cutting the call

Emily laid back for a couple of seconds thinking about what Scarlet had said. She didn't need her nosy sister telling her off all the time, she knew she needed to get a job soon. It had been over two years since she graduated college and three months since she quit her last job as an agent. The person she had been managing was easy to say the bitchiest girl to have existed. Nissa treated her more like a nanny than an agent. Maybe it was the fact that she had managed to land a popular album that made her think Emily's life revolved around her

It wasn't like Emily hadn't tried to make it work but in the end, it came down to either quitting her job or poisoning Nissa's meal and killing her. Emily decided the first option was the most logical

Now after a whole three months, she was still jobless. Maybe the fact that she hadn't been looking for a job may have been the major factor. Her parents hadn't bothered her much seeing how her last job had been a lot to handle.

But still, it was three months for goodness sake, it was enough goofing around especially since her sister's modeling career was booming and even Lisa had been cast in a lot of movies recently, basically, she was the only one being left behind

Grudgingly, Emily got off her bed and got herself ready. She threw on a jeans and top and tied her hair in a ponytail before finally making her way to Scarlet's room which was next door to hers

The dress her sister demanded was already packaged cleanly in her wardrobe. She picked up her phone to see that Scarlet had texted her an address.

" Are you going out?" Emily's mother asked seeing as she came downstairs dressed.

" yes Mom, Scarlet needs me to bring her something" Emily couldn't even try to mask her annoyance

Mrs. West smiled at her pulling her in a small hug. " be careful on the way honey. And make sure you eat breakfast"

" Kay Kay"

She walked out of her home with much gloom towards the place where she could hail a taxi. She had a feeling this was going to be an extremely tiring day

" what are you wearing?!"

Scarlet gave her a disapproving look the moment she stepped into the studio. Emily had looked down at herself but honestly, she didn't see anything wrong with her outfit

" what do you mean?"

" This is a high-class studio you imp! Are you purposely trying to embarrass me?!"

" here's your dress" Emily didn't even have the energy to argue with Scarlet at the moment

Her sister seemed ready to scold her, but then again she was the one in a hurry, she settled for a frown before disappearing into her dressing room

Emily went to seat in the lounge room behind the camera crew. She had only brought out her phone to play some games when a familiar handsome face approached her

" pleasant to see you here Emily "

" hey Kevin " she smiled back at her sister's agent

Kevin and herself had been to school together and had been good friends even after graduation. Unlike her, Kevin had gotten a job with a big industry right after graduating, it was such a coincidence that he was paired with her sister after Scarlet debuted. She thinks him unfortunate to be paired with a demanding person like Scarlet

" did you bring something for Scarlet ?"

" yeah, just a dress. She said something about having a big shoot today?"

"It's more of the after-shoot thing"

" what do you mean?" Emily looked curiously at Kevin who had taken a seat beside her

" there's supposed to be this big after-party later tonight. All the big shots would be there"

Emily supposed she should be angry at getting played by Scarlet, the girl had made her leave the comfort of her home to bring her the dress she would wear to some fancy party! But then again it was Scarlet, Emily didn't expect anything better from the wench.

" you say the big shots will be there?"

"Most idols, models, and actors. There's even a rumor that the Movie Emperor would be there"

the Movie Emperor was how everyone referred to the number one Actor in the states. How could Emily have forgotten that one person she gave a hard time in school? How ironic that Vaughn turned out to be such an important individual. And so handsome too....life was filled with bitter irony

But Emily wasn't vain. Even though she had eventually felt bad about what she did to him, she wasn't one of those girls who were gold diggers. Just because she felt bad didn't mean it was because he was handsome, rich, and famous now. Though there was nothing she feared most than having to encounter Vaughn again after all those years. Was there a chance he wouldn't hold a grudge? Highly unlikely

" and Scarlet is invited?"

Kevin laughed " you shouldn't underestimate your sister's popularity, besides, I think you should go too, you might land a job"

" pass!" How was she expected to find a decent job at a party? Only someone like Kevin would think of such a thing.

" am starting to think you are purposely avoiding getting a job"

" It's not that" It mostly wasn't that " I just don't like crowds"

" come on" the man smiled teasingly " think of a better lie"

Emily rolled her eyes " fine. I just don't want to encounter Vaughn, so any possibility is off my radar"

" right. I always forget you went to school with the movie emperor "

" not only went to school, but I also bullied him! And it sucks because I love his movies now. How can I both love and fear my idol?!"

" if he's a dude am pretty sure he's lived passed that. Life doesn't only revolve around high school you know"

Emily sighed. She wished she could believe Kevin, but the thing was, she knew exactly what she had put Vaughn through, she wasn't sure what was wrong with her back then or what the other had done to invoke her wrath but she did feel bad. Maybe going to this after-party won't be a bad idea, maybe she might get to see Vaughn and apologize. That seemed like the best thing to do

" you're right. Maybe if I apologize to him"

" Maybe, it's just a rumor that he'll show up though. but if you do go, try to find a job"

" I'll think about it"

Kevin laughed, he ruffling her hair fondly. " stay put. I still have some things to take care of"

Emily watched him walk away before going back to her phone, it didn't minutes before her stomach growled

She sighed. Honestly, had she forgotten she hadn't eaten? Maybe she could grab some food from a nearby cafe before Scarlet starts her shoot

* * *

Emily walked over to the cafe across the street from the studio. She didn't want to come to this place but then it was closer

The cafe was privately owned by a movie producer's wife so you can just guess how expensive the food was. It was also quite well-secured so it wasn't too uncommon to meet a celebrity here once or twice

" I'll have some tea and cake please"

The older woman taking orders looked at her with a steady gaze. They weren't unfamiliar with each other neither did they like each other. She had met this woman once when she was still working for Nissa. Emily might or might not have offended her back then.

" still being rather cheap with your orders" the woman said with an irritated one.

Emily rolled her eyes. What had happen between them was three months ago? This old hag couldn't still be holding a grudge against her could she? " And you're still being a bitchy old hag"

" brat "

" hag"

They really didn't like each other. Emily was well aware that she does order some of the less expensive dishes here but she doesn't need to be reminded of that! She wasn't some model like her sister or an actress like Lisa, so of course,

she had every right to economize her money, thank you very much!

" here you go"

The hag came back and pushed the tray of tea and cake to her in a non-polite manner, Emily used a similar manner to toss the money at the old woman too before walking to settle in a booth beside the window

Now she thought about what Kevin had said, she did need a job. She can't possibly leave off her parents forever. But it was already hard finding a company to hire her, she didn't want to be stuck with a bitch like Nissa again

Ah! Why hadn't she just gone into modeling like her sister? Right, it was because Emily couldn't stand the possibility of ever having to go on a diet as her sister did regularly. Scarlet barely ate anything on most days for fear of adding unnecessary weight. The life of a model was truly complicated.

Or She could have gone into acting like Lisa. But then again Emily's Sister had always told her how bad she was at acting. Emily was forced to believe her.

Emily could have even become a singer at most. If only her vocals weren't so awful. But If Nissa could do it then why not she? She chose the wrong career for sure

Emily didn't even pay attention to the sound If chiming bells as the cafe door opened, she didn't notice as a particular blond sat opposite her, she did however snap out of her thought when Nissa snapped multiple fingers in front of her face

" Hey, Just look who I ran into today. What sheer luck"

Emily glared at the singer. Nissa's long blond hair was tucked in place with a butterfly hairpin and her Emerald eyes seemed to glow. One of the reasons Emily despised Nissa was her ego. The singer had a belief that no man could resist her beauty, she had once tried to prove such a notion by making attempts to seduce Emily's boyfriend and famous Idol Ashton Grey. Of course, it hadn't worked, because to be precise Emily knew she was much prettier than Nissa would ever think to be. But it had made up a good excuse to break up with Ashton ( another person Emily hopes to never encounter again)

" what are you doing here? " Emily didn't even try to hide the distaste in her voice. If Nissa had noticed, she didn't seem to care

" why else if not to see my favorite agent? You know the job is still available if you want it, Emily"

" don't make me laugh, I wouldn't go back to that job even if you begged me"

" you want me to beg?"

" Get away!"

" Alright, no need to look so hostile as I was just coming to say hi. I suppose I'll see you and your sister at the after-party" Nissa smiled kindly at her before sliding out of her seats and exiting the cafe, not without of course walking over to the counter and whispering something to the old shop owner

Even if Emily found it suspicious, she didn't quite put it to her heart, not until the old shopowner walked over to her table to be place a tray of salad, chicken, and some soup

" that nice girl paid this for you" the hag walked back to her position flashing Emily an '" I feel sorry for you because you are so broke " expression

Emily didn't hesitate to run out of the cafe without looking back. She put it on her to-do list to sincerely look for a job

The day passed gradually slowly with Emily doing nothing else but playing games on her phone and watching Scarlet do various poses for the camera

She couldn't deny the fact that she had slept through some part though but when she woke up it was a bit after four and everyone in the studio was leaving to get ready for the so-called after-party. After the party for what? Don't even bother asking her because she simply didn't know ( and honestly didn't care)

" what are you still doing here?" Scarlet was busy taking off her makeup when she walked into her dressing room

" I want to go to the party with you "

"Not happening!" Her sister looked revoked by the sheer idea. Emily wondered if it was healthy for one to be so dramatic.

" And why not? I work in the entertainment industry too"

" you think I'll let you come and embarrass me?! Do you know how many important people are gonna be there?"

Emily had a hunch earlier but her sister's reaction was confirming it.

" Are you trying to seduce yourself a husband?"

" What!?" The model seemed about to burst " even if I wanted a husband which I don't ( she does) you think I have to seduce someone for it?!"

" then I don't see why I can't go. Besides, weren't you the one always saying I need another job? Isn't this an opportunity to expand my contacts?"

Scarlet seemed to consider it for a moment as she eyed her, she still looked reluctant when she replied

" I have a dress that might fit you. You can do the makeup by yourself"

" thank you You're. You know I love you the most in this world~"

Scarlet rolled her eyes in annoyance but her smile gave out the fact that she wasn't quite irritated

So they got ready together. The dress scarlet had mentioned was a short knee-high peach-colored gown. It was soft and had a lot of feminine touches to it which was something Emily didn't normally go for ( she was a typical definition of a tomboy though she would kill anybody who tells her such). The dress came with a matching heel which she had insisted to switch with a pair of sneakers instead but then gave up on the idea when Scarlet threatened not to bring her along. Scarlet helped her with her hair and makeup ( despite swearing not to help with it) and in the end, Emily looked the part of a breathtaking beauty

" you don't look bad, if only you don't have the brain of a bird" Scarlet chipped

" aww. I love you too Scar "

Scarlet had gone for a rather stunning green dress which she coupled with saltire earrings. They walked together along with Kevin who kept complimenting them all then they went to board Scarlet's company limousine and soon they were on their way

Emily couldn't hold down her excitement. Her very first celebrity after-party! She wonders just how many of her idols she would meet today

But she reminded herself not to get too caught up. She might encounter Vaughn if not careful, or even Ashton. She shivered just thinking about it. What a mess that would be

It wasn't a long drive to the hotel where the event was being held so she didn't have that much time to balance her emotions before the limo came to a stop right outside the entrance of The Royal Hotels. They were a crowd of paparazzi already taking photos

Great. She forgot how much she hates being in the spotlight

* * *

" Scarlet over here!"

" Scarlet what brand are you wearing today!?"

" Scarlet! a question!!"

Honestly, Emily didn't care how weird it would look but she had run down the red carpet even before her sister stepped out of the limo. She didn't want to get caught up in the cameras again. She had to deal with that frequently around Nissa before. Maybe if she was so afraid of crowds she should have gone for a different career, but she couldn't help it. This was what her family had been doing for the longest time and she didn't want to disappoint her parents

Inside the hotel though was like stepping into heaven. She had no words to describe the glamour of it all and she would be lying if she said it didn't take her breath away

She hadn't even been there and she could spot a bunch of popular faces In the entertainment industry. There were all sorts of food, deserts, and refreshment and the entire place apart from the outside seemed paparazzi proof

The lights were low but still bright enough to see each people's face. They were tables well arranged for guests and an actual photo booth by the end. The air smelled rich from the mixture of expensive designer perfumes

" Emily!"

Emily had just turned to spot Lisa in a stunning white gown waving over to her. She was sitting at the table with who Emily remembered as her agent and some members of a rising boy band Ashen Flay

She hadn't even realized she was skipping toward their table until an unnaturally loud ( and embarrassing) squeal left her startling the people around the table

" Jace Winter!"

The lead singer seemed startled judging by the way his eyes widened. Emily honestly didn't mean to startle him but she seriously did love him, he was her favorite member of Ashen Flay. Ah! How could she have possibly been able to contain herself seeing her idol so up close

" um...hello? Am sorry but have we met?" Jace didn't think he had seen the girl before, plus he didn't think the securities would allow a fan in. Hadn't his agent said not only people in the entertainment industry were allowed in? And which celebrity would admit to being a fan of another celebrity

" Hey, I know you. Aren't you Nissa's agent?" Kristen, another member of the four-boy group Ashen Flay pointed out

At the mention of Nissa, Emily couldn't help feeling that all her good mood had suddenly evaporated with the air

" I don't work for her anymore"

" why? Trouble in paradise" Kristen winked

The other group members of Ashen Flay, Mitchell l and Jordan looked over at them curiously. Emily suddenly remembered why Kristen was her least favorite member. He was an asshole

" Emily, come to have a seat first. The event is going to start soon"

" fine. But I want an autograph later Jace "

" of course" the popstar smiled at her despite the trend-tinted colors of his cheeks, Emily almost cooed. Her idol was too cute

" didn't Scarlet come along with you?"

" yeah. But she's out posing to the paparazzi again. It might take hours before she comes"

Lisa nodded " you look beautiful" she complimented to which Emily rolled her eyes, of course, Lin Yi would like it if she dresses like a barbie doll

" did you know that Vaughn was coming"

She cringed " I heard"

" what are you going to do?" Lisa eyed her suspiciously " better not create a scene"

" how can I create a scene?! Vaughn is the biggest actor in the States. His net profit is so high it could break through the sky, and his production is so big and makes a lot of money. He's like a king! How can a lowly person like me possibly create trouble for him!?. His fans would murder me secretly and burn my body before I can even touch a hair on his pretty head."

" It's good that you know such things. But still, we did go to school together and you did bully him"

" I didn't bully him! I. I just wasn't nice"

" Emily" Lisa looked at her seriously " Vaughn is not someone you can afford to offend anymore. I know just how strong-headed you are so am telling you now to avoid him, if he wants he can make you jobless"

" or he could give me a job"

Emily laughed mockingly " I wasn't the one who got bullied but I kinda hate ya, imagine how Vaughn feels"

If he's a man he should let it go.

She didn't say anything but settled for some water

" I'll go find Scarlet "

The moment she stood up however she caught a familiar figure

Ashton!