if i hated you

was that [ madelyn cline ] spotted down at the shoreline of east hamptons main beach? must just be, [ bethany 'beth' shuster ] the [ 24 ] year old [ lawyer ]. whenever i hear [ no shame by 5sos ] it reminds me of them. they are known for being [ manipulative ] but they make up for that by being [ assertive ]. they have been living in the hamptons for [ all their life ].

Caine reached for his mobile phone and fished through his pockets until he felt it in his grasp. The dark-haired boy wrapped his hand around it and pulled it out of his jacket. He looked through his calendar and glanced towards Beth. “Is early next week good for you, or do I need to give him notice than that? Any Monday morning or afternoon is good for me. I can fit anyone in over the next few Mondays.”

“no just the letter, but you need to bring it up to him two days earlier maximum.” beth replied to his question. “i’ll be there.” she said giving him an honest smile. "just don't talk to him about until you bring him up the letter, it could ruin some things." she assured him.

“Can you be in the meeting, or is that not allowed?” Caine didn’t know Beth all that well but he trusted her at the moment. “I can get a letter sorted and all that information written down, but am I allowed someone else in the meeting, or does it have to be me, the one whose taking my money, and something to do with him? Am I allowed a witness?” He asked. He knew this was going to be hard work, but Caine wasn’t going to let someone work for him who was taking money off him. His parents did enough of that.

“i could be there, of course.” she said with a big smile. since she might be the only one who told him the truth so far, she’ll gladly be there for him. “okay no-- so you need to be there since it’s your business or your head manager, whatever that feels right for you. a witness and someone to write the protocol. then your lawyer the one you are going to fire and someone on his behalf, whoever he chooses to. so five people are going included in the meeting.” she explained. “write down the letter and choose a date to bring him up and we’ll work this out.” 

The dark-haired boy glanced at the bar as he felt her hand rest against his shoulder. “How do I go about getting him out of my business? Am I allowed to fire him on the spot, or do I have to go a way around it to get him out by law?” Caine didn’t understand all the business side of his life. He left it in someone else’s hands, who had clearly wronged him.

she straighten up her back as he started speaking about firing him, she was happy he didn’t hesitate in the things she said to him, she felt trusted. “okay so first of all you need to give him a letter that explains that you’re inviting him for a meeting to talk about that he might get dismissed from his job. you need to write in it that he is allowed to bring another lawyer, a friend, any kind of person that he wants to be involved. then you do the meeting and explain it to him -- You need two people, someone to be a witness and someone to write the protocol down on paper.” she explained. “and of course, if you decide to sue him and then it’s another thing to get to later.”

Caine looked at Beth’s and could see that she wasn’t lying. Caine hated that he was always around people who were constantly putting him down or using him for his hard earned money. If it wasn’t family, it was people he trusted with his life. “How can I not get into my head about it?” Caine asked. “That guy is like family to me..” He didn’t mean to get upset in front of Beth.

she never knew how to comfort people, she was the worst at it. no doubt in it. beth looked at caine and pressed her lips together. “i don’t know how your relationship went but that’s not how family act.” she stated. she glided her hand up to his shoulder. “i know this sounds bad, but just focus your anger in getting your lawyer out of your business.” she said and sighed. 

she understood what the girl meant, life was sometimes too much for her to handle herself, yet she still puts herself out there. heart on her sleeves, really. “i get that, however, i also believe that you’re wise enough to realize when a person is no good in your life.” she hums out with a smile. “thank you, i appreciate it! i definitely do think he brings out the best in me and his family always says i bring out the best in his… so, i’m hoping it’s true.” she laughs, before licking her lips. “how about you though? anything in the love department?” 

“if that’s the case i wouldn’t let anybody in my life.” she stated. “but there are some people i’d like to let them know that i never meant to sound mean or bad. but my pride won’t let me do it when it comes to the right time. but i’m healing so maybe one day.” she told her, it was odd for beth to admit such a thing but she is working on herself. “when a lot of people say such a thing, it’s most of the time true. just don’t let it get too much in your head.” she teased the female and smiled. “oh please don’t make me laugh, i am happily married to my job for now. gotta put it first now and maybe later i’ll start looking.”

Caine watched as Beth placed her hand on top of his own and raised his eyebrows as she talked about when the two of them first met one another. He was shocked to hear the blonde admit that his lawyer had been laundering his money elsewhere. He couldn’t believe it. He didn’t want to believe it. He laughed, thinking she was fooling him around. “Your kidding right?” He laughed again. Not taking her seriously.

she was still biting her bottom lip and looked down as she expected caine’s reaction. from fewer conversations she had with caine she knew the guy wasn’t a big fan of people who test his trust. “i wish i was --” she said tapping a few times on his hand. “you said it won’t get into your head--- we’re gonna sue the fuck out of him and i’m going to help you.” 

a smile appears once more as she looks over towards the blonde, “i’m sure if they see beneath the exterior they’ll see that you’re a nice person, although it’s sometimes hard to see if you don’t let people in.” she mentions with a shrug of her shoulders. it was definitely a difficult thing to see if people really have your best interests in their hearts. her smile seems to widen at the girl’s words, “thank you.. it really means a lot. i’m in a really good place now.” 

her words were deeper for beth, since she felt like kalani was one of the only people who never judged her. “i know, it’s just sometimes i rather keep being this ‘bitch’ to not get hurt.” she said and sighed. “i wish you the best with him, really. he is a great guy and so are you, you’ll bring out the best on each other i’m sure.”

Caine covered his mouth with his hand as she told him not to smirk. “I can’t help it. I like getting compliments, can you blame me?” He chuckled. Caine’s smirk change into a narrow line as Beth said that she needed to tell him something. He messed with his rings as he suddenly become nervous about it all of a sudden. “What’s the matter?” He asked, assuming it was serious. “I promise I won’t let it get into my head.”

he just continued to show her how much they might be alike, beth couldn’t help but love when people shower her with compliments. “no i actually can’t.” she replied quickly. she covered his hand with hers., just to try to calm him and to hold him down just when he hears the bad news. “remember when we met and i looked after some of your lawyer things.” she said and stopped, placing a piece of her hair behind of her ear. “so it’s not good caine, he’s been playing with your money and that’s why the things are taking too much time.” she finally said biting her lawyer lip, waiting for his reaction. 

“Try explaining that to anyone, though. It’s always ‘oh well, you should just train your dog not to be scared’ instead of — 'hey, what if we just confine these noisy exploding lights to certain inner city areas’ instead of letting every neighbor set 'em off in their tiny ass backyards.” He shrugs in defeat. “But we’re in the minority. Doubt our nor our dogs’ suffering will end anytime soon.”

“mine is very much well trained, he helps me with a lot of things for myself.” like anxiety. but she wasn’t going to say it out loud. “but there’s something in exploding noises that it’s just not nice to hear-- people should understand it. but no-- they call you a party pooper.” she hissed. “i hope so too.”

kalani shrugs her shoulders, a small warm smile still plastered across her lips. she likes to think that she could spread her positivity everywhere she goes, “maybe i’ll just sprinkle a little bit of my sunshine in your life,” she mentions with a tiny giggle. it was what she did best, always putting other’s thoughts and feelings before hers. another round of laugher escapes as she covers her face, knowing that she was glowing. she’s the happiest she’s ever been in a really long time – like truly happy. “i can’t help it! i still sometimes don’t believe he’s my boyfriend until i roll over in the morning and he’s there planting kisses on my face.” 

“i’d like that.” she replied to her. there weren’t a lot of people who like having beth around them and she knew it, she didn’t care but the only thing she wanted to show people is that she was not as bad as she seems. “i think it’s super cute and don’t you ever feel bad about that-- you deserve the best that you can get and more of it.” she told her with an honest smile. 

“My feelings for Kalani were real at the time when I was with her,” he admitted honestly. “I still care about her, but I wouldn’t call it love anymore.” Caine turned his head to look at Beth and smirked as she mentioned that he was attractive but she didn’t want to ruin anything because he didn’t see her as a monster. “I don’t want to ruin our friendship either, so we’re all good,” he answered. “It’s nice to actually get along with someone for once..”

“i’m sure they were, that’s why i said that this might be the first time you felt bad for breaking a girl’s heart.” she told him, pointing out. “please just take off your smirk-- don’t let this get too much in your head.” she said waving her hand off. “look caine-- before we make statements of friendships and all that. i need to tell you something, but promise me-- you’re gonna take good care of what i’m about to say.” she said, hoping it was a good time to bring that up. she wanted to be honest with him. “but i’m not gonna tell me unless you promise me you’re not gonna let this get into your head.” she stated.

“it would appear as though i’ve been stood up.” dana said with a sigh, tucking raven locks behind her ear before clapping her hands and casting emerald hues toward the person beside her, “now you have two choices…you could either A. join me for a drink and help me get out of this bad mood or B. you don’t join me for a drink and i spiral in a wave of self-pity. it’s your choice.” dana said with a shrug, hoping they would choose the former.

beth went to the closest bar around her apartment, she had a very long day and all she wanted is to sit and have a drink. she was about to sit and she spotted a familiar face, sitting right next to her. “oh man-- “ she said dressing down her coat. “your treat?” she asked teasing. 

kalani sends a soft smile over towards the other before shaking her head and shrugging, “i see the good in all people.” she states truthfully. it was one of her better traits and she did enjoy to spread positivity. seeing the other’s excitement, she chuckles before her cheeks grew a flush red color. “thanks,” she mentions sheepishly before licking her lips. “well, he texted me bright and early to meet him at the courts, stated that he wanted to practice.” she playfully rolls her eyes at the memory. “then he confessed he had feelings for me as well and that he was all in..” talking about the other causes that happy smile to form across her lips once again – it was like nonstop. her eyes light up talking about him. 

she gave her a smile back. “you really are a very positive person. sadly i’m a realistic one-- i could use some of your positivity.” she confessed. she leaned back and took a few sips while listening to kalani talking. “look at you glowing and getting all blushed up.” beth pushed her lightly on the shoulder. “so cute, puppy love.” she said. 

“I mean if I’m not with someone, I’m not technically breaking their hearts. I confess that I let Kalani down and that one haunts me and makes me feel guilty, but the rest I don’t care about.” He looked down at Beth’s hands that move from his knees to her own knees. He chuckled at her reaction. “Damn, that bad am I?” He scoffed. “Your hand was on my knee. What did you expect me to assume what kind of fun you meant?”

“oh, believe me, most people are getting their hearts broken by people they didn’t even date.” she said waving her hands of. “that must’ve been the most real thing you felt-- “ she added and shrugged. she looked down at her hands. “i might be an over touchy person when i’m drunk.” she confessed, that’s something she never does. confessing. “don’t get me wrong. you are very attractive-- but i think you’re one of the only people who don’t see me as a total monster, i don’t want to ruin it.” she replied finally looking at him. 

“how cute!” she exclaims, eyes softening over towards the other as she spoke about her brother so fondly. sometimes she wish she had siblings as well, even if benji came close to a brother, it just wasn’t the same as having an actual sibling. “y’know, you have a pure heart too. even if you don’t reflect it most of the time.” kalani comments, glancing over at the blonde, she saw the good in her as a warm smile spread across her lips. a small giggle falls from her lips as she nods her head, “well – he’s new to being my boyfriend, but we grew up together. spent most christmas with him and his family or his family with mine.” she explains. taking a small sip of her warm drink, she couldn’t hide the adoring smile that creeps it way towards her face. “but yeah, cieran’s the best. the sweetest most caring boyfriend ever. i’ve always had a crush on him, never expect him to actually end up being mine.”