( FAYE )

it's one of those days where my body aches with weakness. an inner flame burns within me while the external world remains cold.

the hangover from yesterday resulted in a terrible fever that remains to this moment. even the faintest ray of sunlight feels like a searing blade through my eyelids.

dehydrations parched kiss on my throat is a cruel reminder of how i let myself down that night.

best groupchat ever

##########
oh
hiii

wow
NOW you get here

##########
sorry!!
it's natalia btw :)

...
i'm sorry
you can be as late as you want
you're allowed to be late anytime
i'm so sorry your highness

soulmate #1
HAHAHA 🤍

##########
i agree

ofc you do charlie

soulmate #2
yes

mother 🩶🩶
Hello
Goodmorning, everybody!

goodmorning!!!

father 🩶🩶
Morning.

i have to go now :(
i'm packing my bags

mother 🩶🩶
Okay, have fun 🥰

soulmate #2
are you running away?

yes
byebye !!

"faye, where's my hairdryer?"

"did you check the bathroom?" i nonchalantly push my clothes into a bag.

sadie scoffs, rushing over to me with an eye roll. "wow, thanks faye! i never thought of the most obvious place to check!"

she continues scouring the room for it, causing me to stifle a laugh.

"hey, your phone is making noises at me!" she shouts although she's right behind me.

finn ❤️‍🔥

oh my god
just let me pack

when do you come back

never
unless you let me pack.

🤐

— ★ —

to my relief, the clerk checking us out of the motel isn't the brunette from that night.

a hint of a smile plays on the new clerks lips. "i hope you had a good stay"

he hands us the receipt to sign, prior to shooting me a warm smile. "elysia asked me to get your number, in case you ever decide to come back here"

sadie, standing beside me, pulls out her phone to avoid her presence getting in the way.

i clear my throat. "uh, i'm not sure... i mean, i don't really go on trips like this often so..."

he nods with a knowing look, keeping his friendly tone. "of course, no pressure"

— ★ —

"you know, i've always wanted to try beatboxing"

my eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "beatboxing? what? you?" i suppress a laugh.

sadie turns towards me, removing her gaze from the car window. "hey, i could beatbox if i wanted to"

"alright then" i grin.

a spark of excitement fills my eyes as we arrive at my apartment. "finally"

it was an unspoken agreement that, since sadie drove there, i had to take the wheel for the journey back home.

"well, bye for now" she grins, helping me pull my bags out of the vehicle.

i nod. "i'll tell finn to look out for your amazing beatboxing skills"

she points a finger at me, stepping back into the drivers seat. "you better"

i bid her goodbye with a broad smile as she drives off, leaving me to slip back into my old routine, enveloped by the familiar air of home.

"want drama?"

finn sits up straight, pausing the episode of family guy on the TV. "spill"

i grin, rushing over to the couch and pulling him into a tight embrace. "i missed you"

"i don't care" he huffs. "give me the drama"

i chuckle, shifting to face him. "okay, where do i start... a motel worker kissed me"

he raises his brows, not knowing what to say. "i don't... is that good?" he chuckles under his breath.

"i don't even know... and then, sadie got jealous and she kissed me" i slightly laugh.

finns expression drifts from amused to downcast.

"okay, i know what you're gonna say" i raise a finger up. "but i pulled away immediately, and she understood. we're still friends"

finn sighs, shrugging his shoulders. "uhm, okay... if you say so"

i nod. "i say so"

staying fixed on me, his gaze turns expectant. i give him a puzzled look before it dawns on me. "oh! i forgot to bring the records"

he shuts his eyes close, exhaling. "it's fine"

i almost laugh at his over-dramatic gesture, before leaning for another hug. "very sorry"

— ★ —

sat in the stillness of my office, bathed in the soft hues of the sun, i find myself lost in the rhythmic dance of my keyboard.

time seems to hang weightless, cocooning me in the serenity of my work.

my eyes narrow with frustration as my phone whispers with a message from an unknown number, a ripple in the sea of my concentration.

as i glance at the screen, the pixels bear the words it's marcus.

emitting a long exhale, i fail to contain the curiosity within me and pick the phone up.

##########

##########
it's marcus

?

##########
i can't have you not
speaking to me like this

is there anything important

##########
talk to me
please i'm so sorry

bro

##########
come on
forgiveness?
give it a try
just this once
it's not that bad

let me see ur apology

##########
which one
i wrote 13 paragraphs
6 paragraph drafts
5 audio recordings
2 songs (pretty decent)
a bad poem
an apology video
with the sigh at the beginning
and everything

what about the ukulele

##########
i can add that

you rlly wrote that many paragraphs?

##########
yes
i did all of that
i feel so fucking terrible
i've never regretted something so much
i don't know what i was thinking

ok

marcus
ok??

show me the poem and the songs

marcus
is that all

yes

marcus
dammit.
okay fine
i'll send

did you buy a new phone to text me

marcus
yes.

lmao
what a waste
i would've unblocked u soon

marcus
...

"yo" a delicate english accent promptly drags my head upwards, revealing someone stood infront of my desk.

"mills!" i gasp, quickly rising to my feet to envelop her in a hug. "what are you doing here?"

"i'm here for a few days" she grins. "i've got some spare time and i missed you, so..."

my smile spreads wider. "where are you staying?"

"with you and finn" she nods, prompting me to jump around with excitement.

— ★ —

the rest of the day unfolds with the enthusiastic brit and i together, giving me the chance to introduce her to my favorite nooks in town, mainly small eateries.

it takes a while for us to come back home, finding an already asleep finn upstairs.

"i'll greet him tomorrow"

opting not to asign her to the couch, i insist that millie shares my room. the prospect of sharing a bed with her doesn't bring me unease, and she doesn't seem to mind it either.

as we lie in bed, prepared for slumber, we still manage to defy the pull of sleep.

our laughter reverberates within the walls as we find amusement in literally everything.

the world itself awaits the punchline as we indulge in fits of giggles and cackles, tickled by the sheer absurdity of it all.

it's one of those moments where the air, the ceiling, the floor – everything around us becomes a comedy show and the simplest things elicit uncontainable laughter.

"faye" millie mumbles, putting a halt to her cackling for a moment.

i continue chuckling. "yeah?"

"stop laughing, this is serious" she deadpans, prior to falling back into a fit of laughter.

after a moment, our laughter gradually mellows into a quiet and reflective hush.

i exhale. "go on"

"okay... so" she begins earnestly. "sadie"

"what about her?"

"are you two back together?"

i turn to face her. "no, we're friends"

"good" she sighs. "i know it's not my place, but i don't think it's the best idea for you to be with her"

i slowly nod, tracing invisible patterns on the bedsheet. "that's why we're friends"

she places a comforting hand on mine. "if anything does happen, don't let her back into your heart without making sure history won't repeat itself. you deserve better"

a grin spreads across my face. "thank you, millie"

★ authors note ,,

luke danes removes my lesbianism

i have father issues.