After enduring what seemed like the longest week in her twenty-one years of existence, the day has finally arrived.

Announcements echo over the intercom, barely audible amidst the cacophony of voices and footsteps.

Thalia has pined the sterile glow of the fluorescent lights, and the duty-free shops lining the corridors.

Oddly enough, airports are a safe haven for Thalia. They're her comfort space.

Despite the stress and fatigue induced by security checks and the hustle and bustle of airport procedures, Thalia finds solace in the familiarity of airports.

Perhaps it's something that comes with her love of travelling. It's a sentiment she knows many would scoff at, but for her, it rings true.

Duty-free shops are her favourite part. She's purchased so much makeup that her carry-on bags are pleading for mercy.

Within the initial hour of her flight, Thalias nerves gradually awaken with trepidation. Anxiety creeps in as she comprehends the gravity of her actions.

She's across the country to meet someone who may no longer regard her as a friend, or worse, may despise her entirely.

Is this visit wise? It's such a rash decision; she had barely any time to think it through.

Thalia slouches in her seat, lost in a whirlwind of her own thoughts as a flight attendant approached with a smile. "Would you like a beverage, ma'am?"

Rolling her eyes, Thalia snaps, "just water, and make it quick."

The flight attendant, taken aback by the brusque response, nods and hurries off.

Thalia ventures a theme of lashing out at innocent strangers when she's got a lot on her plate.

Once the lights are switched off and cosmic patterns begin to grace the ceiling of the plane, passengers start drifting off with their blankets accompanying them.

Except Thalia.

She usually harbours no trouble falling asleep on flights. It's her favourite thing to do, finding it more comfortable than her own bed. Yet, tonight, her mind is too preoccupied to succumb to sleep.

The thoughts weighing on her keep her from drifting into slumber.

Somewhere along the way, she finds herself watching "Boss Baby" on the in-flight entertainment screen. How she transitioned from listening to Lana Del Rey to watching a childrens movie is a mystery to her.

Eventually, Thalias eyelids begin to sense a magnetic pull gluing them shut, and she finally fades into a deep sleep.

As Thalia darts her eyes around, she finds herself standing in a place untouched by mortal hands.

Lifting her head upward, she employs a hand to shield her eyes from the blinding rays of the sun. Yet, she finds the presence slightly more bearable than orthodox.

She steps onto the grass beneath her feet, feeling a sense of serenity wash over her. Flowers of every colour adorn the landscape, their soft petals dancing in the gentle breeze.

In the distance, the soothing melody of waves crashing against the shore beckons her, and she follows its siren call.

As she approaches the shoreline, she beholds a sight that takes her breath away.

The ocean stretches out before her, its azure depths shimmering in the sunlight. The sand is as soft as silk beneath her toes, and the salty tang of the sea air fills her senses.

It's a scene of unparalleled beauty, a paradise orchestrated solely for her presence.

The longer she gazes out into the shore, the more she begins to catch onto the similarities in the structure of this place, and why it seems like a distant memory.

It's the beach, only far more ethereal.

As the moment passes, Thalias attention is drawn to a figure seated at the waters edge. As she draws closer, she recognises the silhouette as none other than Finn.

Her heart skips a beat at the sight of him, and she quickens her pace, eager to be by his side.

"Hi, Lia." Finns warm smile greets her as she approaches, the sight causing her heart to flutter.

"Hi, Finn." Thalias voice is barely above a whisper.

She settles herself beside him, feeling a sense of calm wash over her in his presence. They sit in silence for a moment, gazing out at the endless expanse of the ocean before them.

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" Finn breaks the silence.

Thalia nods, unable to tear her eyes away from the mesmerizing sight before her. "It's something else."

They begin to speak, conversations flowing effortlessly as they discuss everything and nothing all at once. They speak of their hopes and dreams, their fears and doubts, anything that dares to cross their minds in this moment - they speak of it.

"It feels so right, being here with you." Thalia confesses, her voice tinged with emotion.

Finn reaches out, his hand brushing against hers. "It does. Like this is where we were always meant to be."

Their eyes meet, and Thalia feels a surge of desire unlike anything she had ever experienced before.

She leans in, her lips meeting his in an instant.

But just as quickly as it had begun, the moment is shattered. Finn pulls away, his expression clouded with confusion and melancholy.

"I'm sorry, Lia." He murmurs, his voice barely audible over the crashing waves. "I can't."

Before Thalia can respond, the world around them begins to shift and warp, the colours blending together in a whirlwind. The ocean disappears, replaced by an endless void of darkness.

Thalia feels herself falling, tumbling through the abyss with no end in sight.

With a jolt, she awakens.

She gasps for breath, her heart racing within her chest as she places a trembling hand on it, cursing below her breath.

As she reels from the aftermath of plummeting into darkness, the remnants of the dream linger in the back of her mind- a bittersweet memory of a paradise lost.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

Thalia finally lands in Vancouver, where the time is 11pm. She stretches in her seat, summoning the last of her energy to gather her belongings and carry-on luggage.

She almost groans at how frustratingly slow the line to the tunnel is moving, with her stood at the tail end of it.

The wheels of her suitcase echo softly as she slowly drags it along the tunnel, her weary mind struggling to recall how to walk.

Upon retrieving all her luggage, Thalia steps out of the sterile airport environment and into the crisp night air of Vancouver.

The familiar scent of the city washes over her as she takes a deep breath, savoring the sensation.

Hailing a cab, she watches as the driver loads her luggage into the trunk before practically collapsing into the backseat, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.

Finn wasn't exaggerating about the jet-lag part in his apology.

In her current state, Thalia feels like she could needlessly spout bullshit to anyone and shatter their heart. Though, considering who she's headed to see, hopefully that sentiment doesn't ring true.

"Where to, miss?"

She swiftly reads out the address from her phone prior to shutting her eyes once more.

Thalia only received a wink of sleep- an hour. Amidst the whole flight, she only managed to sleep an hour.

She blames that ridiculous dream.

Initially, she was terrified. Terror had gripped her heart the moment she awoke. Waking up from a nightmare, especially one that involves falling, triggers an instinctual fear that courses through ones veins. Yet, as minutes tick by, rationality begins to reclaim its hold.

Thalia recognises the irrationality of her initial fear, that it was merely a dream, like countless others before it- meaningless in the light of day.

Thalia stands at the door, all her weary luggage slumping in a pile beside her. She had vowed not to back out at the last moment and opt for a hotel room, and she's determined to keep that promise.

Inhaling deeply, she knocks on the wooden door, her hands fidgeting nervously as she waits for a tall figure to appear.

Finally, the door swings open. Finn appears in sight, his eyes widening as they lift from the floor to meet Thalias gaze.

"Lia?"

A nervous smile graces her features as his eyebrows furrow in confusion, quickly shifting to excitement as he breaks into a wide grin and pulls her into a bear hug.

She chuckles in his embrace, voice muffled by the fabric of his sweater.

Being in his arms again, a sense of warmth fills her. She hasn't this way in a while.

A few moments pass by before they reluctantly part, Finn cupping Thalias face in his hands as he locks his eyes with hers.

"How did? When? Why?-"

"Jun and Addy. This was my birthday gift from them." She smiles.

Finn lifts his eyebrows in surprise, nodding. "They're good friends... oh, I actually didn't get you a gift."

"You're a terrible friend. I'm leaving forever." Thalia deadpans, removing his hands from her face before turning to walk away. He chuckles, pulling her back into a hug.

"I missed you so much," he mumbles into her hair, causing her to smile.

"I missed you too."

Once dragging all her bags inside, Thalia plops down on the spacious couch in the living room, lying with her legs propped up on the armrest.

"How long are you staying?" Finn calls out from the kitchen.

"I'm not sure. I don't have any future events to look forward to, I think I can stay for one or two weeks."

The lamps radiate a mellow, cool glow. Contrasting with the warm hues that radiate through Thalias home, a gloomy and subtle light fills the space.

"Stay forever."

Thalia chuckles, stretching her arms with a yawn. "I wish I could."

Bearing a porcelain mug carrying hot tea in his hands, Finn strolls over to the couch. "I don't have a guest room, so I'll just take this couch."

"It's fine. This couch is more comfortable than my own bed, I can take it." Thalia remarks, taking a cautious sip of the tea.

"That's not fair. You're the guest."

"And you're the host."

Finn goes silent for a moment before sighing, "we'll just have to share my bed."

She shrugs. "Fine by me. You?"

"Yeah, fine by me as well."

"Great."

They allow a moment to pass between them, Finns eyes fixed on her as she drinks the boiling hot tea.

"Did you have dinner on the plane?"

"No," Thalia sighs, "the other meals were so awful that I just skipped dinner."

Finn wastes no time retreating back to the kitchen, and in a course of seconds the bang of cupboards reaches Thalias ears.

"You don't have to make anything, it's pretty late but we can still find some place that's open."

He objects from the kitchen, "nope. I'm making you a meal, you deserve it after all that airplane food."

She hums. "Okay."

Thalia eases into the comfort of the sofa, her muscles relaxing as she reaches for the TV remote on the coffee table.

With a flick of her wrist, she turns on YouTube on Finns TV, already feeling at home.

In no time, dinner arrives, presented neatly on the coffee table.

Thalia sits upright and allows Finn to settle beside her, his attention drawn to the screen as she delves into the meal.

"I wanna watch cat videos." Finn sighs.

Thalia halts chewing and glares at him. "Well, too bad. We're watching true crime documentaries."

After finishing up her dinner, Thalia lounges on the couch with her head tilted back, gaze fixed on the ceiling.

Finn occupies the corner of the living room. Sounds of movement reaches Thalias ears, but she doesn't bother to look.

"What are you doing, weirdo?"

Abruptly, the sound of a vinyl record being placed on the player is heard, prompting Thalia to finally lower her gaze, eyebrows arching in curiosity.

As the needle descends onto the vinyl, the melody of "there is a light that never goes out" by The Smiths fills the room.

Thalias lips curl into a small smile at the familiar tune, and she shifts her attention to Finn, who stands by the record player with a smile on his face.

He extends his hand towards her. "Care to dance?" he inquires, voice gentle yet hopeful.

Thalia hesitates for a moment. Yet, the warmth in Finns eyes and the allure of the music persuade her to accept.

She places her hand in his, allowing him to lead her to the center of the room.

As they sway to the music, Thalia feels a sense of comfort wash over her. It's unlike the last time they shared a dance, in the rain, which was fraught with tension. This one feels safe, comfortable.

Their laughter reverberates through the walls, colliding with the music as they bump into furniture.

The worries and uncertainties of the past few days melt away as Thalia loses herself in the serenity of Finns presence.

And for a fleeting moment, everything feels right again.

The minute Thalias head connects with the plush pillows adorning Finns bed, she drifts off into a tranquil slumber.

Finn lies beside her in silence, fixated on the ceiling. A colossal window next to him renders a view of the trees outside.

Everything that's been happening lately has left his mind in disarray.

That night he put an intoxicated Thalia to bed, he confronted a truth he'd been avoiding- he's in love with her.

Yet, pursuing anything beyond friendship is out of the question. A breakup would mean he loses her completely. In a misguided attempt of protecting their bond, Finn lashed out at her, pushing her away.

It may seem stupid, but he'd rather have her hate him and face temporary pain over permanent heartbreak.

Though it wasn't the most considerable act of morality, it lent him some time alone with his thoughts. However, the minute he started sorting out his complex feelings, the Camille situation occurred.

It's as if any time he attempts to solve the mazes in his head, life throws a curveball and makes matters more complicated.

Yet, when he glances beside his shoulder, seeing her lying in a peaceful slumber, it all seems right.

AUTHORS NOTE

I live for drama I can't take how well it's going for them 🤬