The Ungodly Hour~Anthony Bridgerton

part XIV: high fidelity

Songs:
Overthinking IT- WILLOW
Universe- Ambar Lucid
Girls Like Girls- Hayley Kiyoko
Don't Make it Harder on Me- Chloe X Halle
Champagne Problems-Taylor Swift

Caroline took a deep inhale, deeper than she probably should have. The smoke burned the very back of her throat as it overflowed her lungs. She coughed stupidly knowing the smoke was still in her lungs making the burn even deeper. Coughing turned into a fit of wheezes, giggles, and stifled coughs. She covered her mouth in slightly unnecessary embarrassment and though her throat burned only a stupid silly grin could plaster her face as she passed the blunt back to Eloise. 

Eloise happily accepted taking three timid small puffs from the cigar."I can't believe you brought this," she exclaimed, before lying back down into the grass still offering it back to Caroline who wordlessly refused still clearing her throat with an awkward giggle. "It's good! Though I don't have much frame of reference..." She trailed off closing her eyes in response to the warmth of the sun peeping through the thin branches willow tree above them only elevating her mellowed state. Eloise began running her fingers along the cool grass feeling the soft but defined edges of the well-manicured Bridergton lawn.

They had decided to post up in the backyard, in the corner away from prying eyes of servants beneath the trees and encapsulated up a large hedge fence with tiny white flowers budding all over. 

"I'm just glad you didn't kick me out, I didn't know how you would react truthfully, but I'm glad." She finally grabbed the blunt back from Eloise, being more careful to not overdo it this time. She exhaled slowly with a smile staring up at the warm spring day again. "I'm so glad though, this was literally all I needed today," she sighed deeply, however, it was happily this time, finally feeling relieved after such an emotionally exhausting day, nay week. 

"I can't believe we have another ball tomorrow just to have another on Saturday as well? Is one a week not indulgent enough?"

"We do?" Caroline's eyes widened before rolling them in annoyance taking one last drag before handing the cigar back to Eloise. "Why does no one tell me anything around here?"

"Has Lady Heathman driven you mad already?" Eloise asked accepting Caroline's offering. 

"Almost," Caroline's forehead flexed in stress at the thought of going through all the hours of prep Lady Heathman required just to likely end the night crying over Anthony and something he'd do. None of it seemed appealing. 

"You know my Mother and Lady Heathman have been friends for so long, at least thirty years, I can only imagine how similar they behave. If she's anything like my mother I know you are suffering. Why just yesterday she went on a lecture for an hour, an hour, over the etiquette and importance of table centerpieces. When I finally got a word in to ask her why on earth she was blabbering about this she just said, 'Well for when you plan your wedding of course,' knowing full well I have no intention to marry ever, but especially not this season. She only told me I had to try, not actually succeed in courtship." Eloise was distracted after her angry rant and inhaled too much smoke doubling over in a cacophony of coughing, imitating Caroline's own hubris just a few moments before. 

Caroline grimaced sympathetically giving her a small pat on the back before snatching the blunt back greedily. She was getting higher and higher, maybe it was the sun or the long hiatus of use, but the near-obsessive thoughts she had transfixed over since arriving in Grosvenor Square almost vanished. They'd been replaced by thoughts of the birds chirping and the warm sensation of the sun against her skin. The wind tickling her arms and sending light shivers down her spine when it passed. She couldn't dare focus on Anthony anymore just attempting to remain focused on what Eloise was saying .