𝐏𝐑𝐅𝐂𝐓 | SABRINA CARPENTER [2] (ON HIATUS)

02 | ʳᵉᵃˡ ˡⁱᶠᵉ

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ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ ɪᴛ's ᴏɴᴇ sᴛᴇᴘ ғᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ
ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ sᴛᴇᴘs ʙᴀᴄᴋ
ᴀɴᴅ ɪ'ᴅ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏʟʟᴇʀ
ᴄᴏᴀsᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴀʟʟ ɪ'ᴠᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ʜᴀᴅ

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[1 sᴛᴇᴘ ғᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ, 3 sᴛᴇᴘs ʙᴀᴄᴋ]

1:05 ───|────── 2:43

|◁ ∞ II ↺ ▷|

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THE CAR RIDE BACK was silent as they rode on the highway. River could practically feel the wave of concern radiating from the blonde in the passenger seat. The constant glances coming from her made it obvious. She knew Sabrina wanted to know what was wrong, but River wasn't in the mood to speak now. A million thoughts swirled through her mind like a whirlpool as she drove them back to Sabrina's home.

She thought back on her relationship with Sabrina and how it drastically changed in the past year. River wasn't sure whether the change was a good thing for either of them in the end. Although she could confidently say that things could have worked out better if they had done different things. However, they didn't.

The damage had already been done.

Despite the progress that they have made in the last few months, working on their friendship, and the growing temptation to leap into a relationship with the one she's fallen hard for, there was still a barrier River had built between the two of them. She wanted so badly to take it down, to allow her to do this, but there is still that reluctance and doubt River constantly receives in her mind whenever she even thinks of taking a massive jump like that. After everything, she was still wary of Sabrina, so she was still slightly more closed off with her, despite rebuilding their friendship. It would take some time before she considered opening up to her the way she used to before.

Sabrina knew this. She could tell by those subtle actions whenever they were alone. The hesitation radiated from her when Sabrina would show her a small amount of affection. So, she would typically let River be the first to start the gestures. They were moving at the pace River wanted. They each felt the longing gazes they threw at one another when either of them wasn't looking at random times. Every lingering touch, or anything involving them, interlaced within one another. If you were to pay enough attention to how they interacted now, perhaps even before, you would notice the mutual pining.

But Sabrina could tell that there was still a lack of trust somewhere in there coming from River. And the blonde couldn't blame her for that. It was her fault there was -and still is- a level of mistrust between them. Of course, River could trust Sabrina with her life, but in giving the blonde her heart? Well, that was another story. The young singer was still afraid of what could happen if she did so. Kind of the same way Sabrina had been before.

"Do you want to relax at my place today?" Sabrina asked, and River realized they had already pulled up in front of the blonde's home. Having not noticed how lost in thought she was.

She thinks for a moment. "That sounds nice. Let me just let Algee know I'll be home a bit later than usual." After confirming with her brother about her whereabouts, the two friends head inside. They greet Sabrina's parents and Sarah as they pass the living room area, making small talk with them before heading upstairs to the blonde's room.