Before We Fall

Part 1, Chapter 16

Alivia's POV

Cassie

good morning my darling!

happy birthday!

Thank you thank you

Wish you could be here

me too

I'll see you in april tho

No that's too far away

Get to AZ now

I swear I wish I could

Another month had gone by without me realizing. I had tried to get time off weeks ago in order to fly out to Arizona to celebrate Cassie's 19th birthday on December 29th, which was today. She was the second oldest in our friend group, with my 19th last June 6th.

But with December came a cast-wide illness, and more than too many cast members had been taken down by some 24-hour bug and there was no way we could lose someone else.

"Are you doing anything today?" Stephanie asked. "Before the show tonight, I mean."

The tour company was kind enough to give me a roommate for this tour stop, so now I had to share the already limited hotel room space with another person who was even more high-maintenance than me.

There was a knock at the door.  "You can come in if you want," I called.

Sky walked in, leaning against the wall. "You doing anything today?" He asked me.

"Why, do you not have any other friends, waterboy?"

"'Any other,' so we're friends now?"

"I didn't say that."

"If you two are going to flirt for the next ten minutes, then take it outside." Stephanie said. "I don't have to listen to this."

Sky rolled his eyes. "Ben, Josh, Dan, DeMarius and I are going to get some pizza in a few. Wanna come?" 

I glanced back at Stephanie. I wanted to say yes, but felt bad about leaving her behind. 

"No, you go ahead," she told me. "I have plans with Melissa later." 

I turned to look back at Sky. "Meet you in the lobby in ten?" I asked.

"Sure. See you then."

"What's that about?" Stephanie asked.

I groaned. "Not you too."

I had a few minutes before I needed to meet Sky, so I took the opportunity to change into something a tad more weather appropriate. Namely, a red off-the-shoulder sweater and black Lululemon leggings. My black leather purse was sitting on the ground by my bed, so I grabbed it and my phone before leaving for the elevator.

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The boys and I walked down the sidewalk, following Josh and Ben who seemed to be the only ones who knew where we were going. I shivered slightly as a breeze swept through the street. Before I could do anything else, the person walking next to me draped denim over my shoulders. I looked over, and Sky had suddenly misplaced his jacket and was trying his best to not make eye contact. 

"Thank you," I said to him, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed as I slipped my arms through the sleeves. It was comforting really, the oversized denim that smelled like him.

Once Josh and Ben had finally gotten us to the pizza food truck we had spent the last twenty minutes trying to locate, we all got our food and sat down on a nearby bench.

"Hey, Liv, smile," Sky said to me, holding up his phone. I did so, holding up my pizza slice on the flimy, grease stained paper plate. He held out his phone, showing the photo to me. "Is it okay if I post this?"

"Yeah, go ahead," I told him.

Then he smiled, and suddenly the world didn't seem like such a dark place.

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sorry this chapter is so short! it just wasn't working but needed to be included for plot purposes that'll make sense tomorrow.

love you all lots!