Unknown Beauty | ✔️

Chapter Eleven: Men can be Pretty

~Author's Note

Photograph by Ed Sheeran on the side because he's fracking amazing and I was listening to his songs while writing this chapter. <3 I love you guys.

[I'm selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best]
-Marilyn Monroe

Fallon's eyelids fluttered open lazily like the delicate wings of a butterfly, chasing away the remnants of her dream. Soon, her fantasy world of perfection and smiles disappeared, transporting her back to the real world.

But who said she couldn't still smile? She had earned back her best friend and the cogs and wheels of her life were starting to move forward rather than reversing rapidly. In other words, Fallon felt good.

With a yawn, she beamed as bright as the sun's rays pentrating the room from outside, illuminating the dust-motes in an ethereal glow. Scanning the room, she felt the ends of her lips lift up more until she was left with an upside down rainbow for a mouth. Alongside her sparkling eyes and the sun creating a fiery, golden halo around her head, Fallon was quite the sight.

She was back in her old room and she didn't want to leave any time soon. No more hiding in the corner of abandoned shops surrounded by shattered glass. No more spending days soaking in self-loathing and pity. No more burdening sadness.

Groaning with resistance, the door creaked open, revealing a grinning Callie... and an unreadable Asher behind her, "Hey, Autumn!" Fallon titled her head at the nickname and the memories that threatened to return before she shook them away, "I made you breakfast!"

"Excuse me," Asher interrupted, looking as infuriated as a toddler deprived of sweets, "We made you breakfast, actually."

Scoffing, Callie turned to shoot an unconvinced glance at him, "You licked the bowl as I made pancakes, filled them with nutella, fried bacon, scrambled eggs, poured apple juice, laid out the tray-"

"Okay, you can stop now," Asher scowled, his lips now looking like a rainbow the right-side up.

Only a lot less happy. And colourful.

Waltzing towards the bed with her usual confidence, Callie set down the tray as 'Autumn' sat up, running a hand briskly through her ratty hair and gracing her newfound friend with a grateful smile, "It looks delicious!"

Picking up her knife and fork, Fallon cut through the pancake, trying to conceal her uncontrollable smile that stretched from ear to ear. She halted as the bed dipped down next to her and Callie opened her mouth to speak, "I really am sorry for what I did," Callie apologised for what felt like the millionth time.

Sighing, Fallon wrapped her in a comforting hug, "Stop apologising, I should be apologising to you. Stop making me feel bad," she joked, lightening the stiff atmosphere with her light humour.

As she bit into her generous forkful of pancake, Fallon smiled to herself.

It was all coming back together.

~~~

Asher's POV

I rolled my eyes, uninterested as Aunt Sable gushed about her upcoming wedding. Honestly, it would have been bearable, sweet even, only this was her fourth - or was it fifth? - wedding.

Eyes sparkling, she continued to drain my already limited intelligence like water down a plughole and brain-washed me with her idea of a wedding, "The theme is mint green and floral, so I need lots of green Cymbidium orchids, green Gladiolus flowers, oh-" she stopped she turn to me, practically shaking me and scattering my internal organs everywhere, "you MUST bring a dance partner!"