Saving Lotte Sullivan | Collingwood/Carlton

4: And So It Begins

2022.

Lotte drove up as she parked her car haphazardly on the nature strip belonging to the Thornbury property as she undid her seatbelt and grabbed her phone, quickly scrolling through it.

'I am way too tired for this bullshit, Ashlyn' she whispered to herself, kissing her pointer finger and then tapping the photo taped to her car speedometer as she opened the door and climbed out, bag slung over her shoulder, having a large mouthful of her Macca's coffee as she kicked the door closed again, quickly locking her car with the remote. Walking up the path to her best friend's house knocking on the window, exhausted.

'It's open!' Ashlyn yelled from somewhere inside, as Lotte sighed and struggled to open the door with her full hands.

'What do you think I am, superwoman?' Lotte asked sarcastically, closing the door behind her as she entered the house and, habitually, removed her shoes.

'Thanks so much, Lotts. You are a lifesaver' Ashlyn said, entering the room as she took the box of coffee capsules from her best friend, who glared up at her.

'And you are not wearing a lot of clothes' Lotte said, trying to distract herself with the bag of shopping as she passed the bottle of milk Ashlyn had been whining about for three days.

'Yeah, well, my boyfriend's over' Ashlyn whispered, as she proudly looked down at her abs. Why was Lotte acting so shy now? She'd seen her in a bra and shorts before. She'd seen her in a whole lot less too.

'Oh. Thank you for that' Lotte said emotionlessly, as she passed the loaf of bread to Ashlyn.

'Why don't you stay for dinner, Lotte? You've come to all this trouble for me and I doubt you've got anything important on for the rest of the evening' Ashlyn said, smirking as she put the milk away in the fridge.

'My workmate has the flu and needs me to go shopping for her to drop off things at the door. I swear, you all think I'm just a delivery service now that I have a car' Lotte said, rolling her eyes as she passed the blocks of chocolate to the half dressed girl.

'Which workmate?' Ashlyn asked innocently, as she excitedly took the candy.

'Your best friend' Lotte said sarcastically.

'Ella' Ashlyn said angrily, as her boyfriend suddenly walked into the room.

Lotte had barely had any time to check social media lately. She was aware Ashlyn and her partner had been dating for over six months now, but she didn't check Snapchat unless she had photos to take. She couldn't be bothered with Instagram and Facebook just reminded her of how many family members she needed to fully cut off. She hadn't seen half the photos Ashlyn had uploaded with her boyfriend.

So, Lotte was somehow expecting him to look the complete opposite to how he did.

'You must be Lotte' he said, smiling as he held out his hand.

'Uh...I'm sorry. I can't recall your name' she said, a little taken aback.

'Nick' he said, smile ever present.

'That's right. Nick' she repeated, gingerly shaking his hand as Ashlyn grabbed three beers out of the fridge.

'One for you, one for you and one for me' she said, jumping up and sitting on the bench.

'Ashlynnn' Lotte whined, really not wanting to stay.

'Lotteeee' Ashlyn whined back, raising her eyebrows.

'Fine' Lotte said, defeated as she angrily took the cap off the glass bottle and skulled it down.

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