new year's day [h.s.]

Five*

"Happiness is a butterfly

Try to catch it, like, every night

It escapes from my hands into moonlight"

SONG: Happiness is a butterfly // Lana Del Rey

(A/N: I only have 2 or 3 brain cells left, so please note that if you ever see the name "Grant," I'm talking about Graham, Eden's brother. Grant was one of my OG name options and for whatever reason, it's still stuck in my head and I can't seem to consistently remember to ctrl + f it before posting chapters LMAO)

**SEXUAL CONTENT: it's literally just 2-ish paragraphs lmao. It's nothing extensive, just a brief retelling, but it's there nonetheless. We've got a bit of a ways to go before we get any actual smut, sorry babes!**

CONTENT WARNING: there's a bit of contact in this chapter that's... questionable, to say the least. Hands are put on Eden in a manner that she's not entirely comfortable with (think when B*****n shows up in chapter 2). Just want to give the heads up <3

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— Eden —

I squint as I stare almost directly into the sun, the buildings around me and the visors in my car doing next to nothing to block it out as it begins to set. My turn signal blinks incessantly as I wait for the cars on the other side of the road to pass, each plink going straight to my stomach. Tiny pebbles evolving into boulders, piled together and sinking my gut further and further. I spin the wheel as soon as there's a gap, turning into the complex's garage and sparing my eyes from any further potential damage.

God knows my eyesight doesn't need to get any worse.

I navigate my way through the garage to my designated visitor spot, finding the residential one next to me empty. The weight of the missing Prius compounds with that of the rocks already sitting in my stomach, that anxiety beginning to seep out into the rest of my body. I roll my eyes as I put the car in park, trying not to get myself upset before the night even begins. Laying my head back against the headrest, I wait for "Josslyn" to end before shutting off the car and stepping out.

Yeah, I hope that it was worth it

I certainly hope tonight ends up being worth it.

Thanking my lucky stars for having a spare key, I grab my overnight bag from the backseat before locking up my Honda. I make a beeline for the door into the building, punching in Brandon's code to buzz myself in and hopping into an empty elevator. As I ride up, I lean against the back wall and try to take a few deep breaths, praying that he's just running late somewhere.

When the elevator doors open on his floor, one of his neighbors is waiting with her pitbull to trade spots with me. I smile politely as I walk off the elevator, giving the dog a little wave as they pull on their leash to try and sniff me.

"Is it okay if I pet him?" I can't seem to stop myself from asking, holding my hand over the elevator door so it stays open. She nods before correcting me, telling me that her name is Penny and that she loves making new friends.

"Which apartment are you in?" She questions as I crouch to pet Penny, who's eagerly trying to lick my face.

"Oh no, I don't live here. My boyfriend lives in 504 though," I tell her, scratching behind Penny's ear a couple more times before standing. I adjust the strap of my bag on my shoulder as Brandon's neighbor stares at me, as if she's trying to place my face.