Welcome to the Neighbourhood

Chapter 13

A few months later and Dylan's life was suddenly a whirlwind. Daisy Dixie: Like Water and Oil had finally been released, penetrating a few bestseller lists and having a bit of a moment on social media. It seemed to be everywhere – bookstores were putting it in their windows, teens were talking about it on booktok, people were even tagging Dylan in their Instagram stories with pretty pictures of them reading it. It was dizzying, Dylan barely had five minutes to herself since publication day, dutifully following her publisher's rigorous marketing schedule – press interviews, public readings, Q+As, literary festivals...

A copy of the book had been photographed under the arm of some actress Dylan didn't recognise but apparently had a big social media following. This had directly lead to a huge spike in sales six weeks after release, and her publisher gleefully rode the wave – grasping every opportunity they could. You can't even buy that kind of push, they told her excitedly. Streaming studios were vying for the film and TV rights to Daisy, the lawyers at the publishing house all working overtime to secure a deal. Dylan was just on the side-lines, sleepwalking from one event to another, dazed by the attention. As exciting as it was, she was very much out of her comfort zone.

It was good for one reason in particular though as it kept her mind off you know who. She was barely home these days which meant she seldom bumped into Bucky. There had been a couple of awkward exchanges in the early days of their break up, reduced to strangers sharing strained hellos as they passed each other in the hallway. To any onlookers who may have witnessed their encounters – there was no evidence that the two had once been lovers, that they used to spend their time twisted in bedsheets and bantering over morning coffee. Mostly, they managed to avoid each other. Dylan even suspected he may have been coming and going via the fire escape to minimise the risk, which she was quietly grateful for. She promised herself that once the streaming deal cash came in she would move elsewhere, finally shutting the door on that chapter of her life forever.

Paige had stepped up her Best Friend game, holding Dylan's hand during the darkest days of the split and propelling her forward. She'd rushed over to Dylan's apartment the evening of the break up once she got the call, and they just held hands on the couch in silence together for a couple of hours until Paige put her to bed. Eventually Paige had taken Dylan out for cocktails, flinging her around the dancefloor as Dylan did her best to move on and wipe Bucky from her mind. Paige had even set Dylan up with one of Mark's financebro friends after time had passed.

 They weren't a match, but Paige had assured her every journey has a first step.

*

One evening Paige and Mark were on their way to a dinner when she spotted a familiar face skulking down the street towards them. Bucky clocked them immediately, glancing over his shoulder to see if he could get away with them not noticing him – but it was too late.

"Bucky, hi!" shrieked Paige as she noticed him, waving sweetly as she dragged Mark's wrist and sped over towards him.

"Hey Paige" Bucky mumbled. "Hey Mark".

Mark shot him a small nod. Still a man of few words, then. Bucky liked him.

Paige moved in for one of her trademark hugs, squeezing him tightly.

"So you don't hate me then?" he muttered, attempting to be light hearted but sounding more strained than he intended.

Paige smiled warmly. "Of course I don't hate you, Bucky. I'm sad that you and Dylan didn't work out, but I don't hate you".

Bucky grimaced. "How...is she?" he asked tentatively. 

"You mean now she's a big time author? You know Dyl...visibly uncomfortable by the attention, slightly baffled and wanting to hide...but enjoying the free booze along the way".