Bitter (wlw) (txs)

twenty-eight

(a/n: i legit didn't realize how long this chapter was until i copy and pasted it here omg

also, the song is mostly for the last part of the chapter)

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"Sam!" I said, basically running towards the kitchen where she was having breakfast, my phone still open on the email I'd just received.

"What is it?" she looked startled for a second.

"I got the job!"

"Shit, you scared me" she sighed. "But oh my god, that's amazing! I'm happy for you"

"Sorry" I laughed. "But yeah, I'm so happy. I start next week"

"That's great. Early birthday present, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so" I walked towards the kitchen, putting two slices of bread into the toaster.

My birthday was coming up in two days, and I wasn't sure Sam would even remember that. I'd spent the past years' birthdays with just Vic and I wasn't sure on how I felt about being away from home for the first time. Mei had mentioned wanting to do something to celebrate but I hadn't heard much of her recently.

"How do you usually celebrate your birthday anyway?" she turned towards me.

"I pretty much don't. I mean, I've been spending the whole day with Vic and Vic only for at least the past five birthdays"

"Valid" she said, pulling closer to her by my waist. "Well, I'm available if you're looking for a new person to spend it with"

"Never doubted that '' bending to be able to kiss her since she was sitting, so was the shorter one. "I might be doing something with Mei and her friends in the afternoon, after lessons. I wanna spend the evening with you, though"

"I have to work in the afternoon anyway, but I'm all yours in the evening. Now eat your toast before it burns" she chuckled. "Want a ride to college?"

"Yes, please" I said, knowing well that she also knew my answer to that question would always be the same.

Mondays were the only day of the week in which my first lesson of the day was Sam's, so it'd always be a bit complicated to get to the lesson in separate moments, but both coming from her office.

And on that day I happened to be exiting the professor's offices side of campus in the exact same moment Mei was passing in front of it.

"Hey!" she soon spotted me before I could walk behind her to make it seem I was also coming from the general entrance. "Why were you coming from there?" she asked, pointing towards the direction I was coming from.

"I was so distracted I ended up in the wrong building. Oops" I improvised.

"Okay, fair enough" she laughed. "Are you okay, though? I've been hearing less from you lately and it's not the first time you said you got so lost in your thoughts"

"No, uhm, I'm fine. Really. Sorry if I gave you that impression" I said, confused at her concerns because I hadn't even noticed.

"Don't be sorry. I'm just glad you're okay" she gave me a pat on my back, as we resumed walking towards the classroom.

"Maybe the exam-related stress got to me without me even realizing. But, yeah, I'm okay"

"Understandable. Hopefully the grades will be out in these days because I'm getting stressed out about it too"

"Yeah, I guess they will" I said, knowing that Sam had told me she would publish them the next day.

"Speaking of these days...Your birthday"