Same Bitches - Post Malone

11

Lux steps out of her room at 6:45 pm. She will be early for dinner and won't have to deal with Austin storming into her room like he owns the fucking place. She stops though when she sees Louis sitting on his patio steps. His back is to her but she can see his shoulders shake softly. She puts her bag down on her patio table and walks over to him, sitting down quietly.

"I loved her...she is such a bitch...and my brother...it's so fucked up, Lux."

"Were you close to your brother?"

"Not as close as she was apparently."

Lux sits quietly next to him, saying nothing when he laces their fingers together. "We have matching tattoos and she made me tattoo my wedding band onto my finger. I want to pour acid on my skin just to take them off," Louis says softly. "Don't do that. I am a tattoo artist - I will cover them and get rid of that shit on your finger," Lux says offering him a small smile. "I knew you would be good for something," Louis says bumping their shoulders together.

"I will stay with you. We can get shit food and watch movies."

"No can do, babe."

"Why not?"

"Your babysitter is headed over here," Louis says with a flick of his head. Lux looks across the lawn and sees Austin walking towards them. He stops when he sees her look at him and then waves her to come. Lux just shrugs and points to her ear. "What?" she mouths. He huffs and starts walking toward them again, his steps now annoyed.

"Why do fuck with him?  It just makes things harder?"

"Have you not met me, Louis?"

"Fair enough."

They watch as Austin stalks to them and then he glares at her but his face softens slightly when he sees Louis. "I would ask why you are upset but your room is next to Lux, so..." Austin says. Louis laughs and shakes his head. "Believe it or not, Lux is the only reason I have any dignity left right now. The girl is my rock," Louis says. "You are right. I don't believe that. Get up Lux," Austin says taking her bag. Lux stands and snatches her bag back, rolling her eyes. "I won't be long," Lux says to Louis and walks down the stairs. When she does not hear Austin behind her she turns to see Austin looking at Louis with compassion in his eyes.

"Hey...uh...I hope you work out whatever shit has happened, man," he says softly. "Thanks," Louis says smiling as he takes a sip of his beer. Lux starts walking when Austin breaks into a trot to catch up to her.

"It's not like you to make friends so quickly."

"People change, Austin."

Austin goes quiet as they walk, but she can hear the thoughts bouncing around in his head.

"What?"

"It's just...I met him on the plane and he had a girlfriend. He said she was crazy - you should be careful. When we were dating if a girl so much as smiled at me you would scratch her eyes out."

"I was dramatic."

"Was?"

Lux stops and stares at Austin. The judgmental jerk. So he can change but not her?  She had been pathetically jealous and insecure when they were dating, and so was he, but she is not that way anymore.

Lux checks the time and shoots Austin a text that she is running late. He does not answer her which only means he is in full party mode at the bar. It's fine. She trusts him to go out without her, she hates that she has become the type of girlfriend who worries about what her boyfriend is up to when he is out without her. She finishes her client and then takes the time to have a long-winded conversation with her mentor in an attempt to prove to herself that she is not that type of pathetic girlfriend.