amicizia ✔

8 . . . the james joint

9.00 𝓐𝑴 | ♛ 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘃.

𝗜 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗜𝗡 the elevator, descending to the driving range at Hera Palace. Dressed in a sleek Chanel jumpsuit with green shoes for a pop of color, I felt refreshed, ready to shake off the drama from earlier. The elevator doors opened, and I made my way through the lobby, ignoring the sad excuse for a breakfast buffet. Same old, same old—dry, unappetizing, and totally skippable.

I hurried out the side door by the front desk, stepping onto the sprawling green driving range. The crisp morning air mixed with the satisfying sound of golf balls being hit in every direction. It felt good to be here again. I hadn't played golf in what felt like ages, and the excitement buzzed in my veins.

As I scanned the range, I spotted Amily and Cedric at one of the posts, laughing and talking loudly. I started walking toward them, but then I paused, something about their conversation catching my attention.

"I'm going to absolutely crush you in golf," Cedric said, confidently gripping a club and wiping his hands on a handkerchief tucked into his pocket.

"Want to bet on that? I'm so much better than you could ever be," Amily shot back, her playful tone unmistakable as she grabbed her own club.

"Okay, okay. You're better than me at a lot of things, I'll admit," Cedric conceded, setting up a tee.

"Even being pretty?" Amily teased, and I froze in place.

What the hell?

"Yes, definitely that," Cedric replied with a sly smile, showing off just half of his perfect teeth.

For the first time in my life, I felt something unsettling. A knot in my stomach twisted into something ugly—anger, maybe? Jealousy? I wasn't sure, but it didn't feel good. Before I could dwell on it, Amily turned around and spotted me.

"There you are, pretty! How'd you sleep?" she called out, enveloping me in one of her signature hugs. I managed a smile, even though my emotions were still in a tangle.

"Eh, it was mid, like always," I shrugged.

Cedric pouted dramatically. "Why can't I get a hug like that?" He whined like a child, but Amily and I both ignored him, diving straight into conversation.

"Can we talk about how Charity placed first? Like, what did she do to the judges?" I said, making Amily's eyes widen in agreement.

"Right? That girl's like a witch or something. Didn't we tell her to stay away from us?" Amily's voice held that familiar edge, and I nodded.

"For real. She keeps popping up. We need to give her a final warning," I suggested, watching as that mischievous glint appeared in Amily's eyes.

"Let's take her to that junkyard down the street. Show her something she'll never forget," she said, and I burst out laughing. We sealed the plan with our thumb-kiss handshake.

"This is why I love you!" I squealed, pulling her into another hug as her melodic laughter filled the air.

♛

Later, after hitting a few balls with the group, Amily and I retreated to my room, laughing at anything and everything. She had me pinned down at the end of my bed, a mischievous look in her eyes as she held up a hand mirror.

"See? You look so pretty!" she said, admiring her handiwork after finishing a full face of makeup on me. I glanced at the mirror and burst out laughing at the mess she'd made—blush too bright, highlighter all wrong.

"I mean, you tried, and that's what matters," I teased, making her scoff as she rummaged through my drawer.

"I hate you," she shot back playfully, but I just laughed.

"No, you don't."

"Yeah, you're right. I love your pretty self," she said, sitting back on my waist with a plastic bag in hand. The scent of leaves hit my nose, and I blinked in surprise.

"Is that...?" I started, but she smirked, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"It's good stuff, Lottie. I haven't told anyone, but I stashed some in your drawer since I'm here so often," she explained, pulling out wrappers and fiddling with the leaves. I wasn't sure whether to be mad or curious, but curiosity won out. I could never really be mad at her.

"How do you do it?" I asked, watching as she started rolling the joint.

She giggled and showed me, explaining in a hushed voice, "You put the stuff at the tip of the paper, roll it, lick it..." She met my eyes as she licked the paper slowly, sending a shiver down my spine. "Seal it off, and you're done."

She lit the joint with a candle lighter from my drawer and took a slow inhale, blowing out a cloud of smoke. I watched her, fascinated.

"How does it feel?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"So nice. I don't even know how to describe it," she said, taking another puff and doing a trick with the smoke. It swirled around her like magic.

"Let me try," I whispered, drawn in by her green eyes and the haze of smoke. She raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"You sure? I don't want to push you."

"I want to. I do," I insisted, nodding. She took another puff, then leaned down, her movements slow and deliberate. Everything around me seemed to fade as she blew the smoke into my slightly open mouth. I coughed, the harshness surprising me, but she laughed, placing a calming hand on my cheek.

"More," I said, and she obliged, blowing another stream of smoke into my mouth. This time, I inhaled it more easily, feeling my body slowly relax.

"More," I whispered again. She giggled and blew more smoke, her lips so close to mine. I shivered, the sensation sending waves of heat through me.

After a while, we finished the joint, sitting together in comfortable silence. The haze of smoke lingered, and so did my thoughts. I couldn't hold back any longer.

"Are you and Cedric dating?" I asked softly, my heart pounding. She smiled gently, brushing my hair behind my ears, and my stomach twisted with anticipation.

"For about a month now," she whispered. "He slept over last night. But..." She took my hand and did our thumb-kiss handshake. "I like you more. I always will."