❝you're a vicious memory burned in the cracks of my heart and an intoxicating fume stuffing my lungs, with nothing but a nostalgic hate that i die to remember, and that in itself is a crime.❞
❝i owe you a black eye
and two kisses.❞
𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇...
levana's shift has just finally ended. she works most weekends at the dog shelter as just a little part time job to get herself some money, it's currently around 8pm right now and the sun has just set. her schedule usually shifts between the hours of 12pm - 8pm, to overnight shifts such as 12am - 5am, she grooms, cleans and blow dries the dogs after their showers, as well as checking their health, cleaning out their kennels, preparing their food and helping them out at feeding times if needed. she loves her job, she loves being able to help.
but it's really fucking tiring sometimes, knowing she can't just go home and be comfortable like most people would. it pains her. because living there is already like working a 12 to 9 job. so really, there is no breaks, ever. it's just complete mental drainage every day and all she can do is just keep pushing and hope for the better. but this hope only breaks her more the longer she keeps living like this realising nothing might ever change, she's stuck. levana now wipes the bit of sweat she has on her forehead, ready to leave. she's so immensely tired, so utterly mentally tired.
she turns behind her to open the exit door so she can finally walk up the stairs and get to that fucking changing room, leaving this place for the rest of the week. slowly curling up the right corner of her lips she blows a long strand of hair away that was covering her eyes. as she makes her move towards the stairs, she hears the light patter of her own footsteps inching up the stairs.
as she reaches the changing rooms she looks around for her bag before realising she left it with nick the last weekend she was working. in matt's car. in matt's fucking car. his!! "oh my god. there's no fucking way." she says, planting her face straight into her hand at the level of stupidity she thought only matt could posses.
she sighs loudly before pulling the phone out of her back pocket, staring at his contact name with her finger hovering over it. just do it levana. she squeezes her eyes in such defeat, tapping the 'call' button so fast in hopes it gives her no time to think about who she's really calling right now.
matt is sat in the living room with his brothers, his legs spread across the sofa with his right arm lazily hung over the back of it. across from him nick's editing a youtube video at the table. and well, chris is in the kitchen opening the fridge every five minutes as if something he actually likes will just magically appear inside.
matt hears the ringtone of his phone vibrate on him by his leg. he picks it up turning it to face towards him, he squints as he looks "what the fuck?" he says, his brows furrow in confusion. holding his phone up, this time just a little closer to his face because he can't believe that she of all people are calling him right now. "what?" nick says, as chris pops his head out the side of the kitchen to see what's going on. "harris is calling me?"
"you mean ana?" nick rolls his eyes before letting out a loud laugh "i can't believe you're still calling her harris. i mean, she sounds like a 45 bald white guy who wears crocs in the winter."
"ok nick. you know so much about her, then you answer the stupid bitch." he commands, looming closer as he holds out his phone in front of nick looking down on him as it vibrates in his hand.
nick lets out a long frustrated sigh, before taking matt's phone. "you really need to chill out with the names." he replies, before swiping right to accept her call. chris making his way in slowly, sitting in front of nick as he takes the call as matt drags his feet back where he was last sat. he's gonna miss the week of peace he head, levana. can always trust her to make a good time shitty.
"matt?" levana asked, matt looks back over upon the call of his name, but he then glances up to the ceiling before shaking his head. "hi ana, it's nick. sorry, matt's being a grump as per usual so he got me to take this call for him, he's pretty upset you called actually. he's moping about and pouting."
"shut the fuck up nick." matt yelled, making chris let out a laugh, trying to cover up his mouth with a single hand but he was too late. the laugh echoing slightly in their living room. he can't believe how quick his brother's mood falters sometimes, especially when it comes to anything about levana. he just loses it.
nick shakes his head, trying to listen to what ana's saying. "i was just working, and when i finished my shift i went upstairs to go get my stuff and change so i could go home, but i left pretty much all my important stuff in my bag, that i left in your guys car last week." she breathes in "and i really don't wanna ask this but, could you pick me-" before she can even end her sentence, the loud racket of thunder and lightning disrupts the room. flashing and flickering shining throughout all the windows, reflecting it's way onto the table nick's sat at. his wide eyes glance down "did you hear that levana?" he mutters quickly before sitting up and then pushing his chair under the table, closing his laptop as he does. "you're staying with us tonight, i know you'd rather not go back home anyway." he speaks.
matt looks over, scoffing with his arms tangled around one another. "get your keys out then big boy. you're driving and you know you are." nick commands, looking over at matt. he throws his head back in agitation, landing on the surface of the sofa behind him. "i'm waiting? hurry the fuck up. she can't walk that anyway, what if it was you?"
matt clenches his eyes shut, his elbows now resting on his knees with his face buried into his palms "i wouldn't be such a fucking pussy and i'd walk home." he shouts ever so slightly, muffled. emphasising 'fucking pussy' and 'walk home.' just so she could hear him before letting his hands fall from his face, pulling off his car keys from the loop of the baggy black jeans he was wearing, now standing up.
he marches towards the door opening it, he looks up to the sky taking in the dark atmosphere as it pours, the sky illuminating itself with light flickering shapes. his face scrunches up as he feels a rain drop land itself on his cheek, wiping it off with the side of his hand he turns around seeing the boys standing "well are we gonna go then or not? because you nick asked me to drive us there and now you're standing there like idiots. both of you."
"alright alright dude, chill" chris yells making his way over with nick as they pull the hoods up over their heads, missing the warm hoodies they were just wearing thirty seconds ago before they head out slamming the door behind them as they run to the car, running with their arms crossed over their heads in an attempt to not get so wet. failing miserably because they're already pretty drenched as it is. as they make way inside the car they each close the door behind them.
matt starts the car up, clicking a button that starts up a random music station so the silence won't end up deafening him on the way there.
a/n - sooo that's the first chapter doneee, i have many exciting things planned for this fic going crazy thinking about it. 😋 and just wanna let y'all know that they'll be flashbacks going back to why matt and levana hate each-other so much but that's not for yet heheheheh
also how levana became friends with chris & nick, i'll either sneak that into into a chapter somewhere or into a flashback, haven't decided yet, most likely a flashback tho. i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, it's gonna get a lot more interesting i promise🫶🏻
