𝓛𝓮𝓸𝓷 𝓚𝓮𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓭𝔂| 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝟯

Sleepover Substitutions

I'd been eagerly awaiting this night, I've been planning it for weeks making sure that my best friend and I both had the night free and that everything was prepared for our massive sleepover, including snacks and chick flicks. We're both out of our teens, but we'd often dreamed of having a 'girls night' like we were teenagers again. As the evening finally approaches my excitement reaches its peak, until the disappointment crashes into me when I receive a text from her telling me she has to cancel due to some last-minute holiday her boyfriend surprised her with. 

The whole night feels ruined as I pace my apartment, eyes avoiding the snacks set out and the makeshift bed made on the living room floor. It was supposed to be a night for us, since due to our adulting we don't get to see each other often, and now I feel nothing but sadness. It's like I've been replaced. I know her circumstances were unavoidable, and it's not entirely her fault, but tonight of all nights? I text my boyfriend Leon to vent, then only ten minutes later does he appear at my front door, a bag in hand and a sympathetic smile on his lips. 

"I'm sorry she bailed on you sweetheart." He softly says, wrapping his arms around me as he closes the door. I lean into his embrace, feeling comforted by his presence. 

"It's fine, I was just looking forward to some fun." I mumble into his chest, but then my eyes find the bag dangling from his hand. "What's that?"

Leon grins as he pulls back, his hand reaches out to tuck my hair over my ear. "My sleepover stuff. We're gonna have our own little sleepover." He says, a glint sparkles in his eyes as he wiggles his eyebrows, making me laugh. 

"Really? Even with the girly stuff I had planned?" I smile, feeling a little more cheerful. Leon nods, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as he guides me into my apartment, his eyes track the blankets on the floor and the table of snacks, as well as the few activities I had planned. 

"Absolutely, I've always wanted to try one of those weird mask things you keep talking about." He muses. I bite back a grin, feeling a warm sense of gratitude and excitement at the change of plans. I nod, then Leon sets down his stuff as I rearrange the blankets and add a few more pillows, meanwhile Leon's picking up the various beauty supplies and eyeing them up suspiciously. "Where should we start?" He calls out when everything is ready to begin. 

"We were gonna make friendship bracelets from a kit I bought, if you want to?" I ask. Leon nods, taking a seat on the blankets as I grab the kit. We undo it and soon begin choosing our coloured beads and strings, as well as a few plastic charms. I put on some music as we make them, both of us chatting away about our day and general things as we make the bracelets for each other. Leon laughs when I joke around, and in return Leon helps me with the fiddly parts of the bracelet, he's better at tying knots and being precise. I make him a silver and light blue beaded bracelet with a charm of a planet, since he's my universe. Leon holds out his wrist as I put in on him, then he slips the bracelet he made for me onto my own wrist.

"Do you like it?" He asks. I nod, leaning over to peck his lips. 

"I'll never take it off. Now, face masks?" I suggest. Leon grins, standing up and holding out a hand as we head to the bathroom. I hand him a pack and explain the instructions, but before I can finish talking Leon's already dabbing the vivid green goop onto my cheek, coaxing a gasp from me at the coolness. I laugh, then begin to put Leon's mask on too. In no time we're both smelling of cucumber and have faces similar to space aliens. 

Leon looks in the mirror, then begins to laugh. "Wow, we look ridiculous! Well not you, you could look good in anything." He softly says, nudging his elbow against mine. I roll my eyes, containing a retort as we wait for the masks. We rinse them off then share some moisturiser, before heading back into the living room. We spend the rest of the evening making pizzas together, tossing flour and cheese around acting like we're professionals, then we have a few drinks before setting onto the blanketed floor, with fairy lights glowing around us and snacks surrounding us. I nestle into Leon's side as I put on the first movie planned; 10 Things I Hate About You, a personal favourite. 

The movie begins as Leon wraps an arm around my shoulders, drawing me closer as he kisses my head. "I'm sorry your friend bailed on you, but I'm glad I get to spend the night with you instead." He softly says. I smile, leaning my head on his shoulder. 

"Me too." I whisper, feeling loved and wanted. Leon's not just my boyfriend, but my best friend too. He ends up loving the first movie, but when we move onto the second he's already getting bored, so we end up putting something else on, but in the end we drift off to sleep together, limbs tanged and snacks long gone, and bond stronger than ever.