𝐒𝐎 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋 || 𝐂𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐊

dress

After dinner, the cozy hum of the living room filled the house. Plates had been cleared, and everyone was settling in for a relaxed evening. The warm glow of the fireplace cast a gentle light, while the soft murmur of conversation and occasional laughter floated through the air.

Gabbie was nestled in one corner of the couch, her legs tucked under her as she scrolled through her phone. Vic was sprawled out on the rug with Olivia next to her, absently flipping through a magazine, and Caitlin was perched on the armrest. Jada, Kate, and Kylie sat nearby, exchanging stories and laughter. 

Suddenly, Gabbie's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and made a face, her brow furrowing slightly. With a sigh, she swiped to answer the call.

"Hello?" Gabbie said, trying to mask her irritation with a semblance of politeness.

"Hey, Gabbie! It's Lucy," came the overly bright and familiar voice on the other end. The mere mention of her name caused a ripple of discomfort through the room. Caitlin remained oblivious. Vic's eyes narrowed slightly, her body tensing as she continued to stare at the pages of her magazine without really seeing them. Jada, Kate, and Kylie exchanged knowing glances, their expressions a mix of annoyance and apprehension.

"Oh, hi Lucy," Gabbie replied, her tone cooler than the room's warmth suggested. "What's up?"

"I'm outside. Can you let me in?" Lucy's voice was annoyingly chirpy, completely at odds with the collective mood inside.

Gabbie glanced around the room, her eyes meeting Vic's for a brief moment. There was a silent understanding there. She knew how much Vic despised Lucy, ever since they met, Lucy had been nothing but horrible to her. And Caitlin had always been the  target of Lucy's relentless flirting.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Gabbie said, unable to think of an excuse fast enough. She hung up and reluctantly got up from the couch. "Lucy's here," she announced, her voice carrying a note of apology as she headed towards the door.

Vic sighed heavily, finally dropping the magazine and sitting up. "Great," she muttered under her breath, her expression a mix of annoyance and resignation.

Caitlin's head snapped up at the mention of Lucy, her eyes widening slightly. "Lucy? Here? Now?" she asked, a mix of surprise and dread in her voice.

"Yep," Gabbie confirmed, pausing at the door to look back at them. "Guess we'd better get ready."

As Gabbie opened the door, the cool night air swept in, and there stood Lucy, all bright smiles and false charm. "Hey guys!" she called out, her voice grating on everyone's nerves.

Jada, Kate, and Kylie exchanged wary looks, silently bracing themselves for what was to come. Olivia, who was new to the group and hadn't yet met Lucy, looked around, confused. "What's going on?" she whispered to Vic.

Vic leaned in closer to Olivia and whispered, "Lucy. She's been flirting with Caitlin since freshman year and has been horrible to me ever since we met."

Before Olivia could react, Lucy squealed, "Caitlin!" and rushed over to her, arms outstretched for a hug. Caitlin stiffened, her smile tight and forced as she quickly sidestepped the embrace, putting a hand up to gently but firmly stop Lucy.

"Hi, Lucy," Caitlin said, her tone cool and her demeanor clearly uninviting. "Nice to see you."

The atmosphere in the room was now thick with tension, the comfortable vibe from earlier completely evaporated.