𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐌𝐄 𝐁𝐘 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄 - 𝐁.𝐄

sixteen - only

•
julia.
•

july 26th.

the evening slipped into a shade of dusky blue.  just as the faint glow of streetlights began to pool warm lighting along the darkened pavement, she appeared at my door. a soft rustle preceded her. it's the kind that makes you think of a summer breeze stirring the leaves and there she was, cradling a bouquet of pale blue hydrangeas.

it was so quiet, i could hear the soft crinkle of the delicate petals as they brushed against her chest. i couldn't help the smile that curled at the corner of my lips, a mix of disbelief and something warmer. i let out a small chuckle, almost to myself, a sound that echoed in the hollow space between us. "you were serious?" my voice barely rose above a whisper, teasing yet tender. the memory of her promise hung in the air like a fragile thing, a promise now made tangible in the blue blooms she held tight to her chest.

her lips curved into a smile, something soft and understated as she shrugged, a graceful movement that seemed to say she didn't think twice about it. without breaking stride, she kicked off her shoes, toes pressing against her back heel as she nudged them off one after the other. there was something almost intimate within the casualness of it all. "i never break promises," she murmured, her voice gentle, carrying the weight of truth wrapped in softness. she invited herself in and stepped inside. i moved to the side so that i wasn't in the way, pushing the door shut softly behind her as i turned the lock, the sound sharp in the quiet foyer.

she glanced around, her eyes sweeping over the foyer, taking in the space with a kind of curiosity that made me feel like she was seeing everything for the first time, even if she'd been here before.

she turned to me, the hydrangeas still cradled in her arms, and handed them over with a small grin that made my chest tighten just a little. "thank you, eilish," i bantered, lowering my head just slightly to the blue bouquet with my gaze lifting to hers through my lowered lashes.

i brought the beautiful bouquet up to my nose, inhaling deeply. the scent was sweet, fresh, like a memory of something beautiful that you can't quite place but know you've felt before. god how i love some hydrangeas. thank you lana del rey we all say in unison.

"of course, evans," she replied with the same banter, her smile warm. it struck me once again how she never missed the little things, the details that most would overlook. i could feel the connection between us like a thread, invisible yet unbreakable.

i walked ahead and she followed, her steps a half-second behind mine as i led the way into the dining room. the table with the dark wood polished to a gleam stood in contrast to the soft white of the walls. i placed the hydrangeas in a vase that already held a cluster of the vibrant pink peonies she had gotten me yesterday. the colors bled together, a beautiful mix that filled the room with a subtle fragrance, the kind that lingered in the air like a ghost of summer past. god forbid i thought of the summer ending already. that means back to chicago, back to the loud city, back to school. ew.

billie paused in the doorway, leaning against the white doorframe with her hands inside of the pockets of her black baggy sweatpants. i leaned back against the table, my fingers curling around the edge of the wood, the cool surface grounding me. "i'm assuming you didn't have dinner?" my voice came out soft and slightly concerned as i tilted my head slightly, searching her face for an answer.

she shrugged, one of her repetitive casual motions. yet there was a hint of something beneath it, maybe a slight a softness in her expression. "wasn't really that hungry," she admitted, her hands buried deep in the pockets of her sweats.

i offered her a smile, the kind that felt easy and natural. "i can order in. you said you liked the loft, right?" her response was immediate, a small nod followed by a soft "mhm," and i couldn't help but smile at the simplicity of it. "what do you want from there? we can eat while we watch the movie," i added, my tone light. i only offered that since i didn't prep the theater cutely like i did last night. hopefully she says yes to ordering our so it can hide my lack of preparation.