after the death of her mother, leighton's father sends her to a boarding school halfway across the world to be taught a lesson. she knows no one and no one knows her.
but the cherry on top is who her roommate is.
#2 in ptsdawareness
#2 in anxiety
#...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Shopping trips with our little group are always an adventure, but this one is next level.
We're in Target, the holy grail of weekend plans.
I'm pushing a cart loaded with snacks and random finds—Eli's brilliant idea to mix practicality with chaos.
Kai walks beside me, holding my hand.
He likes holding my hand.
Luca and Bailey are ahead, debating over which brand of cereal to buy.
"Do we need more snacks?" I ask, glancing up at Kai.
He smirks. "Always."
I grin back, adding another bag of chips to the cart. It's a simple moment, but it feels right. We've been through so much lately, and something as mundane as a Target run feels like a breath of fresh air.
But then, of course, Eli disappears.
"Where did Eli go?" Bailey asks, suddenly looking around.
"He said he needed the bathroom," Luca says, looking less concerned and more entertained.
We all shrug it off and continue shopping, assuming Eli will find his way back. But after a good fifteen minutes, there's still no sign of him.
"I'll go check on him," We all volunteer.
Kai nods, but I can see the slight furrow of his brow. He worries more than he lets on.
The bathroom is at the back of the store, and when we walk in, it's quiet—too quiet. "Eli?" I call out.
"Leighton!" Eli's voice echoes back, followed by a nervous chuckle. "I'm, uh, stuck."
I blink, trying to process what that could possibly mean. "Stuck?"
"Yeah, like, the stall door won't open. It's jammed or something."
I bite back a laugh and walk over to the stalls. "Which one?"
"The last one."
I head over, and sure enough, Eli is trapped behind a door that refuses to budge. "How did you manage this?"
"I don't know! I just closed it, and now it won't open. Help?"
"This is ridiculous," Kai mutters, examining the door like it's personally offended him.
Luca, ever the handyman, suggests, "Maybe we can unscrew the lock?"
Bailey grins. "Or we can just climb over."
Eli groans from inside the stall. "Just get me out, please."
"Dude we have to do this fast because we're in a fucking mens restroom," Bailey groans.
