𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐈𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐓 ― rafe cameron

σαράντα ; 40

song of the chapter:
BAD HABIT ; steve lacy

Margarita cleaned her room, smoothing her hair out of her face as she tossed away the remnants of her chaotic weeks. With each item she put back in its place, she felt a small weight lift off her shoulders. The clothes scattered on the floor were now folded neatly, the empty bottles and crumpled papers thrown away. It was like she was peeling away the layers of despair that had clung to her.

Once satisfied with the state of her space, she sat cross-legged on her bed, taking a moment to breathe in the clean scent of the fresh linens and the faint hint of her favorite vanilla candle lingering in the air. Her nails, once adorned with acrylics and long, French-tipped coffin shapes, were now bitten down to uneven nubs—a reminder of the anxiety that had consumed her.

As she gazed around her room, she took in the small details: the Polaroids hanging on the wall, capturing moments of laughter and joy with her friends, the books stacked on her bedside table, the remnants of a life that felt like a distant memory. Each piece was a part of her, but it had felt so out of reach in her darker days.

Margarita picked up her phone, staring at it as if it were a foreign object. It felt like an eternity since she had charged it, the screen dark and lifeless. But it was time to reconnect, to reach out to the friends she had pushed away. She could feel the familiar flutter of anxiety in her stomach at the thought, but there was also a glimmer of hope—maybe they would understand.

She plugged her phone into the charger and watched the screen come to life, notifications flooding in almost immediately. Messages from Sarah, JJ, Kie, and even John B lit up the screen, each one a thread pulling her back into their world. The sight of their names made her heart ache; she had missed them more than she cared to admit.

Taking a deep breath, she decided to start with Sarah. She typed out a quick message, her fingers trembling slightly as she wrote:

sar bear

hey im sorry for going mia, girls day?

Before she could second-guess herself, she hit send and set the phone down beside her. A rush of anxiety coursed through her, but she reminded herself that this was part of reclaiming her life—acknowledging the pain, but also embracing the possibility of healing and connection.

As she waited for a response, Margarita felt a sense of calm wash over her. The sun had begun to dip below the horizon, casting a warm glow across her room. She pulled her knees to her chest, allowing herself to feel a sense of gratitude for this moment of clarity. It was a small step, but it was a step forward nonetheless.

She closed her eyes, letting the quiet settle around her. She could hear the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore, a reminder that life continued to move forward, and so could she.

A few more notifications chimed in as Margarita's phone rebooted itself, the screen lighting up with a flurry of messages. Some were from random people she barely knew, chatter from the group chats she had been part of, each message a reminder of the night that had spiraled out of control. They were light-hearted banter, pictures from the party, and funny memes. But the laughter felt hollow to her; she couldn't connect to that energy right now.

Then, a message popped up that made her heart race: it was from Rafe. His name illuminated the screen, and her breath caught in her throat. She hadn't seen it coming, not after everything that had happened, but Rafe's messages stood out like a beacon.

Rafe Cameron
Hey, just checking in. I miss you. 20m ago
Talia said you weren't feeling well. I stopped by the house, but she wouldn't let me in. 1d ago
Hope you're okay. 1d ago
Just wanted to say hi. I've been thinking about you. 3d ago
I really miss you. Let me know if you want to talk. 5d ago
Tried to stop by again. Message me soon. 1w ago
Missed you. 1w ago
Talia still won't let me in, Tried to come in from your balcony but it was locked. 1w ago
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