𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧' 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 ─────⋆⋅★𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘺

𝟎𝟓. 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞

That weekend, Suki had been handed her platinum record for Sugar High, and it felt like she was floating—like the universe had finally tipped in her favour. It was one of those moments she'd fantasised about since she was a teenager, alone in her bedroom, scribbling half-finished lyrics in the margins of her notebooks. 

Back then, it seemed so far away, so impossible, like a dream you barely say out loud because it feels too big for your own life. But now, it wasn't just a dream. It was hers.

Gracie, as always, had been the first to call, breathless and vibrating with excitement. 

Suki could barely get out a "Hello" before Gracie started rattling off a million ideas, not even waiting for a response.

"We have to celebrate, babe! A surprise party! Okay, not really a surprise, but you'll act surprised, and I'll get everyone at the club—it'll be iconic," Gracie rambled on, her words spilling over each other, tumbling in that typical Gracie fashion. 

Suki could almost hear her pacing.

Suki laughed softly, but after a gruelling week of rehearsals, fittings, and endless meetings, the thought of neon lights, thumping music, and strangers staring her down felt exhausting. 

"How about something low-key instead? Just us at my place?" Suki suggested, glancing around her newly finished home. It was classic Hollywood, exactly what she'd always imagined. 

The exposed wooden beams gave the place an old-world charm, while the plush emerald-green velvet couches and deep cream accents added warmth and elegance. 

Vintage movie posters lined the walls, and the soft glow of antique lamps bathed the room in the kind of light that made you want to stay and never leave. 

It felt lived-in, cozy, and somehow glamorous all at once—like a space that invited both solitude and celebration.

Gracie groaned dramatically, the way only she could, but she didn't argue. She never really did when it came down to it.

So, that night, Gracie showed up at the door, a massive cake balanced in one hand and a case of champagne in the other. The cake was outrageously large, covered in an exact replica of Suki's Sugar High album cover, the frosting so perfect it almost looked unreal.

"It could feed fifty people, but I figured you wouldn't mind," Gracie had winked as she squeezed through the door, laughing at herself.

Madelyn followed behind her, the calm to Gracie's storm. She carried a tray of chocolate-dipped strawberries and two bottles of rosé, giving Suki a soft, knowing smile. 

It was that kind of smile Madelyn was so good at, the one that said, "I know you don't want a fuss, but we're making a fuss anyway." 

She had that way about her—quiet, steady, always making you feel like the world wasn't as chaotic as it sometimes seemed.