𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧' 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 ─────⋆⋅★𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘺

𝟏𝟎. 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞

Leaving was harder than Suki had ever anticipated. She had always prided herself on her ability to detach, to step away from situations without so much as a second thought. 

Yet now, as she stood on the brink of one of her biggest dreams—the moment she'd waited for her entire life—the weight of her heart felt like lead, dragging behind her with every step toward the tour bus.

The sleek vehicle loomed ahead, its exterior gleaming under the harsh fluorescent lights of the parking lot. She was supposed to be ecstatic, ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime, yet her feet felt heavy and rooted to the ground. 

The roar of the crowd, the glitz of the awards, the anticipation of the tour—everything she had worked for was within her grasp, but it felt like a cruel joke.

The moment she finally stepped onto the bus, the familiar smell of leather and faint hints of lavender washing over her, a wave of exhaustion settled in. Suki made her way to the back, flopping onto the plush seat, her heart racing with conflicting emotions. 

She pulled out her well-worn notebook, pages filled with dreams, song lyrics, and half-formed thoughts that had become her lifeline through the chaos of the past year.

She flipped to a blank page, but her mind wandered back to Drew, to that morning where he lay in her bed, their conversation, an echo of warmth and vulnerability that seemed so far away now.

The image of waking up with him lingered in her mind like a sweet melody, pulling at her heartstrings. Just hours before, they had shared an intimate moment that felt like it belonged in a movie—a scene she wished she could replay.

"So," he had leaned against the counter in her kitchen, casually sipping the espresso she had just made for him. His eyes sparkled with mischief, the sunlight streaming through the window casting a golden glow around him. "Three months, huh?"

Suki nodded slowly, the weight of the impending distance settling in. "And you're filming out in South Carolina, right?" She tried to assess his reaction, to gauge how he felt about their time apart.

Drew set his mug down, his fingers trailing lightly up her thighs, sending shivers racing through her. "Mhmm, and Morocco for three weeks..."

Her stomach twisted at the thought of being so far away from him, her insecurities from past relationships gnawing at her. 

"Well," she sighed, fighting to keep her composure, "we could be friends?"

She watched him roll his eyes, the skepticism etched across his face making her heart sink.

"Suki," he said, his voice low and gravelly, the kind of tone that made her want to lean in closer, "we could never be friends."

"Oh really?" she teased, leaning back on her palms, a playful smile dancing on her lips as his kisses trailed up her neck, igniting every nerve ending in her body.

"Is that what you want?" he asked, breaking away, his tone shifting to something serious, heavy with meaning.

She looked down, afraid of the truth. Afraid to open herself up to the possibility of getting hurt again. 

Three months felt like an eternity, and she had already been heartbroken one too many times to believe that anything could withstand that kind of distance. The ghosts of broken promises haunted her, whispering doubts in her ear.

But deep down, the truth was undeniable—she wanted it all. She wanted him.

"No." The word slipped from her lips, vulnerable and honest. She could feel the air around them thickening with unspoken feelings, and it terrified her.