LUNCH | Ellie Williams x Female OC

✧16✧ parallel planes

ELLIE'S POV

I woke up with a pounding headache, the sun already too bright as it streamed through the blinds, stabbing at my eyes. I groaned, throwing my arm over my face, trying to block out the light. My mouth was dry, and I felt like I'd been hit by a truck, a hangover, the price of drinking too much to drown out the thoughts I didn't want to deal with. I turned over, half expecting to see Cindy in her bed across the room, but it was empty.

She wasn't here.

For a second, my mind wandered. Where could she be? Was she with her friends? Was she with someone else? The idea twisted in my stomach, but I forced myself to shove it down. It wasn't my business, right? We weren't... anything. I had no right to care. Afterall, I had my fair share of fun last night.

I don't care, I told myself, almost like a mantra. I couldn't afford to. Caring about her meant opening up a part of myself I wasn't ready to deal with.

I dragged myself out of bed, still feeling the remnants of alcohol coursing through me. My movements were slow as I made my way to the bathroom. The face that stared back at me in the mirror looked tired.

Why did I keep pushing her away? Why did it feel like I was losing something every time I put more distance between us?

I shook my head, trying to clear those thoughts. They weren't helping. Instead, I threw on a pair of jeans and a hoodie, grabbed my keys, and decided I needed to get out of the dorm. If Cindy wasn't here, then I didn't need to think about her. Right?

But the more I told myself that, the less convincing it felt.

I pulled into the Taco Bell parking lot, the rumble of the engine cutting out as I leaned back in my seat. The smell of greasy, overly processed food filled the car, and despite the gnawing headache still lingering from last night, I knew this was exactly what I needed. Something about fast food when you're hungover, it just hits different.

Before I even touched the bag of food, I grabbed the joint I had stashed in the glove compartment. It was a habit at this point. I sparked it up, taking a slow inhale as the smoke filled my lungs and started to take the edge off. The world felt a little more distant, the stress easing just slightly, as I leaned back against the headrest and exhaled.

As I dug into my taco, my phone buzzed on the seat next to me. I reached for it lazily, assuming it was probably some pointless notification. But then I saw the message: it was from Cameron.

@cammmhrs: yo, sorry about last night. I was just a drunk mess, didn't mean to be disrespectful to your girl.

@elliewilliamsss: nah, we're cool, bro. I get it

I didn't even know her but I appreciated his respect I guess. Well, he wasn't always the smoothest guy when he drank too much. I respected that he was owning up to it, though. At least he realized he'd crossed a line.

CINDY'S POV

I woke up in Julia's dorm, sunlight filtering through the curtains. Surprisingly, I didn't have a pounding headache like I expected. The night before was a blur, but flashes of it came back—dancing, drinks, and that hook-up in the bathroom.

Julia was next to me, scrolling through her phone, but I could feel her energy buzzing. She kept glancing over at me with a grin on her face, practically bouncing in place. I knew what she was waiting for.

"So..." she started, unable to hold back anymore. "So... are you gonna tell me about last night?"

I laughed, feeling my face heat up as I pulled the blanket closer. "I don't know what you're talking about"

I acted oblivious but couldn't keep a straight face

Julia gasped dramatically, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Details, details, details! Was she hot? Was it good?"

I smiled, trying to piece together the moments I could remember. "She was... really hot. Like, confident and mysterious. And yeah, it was good."

Julia squealed, hitting me playfully with her pillow.

Julia and I finally peeled ourselves out of bed, still giddy from the morning gossip. I packed my stuff and changed into my favourite cargos and an oversized shirt—something comfy to match the lazy day vibe. After pulling my hair back into a messy bun, I grabbed my bag, and we headed out.

We walked across campus, the cool breeze cutting through the warmth of the late morning sun.

We stopped by my room to drop off my bag. As soon as we stepped inside, I felt a familiar tension creeping in, half-expecting Ellie to be there, but the room was empty—her bed still perfectly made like she hadn't been back in a while. I sighed a little but tried to shake it off.

"Ready?" Julia asked, noticing the pause.

"Yeah, let's go," I said, trying to push any thoughts of Ellie aside.

We left my room and made our way to the coffee shop, walking in step as we caught up on the week. The usual chatter of students filled the air around us, a comforting hum that helped distract from everything else.

ELLIE'S POV

I took another bite of my taco, scrolling through my Instagram feed absentmindedly. It was mostly the usual stuff; party pics, food, people showing off their costumes from Halloween. As I scrolled, a photo caught my eye. Cindy had posted it.

It was a group shot; Dina, Julia, and some others. They were all dressed up in their Halloween costumes, laughing and posing at the club. But what really grabbed my attention wasn't them—it was the girl I didn't recognize at first.

I zoomed in, staring at the photo, trying to piece it together. Then, it hit me.

It. was. Cindy.

My heart stopped for a second. The girl I fucked in the stall wasn't just some random party hook-up. It was her. I didn't recognize her at the time because of the costume, the wig, the makeup, the contacts. But now it was so obvious. How did I miss it?

I sat there, taco halfway to my mouth, completely in shock. The night came rushing back, the way we danced, how she felt pressed against me, the way her lips tasted. And all along, it was Cindy.

I dropped the taco back in the wrapper, my appetite gone. I couldn't believe it. What was I supposed to do now? Pretend like it didn't happen, like I didn't fuck her again? Or did she already know it was me and just didn't say anything?

The more I thought about it, the more my chest tightened with a strange mix of guilt and confusion. I had spent the whole week pushing her away, keeping my distance because I was scared of messing things up between us. But now, this.

I tossed my phone aside and rubbed my hands over my face, trying to process everything.

I had no idea what to do next, but one thing was clear.

I couldn't ignore this anymore.

~