LUNCH | Ellie Williams x Female OC

✧17✧ an unveiling

CINDY'S POV

Julia and I found a cosy corner in the coffee shop, sinking into the plush chairs with warm mugs of coffee and flaky pastries in front of us. I took a sip, the strong, slightly bitter taste grounding me a little. We sat in silence for a few moments, just enjoying the morning until Julia broke it.

"So..." she started cautiously, "how's the whole Ellie situation going?"

I sighed, knowing this conversation was inevitable. "It's weird," I admitted, picking at the edges of my croissant. "There's this constant awkward tension between us. She's been cold ever since that night, and I just... I don't know how to act around her anymore."

Julia gave me a sympathetic look. "You've tried talking to her?"

"Yeah, but it just turns into her being defensive, or she shuts down. I'm trying to forget about her, honestly, but it's hard when she's my roommate. I can't exactly avoid her, you know?"

Julia nodded, sipping her coffee thoughtfully. "That's rough. I can't imagine being stuck like that."

I shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant even though it was weighing on me more than I wanted to admit. "I'll figure it out. Just gonna focus on other things for now."

We finished up our pastries, lingering in the warm atmosphere of the coffee shop a little longer before deciding to head back. The walk back to the dorms was quiet, but Julia stayed close, offering her silent support. It was comforting, but I couldn't shake the thoughts of Ellie from my mind.

the quiet between me and Julia was comfortable, but eventually, she broke it, her voice bright and bubbly. "So, Jesse and I have been talking more... I think something's actually gonna happen between us. Like, he's just been so sweet lately, you know?"

I smiled, half listening to her gush while my mind drifted. The crisp autumn breeze in the air stirred memories of home. Back in the Midwest, autumn was different; crisp air, leaves crunching underfoot, the smell of bonfires and apple cider. Here in California, it was just... warm. The changing leaves, the overcast skies, all of that felt like a distant memory, and a small pang of homesickness hit me.

Before I knew it, we reached my dorm. Julia and I exchanged quick goodbyes, and as soon as I walked inside, the silence hit me like a wall. The room felt unusually empty without Ellie's presence, her absence weighing heavy in the air. I dropped my bag near my bed and stood there for a moment, just absorbing the emptiness.

It was like the space had become a physical representation of everything between us. cold, distant, hollow. I don't know why but in this moment I felt so lonely, I hated this tension between me and Ellie. Why did she suddenly hate me? whatever, I mean at least I've made steps to forget about my roommate even if it was just a silly random hook-up in some club bathroom stall.

I settled onto my bed, scrolling through Netflix until I landed on a documentary about photography. It was relaxing, the kind of creative distraction I needed. It made me think about how long it had been since I touched my camera.