𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧' 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 ─────⋆⋅★𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘺

𝟒𝟕. 𝐢 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲

The last month with Marcello had been a whirlwind—a blur of flights to New York on rare days off, stolen hours wandering around the city, and late-night phone calls that ended with laughter echoing through her hotel rooms. The press had caught on immediately. Every few days, a new tabloid photo emerged of her and Marcello out in the city: Suki laughing so hard she was doubled over, or the two of them caught mid-kiss in a dim corner of Katz's Deli, or sitting on a bench in Thompson Square Park, beer cans hidden in brown paper bags, her head resting on his shoulder.

Marcello was refreshingly straightforward, always happy to show her off and make her laugh, and his charm was effortless, something she found herself looking forward to on long days on set or in the studio. It felt light, uncomplicated in a way she hadn't felt in years. There was no pressure, no heavy history weighing them down. For once, Suki was just living in the moment.

But tonight, she was back in LA, stepping into Gracie's apartment for a long-overdue hangout. The familiar warmth of her best friend's place washed over her as Gracie hugged her tight.

"Suki Monroe," Gracie teased, pulling back to look at her, "back from the arms of her new man, here to grace us mere mortals with her presence."

Tucker appeared from the kitchen, waving a wooden spoon. "We thought we'd been completely forgotten. Does New York have something—someone—better than us, huh?"

Suki laughed, tossing her bag on the couch. "Come on, it's not that serious. Marcello's... he's great, don't get me wrong, but he's just someone I'm having fun with. It's nice to have something easy, you know?" She shrugged, though she could feel the warmth in her cheeks as she thought about him. "He's fun, he's a gentleman, and he makes me laugh like crazy. What's not to like?"

Gracie shot her a teasing grin. "Oh, nothing at all. Except you're practically glowing every time we see you with him. The press is calling it your 'happy era,' by the way."

Suki laughed. "A 'happy era,' huh? Could be worse." But then her tone softened as she admitted, "Honestly, I like Marcello. It's fun. But... I don't know. It's not the same. Maybe one day it could be... but right now, it's just different."

Gracie and Tucker exchanged a subtle look, the kind that only close friends could communicate with. Suki caught it and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, please. Stop looking at each other like I'm deluding myself. I know it's been over a year since Drew. Trust me—I know." She sighed, settling onto the couch.

Tucker sat down beside her, throwing an arm over her shoulder, with a dramatic sigh. "Can you believe I lost Sexiest Musician Alive to Harry Styles? I mean, I get it—he's Harry Styles—but come on! My ego is in shambles."

Suki burst out laughing. "Oh, please. I think the entire fanbase would agree you're still very much in the running. Plus, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before you make that cover."