ONCE MORE, WITH YOU

VII

Summer Preston

I've been lying in bed, feeling like I'm falling apart since everyone left after Thanksgiving on Thursday. The house feels too quiet, and I've been stuck in my head, overthinking everything.

Solené has been on my mind, constantly, relentlessly, to the point of infuriation. I hate it—how much space she takes up in my thoughts. A part of me aches to hear her out, to let her explain why she left. But I'm scared. Scared of what her words might mean for us—if there's even an us left to salvage.

Nolan, Adrianna, and I made plans for tonight. We're going to the movies, a double feature: Moana 2 first, then Wicked. Two movies in one night—definitely a distraction I could use.

I glance at my phone and realize it's already 7:10 PM. Our first movie starts at 8:55, so I force myself out of bed and start getting dressed.

I take a quick shower, the warm water soothing but fleeting, before stepping out and drying off. Since we're going to the theater, I decide to keep my outfit chill: a simple matching two-piece set, my Ugg Tasmans, and an oversized plaid jacket. I gather my hair into a messy bun, leaving a few strands loose to frame my face.

Grabbing my blanket and Stanley cup, I head out of the house. Sliding into my car, I send a quick text to the group chat, letting them know I'm on my way.

Tonight won't fix everything, but maybe it's enough to remind me I'm still here. Still moving. Still trying.

The roads are dark and quiet as I drive, the hum of the car's engine the only sound breaking the stillness. A part of me appreciates the solitude—it matches the way I feel inside—but another part of me craves noise, laughter, anything to drown out the thoughts that have been looping in my mind for days.

When I pull up to the theater, Nolan and Adrianna are already waiting by the entrance. Nolan is leaning against one of the columns, scrolling through his phone, while Adrianna is enthusiastically munching on a bag of Skittles she clearly brought from home. She waves as soon as she sees me, a broad grin lighting up her face.

"You're here! I was just telling Nolan we should've done something sooner this weekend. You've been MIA," Adrianna says, tossing a few Skittles at me as I approach.

I catch one midair, popping it into my mouth. "You know me—big fan of lying around and doing absolutely nothing."

Nolan looks up from his phone, his expression softening when he sees me. "You okay, Summer?"

The question catches me off guard, and I hesitate for a second before nodding. "Yeah, just needed to reset. This weekend's been...a lot."

Adrianna loops her arm through mine, steering me toward the entrance. "Well, tonight is all about forgetting whatever's been on your mind. Two movies, snacks, and us. What more could you need?"

"Maybe a time machine," I say, half-joking, though the weight in my voice betrays me.

Adrianna doesn't press, and Nolan gives me a look that says he knows there's more I'm not saying, but he doesn't push either. Instead, he holds the door open, and we walk into the theater together.

The lights dim as the previews start rolling, and for the first time all weekend, I feel a flicker of distraction. Adrianna hands me the oversized popcorn she insisted on getting, and I focus on the screen, letting the vibrant colors and cheerful music of Moana 2 pull me in.

But it's fleeting. By the time the second movie starts, my mind drifts back to Solené. I try to push the thoughts away, but it's impossible. Her face is there every time I close my eyes, her voice echoing in the quiet spaces between dialogue.