All for the Mirrorball

Chapter 21 - Stopping People in their Tracks

When Ilona got home, she decided not to talk about it. She wasn't sure what to say. She didn't understand why someone who was so good about communicating his feelings (lately, at least) was making her feel so insecure, but she wasn't ready to own up to it yet. She just needed some time to think.

Her mind was still spinning, centrally anchored to the memory of his lips on hers, the way he'd held her face so gently, like she was something fragile - something precious. She hadn't let herself feel fragile in years, not since she'd learned how to build herself into someone strong, someone unshakable. But in that moment, Alan had cracked through all of her carefully laid defenses without even trying. And the worst part was that she liked it.

She could still feel the warmth of his hands against her skin, still hear the quiet urgency in the way he'd said her name. She'd kissed him back like she was starving for him - because she was. And it scared her. Because no matter how much she wanted to pretend she wasn't, Ilona knew herself. She loved hard and she fell fast, and if this wasn't real...

She shook her head sharply, snapping herself out of it. There wasn't time to spiral - not when she still had to pack.

Nicole and Olivia were already sprawled out in her living room by the time Ilona emerged from her room, a half-zipped suitcase dragging behind her. Nicole, scrolling lazily on her phone, barely looked up before deadpanning, "I'm impressed you didn't start packing two days ago."

"Who says I didn't?" Ilona replied, throwing her running shoes into the suitcase with a little more force than necessary.

Olivia perked up from where she was laying upside down on the couch, her legs draped over the back cushions. "You're lucky you have us, you know. Left to your own devices, you'd just throw in, like, three rugby jerseys and call it a day."

"Excuse me, I'd at least include socks," Ilona shot back, though her smirk gave her away.

Nicole snorted, setting her phone down and pointing to the bag. "Okay, but where's the fun stuff? The stuff that makes you look like you're the big deal you are, going on a sponsored trip?"

"I'm not a big deal," Ilona muttered, zipping her suitcase up as Olivia launched herself upright.

"Lies!" Olivia announced dramatically, pulling a sleek little black dress from her shopping bag and waving it in the air like a flag. "Which is why you're bringing this."

Ilona blinked. "Liv, when exactly do you expect me to wear that? During the marathon?"

"No, when we're out in New York being glamorous," Olivia said with a wink, draping the dress carefully over the edge of the couch. "Just because you're going to one athletic event doesn't mean you can't look hot while you're off-duty."

Nicole smirked, leaning back against the armrest. "Speaking of hot, you know who's really going to miss you this week?"

Ilona froze for a split second, her heart skidding in her chest. "Who?"

Nicole raised an eyebrow, as though the answer were obvious. "Alan, duh. I give it two days before he's sending you, like, SOS messages or throwing up flares because he doesn't know what to do without you."

Olivia grinned, leaning forward eagerly. "Oh, my money's on less than that. He'll probably be crying into Jeff's fur by tomorrow afternoon."

Ilona snorted, though her face felt hot. "You two are delusional."

"Oh, please," Nicole teased. "I bet you'll miss him just as much."

"I'll be too busy!" Ilona shot back quickly, shaking her head at her own weak response as she hoisted her suitcase toward the door.