Ours. // J.G.

smoke clouds.

I sat the last box on my bed in my new room. Johnson let me have the room all the way at the end of the hall. It was all white, had two huge windows, and a tall mirror against one wall. I pushed a curl out of my face and let out a huge sigh. Looking at all the shit I had to unpack was making me cringe internally. I put my phone in my iHome and hit play. Should've been us by Tori Kelly started playing and I began getting to work, singing along with her.

"It should've been us

Shoulda been a fire, shoulda been the perfect storm

It should've been us
Coulda been the real thing, now we'll never know for sure, ooh

We were crazy, but amazing, baby we both know

It should've been us, us

It, it, it should've been us"

I sang loudly. I was in the back so I knew no one could hear me. Johnson said so.

"You're all the way in the back, so you can blast your music and no one will hear you" he said.

I thought that was true, until I heard a beep of a phone. I turned quickly, and I was greeted by the dimpled faces of Sammy and Skate, who were holding their phones up. I paused my music and quickly went to hug them, and they hugged back.

"We missed you baby!" Sammy said.

"We really did little mama. How have you been?" Skate said. I let go of them and smiled.

"I've been great.. kind of. Just really home sick. And I don't go by baby anymore. Its Lia." I said. Sammy raised an eyebrow.

"You're been called baby since you were like what 12? Why the sudden change? Including your hair! Who said you could cut it?" Sammy said, sounding like a concern older brother like always.

"I decided to change it, being in New York, no one knew who I was except Maggie. So I wouldn't introduce myself as Baby, simply Lia. Because that is my name." I replied.

"And as for my hair, I chose to cut it. It'll grow back bigger anyway" I replied. Skate pulled down on a curl and watched it spring back up into place. His dimples resurfaced as he smiled and shook his head.

"You're a mess bab- Lia" he said. I shut the door behind them and they plopped into different seating spots. Sammy on my vanity seat, and Skate on my bed.

"So tell us about New York, not like we haven't been there before, but you lived there so." Sammy said playing with one of my clean makeup brushes.

"Well, it's hectic." I started. They just looked at me.

"New York is beautiful, it is. I liked living there at first, but then I started missing everyone... I tried to push all my family and friends away, which was a big mistake.. So I came back, and here I am" I said.

"Have you spoken to-" Skate started. I just gave him a soft smile.

"You can say his name.. and no. I haven't spoken to Jack.. I got his messages.. and birthday message.. But.. ya know" I said. They just nodded and fell silent for a minute

"Well, while you're here, you should come see Skate tonight. He's performing at some club, Johnson can give you a ride." Sammy said.

"He better give me a ride, and sure. I'm down. Your album impressed me by the way" I said, referring to Maloski since it recently dropped. His smile grew, because you could tell he was proud.

"Tonight at 9 then. See you there?" he asked. I nodded.

"are the girls going?" I asked, hoping because I missed my friends.