1 | ONE BREATH | MINIMINTER ✔️

NINETEEN

NINETEEN
d a l l a s

"Dallas!" A very familiar voice screeches from the door to her bedroom. Willa jumps on her seconds later as she rolls over groggily, just waking from her sleep. "I'm so happy you're here!"

"Get off me," She groans and Willa slips off her, kneeling on the floor beside her bed with a beaming smile. "You couldn't wait a couple of hours until I came to your house?"

"Nope, when dad told us you were here I made him bring me here right away! He said you'd be tired but I told him you wouldn't mind because we hadn't seen each other in a year," Willa explains quickly and without pausing for breath.

Dallas laughs softly, lifting up the covers fro Willa to clamber in and cuddle up to her just like they always did. Willa was more of a sister to her than a cousin. She always had been and always would be.

"I missed you," Willa mumbles.

"I missed you too."

-

"Willa, you don't need to watch me while I do my make up. You can wait downstairs if you want to," Dallas says, gesturing with her make up brush.

"I can't because it's killing me to not ask about why you broke up with James. Last time you were here you said you loved him," Willa says gently, perching on the end of the bed with her curls of hair spilling over her shoulders.

Dallas pretends to look busy as she digs through her make up bag, not searching for anything in particular. When she pulls out an eye shadow palette she says, "Sometimes we say things we don't mean because it's what we're supposed to say, not because we mean it."

"So you didn't love him?" Willa asks, confusion clear in her voice.

"I don't think I did," Dallas answers as she applies the eye shadow. "I think I was just in love with the idea of being in love. You'll understand when you're older."

"You always say that, but I want to understand now," She groans, flopping back on the bed. "So, what happened?"

"He was a liar and a cheat," She tells her simply. "You remember Allison, yeah? Well, they were seeing one another behind my back."

"Isn't she supposed to be your best friend?"

"Yeah, but let's just say I'm closer with Violet now."

"That's fair enough," Willa responds. "So, anyone new on the scene?"

"Willa," Dallas warns, looking at her in the reflection.

She sits up, a cheeky grin on her face and a glint in her eyes that reminded Dallas of who she used to be. "Come on, Dallas, there must be someone!"

Dallas doesn't respond.

"So there is someone!" Willa points a finger at her playfully. "Tell me! Is he more handsome than James? You know I always thought he looked a bit like a frog."

"He's definitely more handsome," Dallas replies, trying to hold back the smile.

"I knew there was someone," Willa cheers, clapping her hands together joyfully. "Who is it? Do I know them?"

"I don't think you do," Dallas says in between applications of lipstick. "But nothing's really happening. All we do is hold hands and he had the chance to kiss me the other day, but he didn't. So, maybe he isn't that into me."

"How could he not be?" Willa blabbers. "Besides, if you like him then you should just go for it."

"Since when did you become such a relationship advisor?" Dallas jokes.

"Since always."

"No. Way. You have a boyfriend, don't you!" Dallas exclaims, whirling around to face Willa, who was now blushing prettily pink. "Willa Felicity Edlen, you have some explaining to do!" She shouts as she jumps on her cousin, tickling her as they tumble to the floor.

Willa shrieks as she laughs, wriggling in an attempt to get away from Dallas. "Ok, ok! I do!"

"Who is it? I bet it's Cliff," Dallas says, sitting back from Willa and letting her go. Willa scuttles to the other side of the room and leans against the wall, still laughing.

"Yeah," She admits. "It's Cliff."

"I always knew you two would get together. That's what happens when you're good friends with a guy."

"Is that what happened to you?"

"You could say that."

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