𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 ✓

t w e l v e

REAL LIFE!

Bea was kind of a disaster. She didn't want to admit it; she was usually pretty open about her days of weakness and her internal struggles, but today, she was trying to keep it quiet. Needless to say, she was failing, and as she recorded yet another song for her newest album- an album they had started recording two days ago and were almost done with now- her producer stopped her between songs, raising an eyebrow.

"Why are you so nervous, sis? What's happening?" Safiya's words were soft but stern, and they made it clear Bea wasn't going to dodge her question with a mumbled, "nothing," and a dash into the studio. Bea sighed, settling into the rolling chair across from the woman who was tying her hair out of her face.

"Eva's coming in to record our duet later," she started, and Safiya nodded along with her, interjecting, "the one you wrote with Luke?"

"Yeah, that one. Anyway, I'm thinking of asking her to write her own verse for the bridge? And it's a very gay song, so I guess I'm just nervous."

"Girl, you're brilliant, and from what I've heard of her, so is Eva. Everything will work out," Safiya reassured, smiling kindly at her friend. Bea nodded, taking a deep breath and trying to believe her. It was all she could do, because under the surface, Bea knew she was scared for an entirely different reason, one she wasnt ready to unpack just yet. She just wouldn't think about it. Not yet.

✿

"So I'm thinking for the bridge, something like 'you've got my heart locked in your hands, I'll tell my truth if you promise you'll keep it' for the first line or two?" Eva tapped the bottom of her pen against the rim of her notebook, glancing up at Bea, who had been watching her intensely. Eva tried not to let her cheeks flush when she caught the look on Bea's face, internally convincing herself that the brunette's strong gaze was only because she had zoned out and was thinking about the song. "Bea?"

At the sound of her name, Bea jumped, and her reaction made it clear that she was definitely just staring at Eva. Well, great. Both of their cheeks flushed, Bea's a more subtle pink than the flaming red on Eva's cheeks. Bea couldn't have been happier they were curled up on opposite sides of Eva's couch rather than in the studio at that moment; Safiya would have given her so much hell for this small interaction. She cleared her throat, glancing away from Eva and toward the ground before refocusing on the blonde.

"Sorry, I zoned out. What?" Her words made Eva chuckle, and she repeated her question, this time with Bea listening closely. "Yes, absolutely do that!"

"You sure? It's your song-"

"E, I'm sure. When's Jaiden coming home?" Bea was quick to change the subject because honestly, she would let Eva absolutely destroy her song if it meant she got to listen to her sing for a bit longer. Eva was already singing the second verse, and Bea knew that they would ultimately share the bridge, so Eva's worry was warranted, but Bea just... didn't care.

"Uh, they get home from read throughs in a good hour or so?" Eva said, her voice lilting up at the end as she checked her phone for the time, nodding. "Yeah, about an hour."

"You wanna run through what we have so far before they get here?" Bea's words were a simple offer, but Eva felt something more within them, somehow. She wouldn't question it, but she knew she wasn't imagining it.

"Yeah, sure," she agreed, and Bea smiled, this radiant smile that almost took Eva's breath away, as she pulled up the backing track Safiya had been kind enough to send to her. And as Bea began to sing, Eva decided she didn't have it in her to unpack the feeling that overtook her.