𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 ✓

t w e n t y - n i n e

REAL LIFE!

Bea was worried in a way she had never been before. Maybe it was because she loved Eva more than she had ever loved any of her past partners. Maybe it was because the last time someone disappeared on her, they came back and broke up with her. Whatever the reason, Bea was worried.

"Eva, c'mon, pick up," she muttered, listening to her phone ring. This was the twelfth time she had called her girlfriend today, and this was the one that was going to cause her to have a breakdown if she wasn't answered.

Luckily for Bea, there was an answer on the other side. Unluckily for Bea, it wasn't who she was looking for.

"Hi, who is this?" The voice greeted, and Bea froze, getting a bit defensive.

"I'm Bea. Who are you?"

"I'm Erika. Look, I found this phone ringing next to a passed out girl and figured someone needed to know where she was. What are you to her?"

"She's my girlfriend." Bea's anxiety spiked at Erika's words. "What's the address? I'll be right there."

✿

She wasn't sure what to expect when she showed up twenty minutes later, her heart beating out of her chest. What the hell had Eva been doing?

"Bea?" A girl with a half concerned smile on her lips spoke- Erika, she assumed.

"Yeah, that's me. Is she alright?"

"She's fine. It's to my understanding that there was a party here last night. A girl named Sofia called, said something about losing her friend. I guess it's this one."

"Yeah, that's Eva. Thank you for staying with her, I'll take it from here." Bea smiled gratefully, putting a hand on Eva's shoulder since the girl was propped up against a tree, half awake.

"E?"

"Beaaaaa?" Eva's words were slurred, and it made Bea's heart plummet into her chest.

"It's me, Evie. What did you do?" Bea kept her voice soft even though she wanted to curse, scream, cry. She wanted to punch something for letting Eva get out of her sight. She would kiss the girl if she hadn't been so incredibly stupid. Honestly, her feelings were just all over the place.

"I need help," Eva replied, and that was all Bea was able to get out of her before she passed back out.

✿

An hour later saw the girls in Bea's apartment, with Eva sleeping soundly in Bea's bed and one of her shirts. Bea, on the other hand, was pacing in her living room, rubbing her temples as she talked to Jaiden on the phone.

"All I'm saying is that you've got to be gentle with her," they were saying on the other end of the call. "She has a past she's really sensitive about. I can't tell you about it, I'm already on the outs with her as is, but it's rough. It's a damn miracle she's been able to keep it secret from the press."

"I just don't," Bea paused, trying to wrap her head around the words she was trying to say, "understand, I guess. We've been so open with each other, even before we started dating. I don't want to lose her. I don't want her to disappear from my life without warning. She scared the hell out of me, Jai."

"Well, the good thing is that she's safe, and she's with you. I've got to go, my lunch break is about to end, but I'll text Khalil and let him know you found her."

"Thanks, Jai. You're the best."

"I try, sis."

The call was ended, and Bea was too concerned about her girlfriend to even process that Jaiden had just referred to her as family. Erika had said that Eva just needed to sleep it off, whatever "it" was, but that didn't put Bea any less on edge. If something serious had happened, she wasn't sure what she would do.

Luckily, Eva stirred around dinnertime with a need for food. She was drowsy and confused about her surroundings, but she was alright, and that was what mattered the most. At the sound of feet padding on the hardwood floor, Bea turned from her place in the kitchen, relief flooding her features.

"Hey, E," she greeted softly, and Eva looked at her blankly for a long moment before bursting into tears. It caught Bea by surprise completely. Sure, Eva cried at movies and over hate and over completely trivial things, but it was always some type of graceful. Now, though, she was all snot and sobs that wracked her body as she fell into Bea's open arms, her hot tears falling onto Bea's shoulder.

"I'm s-so sorry," the blonde managed, her voice shaking as she spoke. Bea ran a hand down Eva's hair gently, kissing the top of her head.

"It's okay, E. You're okay."

"But I'm n-not- I don't- you deserve- I'm a lot, Bea."

"I don't care about a lot, okay? Cry it out, calm it down, and we can talk, okay?" Bea was reassuring, her eyes trained on her girlfriend worriedly.

"Okay." Eva sniffled and nodded, biting her lip as she pulled away. "I-I cried all over you."

"I can change." Bea smiled, passing Eva a plate she was about to put in the fridge. "I was hoping you'd wake up in time to eat."

"Thanks." Eva smiled halfheartedly, taking it gladly. No, they weren't okay, not in the slightest. Something was brewing in Eva, something she couldn't yet explain, but the time would come. And when it did, Bea would understand. And they would be okay again. Eva promised.