Melancholy (𝗔𝗚 𝘅 𝗦𝗚)

39

May 2019

The photos were everywhere. They blew up on instagram. Naturally, Ariana saw them as well.

There was no denying Selena's beauty. She was an absolute knockout.

After Selena posted the photos to her instagram, she revealed the reason behind this photoshoot. She designed a bikini for her longtime friend Theresa Mingus' new swim line, Krahs. It was a bikini she was comfortable in following her kidney transplant.

Ariana liked the photos and closed her instagram app. She was on the tour bus travelling for her next show. She was tired from these back to back shows, but couldn't wait for the two day break between shows coming up. Her next stop: her home, Florida.

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

A Few Days Later

Selena felt overwhelmed after leaving the premiere of her zombie movie, The Dead Don't Die, at the Cannes Film Festival. She had a lot of press for this movie coming up. The next two months were booked. She rarely had any time to herself. It felt like a lot, all at once, considering how little she's been in the spotlight lately. Making a guest appearance at coachella is what really threw her into the spotlight and radar again.

She had countless interviews promoting the movie, photocalls in Cannes for two days, finalizing of her second album to deal with, a few charity events next month, an appearance on Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America, and much more. She wasn't complaining (in fact, she did miss seeing her fans crowd around and meeting them,taking selfies, ect.), but she wondered if she was ready for all of this again. She felt so nervous on the red carpet at Cannes. More than usual. All the lights, screaming, attention, everyone's eyes on you, and the pressure that you needed to look a certain way, act a certain way.... it was enough to make anyone uneasy.

She wondered how Ariana could do it all. How she could throw herself into her work as much as she does. Creating and releasing her albums back to back like that, touring, and doing it all while so confident. Especially after all she's been through, too. Selena wondered it she felt pressured by her fans to release another album so quickly. She loved Sweetener, but a lot of fans were quick to voice their dissapointment with the album, and a few months later Thank U, Next was born.

She's been feeling pressured by her own fans to release an amazing album for years now... a part of her knows a lot of them, and maybe a little of herself too, will never be satisfied with what she's created. No matter what she's doing, there's always gonna be someone out there who doesn't like it and has a problem with every little thing she's done.

She felt so down on herself since seeing Ariana at coachella. It had nothing to do with Ari, but hearing that her on-and-off again, and now newly married ex, was there... it's what caused her to leave unnanounced. Even though they weren't see together, every article had to point out that they were both at coachella seperately. It's been years since she's talked to him, since she's even been seen with him, yet their overexposed and toxic relationship continues to follow her no matter what year it is. He's married, for God's sake, and she's been single for more than a year. It annoyed and frustrated her to no end.

She wanted to talk to Ariana. To apologize for not reaching out to her in weeks. She planned to visit her while she's in Florida. It would be easier to see her considering Ariana's mother and family have homes there.

She sent Ariana a text, "Heard you're performing in Florida. Any chance we could meet up if I come down there?"

[y'n: y'all been patient as fuck & i want y'all to know that the next chapter is FINALLLLYYY serving the selriana content you've all been waiting for! ;) i originally planned for their relationship to progress way quicker like 20 chapters back, but ending up rewriting a lot of it because it felt too rushed. tysm for hanging on & reading this long! a few more chapters and this story is COMPLETED!♡]