Cloud Chasers

eleven | the day of the long knives [pt. one]

a/n: don't forget to vote!

The all-around digital grid of the Hologram Plaza turned into a bedroom.

The glowing rose-colored light from the window shed itself on the clutter of books everywhere, in and out of the large bookshelf. Posters of The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Oasis covered the pinkish wallpaper. On the desk, an old computer was left on with The Sims paused, the cooling fans suffering from the anticipated summer heat.

By the single bed, polaroid pictures were scattered on the wall. Smiling faces of girls having fun, candid shots that captured moments dear to many hearts, with dates and descriptions scribbled on them with a permanent marker. Birdie & Joyce. The Freebirds.

Sitting on the bedside was a multicolored silhouette, with another one sitting on top of him, kissing passionately. Unlike the silhouettes they'd encountered before, these ones had recognizable traits, hair, and clothes. It was clear that the one on top was a younger Joyce. Although dressed in a zip-up black hoodie and leggings, her figure and her long hair were pretty distinguishable over her faceless colored body. The one she was kissing with all her heart and passion had a dark brown quiff and was well-built. The Oakview Football red sweatshirt he was wearing did a poor job at covering this detail.

"I just realized something," Joyce's voice resonated when she unhooked her lips from his.

"What?" a deep voice asked.

"I love you a little bit more today," she said, the sound of giggling followed, impossible to be seen on her empty face.

"But I think I'll always love you more," the guy said in response.

"I think you have no idea how big my love is," she playfully poked him on the chest.

"Oh, yeah? How big?" he wrapped a lock of her hair around his finger.

"Bigger than your arms," she said, struggling to wrap her hand around his biceps.

"Yeah, right," he said and flipped her over on her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and chuckled. He resumed the kissing and ran his hand on her hips, inside the hoodie.

She was about to put her own hands inside his pants when her phone rang on the nightstand. He ignored it and kept kissing and touching her, while she struggled to read the name on the screen.

"Wait, wait," she whispered and pushed him away just enough to reach her phone.

"Who is it?" he said, still on top of her and breathing close to her neck.

"It's Birdie. Hello?" Joyce answered the phone. "I'm at home with Mason, what's up?"

Mason sat up away from her and proceeded to scroll the feed as she talked on the phone.

"Yeah? Alright. Give us twenty minutes and we'll be there," Joyce said and hung up. She noticed ten unread messages from Joel. Mostly memes and theories on TV series.

"What's up?" Mason asked without looking away from his phone.

"She and Joel are going out, Kevin's going to be there too. She asked if we want to go," Joyce said.