I don't know how many people have noticed but I made a little tweak. So the whole story is split up into three parts so if y'all go back you'll see PART ONE and PART TWO and PART THREE markers
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The flight to Los Angeles took forever, but it was a nice few stress-free hours for me to enjoy by myself. My lips pull up into a smile when I spot Arden waiting for me, practically bouncing in her spot. When I reach her I let go of my luggage and I envelope her tightly in a squeal-filled hug.
"How are you?" I ask her when we pull back from the embrace.
"About the same as when we spoke on the phone before you got on the flight," she says, and I roll my eyes. I take hold of my suitcase and wrap one arm around Arden's waist as she slings one of hers over my shoulder, and we walk.
"You look tan."
"California tends to do that a person."
"I can't believe we haven't seen each other in three months. You have to come to New York more often."
"I might not be a receptionist anymore but I still don't make enough money to fly back and forth across the country every month, Scotty."
"I could pay some," I suggest and she chuckles.
"If you're offering."
"With my promotion and the money from my dad...I'm doing pretty well, so why not share it with my friends?"
"Just tell me the date and time and I'll be on my way–oh, wait, I can't because I have the worst boss ever. I'm literally in the office for so long that I haven't seen Ashton when he's not sleeping in weeks other than when we say goodbye in the morning when we both head off to work."
"But you write, so why do you have to stay in an office all that time?"
"Ask that tyrant hag," she scoffs and we reach her car and load my things into the back.
"But things with Ashton are good then?"
"Uhu," she nods, starting the car. "I mean, he was opposed the Mini Cooper, but that whole fit of rage had blown over by now so everything's great. How's your whole thing going, by the way?"
"It's going..." I say, and I catch her throwing me a questioning side glance.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"He asked me to move in with him."
"That's great! Isn't it?"
"Well, our last conversation didn't end that well. I just love my apartment. It's been my home since I moved to the city, and I have all these memories there... And I mean, me, actually moving in with a guy. No one saw that coming."
