𝘽-𝙎𝙞𝙙𝙚

Ｓｔａｒｓ ａｎｄ Ｓｔａｒｄｕｓｔ

As we walk back to the hut Ara screams out,

"I got to kiss him!" I put on a mask of happiness and smile at her,

"Really?" She nods.

"Did he ask you anything?" I ask lightly, but firmly. Her eyes widen and she hesitates and shakes his head.

"I didn't, why are you asking?" I shake my head, opening the door. I make eye contact with Rhys, who mouths,

"Are you okay?" I choke down my cries and smile back at him reassuringly, hoping that he wouldn't see past my facade. The duo walks through the door and I stay behind.

I see the stars shine brightly above the light of the London sky. Those stars will last but then they will combust into stardust. That stardust will forever last, scattered in the universe.

"Hey Tal, you gonna come in?" Rhys peeks his head through the doorframe and I nod, walking in and shutting the door behind me. I walk up the stairs and sit on my bed, looking at the chain on my bedside dresser. I sigh, changing into a set of pink satin pajamas. I put the chain around my neck and feel the cool metal of the ring on my neck.

"Talulah, will you marry me?" My boyfriend, Max, gets on one knee in the park. The sparkling ring glows in the moonlight.

"Yes!" I scream, running into his arms. He spins me around and kisses me passionately.

I stand in front of our apartment door and hear moans coming from inside the door. My hands cover my mouth and I crack the door open and see Max and a girl kissing passionately.

"You're so much better than my no good fiance." He murmurs while stroking her hair lovingly. Tears leak out of eyes and I burst in the apartment,

"I guess so. I was never good enough for you." I say while panicking and packing everything in a suitcase.

"Please, darling?" He begs, giving me pecks on my temple. I shake my head and run out the apartment.

"Don't come back you bitch!" He yells as I grab a taxi,quickly telling him Ara's address through tears. I fumble with the engagement band and slip it on my necklace as I wipe my eyes,my sobs slowing down to hiccups.

"Now I'll remember to not make that mistake."

"Tal? Are you okay?" My head whips toward the source of the sound, which was Rhys. I hurriedly nod, wiping my tears, hoping he didn't see them.

"No you're not. Come on love." Rhys gently picks me up, taking me downstairs and sitting me on the couch next to him. He gets up and brings a cup of hot chocolate with him.

I get handed the hot chocolate and I take a sip as I feel Rhys softly dab my tears away. He brings a small speaker and softly plays Bill Withers through the speakers so as to not wake Ara up.

The hot chocolate was gone within ten minutes and I set the mug on the small table next to the couch. Rhys looks towards me,

"Was the hot chocolate good?" He asks, pulling a piece of hair behind my ear I nod, burying my face into his shoulder.

"Talulah, would you mind telling me what happened?" He asks softly, while putting my head on his lap and softly massaging my scalp. I look up at him and nod, playing with his fingers as I start to retell what happened.

By the end of my retelling Rhys was vivid. He was clenching his fists so hard that the skin turned white. He starts to walk towards Ara's room but I grab his wrist,

"Please don't. She wasn't in her right state since she was with her celebrity crush." I say softly, my voice coming out broken and scratchy from crying. He looks towards me with a sad look,

"She's been doing this to you since the beginning of our friendship." My heart swells, he was right.

"But she didn't mean to do it." I say, desperately trying to keep our friendship together, I had already lost an important person and it would hurt to lose another one. He purses his lips into a straight line,

"What about the time she set up your fiance with her friend for a reservation at that fancy restaurant?" He asks and my face falls, she had always put herself first and I had never noticed.

We had always fought about things like that but I always put it behind me. My perfect haven was slowly crumbling and there was nothing that I could do. I was helpless, once again. I promised myself that I would always be in control. Now,all my control is gone and I stand powerless.

"We can talk to her when we get out of London. Once we're in home territory." I whisper and rub my eyes sleepily. Rhys notices and smiles softly,

"Are you sleepy?" He asks, tilting his head and I nod.

"Of course you are. You've been up for more than fifteen hours. I don't think you've ever been up for more time than this." He chuckles and lays me down vertically on the couch before turning off the light,

"I'm gonna be in the room right here okay?" He says and I nod. He walks into his room and I drift off, hoping that tomorrow turns out to be better.