the fine line between us

~sign of the times~

"We never learned we've been here before.", Mikah sings along with the stereo.

Cassie contemplates the lyrics, genuinely not understanding a single word Harry wrote for this beautiful song. Something about the mystery of the lyrics fascinates her, a sadness that's so obvious, yet so hidden in the melody and intricate harmonies.

"You know you have a great voice, right?", Cassie asks her best friend.

"No, you definitely haven't told me that every time I sing.", the older girl chuckles.

It really isn't a secret that the two 18-year-olds have great voices. As honors choir alumni and aspiring musicians, Cassie and Mikah often find themselves belting along with a song on the radio or having a 'who can figure out the best harmony to this song' challenge. Though the girls were never extremely serious about music, it's always been a hobby, and when one sang, the other harmonized, it's just the dynamic of the messy relationship.

"Woah, look at that!", the brunette in the passenger seat exclaims, pointing towards a rainbow bench on the side of the road.

Of course, rainbow. Mikah thinks she's slick, but that just screams 'gay'. Cassie thinks nothing of the bench, her best friend is very passionate about her secret aesthetic Instagram.

"Alright, I have my tripod and camera here. I can set up the self timer so we can do pictures of the both of us. And I obviously brought my laptop so I'll edit them and save it to my phone. We'll be the artsy Harries I aspire to be. I planned this out already. I was certain we'd stop for pictures today.", Mikah quickly explains, showing off her Neurodivergent behaviors, which Cassie can easily pick up after thirteen years of practice.

The younger girl has always tried her best to be accommodating to Mikah's "needs". The one thing that frustrates Cassie her best friend often doesn't explain what she needs help with, or if she needs help at all. Mikah wants to be normal, she doesn't want accommodations or special treatment, but she's always so grateful when people don't listen to her stubbornness and help her, whether it's getting her a mechanical pencil since she can't handle the feeling of wood pr bringing her to smaller groups of people. The brunette is probably the most hard-headed girl on this planet, but Cassie understands her more than anyone else. She knows when to interfere, she knows how to calm Mikah down, she knows when to let her fight her own battles. It's soulmate like the connecting Cassie and Mikah have, a match made in heaven, a right place-right time situation.

The girls were never supposed to meet, in fact, it's almost eerie how they did. They were born in Florida, six months apart, six hours away. When they were 5, the Baker's and Brooks' moved to Nashville, Tennesse. Mikah met a friend a school, and Cassie met the same friend at a gathering she shouldn't have even been at. They met at the friend's birthday party, and the rest is history. They shouldn't know of each others existence, let alone be so close. They're especially not supposed to be in love.

"Ok, so you sit on the back of it and I'll sit sideways on the seat.", Mikah plans, receiving a skeptical look from the blonde. "Trust me, posing for pictures is the thing I'm best at, other than falling in love with celebrities at least six years older than me.''

Cassie rolls her eyes at Mikah's snarky remark, which isn't exactly false. From Dani Calleiro, to Justin Bieber, to Lauren Jauregui, it's almost like a talent to fall in love with a celebrity she could never date, like ever. But it's not like the caramel eyed girl has ever minded, if Mikah can fall in love with two girls, she can fall in love with her too. Except, Cassie doesn't need to worry about making her catch feelings, that happened a long time ago. Both of the eighteen-year-olds are way to timid to ever make an advance, especially when they think their friendship is on the line, which it obviously isn't, but they're spending to much time hiding to realize that.

After the not-so-impromptu impromptu photo shoot, both girls pile back into Cassie's packed car. Mikah is refusing to drive, to invested in her book she's reading, 'Yellow by Lena Nottigham'.

"Okay Camren shipper, you're gonna have to drive the next two days. You are not gonna make me drive from Nashville to LA and back just to get your fanfic on. Absolutely not, Brooks.", Cassie makes clear. She thinks it's adorable how much of a Harmonizer Mikah is, but not when she sits in the passenger seat reading some fan-fictions while the non fangirl in the car is forced to drive for days. The trip was Mikah's idea anyway.

---

Worth It by Fifth Harmony begins playing on the 2010's radio, and Cassie immediately wants to jump out the car. Mikah loves Fifth Harmony to a delusional extent, so she'll be shocked if they don't crash in the next four minutes.

"Give it to me I'm worth it! Baby I'm worth it!", Mikah aggressively sings.

It's not like anything else would be expected, she practically has some crazy fangirl possession with anything that has to do with her favorite artists. She looks like a demon is coming out of her as she flails her arms and screams the lyrics at the top of her lungs, doing the performance choreography during the 'iconic' moments.

"Wow, you need some help child.", Cassie playfully insults.

"I mean yeah, but you love me anyway."

Yes Mikah, yes she does.

A.N: hey guys it's mickey! i hope y'all are enjoying this so far. i'm having so much fun writing it, and can't wait for you guys to see the rest of the plot. i'm so excited for this, and i'm really hoping y'all are too. this will get so sappy within the next couple chapters, but i will warn you, this is gonna get really sad. like, bring the tissues bitches. anyways, stay safe bbs, dms always open <3 mik