𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫 .

imagine your otp

valentina had never pictured herself as the type of girl who would forgive things that she had considered unforgivable. so for example, getting cheated on in her book was just not forgivable. when she had found out about her boyfriends infidelity it had completely crushed her. one of the first things she did and she wasn't sure why except for maybe she was going to the source without going to the actual source. if anyone would know her boyfriend better than her it would be his best friend. she had gone there for answers and comfort and ended up leaving with so much more than she had intended. now things were a mess and a good chunk of it was her fault as she found herself forgiving something she shouldn't. "yes...we ended up talking it out and everything is...fine." she wasn't sure if she could even convince herself of that. "that's why I came here, I wanted to make sure we were on the same page and agree to just...pretend that last night didn't happen."

"so, now you just wanna like, hit the rewind button? pretend you didn't show up at my door in tears, telling me everything he did, and you want me to pretend i didn't…" he cuts himself off, feeling sick just thinking about what he really wants to say. pretend i didn't feel that way about you long before last night. no, maybe this is exactly what he deserves for crossing the line himself. cheater or not, sawyer is his best friend, and has been since high school. he has no right feeling the way he does, certainly not after doing what he did with sawyer's girl. valentina is a different story, though. it's not her fault, she deserves more than this, deserves to be with a guy who can make her happy. "no… we're not on the same page, val," he frowns, shaking his head once. "i can't pretend it didn't happpen. you can, maybe, and if that's what you need to go back to him, cool…" his eyes flick down briefly, before meeting hers again, his voice softening. "just.. don't ask me to act like it meant nothing to me, okay? i can't."

"oh—it's... nothing important." alfie inhaled a deep breath, before offering them a small smile. "how long have you been seeing them?"

"look—you don't have to make it a big deal. we slept together and that's all to it. just because i'm nice to you, it doesn't make us lovers."

"uh? and who is making it a big deal? i was just asking, is all," rei huffs, a little defensively. "lovers, isn't that the right word to describe two people hooking up?" the younger male scrunches his nose. english is only his second language, and casual sex usually isn't his thing, so it's entirely possible he got it wrong, trying to define whatever it is that's happening between him and mikaera. embarrasing, if so, but either way, he'd never admit to making a mistake. "hm, it makes sense to me," he adds, before the mechanic can get a word in. "but i guess i'll consider your definition then. what was it again?" he asks with a sigh, rolling his eyes. "oh, and just for the record, you really aren't that nice."

"So, let me get this straight," Jamie began, brows furrowing in confusion as his arms folded over his chest. "You bullied me back in high school because you thought I was dorky and lame as fuck? And now, what? You suddenly think I'm hot now for no reason other than I learned how to workout properly?" He let out a laugh in fake amusement, "You're a fucking joke."

"...what?" rei blinks a few times, completely thrown by the stranger's reaction to what was supposed to be a simple, flirty comment. bullying in high school? sure, rei had participated in that sort of thing back then, trying to fit in with the right crowd, but he's damn sure he would remember the six foot four unit standing in front of him, even if he wasn't entirely sober right now. he stares at the tall male for a beat too long, brain struggling a little to keep up with the coversation. "bullying you? man, i think you've got me mixed up with someone else," he responds with a crooked smile tugging at his lips, dragging a hand through his hair, deciding to not take the man too seriously. "i mean, yeah, i was kind of a menace in high school, but i don't remember you." his eyes flick over jamie again, less subtle than he probably would have been if he wasn't buzzed. "and i feel like i'd remember, because you're not… forgettable, or whatever," he adds, tilting his head slightly. "but hey, if you're still holding onto your teenage angst from some random guy calling you lame a decade ago, i'm flattered to think i made that much of an impact."

Lucy had been waiting practically all night to wake up the next morning because she knew they would be calling her. However, even though she made sure to set an alarm, she slept right through it (after a long day at work), prompting her to miss the whole phone call. Lucky for her, they had left a voicemail, so she quickly opened it and listened to what they had to say. Halfway through, though, Lucy's smile instantly faltered when she heard the sound of another woman's voice in the background of it. Maybe she was overthinking it, maybe it was just a friend they had over or something. But in the morning, though? It couldn't be someone they were seeing, right? Too many thoughts were running through her head; she didn't know what to believe. She stopped listening to the voicemail, then called them right back, waiting for them to pick up the phone.

ezra didn't expect a call back so soon, since lucy didn't pick up her phone this morning. he didn't think much of it, figured the girl must have been tired from working long hours at the bakery. considering the crazy way his morning had gone, he wasn't exactly in the mood to talk to her, but he didn't want her to worry either. the tension still lingered in his house, even though his father's former criminal associate and her goons had left hours ago, after their attempt at intimidating him. ever since his old man's arrest, ezra had felt the pressure as his oldest son to take over the business, but stepping up meant stepping into the line of fire. it was a part of his life he had never told lucy about, and would prefer to keep it that way. "fuck," he mutters under his breath, dragging a hand down his face before finally answering. hearing her voice, he is quick to soften his tone. "hey, babe," ezra says, voice still a little rough around the edges. "i called you earlier. figured you were still asleep." he pauses, eyes flicking briefly toward the front door, as if he expects it to swing open again. as much as he's trying to keep it cool, he can't seem to relax. "we should go somewhere soon. you and i, i mean. i think we could both use a vacation."

"it doesn't matter," isik finally speaks as he lets out a soft sigh. "what's done is done and i just... i'm tired, dante." he looks at the other, "you don't have to do anything, it's not your problem to deal with." isik would have to deal with his boyfriend one way or another; it was only a matter of time before they part ways. "i'm sure you have your own worries to deal with." he wonders what would've happened if dante never left, but like what he said, what's done is done. there's no point in wondering what if. he takes in a deep breath, "anyway," isik wipes a hand over his face, "i haven't been back here in a while... does the house still look the same?"