Forget What You Saw

“Of course. And don’t worry, I’m not here to police you. Just enjoy yourself,” she said with a small shrug. Isabella was a like the little sister she never had. Definitely just as wild as she used to be in her prime, but unlike her, Stella had a bit more guidance and mentors when she was her age. It only was right for the Ramos to do the same for Isabella, knowing fully well the girl had a lot of potential so long as she fine tuned playing and working hard. “I’m glad you like it. You look fabulous in it, as you do everything else.” As she led her to the backyard to the bartender, she looked back and asked, “So, how was your week?”

“You’re the sweetest, seriously.” She smiled wide, glancing around at the decorations. Isabella blushed at her compliment, “Oh, stop it, you flatter me!” Bella followed Stella’s lead to the backyard. “My week? Oh, lord.. I ran into my ex.. So that was kind of crazy.. I gave him hell for cheating and running off but then it felt really good to get it off my chest so.. I’m good now!” She laughed softly, “My agency has a potential ad campaign for me.. Which would be very exciting.”

“Yeah, I deserved it. Great job” he offered her a shy, awkward smile. One that quickly faded at her next words. Out of all the things she could have said to him… she had to pick his lowest point. The worst thing he had ever done. It brought a lump to his throat, but he wasn’t gonna allow himself to cry in front of her. He did her so dirty, so he was expecting all of the things he did to her to be thrown back at his face. Things that were equally as painful. But this? How did she even know about it?. “W-who told you that?”, he barely spoke, eye contact was a difficult thing by now. He looked up, to stop whatever tears could potentially fall down. This may sound conceited and awful as hell, but if he ever imagined an encounter between them… he didn’t think he’d be the one who could end up crying. He sighed, regaining composure. Then her next words took a turn on the conversation. “Well, I’m… really glad to hear that. Mean it”, his eyes finally facing her again, offering yet another small smile. “I mean, it doesn’t make me feel less shitty about myself for what I did to you. Because it was so fucking unfair, I should have been honest. And I’m… truly sorry for it all. Being young doesn’t excuse me for me having been a complete asshole”, he confessed. “At least… you took that pain and made something great out of it. I wish I could… say the same about myself”

Isabella watched his expression change. She crossed her arms across her chest and shrugged, “Word spreads.. Especially back in New York.. Word really spread.” Bella would’ve felt bad about making him feel so bad, but with all the pain he put her through, she was glad to see he actually cared about something. She averted his gaze, “Yeah, well.. You should have been honest.” Isabella locked eyes with him again, the smallest smile on the corner of her lips, “I’m glad I was able to turn it into something great... I’m sorry I was so harsh on you.. But now you know how it feels! It’s not good!” She let out a small huff of air, “You’re gonna do great things... I always knew you would.. Just-.... work on the commitment thing.. Unless you find someone who doesn’t want commitment either.. But just-.. Be honest with people.”

Having her standing right in front of him and listening to her voice, after thinking he’d never get to do so again: it took him back to being eighteen. A scared high school boy. She had always been intimidating but that was the main reason why he liked her. Yes, he did like her a lot. He cared for her deeply, but his heart belonged to someone else the entire time they were together. To someone he couldn’t, back then, say he loved publicly. He wished he would have been more honest back then, especially with himself… and spared her some pain. “Yeah… my ribs, still hurt. Got some bruises, you should feel proud of yourself”, another awkward joke thrown in there. The sarcasm on her voice cutting deeply: but she had every right to react like this. She was right: he was a fucking mess. It was embarrassing, actually. At least he was glad she’s moved on and done better. She had always been fierce but she looked even fiercer. “I- uh, you know I’ve always loved some partying”, he attempted to justify his drug use that day. “L-lovers? What lovers?” he was playing fool by now. “I… I do am really happy to see you are doing good”

Isabella couldn’t help the smirk that rose on her lips as he spoke of their last talk. “I am honestly proud.. Always thought I had good aim.” She shrugged, licking her lips. “Oh, yeah, I just thought you used to love partying so you could sneak away and avoid facing an actual human connection with anyone other than your little friend... Oh, wait, sorry, I heard you messed that up too.. What’s the saying? Once a cheater-..” She felt like she was being harsh, but all those years of her life she’d spent with him not knowing for a second he was using her made her care less. “Oh, I’m honestly doing amazing. I guess I really do have to thank you for that.. If you hadn’t left me and disappeared out of nowhere I don’t think I would’ve tried as hard to get my shit together.. And look at me now. I’m literally living my dream.. So thanks!”

Her death stare was as strong as he remembered and being on his five senses… it felt even more sharping. He stood there awkwardly for a few seconds before being able to say something back. It was reminiscent to the time he ran into Rosalie a few weeks back, but worse… he was certain he had done more damage to Isabella than her. It still wasn’t something that helped him feel better: on the contrary. It just made him feel like the biggest piece of shit. As deserved. Too many broken hearts on his list, it made his own sink on his chest. He sighed. “Yeah…”, he finally let out. “Y-you live here now or?”, he pointed at the bags she was carrying, then scratched his head. “I guess… it was… real… after all”, he let out the most awkward chuckle possible, referencing their last encounter, a poor attempt on easing the ever present tension. 

Isabella swallowed, waiting for him to say something, anything. While she was completely over him, and had been for years, something about the fact they’d be in the same town just annoyed the hell out of her. She rolled her eyes at his words, “Yeah.. I live here.. I have a place with my friend Yolo.. and I came to be closer to Teagan, but I see.. you’re still here.. Thought I might’ve scared you off after our last encounter.. Seems you didn’t even know it was real.” She let out a huff, “Looks like you’ve got it all together.” The sarcasm dripped off her words, almost venomous as she spoke them. “What with your shrooms and your lovers. You’ve got it all figured out! So happy you’re doing so great!”

@shstarters​

James’ passion for music went beyond his love for playing the drums. He also loved collecting records, especially older swing and jazz records. So more often than not, most days he made his way to the record that was around the corner of his apartment. It was close enough that he was able to remember how to get there and back without getting lost, a huge accomplishment in his own eyes. And today found him walking the rows of vinyls, his eyes scanning over them, stopping every once in a while to flip through a row. There wasn’t anything in particular that he was looking was and once he ended up in the jazz sections, James was in Heaven.

With a content smile on his lips, he slowly flipped his way through them, eyes scanning the covers of each, wracking his brain of what he already had and what he wanted to add to his collection. It was finally a voice that pulled him from what he was doing and his hands stilled on one of them, looking up at them, a content smile on his face. “Sorry- I think I missed what you said.” 

Isabella couldn’t lie and say she hadn’t missed New York. While it wasn’t far by any means, she wanted to find a little piece of home where she was now living. She found herself walking the streets, her heart nearly freezing in her chest when she spotted a record shop. Not many people knew about her love for older music. She stepped inside, listening to the little ding of the bell above her head. Isabella’s eyes shined as she gave a small wave and smile at the person working behind the desk. She traveled down the rows of records, fingers dancing across the covers.

She’d made it towards the back of the store when she spotted a guy holding a few records. When she recognized one, she smiled, “My Baby Just Cares For Me.. A classic.” Isabella’s eyebrows rose when he’d met her eyes, “Oh! Sorry!” She laughed softly, pointing at the record on top of his pile. “My Baby Just Cares For Me by Nina Simone.. It’s.. I mean it’s such a great song.” Bella shrugged, bashfully looking at his pile, “She’s got some great stuff.”

Real Smoothie was probably Daejung’s favorite place in town, especially on summer days like these. He was still trying to recover from the weekend he had lived at the bonfire night. Even if he spent 80% of his time high as balls blurring the lines between fiction and reality: he had the time of his life. Though there were a few interactions that happened there that were sill buzzing in the back of his mind. He was too distracted answering a text as he left with his mango smoothie in hand when he suddenly accidentally bumped into someone. Good thing the drink was spilled on the floor and not the other person. “Sorry!”, he exclaimed before he looked up to see who it was. Shit, he truly was sorry… but for everything he had done to her. “I, uh… hi?”, he awkwardly said. He was lucky last time he wasn’t on his 5 senses so he could pretend it was all an hallucination, this time he had no escape. It was all very real. // @isabellaxmiller​

Isabella had finally finished setting up all the furniture in her apartment, but she wanted to get a few more decorations. After shopping for a while, she was headed down the street, bags in hand, needing a break from the heat. She spotted Real Smoothie, her heart jumping in excitement. It was exactly what she needed. She was right at the door when someone bumped into her, their smoothie just millimetres from hitting her. Isabella backed up just in time, reading to ring them a new one when her eyes locked with Deajung’s. “Of course... Of fucking course.” She sighed, running her free hand through her hair. “.. Hi.”

“Ahh!” she smiled as she came inside from the backyard, crossing the threshold of her kitchen into the living room to hug her guest. Stella was known for hosting her monthly dinner parties and with it being the last month of the summer, it was only right to throw a pretty sweet summer luau. “I’m glad you made it! What can I get you? Water, juice, soda, some alcohol?” she chuckled as she placed a lei over their head. @shstarters​

Isabella practically squealed when she saw Stella. She had to admit, as much as Stella was helping her get it together, she also really helped her let loose. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world! Some alcohol please.. A small amount.. I’ll take my time, I promise.” She posed in the lei, chuckling lightly. “This is such a cute idea!”

( 💗 ) a loving text

“Ah, shit,” Teagan winced sympathetically. She had known it was just a matter of time before Isabella ran into her ex. Springhill was a small town, and it seemed to only get smaller the instant you wanted to avoid someone. “How did it go? Running into an ex is always so goddamn weird. At least you looked hot as fuck, right?” Teagan offered an encouraging smile. “Dude, same! I say we do a Teabella classic — lots of wine ( for you, while I add this to the list of drinks you owe me in six months ), complete spa day, then we go to the top of the roof and scream. I can even bring us some plates to smash. Catharsis!”

Isabella shrugged, “Well he was tripping on fucking mushrooms, so.. that was the start... I went for a jog so I, of course, looked hot.. But I’m almost certain he didn’t think I was real.. So I could use that to my advantage.. I’m a hallucination here to haunt him.” She giggled, shaking her head, “I vouch for the Teabella plus package.. All those things as well as a new tattoo! My treat. I can text Westen and see if he can get to us today.” 

westen: i thought i sent it to you.

westen: in what way?

isabella: yeah, yeah, yeah, excuses!

westen: i posted a video of myself doing a handstand and putting my shirt on.... and it went viral.

westen: i'm not famous.

westen: kidding... i'm not.

isabella: The fact I saw it on one of those snapchat stories and not from you directly..

@teaganalma​

Emma listened to the other, eyes widening at the moving water before letting herself fall deeper into the water so only her head was peeking out, “A dream come true, if you ask me. I’ve always wanted to be in a horror movie. Will I survive on the other hand? That’s the intriguing question,” She went along, laughing at the end, leaning back to float and watch the sky. “Starfish are beautiful and you deserve nothing less,” she responded to the other. “I wouldn’t even know what I’d want to come back as. A shark? I like being feared, is that bad?”

“Oh the days of making an entrance is over for me” Cassia said and chuckled, shaking her head as she sat down near the lake. “It’s still loud. That’s why I came here to just get away from it. Mainly because it doesn’t take much to make me tired nowadays” she admitted and shrugged. 

“It’s never too late for a grand entrance.” She smirked, “I don’t blame you for wanting to get away from the craziness.” Isabella shook her head, “I was getting overwhelmed and I’ve lived in Manhattan for most of my life.. That’s just a whole other brand of crazy.” She stepped out of the water, pulling her cover on, “If I have to hear someone singing off key around the fire one more time I’m gonna flee.” She joked lightly, “Drunk men have no pitch.”

Emma grinned, waving her hands up in front of her. “Pretty alive still. For now, maybe,” she teased, hoping her humor wasn’t too dark for the other. “Well, definitely no hard feelings here. It’s hard not to get lost out here with this view,” Emma added with a nod. “Definitely peaceful. Makes me not want to get out but if I refuse to do so eventually, I’ll freeze overnight.”