GIRL RULES | EP 1

sanya zobel ( faceclaim: kylie padilla ) — thirty, heterosexual, therapist.

“i know, okay?” bella’s voice cracked softer this time, all the fight bleeding out of her while rain clung heavy to her dark lashes and soaked through the sleeves of her jacket. her arms folded tighter across herself like she suddenly felt cold standing there in front of cayetana looking so hurt because of her. that was a problem of hers, a nasty habit. bella tended to spiral first and ask questions later. “i know you’re not some villain people make you out to be.” she despised how quickly jealousy poisoned her. how one stupid rumor could wedge itself beneath her skin and grow claws before she even had the chance to think rationally. but the thought of losing cayetana made something ugly and panicked wake up inside her every single time. because loving someone that beautiful, that wanted by everybody else, constantly felt like standing too close to the edge of something. bella finally stepped closer through the rain, slower now. less defensive. “i don’t wanna leave,” she admitted quietly, gaze dropping for a second before lifting back toward her again. honest this time. vulnerable in a way bella usually avoided at all costs. “i just... i get scared somebody’s gonna realize you deserve better than me before i can stop it.” her fingers brushed lightly against cayetana’s wrist afterward. tentative. “and then i act crazy.”

caye felt something in her chest finally unclench the moment bella reached for her. not completely. there was still hurt lingering there, still the sting of knowing she had believed strangers before believing her. but none of it really mattered as much as the fact that she was still standing here instead of walking away. ❝ i don’t care what anybody else thinks or says about us, ❞ she murmured, immediately reaching for her hand and threading their fingers together. ❝ i just care about you, okay ? ❞ she knows being with her wasn’t easy. strangers dissect every aspect of her life like it belonged to them. most of the time she hated that anyone she loved had to carry that too, hated that being with her meant constantly being forced to sort through what was real and what wasn’t. but there was no fixing it. no magic way to make the attention disappear. it was simply part of her now, and all she could do was be honest when the noise got loud. ❝ i spend every day surrounded by people who want things from me, people who have opinions about me, people who think they know me … and somehow you’re still the person i want at the end of all of it. ❞ she stepped closer until there was barely any space left between them, hands rising to cradle her face gently. ❝ so believe me when i say i’m not going anywhere. at least not without you. ❞

ISA BRIONES behind the scenes for New York Magazine

he   didn't   want   to   be   a   nuisance,   never   thought   it   would   come   down   to   this   ;   jaden,   standing   outside   their   door,   his   hand   hovering   against   the   knocker   as   he   mustered   up   the   courage   to   lift   it.   but   the   storm   raged   on   outside,   and   his   sandy   pitbull   —   buffy   —   was   soaked   to   the   bone.   so   was   he,   and   the   longer   he   stayed   outside   the   worst   his   leg   would   suffer   in   the   chill,   in   the   wet.   he   took   a   deep   breath,   knocked,   took   a   step   away   from   the   door   despite   the   movement   subjecting   him   to   further   downpour.   when   it   opened   he   couldn't   help   but   smile,   shoulders   lifting   in   a   sheepish   greeting.   “hey.   uh.   sorry,”   jj   could   barely   see   through   the   coils   of   wet   hair   clinging   to   his   forehead,   “i'm   locked   out.   i   know.   i'm   an   idiot.   is   it   okay   if   i   come   in,   just   until   a   locksmith   can   come ? ”

for a beat after opening the door, adhika just gawked at him — wide - eyed, caught somewhere between concern and the very unhelpful observance of how close he suddenly was. she was used to seeing him from afar. little glimpses that never lasted long enough to be awkward. long enough for a wave, maybe a smile, then back to the safety of pretending she wasn’t aware of his existence at all. now suddenly he’s standing with his dog right in front of her, soaked through, rainwater dripping from his hair, looking equal parts miserable and unfairly handsome. ❝ uh — okay. yeah, sure. ❞ words stumbled out awkwardly as she stepped aside, pulling the door open wider. but the moment he crossed the threshold, she’s instantly alerted of two things at once : first, that her gorgeous neighbor was actually inside her apartment. second, that water was now dripping all over her marble floors. before she could stop herself, her hand shot out and landed lightly against his chest. ❝ don’t move — ❞ the contact lasted barely a second before she pulled away, suddenly horrified of what she’d done. “ sorry, i — just … stay there. please. i’ll get you and your dog a towel. ❞

“look, i’ll take the pull out; i owe you at least that much comfort.” the screen door slapped shut behind him, trapping pine scented dusk behind them. this wasn't exactly how he wanted to start of his summer but they were here now. “anyone object?” he asked the group, though his eyes snagged on just one face. a swallow. a shrug he hoped passed for chill. they could call his bluff —he half wanted them to.

daphne had been doing a pretty decent job of avoiding axil for most of the trip. not because she was angry anymore — she wasn’t even sure she had the energy for that — but because apparently there was no graceful way to navigate this weird new status of their relationship while stuck on a weekend vacation with all of their friends. standing by the doorway now, arms folded tightly across herself, she felt painfully aware of how everyone seemed to glance between them and how much she looked like she’d rather be anywhere else. one of their friends raised a hand, clearing their throat. “ actually, we already assigned rooms and beds. we figured you guys would’ve wanted to share a private room together, so … ” they pointed toward the last bedroom at the end of the hall and she felt her stomach immediately drop. she swallowed, forcing a small smile that probably looked more nervous than reassuring. ❝ that’s — totally fine. we can share a room, ❞ the words left her mouth before she fully thought them through. it wasn’t as if she wanted to make a scene. everyone had been excited about this trip for months, and she wasn’t about to ruin it because she suddenly didn’t know how to exist in the same space as her ex - boyfriend. her gaze finally lifted to his. ❝ right ? ❞ there was a question buried underneath the question. an escape route if he wanted one, though part of her is hoping he’ll just run with it and save them both from an even more awkward conversation.

he found himself in another party filled with people he knew, ones who could be potential clients with, maybe a couple of strangers. pretty much javier was enjoying the time but that all changed until one of his top clients appeared pinning his beautiful girlfriend against his side, cayetana. to every guy in the room she's untouchable but not approachable -- although he and her boyfriend had a good business relationship, javier wanted her. with his top client now distracted and socializing some where, cayetana was finally alone. small talk was the only way, now he complimented her skin tight dress, with a smile he offered her a drink. ❝ don't worry your boyfriend is pretty much distracted when money is concerned. but i'll admit that i'm happy that i got you alone again -- you've been on my mind ever since. ❞ stepping closer, whispering against her ear.

cayetana didn’t even want to be at this party. normally she’d feel right at home at these kinds of events and let the night blur past her without thinking too hard about it — but tonight her patience had already been worn thin long before they arrived, and being dragged here only made the resentment sitting in her chest heavier. when javier offered her the drink, she hesitated before finally accepting. she always found him interesting. that part was easy. difficult to ignore, really. still, attraction was one thing. acting on it was another. her boyfriend made sure she and everyone else remembered that constantly. then his voice brushed against her ear and her posture stiffened slightly, a quiet shiver running along her skin. ❝ wow — do you say that to all your clients’ girlfriends ? ❞ she attempted to tease, head tilted and glossed lips curving faintly around the rim of her glass before she took a sip. the smirk faded just a little at the edges when she glanced toward the crowd again, toward the man she was technically supposed to belong to. ❝ you know i’m … unavailable, ❞ the word left a bitter taste in her mouth as if even acknowledging it exhausted her. ❝ i don’t think it’d do either of us any good to get too close. ❞

a sheepish smile later, small hands curled at the fabric of his shirt. some would say that he shouldn't joke around like that, death wasn't something to be thrown as a joke. ace knew he could easily get injured with life threatening injuries, not many survived. he knew a few fighters who were at the brink of death with broken limbs and lacerations of doom. fighting is all he knew, dangerous risks came with the dreams. ❝ i'm not. it's the truth--- though it sounds dire. ❞ he says as he held his girl in his arms. ❝ too late i'm devoted to you and to the sport. definitely you are my priority. and look at me, i've been taking care of myself just fine. i'll feel better if you kiss, i need all the strength i can get. ❞ winking at her with a grin on his lips, ace hummed, one hand caressing the small of her back as he listened. of course, spending time together wouldn't hurt him at all, he craved it, needed it. they were both selfish however you only live and love someone truly once. ❝ okay so, no complains. got a concerned girlfriend with ... possibly ptsd from that one time. which let me say i'll apologize a billion times. ❞ and he'll apologize every day if he has to, he loves her more than he's loved anyone in his life. ❝ move in with me, that way you'll by my side and be my personal nurse? ❞

at his pathetic little plea, she couldn’t help the grin that finally broke through properly this time. ❝ yeah ? would this make you feel better ? ❞ vittoria leaned in just enough to press a soft, quick kiss against his lips, lingering for a few seconds before pulling back. then came his request, and she blinked at him for a moment. ❝ you want us to live together, ❞ it wasn’t exactly shocking, they’d been together long enough for the topic to come up eventually. though domesticity had never really been something she let herself think too hard about. her life was chaotic, constantly moving, always revolving around other people’s schedules and crises and careers — and his was just as crazy, if not more. it didn’t seem like there was much room for permanence between them … until she found herself imagining it too easily. ❝ are you sure you’re ready for that ? ‘cause i’m a pretty strict roommate. no skipping checkups, no hiding injuries, and i’m throwing out any expired food i find in your fridge. ❞ she chuckled, pecking another kiss against his bruised cheek this time. there was still fear tucked beneath all this affection — fear of getting too attached to someone whose job put him in danger every other week — but loving ace had already become second nature to her anyway. ❝ but if that’s what you really want, then … of course i’ll move in with you. ❞

❝   they're  saying  zombies.   ❞      it  sounds  even  more  ridiculous  aloud  than  it  did  across  his  screen.   he's  greatful  for  the  distance  at  the  moment,   so  haley  isn't  privy  to  the  momentary  consideration  he  gives  the  idea.   it's  easier  to  dismiss  when  it's  one  in  a  thousand  post,   but  when  it  fills  his  entire  feed—   he  locks  his  phone  before  he  joins  her  in  the  kitchen.      ❝   one  of  the  side  effects  is  extreme  aggression,   or  something.   i  dunno.   good  weekend  to  get  away  from  everyone.   ❞

she let out a scoff of disbelief, lips curling into an amused grin. ❝ zombies ? seriously ? that’s what they’re going with ? ❞ she poured another glass and nudged it along with his breakfast plate across the counter toward him. honestly, the internet really would turn anything into the apocalypse if given enough time and boredom. still, it didn’t escape her notice that eiji looked at least a little unsettled by it all. ❝ please don’t tell me you’re actually entertaining the idea, ❞ she raised a brow, eyes narrowed suspiciously. ❝ because i’m telling you now — if you start boarding up windows and rationing food, i’m leaving you here alone. ❞

" it's not like i think about you any less . "

cayetana’s lips twitched like she almost wanted to smile, but it never fully came. ❝ you don’t have to say that, ❞ she muttered, gaze dropping and exhaling softly through her nose. ❝ you don’t have to make me feel better. we broke up — you’re allowed to go out with whoever you want. ❞ the words tasted bitter coming out. rationally, she knew it was true. she was the one who ended things. she was the one who kept insisting they wanted different lives, different futures. but none of that stopped the awful twisting feeling in her stomach once she actually saw him with somebody else. ❝ it doesn’t matter anyway. you’re happy with them, right ? ❞