this place is such a shipwreck.

he takes her phone, and if she tries to snatch it back he’s holding it too high for her. “ i can’t help being crafted by the gods, maria. we’ve been through this a hundred times. ” because look at him… who could say no to such a face, such charisma… such abs. plus his smile is to die for and his hair is bouncy and soft. there really are no flaws to him. he looks back at his profile, quickly swiping left or however dating apps work to match with him, feeling the sudden buzz of his own phone as he hands hers back to her with a shit-eating grin. “ though if you’re trying to fuck… all you gotta do is say. ”

"sorry who's maria?" a sharp response, warning him that he was on thin ice now, her emotions ever on a pendulum. "i could find a list..." she reached over to swipe yes on someone, hoping to see that they didn't match and disappointed when they did. "well, she must have made a mistake." another shrug. "i don't ask for things."

“ well, victoria and i happen to be the same size — it can go on the company card if it's  ‘ technically ’  for her. ” her boss loves cute little surprises, not aware of just how much lila borrows or buys specifically for her. “ i could get you something too.. if you’ll come out with me tonight ? ” her brows wiggle suggestively, trying to entice the other. 

oh shit, it is his roommate, he knew it began with a k. he thinks anyways.“ kyle, kylie— kyle. i’m tj. or theo to most, but i’m actually trying to rebrand a bit. ” he explains, waving it off slightly like it’s no big deal, he’s an at student in the worst ways sometimes. “  well, mi casa es su casa… uh, there’s some leftover pizza in my mini fridge… i have beer…. weed ? ” he has more of that for sure, but he’s trying to scope out vibes still half asleep, eyes not quite adjusted. 

“ annoying’s one word for it. ” he nods, though barely, since it hurts to move his head too much. “ oh, come on. you can’t see me in a crown ? you know i’d look good. ” jay confirms for himself despite the fact that anyone would look good in one. “ see, you should’ve just stopped after ’yeah’, ‘cause that’d actually be sooo hurtful if you got yourself something and forgot about me. c'mon, please ? i’m dying here. ”

theo’s usually quite a heavy sleeper, often too knocked out by the gracious powers of weed to notice the odd bump or creak in the night… though this was a college dorm, there was all sorts of sounds no matter how late you thought it was. still, he somehow slept longer than he wanted for his nap, shuffling slightly as he hears the door open. “ shit. you’re not my roommate. ” a pause, realising he can’t see a thing with this blurry ass vision. is he still dreaming or does he just need his contacts ? maybe he’s just tripping.  “ wait . . are you my roommate ? ”

it was like looking in a slightly distorted fun house mirror at first, because any other day kyle would have been the one pulling the covers away from his head despite the sun being fully out. and his own hair was messier than need be right now, providing a parallel to theo’s. “yeah...sorry, i wasn’t sure which room was open...” he’d only been in los angeles for twenty four hours, desperate to chase his dreams, he hadn’t even found a place to live until yesterday. “kyle... i’m kyle.”

“ okay, so be real with me … ” lila begins, eyes focussed completely on herself as she checks out the dress she’s trying on in the mirror. “ do i look INSANELY hot right now.  . or ? ”

marina’s eyes flickered up, scanning over the other, then darting to the price tag. the tattoo artist let out a laugh, “how hot is your wallet feeling?”

unfortunately ria knows him too. so without spotting her, he places a cigarette to his lips, thumb prepped on the lighter before his eyes find hers, not quite setting it alight just yet. his lips part as she’s in his sights, a soft grin soon following while he retreats the damned thing back between his fingers. “ if you tell my dad anything, i’ll tell yours about last summer. ” he’s quite fond of the secrets they share with each other, if only to use them against her. 

a voice wasn’t exactly what she had expected to hear when she escaped out to get a breath of air. the celebration was jovial, and decidedly not dramatic. so she grew bored in the blink of an eye. how many times did she have to go over what she was doing for work, yes, graduating with honors was impressive, blah blah. who liked small talk? so the blonde slipped out into the first open place she saw, swiping away on this app, then another, heels up on one of the tables that were apparently imported stone from italy. nicer than it should have been for a function hall. one she’d brag about if it was her house, but it wasn’t. “if the scent gets in my hair, i’ll murder you.” words were spoken without a lick of emotion. “what happened last summer?” eyes finally turned to his, wide as can be, the fake ignorance all over her face. “i don’t remember anything.” attention turned back to her phone, holding it out at him, “your profile is horrendous, how do you get laid with that?” what were the chances?

he rolls over, bracing himself for whoever he may see next to him. he’s pretty sure he kicked them when he woke up but, as far as he knows, they’re still asleep. so once he realises it’s lennon there’s a quick breath of relief — only for a moment — before he’s groaning, putting on his best ( though genuine ) performance.  “ my fucking head. ” he groans again, fingers reaching his forehead then rubbing at his eyes. “ i don’t even remember leaving the venue. ” 

“God, have you never had a hangover? Can you relax?” This was the life they’d dreamed of, barely in reach, but here. Constant parties, constant fun... Constant mayhem. “Well, you did. Pretty sure you stole some tricycle you saw on the street and rode it back.” Not true, but she’d make him sweat it out.

            “ NO,  NO  IT’LL  BE  FUN, ” clive insisted, “ i swear, it’s all good. ” unfortunately the expression that followed the forced smile hadn’t been entirely convincing. the bag he packed from the manhattan loft, that was no longer his, had been carelessly tossed to the side. the irony that his entire world would be inside of one designer duffle bag, he never thought he’d see the day. then again, clive never believed he would be the one begging for money between them. he was the giver, the one with the bank account that never ran dry — until it did. the dangers of a trust fund baby, it could all be taken away with the snap of his father’s fingers. bottom lip caught between his teeth and hazel eyes took in the apartment the two would now share for the first time since he walked through that door. the one clive questioned the durability of, the locked looked finicky. “ so, ” his hands clapped together with a few steps forward before he made a gesture to the lumpy couch, “ this one is mine? ”

“You don’t have to convince me, I’ve already decided that this is going to be the most fun,” Lennon peered over at the bag between the two of them. Despite being one of the few things her friend had left to his name, she was fully convinced it was worth more than her entire haphazard wardrobe combined. “There’s a little tiny part of me that thinks this is all you trying to prank me, and honestly, like, if you’re going this far with the delivery, you win. You win all pranks forever and always.” Jingling the deadbolt chain, the brunette shrugged, wedging an additional bobby pin between the lock and the door. Done. Fixed. “Yeah, that one just screams Clive to me. You’re going to fit perfectly into the outline.” Flitting over to the other, she settled down, “So pizza night to welcome us home?”