❛  what are you doing here? ❜, @anchorskept.
LAINEY’S TAKING a deep breath, lower lip quivering as she’s staring at barry. god —— it’s been a while, especially for her. for them. last thing she remembered before she left was that he was happy, in his new relationship. with joanne. there’s nothing she could do to ever get in between that. she’s happy for him, of course she is. apart from everything else, they’re still friends. friends. that’s the thing that hurts her.
“ I CAME TO VISIT, you know . . erica and geoff. and their daughter. “ gaze stolen away as she’s chuckling awfully sheepishly, looking down at her shoes. this was a mistake, wasn’t it? for her to come back to something she reminded her of home —— but it’s not her home. he’s not her home, not anymore. “ . . . i, uh, it’s nice to see you, barry. “ voice soft, as if she were hoarse, as if she lost whatever she was going to say. because looking at him hurts, it reminds her of what never was between them. & she can feel her heart pounding against her chest as she’s trying to say the correct words, but it all comes out as her stuttering like an idiot, because she messed up. because everything —— it didn’t feel right.
“ HOW IS EVERYONE? “ she means the jtp, his family. everyone, even joanne. she’s not jealous, although, every part of her mentioning his new girlfriend’s name makes her want to throw up, but she isn’t jealous, not in a long shot. she’s happy, or trying to be.
