PROLOGUE:
a friendly move out order.

Water surrounds Aster as she floats on her back, eyes closed and soaking in the peacefulness. She was swimming in her favorite spot under the bridge of the pier. The poles uplifting the bridge covered in graffiti and art. Aster loves to play her own personal game of I-Spy while looking at them, everytime she does she always notices a new phrase or a new doodle painted on. The beeping of her watch steals her attention away from viewing the pillars. She lifts up her arms and looks at it before letting out a long sigh. Back to work. She rolls her eyes while swimming towards the shore.

She grabs the towel laying on top of the sand and pats herself down. She picks up her phone and looks at herself through the black screen, rubbing away some smeared mascara from under her eyes. She sighs before picking up her belongings, slipping on her sandles, and throwing her towel over her shoulder. She throws her hair up into a ponytail before making the trek back to her job

Screams and laughs ring through Aster's ears as she walks through the peer. A small brunette boy smashes into her before quickly apologizing and running off.

"I'm so sorry!" His mother apologizes before chasing after her son.

Aster puts on a tight smile as she ducks from getting hit by a flying beach ball. She walks up to her booth Water Race, the sun burning through her tank top and warming up her alabaster skin.

"Back already?" Aster's co-worker and roommate, Nala, asks her with a smirk on her face.

Aster lifts up her white sunglasses and moves them to the top of her head. She rolls her eyes, "I know! 30 minutes is not enough time for a proper break when we're standing outside in the heat," she pouts before taking a sip from the drink in her hand.

"Tell me about it," Nala rolls her eyes before hopping over the booth. "But its my turn!"

Aster puts on a slight smile," Have fun!" She tells her best friend while taking her place.

The young red-head sits on the stool with a huff. She pulls out her phone and leans foward.

"Oh!" Nala calls out before turning around and jogging back over to Aster. "I forgot to ask, has Emily talked to you yet?"

Aster looks up her eyebrow raised and head tilted, "No?"

"Ohhh okay, well we'll all talk about it later then," she says awkwardly before going on her way.

Aster furrows her eyebrows and unlocks her phone. She notices a text in her groupchat with her friends. A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach appears as she reads it. We need to talk.

"How can I win the big shark?" A small girl asks with a little boy hiding behind her.

Aster slowly pulls away from her phone. "Um, you have to win three times," she says softly.

The little girls grins at her showing off her two front missing teeth. "No problem!" She says while slapping down a fifty dollar bill and then hopping onto the stool.

"Come on Dustin, sit next to me," She says while patting the stool next to her.

Aster slides to the corner of the booth so she can start the game for the two kids. "Okaay so on the count of three the bell will ring and you guys start. Whoever makes their plushie go to the top first wins," she says with a big grin, putting on her job face.

The young red-head starts the game before going into deep thought. What could Emily possibly want to talk about? And why was Nala being so awkward? The ringing of the bell breaks Aster out of her thoughts.

"Yes!" The little girl exclaims. "I won by a tsunami!"

"A landslide?" Asters says with a light laugh.

"That too! Now start it up again! That shark is mine, baby!" The little girl exclaims before leaning foward and closing one eye to aim the water gun.

"Anca, can I win?" The little boy asks his older sister.

"No."

"You're moving out?!" Aster shouts, her arms crossed defensively across her chest. She just got home from her job when she noticed her two friends sitting on the couch looking nervous. She figured they would want to talk, hence the text but she didn't realize it would be right when she got home nor did she think it would be about this.

Nala and Emily sit across from Aster on their blow up couch in the living room. Their hands intertwined with each other.  "Yes," they collectively state while sharing a cautious look.

"Wha- You can't. I mean, wh-what about our lease? It's not supposed to end until three more months. What am I supposed to do?" Aster exclaims, as she stressfully rubs her hand across her forehead.

Nala looks at her good friend sympathetically, "Aster, I know this is kind of last minute and its a lot of be springing on you but, I mean, me and Emily.. we're engaged now. You had to of seen this coming eventually."

Aster shakes her head, "Well, I mean... I did. I just- I thought I would have more time. I- I didn't think you guys would want to move out right away. I mean I figured," she says before sighing. "I don't know what I figured to be honest."

Aster collapse into the chair next to their couch in defeat. She rubs her eyes and then sighs.

Emily untangles her hand from her fiance and scoots towards Aster. "Hey," she says softly nudging her knee. "We'll help you find a place. We'll make sure you get situated Aster, we're not gonna just leave you hanging."

Nala nods her hand and stands up going to the other side of Aster. "Exactly! We'll still pay our next three months of rent, we'll be here every step of the way until you find a new place. We just- we found a cute little house and it was too good of a place to pass up on."

Emily nods before making eye contact with Nala to make sure they're on the same page, "And if needed, our new house does have an extra bedroom so you can crash with us if you can't find a place in time," she offers.

Nala nods. "Yeah! You'll always have a place with us," Nala says sitting on the arm rest of the chair Aster's in. She gives her a sweet smile before wrapping her arms around Aster. "You're our girl! We wouldn't just screw you over."

Aster places her arm on Nala's and smiles back at her. "I know, it's just scary. I mean I've only ever lived with family and you guys, I don't know if I could handle new roommates."

"Well.." Emily says carefully. "I mean your Aunt Abby has offered you a room before we got this apartment together. Maybe she'll still let you if you're too nervous to find new people?"

Aster ponders the idea but shakes her head. "She's taking care of my grandma now. It would be too much."

Nala pipes in, "You being there might actually help her more then."

Aster furrows her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Nala shrugs. "Well that's a lot to handle for one person, you being there might actually help lift the weight off, you know?"

Aster nods. "Maybe I'll give her a call."

"See," Emilly says patting Aster's back. "Told you we would help you out."

Aster rolls her eyes. "You guys are just trying to clear your guilty conscious, you don't have me fooled."

Nala nods with a playfully mischevious grin. "You're right, I don't want to be thinking about your homeless ass when I'm having hot passionate sex with my fiance in our new home," she says while showing off her ring.

"Oooh say less," Emily says before she grabs Nala's hands and kisses it all the way up to her elbow.

Aster scrunches her nose in disgust before hitting them both with a pillow. "You guys disgust me!"

NOTE.
i haven't written in so long that i feel like i kind of forgot how to write, so sorry if this chapter seems choppy! i'm trying to get back into the flow of writing if you see any mistakes or have any constructive criticism pls leave it in the comments! also can we all say 'fuck you hulu'?? i hate how they only have season 1 & 3 its so annoying!