CHAPTER TWENTY   ౨ৎ    Lovesick
"Can we pretend that nothing's changed at all?"

        After an eventful day spent playing games, building Legos, watching movies, and enjoying snacks, KK decided that both Lorelei and Juliette would stay the night, while of course, adamantly refusing to accept 'no' for an answer.

       Not that they cared, they had always had sleepovers before... well! Everything happened.

        That's why the brunette couldn't help but tense up and swallow thickly when the idea was first brought up. Ever since the declaration, Juliette had stuck by her friend, her demeanor completely different from how it had been just hours before.

        Of course, nobody but Paige had noticed.

        Seizing the opportunity as soon as Lorelei left her side to assist Ice with the blankets, she settled down next to her with a huff, her arm resting over the couch, her hand dangerously close to touching the ex's shoulder. "Hey, you okay?" She inquired.

        Was she okay? Yes, she supposed she was. However, being here and spending the night like old times made her think. They were exes, after all. Why had she attempted to overlook that? Why was she even here? She was breaking numerous promises she had made to herself.

        Promise number one: Don't speak to Paige no matter what!

        Failed.

        Promise number two: If promise one is broken, do not get too close, and certainly do not make it easy for her to find her way back into your life!

        Failed, again.

        Promise number three: If both of those were disregarded, just don't get back together with her.

        She hasn't broken that one! Although, two out of three was still enough to make her heart sink. She realized how easy she had made it, how effortlessly she found herself becoming friends with her again.

        With a frown, she realizes she still hasn't answered her question. When she looks over, she finds those piercing eyes already locked onto her. All her resolve shatters, and she feels herself on the verge of breaking. "You're not being fair," she whispers.

        What did that even mean? Paige pondered for a moment, then furrowed her eyebrows. "What?"

        It was too late to take it back; she was committed now. Clearing her throat, she nervously wiped her clammy palms on her pants. "You're not being fair," she repeated with a frustrated sigh, feeling the weight of her words. "You— we don't talk for months, then we see each other at an event and all of a sudden, you want to... you want to come back? I don't get it, I don't get you."

        Oh! Oh, wow, okay!

        Before she can respond, Juliette crosses her arms over her chest and presses on, "You said you were sorry, and when I asked why, you got all weird and didn't answer me. I tried to avoid the question, but I can't keep avoiding it anymore. I feel like I deserve to know why, Paige."

She chews on the inside of her cheek, her gaze darting away from the brunette, only making the tension worse. She can't even bring herself to look at her when asking why. Had Juliette been overthinking the entire situation?

"See," she mutters, "That right there isn't fair." Rising to her feet, Paige lets out a slight groan and quickly grasps her wrist, pulling her back down.

"Seeing you..." the blonde hesitated, evidently grappling with her thoughts and words., "Seeing you that night just had me thinking. I thought about how we were, how we left off, and I just— I don't know."

Did she miss them together or the idea of them? The same haunting question from KK's birthday invaded her mind once more. Why had she struggled to realize the truth? She already knew the answer.

        She missed her, "I missed you."

        Her eyebrows knitted together. "You missed me," Juliette echoed, her gaze flickering down to her wrist, still grasped by Paige's hand. "I don't understand. It was you who ended our relationship. That is what I don't get. Six months, Paige, and now, all of a sudden, you miss me?"

        "Yes," she breathed, "I don't know how else to explain it. I made a mistake, Juliette. One that shouldn't have took me so long to realize. What I did was a mistake. Our relationship ending was a mistake."

        The blunt truth made the girl's breath hitch painfully in her throat, her brown eyes locking with the piercing blue ones, filled with a storm of emotions. "You can't just— you can't just say that."

        "Why not?" She retorted, her bottom lip jutting out ever-so-slightly.

        "Because it's not fair! We just became friends, like, a week ago. You can't just drop that on me."

        Paige sighed, running a hand over her face, her fingers resting on her lips as she thought deeply. She supposed she was being unfair in a way. They had been on bad terms a couple of weeks ago, and they had just gotten back to being friends, and now the weight of that tension pressed heavily on her. She could see where Juliette was coming from.

        But she just had to know one thing.

        "Would you give me another chance?" She murmured, it was loud enough for Juliette to hear, yet soft enough that even if their friends were present, they wouldn't have caught it. The vulnerability in her tone was palpable.

        With that, she sputtered, "Would I— what?"

        "Would you try this again." Paige replied, motioning towards the both of them.

        "Paige, I don't think... I can't answer that."

        The Bueckers girl clenched her jaw, "Now you're not being fair. I know you know what your answer is."

        "You don't get to turn this on me," Juliette countered, narrowing her eyes in feigned annoyance. "I don't know."

        She was lying, and it showed. Her finger tapped against her knee incessantly, like she was barely holding herself together. Paige tilted her head and raised her brows. She knew the truth, and she knew that Paige could see right through her.

        Oh, what the hell.

        "Stop looking at me like that."

        Paige blinked, "Like what?"

        She scoffed, she knew exactly what she was talking about. Doing that look was her go-to move, especially when they were together and Juliette was hiding something. She realized she could never conceal, well, anything when she looked at her that way. And she despised her for it.

        No, she didn't.

        "I hate you," she grumbled, looking away. "I don't know if I'd try us again, I'm telling the truth."

        "Are you?" Paige pushed, making her sigh.

        "Yes! I'm— I'm going to go see if they need any help, you're being annoying." She hastily proclaimed, resisting the urge to smile at the sight of the smirk on the girl's lips, then stood up and briskly disappeared into the hallway.

        That was a big fat yes. Paige's smirk blossomed into a radiant grin as she leaned back comfortably. That was probably the most perfect outcome. The tension that initially filled the air had dissolved, leaving behind a blushing Juliette and an intrigued, satisfied Paige.

        And she wouldn't have it any other way.

౨ৎ

Oh my godddd try not to use '—' challenge go like seriously what girl shut up

Also hey this is fast burn if you guys couldn't like tell (could u tell, are they moving too fast.. lmk) actually this wasn't even anything, did this chap make sense nvm moving on!!!! (Pls Lmk)

Also 1/4 to 1k votes is actually insane I won't u all...

BELLE VERA HELLUR TO ALL TO ALL HELLUR! I love u both baaaaad... (publish)

elena!