‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

LULIFESTIVAL
los angeles, california
october 4, 2024
friday
1pm

as we entered the festival grounds, i could feel the excitement in the air. there were people everywhere, dressed in all sorts of colorful outfits and holding glow-in-the-dark accessories. the sound of music and laughter filled the air, and i took a deep breath, trying to soak it all in.

amo was walking next to me, his presence reassuring. he had a casual, relaxed expression on his face, but i could see the tension in his jaw. he knew how intense these events could be.

as we made our way through the crowds, i could feel people staring at us. some looked curious, others looked awestruck, and a few looked outright hostile. i tried to ignore them, keeping my head down and focusing on walking.

amo, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by the attention. he walked casually, occasionally waving or nodding at people who recognized him.

we eventually found ourselves in the middle of the festival grounds, surrounded by stages and food trucks. the atmosphere was electric, with people dancing and singing along to the music.

"so, what do you want to do first?" amo asked me, raising his voice slightly to be heard over the music.

i looked around, feeling a little overwhelmed. there was so much to see and do, and i didn't even know where to begin.

"beer first!" i yelled over the loud music.

he chuckled and nodded in agreement. "beer it is. let's find a beer tent then." he grabbed my hand, which i didn't exactly like but didn't pull away either. he threaded his fingers through mine, leading me through the crowd to the nearest beer tent.

as we sipped our beers, we people-watched, commenting on the different groups of people around us. he pointed out a group of businesswomen who looked like they were here on an office retreat.

"i wonder what they're doing here," he said, raising an eyebrow. "i don't know about you, but they definitely don't look like the festival type."

i laughed, glancing over at the group he was pointing out. they were all dressed in business attire, looking slightly out of place amidst the colorful, carefree vibe of the festival.

"they look like they're here for some kind of team-building exercise." i joked, sipping my beer.

he snorted, obviously finding my comment hilarious. "team building exercise, huh? what, are they going to throw darts at a picture of their boss?"

i laughed out loud, imagining the scenario in my head. "oh look, i guess they got a weekend off from the kids." i said nodding my head towards the group of moms taking a selfie.

he chuckled, following my gaze to the group of moms. "yeah, looks like they're all having a girls weekend." he paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "i bet they have a group chat just for wine nights and complaining about their husbands."

i snickered, agreeing with his observation. "oh, definitely. and i bet they have a mom-friend who always overshares during book club." i added, taking a sip of my beer. "look! a bella hadid lookalike." i pointed out.

amo shook his head, "that's not a lookalike...that is bella hadid."

as soon as he said that, i saw bella turn her head in our direction. she looked around, scanning the crowd until her eyes landed on us. a smile broke out on her face. "azaria! oh my god, it's so good to see you!" she exclaimed. she was standing with her boyfriend, who waved at us as well.

i grinned, surprised and delighted to see her. "bella! hey!" i said, walking closer to greet her. amo followed behind me, his gaze going between me and bella cautiously.

she immediately pulled me into a tight hug, and i hugged her back, feeling a sense of comfort in her presence. we chatted for a few minutes, catching up and exchanging pleasantries. her boyfriend was quiet but friendly, nodding and smiling along to the conversation.

i noticed amo watching me closely, his expression unreadable. i wasn't sure if he was uncomfortable with the attention or if he was just being protective. "how have you been?" bella asked as she pulled back from the hug.

i smiled, trying to keep my voice light. "i've been great. filming's keeping me busy, but it's fun." i noticed amo's gaze flicking between bella and me, his jaw set rigidly. "how about you?"

she groaned, rolling her eyes. "ugh, don't even get me started. my schedule is insane, and i'm so exhausted all the time." she paused, looking at me sincerely. "i feel like i haven't seen you in forever though. we need to hang out more often."

i nodded. "yes please." i then looked back at amo and shook my head, "i am so rude this is amo...an old friend." i said as i gestured towards the six foot one guy next to me.

she smiled warmly, extending a hand towards him. "hey, you're the model i hear about all the time. nice to finally meet you."

he shook her hand, his expression still guarded. "likewise," he said politely.

"all good things that you hear?" i said to her with a slight smile.

she chuckled, glancing at me. "of course. only nice things." she said with a wink. "so, what are you all doing here at the festival? just enjoying the music?"

i nodded, feeling a little self-conscious under her intense gaze. "yeah, just checking out the scene. having a few drinks." i said, lifting up my nearly empty beer bottle.

amo chimed in, his hand going around my waist. "trying to have a good time."

bella looked down at my waist and then gave a small smile. "i actually just saw drew, he's around here somewhere..." she said though it sounded more like a heads up.

i felt a pang of anxiety at the mention of drew, "oh, yeah? he's here?" i tried to sound nonchalant, but my voice cracked slightly.

she nodded, looking empathetic. "yeah, he's with some friends. they're up towards the front."

i nodded, feeling my stomach twist into knots. i hadn't seen or spoken to drew since our breakup, and the idea of running into him here was making me nervous. i took a deep breath, trying to keep my cool.

"oh, that's...fun." i said, my voice coming out more strained than i intended. i could feel amo's hand gripping my waist tighter. i knew he was silently fuming at the mention of my ex.

"well we're gonna get going." bella said grabbing a hold of her boyfriend's hand.

i forced a smile, trying to ignore the tension in the air. "yeah, okay. it was really good seeing you."

bella squeezed my arm. "you too. we'll hang out soon. i promise." she gave me another tight hug before walking away with her boyfriend.

i watched her walk away, feeling a mix of relief and unease. i turned to amo, who was now gripping his beer bottle so tightly i was worried it might break.

"you okay?" he asked me.

i nodded and looked down at the beer bottle. "i feel like i should be asking you that." i said.

he smirked faintly though i could still see the tension in his shoulders. "i'm fine. just not exactly happy about seeing your ex here."

i sighed, running a hand through my hair. "yeah, it wasn't exactly on my list of things to do today."

he eyed me closely, "you don't still have feelings for him, do you?"

i shrugged, feeling a pang of guilt at his question. "yeah, i mean i did love him."

he stiffened, his jaw clenching. "and you still do?" his voice was low and intense.

"what does it matter, amo? we're not together anymore." i said as i got out of his grip.

he took a step towards me, his eyes searching my face. "i just want to know where your head's at, that's all."

i crossed my arms, feeling defensive. "my head's just fine, amo."

he raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "oh yeah? because from where i'm standing, it looks like maybe your heart's still not quite over him."

"it's been three weeks, amo! can we please just head to the stage and enjoy the weekend?" i pleaded.

he let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head. "yeah, great idea. enjoy the festival while your ex is somewhere in the crowd brooding."

i rolled my eyes, feeling irritation start to replace the guilt. "he's not brooding, he's probably having a great time!"

"you're too nice for your own good, azaria." amo said as we began walking to a stage.

~~

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celebsightings

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celebsightings some celebs spotted at tonight's lulifestival #azariaparker #bellahadid #emmachamberlain #drewstarkey #amowilson #omarappolo

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user1 is azaria there with drew or amo?

user2 drew 🤢🤢 shave the mustache!!

user3 everyone looks great ❤️

user4 if i was azaria and had to choose between drew or amo, i'm choosing amo. #srrynotsrry

user5 lol emma's fit.

~~

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

9pm

the festival was still going strong, and the crowds had only grown bigger as the night went on. the energy was electric, and the music was pumping.

i was standing with amo next to the stage, watching a band play. we were both nursing beers, and the tension between us was palpable.

occasionally, i would scan the crowd, trying to spot drew. i wasn't sure whether i wanted to see him or avoid him at all costs.

amo noticed my behavior, and his jaw clenched. "stop looking for him," he said through gritted teeth.

i looked up at him in surprise, not expecting his bluntness. "i'm not looking for him." i denied.

he shot me a skeptical look. "really? then why do you keep craning your neck every five seconds?"

i huffed in frustration, feeling like he was already on edge. "i'm just looking at the crowd, okay?" i said defensively. "i'm not looking for anyone specific."

he rolled his eyes and took a sip of his beer. "whatever you say."

as i opened my mouth to retort, we i was interrupted by a group of excited fans coming up to us.

"oh my god!" one of them exclaimed. "can we take a picture?"

i plastered on a smile, feeling relieved for the distraction. "yeah, of course!"

as they took out their phones and huddled around us, i could feel amo tense up beside me.

the fans were giggly and excited, taking photos from different angles and trying out various poses.

amo was as stoic and stiff as ever, holding a forced smile but clearly not enjoying the attention.

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

2am

drunk and tired amo and i walked away from the festival, heading to the airbnb. we stumbled through the streets, our steps slightly wobbly from the alcohol consumption.

amo was leaning heavily on me, his head resting on my shoulder. he was slurring his words and giggling every now and then, obviously wasted.

as we stumbled and giggled, he said something that sent us both into fits of laughter. in my state of inebriation, i lost my balance and plummeted to the ground, taking him with me.

we landed on the sidewalk, both of us laughing uncontrollably. passersby gave us curious stares, but we were too drunk to care.

we sat there for a moment, catching our breath and still chuckling. i looked at him, struggling not to laugh more at the ridiculous situation.

amo was sprawled on the ground, looking completely unbothered. he lifted his head, squinting at me with a goofy grin.

"we're an absolute mess," i said through giggles. the world was slightly spinning and my vision was fuzzy, but i couldn't help laughing at how absurd we must have looked.

he chuckled, trying to sit up and failing miserably. "yeah, we're two drunk idiots sitting on the sidewalk."

i tried to push myself up, but my arms were too wobbly and i fell back down again, causing us both to burst into laughter once again.

i tried again and this time succeeded. i looked at the people passing by only to see a man who looked like drew. though this guy didn't have a buzzcut and instead had grown out blonde hair and a mustache.

due to my hazy eye vision i blinked multiple times. "drew?" i said drunkenly and a bit quietly as the man looked back at me as he walked away.

amo followed my gaze, trying to focus his bleary eyes on the distant figure.

"huh?" he slurred, still on the ground. "that looks like..." he squinted his eyes, trying to make out the person's features through the haze.

i tried to get up from the ground, my legs feeling like jelly. "i think it's him."

amo flopped onto his back, looking up at the sky. "you think every guy you see looks like him." he mumbled, his voice slightly bitter.

i stumbled and steadied myself against a nearby wall, my head still spinning. "no, i swear that was him."

amo sat up, looking at me with bleary eyes. "you're just drunk, azaria. and wishful thinking."

"drew!" i called out.

amo groaned, putting his head in his hands. "great, now you're yelling like a crazy person."

i ignored him, taking a few shaky steps forward. "drew! hey, wait up!"

"azaria, stop." amo hissed, struggling to stand up. "you're making a scene."

but i was too focused on the figure ahead of me, determined to catch up. i broke into a wobbly jog, pushing past a few bewildered people.

"drew! wait!" i called out again, my voice getting louder and more desperate. i ignored amo's protests, stumbling a few times but not letting that stop me.

the figure ahead seemed to hear my calls and slowed down, turning towards me with a puzzled expression.

as i approached, i squinted my eyes through my drunken haze to make out his face. it was him. it really was drew, with his blonde hair and mustache. he looked confused and concerned as he saw me coming towards him.

"azaria?" he said in disbelief.

"drew." i repeated, my voice slurred and breathless. i stumbled again, but he reached out and caught me just in time.

he held onto my forearms, holding me steady as he saw how inebriated i was. "jesus, azaria, how much have you had to drink?"

"you look so different..." i said as i took note of his hair and mustache. if i didn't believe how hard the breakup was for him, seeing him like this would add it up.

he chuckled, a hint of pain in his eyes as he looked at me. "yeah, i made a few changes. you look... good." i stumbled a little again, and he tightened his grip on me. "you can't even walk straight. who are you here with?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"i..." i stopped and looked behind me, noticing amo standing a few feet away, his arms crossed and an irritated expression on his face. "i'm here with amo." i slurred, my voice trailing off.

drew glanced past me to where amo was standing. he looked back at me with a raised eyebrow. "amo, huh?" there was a hint of judgment in his voice. "he let you get this wasted?"

"i- i was having fun." i protested defensively, but i knew it didn't sound very convincing.

drew studied me for a moment, his concern growing. "let's get you someplace to sit down, okay? you're a mess."

i didn't protest, feeling my legs growing wobbly again. he carefully draped my arm around his shoulder and helped me stumble to a nearby bench. i sat down heavily, leaning against him as i tried to catch my breath.

he sat down next to me, his eyes fixed on me as i swayed slightly.

"so now you care about me? after you cheated..." i said. still slurring my words.

he flinched at my words, looking pained. he let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair.

"azaria... that's not fair. i never stopped caring about you. not for a second." he said, his voice low. "and i never cheated."

"don't...don't do that." i mumbled, my head feeling fuzzy and heavy. "don't act like you didn't break my heart..."

he looked like he wanted to say more, but he held back. he leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, a pained expression on his face.

he looked away, staring down at the ground for a moment. i could see the guilt and regret in his eyes even through my blurry vision.

"i never meant to hurt you, azaria. i swear. i made a lot of mistakes, but... i never cheated. i could never do that to you." he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

i huffed, though i was too drunk to form a coherent argument. i knew this wasn't the time or place to have this conversation.

amo suddenly appeared next to us, standing with his arms crossed. "i think it's time we get going." he said coldly.

drew looked up, his eyes locking with amo's for a moment. there was tension in the air, and i could feel the jealousy radiating off of amo.

"yeah, she's pretty drunk." he said, standing up from the bench. he looked at me with worry. "you gonna be okay getting back?"

amo spoke up, his voice tight. "i'll look after her. she's coming back with me."

drew's jaw clenched, but he didn't argue. he looked at me, his expression torn. "are you going to be okay?" he asked, his voice softer.

i looked up at him, feeling a mix of anger and sadness. "yeah, i'm great." i said sarcasm dripping in my tone.

drew's jaw clenched again, but he nodded. "okay. just... take care, alright? and drink some water."

"yeah, alright," i mumbled, still feeling wobbly and uncoordinated.

drew lingered for a moment, his eyes scanning my face. it looked like he wanted to say something but thought better of it.

he gave one last nod before turning and walking away, disappearing into the shadows.

~~

a/n

how do we feel???