ꨄ

𝗧𝗘𝗫𝗧 𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗦

𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀 + 𝗿𝗶𝗮

𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮- 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮 👎🏽
𝗷𝗮𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲- 𝗷𝗮𝘇𝘇𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘇𝘇𝘆 🤡
𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗮- 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹 🥰
𝗿𝗶𝗮- 𝗿𝗶𝗿𝗶 💩

𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 👎🏽
hey mars bars how you holding up girl?

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
i'm alright
never mind
there's no point in lying i'm pissed
she just had to find a way to get back in my life
to prove she's better than me

𝐫𝐢𝐫𝐢 💩
she's not
she's a narcissistic psychotic bitch
and dave will realise that

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
i mean what does he see in her
is it the brown hair?
because i have this really good wig i could wear

𝐣𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 🤡
oooff she's down baddd

𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 👎🏽
jasmine.
tact please
and mars it has nothing to do with her hair
and it has nothing to do with you
you're amazing and he's an idiot for not seeing that

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
yeah but every boyfriend i've had would like her
and even date her
so maybe she is better than me

𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 👎🏽
first of all she's not better than you
second of allhave any of those guys lasted with her
no because she just wants to prove she's better than someone
and that someone would leave another girl for her
to prove she's beautiful
because she's got a low self esteem and zero personality
eventually the male validity wears off and she tries again
they just know she's easy

𝐣𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 🤡
damnnn timaaa
you was out for blood

𝐫𝐢𝐫𝐢 💩
rightt she really had her foot on her neck

𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 👎🏽
i had to set the record straight

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
you know what it's fine
he's just a guy
a really hot and funny and sweet and really talented
and now taken guy

𝐣𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 🤡
damnnn she really is down baddd

𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 👎🏽
how do you know he's taken

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
did you see his story on new year's
he's definitely taken
and i bet she did it to rub salt in the wounds

𝐣𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 🤡
did he seriously not know why you were so angry

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
no he's so stupid
but like a cute stupid
obviously not right now
but he usually is this cute kind of dumb

𝐫𝐢𝐫𝐢 💩
i've never seen her this down bad before

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
i'm right here
i can see the messages ria

𝐫𝐢𝐫𝐢 💩
right mb

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
but it's fine there are plenty hot guys out there
so i'm gonna take my hot ass to a bar
find a hot guy
flirt maybe and get his number

𝐣𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 🤡
then fuck him

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
no jasmine not that
definitely not that i want him to want me
and be desperate for me
i'll keep him waiting

𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 👎🏽
oh wow she's actually planned it out
she was really hurting
she must really like him

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
of course i like him
have you seen him
he's so fit and funny and sweet and talented
UGHH I HATE THIS
and again i'm right here
stop talking about me like i'm not
and of course i've planned it out
my anxiety and overthinking wouldn't let me sleep
so i had to distract myself

𝐣𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 🤡
ooof

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
shut up jas
actually no don't shut up
what happened between you and marcus

𝐣𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 🤡
well i let him know how i was doing
and he told me he was doing good
as if i didn't know that
i was stalking his insta

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
yeah she kept zooming in on all his shirtless pics

𝐣𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 🤡
marsss

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
sorry

𝐣𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 🤡
and then we said we missed each other
and even though it was nice of him to ask for a break so i heal
i really wanted him with me
and then he told me he thought about me constantly
and jadon was getting tired of hearing about me
and that i looked angelic in my gold dress

𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 👎🏽
awwwww

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
he's so sweet

𝐫𝐢𝐫𝐢 💩
frr he's so good to you

𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 👎🏽
he's my favourite of all your exes jas

𝐣𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 🤡
and he said even though he wanted to make sure i was doing better
he couldn't ignore the fact that he loves me
and he wanted to make it up to me
and then he kissed me at midnight

𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 👎🏽
AHHHH YESSSSS FINALLYY

𝐫𝐢𝐫𝐢 💩
yayyyyy
was it good

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
AWWWW LOOK AT HIM BEING SMOOTHH

𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 👎🏽
yeah what ria said

𝐣𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 🤡
it was amazing i felt like there were fireworks in my stomach

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
aww look at her
she's gone all soft

𝐫𝐢𝐫𝐢 💩
i'm so happy for you guyssss

𝐣𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 🤡
thank you girls
and amara i haven't gone soft
yeah and he said he's taking me out tomorrowwwww

𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 👎🏽
oohhh enjoy girl

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
yea and we need to find you a good outfit

𝐣𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐲 🤡
but mars don't think i didn't clock your quick topic change

𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥🥰
...i think noona needs to be watered

𝐫𝐢𝐫𝐢 💩
she's a cat...
read by all

ꨄ

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘

location: some bar in london

it had been a week since the new year's eve party, and amara was doing terribly to say the least. she was heartbroken on many levels: she was hurt that she had thought dave had liked her and he clearly didn't; she was shocked at ruby's audacity to act as if what happened wasn't a big deal; she felt betrayed that dave hadn't had her back after she explained why she didn't like ruby; she was hurt that even if she didn't like dave he still defended ruby; and most importantly she was hurt that the guy she liked was with another girl.

yet she knew there was nothing she could do. whoever dave was with was his choice and she had to respect that, regardless of the fact it was her ex-friend. amara found herself to be so depressed that she listened to adele and lana del ray repeatedly and watched titanic so she would have an excuse to cry. and even though her sisters had gone back to manchester, they still tried their best to cheer her up although it all seemed futile.

so jasmine decided she had enough of amara's wallowing and defeatist attitude and decided to take her out to a bar. she wanted amara to get out of the house and get out of ther head. also to possibly meet a guy and help get over her feelings for david. she had already told the 'operation damara group chat' her plan and those who could come did. although they had no idea a certain couple would be at the same bar.

"jas i really don't want to be here." amara whined as she tried to get out of the booth she was in.

"i don't care amara you are staying here and you're going to enjoy tonight. right marcus?" jasmine reprimanded while dragging amara back down, before her attempted escape.

"exactly. you're feeling down and you need to let loose and have a little fun." marcus said as he felt jasmine's head lean onto his shoulder, causing a soft smile to grow on his face.

"you guys are so cute and so not helping. and you two!" amara complained further, pointing at oakley and ria as she giggled at his previous joke while grabbing his arm.

"aw thanks mars." oakley said, oblivious to amara's melancholic attitude.

"oakley, i didn't mean it in a nice way. i meant that you guys are all being sickeningly cute right now."

"yeah, you guys are making us feel really single right now." michael defended as he shared an understanding smile with amara and put a comforting arm around her.

"is that dave over there?" oakley questioned. before he was to ask another question, ria lightly slapped his shoulder and giving him a look to stop him from talking.

they both watched as amara rapidly turned around excited, her eyes lit up, only to see his arm around ruby smiling down at her as she giggled next to him. she felt her eyes sting slightly and her shoulders dropped, and although she wanted to look away, she couldn't. she felt as if her eyes were bewitched, as she watched them act like a normal happy couple while she wallowed in her misery.

that was until dave had made eye contact with the group and brought ruby along, as he wanted her to formally meet the whole group. thankfully, michael had noticed amara's dejected attitude and had tightened his arm around her and whispered to her that everything was going to be ok; offering amara the comfort she needed and he saw a soft smile make its way onto her face.

dave had noticed this action and for some odd reason it stirred an unwelcome response to the sight, although he assumed he was just slightly tipsy.

however that belief would be stupid, as it would have ignored a very pertinent factor: michael was a huge flirt. although he often didn't mean it, he had a very flirtatious air around him that was hard to ignore. it also didn't help that amara was often matching that energy and bantered back and forth with him, causing people to believe they had feelings for each other.

they didn't. they just happened to have chemistry with each other; as one would expect as amara had played michael's love interest on top boy. however they both agreed they were strictly friends and couldn't imagine being with each other, as in amara's words "i think i'd kill him, then myself." this could be a more realistic factor as to why dave felt uncomfortable by watching them close to each other, but hey who am i to judge.

"hey dave, what are you doing here?" ria asked pointedly, her eyes narrowing on dave's arm around ruby's waist.

"oh, i wanted to take ruby out and have a date night," dave started, oblivious to amara's eyes lowering and ruby's subtle smug smile, "and oakley told me you guys were coming here so i decided for her to meet you guys." dave continued, smiling giddily, completely oblivious to everyone's lack of comfort and awkward stares.

"you said oakley told you."

"...yeah"

"it just slipped out and i-"

"i don't remember asking you oaks. it's fine we'll talk about this at home." ria warned as oakley gulped, "why don't you guys come here make yourselves comfortable." ria addressed the new couple, making some space for them. yet, ruby had decided to sit right next to amara and michael, seemingly to make them uncomfortable.

"thank you, ria was it?" ruby inquired curiously, looking towards dave for reassurance as he nodded at her.

"you're telling me you don't remember her name. you guys were close up until 9 months ago." amara said, attacking the girl only one person away from her, staring daggers at her.

"it's fine mars it was a while ago. i'm not sure i remember your name properly either. i think, correct me if i'm wrong but it's ruth?" ria snapped back, a sickeningly sweet smile on her face towards her former friend.

"uh no. it's ruby." ruby retorted, rolling her eyes at ria. "anyways, davey i thought you were going to introduce me to everyone." ruby said as she grinned and batted her lashes at him.

"well i just assumed you'd know everyone because you were friends with ami- amara like less than a year ago. also rubes i've told you not to call me davey i hate it." he said as he stroked her arm.

( and yes he almost called her ami. the nickname he picked out for her ).

"well he didn't hate it that much when you called him that mars. trust me." michael whispered in amara's ear in hopes to cheer her up. it worked as she giggled and fist bumped him. however it had the opposite effect on dave, who scowled at the two and brought ruby closer to him.

"...anyways! ruby long time no see. what happened to james?" jasmine announced, trying to get a conversation going, but also to show she wasn't in support of ruby we asking her way back into her life.

"oh um we broke up 3 months ag-"

"-he cheated on her 3 months ago" amara interrupted. she was slurring her words and leaning onto michael as she hiccuped and giggled as she spoke, the drinks clearly getting to her. dave's eyes narrowing at her.

"amara do you mind? we clearly weren't speaking to you." dave defended, shocked at how disrespectful amara was being.

"oh pleasee david, no one asked you either. i'm just saying how you get 'em is how you lose 'em. you might wanna watch out she has a thing for cheating. or did you not know she cheated on her boyfriend when she slept with my boyfriend." amara raised her voice as she slyly gave michael and marcus fist bumps.

( marcus really said the girls are fightingggg. he's just enjoying having a gf again and listening to everyone argue ).

"she has told me that but she seems to have changed. unlike you i believe in people changing."

"oh i do believe people can change. but not her. she's always been like that, it just took me a while to realise it."

"why do you even care so much?" dave questioned raising his voice, narrowing his eyes at michael's subtle protection of amara by putting his hand on hers and pulling her closer to him.

"i care because she's a bad person and you deserve-" amara started but was soon interrupted by dave and kick to the shins by ria.

"i deserve better? is that what you're going to say? how do you know what i deserve? and it still doesn't answer my question. why do you care so much?"

'you almost exposed yourself!' ria had mouthed to her friend.

"because you're my friend and i care about you and she is not a good person. you deserve better......you know what? i don't want to make you guys even more uncomfortable. i'm just gonna go. no honestly it's fine jas," amara said noticing jasmine's protests, " i'm making them uncomfortable and i'm sorry sorry david and sorry ruby. hope you guys have a great night. i'm going, bye" amara said rather coldly and insincerely, her words slightly muffled and her throat closing up.

"how are you going to get home...?" dave asked her, soon silenced by his girlfriend's glare.

"a cab. anyways thanks guys. i've already paid my bill. i'll see you guys soon." amara rushed as she hurried out of the pub. and was followed by two figures: ruby and michael.

ruby, however, made it sooner than michael did and took her opportunity to speak to amara, "weird how defensive you were when davey asked why you cared so much?"

"ok first off, he hates it when people call him that. secondly i don't want to fight you ruby."

( but dave likes it when you call him davey marsss).

"you certainly wanted to, in there."

"yeah, and then i realised that you're a pathetic attention seeker, who i need to stop wasting my breath on. so i don't want to fight with you."

"you know i think you cared because you like dave."

"yeah, and you'd be off base and please stop talking. i don't want to speak to you."

"you like him and you're jealous that once again, i've proved that i'm better than you. every single guy you've ever liked has liked me more, even dave. how sad. anyways i'll go back to my boyfriend now. because i have one of those. see you later mars." ruby sneered, as she grinned and walked away. bumping into michael who simply glared at her.

"don't fucking call me mars!" she shouted after her, although it was pointless as she was long gone.

"you know, you shouldn't listen to her. she's delusional and crazy and dave will realise it eventually."

"i'm not even upset about him anymore. i mean i am but what hurts more is that i'm always second best to her."

"you're not second best mars. ok?"

"i am! either a guy leaves me for her, or they liked her first but couldn't get her, so they settled for me." amara sobbed slightly. she soon found herself in michael's warm embrace.

"im telling you now, she's not second best. dave was actually starting to fancy you but he felt you were giving him mixed signals."

"WHATT?!! when did he say this?!" amara shouted as she pulled away from his embrace.

"erm like just after he got back from yours."

"you're taking the fucking piss."

"wish i was alien."

"are you gonna stop calling me that?" amara questioned her brows furrowed.

"nah your nickname is mars. like the planet and what are from different planets, aliens. i think it's a genius nickname."

"it really isn't." amara chuckled.

"ahh there's the smile. my work here is done. actually no. let me drop you off and then i can give dave a telling off for you. sound good?"

"yeah thanks michael. you're actually such a good friend."

"you too alien. you and your amazing set ups."

"ohhh yeah how is it going with that."

"she's amazing thank you so much for setting us up."

"it's no problem mikey you deserve a good chance."

"but we're not exclusive yet."

"good you've only been seeing her for two weeks and unlike some people here you've chosen to take it at a slower pace."

"oohhh get eeemmm."

"just start the car." amara chuckled while rolling her eyes.

ꨄ

a quick message from becca

sorry that it's so long.

also i'm really sorry for this chapter and the last one but we need a bit of angst.

the plot thickensss

also why was this slowly turning into a michael x amara fanfic.

anyways i hope you enjoyed and vote and comment if you did.

love you alll 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽