All That for a Block ~ a raura au sequel

laura

Recovery's a weird process.

Acknowledging you need time to heal is weird enough.

"Laura!" Sav singsongs as my front door closes. My nose so stuck up the book, my glasses falling off the bridge of my nose, but I can still see her blurred figure walking towards me, "Dua and I decided to go out tonight, and guess who's coming?"

"You guys don't have to invite me to everything." I say, sympathetically, both for them and I.

"Nonsense. " I see her clearer, along with the bright smile she's wearing, "Don't even lie, you've been having fun, and you haven't had a panic attack about him for almost 2 weeks now! Right?"

"Right." Wrong. But it was a small one, and I tried proving to myself I was ready to take one on by myself, but I'm just not there yet. I haven't told Sav yet cause it feels pathetic to admit.

"Then what's holding you back babe?" She walks from around the back of my loveseat to take a seat beside me.

"I'm so drained from the last time we went out." I groan. Technically, I'm still not lying. Last time a group of douche dicks came over to us, and Sav, along with Dua, dealt that if we beat them with shots, they'll leave us alone. I got hammered so hard that night-

"That's valid, but I know your underlined motive." She playfully glares into my eyes, "Laura Marano, you're broken. And I can confidently say, he's broken too. But you two can't stay like this for the rest of your lives. Get up, and lets prove him wrong; when's the last time you posted?"

"I don't know, like 2 and a half months ago?" Wrong thing to say.

The smirk slowly creeping on Sav looks almost demonic, as she's suddenly taking my wrist and dragging me to my room to get dressed, similar to the first night we went out.

"Wrong! With a few candid drunk shots, it'll be tonight!"

But the process is even weirder. The act of being cautious of every single thing you're doing; and not just yourself, but everyone helping around you.

It's also been fun though. Focusing on things that only make you happy? Makes you like a kid again, overwhelmed with all the toys cornering in on them in the toy aisle.

"Laura, this is Stephen Kirkpatrick, my favourite producer." She toothily smiles. Stephen smiles as well, offering me his hand.

I softly shake his hand, as he answers, "She's just buttering up to me cause she owes me for making her big."

Dua laughs as well, as Stephen and I's hands let go, "That's not entirely true, but for the sake of time, lets just get in the booth."

Seeing them so comfortable helps ease me in. I couldn't believe what I was hearing when Dua offered to take me along with her for a last minute studio touch up session for her new album. I got so excited I jumped over Sav to reach her and give her a big hug.

Laughing, she told me, "Some time alone from Sav."

"I'm right here?"

And I don't regret taking the opportunity. It was only Dua and Stephen, but the atmosphere in the studio was something I'll never forget. The adrenaline of making music, probably. My parents are heavily into the theatrical arts, but I grew up on music. As I progressed my musical talents, I also worked on my acting, and modeling. Modeling was just meant to be a side job while my parents found acting gigs for my sister and I, until we realized just how big modeling could be for me. It's crazy to think this could've possibly been my career if it weren't for that.

I'll also never forget recording soundbites for one of Dua's songs. Stephen inviting me into the booth to sing a few songs for fun, while Dua listened along with Sav, who had called us only a few minutes prior.

"Hey." Stephen interrupts my run, "Dua, that harmony wouldn't sound so bad over Love Again."

"Laura can you try that again?" Dua asks, staring at me. I nod, nervously before putting the headphones back over my ears.

"Okay Laura you'll hear Dua's melody in one ear, and the accompaniment in the other. Feel free to take one ear out but just sing exactly what you just did." Stephen's playful demeanour is now masked over his serious business tone.

"Go Laur!" I hear Sav's muffled chant even from behind the glass.

"You got me in love again," Dua's voice fills my left ear. My eyes shoot wide, realization hitting me. Sing!

I see Stephen and Dua's eyes widen as well, in support. I push the harmony off my tongue, my nerves blocking my ears from hearing myself.

As soon as I hear nothing in the headset, I scurry out the booth into Dua, "I'msorryI'msorry."

"Laur." Her deep voice comfortably makes me lift my head from her shoulders to look at her, "You did great!"

"What?"

"We've been trying to find a fitting backing tune for Love Again for weeks now." Stephen walks toward Dua and I on the love seat, "That sounded amazing!"

I hide my blush by pulling Dua closer to me like a shy toddler.

"Laur!" Sav's voice comes from Dua's hand. She instinctively brings the phone towards me, "I'm so proud of you. See, your anxiety does not hold the best of you away!"

My heart swells at my friends, and the love I felt at the moment cannot be matched.

But alas, a kid can't get everything in the toy aisle. Throwing a fit, with it's parent dragging them out of the story on their shoulder, tears pouring from the child's face down their clothed back.

I read somewhere that moving on requires you to push on, but that doesn't mean you aren't entitled to not remain feeling vulnerable.

The notification sent my blood cold. Suddenly I'm back in Paris, having lunch with Sav overlooking the Eiffel Tower.

"I heard you broke up with Ross."

"What do you want Jaz?"

Deciding to end it here! This can be considered a filler chapter ig, but I just needed to lay down some ground before we start breaking through the big plot points.

I've been pretty upset with how school's going so far, so sorry if this is rlly crappy; I've been writing assignments and assignments for days after days now I don't even remember how to write for myself.

It would mean so so much if y'all voted and commented.

Ttyl! B<3