𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 ¹

|𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝔀𝓮𝓷𝓽𝔂-𝓢𝓲𝔁 | 𝓢𝓽𝓾𝓬𝓴 𝓦𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓨𝓸𝓾|

Chapter Twenty-Six - Stuck With You

So lock the door and throw out the key, can't fight this no more, it's just you and me,

And there's nothing I can do, I'm stuck with you,

So go ahead and drive me insane, baby run your mouth I wouldn't change being stuck with you,

-Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber, "Stuck With You," 

***

▪️ᴠᴇʀᴏɴɪᴄᴀ▪️

It's been about a week since opening night and everything around here is fucked up, the only sense of tranquility I have is the show, we still have a handful of performances left, and focusing on that is the only thing that's been able to take my mind off of everything else, I haven't really spoken to Archie since that night we see each other daily but we barely speak, a glance, maybe a text here or there but aside from that it's like we're strangers, if we're being honest I don't know exactly why. Was it because his girlfriend almost caught us? Or because of my breakdown? If anything I'm glad there's a bit of distance between us at the moment, I miss him but I can't afford for him to find out my secret because if he does then I'd lose him for good,

The other thing getting me down, is this situation with Mike, I don't know why I can't just tell him I love him, because I think I do, but every time I attempt to say it the words get caught in my throat, it's frustrating, even more so the fact that he won't address it when I know for a fact that this is bothering him,

Relationships are hard, I miss the days when I'd get rejected, cause then all the love I'd put out just bounced right back to me, everything is different now, and I hate it,

"I think we need a break," Cheryl sighs, from across the room where she lays on the floor her head resting in Toni's lap, as she runs her hands through Cheryl's red locks, 

"From what?" Katy asks,

"From practice," Cheryl says,

"Isn't that what we've been doing the last half an hour?" Tabitha asks,

"No, I mean a real break, I know we were supposed to stay in and run lines again tonight but what if we take a night off? Go out it's been forever since we've just gone out to go out," Cheryl sighs, 

"What do you say, V?" Katy asks nudging my leg with her foot, though I remain staring up at the ceiling, 

"Bambi?" Cheryl calls out, though I remain silent,

"Hey asshat," Katy says kicking my leg making yelp in pain,

"What?" I scream irritated, 

"What the hell is wrong with you? These last couple of days you've been acting more abnormal than usual, spill before you get your ass beat," Katy says harshly, 

"There's nothing going o--"

"Lady!" Katy screams as she kneels before me looking into my eyes with the most terrifying expression I've ever seen, I roll my eyes, I know that there's no use, I have to tell them or it'll be worse for me,

"Mike said I love you the night before opening night, I didn't say it back," I say, the room falls silent, all four of my girls stare at me fighting smiles, I have no idea why they're so happy if I've just told them I'm unable to tell my boyfriend I love him, 

"Aww, babe," Tabitha says,

"Did you hear me?" I ask, "I didn't say it back, I can't and I don't know why," I groan,