𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 ✓

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 - 𝐣𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐲

Jess Huang had a problem with volume, in that they liked to play music much too loud.

They were the type to blast a Spotify playlist in the car with all the windows rolled down. They had literally blown out speakers from playing too loud for too long. And they did it to keep out unwanted sounds, even if it was at the expense of other peoples comfort.

The latest sound was that of incessant moans coming from the apartment down the hall. Jess had heard Ezra's voice and assumed he was their to see Odessa.

Of course, they had been right, but evidently the two intended to do more than just 'see' each other.

And while Jess was feeling mildly perturbed by the interuption, Ezra James Barlowe was feeling quite elated.

Not in a twirling your hair, kicking your feet, fluttering your eyelashes sort of way. No, not that.

It was in the floating on air, dissociating from reality kind of way.

In truth, he had been called many things in his life. Some good, some not. But if he were to recall the last time he'd been referred to as perfect, he couldn't do so. And even if he had been told that, his response would have been humble dismissal. He'd shake his head and disagree with the statement wholeheartedly because, no, he wasn't perfect. Far from it.

But when Odessa said it, it was different. When Odessa said it, he believed it. To him, every word she spoke was truth and if she said he was perfect then he was, absolutely. She would likely never realize how impactful her words had been. When she whispered those three syllables into his chest, she couldn't see the way Ezra's face contoured into a range of emotions.

Shock; had she really said that? Denial; maybe I misheard her. Realization; Oh god, she really said that.

He had to hold himself back from hugging her and thanking her or doing something weird in response. If anything, he didn't know how to respond. How could he really? This woman had just given him a dangerously enormous amount of validation; the kind that would make him feel like he was the one that mattered and the world had always revolved around him. She said is so casually, too. And Ezra could just as easily let it get to his head.

But the thought lingered at the back of his mind in a dark sort of way, making him anxious. What if she didn't mean it? What if she was just stroking his ego?

Ezra knew it was a but over the top to question Odessa intentions like that, but he couldn't help it. There was an innate reservation in his character that stopped him from believe that anyone had good intentions, but he hated that the trait carried over into how he saw Odessa. He wanted to trust her wholeheartedly and inexplicably and in most respects, he did.

It was moment like this where he sat, wishing he could read minds or something. And if he read Odessa mind, he'd find himself rather underwhelmed.

Because in Odessa head, what she had said about him was simple. To her it was as easy and as true as a fact.