Overwhelming - Florence Pugh (ON HOLD)

Burning Pile

Scarlett and I jumped apart like we had been electrocuted. Judging from the way I was slightly shaking, I may as well have been. I didn't dare look at Florence, so I just fixed my clothes and then stared at my feet. I heard a huff from beside me.

"Blake, stop. You look like a kicked puppy. We are all adults here, there's no shame," Scarlett said. Then amended her statement. "Or, there shouldn't be any shame. Be it given or taken. Got it?"

I risked a side-eye to deadpan Scarlett. She rolled her eyes and looked back to where I assumed Florence was standing. I had yet to actually see her.

"I just... I came to get you both since we still haven't eaten dinner and I came out to you guys eating each other's faces. I guess you two don't need dinner anymore, but Lyric and I are starving. So. Continue whatever this is and I will be on my merry way." Florence clapped her hands and I flinched slightly, going unnoticed by the blonde beside me. Not going unnoticed by the blonde 20 feet away.

What I didn't notice was the look of confusion Scarlett got when Florence suddenly seemed guilty. I looked up right when she opened her mouth to say something, but Florence had already turned around and begun walking away.

I wrung my hands together and paced back and forth. I was so stuck in my little overthinkers world that I didn't notice Scarlett step over to me and I jumped when she placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, Blake, look at me."

I shook my head and continued mumbling to myself.

This is bad. This is really, really bad.

Scarlett grabbed my arms and turned me around to face her, putting a hand on each side of my face. I finally looked at her, self-conscious about my reaction, my weirdness and everything in between. She smiled softly at me.

"It's going to be okay."

I sighed and leaned my head down so that our foreheads were touching. Closing my eyes, I began to process the last hour.

Florence almost got hit by a car. I almost got hit by a car. I told Scarlett some of my bad past and she didn't run away. Her touch was so soft on my scars. Wait-

My eyes shot open and I reeled back. I started panicking.

"Wait, you- you saw my- nobody has seen- OH FUCK!" I put my hand on my mouth and stared at her.

"We made out."

"Yes, we did."

"And we liked it. Er, I liked it. I mean-"

"Blake?"

I squeaked.

"I liked it, too."

I nodded and opened my mouth, but she beat me to it.

"It's been a long and eventful night. Who don't I take you back to the hotel, we can order room service and watch movies until Lyric gets back. Does that sound good?"

"Yeah," I whispered.

She smiled softly and held out her hand. I took it, mostly needing something to ground me, but also appreciating the warmth. I sent her a small, unsure smile back.

When we got back to Lyric and I's hotel room, I went into the bathroom to change into some sweatpants and a large hoodie. Scarlett stayed in the main room to order some food and pick out the first movie.

I came out with my hair in a messy bun and my mind even messier. At that point, I just tried to push it to the depths of my mind.

Spoiler alert, it didn't work.

I got Scarlett's attention and motioned to my suitcase, speaking quietly. "I have some spare clothes if you want to change out of your dress and heels"

She laughed, "Oh, honey, I got rid of those death trap shoes the minute we got in here. There's no way I would keep them on if I don't have to."

I grinned and sat on the bed. I left a sizeable amount of space between us and to get credit, Scarlett didn't say anything about it until after we finished the food and were halfway through the movie.

"Blake, we gotta talk about it and you gotta stop being so worried about other people's reactions to things. Like I said before, we were both consenting adults."

"I know." I nodded. "I just wasn't expecting it. Not that I didn't like it! It was great, you- you were great..."

"But?"

I shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. I just... don't take this the wrong way." I looked at her pointedly.

Scarlett gave me a scoff of disbelief, but nodded when my eyes hardened a bit.

I sighed and looked up at the ceiling, trying to find a good way to phrase things. To her credit, Scarlett waited patiently for me to gather my thoughts.

I took a deep breath. "I don't think I can be with you in that way, it would feel too much like I'm idolizing you and I don't want that. I really did have fun though."

My thought process was interrupted when Scarlett giggled. I looked at her strangely before she explained.

"Blake, I don't want to date you. We are good friends, but that's all we're going to be. I kissed you because I wanted to. You just told me something about your past and I thought it might help you feel better and, well, I really wanted to know if you were a good kisser."

My mouth was hung wide open at that statement. I stuttered and scrambled for a response. "I- I, uh..." I swallowed harshly. "And what did you think?" I immediately cringed and was about to take back the question when Scarlett laughed.

"It was good. You were great, I promise."

My body sagged in relief and at the release of the tension in the room. "Oh, well that's good. I mean you were good, too. I'm just glad that I'm still good at it."

She tilted her head, seemingly confused. I laughed wryly.

"Andy stopped kissing me about halfway through our relationship. I thought it was just a new boundary thing or whatever, so I obliged, but then the whole... you know. Pew pew thing happened and I realized that she had just not wanted a relationship with me anymore. I think she just wanted a place to stay without paying for anything."

I paused and looked down at my hands. Instead of a distraction, I got the second bad shock in less than 3 hours.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"What? What's wrong?"

I started laughing uncontrollably. I definitely looked insane to the beauty next to me, but I couldn't help it. Everything I had felt and pushed down after I woke up all those months ago shot right back up to the surface. I threw my head back and flopped fully onto the bed, running my hands down my face.

"Talk to me, Blake."

I sighed and pulled my hands away. I pulled off the ring and held it out blindly for her to grab it.

"I really need to pay more attention to what I pack and what I wear, huh."

"What do you mean? It's a nice ring."

"Yeah. Yeah, it was. That's the ring that Andy gave me about a month after we started dating. A supposed 'promise ring'. What a joke," I mumbled at the end.

I could tell Scarlett didn't really know what to say to that. Honestly, I didn't either and I was the one who initiated the conversation. I laid there for another minute or two, before Scarlett hummed and cuddled up to me.

"Let's just stay here for a while."

I smiled slightly and pulled her into me as a response. We spent the next hour holding each other. Me running my hand over her back and arm and Scarlett tracing shapes on my stomach. The silence was nice, but it did give me time to go into a mental spiral. Just as I was contemplating running away to a new country and starting fresh, the door swung wide open. Scarlett and I shot up at the same time. I fell on the floor.

A very angry Lyric stared back at us.

Well, shit.