pyrrhic • cth

cross your mind

𝕔𝕣𝕠𝕤𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕕

cross your mind - niall horan

"tell me, do i ever cross your mind?
do i ever keep you up at night?
thinking 'bout what could've been
if we did it all again"

𝔹𝕣𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕝𝕪𝕟

Have a nice class, Brooklyn.

His voice played like a melody in her mind and had been since Tuesday. It was now Thursday and she was making her way to the gym, rehearsing her "Hello, Calum" just in case he were to make an appearance. She didn't think her chances were high seeing as she'd only seen him twice but having hope never killed anyone.

"What are you mumbling to yourself?"

A small screech was released from the blonde as she snapped her head to the left; her eyes falling on her grinning roommate.

"Jesus Aldo, you could have given me a heart attack." Her breathing was labored, though she wasn't sure if it was from him scaring her or the worry that her slight infatuation would be discovered.

"Oh please, Miss prima ballerina, you're a well-oiled machine. One little fright isn't going to take you down." Luca teased as he took her bag from her shoulder and slung it over his own, earning himself an eye roll. "Though, Axel's anger might if you keep insisting on prancing around Babylon the way you do."

A chuckle fell from her lips, "I'm not prancing around, I'm attending yoga classes that I pay for. Plus you're rarely there when I am, how would you know?"

"Oh, my sweet, delusional friend. Do you think I don't know your every move in that gym? I have Ashton fill me in and according to him, the word prancing has been frequent in discussions with Mr. Hood."

Brooklyn felt her stomach drop at the notion that she had been angering Calum. She hadn't even really seen the man, except for those two occurrences. Was she really that irritating? "I didn't know I was annoying him... should I apologize or just avoid him?"

The brunette scoffed and rolled his eyes at his best friend's words. "B, I don't think you were annoying him, I think he-."

She cut him off, "It's fine. I'll just be sure to stay out of his way." Wringing her hands together to make up for the numbness she felt in her fingertips, the girl tilted her chin up, feigning indifference as the bright sign of Babylon seemed to stare down at her.

Luca watched the girl slip into the mask she wore around her parents, the false perfection that made her immune to emotions as he felt the corners of his mouth tilt down. He reached out and caught her arm before she could open the front door. "Brooklyn-"

The blonde shook her head and gave him a small smile that lacked its normal depth. "Doesn't matter. I need to get inside and changed or I'll be late."

He nodded and the pair made their way into the gym. Maybe it wasn't worth the fight, maybe avoidance would be better in the long run.

Immediately Brooklyn's eyes landed on a blonde-haired man that seemed to be speaking in a very animated way to Ashton at the front desk. The guy wore all black and had a backward cap on, securing his hair into his eyes.

Ashton caught sight of the two and immediately perked up, "NYC! Luca! Get your asses over here I need power in numbers."

The blonde man groaned, "Ash, it's a fucking party, you love parties. Why can't you just agree?"

Ashton rolled his eyes, "Anything hosted by a fraternity is certainly not my scene, nor is it yours."

"You always talk so much shit about running with the punches but you draw the line at frat parties?" The blonde was getting visibly more irritated with Ashton and Brooklyn looked to her friend in hopes to make a silent but mutual agreement to leave before they get roped in.

Luca clearly had different plans as she was met with the sight of the man with his arm propped up on the desk, his chin in his palm, smiling as if this was the most entertaining thing he's ever witnessed. Brooklyn merely groaned which only caused Ashton to realize she was still there.

"NYC, please tell Michael here that frat parties are pointless and there must be a better party option for tomorrow." Ashton sent her a dazzling smile that only made the blonde, whom she now knew as Michael, pout.

"Well, I'm not so in tune with the party scene around here..."

"Not to mention she's never been to a frat party, so she wouldn't know how to bash it in the first place." Luca chimed in as he sent her a wink.

Ashton's eyes widened, "Never been to a- NYC are you not in college?"

Michael perked, "You're in college and have never been to a frat party? How is that possible?"

"They go to Juilliard, mate. Posh people don't have keggers." Ashton chuckled as Luca sent him a glare.

Brooklyn merely rolled her eyes, "I'm sure some of us so-called posh people still attend keggers, Ashton."

"Just not you?" Michael asked, with no judgment in his voice, just curiosity.

"This one up until a few weeks ago was either at our place, in class, or in the studio. Now we add in this gym." Luca teased as he throws his arm over her shoulder, which gets quickly shoved off.

"That's a bit of an exaggeration." The girl grumbled, pink dusting her cheeks.

"And the cafe with Adrien," He added with a little smug grin that Brookyln wished to smack off his face.

Ashton's head snapped towards her, "Does NYC have a boyfriend that she goes on cute cafe dates with? You've been holding out on me."

"He's a friend and I've got to get to class." Brooklyn sighed and began walking towards Norah's room.

"I won't be here when you get out but I'll pick you and Luca up at nine tomorrow!" Ashton shouted after her causing the blonde to pause and send a confused glance over her shoulder.

"What kind of a person would I be if I didn't help you experience the proper American college experience? I'm an uneducated Australian and still have a one-up on you NYC, that is just sad. Not to mention I'd love to see you let loose a bit, for educational purposes of course."

The matching smile on Luca's face told Brooklyn that there would be no way she'd be getting out of this. "For educational purposes?"

"If fun won't get you to a party then yes, educational purposes."

The girl was sure she'd never met someone as happy and carefree as Ashton Irwin, that thought was somehow comforting.

Her eyes darted toward Michael, "I doubt your friend wants some random girl tagging along with-"

"I'm Michael, lovely to meet you, NYC. You're a dancer and I play video games. See, now we are acquainted, you are no longer a random girl. I think getting shit-faced with you would be a privilege and an honor that would only solidify our blooming friendship." Michael had a wide smile across his face, clearly overjoyed with how this situation has played out in his favor.

Blank stares and rapid blinking were all she could muster as she absorbed her new reality. For someone that had spent the majority of her life with one friend, this was uncharted territory. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow Michael. It was nice meeting you."

"It was glorious meeting you, NYC. I knew I'd like you."

With that, the girl finally walked away. Maybe this wasn't the conversation she had spent all morning preparing for, but something tells her the outcome was significantly better.

𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖'𝕤 𝕡𝕚𝕥

she lives!

she returns with a party chapter next!

she is fighting her demons to write!