Same Bitches - Post Malone

13

The bar erupts in applause when he finishes, but Lux still can't move. Who is he?  Who has Austin become over these last ten years?  Because that was not the boy she once dated. Austin is held up at the side of the stage by well wishes and when Lux sees her mom climb onto the stage she decides she has had enough of this night, of this whole fucking day, so she stands and walks outside. There are no cabs so the doorman rings one up for her and she lights a cigarette while she waits. It's there before she finishes her smoke so she crushes it on the floor and climbs in. While she is giving the driver the resort address the other door opens and Austin slides into the cab. He does not say anything as they pull off. They are silent for a long time.

"That was my favorite song," Lux whispers eventually.

"I know. I learned it for you but you fucked off before I got a chance to show you."

"You have ruined it for me now."

They sit in silence for the rest of the journey and then Austin pays for the cab when they stop, Lux climbs out and walks off while he is busy. Her head is a bit of a mess right now so she walks out past the pool and down to the beach, rolling her eyes when she hears Austin following her. She stops on the shoreline, looking out to the sea as Austin comes up and stands next to her.

"We were so toxic," she whispers.

"We were...but we were also young and had no fucking idea how to handle how we felt."

"How did we feel?" Lux asks turning to face him. He has changed so much, even his profile is not the same.

"We were in love...that type of intense love that makes you feel crazy...makes you act crazy."

"Hmmm," Lux hums and faces the ocean again.

"That girl...that marriage...it was because I was lost. I was in so much pain and just didn't -" Austin starts but is cut off when Lux grabs his face and pulls him down, smashing their lips together and kissing him. He hesitates at first but loses his battle and pulls her closer, slipping his tongue into her mouth. They both sigh into the kiss and Lux feels her chest burst as her knees go weak. He consumes her and all she can smell is that captivating tobacco and vanilla scent. Their mouths move together as if by memory - she knows this boy, she remembers this boy. His body is bigger and his beard feels strange under her hands. But, she knows this boy - he was once hers. But not anymore. She lets go of him and takes a step back.

"Luxie," Austin breaths out but she shakes her head and takes another step back. "This is a fire we have no business playing with...I...I cheated on you," she says. Austin's face darkens and then he glares at her. "I remember, Lux," he says then turns around and stalks off.

"Well that could not have gone better...that was sarcasm by the way."

Lux turns to see Louis standing with four empty bottles in his hands. "You ever going to tell that love-sick puppy the truth?" Louis asks walking down to the shoreline and then throwing a bottle into the water. "He does not love me. That's the thing. He said he did. He thinks he did...but he never did. People in love don't treat each other like we do," Lux says watching Louis throw another two bottles into the ocean. "That's the thing about love... it's fucking hateful. But, still...we crave it," Louis says and throws his last bottle into the ocean. "What are you doing?" Lux asks. "Healing. I wrote letters to four men. I told them all about my cheating whore of an ex and warned them to stay the fuck away from her. They will be thankful when they find the bottles and read my notes. I included a list of things she did that irritated me too," Louis says walking back to her. "That was a waste of your time. All you needed to do was send your brother a text," Lux says leaning into Louis as he wraps an arm around her shoulders while they walk up to their rooms. "And all you had to do was not complicate your fucked up situation by kissing your ex...but here we are," Louis says.