𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙨𝙚! Hailee Steinfeld X M! Reader

8. A Quiet Flame. 🔥

Hailee's Mansion.

Hailee's frustration was palpable as she glared at her phone's screen, which seemed to be stuck in a perpetual state of lag. She knew it was time for an upgrade. Turning to Chloe, she couldn't help but voice her annoyance.

"Ugh, Chloe, I seriously need a new phone. This one's been acting up lately," Hailee groaned, her fingers impatiently tapping the screen.

Chloe, ever the pragmatic friend, raised an eyebrow in response. "Again? Hailee, you just got a new one not too long ago. What have you been doing with it?"

Hailee, caught in her own dilemma, appeared sheepish. "Well, you know, my music apps, photos, and stuff. Plus, it's starting to lag."

Chloe couldn't help but sigh, knowing that Hailee's gadgets often bore the brunt of her extensive use. "Alright, fine. We'll get you a new phone, but promise me you'll take better care of this one."

Hailee's face lit up with a mischievous grin as she made a solemn pledge. "Promise!"

Hailee's room was a whirlwind of excitement. Clothes and essentials were strewn about as she packed her bags, her face adorned with a contagious grin. Chloe, her closest friend, observed with growing concern, a storm brewing in her expressive eyes.

"Hailee, I've noticed something... there seems to be a different kind of tension between you and Y/N. Is there something you're not telling me?"

Hailee's eyes widened, her cheeks flushing with surprise. She stammered, "W-what? No, Chloe, you're reading too much into it. Y/N is just a friend, and this trip is purely professional."

Chloe's eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Hailee, come on! I've known you for ages, and I can practically smell romantic tension from a mile away. Are you sure there's nothing more?"

Hailee's voice quivered as she firmly denied any romantic involvement. "Chloe, please, it's not like that at all. Y/N is just a good friend, and this trip is about work, nothing more."

Chloe's skeptical gaze lingered on her friend, but she decided not to push the matter further, sensing that Hailee wasn't ready to admit anything beyond their professional relationship.
"And by the way, are you absolutely certain about this trip? France is quite a distance, and it feels a bit rushed."

Hailee, in her bubbling enthusiasm, didn't seem to grasp Chloe's unease. "Oh, Chloe, you worry too much! This is a golden opportunity, and I can hardly contain myself!"

Chloe's furrowed brows only deepened. "But, Hailee, have you even thought about your mom? She's been trying to reach you, and you're not answering. She's practically beside herself with worry!"

Hailee brushed off her concerns with an airy wave of her hand. "Chloe, you know how Mom is. She's always fussing over me. I'm a grown woman, and I can handle myself."

Chloe's eyes pleaded with Hailee. "Yes, you are, but you're still her daughter. You can't just cut her off like this."

Hailee's grin faltered, replaced by a stubborn set of her jaw. "I'm not cutting her off. I'm just taking a break. She'll understand eventually."

The tension in the room thickened, the argument reaching a heated crescendo as Chloe persisted.

Amidst this fierce exchange, the door slowly creaked open. Hailee's mother, a worried expression etched across her face, stepped into the fray.

"What's all this commotion about, you two?" Her mother's voice, calm yet filled with concern, cut through the tension like a soothing balm.

Hailee spun to face her mother, frustration evident in her eyes. "Mom, it's about the trip to France with Y/N. I can't believe you're getting involved now."