don't you go // lrh

/seventeen/

/M.I.L.K/

/amara/

"So next week then?" I ask into the receiver, leaning against the fire escape railing.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I know you wanted to go to the dealership," Dad apologizes with a sigh, "But duty calls."

I want my own car this year. Just so mom will stop taking the keys back and leaving me without wheels.

"No it's fine. We can just, wait for my birthday." I say, hoping he is actually home for it.

"Okay. Last schedule change on the Benz. I promise." He chuckles, I never even told him I wanted a Mercedes.

"Mom says hi." He adds.

"I say hi." I say.

"You guys will make up. You know that right?" He asks.

I watch the cars from up above, liking the way the traffic lights look in the pink light of the sunset. I can't bring myself to listen to another one of his tangents about how I should take my responsibilities as the future owner of the company more seriously. And that even though she is sorry, it's silly to expect her to say the words.

"Alright." I say when he's done speaking.

"See you next week, Mar."

I went back inside after our phone call, returning to our Chinese food takeout in the small living room. The sight immediately made me feel better. It reminded me that my current life isn't forever, and this is is in the distant future. Take out with my friends in our first apartment. I just have to be patient.

"All good?" Jesse asked, sitting cross legged on the rug.

"All good. You?" I ask, wondering if she's unblocked her parents yet.

"Oh yeah I told them I can't come home 'til I'm done menstruating." She laughs.

"They just said they'll take away my car if I'm not back before school starts." Maddie explains, laying on the couch with the t.v remote in her hands. 

All we've done all day is lay around and eat. Sort of like our trip never ended.

We only went out for a bit, to thrift some more clothes since Hampton's Chic isn't exactly the look we're going for in the city.

Speaking of, we haven't heard from the boys all day after they left. It was around seven o'clock when they did, and it's evening now. And nothing.

I'm worried it might be my fault. Letting Luke see me in such a vulnerable way and he realized he didn't want me after all. Not even as a friend.

"Hey, Marina's in the city. If we don't have plans we should go to her boyfriend's show thing in the village." Jesse says, looking at the invite on her phone.

"Definitely a contender." I say.

Going out twice in a row isn't exactly my style but fuck it right?

But I don't mind staying in either.

Maybe Luke's busy, and he'll just FaceTime me tonight like he has every night before we got here.

"Or we could go to the gallery opening near Washington square park?" Maddie suggests, "Let's just leave it open 'til Cal texts me back."

"Oh?" I ask, "You heard from him?"

"Yeah, last thing he said was they're going in for soundcheck." Maddie says.