𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓮𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓾𝓼
ᴳⁱʳˡˢ ᵈᵃʸ ⁱˢ ᵃ ᴺᴱᴱᴰ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵃ ʷᵃⁿᵗ

It was a bright Saturday morning when Aurelie picked up Scarlett, Emory, Ivy, and Claire for a long-awaited girls' day.

The mall was packed, but that didn't dampen their excitement as they jumped out of the car, chatting and laughing as they made their way inside.

"First stop?" Emory asked, already pulling up the map on her phone. "American eagle or Urban Outfitters?"

Scarlett, who was already leading the way, smirked. "Both, obviously. We've got all day, and there's no way we're leaving without hitting every good store."

Aurelie chuckled, feeling lighter already.

It had been a while since she'd had a carefree day like this—between filming and the chaos of life, she hadn't had much time to unwind with her friends. "Let's just promise not to max out our cards in the first two hours."

"Too late," Ivy grinned, eyeing a sale sign in the distance. "I'm already mentally shopping."

They wandered through the stores, trying on outfits and joking around as they picked out things they didn't really need but definitely wanted.

Aurelie found a pair of high-waisted jeans that fit perfectly and a cropped band tee that Ivy insisted she had to buy.

"Is this too much?" Aurelie asked, looking at herself in the mirror.

"No," Emory shook her head. "It's exactly enough. Rock star vibes, for sure."

Scarlett held up a floral sundress. "Okay, but seriously, how cute would this be for our next summer trip?"

Claire nodded. "Totally! Maybe we can do another beach day like last year."

They made their way through the mall, laughing and taking photos, the weight of reality slipping further and further away with each step.

When they finally decided they were done shopping, they headed for the food court, deciding on Panda Express for lunch.

Seated around a table, the conversation turned to casual gossip and updates on everyone's lives.

Scarlett talked about her latest crush, Emory shared funny stories from her drama class, and Ivy updated them on her recent family drama ( it's the Reynolds's family what did you expect )

For a while, it felt like old times—just the girls, hanging out and enjoying each other's company.

Aurelie laughed along, but as she finished the last of her lo mein, she felt a small pang in her chest. She'd been avoiding certain topics, but she could feel her friends' eyes on her, silently asking how she was doing.

Once they'd finished their meal, they piled back into Aurelie's car and drove back to her house, where a movie night was planned.

Her family was out, which meant they had the place to themselves.

They changed into pajamas and claimed their spots in Aurelie's cozy living room.

Blankets were draped over the couches, popcorn was ready, and they scrolled through Netflix until they agreed on a classic—Clueless.

The room dimmed as the movie started, and for a while, it was all laughter and inside jokes, with occasional pauses to talk about which actor they'd had crushes on back in the day. But midway through the movie, as they hit the iconic makeover scene, Claire reached for the remote and paused it.

Emory glanced over, her eyes soft with concern. "Aurel, we've been having so much fun today, but we can't ignore that something's been off with you lately."

Scarlett, sitting next to Aurelie on the couch, added gently, "Yeah, you don't have to pretend everything's fine with us."

Aurelie let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, hugging her knees to her chest. "I know. I've been avoiding talking about it. About the breakup."

The room went silent, the weight of her words sinking in. Ivy shifted closer, placing a hand on Aurelie's arm. "What really happened? You never told us the full story."

Aurelie bit her lip, struggling to find the right words. She hadn't wanted to think about the breakup, let alone talk about it, but she knew she couldn't keep it bottled up any longer. "It was during the last few weeks of filming *The Necklace*. Everything was fine before then. Walker and I... we had it figured out, I thought. Wed do it "

Scarlett nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"But then," Aurelie's voice wavered, "I started getting really busy. The days were long, and I'd be exhausted when I got back to the hotel. I stopped making time for him. I'd miss his calls or forget to text him back because I was so wrapped up in everything on set. And then, we had this stupid fight."

She wiped at her eyes, her throat tightening. "It wasn't even about anything important. I was just... stressed. And I took it out on him. I snapped and said things I didn't mean. And instead of apologizing, I got defensive. I just... kept pushing him away."

Ivy squeezed her arm. "Aurel, you were under a lot of pressure. You can't be too hard on yourself."

"I know, but I feel like I ruined everything," Aurelie whispered, tears now streaming down her face. "We fought again a few days later, and that was it. He left. He didn't come back to visit me on set. I didn't reach out we didn't respond. And eventually... it just- it was over."

Emory frowned. "That's a lot to handle on your own."

Scarlett spoke up, her voice firm but kind. "It wasn't just you, though. Relationships are hard, especially when you're both trying to balance so much. Maybe you both needed space, but that doesn't mean you're the only one at fault."

Aurelie nodded, sniffling. "I just wish I hadn't pushed him away. I love him, but I didn't show it when he needed me to. And now... I don't know if he'd ever forgive me. I still love him "

Claire, sitting across from her, gave her a small smile. "You're only human, Aurel. You both were going through a lot, and it's okay that things got messy. If he loves you, there's still hope."

Ivy added, "You'll get through this, no matter what happens. And you don't have to go through it alone."

Aurelie managed a weak smile, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. It wasn't easy talking about it, but having her friends by her side made it more bearable. She wasn't sure what the future held for her and Walker, but at least she knew she had the support of the people who mattered most to her.

Scarlett gave her a reassuring nudge. "Alright, enough heavy stuff for now. Let's finish the movie, and then we can spend the rest of the night figuring out how to cheer you up."

Aurelie laughed softly, wiping away the last of her tears. "Thanks, guys. I needed this."

The girls settled back in as Claire pressed play, the familiar scenes of Clueless filling the room once again. Aurelie let herself relax, the comforting presence of her friends making her feel like, somehow, everything would be okay.

— THE SECRET OF US —