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     "Damn... that sucks..." Eliana sucked her teeth, but deep down, she was actually incredibly glad to hear that Maddy and Nate had broken up.

     Maddy laughed, knowing her friend all too well.  "You don't have to pretend, Ellie.  I'm actually moving on this time.  It's been so much better without him."

     "Uh-huh..." a part of Eliana wanted to believe in Maddy, she really did, but if she had a quarter for every time those two had broken up then she'd be on a yacht.

     Maddy playfully hit her friend's arm with a smile, her other hand on the steering wheel as she drove her car.  "I'm being serious this time.  I can't keep risking my life and my future for him."

     Since Eliana had gotten back home from spending the semester with her dad in chilly Colorado, Maddy had been more than happy to update her on the events she missed out on.  Rue getting out of rehab, the new girl, Kat's new boyfriend, Nate choking Maddy at the fair and then later blackmailing her, passing out in school after taking molly at the fair with Cassie, the awkward prom, and apparently Rue almost ran away with the new girl.  At least BB was the same.

     Eliana sighed.  "I'm glad, babe.  You've been through way too much for his bum-ass."

     Maddy scoffed lightly.  "Yeah, you can say that again."

     "All the gifts I bought you guys are from the town that's winter all the time.  You also got another something bigger I'm saving for your birthday," Eliana said.

     "Ellie Romano you are the sweetest girl ever!" Maddy giggled, running her free hand over the side of Eliana's face, her nail poking Eliana's pearl earring.  Eliana also laughed at the emotion.  "No, but those pictures you sent me of the snow?  Hello?  Was it like that every day?  Sounds like hell," Maddy said.  "But was it nice?  How's your dad?"

     Eliana leaned her arm on the centre console of Maddy's car, briefly checking the time on her phone, which was plugged into the car.  Kehlani played quietly in the background from Eliana's Spotify playlist, and a picture of Maddy, Cassie, Lexi and Eliana at the arcade from freshman year was her lockscreen.  Eliana loved that picture, she smiled every time she looked at it.  Her mom had taken it when she was picking her up.  That was when her mom used to get out of the house.

     "It was very nice, more than I thought it was going to be," Eliana told her truthfully.  "Dad's fine.  Kinda lonely, but he's got a new girlfriend.  They're taking it really slow.  She's nice."

     "That's so good," Maddy nodded.  "More importantly, did you meet anyone out there?"

     "No one worth noting."

     Maddy groaned.  "Oh come on, don't hold out on me.  Let me live like vicariously through you!"

     The girls burst into a fit of laughter.  "Okay, okay.  A couple of guys, but seriously, no one special.  Besides, I'm not dating right now, remember?"

     "Any of them good in bed?" Maddy asked, her eyes still glued to the road.

     Eliana sighed quietly, she knew what Maddy was getting at, and she knew she meant well.  But it was hard when you were already in love with someone who had given you everything already.  "Eh, I only slept with like, two guys in those six months, Mads.  They were... okay."

     Maddy rolled her eyes.  "Oh my God girl, you're hopeless."

     Eliana laughed, playing with the cherry fruit ring on her middle finger in her lap as she tried to get the image of her former boyfriend out of her head.  For not seeing him for a long time, he really was everywhere.  "I know.  One day I'll forget him."

     "You know, one day, someone will come into your life and he'll be everything you're already looking for.  Or, you know, you'll work things out and get back together and I throw you the fucking hottest bachelorette party of all fucking time," Maddy smiled, grabbing Eliana's hand with her own.  

     Their nails contrasted, while Eliana's were black french tipped, Maddy's were purple with diamonds in a line down the middle.  They did match her outfit, which was a velour purple dress with a heart cutout in the chest while Eliana opted for a light green mini skirt and a black long sleeve with flared lace sleeves.  Maddy's hair was slicked back into a low bun while Eliana's hair was left down and she bumped the ends slightly, sliding in a light green barrette diagonal to her eyebrow arch on her right side.  Ever since Eliana dyed her hair blonde last year, she had been going out of her way to find ways to style it, and her recent inspirations consisted of Jackie and Marilyn.  Both girls were extra, but they loved it.

     Eliana's heart fluttered at the idea of being with Fez again, but she would never admit that.  All she wanted was for them to work things out and get on with the happily ever after.  "Thanks, Mad.  I hope the same for you, minus the getting back together with your ex."

     "Ugh, shoot me if that ever happens again," Maddy groaned.  "Hey, you don't mind if I stop for some rolling paper?"

     "At Fez's?" Eliana asked.

     Maddy's eyes widened slightly at the mention of his name, which Eliana hardly ever used to address him.  Maddy didn't know Fez extremely well, she really only knew him when he was dating Eliana (and she knew Nate gave him a hard time whenever he would drop in the store for rolling papers and sodas).  "Uh, yeah.  It's on the way to Kat's.  Also, I kinda need to piss right fucking now."

     They were currently on the way to Kat's Christmas party, Maddy and Eliana having been invited by the girl as VIPs from school, but Eliana knew how fast Kat grew tired of her family and therefore Maddy and Ellie would be her saving graces.  "Yeah, I go there all the time.  Minus the past six months or so."

     "Alright," Maddy said as she switched lanes, preparing to take the road that would lead them straight to the store Fez's family owned.

     "Why'd you say it like that?" Eliana asked.

     "Like what?"

     "Like you're unsure or something."

     "I just want to make sure you're sure.  Are you sure, Ellie?"

     "Yes, I'm sure!" Eliana was already unbuckling her seatbelt, but cautiously looking through the glass panels to see if she could catch sight of her ex.  "See, only Ashtray's here.  No problems tonight."

     "That's what you said when we went to that party last year when he came with Rue and you ended up drinking a whole bottle of Hornitos," Maddy said, also unbuckling her seatbelt.

     "That was like, a one-time thing," Eliana said, opening the car door and walking around the front, her and Maddy walking inside hand in hand.  "Like it was an 'I just broke up with the man of my dreams so I earned this bottle of Hornitos' type of thing."

     "Hey Ash," Maddy greeted the child sitting behind the counter.  "Can I use the bathroom here?"

     "I guess."

     "Hey, Ashtray."

     "Hello."

     To say Ashtray was less than excited to see Eliana walk-in was an oversimplification of events, but Ashtray was less than excited to see Eliana walk in.  The boy wasn't exactly joyful at the sight of the girl who broke his brother's heart.  Regardless of the walls Fez had set up to prevent people from seeing in.  Begrudgingly, Ashtray prepared the rolling paper he knew Maddy would ask for while Eliana wandered down the aisles towards the back.

     "Looking for anything in particular?"

     Eliana froze in place once she heard that familiar deep voice.  Maybe if she didn't move then he wouldn't notice her.  But she turned, regardless, locking eyes with her former flame.  Dressed in pale green under the shitty lights did nothing but make her shine, glossed lips looking nothing but inviting and warm to the boy, her mind⎯body⎯soul still marked by him and he knew it.

     "Some cherry pops came in last night," he said, looking deep into her eyes, not realizing how much he missed those hazel flecks until now.

     "Hm?"

     "Those cherry flavoured soda pops you like?" he brought a hand to his short hair, still unable to stop looking at Eliana.  Dark jeans, a white t-shirt and a gold chain, he looked the same as the day she left him.  The sound of his voice alone tugged at her heartstrings.  "Big case of them came in last night."

     "Right," she nodded.  She rubbed her palms on the sides of her hips softly.  Not sure if it was the comforting colours, the familiarity of standing near the back of the store, neither wanted to break apart from that moment in time.  "Thank you... for that."

     "I..." he started...

     "Hm?" she hummed quietly, hoping Maddy wouldn't be coming out of the bathroom anytime soon.

     All train of his thought was lost as her lips were twinkling at him, calling to him, inviting him.  He took a heavy step forward, closing in on the thick space between the two, and let her decide what she wanted.  Maybe it was the deja vu, the winter season, the fact that they were here once again at the back of the store, but Eliana knew he was telling her something, and she answered by looking up at him and welcoming his lips to hers once again.

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maddy: this is my gf and her bf 🥰🥰

me after making eliana go back to fez literally one chapter in but are we surprised? act surprised