"This floor used to be a store for the previous tenants, but we can have it remodelled to its original state if you'd like." The blond, bespectacled woman said as she pressed her clipboard tightly against her chest, heels clicking rhythmically against the hardwood floors. "There are two bedrooms and a living room upstairs."

Ashley looked around, hands stuffed in the pockets of his hoodie. He felt remarkably uncomfortable making important financial decisions. Growing up the way he did the only experiences with money and planning he had been saving, saving and more saving.

Bella, on the other hand, was practically bouncing on her feet. She was incredibly giddy to execute Ashley's plan. She, at least according to her, "inherited a stupid amount of money she needed to get rid of", so she insisted on paying half of the down payment and half of the future rent, despite Ashley's theoretically infinite amount of money.

"What do you think Ashley?" Bella asked, running her hand through her short cropped hair. She'd cut it even shorter now, so now she looked like a textbook lesbian.

"It's nice, I guess..." He pressed his lips together, rubbing his palms together nervously. "Can we see the next floor?"

The frazzled blond woman nodded, tucking a strand of limp blonde hair behind her ear. "Of course Mr Wren. Right, this way." She gestured up the staircase, and Ashley almost laughed at the absurdity of someone twice his age calling him 'Mr'.

They followed the blond up the stairs where she shows them the two bedrooms and living room, which is almost identical to the second floor of Ethan's apartment.

"So, will you take it?" The blond asks, eyes hopeful.

"Maybe." He didn't want to seem too excited, so they could get a better price.

At least that's how I think it works out in the movies.

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Candice thinks she might kill Lukas if he doesn't stop with all the goddamned hammering. She was trying to make fun of Twilight with her girlfriend, but she barely heard Bella's monotone monologues over the insistent clank of bronze being bent into pace.

"Maybe someone should talk to him?" Candice shot Kaili a glare once the words left her mouth. She knew exactly why Candice was giving him the cold shoulder. She was still miffed at him for what he did yesterday. She'd come into his workshop, wanting to find out if he wanted some of the food her father sent, and he threw a flipping axe at her.

An axe.

It didn't hit her of course, as she was still capable of rendering complex thought. His aim was usually perfect, so Candice knew he'd missed on purpose because he would never hurt her intentionally. That didn't stop her from being mad though, would it stop you?

The boy is lucky Candice knew why he was miserable or she would have gotten the neighbouring wildlife to invade his precious workshop.

Or get Azmi to have a jungle grow in there overnight.

Suddenly the sounds stopped, and Candice heard the doors of Lukas' workshop swing open then shut. Next came the shuffling of feet and soon the blonde was in the kitchen just a room away from her, rooting through the fridge like he was starving. Which made sense in a way; Lukas hadn't eaten much over the past few days.

Candice sighed, unsure of her next decision. Before she could over think it, she called out, refusing to second-guess herself.

🍴🍰🍫☕🍹🍴

Ethan couldn't help but jump a little when he heard Ashley let out a high pitched squeal from the bathroom, ripping his concentration away from jotting down a recipe.

"Ashley?" He gets up, stopping in front of the closed bathroom door and knocking softly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I just overreacted." Ashley's responds, voice barely above a whisper as he attempts to mask thinly veiled emotion.

"Are you sure? You still sound upset."

"I'm fine."

"Ashley..."

"I think I have stretch marks."

"Oh." Of all the things he could possibly be upset about Ethan was not expecting that.

"I've never had them before." Ashley opened the door slightly and peaked his head through. He was wrapped up in a fluffy pale blue bathrobe. "They just look so... ugly."

"You're a lot of things Ashley, but you're definitely not ugly." Ethan sighed, taking a step closer. "You've been eating more than usual haven't you? Even before you were on the streets."

"Yes but..." His voice trailed off quietly into nothing.

"It's just what happens when your body grows fast. There's nothing wrong with it."

"They feel rough, and they look like weird rashes." He pouted and sat on the bed, drawing his knees up to his chest. "I want them gone."

"Ashley." Ethan sat next to him with a sigh, resting a hand on Ashley's thigh. "It couldn't possibly be that bad."

Ashley huffed and untied his robe, sliding it up to show Ethan part of his thigh. "See?"

"Is that all?" Ethan reached out, placing his up hand higher up on Ashley's thigh. "There's barely anything there."

"Etha-" Ethan silenced him by pressing his lips against Ashley's. Ashley sighed and melted into Ethan's chest, wrapping his arms around Ethan's neck as his hands migrated up to his waist, pulling at the ropes of his bathrobe.

He pulled the fabric open, pushing Ashley down onto the bed and crawling on top of him. "I don't know what you're talking about. You look so beautiful."

"Ethan, you can't just expect me to forget all about this." Ashley let out a soft moan as Ethan's lips met his neck, leaving behind a trail of hickeys to his collarbone. "Well... maybe I can forget for a little bit."

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I finished the first Exam in my Oct/Nov IGCSE's so I wrote this as a reward for all my studying.

I'm thinking of writing a sex scene. The only reason I haven't already is mostly because of nerves. Describing sex is very different from describing other things, as you can imagine. If I ever write one it'll be in a different book, so even if it comes out awkward and weird it won't be a part of this book.

Do you guys think I should write one?

- I. Tamilore Onkọwe

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