In another lifetime, Leia was sure that her and Taylor would have had the chance to properly explore the United Kingdom together. They'd made have gone out to a few bars, strolled down some high streets and even stopped by a chip store or two. 

In her dream of that lifetime, no one would look twice at them. They weren't internationally famous pop-stars - they were just Leia and Taylor, a young couple in love and living in the moment. They'd hold hands, kiss in between breaks in their sentences and post photos of each other on their instagrams. 

In this lifetime, it was Joe Alwyn who got to hold Taylor's hand and take her to his hometown. It was Joe Alwyn who got to hold the umbrella for her in the park, feed the squirrels on the benches with her and share a fish and chips in the rain.

Because Joe was allowed to be seen with Taylor.

Joe was allowed to be the supportive boyfriend at the end of the reputation tour stage, beaming from the VIP tent as she blew him a kiss. Joe was allowed to gush about her to fans when they bumped into him in the street. Joe was allowed to post Instagram photos that alluded to them being in the same room - even when they weren't. 

Leia watched from the shadows, her heart aching with each public display of affection between Taylor and Joe. She knew it was all for show, but that didn't make it hurt any less. She was becoming a doom-scroller now that she was on tour and was limited in what she could do in her downtime. Every tweet, instagram, article... it just felt like she was being erased from Taylor's life while still being right here.

Things had gotten a little bit weirder since they finished the Dublin dates. 

Manchester had been easy - Joe and Zaria attending the shows made it simple for them to hide their relationship while on tour together and no-one who didn't know about them had questioned anything. Lana Wilson, who was in charge of directing the documentary that Taylor was working on, had found him incredibly charming and even had captured a lovely 'candid' shot of Taylor rushing through the halls after the encore to find Joe.

Staged by Tree and Taylor's team, of course.

Dublin was when things started to get more complicated. 

No Joe and no Zaria meant there was no buffer of affection between them. The number of people who actively knew about their relationship that were on the road with them was smaller now - only Tree, Riven, Taylor's parents and Austin, Camila and Georgie knew. Adrain wasn't touring with them and her parents had returned home. The bubble was tighter.

Charli caught them kissing just before she went on stage in night one in Dublin. Tree and Riven were frustrated, but Charli had seemed unfazed by it and had no issues signing the NDA Tree produced for her by the end of the evening. 

On night 2, when she was almost ready for the pre-show Rep Room, Taylor had been watching Leia's opening performance on the monitors when Amos had asked her about her relationship with the girl. While the bass player had simply just meant their friendship and how they'd met while they'd been off-tour, Taylor had been taken by surprise and asked if he had seen them too.

By the time they reached the Wembley Stadium dates in London, it was pretty apparent that all of Taylor's band had a feeling the two were more than just friends. Leia wasn't sure what the conversations had been, but she was very apparent that something had been murmured between them all when Paul (Taylor's long-term guitarist) told her randomly at breakfast that he was glad she was in Taylor's life.

Meanwhile, Riven was probably more stressed than Leia had ever seen him in his life, and it wasn't because of her and Taylor's relationship.

He was a one-man PR team and things were starting to become unmanageable very quickly with Leia's constantly growing popularity. Since journalists couldn't reach Taylor for any press regarding the tour, their request emails had been firing straight towards Leia, Camila and Charli instead. While Camila and Charli had a few opportunities that were being handle with their own PR agents, it seemed a lot had been sent just to Leia.

Leia sighed, scrolling through her phone as she lounged in her dressing room. The constant barrage of notifications was overwhelming. Interview requests, photoshoot offers, collaboration proposals – they flooded her inbox at an alarming rate, and she hated to think what Riven's inbox looked like. 

She glanced over at Riven who was slouched across from her, his usually impeccable hair slightly disheveled. They'd just arrived that morning at the stadium to do their sound checks for the first London show tomorrow, and it was clear that Leia's performance was the last thing on his mind.

"These press requests are getting out of hand," Riven muttered to her. "Why does a German late night show want you to do a comedy skit? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Sign me up for that," Leia chuckled, scratching behind Tate's ears as the dog rolled against her side on the sofa. She placed her phone down as she locked it for the morning, her attention now solely focused on the German Shepard cross as he snuggled into her side. 

"We do need to start considering some actual interviews or we'll miss out on valuable publicity opportunities," Riven sighed, rubbing at his eyes as he scrolled through his emails. 

He was clearly looking for something he hoped she wouldn't turn down - although he was struggling to find something she'd be willing to do. 

Leia bit her lip, anxiety bubbling in her chest. "I don't know, Riven. What if I slip up? What if they ask about Taylor?"

"Leia, please think about what you've just said," he huffed, annoyance in his tone as he started to get tired with her argument for not doing press. "You are literally on tour with her. Of course that is going to be brought up."

Taking a second to calm himself down, he breathed in before shutting his laptop and looking at her.

"Look, I know it's tough. But we can't keep dodging every opportunity. Your career is taking off, and we need to capitalise on this momentum."

A knock on the door interrupted them.

Taylor peeked in, her blue eyes sparkling despite the tension in the room. Leia's heart skipped a beat at the sight of her girlfriend. 

She wanted nothing more than to rush into Taylor's arms, but she held back, noticing the open door and the bustling documentary camera crew behind her in the hallway.

"Just discussing some PR stuff," Riven explained, his tone professional despite the stress lines etched on his face. "If you wouldn't mind - privately."

The blonde took the hint and excused herself from the camera crew, sending them to go and take some time to relax or shoot other b-roll footage in the meantime. They weren't going to be with them on every date, just the UK shows and then again for a few of the later shows on the tour. They'd have time to capture her speaking to Leia another time.

Taylor stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She moved closer to Leia, their fingers brushing discreetly as she leaned down to greet Tate who looked delighted at the sight of the blonde - even though he'd seen her less than four hours before.

"Anything I can help with?"

"We need to be strategic about which opportunities to accept. We can't have Leia overexposed, but we also can't have her completely absent from the media," Riven explained, not letting Leia speak first. "Yet your friend keeps turning everything down."

Leia felt a pang of guilt at Riven's words. She knew he was right, but the fear of saying something wrong or revealing too much about her relationship with Taylor paralysed her.

Taylor's brow furrowed as she considered the situation.

"What about a joint interview with Camila?" she suggested, her eyes lighting up. "You could do something together, talk about the tour, tease a collaboration between you guys since I know you've been speaking about it. It would take some of the pressure off Leia, and we could control the narrative a lot easier with two people instead of one."

Riven's eyes widened at the idea. 

"That... could actually work," he said slowly, his mind already racing with possibilities. "We'd need to coordinate with Camila and her team, of course, but it could be a great way to showcase your friendship and the tour without raising suspicions."

Leia felt a mix of relief and anxiety at the suggestion. On one hand, having Camila by her side would make any interview infinitely easier. On the other, she was worried Camila was going to be annoyed by being roped in to act as a decoy.

As Riven launched into planning mode, Leia felt some of the tension leave her body. She leaned slightly into Taylor, drawing strength from her presence. Maybe they couldn't hold hands in public or share their love openly, but they could still support each other, still be a team.

Joe was allowed to show Taylor off in public, but Leia was the one that was allowed to love her deeply and passionately in private. And maybe that would be enough.

______

Niall Horan being the surprise guest for night one of their London dates had been lovely. Leia had gotten along well with him, had enjoyed having a few drinks after the show and had made plans to keep in touch.

Robbie Williams was one of her dad's all-time favourite singers, so it was no surprise that her parents had made the trip as soon as she'd tested them to let them know he was going to be performing that evening. Taylor had even been so kind to send her private jet to get them that morning.

Before they knew it, London had flown by and they were back in the USA for the second US leg, starting with Louisville, Kentucky. June was almost over, and Leia was still in amazement at the way the fans were turning up for the tour. It was already breaking records and seeing her girlfriend light up no the stage made everything feel incredible.

It wasn't the only thing that had been incredible either.

The act of being around each other for so long on tour and travelling but not being able to hold hands or act too close had been great for building tension between them. It was like as soon as doors were shut and eyes were off them, they were unable to keep their hands off each other.

Leia wasn't sure how Taylor had so much energy after her shows and rehearsals, but she wasn't going to complain.

As the final notes of the encore faded away and the roar of the crowd filled the arena once more, Leia felt a rush of exhilaration coursing through her veins as her and Camila grinned at each other. The Kentucky shows had been electric, with each performance seeming to outdo the last. They both stood in the tunnels of the stadium, watching on the crew screen as Taylor took her final bow, her blonde hair glistening under the stage lights, a radiant smile lighting up her face.

Backstage, the energy was palpable. Crew members bustled about, breaking down equipment and packing up gear. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and excitement, mingled with the lingering aroma of hairspray and makeup.

They had their standard week off until they next show, and Leia knew the crew wanted to be packed up and on the road ASAP so they had time to set up in their next destination and make it home to their families for the 4th of July.

Leia made her way through the organised chaos, her heart still pounding from the adrenaline of her own performance. Camila was at her side, talking about her last solo show and the antics that her and Georgie had gotten up to that weekend. Leia was glad they were friends - it was nice to see Camila and Georgie spend so much time together while on the road.

The duo found Taylor in her dressing room, already changed out of her glittering stage outfit and into a comfortable oversized sweater and leggings. Georgie was already there too, perched on the edge of a plush velvet couch, her ginger hair swept up in a messy bun. The four of them had fallen into an easy rhythm over the course of the past month, finding moments like these to decompress and chat after shows.

Tate lay at Georgie's feet, his eyes lazily trained on Meredith who was sitting staring at him from Taylor's lap. That was maybe the one constant in her life: Meredith still hated Tate.

"God, I'm exhausted," Taylor sighed, collapsing dramatically onto the couch next to Camila. "But in the best way possible. These past few shows have been incredible and I really think this second leg is going to be crazy."

Leia nodded in agreement, settling into a nearby armchair.

Camila grinned, reaching for a bottle of water from the nearby mini-fridge. "Speaking of things to look forward to," she said, her eyes twinkling with excitement, "Taylor, are you pumped for the 4th of July? I can't wait to just relax for a bit."

Leia felt a spark of anticipation. She'd missed out last year due to her own antics with Dylan but Leia was so excited for this year's Fourth of July bash at Taylor's Rhode Island home – the Instagram-worthy group photos, the patriotic outfits, the star-studded guest list... she was hyped. She opened her mouth, ready to express her own excitement, when she caught sight of Taylor's expression.

The blonde's face had fallen slightly, a flicker of something – regret? frustration? – passing over her features before she schooled them into a neutral smile.

Taylor took a deep breath, her blue eyes darting between Camila, Georgie and Leia. 

"Actually," she began, her voice carefully measured with a soft sigh, "I'm not throwing a party this year anymore. I found out this morning I'm going to have to cancel this year."

Now, that was news to Leia.

The statement hung in the air for a moment, heavy with unspoken implications. Leia felt her stomach drop, a creeping sense of dread taking root. There weren't many reasons why Taylor would cancel one of her favourite times of the year, and there were even less reasons as to why she wouldn't have told Leia as soon as she found that out.

"Oh?" Camila asked, her brow furrowing in confusion as she noticed that Leia and Georgie also looked surprised. "That's a shame. Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine. It's just... I'm going to Turks and Caicos with Joe."

Oh.

The words hit Leia like a physical blow. She struggled to keep her expression neutral, even as she felt her heart constricting in her chest. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, the air thick with tension. 

Leia felt her chest tighten, a mix of hurt and frustration bubbling up inside her. She tried to swallow it down, to maintain her composure, but the emotions were too strong to contain.

"We're doing some... promotional stuff for his new film," Taylor continued, her eyes not quite meeting Leia's. "You know, staged paparazzi photos, that sort of thing. It's all part of the plan. Spend fourth of July with his family, the photos releasing to the press on the film trailer release drop..."

Leia could hear the unspoken apology in Taylor's voice, could see the conflict brewing behind those blue eyes she loved so much. But it didn't make the sting any less painful.

"When were you planning on telling me about this?" Leia asked, her voice low and strained. She could feel Camila and Georgie's eyes on her, but she couldn't bring herself to care about their presence in that moment.

Taylor's eyes flickered with guilt. "I was going to tell you tonight, after the show. I only found out this morning, and I didn't want it to affect your performance."

"Right," Leia scoffed, unable to keep the bitterness from her tone. "Because finding out now is so much better."

The tension in the room ratcheted up another notch. Camila and Georgie exchanged uncomfortable glances, clearly sensing the storm brewing between the couple.

"Um, maybe we should..." Camila began, gesturing towards the door.

"No, it's fine," Taylor said quickly, her eyes never leaving Leia's face. "You guys don't have to go."

But Leia was beyond caring about appearances now. The hurt and disappointment she'd been bottling up for weeks came pouring out in a torrent of words.

"Do you have any idea how much I was looking forward to this?" she asked, her voice trembling. "To finally have a moment where we could just be ourselves, surrounded by friends, without having to hide?"

Taylor's face softened, regret etched in every line. "Leia, I'm sorry. You know if I had a choice-"

"But you do have a choice!" Leia interrupted, her voice rising. "You always have a choice, Taylor. You're just choosing him. Again!"

The words hung in the air, sharp and accusatory. Camila and Georgie shifted uncomfortably, clearly wishing they were anywhere but in the middle of this argument.

"This isn't just about us, Leia. It's about my career, my public image. Sometimes I have to make decisions quickly, and-"

"And what? I'm just supposed to accept it?" Leia interrupted, her blue eyes flashing with hurt and frustration. "I'm just supposed to sit back and watch while you gallivant around with Joe, pretending to be in love, while I'm left behind?"

Meredith, sensing the shift in mood, leapt off Taylor's lap and scurried under a nearby table. Tate whined softly, his tail tucked between his legs.

Camila cleared her throat awkwardly, standing up and gently tugging on Georgie's arm. 

"Yeah," Georgie agreed quickly, already halfway to the door. "We'll just... give you two some privacy."

Neither Taylor nor Leia acknowledged their exit, too caught up in their brewing argument. The door clicked shut behind Camila and Georgie, leaving the couple alone in the suddenly too-quiet room.

As soon as they were alone, Taylor's carefully maintained composure cracked.

"You think this is easy for me?" she asked, her voice thick with pain. "You think I want to spend my holiday pretending to be in love with someone else?"

Leia felt her anger deflate slightly at the raw emotion in Taylor's voice, but the hurt still lingered.

"I know it's not easy," she said, her tone softening. "But it feels like I'm always the one making sacrifices. Always the one left behind while you play happy couples with Joe."

Taylor stood up, crossing the room to kneel in front of Leia's chair. She took Leia's hands in hers, her blue eyes searching Leia's face. Taylor's thumb gently wiped away a tear that had escaped down Leia's cheek.

"You're not left behind. You're right here with me, always. Even when I'm with Joe, even when I'm pretending, you're the one I'm thinking of. You're the one I love."

"Sometimes it doesn't feel that way," Leia admitted quietly. "Sometimes it feels like I'm just a secret you're ashamed of."

Taylor's eyes widened in shock. "No, Leia, never. You could never be something I'm ashamed of. You're the best thing in my life."

She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against Leia's.

"I love you. Only you. Joe, the photos, the PR stunts - they're not real. This, us, that's what's real."

Leia closed her eyes, letting Taylor's words wash over her. She wanted to believe them, needed to believe them.

"Okay," Leia said softly. "I trust you."

Taylor leaned in, capturing Leia's lips in a gentle kiss. It was a promise, an apology, a declaration of love all wrapped into one.

Leia wasn't sure if she was allowed to be upset. But she sure as hell was.

___

Forget tank tops and star-studded bashes—Taylor Swift has swapped the drama of that infamous July 4th party with Tom Hiddleston for a sizzling low-key getaway with her current flame, Joe Alwyn.

The pop sensation, 28, and her British actor beau, 27, were spotted soaking up the sun in Turks and Caicos this morning, where they celebrated Independence Day in style. Taylor turned heads in a red, white, and blue striped bikini as the loved-up pair enjoyed a romantic snorkelling adventure at-

"Leia, turn that shit off," Georgie snapped, entering the room and snatching the remote from Leia's side, aggressively pressing the off button.

Leia sighed heavily, sinking deeper into the plush couch of her New York City apartment. The room was a riot of red, white, and blue decorations - streamers hung from the ceiling, miniature American flags adorned every surface, and a large banner proclaiming "Happy 4th of July!" stretched across one wall. The festive atmosphere felt at odds with the melancholy settling in Leia's chest.

"I know, I know," Leia muttered, running a hand through her auburn hair. "I shouldn't be watching that stuff. It's just... hard not to, you know?"

The apartment felt stifling, the New York summer heat seeping through the windows despite the cranked-up air conditioning. Outside, the city buzzed with pre-holiday excitement, but inside, Leia felt disconnected from it all.

"Right, because Taylor frolicking on a beach is breaking news," Georgie retorted. She turned to face her sister, hands on her hips. "Come on, Leia. We've got a party to throw, remember? Our friends will be here in a couple of hours, and this place is a disaster."

Georgie's expression softened. She crossed the room and pulled Leia into a tight hug.

"I get it. This sucks. But you can't let it ruin your whole holiday, okay? We're gonna have an awesome time tonight, Taylor or no Taylor. The girls will be here soon and our reservation for dinner is at seven."

As they busied themselves with last-minute preparations, Leia tried to push thoughts of Taylor out of her mind. She focused on arranging platters of red, white, and blue cupcakes, and setting up a makeshift bar with an array of patriotic cocktails.

Just as they finished, there was a knock at the door. Leia opened it to find Cara and Gigi amongst some of their other friends in patriotic outfits too. She smiled as she wrapped her arms around them both, pulling them into the apartment.

"Happy Fourth!" Camila exclaimed, pulling Georgie into a hug as she walked past the three that were hugging in the doorway. "We brought extra sparklers and some questionably strong punch."

The apartment quickly filled with laughter and chatter as more friends arrived. Leia found herself relaxing, caught up in the festive atmosphere. They played party games, sang karaoke (badly), and took countless selfies with sparklers and tiny American flags before heading out to their dinner and bar reservation.

Georgie - who was clearly very tipsy despite not having reached her 21st birthday yet - was the one who had suggested going out to one of the more livelier bars near their apartment and Leia couldn't refuse that.

As they entered the pulsing heart of the bar, Leia felt the bass thrumming through her body. The air was thick with the scent of spilled beer and sweat, mingling with the sweet perfume of the crowd. Neon lights cast a kaleidoscope of colours across the faces of other partiers, their features shifting between blue, red, and purple hues.

The perfect distraction.

Georgie and Camila immediately made a beeline for the dance floor, their bodies moving in sync with the pounding rhythm. Cara and Gigi found a booth in the corner, already deep in animated conversation. Leia smiled, watching her friends disperse into the crowd, each finding their own pocket of joy in the chaos.

She made her way to the bar, weaving through the throng of bodies. The polished wood was sticky beneath her elbows as she leaned forward, trying to catch the bartender's attention.

Just as she opened her mouth to order, she felt a presence behind her. A familiar cologne tickled her nose, sending a chill down her spine that had nothing to do with the air conditioning as two arms placed themselves on either side of her at the bar, trapping her in against him.

"What a coincidence meeting you here," a voice murmured close to her ear, barely audible over the thumping music.

Leia's heart plummeted to her stomach. She turned slowly in his trap, already knowing who she'd see but hoping desperately to be wrong.

Dylan stood there, a lazy smirk playing on his lips. His eyes, glassy from alcohol (and likely other substances she was sure he had been consuming in the bathroom), raked over her form appreciatively. He looked exactly as she remembered - carelessly handsome in a way that used to make her weak at the knees. Now, it just made her nauseous.

"Dylan," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. The music seemed to fade away, leaving them in a bubble of tense silence.

"Can't an old friend say hello? Maybe buy you a drink for old times' sake?"

The idea of sharing a drink with Dylan made her stomach churn. Memories of their toxic past flashed through her mind - the fights, the drugs, the pain. She took a step back, her hip bumping against the bar. The step back didn't seem to help matters, as Dylan just stepped in closer to her with his arms still resting on either side of her on the wood, holding her in place as the crowd around them paid no attention to the two.

She glanced around frantically, looking for Georgie or any of her friends, but the crowd had swallowed them up. She was alone with the last person she ever wanted to see again.

Dylan leaned in closer, his breath hot against Leia's ear. She could smell the whiskey on him, mixed with cigarette smoke and something else - something chemical and bitter. Her skin crawled at his proximity.

Leia's heart raced, her palms growing clammy. She tried to push him away, but he didn't budge. His body was like a wall, trapping her against the bar.

"I have to say, I was surprised to see you on tour with Swift," Dylan drawled, his words slightly slurred. "Quite the career leap, isn't it? One minute you're playing your single on the radio and then the next you're opening for America's sweetheart."

The way he spat out the last part reminded Leia that he was not a fan of Taylor - not that she'd forget that.

"It's a great opportunity," she managed to say, her voice sounding weak even to her own ears. Dylan's smirk widened, his eyes glinting dangerously in the pulsing neon lights.

"Oh, I'm sure it is. A great opportunity indeed." He leaned in even closer, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "But you might want to be more careful with your secrets, Leia. The way you look at her when she's on stage... well, let's just say it's not very subtle."

Leia felt as if all the air had been sucked out of her lungs. Her eyes widened in panic, darting around the crowded bar, terrified that someone might have overheard. But the music was too loud, the revelers too caught up in their own celebrations to notice the tense exchange happening at the bar.

Dylan pulled back slightly, his face inches from hers. 

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. For now." His fingers trailed along her arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake. "But secrets have a way of coming out, don't they? Especially in our line of work."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Leia said, trying to inject some strength into her voice. But even to her own ears, it sounded hollow and unconvincing.

Dylan chuckled, a low, menacing sound that sent shivers down her spine. "Come on, Leia. We both know that's not true. I always knew you had a thing for blondes."

Anger flared in Leia's chest, momentarily overpowering her fear.  

"You don't know anything about me or my life," she hissed, pushing against his chest. 

But Dylan didn't budge, his larger frame easily keeping her pinned against the bar.

"What do you want from me?" she snapped, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dylan pulled back slightly, his eyes roving over her face. For a moment, she saw a flicker of the boy she once thought she loved - vulnerable, almost sad. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by that familiar, predatory gleam.

"For now? Just to say hello," he said, finally stepping back. His hand trailed down her arm, grasping her palm for a second and pressing something in to it. She went to look down, but he lifted his hand and lightly grasped at her chin. "Thought we could have reminisced on old times together... but I don't think tonight's the night for that. You're very on edge... so this might help with that."

With one last smirk, Dylan melted into the crowd, leaving Leia trembling against the bar. The music came rushing back, the chatter of the crowd overwhelming her senses. She felt dizzy, nauseous, her mind reeling from the encounter.

Leia's heart pounded as she slowly uncurled her fingers, dreading what she might find. 

There, nestled in her palm, was a small plastic bag containing a familiar white powder. The sight of it made her stomach lurch. The very substance that had nearly destroyed her life before.

The tiny crystals glinted mockingly under the pulsing neon lights, a stark reminder of darker days she'd fought so hard to leave behind. Memories flashed through her mind - endless parties, the rush of euphoria followed by crushing lows, waking up in strange places with no recollection of how she got there. The bag felt impossibly heavy in her hand, as if it carried the weight of all her past mistakes.

Before she could react, a familiar voice cut through the haze of her panic.

"Leia? Are you okay?" Gigi pushed through the throng of drinkers, her face etched with concern. "I just saw Dylan walking away from here. Did he bother you?"

Leia's fingers instinctively closed around the bag, her palm sweating. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. Her throat felt tight, constricted by fear and shame.

Gigi's eyes narrowed as she took in Leia's pale face and trembling hands. "What did he do?" she demanded, her voice low and dangerous.

Leia's eyes darted around the crowded bar, suddenly hyper-aware of how exposed they were. Anyone could see, anyone could overhear. The music seemed to grow louder, the bass thumping in time with her racing heart. The press of bodies around them felt suffocating, closing in from all sides.

"I... he..." Leia stammered, her voice barely audible over the pounding music.

Leia took a deep breath, forcing her racing thoughts to slow. She couldn't let Gigi see how rattled she was. With trembling fingers, she discreetly slipped the small bag into her purse, zipping it shut with finality.

"I'm fine," Leia managed, plastering on a smile that felt brittle even to her. "He was just being his usual charming self. You know how he gets."

Gigi's piercing gaze softened slightly, but concern still etched her features.

"Are you sure? You look pale. We can leave if you want."

Leia shook her head, her auburn waves catching the light. "No, really. I'm okay. He just... he has a way of getting under my skin, you know?"

Gigi hesitated for a moment, clearly unconvinced. Leia held her breath, praying her friend wouldn't push further. The weight of the bag in her purse felt like a lead weight, threatening to drag her down.

Finally, Gigi nodded.

"Alright, if you're sure. But if he shows his face again, I'm not holding back. I'll gladly risk an assault charge to wipe that smirk off his face." 

She reached out and grabbed Gigi's hand, pulling her towards the dance floor where Georgie and Camila were lost in the music. The pulsing beat of the latest pop hit reverberated through the air, vibrating in Leia's chest.

"Come on," Leia shouted over the music, "let's dance! It's the Fourth of July, and we're supposed to be celebrating!"

As they pushed through the crowd, the scent of perfume, sweat, and spilled drinks mingled in the air. Leia's heart was still racing, but now she could pretend it was from the excitement of the night rather than her encounter with Dylan.

They reached Georgie and Camila, who greeted them with enthusiastic whoops. Georgie's face was flushed, her ginger hair wild from dancing. Camila had an American flag temporary tattoo on her cheek, slightly smudged from the heat of the club.

For a moment, Leia could almost forget about the weight of the small bag in her purse, about Dylan's threatening words, about Taylor being miles away with Joe.

But all moments came to an end, eventually.