MIDNIGHT SKY.
﹆ . ⁺ . ✦ ﹒₊˚𓂃 ★﹒₊‧
⌞ 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗐𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗒-𝖿𝗂𝗏𝖾 .ᐟ ⌝

"Honey, we're home!" Madison called out, her voice echoing as the three girls tumbled into Madelyn's apartment, their arms laden with bags of chips and yet another pizza box in tow.

"Yay!" Madelyn squealed, her excitement palpable as she dashed over to greet them. "I'm so happy you're all here but obviously, not as happy as Drew will be to see Saige!" She winked playfully.

The sentence made Saige's stomach flutter nervously, and she instinctively scanned Madelyn's apartment, half-expecting to spot Drew, but thankfully, he was nowhere in sight. A blush crept up her cheeks, rolling her eyes in an attempt to mask it. "Yeah, right." She muttered, trying to play it cool.

Saige and Raella then headed to the living room, settling onto the couch and plopping down next to each other. Saige made a point of sitting at the edge, leaving no space for a potential seatmate. She wasn't about to risk having Drew sit beside her again, not after last time.

"Yeah, no, Cline's not lying," Austin called out from the kitchen. "He practically screamed, 'fuck yes,' and bolted out of here thirty minutes ago. To shower. Who the hell takes that long to get ready?"

"Drew, apparently." Raella muttered under her breath, a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Saige couldn't help but giggle at that. But just as the sound left her lips, the front door creaked open and her breath hitched.

"Ya'll talking about me or what?" Drew's voice rang out from the front door, the sound of it slamming shut behind him.

Shit.

Saige froze in her seat, the sight of Drew stepping into the living room causing her entire body to tense. He was dressed in a plain white shirt and grey sweatpants—of course, he had to wear sweatpants! FML, she thought to herself, facepalming herself inwardly as her heart did a little flip.

Drew's eyes immediately found Saige's and they locked in a silent stare. For a long moment, neither of them looked away, the weeks of distance between them hanging heavy in the air.

"Hey." Drew finally managed to say and it had felt like he was holding his breath.

Saige paused for a moment, giving him a brief nod of greeting before forcing herself to look away. She focused intently on her phone, as if it were the most important thing in the world. Her fingers trembled slightly as she scrolled through it, opening and closing apps mindlessly, the repetitive motions a poor attempt to distract herself from the tension in the room.

The others busied themselves in the kitchen, their chatter a soft attempt to fill the awkward silence that hung between Drew and Saige. They knew. Of course, they knew. It was all part of the plan, moving in motion to help Drew get Saige back. A simple movie marathon, one that seemed innocent enough on the surface but was carefully arranged to bring them together.

Saige's heart nearly leaped out of her chest when Drew finally took a seat on the couch across from her, his movements slow and deliberate. She couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes yet but she could feel his gaze on her, burning through the space between them. Her fingers grew clammy as she clutched her phone tighter, unable to escape the weight of his attention.

Thankfully, Drew didn't say anything. Saige wasn't sure she could handle it—not yet, anyway.

A few moments later, the rest of the cast arrived, and the sky had already started to darken. They all gathered in the living room, the atmosphere shifting as the lights were dimmed to near darkness. The projector flickered to life and the movie began playing, filling the space with a soft glow and muffling the lingering tension in the room.

The opening scene of Ready or Not rolled on but Saige barely registered a thing. Her mind wandered, slipping back to Drew—how close he was, sitting across from her, just within reach.

Two weeks of silence between them had left her feeling hollow, as though something essential had been drained from her. And the thought of him being so near now was almost unbearable. She had to fight the urge to leap off the couch and move toward him, desperate for proximity.

But it wasn't the right time. Not yet, anyway.

The room fell into a quiet stillness as the group focused on the movie, the characters' dialogue flickering across the screen. Saige allowed herself to settle into the moment, watching with genuine curiosity, letting the film pull her in. But even with her attention on the movie, her curiosity about Drew lingered. She couldn't help herself. She allowed herself just one quick glance; just one quick glimpse.

And so, she did. Her gaze diverted over from the movie to where Drew was. He was focused on the movie, the flickering light casting shadows across his face. His jaw was tight, his eyes intent on the screen. But then, in a moment that felt like time slowed, he turned his head towards her and their eyes locked.

Saige's breath caught in her throat. She wanted to look away. She wanted to prove to herself that she wasn't going to cave, that she could hold her ground. But she couldn't. She was frozen, caught in the intensity of his gaze, unable to look away. It was like a magnetic pull between them.

Drew's brows furrowed slightly, the subtle question of "everything okay?" hanging silently in the air. Saige swallowed hard, her chest tightening at the quiet concern in his expression. His eyes held so much—too much—unspoken things, a depth of emotion that she couldn't quite read but felt in her bones. There was still turmoil behind them, the same unrest that had been there before, as if it hadn't faded; hadn't been resolved.

Then, Saige let a small smile settle on her lips, soft and fleeting, as if to say, we're okay, and we'll talk, but just not now. It was a quiet reassurance, both for herself and for him, a silent promise that everything was still there, even if they weren't on good terms now.

As if reading her mind, Drew pursed his lips in a quiet acknowledgment and gave her a slow nod. Then, thankfully, he broke their eye contact, allowing Saige to exhale in relief. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to look away, not when the weight of everything between them felt so overwhelming.

Not when she missed him so much—missed his touch, his voice, his scent... all of him. The ache was there, deep and raw, and it took everything in her not to reach out to him.

The silent exchange between them stirred something deep inside her, making her stomach churn in the most unsettling way. And in that moment, it hit her what the quiet agreement really meant. It wasn't just a passing glance or an unspoken promise. It meant that Drew knew her well enough to understand her, to read her without words. It meant there was something real between them, something personal, something undeniable.

And for the first time, Saige allowed herself to believe it. For real this time.

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

As the ending credits of Ready or Not rolled, the group began exchanging their insights and opinions on the movie, shaking their heads and standing up from their seats. They made their way to the kitchen, eager for food, and soon, everyone had filtered out of the living room, leaving Drew and Saige alone.

Though the sound of their friends' laughter echoed from the other room, the air between Drew and Saige remained thick, charged with an unspoken uneasiness. It was as if an invisible weight hung over them, pulling the space between them tighter with every passing second.

Saige took a deep breath, standing up as if to escape the heavy tension between them. She was just about to head to the kitchen with the others when his voice, low and steady, stopped her in her tracks.

"Saige," he said, his tone carrying an unspoken weight.

She swallowed hard, her throat tight. "Yeah?" She managed to say.

"Can we talk?" His voice held so much meaning, laced with a vulnerability that almost sounded like a plea. Saige wanted to say no, wanted to keep the distance between them, but before she could, he added. "After?"

Saige paused, her thoughts spinning. She did miss him, and she wanted so badly to fix everything, to go back to how things were. The idea of being apart any longer felt too much to bear. And in that moment, something inside her shifted. So, she turned toward him, finally facing him, the weight of everything between them crashing into her chest.

Anticipation was written all over his face as he waited for Saige's response, his eyes searching hers with a quiet urgency. She felt her throat go dry, the words nearly stuck in her chest. But then, she managed to say. "Okay." She took a breath and added. "When everyone's asleep, we'll talk."

Drew nodded, his shoulders relaxing. After a brief pause, he spoke again, his voice quieter. "Rooftop?"

Saige stared at him for a moment, her stomach fluttering, before she gave a small nod. "Rooftop."

With that, she turned away from him, her heart still racing, and made her way toward the others. She grabbed a plate of pizza and pasta that Carlacia had brought, trying to act normal, even though her mind kept drifting back to the quiet agreement they'd made.

"Is it just me or did you talk to Drew?" Madison whispered to Saige as soon as they were left alone in the kitchen, still grabbing food and drinks. The others had already gone back to the living room, eager to start the new movie Chase had picked out.

"I did," Saige nodded, keeping her voice low. "He wants to talk."

"And?" Madison raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "What'd you say?"

Saige shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah. Figured it's been a while, and... don't snitch but I kinda miss him." She tried to stifle a smile but it slipped out anyway and she ended up pouting instead.

Madison squealed quietly, poking her arm. "I fucking knew it, you bitch!" She hissed, grinning from ear to ear. "Just kiss already and love the hell out of each other."

Saige's heart thumped at Madison's words. Love? She hadn't really thought about that yet. But the idea of her and Drew dating, of loving each other, of being able to call him hers—it felt daunting, overwhelming even.

"I don't know about love." Saige muttered, shaking her head.

Madison threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, come on, the dude's in love with you," she teased, her voice light but full of certainty. "I see it in the way he walks into a room and his eyes immediately search for you. You're it for him."

Saige allowed a small smile to tug at her lips, the words sinking in deeper than she cared to admit.

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

"Guys, I'm still hungry," Rudy complained dramatically as the second movie's credits rolled. "Can we please go to Raising Cane's?"

"Is it still open at this hour?" Madison raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Do they even let you in after midnight?"

"Obviously," Rudy replied with a grin, leaning back like he had insider knowledge. "I would know. I'm a regular."

"I'm down," Austin chimed in, not even hesitating.

"Me too!" Madelyn exclaimed. "I've got chicken finger cravings that won't quit now that Rudy mentioned it."

"Well, alright then," JD sighed, rolling his eyes. "Guess we're all about that midnight chicken life."

The group muttered a series of agreements, all except for Drew and Saige. But no one really paid them much attention as they excitedly piled out of Madelyn's apartment, chicken fingers on their minds.

Saige had secretly given Raella a heads-up, gesturing toward Drew, who was in the kitchen. Raella had silently screamed, her eyes wide with playful disbelief, before giving Saige a thumbs up in response.

The door shut behind them, and she let out a deep breath, steadying herself. This was it. She willed herself to approach Drew in the kitchen. Her movements were deliberate, slow, each step carrying more weight than the last.

Saige finally came into view of Drew, who was leaning against the counter, casually drinking a glass of water. The moment he spotted her, his eyes widened, his attention immediately snapping to her. He paused mid-sip, the glass hovering at his lips, as if he were waiting for her to make the first move. The air between them thickened, charged with an unspoken anticipation.

"Hi." Saige mumbled coyly.

"Hey," Drew finally said, bringing the glass down to the counter. "I thought you'd... go with them." He added, his voice low, carrying a trace of confusion.

The silence that followed was deafening, stretching longer than either of them expected. Saige tried to gather her thoughts, the words stuck in her throat. "I..."

Drew continued to gaze at her, his jaw clenching as if he were holding himself back, the tension between them palpable.

"You said you wanted to talk?" Saige said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Drew nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. "Yeah."

Saige felt her breath hitch, the weight of the moment settling over her as he began to make his way toward her. Every step he took felt like it resonated deep within her. But before he could close the distance any further, she said, "Then, let's talk." Her words steady but with a quiet urgency, the need for space and privacy evident in her tone. "Let's go up."

Drew nodded in agreement, gesturing for Saige to lead the way. They moved in silence, the silence between them almost plain to see, each step heavy with the unspoken words that hung in the air.

As they made their way toward the rooftop, the weight of everything unsaid pressed down on both of them. There was so much to say, so much that needed to be addressed but Saige held her tongue, choosing to wait. She wanted him to speak first, to explain whatever had been left unsaid between them. It felt like the only way they could begin to untangle the mess they'd found themselves in.

After all, she already knew what she was going to do.

Go back to him. As always. Despite the distance, the hurt, and the silence, she knew in her heart that she couldn't stay away for long. The pull was too strong. But this time, it had to be different. It had to be real.

And maybe, just maybe, tonight would be the start of something that didn't slip away again.

GWYN'S NOTE.
ఌ︎
double update bc we reached 16k reads wtf!!!
ya'll r insaneeee but thank you guys from the bottom of my heart 🥹
hope both sides of your pillow are cold <3