CHAPTER FIVE: TRUST YOUR GUT, NICK

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BY MID MORNING ON SUNDAY, Awsten and Marcy had been texting pretty much nonstop. They were trying to figure out what movie they could watch, but it wasn't going well. Do you like scary movies? Awsten asked her.

  She didn't. So she said, only crazy people like scary movies

  And he quickly responded with, Hey, I like scary movies

  sorry, i'm a little baby

  I'll be there, you've got nothing to be scared of

  She was called into work last minute Sunday afternoon, someone called in sick. But it was slow, so she just sat on her phone for the most part. Awsten would be driving back to LA, and Marcy hadn't talked to Nick since the party on Friday night. Then, she saw a familiar face walk into the art store, and she ducked out from behind the register.

  "Nick," she said, calling after him.

  He turned around, and smiled. "Hey, Marce."

  "Where have you been? Jeez, I haven't seen you since Friday."

  "Yeah, sorry, I was tired yesterday." He wondered if he should bring up the movie, or if he should keep his pick a secret.

  But there wasn't really any time for him to make a decision, because someone was in need of assistance at the cash register. So, "Hey, sorry," Marcy apologized. "I'll see you around, though." And as she skipped back to her post, she called back, "Love you!"

  Leaving Nick, standing in the middle of the aisle, with an overwhelming feeling that something was going to go wrong. But he wasn't here to talk to her, he was here to get actual paint. Marcy was right, the ones he had bought before were shitty, and he needed to get some new ones.

  Thankfully, she wasn't at the register to tell him 'I told you so' by the time he was done shopping. She must've been moved to a different part of the store. But that only made that weird feeling Nick had even worse.

So, you got an Instagram or something? Awsten texted Sunday evening. Marcy was lying on her couch, watching something brainless, and she answered almost immediately.

  i do, she answered. is this you asking for the @?

  Yes, ma'am, it is

  She sent a link to her account, and immediately received a follow request from one 'awstenknight.' After accepting, he went quiet for a few minutes, and Marcy took the time to look through his account.

  257K followers, holy shit. She knew Stick had a lot of 'famous friends,' but this was just so shocking for some reason. He was in a band. God, he was just so cool. There was Otto, but she hadn't met the other guy who was in all the band's photos.

  She scrolled and, De'Wayne! She knew De'Wayne — Kind of, more like, she knew of him. After following Awsten, she shot him and Otto a follow too. God, these guys were just so fucking cool. Maybe Opal was right, maybe this was fate. Maybe the universe wanted her to make some really fucking cool new friends. That sounded right, she'd believe that.

  Awsten's name popped up at the top of her screen, pulling her out of her trance. You're pretty, he said. So so pretty. Marcy could get used to this.

  She sent him a screenshot of one of his own posts. It was a photo of him in front of a mural of him, Otto, and that other guy. (Who she figured out was named Geoff.) i'm gonna steal these sunglasses on tuesday, she said.

  I'm gonna steal a kiss first, he answered.

  not if i steal one first

  I'm gonna change the subject before this turns into a big argument, he told her. Did you ever hang up that painting?

  She had. It was hanging above her couch as they spoke, small mirrors surrounding it. There had been a larger mirror in its place before, but Opal made her paranoid about having too many mirrors in her home, so she'd replaced it with this. Something about spirits or negative energy or whatever, either way, she was terrified.

  She got up and sent a photo to Awsten. Lovers, god, it must've been the most perfect painting ever painted, she just loved it so much.

  Perfect spot, was Awsten's reply, along with, The reflection in the mirrors are a nice touch. She took another look at the photo and realized she was in it. I can't wait until Tuesday.

i am alive. lol.