"Hard times"

IMESSAGES

𝑾𝑨𝑳𝑲𝑰𝑬 𝑻𝑨𝑳𝑲𝑰𝑬𝑺
Operation 𝓩𝓐𝓛𝓚𝓔𝓡

Zia😹
I fear it's been FOREVER since we've spoken in here

Harper💓
Bye it's been like 2 days

Zia😹
Ik that's a lot..

Harper💓
..

Nai nai‼️
Don't pmo

Harper💓
Mb

Zia😹
Cami never talks in here

Cam cameronnn🤍
Bc yall are weirdos

Nai nai‼️
That checks out for Zia

Zia😹
The sneak diss???

Harper💓
We should all hang out td

Zia😹
Yes I promise I have nothing else better to do

Nai nai‼️
Of course

Zia😹
Ykw..

Cam cameronnn🤍
lets meet up at the mall with Bria then

Harper💓
It has to be before 7 pm we have school tmrw
Zia😹
Imagine still going to school

Nai nai‼️
I wanna do online so bad

Zia😹
L

Nai nai‼️
..🤦🏻‍♀️

INSTAGRAM

@Zia.thornfields

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Liked by iamcharliebushnell,mckennagraceful and 702,389 more
@ZIA.THORNFIELDS this is me if you even care btw ps thanks for 7 mill!
56 minutes ago

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@User029: the last slide??

@masonthamesoffical: you look like a otter
[email protected]: thanks..?

@User99: HELPP
reply-@User67: l LMAO

@User37: am I the only one who doesn't like her..

@User9: oh

@User6: YIPPE

@walkerscobell: imagine only having 7 followers
[email protected]: are you follower shaming rn!!

@User7: okay tea

@User10836: cutieeeee

@harps4L: no bc the hair is eating
[email protected]: YESSS

@mckennagraceful: CONGRATULATIONS

@oliveamortan: SO PROUD
[email protected]: THANK YOU LIV

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REAL LIFE

The air smelled like soft pretzels and teenage freedom as Zia Thornfield adjusted the strap of her crossbody bag and stepped into the mall's main atrium. The skylights above poured sunlight over the glossy tile, and her sneakers squeaked slightly as she turned to look for the group.

Bria was the first to spot her. "Ziaaaa!" she called out, waving dramatically from the bench by the carousel.

Zia jogged over, her heart already speeding up—not from the running, but from the knowledge that Walker would be there any minute. Her boyfriend was coming home for Christmas break. And they hadn't seen each other in person since forever. (2 months mind you)

"Are you going to faint when you see him, or just cry?" Cami teased, popping a piece of gum.

Zia rolled her eyes, but a grin tugged at her lips. "Neither. I'm gonna act normal."

Harper snorted. "Like you've ever been normal."

Before Zia could shoot back, a familiar voice called out from behind.

"Is that the Thornfield crew?"

Zia spun around so fast she nearly tripped and hit her head

Walker stood there in a hoodie and jeans, cap pulled low, but the grin that split his face was unmistakable. Her heart did a weird little dance. He looked more grown-up than she remembered— what are they feeding him?

"Hey," he said simply, stepping forward and pulling her into a hug. It was warm, grounding, and real. Not through a screen. Not with time zones between them.

She held onto him for a second longer than necessary. Then, realizing her friends were watching like hawks, she stepped back. "You're late."

Walker smiled. "Traffic. And I had to sneak out the side door at the airport. Some fan recognized me near baggage claim."

"You poor celebrity," Nariah said with mock sympathy, offering him a hug "Welcome back."

Walker gave an easy laugh and greeted the rest of the girls. They were used to him now—not the actor version with perfect lighting and lines, but the real Walker. The one who texted Zia memes at 2 a.m. and had a thing for cookies and cream ice cream.

"So, where are we going first?" he asked as they walked into the main corridor.

"Pretzel stand," Bria answered immediately.

"Sephora," Harper said at the same time.

Cami raised her brows. "Can we do both and also somehow end up in that weird store with all the frogs in it?"

"Nature Emporium?" Zia laughed. "What do you want from there?"

"They have mushroom earrings shaped like teacups. Don't judge."

Walker leaned closer to Zia as the others debated. "This is way more fun than filming ."

She glanced up at him. "Really?"

He laughed. "No, but its you and... chaotic friends"

Zia bumped his shoulder. "We're the best kind of chaos."

By the time they made it to the food court, Walker had pretended to be a lost mannequin at Forever 21, Bria had convinced a cashier to let her try every lip gloss in the new shimmer line, and Harper had snapped three hundred pictures of their "mallcore." Somewhere between Zara and the pet adoption pop-up, Walker quietly grabbed Zia's hand and didn't let go.

They finally flopped onto the booth benches with smoothies and snacks, the girls trading stories about school drama and TikTok challenges. Walker didn't say much—just listened, laughed, and chimed in when Cami accused him of being "too Hollywood to eat mall pretzels."

Zia leaned into his shoulder, sipping her strawberry smoothie.

"You okay?" he asked quietly, voice just for her.

She smiled. "I'm perfect."

CLEM SPEAKS
ONE MORE CHAP AND ITS OVER
YAYYY
𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑣𝑜𝑡𝑒💕
-𝓒𝓵𝓮𝓶💕