𝓔𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓼𝓾𝓷𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓮
ᴹᵃˢᵒⁿˢ ᵇᵃᶜᵏ

Elena was curled up on the couch, wrapped in a cozy blanket, the dim glow of her TV casting soft shadows across the room.

Post Grad played on the screen, and she couldn't help but smile at the familiar humor of it. The movie's awkward take on post-college life was comforting, like an old friend.

Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, interrupting her peaceful moment.

Elena glanced at the screen, expecting it to be a notification from her group chat or maybe a message from Alex. Instead, the name on the screen made her heart do a little skip.

Mason.

She hesitated before picking up the phone, wondering why he was texting her now. After all, she hadn't heard much from him in a while. With a quiet exhale, she unlocked the phone and opened his message.

"Hey star girl i just landed. Can't wait to catch up soon. Let me know when you're free"

A smile tugged at Elena's lips despite herself. Her heart gave another flutter, but she quickly pushed it down, trying to focus on the here and now. She wasn't sure what had changed, but the space between them had felt... different since he left for filming.

Just as she was about to reply, the door opened, and Aaron walked in, his excitement barely contained.

"Mason just landed! I'm picking him up from the airport with Brooke and the parents. You should come too. It'll be fun to all hang out again."

Elena's gaze shifted back to her phone, then back at Aaron. "Oh... cool," she said, keeping her tone casual. "Tell him I said hey."

Aaron narrowed his eyes, walking over to her. "You sure you don't want to come with? I know you haven't seen him in a while."

Elena quickly shook her head, trying to keep her cool. "Nah, I'm just tired," she said with a shrug. "I'll just text him later."

Aaron raised an eyebrow, studying her closely. "Okay, but don't leave him hanging for too long. He's probably excited to see you."

Elena forced a smile. "Yeah, I'll catch up with him later," she said, already feeling the weight of the distance between her and Mason. She wasn't sure what to say or how to act around him anymore.

Aaron seemed to accept it, giving her a grin before heading out. "Alright, if you say so. Don't be too tired to talk to him later."

As he left, Elena stared at her phone again. She knew Mason was probably looking forward to seeing her, but she wasn't sure if she was ready for that. The silence in the room felt heavy, and she sighed as she typed a reply to him.

"Maseeeee I'm so glad you landed safely .We'll catch up soon 🤍🤍"

She sent it quickly, not wanting to overthink it. But as soon as the message was gone, she couldn't help but feel like something had shifted. She wasn't ready to face him in person yet, but the thought of talking to him again, of seeing him, felt like something she couldn't avoid much longer.

With a deep breath, Elena sank back into the couch, the weight of her thoughts pulling her down as the movie continued to play on the screen, unnoticed.

— ETERNAL SUNSHINE —