𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝

twenty-two

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ | how much he wanted her, | ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆
how much he wanted her
to be his

real life | los angeles
lax airport
- november 26th, 2021

RUNNING AS FAST as she could, Sophia pulled Laila and Minnie into a tight hug as soon as she could reach them. The girls all wrapped their arms around each other, holding each other close. Sophia took a deep breath, tears of relief threatening to reach her eyes as she inhaled. Minnie's scent of vanilla and Laila's of jasmine touched and blended together, making Sophia smile. This was it— She was home. This was her family.

"Hear me out," Sophia whispered softly and her two best friends looked up at her. "We stay home for Christmas this year. We don't go back."

"Hear me out," Laila repeated, running a hand through Sophia's blonde hair. Sophia frowned as she saw tears filling Laila's dark eyes, and Laila never cried. Glancing over at Minnie, who had the same broken look in her blue eyes, Sophia held her breath. Obviously it hadn't been a great holiday for any of them. Turning to Laila again, Sophia smiled sadly when Laila spoke, "We don't go back. Ever."

"Deal." Minnie nodded with a whisper, wiping some of her tears.

"I'm in," Sophia agreed and Laila gave her a small grin, leaning into her embrace. "Us always?"

"Us always." Laila and Minnie repeated with confident nods and the trio smiled at each other. Sophia and Laila each grabbed their backpack they took with them on their trips, and the three girls back to exit the airport.

"You wouldn't believe the shit that was said this time," Laila scoffed as she linked arms with Sophia and Minnie. "Laila, go back to school, Laila!"

Exchanging a smirk, Minnie and Sophia exclaimed in unison, "Laila, it's not too late to become a doctor!"

"Deadass! You pay their mortgage and they're still ungrateful as fuck!" Laila shook her head and the three laughed. "Whatever, can't waste breath on them. Mall?"

"Duh." Minnie replied and Sophia nodded with a grin while Laila smirked.

•••

real life | los angeles
the girl talk house
- november 26th, 2021

"DUDE, GET THIS shit," Minnie spoke up as she drove the car with Laila in the passenger's seat and Sophia in the back with all of their purchases from the mall. "My mom went to Vegas for a weekend, and she married some dude who's rich because he invested in crypto one time."

"Get the fuck out!" Laila laughed, shaking her head while Sophia giggled in the back.

"He's taking her to Barbados for Christmas so she's completely ditching me." Minnie rolled her eyes. "I'm cool with it though. All she does whenever she sees me is tell me her regrets of my childhood and then asks me for money."

"Classic Corinne." Sophia sighed before leaning towards the front of the car, smiling at her friends. "It's fine, we are going to have the best Christmas ever here."

"Damn right, Luna," Laila agreed and Minnie nodded with a smirk as the car pulled into the driveway of the Girl Talk house. "Well, well, look who's here. Pia."