i don't do fake love (but i'll take some from you tonight)

v.

"There's no signal," commented Anadil again. "Can't text Dot." Her thoughts were racing all over the place, head feeling about to explode.

"Not like she wouldn't find out we died. Guess we'll be all over the news tomorrow. Hope they'll shove our faces everywhere and whine about young love dying or shit." Their facades were cracking, barely kept just to make the other feel better, like there truly was nothing to panic about. But the fear was slowly seeping through.

"I bet my entire family will try to make cash out of me," thought Anadil out loud.

"You can just haunt them."

"Oh, I'm not sticking in this shitshow of a planet for a second longer than I have to."

"You won't haunt this miserable ship along with me for the rest of eternity? I'm offended."

"Might reconsider if you ask nicely. I'll get to you in three business days."

Another wave crashed through. Everything in the room that wasn't attached to the floor was sent flying, crashing against the door. And then back as the aftermath played out. They were being pushed between the waves like a fly through a hurricane. Everything went deadly silent. Another wave crashed against the ship. The impact shook them to the core, sounding louder than thunder.

Someone screamed in the distance. Dead silence. The ship was full of noise before, so lively, everything constantly in movement, chatter sounding through the thin walls. Now they awaited the next hit like sinners waiting for an ancient god's wrath, unable to control the tide of the elements.

Another crash. There was no rhythm to the waves, no beating heart that could show them mercy. They rolled on the bed, like stones falling from a hill, ending up in a tangled mess of limbs. They didn't even try to get back to their starting position. The closer they were, the more comfortable it seemed.

Another wave. For a terrifying second, they could feel the ship tilt much more than felt safe, almost vertical in its position. That was it. They were going to die. They clutched themselves tighter, the passage to afterlife brighter in each other's arms. And then the ship returned. Slowly, creaking. Another wave hit them, with the same strength. Sinking feeling in stomach. The world felt like it stopped.

How were they supposed to exist with the thought that this was the end? Instant death might have been better, because maybe they wouldn't be stuck with so many words unspoken, so many things they wanted to do and never could. If they believed in God, they would have prayed, but no one was watching over them that night. They were just two girls alone together, as they've always been.

It felt fitting to spend their last moments making things right. There was too much stuff left unsaid, things that were slowly poisoning them, filling them with despair. And it didn't matter at all anymore, did it?

Anadil was, surprisingly, the one to speak this time. She has grown into a habit of passivity, rather not acting than to see the consequences of her words, never wanting to be the bringer of news or the one that needed to take accountability. "So, this might not be the best moment, but we won't get that many until we're shark food, so. I've been in love with you for years and this sucks and can we kiss so at least I'll die happily?" she blurted out, a tone so unlike what she'd sound like in normal circumstances. The thoughts going through her head froze, anything she could have planned to say disappearing. She couldn't believe the stupidity of the idea, of just a spontaneous thought provoked into existence by the adrenaline rush.

Hester stopped. Literally. Her brain refused to function, too full of thinking about death to respond anyhow. Anadil saw her reaction. "Okay, no, forget it."