Between Us

☆ part fourteen ☆

The mall was as busy as ever, the air buzzing with chatter, footsteps, and the faint bassline of the pop music filtering in from the speakers above. I clutched a small shopping bag in one hand, the edges crinkled from my nervous grip, while walking alongside Lark and Indiana. Despite the lightness that a shopping trip was supposed to bring, I could feel the tension lingering in the air, a subtle reminder of what had gone down earlier in the week. It was Indiana who broke the silence first. "So, are we just not gonna talk about Kitty's little outburst the other day?" she asked, her voice casual but probing. She glanced over at Lark, adjusting the strap of her bag as we passed a shoe store. "It's been so awkward since then."

Lark sighed, and I caught the way her jaw tightened ever so slightly. "She's back on drugs," she said, her voice clipped but devoid of surprise. It felt as though she'd been holding it in, waiting for the right moment to say it.

Indiana stopped short for a moment, her brows shooting up in disbelief. "She's still using? Jesus. Okay, fine, that's... sad or whatever, but it doesn't mean she gets a free pass to be a cunt." She said it so bluntly I couldn't help but wince, though deep down, I agreed with her. "It's a reason I suppose, but still not an excuse."

I swallowed, suddenly feeling like I needed to defend someone who didn't really deserve it. "Liam thinks it's best we just... I don't know, be civil with her until she gets clean," I offered carefully, my voice soft. I didn't even fully believe the words coming out of my mouth, but I had to say something to keep the peace.

Indiana turned her sharp gaze to Lark, clearly waiting for her take. "And you agree with this?"

Lark let out a long, weary sigh, running a hand through her hair as she looked away. Her eyes flicked over to me for a brief moment, almost as if she were searching for something, before settling back on Indiana. "I don't know," she said, her voice quieter now. "I just wish she'd stop acting like a bitch, honestly. It's exhausting."

I felt my chest tighten at her words, not because I disagreed but because it felt so raw and honest. Lark didn't often let her frustrations out like this—not lately, anyway.

Indiana rolled her eyes and shook her head as we slowed down in front of a bright clothing store. "Tell me about it," she muttered, her voice tinged with exasperation. "She's got some nerve trying to drag you like that when she's the one screwing up her own life."

I didn't know what to say. My heart twisted at the thought of Kitty and everything she was going through, but at the same time, I felt fiercely protective of Lark. Kitty's behavior wasn't fair to her—or to anyone. Instead of speaking, I grabbed the door handle to the store and pulled it open, stepping inside and letting the air conditioning cool my flushed face. The store was a sensory overload of colors and lights, racks of clothes crammed into every corner. The three of us wandered down an aisle of swimsuits, our steps slow and meandering. "This is cute," Indiana said, holding up a floral two-piece swimsuit.

"Not for me," Lark replied, smirking as she ran her fingers over a nearby rack of denim shorts. "You're just trying to show off, Indi."

"And?" Indiana shot back, grinning wickedly. The banter lightened the mood, and I found myself smiling again. Lark looked a little less tense now, her shoulders relaxing as she teased Indiana. I turned my attention to a rack of sundresses, thumbing through the fabric but not really seeing the patterns. My mind was elsewhere.

Indiana's words echoed in my head. "It's a reason I suppose, but still not an excuse." She wasn't wrong, and yet part of me wanted to believe that being patient with Kitty was the right thing to do. But how much patience could we afford to have before it all fell apart?

I glanced over at Lark, watching as she held up a pair of shorts and made a face. The memory of us  at the beach floated to the surface, making my chest ache with a mix of longing and guilt. Things had felt so right then—so perfect. I wanted to hold onto that feeling, to keep us in that bubble where everything was simple again. "You okay, Soph?" Lark's voice cut through my thoughts, and I looked up to find her watching me with a raised brow.