❝THAT HEART OF YOURS WILL NEVER CHANGE.❞
In which Freja Barrett, an enthusiast for all things supernatural, makes the life-altering decision of reconnecting with an old friend in the midst of her mission to prove the existence of zombies.
[iZOMBiE...
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FREJA HADN'T EXPECTED to fall asleep in Ravi's arms in the warm fort they had built, but when they had both woken up to Major calling him with taunting questions about spending the night over at the Barrett's, that turned out to be exactly what had happened. Somewhere between talking about their childhoods, their future aspirations and their wildest dreams, and starting another episode of The Simpsons, they had both drifted off with wide smiles and full hearts — and neither of the two had disappeared by the time they were dismantling their fort and getting ready for the new day.
There was undeniably something refreshing about coming to terms with the contents of one's heart — Freja no longer felt so weighed down, and while being around Ravi still made her incurably giddy, she didn't want to crawl into her bed and fall into hibernation. Rather, she was curious about every upcoming moment, and the new grip on her current situation was enough to give her the spark of inspiration she had needed to pull up her laptop, once more.
After bidding Ravi farewell and promising to visit later to check on him — and Major — she had curled up on her couch, and with her hoodie strings caught in her thoughtful gnawing, she had reread the research he had once emailed her and started a new text of her own. She needed to find the fine line between gushing about her interests and actually exposing the zombies in Seattle, but instead of dreading the risk like before, she was now taking on the challenge bravely and with enthusiasm.
The same cheer added pep in her step when walking the next door Maltese and then heading to her childhood home for the weekly family dinner — this time without company, but sometimes it felt like the right choice. It was all about family, after all, and that was why she didn't cower from the loving hugs she was greeted with at the front door, both Marian and Willa tugging their only daughter into open arms and generous smooches.
"You look so happy! The mystery date?" Willa inquired sneakily, her lip curled in a smirk as she pulled Freja indoors and let Marian shut the door behind them.
In an instant, Freja was shaking her head and snorting at the suggestion — while Blaine had persistently texted her and she had made the courtesy of keeping up the banter just to waft off any suspicions, she had talentedly avoided any talk of a second date. "No, no, uh, something else, actually", she corrected while shrugging off her jacket, not bringing up Ravi's name on purpose but the lack of details didn't discourage Marian and Willa from exchanging knowing looks. For once, however, Freja didn't feel irritated by the probing and the implications, and although the idea of commitment was still one she was trying to take in small doses, she supposed that there was a hopeless romantic in everyone — it just took the right person to turn that tiny piece into a formidable foe for the doubtful realist.
"Well, come on. El is already here. Brought a friend, too", Marian whispered, like a grave secret to awkwardly hang in the cinnamon-scented air as she steered Freja towards the kitchen. The dramatic tone was enough for thoughts of Ravi to evaporate, however, and with a suspicious stare, Freja glanced between her two mothers who simply smiled in response.
