Ozone // CLINTON AND CHRISTIAN

23: Changes

Your POV

You wake up to the jarring sound of your alarm clock. You grudgingly reach over and shut it off. 7 am. As you sit up, you see your roommate making breakfast already. "Pancakes or waffles?"

Meghan Jansen, your roommate. Straight out of Jersey City, but you'd never know it. Platinum blonde hair always tied up in a ponytail, gorgeous curves that she won't admit she's self-conscious about. Shy at first, but the sweetest thing on earth.

You walk over to the small kitchen in your apartment and grab an apple. "Thanks hun, but I gotta get to class," you smile. She nods as she pours pancake batter into the pan.

"Why are you up so early?" you ask as you get ready. "Isn't your class at 10?"

She shrugs. "I figured I'd get up and study. Professor Carmichael has given us no help for this microbiology final so I'm cramming."

"Meg, you're literally the smartest girl I know. You're gonna crush it."

You throw your bag over your shoulder and open the door.

"Good luck on your finals!" Meghan shouts from the kitchen.

Finally, the last exam. I'm glad I listened to my mom. I love it here, you think to yourself. You've made so many friends, but you've gotten the closest to Meghan. Even though she's a year ahead of you in the nursing program, she's so supportive and it's like she's a sister to you.

You walk up the stairs to the third floor and see everyone waiting outside for your exam. I guess it's time.

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You fumble with your keys and push open the door to escape the frigid NYC air. As you enter your apartment, the heat hits you and you collapse onto your bed.

You open Snapchat, only to see no new messages. A name catches your eye at the bottom of the screen. Clinton Cave – Opened 19 weeks ago.

You quickly close out of Snapchat and rub your face. You need to get your mind off of this.

As if on cue, the door swings open and Meghan strolls through the door.

"We're done!" she shouts. "No more school! For the semester at least."

You get up from your bed and smile. As Meghan runs over to your bed to hug you, she stops short and gives you an odd look.

"Is everything okay, love?" she frowns. "You look like something's wrong."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just hungry! Let's go to Adorno and get some food." You grab your wallet and coat and smile.

------

You sit criss-cross apple sauce in the booth of the warm café eating avocado toast. A boy with dark hair and sleeve tattoos across the café catches your eye and smiles at you, and you smile back. You snap back to reality when you hear Meghan's voice.

"Earth to (Y/n)!" she says. "Did you hear anything I said?"

You laugh. "Uh, yeah sorry. What I'm gonna do over break. I'm not sure yet to be honest. I haven't really thought about it."

Meghan sips her coffee and looks at you quizzically. "Well don't you have family or friends back home? What about those guys?"

You haven't really told Meghan much about your past with the boys. Once you moved to New York, you got so caught up in the hustle and bustle of it all that you didn't want to ruin your new life by your past. Sure, she knows that you met some boys, what their names are. But you never would think to tell her anything about their fame or, not to mention the hell that went on.

"Yeah, maybe. I mean, I don't know, Meg." you finally answer. "I guess I'll just see what happens."

You both frown as an awkward silence comes between you. Finally, you speak up.

"What about you? Are you going home?"

She shrugs casually. "Probably not. You know I didn't grow up great. I'd rather not talk about it, but I feel lucky to say that I feel more at home here than in Jersey."

You smile and she reaches over the table to give you a hug.

"You ready to go?" you ask as you pick up your plates.

She nods and you walk towards the door.

Suddenly, you stop dead in your tracks. Right outside –

You'd know those braids anywhere. With the baggy hoodie, skinny jeans.

And then next to him. A man with beautiful dark hair twisted into a messy bun, rose tatted behind his ear.

"Is that them?"

Hey babes! Sorry this chapter was so short! New stuff coming soon💕  Ily all

~A