Yours | ✓

7 | Welcome to the Milkshake Group

Chapter Seven: Welcome to the Milkshake Group

"someone like me can be a real nightmare,
completely aware. but I'd rather be a real
nightmare, than die unaware."
~ halsey

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M O N I C A

   My eyes rolled for what felt like the twentieth time today when I cocked my head down, reading the text message I received from Sophie.

   Well, I wasn't even sure it should be labelled a text message. All she'd been doing since I woke up this morning—at noon, but whatever—was spam me with purple emojis.

   "Jesus," I mumbled under my breath, but a small chuckle couldn't help but bubble out of me when another wave of emojis arrived.

   You are so fucking annoying, I typed up quickly. I've literally been gone an hour.

   Well, then I'm gonna be here for the next hour texting you :), she replied instantly, making me groan.

   "Everything okay?" A voice asked next to me, and I looked up, meeting Xavier's dark but curious eyes.

   I nodded once, rolling my eyes again. "Sophie's just... annoying."

   He smirked, arching a brow while still staring at me with interest. "You'd think she'd be tired of you by now," he scoffed with humour. "You've been at her place since..."

   "Wednesday," I added, taking a deep breath. "So yeah, two days now."

   After Chris' performance at the diner a few days ago, Sophie offered that I stay with her. She asked way too much questions about our situation, being too curious as always. It wasn't long before she attempted to give up searching for answers—from me, at least. Xavier was also unaware of the reason why I've been sleeping on her couch, but I knew he was dying to know, too.

   "Mon," he sighed, leaning against his desk. I was currently at the police station, since he'd asked me to visit him. I denied at first, but then he offered getting coffee and I...

   I couldn't resist some iced coffee.

   "Mhm?" I mumbled, raising my eyebrows as I crossed my arms over my chest. I was wearing a baby blue babydoll dress and my espresso brown hair was down in waves. My bangs were displaced loosely on my forehead as usual and I wore a thin layer of makeup so my blemishes wouldn't be made public to the outside world.

   I got clothes from my room by easily slipping through my bedroom window. It was that moment I was grateful living in a bungalow.

   "Why aren't you home? With Chris," he added, smiling sadly as he nudged my arm.

   Before answering, I leaned against his desk on his left side, looking around the spacious police station to avoid his gaze. "Just had a disagreement," I told him with ease, keeping my expression blank. "And he annoyed me."

   That made him laugh. "So him annoying you means that you're gonna move out?"

   "No," I scoffed, finally looking into his eyes. He was completely focused on me, and I couldn't help but admire how he looked in his uniform before meeting his gaze again. "I'm not moving out. I wouldn't last a week, living with Sophie. But I am taking time away from him."

   He nodded slowly, but still wore a pout. "Well, you should head home soon. He's your family, and he probably misses you."

   "Ha!" I let out abruptly. "He probably just misses me cleaning up after his mess. And bugging me about a coffee table."