A/N; Hello again! I apologize for the delay in this chapter, but I've been experiencing some serious writer's block and getting used to a new job etc. I'll try to write more consistently from now on! Enjoy!
Adam was never particularly good at giving his future a good thought—his impulsive decisions got him into plenty of trouble in the past—though it seemed that he managed to put himself back on track by the end of high school. Nowadays, he planned ahead just enough. He managed to sort out the time he needed to put into his work and pay the bills on time, while also finding time for music, video games, and other hobbies.
Ever since he moved away from home, his system has worked. Sure, in the beginning, he missed quite a few unpaid bills, which, naturally, brought consequences. He still had some close calls to this day, but he always pulled through. Even with the endless deadlines he had to meet, his lifestyle could be considered serene and placid as opposed to the lives of others. Meeting Laurie was an unexpected spark that had their lives evolving and merging faster than ever, and he knew that he'd have to adapt or get pulled under by the surge.
Compromise, his mind implied, and he agreed. If Laurie could settle for his spontaneity and hasty decisions, then he could make an effort in trying to keep to a schedule. If being more organized meant that they could see each other more often during the short time they had left, then he would do his best. The last thing he wanted was to make Laurie feel like he wasn't trying enough. It was hard, however, when almost anything he did somehow disrupted the girl's rhythm.
Once the meet-and-greet was over, the animators were rushed out of the room and asked by the staff to start packing up their booths in the main hall. Adam frowned; packing up was what he disliked most about conventions like Vidcon. Their ever-growing community was so warm and welcoming; it broke the animators' hearts when they were forced to leave it behind. If it were up to Adam, he'd be at Vidcon every month. Meeting fans was a part of his job he enjoyed the most, but he was sure that he'd remember the 2020 Vidcon 'til the day he died.
Nevertheless, all good things came to an end. He followed James, Ilyssa, and Jaiden through the exit, only to find the main hall already half empty.
Ilyssa's face went blank in surprise. It was her first time at Vidcon as a featured creator, and the lack of crowds was more shocking to her more than to others. "Damn, never thought this hall could empty out so quickly. People were swarming when we started our meet-and-greet."
"That's just how it is," Adam shrugged. "Sundays are when people rush to get back home before the roads get congested."
Jaiden groaned. "I don't get people. Isn't that what causes roads to fill so quickly?"
"Most likely," James agreed. "But at least they're gone by the time we head home."
"So, we'll meet in the parking lot to say goodbye at five?" Ilyssa questioned. "I think we'll be done with packing by then."
"Mm, make that six," Adam proposed. As opposed to James and Ilyssa, he and Jaiden each had individual booths, which meant fewer helping hands when it came to packing.
The others agreed. "See you then."
Making it to James and Ilyssa's booth was hassle-free without the crowds of people flooding the hall. There, they split up, Adam and Jaiden each making a beeline to their own.
Relieved, Adam drew further away from the others. He guessed the sudden display of affection must've been quite a surprise for everyone, James especially, since the two hadn't exchanged a single word about Laurie since their talk in the hallway the previous day. It led him to worry that James would have commented on the stunt.
Not to mention, James had been dating Tara for nearly half a year, and they still chose to remain quiet about their relationship; they were strict about keeping their private life to themselves. It was just something that people with a fandom did, some untaught rule that they all stuck to in order to preserve some of their privacy. Bashing out a secret like that was a huge step for both Adam and Laurie, and James saw it as a potential danger.
Or, at least, that's what Adam believed. But it seemed that he was mistaken since James didn't peep a word.
He found Franco managing his booth, though it looked deserted. From where Adam was standing, it seemed as if fans had fully ravaged every piece of merchandise he had to offer. He was glad, though, since that meant he could afford to order more for his online store.
"Hey, how'd the meet-and-greet go?" Franco asked enthusiastically, pleased to finally have someone else to talk to other than himself.
"It went well," Adam nodded, stepping behind the counter. "Better than expected."
At that, Franco tilted his head, and a newfound smirk tugged at his lips. Adam knew all too well what was coming next. "Kelsey's told me a bit of what went on in there. You and that girl are official then, huh?"
"She's a wild one, but... I think we are." Adam grinned and, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, thought about their night. For a virgin, Laurie was quite eager to open the doors for him in all her glory. It just confirmed how avid and liberated she actually was at her core.
"She's not from here, though, right?" Franco questioned.
"Well," Adam scratched his beard awkwardly, "she's James' sister, so she's from the States originally, if that's what you're asking. But she dreams of Europe. She studied there, as well."
"Can I ask you something?"
Adam's ears peaked in interest. "Sure, shoot."
"What would you do if she went there to stay?"
Adam hummed. He'd barely given any thought to Laurie going away, and he wanted to avoid the thought completely. No doubt Laurie already had plans sorted in her mind, but was he a part of them? Did she even take what they had together into consideration?
In the past, he thought he could settle for a long-distance relationship. He appreciated his alone time, and he respected the girl for wanting the same. Although now, after experiencing what the presence of another could do to him, he wasn't so sure anymore. Besides, even on his adventures on Tinder, he never put a distance ratio of more than three hundred miles. Six thousand miles was a whole different story with an entirely new finance problem to worry about.
"I don't know," he eventually shrugged. "We haven't talked much since..."
He caught himself before saying too much. He itched to share the details of last night with someone; keeping it all to himself felt suffocating, but it was still too early and risky to spread the word, even among the animator squad. Perhaps, once he was back home, he'd share it with his buds, Zack and Christian. They weren't directly connected to Laurie in the same way as James and other animators present at Vidcon.
"We just didn't have time to properly discuss it, yet," he said, finally settling on a neutral answer. "I can only hope she's not intending on dumping me in a ditch."
"A guy like you? Never," Franco joked before handing him the money he gathered from the cash registry. "Here are today's profits. What do you want me to do with the rest of the merch?"
Adam scanned the items displayed before him. He always made sure to limit the supply of merch for any convention that featured him as a creator. That way, it made it seem more special. However, he always ordered too much so that some items remained.
"Pack it up. I'll make an announcement for limited items in our store in the next animation," he replied hastily, grabbing at his phone. Three o'clock. Three hours would be enough time to put everything away, but he had hoped to have a chance to talk to Laurie prior to leaving Anaheim. "Where are Kelsey and Kaitlyn?"
"I believe they went out earlier. They should be back by four." Franco reached for the banner at the front of the booth and unhooked it from its hinges. "We can handle packing this up alone, though. Not much is left."
Adam sat on the chair nearby. "I hoped to get this done quickly."
The main hall had cleared out a while ago, but there were still a few stragglers that stayed until the very end of the event. Most of them were headed toward the exit, decorated in merch, but a pair of kids, ages between ten and twelve, nervously approached the booth, catching Adam's eye. With their somethingelseyt shirts and beanies, it was quite obvious what they were there for.
Fatigue jabbed at Adam's shoulders and back, but he forced himself to stand up and greet the young fans with a smile plastered on his face, nonetheless. Once they got their autographs and selfies, they questioned him about the release of his next video. Embarrassed, Adam promised to have it out soon, though he knew he had much left to work on. Satisfied, the pair waved and ambled off.
"Gotta say, your fans are amazing, and they keep on growing," Franco jested as Adam collapsed back in the chair. "You'll have an army of twelve-year-olds in no time."
Adam let out a deep snort of incredulity. "Another thing to tick off my bucket list, great!"
He loved his fans, he did, but even with Laurie's support and assistance, the fear of failure remained. The bigger his channel grew, the more pressure weighed down his shoulders. While growth meant success, it also meant a larger number of people he felt that he had to satisfy. Every video had to be entertaining, every joke funny. The comments pestering about the release of his next animation certainly didn't help.
"Hey, while we're here, can I show you this new background I made a few days back? Thought we could use it in scene four of the Just my luck... video." Franco pulled out his phone and fiddled with it for a while before setting it in Adam's lap, the screen turned toward them.
The lightning was off, Adam noticed immediately, and the viewers would notice that one particular shot of the background wall was drawn by mouse.
"It's cool," he smiled stiffly. "Be sure to send it to me and I'll see what I can do."
"You said that the last time I sent something to you," Franco opposed carefully. "How much are you actually going to do this time?"
"Oh, c'mon, what are you talking about? Didn't you design the whole storyboard for How I got away with Alcohol?" Adam encouraged.
"Sure, but since then, you've barely let us do any of the work."
Though his words were condescending, Adam knew Franco didn't mean any harm. Naturally, Franco and the rest of the team wondered why their boss gradually let them do less and less work without consequences, but Adam couldn't come up with an answer fast enough.
His team wasn't bad; Franco, Kelsey, Kaitlyn, and the others were amazing, but Adam felt guilty about demanding perfection and nagging about changing this and that, even though the team never once complained about his organisation techniques. It was their work, after all, and it brought them joy.
"I'll try," he concluded and let Franco get back to packing up the booth.
The truth was, his team wasn't the main issue, no; Adam missed animating by himself. He missed the feeling of accomplishment after a job well done. Somehow, including other animators in his work prevented him from feeling the same sense of pride. Sure, the quality of his videos increased, but his satisfaction only dropped with each new production. He never failed to think of any and every mistake he and his team made in the progress, nitpicking every new project 'til exhaustion.
Only, he failed to inform anyone of his doubts, putting on a brave face for everyone around him. Everyone but Laurie. He occasionally mentioned it to James, but, currently, it seemed she was the only one who could direct him. Her opinion seemed more significant than anyone else's; her guidance could help point him in the right direction. She had dealt with similar types of situations before, as a director, too; no doubt she'd have a few pointers for him.
He hoped for a chance to ask her, were she to drive with him from Anaheim. After all, James was finally aware of the situation, and since Laurie volunteered to help him put away his booth, they'd get a chance to clear any misconceptions formed at the panel, letting Laurie ready to leave with Adam instead of James.
Only, his booth was far from being packed since the only two people working on it were him and Franco. He didn't want to miss his chance in asking Laurie to join him.
"I'll call Kelsey and Kaitlyn, find out what's holding them back," Adam said, standing up. "I'd like to be done here soon."
"Why, what's the rush?" Franco asked him.
"Well, there's nothing in particular," he lied. "But, they were hired for this job, and they're not doing it."
Franco chuckled. "Alright, but don't count on them picking up their phone."
〜〜〜
A knock on the door interrupted the group's lively chatter. From where she was sitting, Laurie turned her head in its direction curiously, warily eyeing her friends' expressions. Clearly, no one had any idea as to who might've been on the other side.
She eventually stood and waltzed to it, albeit held back. They didn't expect visitors, but it was unlikely for any stranger to come knocking in a hotel.
"Hi, Laurie."
The girl giggled. "James, what are you doing here? I thought you were packing up your booths?"
"And I thought you were supposed to be helping me," James cocked his head to the side, wanting to mess with her. "Guess we're both where we're not supposed to be."
Laurie moved to the side, making space to let him through. However, James stood his ground and only sent a small wave towards Laurie's group of friends. They were gathered in a circle, sitting on the hotel bed in the background, and, although perplexed, waved back.
"You're not coming in?" Laurie asked. She was anxious as to what he might've wanted; his face hadn't looked that stoic in ages.
James sighed. He was done avoiding the long-overdue chat with his sister. "I'd rather we talked out here if your friends don't mind."
Subtly, Laurie slipped through the door and left it slightly ajar. She could hear the murmur of conversation from the inside, but she didn't pay it much attention. She was focused on her brother. "What's going on?" she asked.
"For starters, you said you'd help with putting away my booth," James exhaled, his annoyance blatant. "Illy's team and mine have taken care of it, but you're not normally one to break your word."
"I'm sorry, but Inge and others dragged me out for drinks after the panel, and we've just returned a few minutes ago." She rushed to explain herself before stopping to draw in a short breath to regain her composure. "I've also received some very unsettling news from Agatha, the movie's producer which I'm working on, and couldn't bring myself to face you just yet, let alone Adam."
James crossed his arms on his chest, which only made his shoulders stick out more broadly. Although she'd been in LA for quite some time now, Laurie still wasn't used to seeing her brother wearing muscle so proudly. It suited him.
"What's the news? I hope nothing's gone wrong."
"No, no," Laurie shook her head. "It's just... The date of our departure to Europe has been moved closer. I only have another two weeks before I have to leave."
That seemed to sober the conversation to a different tone. It wasn't only the lovers' time that was shortened, the siblings' was too, and James had no clue when he'd be able to see his little sister again. Now he'd have to share that time with his best friend? It seemed unfair, but he knew better than to be upset. He realized he hadn't been his sister's priority ever since he found her in Adam's arms on his couch.
"Have you told Adam yet?" he asked dutifully. "It seems you two have gotten even closer in these, uh, past two days."
Laurie hoped she wasn't blushing. "No, he doesn't know, yet. I'm still trying to figure out how to break the news to him."
"Yes, I see you're thinking about it very hard," James scoffed condescendingly, hinting at and through the door where Laurie's friends chuckled at something unrelated.
Laurie's shoulders felt heavier than ever. She knew James was right. "What's your problem? I'll tell him soon enough."
"We're meeting in the parking lot at six. Are you gonna ride with him back home?"
"He asked me to, but... I'm not sure."
James sighed again and averted his gaze to his tennis shoes. "What game are you playing, Laurie? Today it's 'I'll always be there for you,' and tomorrow will be 'I'm leaving in two weeks.' If you're serious about this relationship, or whatever you two have branded it, then you shouldn't be so inconsistent about it."
"I am serious," Laurie tried to defend but was quickly silenced by James' words.
"Start acting like it, then," he snapped and looked up. His irritation abated when he noticed the tears glimmering in Laurie's eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't use that tone. It's just that..." He paused. "I'm not used to seeing you deal with this sort of thing, and the way you're handling it, it's simply... wrong. You're my sister, and I love you," he said, "but Adam is my best friend, and I don't want to see either of you hurt."
Laurie never would have guessed James would have treated the situation like he did. Ultimately, she should've known it would happen sooner or later since it took so long for her to tell him, but she had a gut feeling that he somehow already knew about it earlier. However, she had hoped that he would react in a way he always did: a cheerful attitude and a positive spirit. That time was different.
Then again, so was she.
"Do I seem different to you?" she suddenly asked, causing James' head to tilt. The question might've been straightforward, but there was a lot of meaning behind it. It was honest and blunt; just like Laurie.
James shifted from one leg to another, mulling over his answer. He seemed to be seriously reflecting over it which gave Laurie a sense of assurance. Then he said, "Of course you seem different to me."
Although Laurie expected James' answer to be somewhat similar to what he said, she was surprised by the lack of explanation behind the short response. She couldn't help but feel a little insulted. "What's that supposed to mean?"
James shook his head. "You keep pushing me away, keep secrets. Your actions are becoming irrationally compulsive, and that's without even mentioning the fact that you fell in love and act like what you do won't affect anyone other than yourself." Laurie lowered her head. "I get it," he continued. "Your work is stressful, you're worried about your future, and most of this is new to you." He put a hand on her shoulder. "But maybe it's time you look to someone other than yourself for help."
"How could I?" she sniffed. "You're always either busy to death or with Tara."
"C'mon, sis, I know you're young, but you're not stupid," James chuckled shortly and rubbed her shoulder supportingly. "I'm talking about Adam. You might not have noticed, but he's changed, too. I'm pretty sure it's because of you."
"How's he changed?"
"He also has a tendency to turn to none other than himself when he's clearly in distress, but that's not what I'm talking about," he said. "He trusts people again; he trusts you, which is not something I expected from him, considering he's had a fear of forming close relationships with anyone new for years now. Even with the animations, he's been hesitant to tell his team he'd rather work alone without the pressure of perfecting every video because he's afraid to be rejected or, worse, that he'll make them think he only used them. Now, I think he trusts them enough to know they will completely understand his decision."
"Did he say that to you, or is that just some thought of yours?" Laurie asked doubtfully.
"He told me yesterday. He's an extrovert, so he can't help but be drawn to new people, but to trust them is completely another thing. Now, can you see why this bothers him so much?"
Laurie nodded. She felt foolish for not realizing it earlier. Adam's nature prevented him from abandoning their new bond, but she was cruel enough to disregard his trust completely. How would he react once she needed to leave LA?
"Did he... Did he ever say anything about me to you?" she muttered.
"Not much. I think he's afraid to."
"God, James," she sighed and leaned into his side. James gladly took her in. "How will I ever be able to tell him I'm leaving earlier than he thinks? It'll break his heart."
"Do you love him?" James asked.
"I... I don't know. Sometimes it feels like I do."
"Then you'll find a way."
〜〜〜
Six o'clock rolled around too soon for Laurie's opinion. As she left her room, suitcase and group of friends trailing closely behind, she had a gut feeling Adam wouldn't take the news lightly.
"So, have you decided what you'll do?" Inge chirped as they exited the hotel.
"Sheesh, at least give her, like, a minute of thought, Inge," Kristi chuckled. "Our girl's got quite a decision to make."
"Not to put pressure on her or anything," Jürgen shook his head.
Laurie kept marching forward in the direction of the hotel parking lot where she already spotted a small group of animators circling her brother's car. She zeroed in on a patch of dark hair covered by a red merchandise cap somewhere in the middle and smiled. It would be the first time holding a conversation in front of others since the meet-and-greet. She knew her news would shake Adam to the core, but seeing everyone again was a chance to prove that her feelings were real.
"I'll simply be honest," she said. "Adam will most likely be upset, but... There's not much else I can do. I can't just quit. Staying in touch for a couple of months shouldn't be that hard."
"So, is long-distance really what you want, and you'd come back here?" Erhard asked, confused. "What about your plans in Berlin and London?"
"Well, let's be honest, a true filmmaker belongs in LA," Kristi said. "Or just anywhere in the States, really. In Europe, you'd be, like, much more challenged for success starting on your own."
"But what about that e-mail?" Inge whispered discreetly into Laurie's ear.
The others turned their heads swiftly. "What e-mail?"
Inge looked towards Laurie, again, but when the girl remained quiet, she went on explaining himself. "Some respected English director is coming to the set of Right Turns in France. He might recruit Laurie for his own movie."
"Why don't we know that?" Jürgen whined.
"Because it doesn't matter!" Laurie said strictly. "It won't change anything."
Inge sighed. "We'll miss you, then."
"Oh, don't say that! There will be plenty of time to visit each other!" Amalie exclaimed brightly. "And it's not like she's living on Mars. Most of Earth is easily accessible nowadays."
Laurie hummed a chuckle. She found Amalie's statement oddly comforting. Europe and the United States still weren't the furthest continents apart. Long-distance would take effort, but she found that was just another challenge for her to take upon. For something, or rather, someone, that was worth it, she was certain that she could push through.
Saying goodbye to her friends, though, was another thing. Europe and America might've not been that far apart, but she still doubted they'd have as many opportunities to meet and catch up in person with them returning to their lives in Germany and Laurie remaining in LA for the time being. She recalled how blue she was not seeing or hearing from them for only a month, and the happiness she felt after finally having a chance to speak to them again. They were like family to her, and she suddenly became afraid of losing that special bond. Inge was her best friend; who was to say they would remain so?
Even if she found other friends, maybe even amongst the animators, they wouldn't have the same shared interests as her friend group. It wouldn't be the same; her friends were irreplaceable.
By the time she said goodbye to them, promising another beach visit before they left in a couple of days, she saw a few animators disperse from the group gathered in the parking lot. Only the closest—Adam, James, Tara, Ilyssa, Jaiden, and a man with dark, tanned skin and a pair of thick glasses whom Laurie failed to formally meet—remained.
James noticed her first. She took a breath and made her approach.
"Hey, sis, glad you could join us," James smiled and hugged her warmly. "This is Maaz; I don't think you've met him personally, yet." Laurie stood between him and Adam, pressing more against the latter's side, and greeted the others with a cheerful nod.
The man in question, now known as Maaz, smirked, glancing at her and Adam's faces. The others sneakily did the same, noticing the flush on both of their cheeks.
"No, but I've heard a lot about you," Maaz smirked, offering Laurie a hand. "How are you doing?"
Laurie took his hand. "I've had better days, but this one's not so bad. How are you all doing now that the convention's over?"
"Oh, don't get me started," Ilyssa sighed. "This is the first time I was a featured creator, and it had to end so soon. I didn't even get to check half of the things in the backstage area because I was a day late!"
"There'll be more opportunities, Ily," James encouraged.
"Anyway, it was nice seeing all of you, but I have to get going now," Jaiden said. "I just wanted to greet you, Laurie, since I don't know when we'll be able to see you again."
"Yes, it was so nice having you join us this year!" Ilyssa chuckled and hopped over to hug the girl. "I hope we'll be seeing you again next year."
"Well," Laurie was blushing in a deep shade of red now, "I'm not making any promises, but I will try."
"Goodbye, everyone!" Jaiden and Maaz waved in sync before heading to their cars, the others soon following suit. Eventually, even Ilyssa went her own way.
"I'll wait in the car," Tara whispered into James' ear before hopping in the front passenger's seat.
Laurie stood stoically in her place, looking between the two men, who, just like her, waited for someone else to utter the first word. Though content that the topic of her and Adam didn't come to light before, she was still nervous facing both of them at the same time. James eventually gathered the courage to speak up first.
"I guess I'll see you at home, Laurie," he said, hugging her. "Good luck." He then swiftly shook hands with Adam—who quite cluelessly overlooked James' hint—and left, leaving the couple alone.
"What would you need luck with?" Adam chuckled nervously, finally having Laurie alone to himself. "So, you're not going with James?"
The girl took a deeply burdened breath. "Let's go to your car. We need to talk."
〜〜〜
Palm trees dashed by in vague blurs as Adam drove down Hollywood Boulevard; Laurie would miss it all dearly. LA was the entertainment capital of the world, and she felt as if she belonged there. She specifically asked Adam if they could pass it on their way back for she had a hunch that she might never be able to see it again before leaving.
On the other hand, she longed to be included in the cultured lifestyle of Europe, where her other life was. She had acquaintances there, and possibly a guaranteed job offer.
How could one compare Los Angeles to what awaited her in Germany? They were two different worlds, and she wanted to be part of both.
However, LA was the place where she could fulfil all of her potential, be closer to her family and, as a bonus, be with Adam, thus making it the more obvious choice. Perhaps, once she'd made a name for herself and a stable career, she could make her dream a reality. Then, she'd be living in Europe while still creating, being involved, and appreciated in the world of film.
She knew that she had been quiet for most of the ride and spent most of it gawking out the open window, while Ed Sheeran blasted through the speakers of Adam's car. When they left the city centre, however, Adam's curiosity got the best of him.
"So, tell me. What do we need to talk about? You seem kinda... lost in reverie."
Laurie settled back into the passenger's seat and rolled up the window, finally forcing herself to close out the rest of the world for the time being. She had to take care of something serious.
Besides, what was the point in being discreet anymore?
"I'm leaving in two weeks," she stated. "Agatha called earlier today and asked me to take care of some things before we leave, so I don't even know how much free time I'll have before the production departs."
For how shaken his face looked, Adam was surprisingly good at keeping the car steady on the road. "Two—Two weeks? I thought you had, like, a month left. More, even!"
"Evidently not."
"And you have no say in it?"
Laurie shook her head. She initially intended to play it tough, but she felt tears stinging in her eyes. "Not much. I could, maybe, fight for an additional day or two, but I don't think it would make a difference if I'm being honest."
Glendale was not far now.
"I agree. But—" Adam stuttered. "What will happen to us? We just announced our relationship to the world, and you have to leave?"
"As I said, I don't have much of a choice. Besides," she turned to look at him, "you have your own problems to take care of. Worrying about me would only slow you down."
"What are you talking about?"
"James told me you're seriously thinking about creating your animations by yourself again. That will mean you'll have less time to spend with me. It will be tough as it is, but with the addition of that..."
Adam's bottom lip twitched anxiously. "I'd find time for you."
She sighed. "We'd just burden each other."
"You would never burden me."
Laurie was beginning to feel annoyed. She would've never disregarded Adam as such, and he probably knew it, but him pointing it out all the more enraged her. She was easy to stir up. However, they were still in a moving car, and she was bright enough to figure out that yelling wouldn't make the drive go any smoother, much less the conversation.
"Adam... Can you honestly say you didn't expect this to happen eventually?"
It took a while for him to answer, almost as if no answer was satisfactory enough. Laurie knew that there wasn't much either of them could say that would change the outcome, but she didn't want to be the only villain in their story. She hoped Adam would understand; although deep inside, she had some expectations that he'd become defensive. It was a sudden change, which people with a spirit like his weren't quick to adapt to.
"I'm not going to stand in your way; I'm not a douchebag," he murmured hesitantly. "But I wish to know what you want me to do in this case. Do you want us to split right now?"
Laurie immediately shook her head and realized that she hadn't even mentioned the decision she came to. "No! Not at all!"
"What then?" he raised his voice. "Am I just supposed to wait for doomsday? Pretend like everything's fine until you give me the boot?"
"We could—We could facetime, chat online... I would come back. It'd only be for a couple of months, anyway. We'd both be busy, but I think we could find some time, at least."
The tone shifted again, this time into safer waters. "I thought you already made up your mind in staying there," Adam said, confused.
"Does it look like it?" she suddenly chuckled. It immediately made her feel lighter. "Perhaps, I'll find time for that later in life. I've realized LA is where I need to be if I truly want to start my career the right way. I doubt anyone in Europe could give me the same push as Hollywood productions can."
James' number seventeen came into view from afar, and it was fast approaching.
"Does that mean that you don't want us to break up?" Adam's eyes flashed with hope.
He slowed to a stop in front of a single floored white house. From inside, a light flashed on, indicating that James and Tara were already at home, most likely watching TV. Laurie leaned her elbow on the armrest, hesitating with her fingers wrapped around the handle. After so much thought and worry, she felt at home; she had a sense of comfort knowing what awaited her behind that door. Beyond it was family, and Adam was a part of it, too.
Laurie didn't want it to end. No, she decided right then and there exactly what she wanted.
She released the handle. "Let's go to your place," she said firmly.
Adam's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
"I said..." She leaned toward him and pressed a long, feverish kiss against his lips. She hovered closely when it ended and whispered, "Let's go to your place."
He let out a puff of disbelief. "Are you sure? You have work tomorrow; I don't want to—"
"I can wake up earlier and have an Uber pick me up."
"Oh, no," Adam protested. "I'll take you. I just want to make sure this is really what you want."
Laurie looked toward the house once again. She recalled what James once told her; he knew her and Adam would get on well together. There was no doubt that he'd still want that for them. James had also told her to be serious, so she was being serious. She seriously wanted nothing more than to be with Adam.
"It's what I want," she nodded. "Let's go."
〜〜〜
They stepped through the apartment door, and Adam locked it behind them. Laurie remained standing in the hallway, wistfully looking over the furniture and the space Adam occupied daily. She took in the sweet strawberry scent coming from the bathroom and suddenly wished she could file it away in her memory forever. It fit him so well, too.
Adam helped her with her bag on her shoulder and placed it on one of the kitchen chairs. He then returned and grabbed Laurie's hands gently, fondly caressing the back of her palms with his thumbs.
"I don't want you to regret anything. I would never forgive myself if I was the person who took away your dreams," he spoke. He was serious and sincere as he smiled. "But I'm also so, so, so glad you decided to keep me around for a while."
Laurie chuckled, leaning into Adam's torso and wrapped her hands around his neck. She felt him clutch onto her waist desperately. "I've never done long-distance before," she whispered. "Well, I've never done anything before, but that's not the point here."
They snickered in unison but remained standing still.
"I just don't want us to fight," she continued. "You know how tight my schedule was here; no doubt it'll be even more intense there."
"Yeah, I understand," Adam replied. "I'll keep busy with my animations, too. Don't worry, I promise I won't get upset if we fail to hear from each other for a few days. As long as you don't decide to leave me for some pizza making Italian boy called Luigi."
Laurie backed away momentarily, though grinning. "I don't think that's really appropriate, and I'm not even going to Italy!"
"Look, for a woman like you, no doubt they'd be prepared to travel north for a few hours."
"It's nice to see you know geography," she giggled. "But you have nothing to worry about. Don't know if I can say the same for you, though."
Adam smirked cockily. "You worried that all the Tinder gamer girls will want a piece of this, huh?" he said, motioning over himself. "Listen, if one tries, you'll be informed immediately. I'll even pay for your plane ticket home."
Home. It sounded quite pleasant to Laurie's ears. She'd spent so long searching the world for a place she could call that, but it only just hit her that she didn't even have to go far to find it.
She lifted herself onto her toes to meet Adam's lips, at his height for a change, and she kissed him feverishly. She adored the feeling of having Adam meet her with the same passion every time and decided she would use the next two weeks she had left to fill her 'affection meter' to last until she'd come back.
Deepening the kiss, she gradually began leading him across the room and through the doorway of his bedroom, where Adam finally picked up on what the girl had in mind.
He pushed down on her shoulders, effectively convincing her to sit on the edge of the bed in front of him. "It'll make you pretty tired, you know," he said, looking as smug as ever while brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
Laurie met him with the same content grin. "Oh, I'm counting on it," she whispered before pulling Adam by his waist, causing him to topple over her.
Immediately, the two began rolling across the bed, soaking up all the lust and devotion from each other. It made them stronger, more convinced they could live through whatever was coming next in their lives. Yet somehow, they were also desperate to engrave every passing moment into their minds forever, as if afraid it would never happen again.
For now, they were together and would be 'til the break of dawn.