WILLOW
When Maya told me she needed something from the store and she couldn't leave because she was baking cookies and she doesn't trust me in the kitchen (smart choice) I haven't expected to see Summer Bennett sitting cross legged under a tree. I stopped immediately, after looking for her in the entire school- she was right there. The rays of sunlight shined on her face making her glow. I had to take a moment to asked myself if she was real, to be honest, because she looked like an extension of the sun.
I had my opportunity right there and I took it. I apologized to her and now I've been waiting for her to text me since yesterday- twenty five hours waiting but who's counting? I know she's busy. She looked extremely tired when I saw her, she looked like she wanted nothing more than lay on her bed and sleep but she said she had to go the gym- which was weird, but she probably has a routine she has to follow so I said nothing, gave her my number and left and I've been waiting since then.
Waiting can be exhausting, even more when you are not used to use your phone all the time. I turned off the do not disturb mode and it's the fourth time it rings making me jump, thinking it's her but it's not. My mom's been asking for money again and I've been avoiding her- again. I'm on my double shift right now because I need money, I had one class today and when I asked Sam if I could take a double shift, he happily agreed. My mom messages burn me alive every time I read them. She keeps sucking my life, leaving me with nothing and my heart is very tired of it.
"I'm closing today. You can go home if you want." Maya lays her elbows on the counter, looking as boring as I feel.
Fridays are our most boring days. Students choose nightclubs and alcohol instead of cheap burgers and sodas. Just an old couple and a girl who seems like she's studying are here right now and none of them are on my tables, they're all Maya's. I could leave right now, my shift ended like forty minutes ago and Bailey, Chloe and even Sam had left already, but where would I go if I leave? Josie is at home with her family, Maya's here, my brother is back at the States and I'm... alone. I rather be here, with her than in my tiny dorm with my own thoughts and waiting for a text from a girl I don't even know. God, I'm pathetic.
"I'll just stay here." I say, taking a seat on one of the tables. "Just let me know if you need help."
Maya narrows her eyes at me and nods. "You're the only person who wants to hang out at her own job."
A small chuckle leaves my lips. "I'm not hanging out' I'm working."
"Your shift ended an hour ago."
I roll my eyes. "I'm waiting for you. It's dark and cold outside."
She hums, raising her brows. "I love you too, Willow."
I cringe, wrinkling my nose. "I never said that."
She laughs, just in time to see the girl from one of the tables calling her. "You didn't have to!"
She disappears from my view and I grab my phone to see if I have new messages. It's ridiculous how much I want someone I don't even know to text me. My mind goes back to our conversation and a sigh leaves my body when I remember she said she was busy on Fridays, maybe that's why she hasn't texted. An urge to know more about her life takes over me. How is the life of a professional ballerina with even more famous parents?
I remember her saying her mom is a music producer. My fingers move faster than my brain as I search the name of her mom on Google.
Pictures of a brunette woman with green eyes stare at me like I'm doing something wrong. The entire world knows who Luna Bennett is but I have no idea what is the name of her wife. I scroll down, reading her most recent news like she opened her own ice center, pictures of her family just existing-which makes me kind of sad- and then I'm hit with the information I was looking for.
Spouse: Mia Bennett
I click on her name and an older version of Aurora Bennett appears on my screen. She's beautiful, big blue eyes, ginger wavy hair, she's smiling in almost every picture. I click on one of them, my heart stopping when I recognize the little girl next to her. Summer looks maybe fifteen in the picture, she has her arms wrapped around her mom's waist, her eyes close and a wide smile on her mouth. She looks so cute and at peace in her mom's arms my chest burns with sadness. I leave the site, focusing on what I was looking for.
Mia Bennett is an American-Canadian songwriter and music producer. Bennett is the world's top music producer, according to the News People magazine. Bennett has worked as a songwriter and producer with various artists, including Chloe Murphy, Brian Lewis, Ivy Wood, Taylor Swift, Emma McAdams, the 1975, Lana del Rey and more.
Bennett has won nine Grammy Awards. Four years in a row for Producer of the Year.
Holy fucking shit. My jaw almost hits the floor as I finish reading.
Summer's mom is a Grammy winner? What the fuck? And also... Taylor-fucking-Swift?! Chloe Murphy?! They are like my heroes. How the fuck did I not know this? Why no one talks about this? Okay, maybe they do but... What?! I keep re-reading, not believing my eyes. Summer's family is famous and rich like... extremely famous and rich- the thought makes my heart race and my palms sweat. Summer and I come from two different worlds, how can I even do this with her?
She was probably ten and preparing for the fucking Grammys with her moms, while when I was ten I was crying because my mom used me every chance she got.
While she was seventeen she was being called The future of Ballet to the entire world while I was trying to figure out how to run away from home.
This dynamic is absolutely not going to work. We're two worlds apart but somehow it needs to- I need her to win this thing.
My phone buzzes in my hand and I almost drop it, hearing my heart pounding in my ears like I've been caught doing something I shouldn't. I close the tabs, erasing Summer's mom's names and I open the text message feeling the way my stomach aches at the Unknown Number.
Unknown Number: hey! it's summer bennett :) sorry i didn't write you before i've been busy.
I can't stop myself from smiling- and maybe worrying because I was just stalking her family on the internet like a fucking creep. Is she near me? Can she know what I was doing? No, that's ridiculous.
The little dots dance until a new message appears.
Unknown Number: i was just wondering when do you want to start practicing? i told u i can any day after six or seven :) if it's too late for you we can meet up on the weekends. whatever you like it's fine.
Biting my bottom lip, I start writing back.
willow james: hey, it's ok. don't worry
It's not like I've been waiting for your text or anything.
willow james: i had some songs already written we can meet up to see if you feel comfortable building a dance to it? idk how this works.
Her response is almost immediate and my heart flutters. Honestly, I'm going to ask Maya to kick myself after her shift.
Unknown Number: uhhh, sure. you can come to my house or apartment and we can work on it here:)
I read the message feeling like I'm about to pass out. I can't go to her house for the same reasons I thought two seconds ago. We're from different worlds, I can't meet her moms- her Grammy winner mom! Jesus Christ. I can't do that so instead, I write.
willow james: maybe it's best if we meet in public or my dorm. we don't have to do much yet.
I watch the dots dancing for maybe two minutes and I can't help but think I said something wrong. Maybe she doesn't want to come to my dorm or meet up at some library? After all, she said she only can meet me at night and it is dangerous for the both of us. Doesn't she have bodyguards? God. I'm so fucking pathetic.
Unknown Number: sure. tomorrow at the library? i'm free after three. i can make it by three thirty.
willow james: great. see u there
I save her number in my phone and Maya appears in front of me, wearing a playful smile on her face. She leans in on the counter and crosses her arms over her chest.
"I wanna know who's the person having you all glued to your phone."
My cheeks heat. "What? No one." I hide my phone in my pocket, ignoring the urge to grab it again when it buzzes.
"I've known you for a year now and you never had your phone in your hands more than two minutes." her brows raise. "And I just watched you get lost in it for eight minutes straight-"
"You counted them?!"
She holds up a palm to me. "Uh. Not the point." her brown eyes narrow before she gasps. "Oh my god. Are you seeing someone? Maybe that's why you've been hiding!"
I groan, raising to my feet as I get away from her. "I'm not seeing anyone, you idiot. I was just looking at something on the internet."
"Then why are you walking away from me? And why are you all red?" she follows me behind, I can hear the smile on her voice. "Please, I wanna know. I'm your best friend, I deserve to know."
I grab my bag, pulling it over my shoulder. "I'm not seeing anyone." I lock my eyes with hers. "I have to go."
"Why? You just said you were waiting for me." she never stops following me, not even when I reach the front door.
"I have to write an essay." I say, stepping outside the cold night and practically running away from the diner.
"It's Friday! You don't even do homework on week days!" I hear my friend yelling as I get away from her with a smile on my lips.
❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅
I've scrolling down my notes app for thirty minutes, reading and re-reading every single song I've written and none of them sound good enough to make a dance out of it. They're all sad, depressive, slow and they're not even finished. I want to mentally kick myself because I told Summer that I'd show her some songs today and I have absolutely nothing for her. I'm meeting her in fifteen minutes at the library near the park where I found her a few days ago. We agreed to meet there due to the fact that is Saturday and the UBC's library closed at noon.
I stand in front of the mirror, checking myself before going out. It's raining outside, starting to get a little bit cold thanks to the fall season in Vancouver. I'm wearing high-waisted loose jeans, a turtleneck sweater that I tucked inside my jeans and I grab my puffer coat before going out. I let my hair down with its natural waves and I put on some makeup because why not? Grabbing my keys and my phone, I make my way to the library.
My heart hammers in my chest as I walk under the soft rain with my head low. I feel nervous about meeting Summer again, I don't know why but I do. Something clicks in my brain telling me I'm going to spend three fucking months with this girl I barely know and whose family probably hates me. I think about that maybe we'll have to split the money if we win, maybe Summer needs the money for something, we haven't talked about it- we haven't talked about anything but I can't help but feel nervous and anxious about having to share three months with Summer Bennett and a whole competition.
I am not great meeting people, the only two friends I've had in my entire life are Maya and Josie- the latter I met only a few weeks ago. I don't do well with friends, never did- I spent my school years alone in a corner, away from the loud crowds.
My twin brother was the opposite of me. He pretended to be someone he wasn't at school. Happy, confident, friendly, intelligent and he also pretended not to know me. But sometimes I feel like that actually helped him- Jeez, he's in another fucking country playing basketball with his best friends from secondary school and he's hoping to get into the NBA.
Maybe that was the secret of getting out of my house- pretend; but I never could do it. I was sad, alone, hungry, depressed and I couldn't pretend otherwise until I got my acceptance letter from UBC, bringing a little bit of hope into my life when I finally moved out of that house. Sadly, I am not free from the woman who gave birth to me but I'm still trying.
"Willow." I hear my name behind me, bringing goosebumps all over my body. I know that voice, I've lived with that voice for eighteen years of my life. "Willow!" she calls again, louder this time and I want to scream at myself for thinking about her- I literally summoned her.
I turn around with a long sigh, standing face to face with those brown eyes who are nothing like mine. Delilah James stands in front of me, looking like absolutely shit. Purple bags under her bloodshot eyes, dry blonde hair, dirty old clothes and cheap make-up on her face. Not a different image of the woman who gave birth to me. My mom was always like this. The only times she looked presentable were when she took me to competitions and those times I actually loved going out with her- She pretended to be a nice decent mom for a few hours.
I always joked that I wasn't her daughter-okay, there's a thin line between joke and wish- because I look absolutely nothing like her and she doesn't even like music. I used to wish to meet my dad but if he was capable of abandon a pregnant woman with twins who couldn't even afford a bag of diapers... What does it say about him?
"Mother." I say, hating myself for how weak my voice sounds. "What, uh, what are you doing here?"
"You look nice." her brow raises, a smirk on her lips that makes me uncomfortable. "Job must be paying good." she laughs, low and scary.
I keep repeating myself not to freak out. To stay calm and not cry. If my mom has any talent is making me cry hard enough that I end up having a panic attack. I can't have a panic attack in the middle of the street.
"I, um... I'm, yeah. I'm good. How are you?" I take a step back, glancing at the floor.
"I've been texting you. Do you not have a phone?"
"I... Yes. I'm sorry, I've been busy with school."
"School." she repeats, mocking me. "Look. I don't fucking care what you do with your life but you've been living in my house for fucking free for eighteen years. The least you can do is send me the money I ask for, right?"
My heart speeds up in my chest at the same time my hands start shaking. I hold them together to make them stop. "I... I haven't seen your texts. I'm sorry."
"Look, honey." she almost whispers. "I am not going to make a scene in the middle of the fucking street but I expect those five hundred in my account tonight, 'kay? If not, I'll have to stop by at your dorm and we both know you won't like that."
I freeze, my gaze gets blurry from the tears. "Mom, I don't... I don't have that-"
"Five hundred. Tonight, Willow. Don't make me repeat what happened when you were little." she growls, dead eyes on me before she turns around walking away from me, and leaving me with a heavy chest and tears in my eyes.
My phone rings and I blink my lashes rapidly to clear my eyes.
summer bennett: hi! pls don't be mad, my class ran late but i'm close!!! wait for me
There are a lot of things I can't control in my life; the biggest being my mother.
I started doing little things that I have control of- my job, my classes, my time. I don't like being late, I don't like my mother making an appearance in my life after not seeing her for a year and the first thing she asks is money. Money that I make with my own hands, that at the end of the day is money I can't have because I have to give it to the woman who only brings problems into my life. I don't like feeling like a failure because I'm not. I made it. I'm in college, I have friends and a job- but I will never be free of my mother.
I want to call my brother and tell him pretend is not enough. I want to tell him that I'm tired and I want to ask him how he does it- but he's not going to answer, he's living her best life away from me while I'm stuck in my mom's shadow.
"Willow!" another voice calls my name, this time bringing some sort of comfort at my heart. I turn around, forcing myself to breathe calmly and not have a panic attack in the middle of the street.
I found Summer Bennett looking like a dream. Chestnut hair falls down her back with soft beach waves, she's wearing a pink ribbon again. Those hazel eyes shine in the sunlight, her face lighting up when we lock eyes. She's wearing gray sweatpants, a Taylor Swift oversized hoodie and even so, she looks beautiful. Her pink bag hangs on her shoulder as she makes her way closer to me and she smiles brightly.
"Hi! I'm so sorry I'm late." she bites her lips and before I can say anything, She wraps her small arms around my waist, her chest crushing into mine as she hides her face in the crook of my neck. The strawberry scent hits me in the face like a truck and I honestly think I could get intoxicated by her. She even smells good! How is she so perfect?
The hug is over as quickly as it started, she steps back with blushed cheeks and a shy smile. "Uh. Sorry. I'm so sorry, I'm a hugger. My arms moved faster than my brain and I-"
"It's okay." I interrupt her, my lips curving into a smile. "It's fine, don't worry." I needed that.
She clears her throat and opens her bag, taking a small bag from J&J, my favorite bakery. "I brought you this because I was late and I didn't want you to be mad at me."
I laugh, looking at her shiny eyes. "You're five minutes late."
She shrugs. "I hate being late so... these are part of my apology. I have chocolate chip cupcakes, you like them?" she bites the inside of her cheek in the most adorable way.
"I love them." I nod.
"Good. My aunt made them, they're the best in the country." she laughs. "Shall we go inside?" her hand gestures the library across the street.
I don't mention the fact that she just called Lauren Johnson her aunt- Maya told me Lauren Johnson opened her own bakery five years ago after she retired with Luna and I was actually shocked when I learned she owns J&J, my favorite place in the world. It's incredibly creepy how much Maya knows about these people's life. I should have a talk with her.
I nod at the girl in front of me. "We shall."
She walks and I follow her behind, completely ignoring the fact that my anxiety faded away the moment Summer hugged me.
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Hi! Everything in here is fictional- Real people are only mentioned to bring a little life to the story. I know it's impossible to be Taylor Swift's music producer but just use your imagination and enjoy. Don't be mad at me, I'm just writing what feels good :)