"Winnie?" You've been back for a week and a half but today is the first day Winnie actually looks happy. Her shoulders are back and she's not slumping and it's a refreshing change of pace but it's been so long since you've seen her like this that it makes you wonder what changed.
"I'm going to quit my job today," she says, big beaming grin still stuck to her face. It's like she's telling a joke with red eyes and a broken heart; it doesn't make a lick of sense to you.
"What?" You furrow your brows and Winnie repeats herself.
"I'm going to quit my job toda-"
"Yeah, no, I heard you the first time, but... no offense, sweetheart, but that doesn't sound like something you'd do."
She looks slightly hurt. "What, am I not strong enough?"
You run a hand through your hair. "No, it's just... You're a very... Sensitive person."
She furrows her brows. "What's that supposed to mean?"
You gesture to her. "This is what I mean."
"Oh... Huh."
"Yeah."
She rolls her shoulders. "Well, I'm going to do it. Eff Lawrence and his stupid band, you know."
Ah, and we're back to the no cussing thing. Cute.
Though it is true that Lawrence York, the lead singer of the Leviathans, needs to be taken down about a hundred and two million pegs. He thinks he's the shit because he's 'hot' and has a fake British accent.
"Then I'll help you." Wait, what?
"You will?" Winnie brightens up immediately.
And how can you refuse that face? "Yeah, of course. We're besties, right?"
Winnie nods rapidly and links your pinkies.
"Always," she smiles.
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"You can't tell him, Kam."
"Link, I'm not going to tell him."
"I swear to God, Kam-"
"Chill, Link. I won't tell Joey."
"Promise?"
"Cross my heart and hope to die."
"Thought you didn't have a heart...?
"Wow."
"Sorry! Sorry, I-"
"Link, it's all good, quit stressing."
"Sorry."
"Lincoln Caise."
"Kamila Tivoli-DeLuca."
"If you apologize one more time, I'm going to gut you like a motherfucking fish."
"Kam?"
"Link?"
"Sorry."
"..."
"Okay, I'm done."
"You'd better be."
"Kam?"
"Yes, Link?"
"I appreciate you coming with me today. You're one of the only two people I know who's-"
"Married?"
"Yeah."
"At least you won't propose while you're at McDonald's and you're both in sweatpants and Joey has half a Big Mac in his mouth and he has to swallow in before he responds and he ends up choking and you have to take him to the emergency room and halfway there he manages to breathe and say yes."
"... Is that how Marco proposed to you?"
"No, I just made that oddly specific scenario up for no reason."
"... You were being sarcastic, right?"
"Honest to God, Lincoln."
"Just checking."
"He's going to say yes, you know."
"Do you think he will?"
"Yes. If not because he loves you, then for the ring. It's fucking gorgeous."
"Thanks, Kam. That's helpful."
"Anytime, friend."
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You spend a good ten minutes at the door of the apartment.
"But what if-"
"No."
"But they could-"
"No."
"But-"
"Winnie."
"Okay..."
Then, it's the elevator.
"I don't want to-"
"You have to do it."
"But maybe-"
"You have to do this."
"But I don't think-"
"Winnie Seaford."
Then, it's the parking lot.
"You're going in."
"I don't want to."
"You don't have a choice."
"This is my job!"
"Winifred Seaford, I have watched you be strong and stand tall in front of these sons of bitches for two years. I have watched you come home stressed and wound up, and I have watched you come home exhausted. I have watched you cry in the corner at a Halloween party because of them, and I have watched you attend therapy in goddamn California. So if you think that I am going to just stand by and watch you go through another two years of breakdowns and fake smiles, then you are dead fucking wrong."
She's quiet for a moment.
"Melanie?"
"Winnie?"
"You're my best friend."
"And you're mine."
"Let's do this."
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"Five bucks says they're fucking." Wally spits out his drink, sputtering.
Talia rolls her eyes. "Wow, Luke, subtle."
The dream team's in New York for the announcement of Talia's new music video.
The only people who didn't show were Tatem, Winnie, and Melanie.
Which was raising some very important questions for Talia.
Wally's still coughing when Kai shrugs and says, "The question is whether it's just sex."
The redhead takes a huge breath. "How did we go from small talk about the weather to.... Who's fucking what now?"
"Isn't it a little obvious?" Rhett's brows are raised, arm slung around Talia's shoulder. They're dating again, and apparently, their breakup hadn't been as messy as Talia and Arsen's. The latter is sitting at the counter instead of it the booth, pretending not to be interested in the conversation.
"Winnie and Melanie, dude," Milo reaches over to ruffle his tein's hair.
"I wish Tate was here." Talia frowns. "Winnie would've told her. Then we'd know for sure."
Wally looks so so very disturbed. "Why are we discussing Winnie and Melanie's sex lives?"
Milo shakes his head. "Don't act so innocent, little brother."
Wally throws his arms in the air. "I'm only eight minutes younger than you!"
"Back to the matter at hand..." Talia redirects the conversation, mainly because her friends have the attention spans of goldfish. "I just texted Tate. They're not together."
Luke pinches the bridge of his nose, handing her five dollars.
"They're so in love it's sickening." Kai crosses her arms over her chest, slouching in her seat.
"But they're not together." Talia looks so sad. Her eyes light up all of a sudden. "Wait!"
"Talia..." Rhett backs away from his girlfriend, the evil twinkle in her eyes and matching smirk making the entire dream team sweat nervously.
"I have an idea."
Oh, boy...
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"Lawrence York!" She storms into the studio, armed with a red pen.
"Winnie, love," he sneers at her. "You're late for rehearsal, you little shit. And since when was it okay for you to bring other people to the place we work? Is nothing sacred? I don't think I approved her."
You blink.
Oh, wow, this guy needs to be beaten with a metal pole.
She doesn't falter. "I'm quitting."
A girl with mousy brown hair with blue streaks (you think her name is Becky) laughs mockingly. "Yeah, sure." She twirls a set of drumsticks, pointing one at the blonde.
"I am!" She stomps, protesting their dismissal.
"No, you're not," Malcolm (is it Malcolm?) says.
"But..."
"Nah, you don't have the balls," Her name's most definitely Stacy. Or Stephanie. Possibly Sarah. And you hate her already.
"You'll have quit for five hours and be crawling back to us before morning. You're not strong enough to leave for good." Winnie's shoulders shake, and you can tell she's about to cry.
You see red.
Red, like the blood on Winnie's hands when she broke.
And the only thought that passes through your mind is I will not let them destroy her.
"She doesn't have to be, because I'm here to catch her if she falls." Winnie looks at you with a small smile on her lips before turning back to the Leviathans and jutting out her chin in defiance.
Because she's Winnie Seaford.
The goddamn queen of stubborn.
"But I know her. And she won't bow down. Not to a bag of dicks like you." You end your piece and Winnie's already marching forwards, grabbing Lawrence by the collar.
"I. Quit." She shoves him backwards and he stumbles. "I'll file the paperwork tonight." She turns to leave before thinking twice and facing him once more. "And I'll be pressing charges."
Stacie, Becky, Malcolm, and Lawrence look scared. "No!"
Hands on her hips. "Why shouldn't I?"
Lawrence is in shock. "Because... Because..."
She gives him her best 'Are you kidding me, asshat?' face. "That's what I thought. Mels?"
You link arms with her. "Let's get out of here."
She tosses her pen at the four band members. "Yes. Let's."
You make it to the parking lot before Winnie starts giggling hysterically.
"I'm free!" She cries out to the world, her tone so joyful that it hurts to be reminded that something as insignificant as that stupid band could've dampened it.
"You're free." And you both hold each other close and laugh and cry at the same time because she's free.
That's all you've ever wanted for the blonde.
"Stay with me?" She holds out her hand after she pulls away from the hug.
"Always, Winnie, always." You kiss her cheek and she blushes.
The two of you are as you should be.
Happy and wild and free.
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