Ally begrudgingly opens the door after the obnoxiously loud knock sounds from it, glaring at a smiling and energetic Lauren.
"Allyson Brooke!"
"Lauren Michelle!" Ally mocks enthusiasm.
"You're coming with me to work today, so go get ready and meet me in the car."
Ally glances to Camila's driveway next to hers, spotting the oldest Cabello fixing her makeup in the mirror from the driver's seat as she waits for the two of them. "Why can't you just take your girlfriend? She's already in the car."
"Because she's dropping us off. She has errands to run and her mom is at work, so she needs my car." Lauren explains. "Now go get ready!"
"Why? I don't wanna." Ally didn't want to admit that she had plans to text Lucy and hang out with her all day, wanting to avoid any teasing.
"You'll thank me later when we get back, I promise." Ally narrows her eyes at Lauren's implications. "I would've had one of the other girls force you out of your home, but they're all busy today."
Ally clenches her jaw and gives Lauren a look. "...Fine. But only because I want to figure out what you're hiding, not because I want to spend the day with you."
"Rude." Lauren places a hand on her chest dramatically. "I'm hurt and offended. See you in the car!" She chirps happily before descending Ally's porch, joining Camila. Ally grumbles to herself the entire walk up the stairs to get ready, still mumbling even as she climbs into the back seat of Lauren's car.
"Stupid gays dragging me everywhere.. god, why do you make me put up with this?" Ally glances upwards, begging for some kind of sign.
"What did you say, Ally?" Camila turns around to look at her, her mumbling too jumbled to be decoded.
"Your hair looks pretty, Mila." Ally smiles sweetly, pretending the last twenty minutes she spent getting ready hadn't been a constant loop of her complaining to herself. She loves her friends to death, but it's eight in the morning and she hasn't gotten her coffee yet.
"Thanks!" Camila fluffs it in the rearview mirror, giving Lauren a kiss on the cheek before beginning to pull out of the driveway. "Lolo braided it for me last night."
The radio was the only thing interrupting the silence that followed as Camila drove them to Lauren's work, though Ally wasn't really focused on the music.
Lucy: i'm sure you'll have lots of fun with lauren
Allysus: what am i gonna do? throw paper clips at her?
Lucy: sure
Allysus: 😑
Lucy: i'm sure you'll come up with something. it's a big place, have fun with it like camila did last week.
Allysus: hmph
Lucy: i can see you pouting in my mind, and while it's super adorable, i'll promise you now that if you solider through this i n s a n e l y difficult day you have ahead of you, i'll come over when you get back
Allysus: 😩😩 why would you say that, now all i'm gonna think about is seeing you
Lucy: that's gay
Lucy: but fr have fun with lauren, i'm sure you can make fun of her with that halsey chick
Allysus: yeah... fiiine
Lucy: and it's not like you have to work, you can always text me if you get bored.
Surprisingly, Ally didn't end up getting bored. As it turns out, Lauren's work actually was an interesting place to be. Ally didn't realize how prestigious this gallery was until Lauren showed her the warehouse backed up with paintings to be displayed leading all the way through next year. She even dragged Ally through so many twists and turns just to show her her favorite piece that Ally was concerned they wouldn't be able to find their way out, until Lauren assured her that as an intern she spent a lot of time roaming the warehouse organizing and labeling paintings.
And Halsey was a fun person to hang out with, she discovered. While they were back at their joint L shaped desks, Halsey offered Ally some goldfish and then proceeded to chuck a few at Lauren. Lauren ended up turning around and catching a few in her mouth.
But Ally's favorite part of the day, she decided, was meeting Big Rob. Maybe it was because it was a quiet day and there wasn't much for him to do, or maybe it was because he liked Ally and thought she was funny, but either way he still ended up pushing her around the hallways in a rolling office chair.
By the time five rolled around, she barely remembered the sour mood she'd been in. Camila came to pick the two up, smirking as she observed them joking around and teasing one another. She briefly shared a look with Lauren, both of them knowing just exactly what Ally was in for when they got home.
Ally says goodbye to the couple, glancing back at them as they head towards the Cabello residence hand-in-hand, giggling cutely at something Ally doesn't hear. She smiles to herself, walking onto her own porch and pulling out her keys to unlock the door. But by the time she's placed the key in the lock, she realizes the door to her home is already open.
A panic settles in her stomach as she turns the knob, peeking her head into her house before sighing in relief when she spots the candles lighting up the area. Surely a murderer wouldn't take the time to create such a romantic setup. This had a certain someone's fingerprints all over—
"Surprise.." Ally turns her head to see Lucy standing in the doorway, dressed in a tight, thigh-high red dress with black lace. Her back was exposed, the collar of the dress wrapping around her lower neck. A wider smile than before settles onto her features and she closes the door, leaning back against it as she gives Lucy a knowing look.
"I suspected you had something to do with it when Lauren dragged me out for the day."
"I know not what you mean, ma'am." She teases, taking a step closer.
Ally smirks, dropping her bag at her feet. "So, do I finally get to know what we're doing for our date?"
"Shortly..." Lucy nods. "But first, there's a dress upstairs that Dinah picked out for you."
Ally narrows her eyes before heading up to her bedroom anyway, finding a mid-thigh orange-red dress with wide straps and a wide cleavage cut. Dinah would pick this out... Ally thinks, glancing to her closet which was most likely in complete disarray from the scavenging Dinah must've done to find this. She didn't want to find out.
She quickly changes into the dress and fixes her makeup, giving herself a mini pep-talk in the mirror before heading back downstairs. At first, she thought there was going to be something set up in the backyard, but when Lucy offers her hand and they're heading for Lauren's car she loses any idea she'd had for what this date could possibly be.
Ally smirks when she sees Lauren standing beside the car, wearing a suit with a cute little bow tie, her eyes hidden behind a pair of shades and a driver's cap tucked snuggly on her head. "Good evening, miss." She greets even though they saw each other not even thirty minutes ago. "There are refreshments and snacks in the mini cooler located on the floor between the seats, it's going to be a moderately long drive." She opens the door for Ally, allowing her to slide into the backseat. "If you need anything, just let me know." Lauren closes Ally's door and goes to the opposite side of the car to open Lucy's. Her date smiles at her as she buckles in, Lauren moving to the front and climbing into the driver's seat.
"Where are we going?" Ally tries, though she isn't surprised when her question is left unanswered.
"You'll see."
"For all I know, this is a setup and you both are going to kill me." Lauren chuckles, quieting herself a moment later and returning her facial features to the stoic character role she seemed to be taking for the evening.
"I've had plenty of chances to kill you already." Lucy jokes, giggling when Ally shoves her shoulder playfully. "But... I promise you'll like it. Or at least I hope you will." She turns serious. "I want you to know that I'm not messing around with us. I care a lot about you, and I want to earn your care and trust as well. I know I've done a lot of shit, but I really am trying, and I hope you and your friends can see that."
"They do see it. I see it." Ally reaches over and grabs Lucy's hand, interlocking their fingers. "Otherwise we wouldn't be sitting in this car, and Lauren, of all people, wouldn't be driving us to your mystery location." Lauren salutes in acknowledgement.
"I'm just glad you said yes." She smiles widely. "It would've been awkward if you didn't."
For the rest of the car ride, they talk and laugh (though mainly just flirt) while sharing a bottle of wine Lucy had bought (knowing it was Ally's favorite). Meanwhile Lauren was having a battle in her mind over which ship she captained more; Lucly, or Norminah. Could you be the captain of more than one ship? She decides that the answer is yes, no matter what anyone else has to say about it.
Ally began to make more jokes about the two taking her out to kill her when they started driving into more secluded areas, barely any other cars driving down what had turned into a dirt road some time ago. Ally got excited at the prospect that Lucy had a romantic picnic waiting at the end of this insanely long road, which Ally was beginning to think was endless. Maybe the excitement was making it feel like infinity, but she still couldn't help but swoon at the thought.
She barely notices when the car comes to a stop until Lauren is pulling her door open, allowing her to step out before helping Lucy on the other end. Ally is confused as she glances around, noticing that they were parked in an abandoned parking lot surrounded by trees. A sandy path broke off from the lot a few feet from them.
"You might want to take your heels off." Lucy smiles at Ally as Lauren climbs back into the car, pulling out her phone to entertain herself for the time being. She already has her own shoes in one hand, offering the other to Ally who takes it gladly.
"You know, this was really a poor outfit choice if we're going for a walk." Ally comments, slipping off her shoes as well as they make their way onto the sandy pathway. It wasn't that long, and already Ally could see an opening towards the end of the short trail.
"Maybe, but you certainly look beautiful. And this isn't just a walk, I'll assure you."
"Where are we? I don't think I've ever been down here." Ally questions.
"That's because nobody's been down here. People totally forgot about it when the beaches closer to the city started getting more industrialized." Lucy explains.
Ally doesn't get to respond as they reach the beach. It was pretty big for being in such a hidden corner of West Palm, with a pavilion sitting on the very edge beside the woods. From here Ally could already make out the faint sounds of music, lights catching her eye in the distance.
She glances out across the water, sparkling with light coming from the setting sun. The sound of waves hitting the shore calmed her growing nerves as they reached the pavilion, eyes settling over the scene Lucy had prepared.
It wasn't much but a few candles scattered about an old picnic table, a basket with another bottle of wine sitting beside it. A few of the tables had been cleared in the center, and a stereo sat on the ground playing quiet music. They set their shoes down before climbing the mini-staircase.
"I know you love dancing..." Lucy steps into the cleared center, pulling Ally along with her. "And as much as I wanted to be able to take you to a nice party for our first date like Lauren did with Camila, this is all I can afford. I hope it's okay." They fall into a rhythm, swaying along to the sounds coming from the stereo.
"It's perfect." Ally grins, resting her head on Lucy's shoulder. "You're perfect."
"I'm really not, I have many flaws." Lucy feels her heart beat faster at their closeness, words spilling out of her mouth against her will out of nervousness.
"Maybe, but not to me."
Lucy smiles to herself, resting her head on top of Ally's. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why do you like me? Why did you agree to go on this date with me?" Ally pulls her head back, looking up at Lucy incredulously. "Why did you kiss me?"
Ally reaches a hand up, brushing a strand of Lucy's hair behind her ear. "Because... because you're the bravest woman I've ever met." Ally starts. "Because when you smile, I smile. Because whenever I'm not with you, my first instinct is to text you and see how your day's going." Her eyes flitter down to Lucy's lips. "Because I think you're beautiful, and even though you don't have the greatest past and everyday is a different struggle for you, you fight through it." Lucy's lips part as Ally looks back up, their eyes meeting once more. "Because I can't figure out a way to control myself when I'm around you."
"So don't. Stop trying."
"Huh?"
"Stop trying to control yourself." Lucy leans closer, their lips barely touching. Ally shudders as Lucy's breath tickles her lips, her eyes fluttering closed. "Let go."
And she does.
***