Elaine entered the apartment, kicking her shoes off in the entryway. She quickly set her bags down in her room, taking her phone out to message Luca.
╭────────────╮
{Elaine} (Text)
Hey, I made it home safe. Thank you for today.
╰────────────╯
╭────────────╮
{Luca} (Text)
Good. Get some rest.
You did good today.
╰────────────╯
Elaine blinked at the message, frowning slightly. He didn't seem too happy with me seeing him dance. I thought everything was okay, but it's awkward…
She shook her head, setting her phone on the kitchen counter, looking at the fridge where a note was written below hers from Eleanore.
'Shopping trip w Kendra and Maya!!! Be back later <3 -E'
Elaine tapped her fingers on the counter, eventually picking up her phone to open one of her personal group chats called Backstage to message her friends.
╭────────────╮
{Elaine} (Text)
Hey, you guys free for a work session? I'll order pizza.
╰────────────╯
╭────────────╮
{Julian} (Text)
Say less. I'll bring some ideas.
╰────────────╯
╭────────────╮
{Samantha} (Text)
I'll bring drinks 🍸
╰────────────╯
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{Simone} (Text)
I'll bring emotional support and gossip 💅
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|╭────────────╮
{Isabel} (Text)
I'll bring my laptop and judgment.
╰────────────╯
Elaine shook her head, smiling at the four messages before opening her delivery app to place a pizza order while she gathered everything into the living room needed to work on her new song. She flipped to a page in her journal with everyone's typical pizza order and made sure everything was correct before placing the order.
Twenty minutes later, the group arrived, picking up the pizzas from the security officer downstairs. They sat at the coffee table with their laptops, chatting about gossip while they prepared their programs to begin planning.
"Okay, so, you know that hottie I told you guys about from the cafe?" Simone tapped his nails on the table.
"Well, yeah, you talked about him for like a week," Isabel scoffed, "You said he had the aura of a Roman God, or something."
"Well, he does." Simone retorted, "Anyway. I finally asked him for his number and he gave it to me! Like, this stunning man gave me his number… I mean, I'm hot but…" He whistled, "He is gorgeous."
Isabel glanced over her screen, squinting at him. "Is there a point to this?"
Simone pouted, rolling his eyes, "I texted him and he actually texted back with a heart emoji. A heart emoji. It's fate."
Samantha snorted, taking a sip of her beer. "You said that about the last guy. The one who accidentally ghosted you for two weeks."
"He was busy!" Simone shouted.
"Yeah." Julian nodded, "Busy dating someone else."
Samantha burst out laughing, and Elaine nearly choked on her drink, laughing while she coughed.
"And, the icing on the cake, he wasn't even gay." Isabel chimed in.
"You're all horrible!" Simone whined. "I'm telling you, this one's different."
Isabel pointed a slice of pizza at him, "You've said that six times this semester alone."
Samantha watched Simone's jaw drop, completely offended, and rolled back, laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. Her reaction was contagious; everyone burst out laughing, even Simone.
"Okay, okay." Samantha finally recovered, wiping tears from her eyes. "Real talk. Is anyone here actually dating someone right now?"
Silence followed the question as everyone looked at each other with side-eyes or raised brows, until everyone looked at Elaine.
"What about you, Miss mysterious musician?" Julian inquired, "Got a new man you're hiding from us?"
"Oh yeah, plenty." Elaine leaned back, her laptop balanced on her knee, "You wouldn't believe the line."
The group erupted with laughter, Simone dropping his pizza slice onto his plate, wheezing. "Plenty!" He bellowed, "She said that with her whole chest."
"Okay, but like," Samantha chuckled, "Seriously, spill."
"There's no one," Elaine laughed, "Unless you count my coffee machine."
"Oh, that's tragic," Samantha snickered, "But relatable."
Elaine finished her slice, shifting onto her knees at the table as she opened up the files for the rough draft of Control Freak. She played it, and the group listened, nodding along to the raw track.
Samantha tapped her fingers on the table, thinking before nodding. "The chorus could hit harder with like… some kind of echo effect maybe?"
"Or maybe visual contrast?" Isabel suggested, "Soft lighting against sharp actions."
Simone rocked from side to side a moment, "Okay, okay. Hear me out…"
"Ughhhh…." Isabel and Samantha groaned.
"No, no! Hear me out, hear me out," Simone patted his hand on the table, pointing at Elaine, "You in an empty theater, lights coming on one by one."
"I actually like that." Elaine paused, then nodded while she typed up notes. "You guys are geniuses when we're not procrastinating."
"Keyword," Julian ginned, "When."
Everything began to wind down as they finished the pizzas. Each one stacked the boxes to help clean up before they began to filter out of the apartment.
Simone slid on his wedges, turning to Elaine to hug her. "Text if you need help with the next draft, okay?"
Elaine smiled, wrapping her arms around him, "Always, Simone." She gently released him, "Goodnight, I'll see you later!"
Simone grinned, tossing his scarf over his shoulder, and exited. The door wasn't even closed for three minutes before it opened again. Elaine turned from where she was tidying up, staring at Eleanore, who had her arms filled with shopping bags, kicking her heels off.
"Okay," she beamed, "You will not believe the sale at Aqua!"
Elaine blinked, then laughed lightly. "I don't think I want to."
Eleanore set all the bags down. "That's too bad." She grinned, picking up a small bag and shoved it into her hands, "I got you a little something."
Elaine skeptically glanced between Eleanore and the bag before peeking inside. Her brows furrowed, quickly closing it back. "...No."
"Oh come on!" Eleanore whined, "Every girl needs a smokin' hot bikini."
"For what?" Elaine stared at her, bewildered. "I don't even go to the pool, let alone the beach."
"Well, now you can!" Eleanore grinned, placing her hands on her hips with her chin lifted almost triumphantly. "I'm not taking it back. You can't make me."
Elaine stared at her silently before rolling her eyes with a sharp exhale. She shook her head, picking up her laptop and journal. "You're impossible." She muttered, walking towards her room.
"You're welcome!" Eleanore called after her as she closed her bedroom door.
Elaine set the bag on her desk, flopping down onto her bed with a groan. "Why?" She stayed, unmoving, until her phone dinged and she lifted her head to look at the screen. Her brows furrowed in confusion, seeing it was from Enzo.
╭────────────╮
{Enzo} (Text)
Hey, you busy tomorrow?
╰────────────╯
╭────────────╮
{Elaine} (Text)
Not really, why?
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╭────────────╮
{Enzo} (Text)
I need a second opinion on some fits for a promotional shoot. Think you can help me out?
╰────────────╯
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{Elaine} (Text)
Sure, what time?
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{Enzo} (Text)
8a too early? I'll order breakfast.
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{Elaine} (Text)
8 works. Send me the address.
╰────────────╯
╭────────────╮
{Enzo} (Text)
[Address: Venus Designs]
Night, Muse.
╰────────────╯
╭────────────╮
{Elaine} (Text)
Goodnight, Enzo.
╰────────────╯
Elaine set her journal and phone on the nightstand, shaking her head with a smile. These guys… Tomorrow's going to be… Something.