Sequel: Call It Karma ›
Status: Done :)
Sweet Illusions
the odd coincidence.
Elliot was exhausted, Madison had been dragging her to apartments all across town. They went to overpriced, pretentious "luxurious dwellings" to ghetto, scary apartments where she was concerned there was a meth lab in the apartment next door. She sank into the passenger seat, kicking her feet up onto the dashboard as Madison was chipper as ever, humming along with the radio.
She saw a text message show up on her phone from John and she read it, before involuntarily smiling. She quickly replied, complaining about how tired she was from apartment hunting what seemed futile at this point. Madison raised her eyebrow once she noticed the text smile.
"Oooh, I know that smile, who are you texting?" Madison sang, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, barely seen under her oversized black sunglasses. She tossed her curled blonde hair over her shoulder before turning into a normal looking apartment.
"Uh, John, I like this place so far," Elliot looked around noting the grassy knolls and the cute apartments, it was a small apartment complex. She always hated when she had to drive around in circles in oversized complexes for one building tucked away in the corner. She saw a dog in the corner and smiled. "We could get a puppy! We should totally get one!" Elliot smiled, ignoring Madison's bewildered look.
"Honey, you just had the smitten smile on your face about John," Madison stated, shooting down Elliot's blatant attempt to change the subject. Madison pulled into a parking spot as Elliot felt her phone vibrate again and the girls' eyes met. "Elliot, you know what your doing, but just be careful. Just because you never fell for a guy before doesn't mean it can't happen now. You can't get emotionally attached to these guys you're trying to break!" Madison lectured, even pulling off her sunglasses to reveal her green eyes' unease.
"Maddie, you don't have to tell me twice okay. As you said, I know what I'm doing, so let's just check this place out," Elliot said, dismissing her warnings and climbing out of the car. She walked briskly towards the leasing office, her floral sundress swaying with every step.
"Elle, don't run away from me," Madison teetered in her heels as she ran after her friend. Madison stared at the back of Elliot's long brown hair until she finally caught up to her. "Elliot Luciana Grant, do not walk away from me!" Madison snapped at her until Elliot sighed and stopped.
"Maddie, just because you fell for Topher Goldberg doesn't mean I'm gonna fall for him, so please don't worry about it," Elliot lied straight through her teeth. She didn't know what she was feeling anymore, but if she could do anything to help it- she'd feeling nothing. Nothing was always easier as far as emotions were concerned.
"Ouch, Elle, don't be defensive. I fell in love with Topher, okay? In the end he got the upper hand and broke me, so yeah I'm worried about you. You cannot trust guys like that!" Madison retorted, her eyes seemed pained just talking about it and Elliot regretted the words as quickly as they left her lips.
"Mads, I'm sorry," She grabbed the small blonde's hand and their eyes locked. Madison smiled and hugged Elliot, which she wasn't expecting at all. "I did kick him in the balls for you though," Elliot laughed, remembering the day she walked up to him in the hallway and gave him exactly what he deserved in front of the majority of the student body.
"That was a beautiful moment for me," Madison laughed, nodding once she pulled away and swatted away the dirty topic. "That's why you're my best friend and that's why I worry! Just promise me you'll be careful and I'll drop it," Madison smiled honestly.
"I'll be careful, now let's get out of this heat," Elliot laughed, and the two girls walked into the leasing office before getting a tour of the complex. Elliot was in love, it was quiet, but a young place. The kitchen had a bar and modern appliances and the light filled every room beautifully. The white walls and white fixtures gave it a heavenly aura.
"This is perfect," Madison whispered after coming out of a bedroom. Just like that they found an apartment. After signing the lease, they walked back towards the car and saw Jared standing in the parking lot. "Isn't that Jared?" Madison nodded over towards the redhead and captured Elliot's attention.
"That is, I wonder what he's doing here," Elliot muttered until she called out his name. He spotted them and tilted his head probably wondering what they were doing there. The girls made their way across the parking lot towards him and smiled, hugging him lightly.
"What are you guys doing here?" He asked, looking around the parking lot for something, Elliot raised her eyebrow, but Madison didn't even notice.
"We just leased an apartment here, we're moving in tomorrow!" Madison glowed. Elliot followed Jared's eyes and realized why he was so surprised to see the two of them there.
"No way, I'm moving in here with John, today," Jared nodded towards his car filled up with boxes in every seat besides the driver's. Elliot's jaw dropped, of course there had to be a catch; reasonable rent, safe neighborhood and pet friendly. It wasn't a good idea to play the game with someone you run into regularly because that meant super awkward run-ins after.
"Oh my goodness! We're neighbors now!" Madison cheered, clapping her hands excitedly, but Elliot's face was draining its color. She exchanged a look with Madison before she remembered Jared was standing right there wondering what was going on with Elliot.
"Yeah, do you need any help moving?" Elliot faked a smile and nodded towards the car-filled box.
"Oh, no, no, no. I'm not lifting heavy boxes in heels, I draw the line. I'm sorry Jared, I like you, but not that much," Madison protested, pointing down at her black Mary Janes. Jared let out a guffaw before nodding understandingly playing with the silver key on a ring. Elliot smirked before drawing to a compromise.
"Well, I have to go pack up for tomorrow, but by then you'll probably be done with moving all your boxes in. We should meet up later?" Elliot asked, tilting her head, looking to both Jared and Madison who seemed alright with the idea.
"Yeah, I'll shoot you a text when I'm done. See y'all later!" Jared called out after they all hugged again and Elliot practically ran into car to get privacy with her best friend.
"I am so fucked!" Elliot cried out, her eyes wide with panic. There was nothing good about this situation, the residual feelings, the apartment, the concert; this had to be the universe telling her it was a bad idea. "I can't do it, I'm just not gonna do it," Elliot shook her head.
"Elliot, get a hold of yourself! You can do this, don't worry about the apartment thing, aren't they gone on tour like three-fourths of the year?" Madison tried to justify. "Just remember, keep your head in the game and be careful. Whatever happens, happens."
By then Elliot had calmed down and was breathing, she had lost her cool which was a rare occurrence, Madison stole a look at the troubled brunette and realized how badly she must be worried about it since she had freaked out. Elliot faked a smile and tried to reassure her best friend, but that was pointless. Madison was already forming a backup plan.
She saw a text message show up on her phone from John and she read it, before involuntarily smiling. She quickly replied, complaining about how tired she was from apartment hunting what seemed futile at this point. Madison raised her eyebrow once she noticed the text smile.
"Oooh, I know that smile, who are you texting?" Madison sang, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, barely seen under her oversized black sunglasses. She tossed her curled blonde hair over her shoulder before turning into a normal looking apartment.
"Uh, John, I like this place so far," Elliot looked around noting the grassy knolls and the cute apartments, it was a small apartment complex. She always hated when she had to drive around in circles in oversized complexes for one building tucked away in the corner. She saw a dog in the corner and smiled. "We could get a puppy! We should totally get one!" Elliot smiled, ignoring Madison's bewildered look.
"Honey, you just had the smitten smile on your face about John," Madison stated, shooting down Elliot's blatant attempt to change the subject. Madison pulled into a parking spot as Elliot felt her phone vibrate again and the girls' eyes met. "Elliot, you know what your doing, but just be careful. Just because you never fell for a guy before doesn't mean it can't happen now. You can't get emotionally attached to these guys you're trying to break!" Madison lectured, even pulling off her sunglasses to reveal her green eyes' unease.
"Maddie, you don't have to tell me twice okay. As you said, I know what I'm doing, so let's just check this place out," Elliot said, dismissing her warnings and climbing out of the car. She walked briskly towards the leasing office, her floral sundress swaying with every step.
"Elle, don't run away from me," Madison teetered in her heels as she ran after her friend. Madison stared at the back of Elliot's long brown hair until she finally caught up to her. "Elliot Luciana Grant, do not walk away from me!" Madison snapped at her until Elliot sighed and stopped.
"Maddie, just because you fell for Topher Goldberg doesn't mean I'm gonna fall for him, so please don't worry about it," Elliot lied straight through her teeth. She didn't know what she was feeling anymore, but if she could do anything to help it- she'd feeling nothing. Nothing was always easier as far as emotions were concerned.
"Ouch, Elle, don't be defensive. I fell in love with Topher, okay? In the end he got the upper hand and broke me, so yeah I'm worried about you. You cannot trust guys like that!" Madison retorted, her eyes seemed pained just talking about it and Elliot regretted the words as quickly as they left her lips.
"Mads, I'm sorry," She grabbed the small blonde's hand and their eyes locked. Madison smiled and hugged Elliot, which she wasn't expecting at all. "I did kick him in the balls for you though," Elliot laughed, remembering the day she walked up to him in the hallway and gave him exactly what he deserved in front of the majority of the student body.
"That was a beautiful moment for me," Madison laughed, nodding once she pulled away and swatted away the dirty topic. "That's why you're my best friend and that's why I worry! Just promise me you'll be careful and I'll drop it," Madison smiled honestly.
"I'll be careful, now let's get out of this heat," Elliot laughed, and the two girls walked into the leasing office before getting a tour of the complex. Elliot was in love, it was quiet, but a young place. The kitchen had a bar and modern appliances and the light filled every room beautifully. The white walls and white fixtures gave it a heavenly aura.
"This is perfect," Madison whispered after coming out of a bedroom. Just like that they found an apartment. After signing the lease, they walked back towards the car and saw Jared standing in the parking lot. "Isn't that Jared?" Madison nodded over towards the redhead and captured Elliot's attention.
"That is, I wonder what he's doing here," Elliot muttered until she called out his name. He spotted them and tilted his head probably wondering what they were doing there. The girls made their way across the parking lot towards him and smiled, hugging him lightly.
"What are you guys doing here?" He asked, looking around the parking lot for something, Elliot raised her eyebrow, but Madison didn't even notice.
"We just leased an apartment here, we're moving in tomorrow!" Madison glowed. Elliot followed Jared's eyes and realized why he was so surprised to see the two of them there.
"No way, I'm moving in here with John, today," Jared nodded towards his car filled up with boxes in every seat besides the driver's. Elliot's jaw dropped, of course there had to be a catch; reasonable rent, safe neighborhood and pet friendly. It wasn't a good idea to play the game with someone you run into regularly because that meant super awkward run-ins after.
"Oh my goodness! We're neighbors now!" Madison cheered, clapping her hands excitedly, but Elliot's face was draining its color. She exchanged a look with Madison before she remembered Jared was standing right there wondering what was going on with Elliot.
"Yeah, do you need any help moving?" Elliot faked a smile and nodded towards the car-filled box.
"Oh, no, no, no. I'm not lifting heavy boxes in heels, I draw the line. I'm sorry Jared, I like you, but not that much," Madison protested, pointing down at her black Mary Janes. Jared let out a guffaw before nodding understandingly playing with the silver key on a ring. Elliot smirked before drawing to a compromise.
"Well, I have to go pack up for tomorrow, but by then you'll probably be done with moving all your boxes in. We should meet up later?" Elliot asked, tilting her head, looking to both Jared and Madison who seemed alright with the idea.
"Yeah, I'll shoot you a text when I'm done. See y'all later!" Jared called out after they all hugged again and Elliot practically ran into car to get privacy with her best friend.
"I am so fucked!" Elliot cried out, her eyes wide with panic. There was nothing good about this situation, the residual feelings, the apartment, the concert; this had to be the universe telling her it was a bad idea. "I can't do it, I'm just not gonna do it," Elliot shook her head.
"Elliot, get a hold of yourself! You can do this, don't worry about the apartment thing, aren't they gone on tour like three-fourths of the year?" Madison tried to justify. "Just remember, keep your head in the game and be careful. Whatever happens, happens."
By then Elliot had calmed down and was breathing, she had lost her cool which was a rare occurrence, Madison stole a look at the troubled brunette and realized how badly she must be worried about it since she had freaked out. Elliot faked a smile and tried to reassure her best friend, but that was pointless. Madison was already forming a backup plan.