"What with Jordy?" I answer her question with a question trying to buy myself some time to think of a way to explain what exactly is going on.

"No Bri the ghost Casper," she says sarcastically before chewing her ice cream slowly.

"Duh Jordy," she says and I chuckle slightly at her sarcasticness.

"We met mutually through Journee when Jordy and a bunch of other people came back from Duke," I say carefully leaving the fact about her being Journee's sister out.

Technically I'm not lying because we did meet mutually, but I'm also not telling the full truth.

"Ah, so she goes to Duke?" my mom says with excited eyes and I shake my head at her as I fight a smile back.

"Yeah she's going to be a Junior this coming fall," I say while chewing the bits of cookie dough mixed within my ice cream.

"That's cool that you'll both be going to Duke though," she says as she eats more of her ice cream.

"So... Do you think it's serious or could be serious?" she asks and I feel my lips tug into a smile at the thought of Jordy and I being serious.

"I-possibly. I really like her," I say as my cheeks heat up slightly and my mom smirks at me.

"I'm really happy for you Bri. I mean the last time you were ever serious with anyone-"

"Can we not discuss that?" I ask while cutting her off before rising from my seat.

"If that's what you prefer," my mom says gently as I put my bowl in the sink.

"Okay well, I'm going to sleep, Love you," I say shortly as I walk out of the large kitchen.

"Love you too," my mom's voice echo's as I head upstairs to my room.

I decide to take a long shower before brushing my teeth and heading to bed. I check my phone seeing a few texts from Journee and our friend group chat.

Jour Jour: Bitch wyd

Jour Jour: You're sleeping really.

Jour Jour: Bri I have amazing news!!!!

Jour Jour: Answer me rn and check the group chat

Hennything is possible

Jour Jour: GUYS THE MIAMI TRIP IS ON

Eva: NO FUCKING WAY OMGGGG

Luca: IT'S GONNA BE SO LIT

Jour Jour: We're leaving from 7/30-8/17

Eva: WAIT.

Eva: THAT'S CLOSE TO 3 WEEKS JOURNEE

Jour Jour: I KNOW I CONVINCED THEM🥰

Luca: What sucks is that school starts back on the 24th

Eva: That's all you're worried about Luca???

Luca: Fuck it I guess

Luca: We'll have 7 days to move in

Me: Can we not discuss school rn

Jour Jour: FINALLY OMG

Eva: You're so late

Luca: Bro where were u

Me: I had to unpack and catch up with my mom, and I ended up taking a nap.

Me: Yo but MIAMI THO

Eva: NO FR THO

After responding to the group chat I decided to text Journee back privately.

Me: SO SO SORRY FOR NOT ANSWERING

Me: What are we doing tomorrow?

Journee: I was thinking we should do a pool day since we're leaving for Miami in a couple of days, and once we get back we'll have school prep so who knows if we'll get another one.

Me: I'm down:))))

Jour Jour: YAY okay I'll text the group and see

Me: Okay well I'm going to sleep. Good night love u

I lock my phone before settling into my warm sheets. I notice a faint smell of Jordy lingering around me and I feel my heartstrings pull.

I miss her.

I rise up from the bed before grabbing my phone. I immediately click on Jordy's contact but hesitate. Would I be clingy If I texted her right now? No, no Bri stop overthinking. Just text her.

Me: Wyd?

I send the text and I feel my heart rate pick up. Hopefully, she's awake... If she isn't it would be so embarrassing in the morning. No, it wouldn't Bri. She likes you obviously. My phone buzzes in my hand and I feel myself smile seeing Jordy's name pop up on the screen.

Jor: Literally was just thinking about you

Jor: But nothing why? You good?

I smile more at her response, and the fact that she's worried about me only makes me smile further. I feel myself silently chuckle at the idea that pops in my head before texting her back.

Me: No I think there's a monster in my closet

Me: Can you come check?

Jor: I'm otw

I snuggle further into my bed as I wait for Jordy to get here, and before I know it my phone buzzes with an indication that she's here.

I get out of bed before heading downstairs and out the front door. The hot night air wraps around me as I walk over to Jordy's car.

She turns it off before exiting the car, and a smile forms on my lips.

She's in a white t-shirt with grey sweatpants and her black Burberry slides.

Her loose curls aren't in their usual non parted slicked back hairstyle, but in a loose ponytail with no part.

"Did you miss me?" her raspy voice teases as she walks closer to me and I nod earning a light chuckle from her.

"So where are these monsters?" she asks and I direct her into my house.

Once we make it into my room I point to the closet like a little kid earning another chuckle from her.

She walks over to the closet opening the door slowly she peers in the closet looking for any trace of a 'monster'.

"Oh wow," she says as she backs up slowly and I feel my heartbeat quicker.

"There's nothing there," she says before closing the door shut and I narrow my eyes at her.

She smiles at me causing me to reciprocate it back.

Her smile is just so contagious, it's almost annoying.

Her hazel eyes peer into mine, "I guess I'll head home now," she sighs teasingly before walking towards the door causing me to grab her arm and gently pull her back.

"You might as well stay the night... You drove all the way here," I say and she smiles at me before sliding off her slides.

"I did drive a very long 5 minutes to get here," she sighs as she walks over to my bed and climbs in.

I laugh at her statement before meeting her in bed allowing our bodies to morph together as our legs tangle between one another.

I lean into her further, "Did you hear about Miami?" I whisper and I feel her nod.

"Yes I can't wait," she says excitement laced in her voice.

I pull away from her slightly while peering into her caramel eyes, "Us in Miami," I say as a smile places itself on my lips causing her to reciprocate it.

"We're going to have so much fun," Her tired voice says before I peck her lips and settle back into her chest causing her to chuckle.

Vibrations fill our bodies as she caresses the back of my head while playing with my loose curls.

"Goodnight," I say lowly as her deep but sweet scent surrounds me.

"Good night Elle," she whispers as we both fall into a slumber.

Before I know it the sun is peeking in through my windows causing us to both stir in our sleep. I roll over causing my back to face Jordy. I rub my eyes slightly as I adjust to the room before grabbing my phone from the nightstand. I feel Jordy pull me closer to her as a groan escapes her lips. I light my phone up seeing 10:37 AM displaying on the phone.

"It's only 10" Jordy groans behind my shoulder and I turn slightly to her.

"Wow spy much," I jokingly say causing her to shake her head at me playfully.

"I can't help you woke me up," she shrugs and I sit my phone back down before turning to her fully.

"We have Journee's pool party around 12" I mention and her perfect eyebrows furrow.

"We do?" she asks emphasizing 'we' and I feel my cheeks heat up.

"I'm kidding, but we won't be attending, well not as a whole," she says emphasizing 'we' again and I feel my lips turn into a slight frown.

"Why aren't you going?" I ask curiously as she rises from the bed causing me to do the same.

"I'm heading down to Duke for a couple of days since we're leaving for Miami this Saturday. Something one of my friends planned you know," she says filling me in as we both make my bed back up.

"You're gonna drive from Long Island to Durham just to stay two days? Well, not even two days because you'd have to be back by Saturday morning for our flight and it's Wednesday," I say trying to figure out how this all works, and Jordy tilts her head slightly as she analyzes me.

"I'm flying out today at two this afternoon and flying back in around three in the morning on Saturday, so I should make it back with time to spare in both places," she explains and I nod slowly seeing how that makes sense.

"I'm just confused about why this came up out of nowhere," I say as I walk into my bathroom to brush my teeth causing her to follow me.

"Well it had already been planned before we even met, and I didn't realize I needed to tell you until now," she says as I open the middle drawer of my bathroom sink before pointing to the spare toothbrushes.

I shrug as she grabs a new toothbrush and starts brushing her teeth, once I finish brushing mine I head out of the bathroom and into my closet.

I change into a red two-piece swimsuit before pulling a black kimono over it. I then peer at all my shoes displayed before deciding on my black, green, and red, Gucci slides.

I look into the full-body mirror displayed on the free wall of my large closet before deciding this is what I want to wear.

I walk out of the closet and back into the bathroom seeing Jordy standing there as she analyzes my outfit.

I ignore her before reaching into one of the drawers under my bathroom sink as I grab some leave-in conditioner.

I pull my curls into a loose bun before pulling some of my free curls out.

"Are you upset?" Jordy asks causing me to look to the side of me meeting her light eyes.

"That you're going? No. I just wish I knew further in advance," I say honestly and she nods understandingly as she pulls me closer to her.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have sprung it on you last minutely. I'm just getting used to all of this you know?" she asks and I nod knowing she's never really dated before.

I think Journee mentioned one ex, but that's all I know about. Maybe that one ex is who turned her into the shut-off person who plays girls for fun. I hate to think this, but she's going down to Duke... What if something happens or what if she meets someone else.

Is that also what I'm upset about?

"Yeah I get it," I say as we embrace one another before pulling away, "It's also that you had a reputation and I guess a part of me is scared to be that far away from you," I say honestly and she nods slowly as she narrows her eyes slightly.

"Don't let this come off the wrong way, and not that I was planning on doing anything with anyone else, but I didn't realize we were exclusive?" she asks confused and I feel my heart drop slightly.

We aren't exclusive.