It's hot. Very hot. I'm talking 30 degrees plus hot. And when you're British, that's foreign. Don't get me wrong, it's nice, but my body is not made for weather like this. It's made for rain and wind and wearing a coat, not humidity and sun and laying naked in bed covered in nothing but a layer of sweat.

Lauren, being from the sunshine state itself, was not suffering like I was.

'You can't lie like that and then say no to sex, it really unfair', she stated as she stood, wearing nothing but her underwear, in the doorway to the bathroom.

'Take a cold shower', I replied.

'I already did', she began walking closer to me, 'it didn't help'.

'Stop getting closer to me, I can already feel the heat radiating from you'

'You're overreacting, it's not even that hot'

'Say that to the layer of sweat covering every inch of me'.

At this, she moved into the bed and hovered herself over me.

'Gladly', she muttered moving herself down so she was face to face with my torso.

'It's not even that hot', she repeated, speaking to my sweat covered body, kissing just below my belly button.

'Lo', I warned.

'Y/n'

'Please I really can't, if my body temperature rises by one degree you'll be able to cook and egg on me'

'Ugh, fine, at least put some underwear on, so I won't be as temped to touch', she got off me and rolled onto the other side of the bed, not touching me, but still remaining only millimetres away.

I got up and put on some underwear, instantly beginning to sweat even more, both at the movement and the added layer of insulation.

It was right as I sat back on the bed that my phone decided to go off. Causing me to huff and get back up to reach where it perched on the chair charging.

Maisie: you wanna get coffee?

Finally. It's only been 2 days.

Me: when?

Maisie: now?

Me: but it's so hot 😷

Maisie: get an iced coffee

Me: fine, usual?

Maisie: yup, don't take ages

Me: I'll be there in like 10

Maisie: so I'll see you in 30

Me: 👍🏽

I got up and looked at my clothing selection.

'I don't own any summer clothes, my fashion sense is not based around summer', I complained.

'Where are you going?'

'To see Maisie', I mumble as I moved on to digging through Lauren's clothes, hoping she'd have something a little better.

'Do you want me to come?'

'I don't think that's a very good idea', I said, pulling on a loose vest and a pair of 'running' shorts. I use air quotes because I doubt they've ever been used for running.

'Right', Lauren sighed, rolling over so she was no longer facing me.

'Lauren...'

'It's okay, you're meeting your sister, the last time I met up with a member of your family you dad ran away, I get it'

'I won't be long', I moved around so she could see me and crouched in front of her, giving her a quick peck on the lips, then getting up and walking out of the semi-cooled hotel room, into the less cooled hallway.

As I made my way down to the lobby and exited the hotel I was hit with a wave of heat. You know when you open an oven and that sudden wave of hot air hits you and you momentarily can't breath? It was like that, but the being-cooked-alive-feeling didn't stop after a few seconds, it continued, the air so thick it felt like I was walking through a vat of fresh custard.

I arrived at the coffee shop I said I'd meet Maisie at, looking at my phone for the time. It had been 20 minutes since I told her I'd be 10. The walk took longer than I had anticipated, but I wasn't the 30 minutes late she had predicted.

As soon as I got close enough I spotted my sister sitting at a table outside the shop with 2 iced coffees sat in front of her. I made my way toward her and plopped myself down in the seat across the table from her.

'Hi', I muttered in a monotone voice.

'Hi', she replied.

I didn't know what else to say, so just sat there staring at my hands. She gently nudged the iced coffee she wasn't drinking herself towards me.

'Thanks', I mumbled, picking it up and taking a sip, 'so uuhhh, how have you been?'

'Cut the shit and just tell me what happened', she completely disregarded my question.

I sighed, 'I'm dating Lauren again and dad hates me'.

'What makes you think he hates you?'

'Because he never liked her to begin with, then with all the shit that happened between us he was glad she left but now she's back and he hasn't even said anything to me, he just left', my voice cracked on the last word as I thought more about the fact that I had disappointed my father.

'He doesn't hate you, you're his daughter'

'You were always his favourite anyway', I sipped more of my coffee, 'I was always the problem child, getting in trouble at school, failing everything, being gay/bi/whatever, smoking, drinking, you name it, I've fucked it up'

'He doesn't have a favourite', I rolled my eyes at her, 'and so what you didn't do well at school, not everyone can do good at academic stuff', I looked at her, not really believing what she was saying, but allowing her to continue, 'and dad has always supported you, ever since you came out, he always goes to London pride, even if you're not here'

'I'm never here, that's the problem, I'm never here and now I'm moving in with Lauren and he hates me'

'He doesn't hate you', she repeated, still trying to get me to believe her.

'Yes he does, and mum probably does too, and soon enough I'll do something that'll make you hate me', I need to smoke, I thought, taking out my pack and lighting one up.

'Jesus you're really not doing well are you?', she looked concerned, 'have you been to see your therapist lately?'

'No, that's another thing you can add to the list of stuff I've fucked up'

'Why? You know you need-', I cut her off.

'I don't need anything, I hate that stuff he gives me, he hasn't even told me what's wrong with me, he just gives me stuff and send me away, it makes me feel like I'm dead, like I'm not real, just a ghost drifting around in the wind'

'So you haven't been taking your medication', she stated more than questioned, ignoring my reasoning as to why, 'how long?'

'I don't know, like 3 weeks'

'Please, just start taking it again, before this gets any worse', she said gesturing to me, as I sat staring at her blankly, with a cigarette hanging between my lips.

'I don't like how they make me feel. And I'm not depressed', I stated, knowing that's what she was suggesting.

'I hate to break it to you, but you clearly are'

'I'm not'

'You always smoke more when you're depressed', she stated, knowing me well.

I took a long drag and blew the smoke in her face, something I knew she hates.

'If you're not going to let me help you then at least let Lauren help', she tried to reason with me.

'She has enough stuff to worry about, she doesn't need my fucked up brain on top of that'

'Can you at least come up with something other than 'fucked up' to say'

'No, I like fucked up, it's who I am'

'How come you didn't bring her with you?', she changed the subject, tired of trying to convince my stubborn self to do something I didn't want to do.

'Thought it'd be awkward I guess'

'Why?', she asked me, confused.

'Because of everything that's gone on, I just thought you wouldn't want to see her'

'I don't have a problem with you being with Lauren, I know how happy she makes you, and obviously I don't particularly want my sister to move across the globe, but I know you'll have a good time over there, plus you'll be shooting there a lot anyway so I get it, just make sure you come and visit lots and you better have a comfy couch I can sleep on'

I smiled at her words, knowing that no matter what happened she would always support me. She's only a year older than me, her being 20 and me now being 19 having had my birthday a few weeks ago. Our closeness in age meant that we were very close growing up and people often thought we were twins, though we don't look anything alike, and I'm taller than her, which I like to rub in her face. We told each other everything and she was the first person I came out to, and the first person who suggested I see a doctor about 'being sad'. She's also the person who shouts at me the most about smoking and doing generally reckless things.

'We have a spare room actually, but there's no bed, just a blow up mattress', I laughed a little, feeling my mood change to a slightly more positive one now we weren't talked about my personal problems.

'I think I'd rather take the couch', she laughed as well, finally enjoying my presence as my mood changed.

'So, you wanna come back to the hotel, we can go get Lauren then go out for lunch or something, or order room service and sit in our nicely air conditioned room?'

'Sure, got nothing else to do', she agreed.

'No need to be so enthusiastic about it', I said sarcastically.

'OMG I WOULD LOVE TO!', she then exclaimed, extremely sarcastically.

'Too far'

'Shut up, let's just go', she said and got up fro her seat. I followed, my bare legs peeling off the plastic seat due to the heat and my general stickiness.

'I don't know how I'm going to survive living in Miami, they always have weather like this, I'm literally gonna die', I said as we walked back to my hotel.

Once we arrived I lead the way up to Lauren and I's room and opened the door. As I walked in, closely followed by Maisie, Lauren walked out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but her underwear, which was rather revealing might I add. She froze where she stood, looking back and forth between Maisie and I.

'Hey babe', I greeted her, breaking the silence that had befallen us, 'you look nice', I smirked a little, trying not to laugh, knowing just how awkward she felt right now.

In stead of answering she quickly dived back into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. I went and picked up a cropped t-shirt and some shorts that had been left on the floor and followed her in.

'We'll be a minute Mais', I informed my sister, earning a dismissive hand wave and I quiet 'take as long as you need'.

I entered the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I turned to face Lauren only to have her slap my arm, 'you could have warned me you were bringing her, I would have put some clothes on', she whisper shouted.

'First, ouch', I rubbed my arm, 'second, I didn't think you'd be wearing less than you were when I left'

'I was wearing exactly this when you left, doofus'

'You look hot though', I tried to make her less mad at me.

'And you look hot naked but I'm wouldn't bring my sister into a hotel room where I knew you would be walking around naked without warning you!'

'Get over it, it happened, she saw you in your underwear, she straight it's not like she was checking you out'

'I don't care about that, it's just awkward'

I wrapped my arms around her as an apology and she buried her face in my neck.

'So we were thinking we could go out and get some food or something?', I suggested as I shivered feeling her breath against my neck.

'Is this you inviting me to come too?', she asked, still buried in my neck.

'You coming was assumed, I was just letting you know so you could put some clothes on'

She shoved me back and took the top and shorts I had picked up, slipping them over her gorgeous body.

'Take a picture it'll last longer', she said as she noticed me staring at her.

'No point now you have clothes on', I said and walked out of the bathroom before she could hit me again.

'So where d'you wanna go?', I asked no one in particular.

'Nando's?', Maisie suggested.

'I'm cool with that, you Lo?'

'Sure, I just want some good food', her stomach growled as if on cue.

'Let's go then'

We left the hotel and walked the short distance to the closest Nando's.

🖖🏽