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Selena and Char sat in the living area, both in their onesies enjoying a horror movie on Netflix. Selena opted for a Stitch one as it was one of her all time favourite movies while Char wore a rainbow unicorn one because she thought unicorns were cool and it was on sale over the summer break.

The blinds were drawn and the lights were mostly turned off except one in the kitchen area. The only thing missing to their morning was occasional snacks like freshly made popcorn and the aroma of fresh coffee filling the air but it wasn't a bad alternative to have none of that. Only water and mango slices between them.

This was one of the many perks of having morning classes rather than the afternoon. The fact these girls could relax for hours on end after and actually spending a night in together without being cracks or slipping in a few hours nap before.

If only Faith, Lucy and Olivia were also there, but they went shopping for the good sales on in town.

"You know, some of these deaths are so fucking stupid. I mean, look" Her hand extends towards the television: a woman running away from a masked killer so she doesn't die at his hand. "She's running up the stairs and it's such a rookie mistake. It's like signing your own death sentence."

Selena ranted away, expressing her anger for these slasher films and what she thought was deadly mistakes, although they remained her absolute favourite watches.

But Char wasn't watching the film that was on or even focusing on the words from her friend. Not entirely anyway. She was distracted. And it didn't take Selena long to catch her looking down constantly at her phone, pulling at the soft material of the onesie so it would cover the fact she was nervously playing with her fingers.

"See?" She points again. The running girl had no became deaths latest addition as her bloody body twitched for the final time, the masked killer slowly walking away from the scene. "And now she's dead. Are we surprised? No we are fucking not."

Again, Char has no response, not even a twitch of the lips trying to form a grin or converse an argument. Selena kept quiet at first, thinking Char was fine and perhaps not enjoying the film but after looking at Char a few times, who would then look back at the television in a flash to act like nothing was wrong was the big indicator that something was in fact wrong.

Selena grabs the controller and pressed pause for a moment. "Okay, what's up with you?"

"What? Nothing?" Char went to grab the controller of Selena's hands to press play again but her reflexes were quicker as she yanked her arm back a little further out of Char's lazy reach. Rather than picking a fight, she crosses her arms, waiting.

"Are you going to press play or what?"

"Come on, Char. Normally you'd be yelling back at the TV in their defence." Selena counter argues. "You know, intuition and all that."

"It's fine, I just want to watch the film." Her eyes kept the truth a bay.

"Are you sure?" She didn't want to drop it. She never did. Selena believed she could read people like a book and knew when there was something going on with her friends. She knew better than to ignore the silent suffering. "You are pretty much everywhere right now but here."

"Are you going to stop asking me what's wrong?"

"Nope. You should know me by now."

When she sighs hard, Selena knew this wasn't a case of a common cold making a comeback or struggling to find the perfect dress for a date just to get rejected. "Fine. Can I ask you a favour then? But I need you not to mention this to anyone yet, not until I figure things out on my own first."

"You know you can trust me. What's wrong?" Selena looked with saddened eyes to the girl who looked like she was on the verge of tears, although she didn't let them fall once.

Char went to speak her mind, but then Jason strolls into the area. He smiles at both of the girls, headphones placed firmly as he listened to his music. He didn't disturb them but instead carried on with his activities of washing up the dirty plates he just bought in.

Before spilling, she watches Jason for a moment as he let's the water run hot and squeezed the washing up liquid onto a clean sponge before using circular motions of his plate, rinsing off the dirt. She wanted to make sure he wouldn't ease drop into what would become a personal discussion for no wondering souls.

She regains herself again and takes a soft look back at Selena, who hadn't moved her gaze in comparison. "Can you come with me to my therapy session in a few hours? It's fine if you don't want to, I don't want to force you or anything like that but I'm just not feeling going by myself today."

"Oh" There was a moment of silencing as Selena raced internally about this. She knew all about Char's upbringing. "I thought you don't go therapy anymore?" Selena was concerned for her friend and this level of concern was a rare thing to come up since everyone knew Char was managing her best to keep her past demons in the past. She was open about her struggles.

Char, although she appears to be tough-skinned and strong, was very fragile on the inside because of past traumas that were out of her control. She was raised surrounding the life of abuse and drugs by her paternal parents who prioritised cocaine and heroin over their own flesh and blood, even throughout pregnancy.

One day, an unsupervised 6 year old discovered a syringe that was left on a table with no caution containing a small amount of drugs, yet big enough to change her life. Mistaking it for a toy, the young girl who didn't understand the possible dangers of what the small object could do took it and messed around with it. However, the drugs entered her system, trying to flood out her innocence.

She was discovered by family friends almost dead from her parents neglect who were too high to even realise what was happening in the next room. They simply refused to live up to the parent title. As a child, she had developed a drug addiction, which to this day still finds a toll on her 15 year later.

She was taken to hospital instantly and had signs of a possible heroin addiction. She was grateful for her adoptive parents, specifically her uncle and aunt who had no connection with her parents. They helped out with all the available programmes, therapy and classes to help her through this addiction - mentally, emotionally and financially.

Not to mention, it saved hassle of going through the foster care system. To this day, she takes sobriety carefully by surrounding herself with good people, avoiding the consumption of alcohol at all costs and never going near any form of drugs in fear she'll have to face what she did was a child. It was still imprinted on her memory, the pain, the fear.

"I didn't want to and I haven't been for months." She looks behind Selena's head as Jason walks in with his earphones on. He doesn't speak, but lifts his hand to offer a small wave. "I have been getting urges again so maybe going back to CBT isn't the worst thing I can do."

She knew about this. Char would occasionally have these urges or the need to have a numbing substance in her body, a side effect of the addiction. She managed it, found ways to try distract herself from it. Even the girls would get involved to help her by taking her out for a shopping spree or doing something she loved like cooking her favourite meal like a family.

"Really? Char, you should of told us. We have been drinking in front of you and that isn't helping at all."

"No, no. I don't mind that, I can manage that I-It's hard to explain. I just keep waking up in hot sweats, crying and I-I-I just can't cope with this right now. I think being back at university l, away from home with the work is stressing me out too."

Selena felt inclined to hug her frail friend who was still trying to keep the tears tightly away. Selena made sure her friend knew she had her full support by keeping a tight, yet comfortable grip around her, swaying her side to side lightly, something her mum used to do when she was a child. "I'll go with you. Whatever you need, I'll be there right next to you."

"Thank you."

Jason walks past the girls on the sofa who untangle themselves from the quick hug . He leans down to pick up a book he must of left on the table overnight and with another shortly lived smile, he vanishes into his room without a fuss. If they hadn't noticed his entrance in the first place, I doubt they would of realised he was even in the same room. His movements are inaudible.

"Why don't we get ready now and I'll treat us both for a meal? We can go to that Italian place you like." Selena proposes with a full on smile on her face as she suddenly jumps up. She extends her hands out for Char to take them which she does with hints of rejection at first.

"I can't let you do that, Selena." Although the thought of the finest Italian made her stomach feel instant emptiness, she knew she'd feel bad if her friends indulsge their personal expenses on her, even if it was bottle of water or a dollop of face cream.

"Do not give me that innocent bullshit. My dad always told me an empty stomach doesn't help if there is too much going on. Are you really going to turn down your favourite Penne Alla Rusticana?" The confirmation was in the sheepish smirk.

•••••

"I am so glad to be back here in the warm" Char slumps her bag on the kitchen side to see everybody eating round the dinner table, a take out pizza. They all stare at them, shouting their names in a form of a chaotic greeting. Even Jason was seemingly fitting in with their loud personalities by shouting too. While he welcomed both of them back from their day, he only had eyes for one of them. "God, I just want to sleep for an eternity."

"You guys were ages, where did you go?" Olivia asks, dipping her pizza into the garlic and herb dip.

"Oh, just to the Italian place in town. While you guys were shopping, I thought we should treat ourselves too." Selena spoke proudly, taking off her thin scarf.

"And that took you three hours?" Faith interjects with a raise brow. Char felt tense by being ratted out by her therapy, but she thinks quickly on her feet.

"Well, waiting for a table alone took nearly an hour and another hour for the food. It was ridiculous tonight. I think we did pretty good for timing though. I doubt I'll be eating for the rest of the week." Char rubs her stomach, showing that she was full. The food was too filling, not to mention they couldn't resist splitting a dessert after Char's therapy session since she felt miles better after it was over.

"I think they had some kind of offer on the pizzas." Selena added in case she wasn't selling the story properly. A weekday before 5 o'clock normally wasn't busy, especially compared to the weekends. "Some two for one thing going on"

But Selena wasn't really bothered now. She noticed how much Char had blossomed just in such a short span of time. The glow she had, letting out all the worries, the troubles and therapist giving advice for her really did her some good, even if it's only been a handful of passing hours since someone had noticed her slight behavioural change.

Jason stands up with an empty plate and glass in his hand and looks across the table. "Is everybody okay with drinks?

"Can you fill me up?" Olivia lifts her wine glass that had a small amount of what looked like apple juice while Faith and Lucy shook their heads politely to the offer, still finishing off half a glass. A chuckling Lucy gets an ocean blue glare thrown in her direction. "Not like that you weirdos."

"I'll have something if you are offering. No alcohol though." Char beams to him.

"Coming right up." Jason smiles as he walks the past the girls as he reaches for the collection of soft drinks and alcohol stuffed already in the corner. They had already managed a fine collection of drinks for everyone to enjoy.

After taking off their counts and letting the warmth consume them, Char and Faith took the opportunity to sit down and gather between the girl who all looked like their cheek would drop off they didn't stop smiling to themselves.

"I think we need to make a deal here because I like whats going on here with all of us so." Faith whispers so Jason couldn't hear what they were discussing. "No one sleeps with Jason, no exceptions."

"What?!" Char and Olivia exclaim loudly which catches his attention. Faith hushes them both while Lucy and Selena remain as outsiders to this.

"He's actually a good guy which is rare these days and we don't need him putting his dick in someone and then what we have going on here goes to shit and I'm looking at you, Selena."

"What?" Selena scoffs at her, wondering why she was aiming it solely at her when she just shown the least amount of interest. She even side eyed Lucy in case she would jump to conclusions. "Why me?"

"Have you seen the way he looks at you? Every time you walk through the door, he looks at you like he's ready to dodge a hypothetical bullet or something." Faith says and Lucy nods in agreement, she suddenly became really hyped up over it.

"I personally think you two would be an adorable couple." Lucy became their number one supporter. She wanted them together, she would probably want Selena with anybody just to ease her insecurities. Faith sweeps away her burst of energy.

"Okay now you are just being ridiculous." Selena dismisses those words from both of them. Two completely different views and yet, both wrong on so many levels.

"This is so unfair." Olivia was the one who felt most disrespected from this deal suggestion. She huffed to them, crossing her arms tightly against her chest like a child who has just had their favourite toy swiped off them for bad behaviour. "I wanted dibs on him."

Faith didn't fall for this act of hurt, not in the slightest. "You wouldn't of went for him even if he was on a silver platter for you."

"Way to make me feel like the biggest prude, Faith." Maybe now she hurt bu a little hurt by the judgement of her favourite people.

"You seem to be more into a sugar daddy kind of thing." Faith shot her words out and Olivia's blank expression had the rest of girls unsure whether she'd snap or just accept it even if she knew it was true.

"I mean, that does sound more like me."

"Then that's settled." Despite the few argumental objections that remained closeted, they all come to a final decision and agree that the guy was off limits. "No fucking the new guy."

"Here you go, ladies." He slides over Olivia's glass across the shiny table and hands Char hers, extending a friendly smile to her. "Enjoy."

"Thank you McCann." She takes a long, refreshing sip, smiling back at all her friends, appreciating the people around her.

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