ᥫ᭡𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪

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 GIRLFRIENDS - THE ACADEMIC 

▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||။‌‌‌‌‌၊|• 3:31

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°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

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—THE HOUSE WAS quiet except for the faint buzz of the fairy lights and the hum of saoirse's playlist playing from the corner of the room. it was just after midnight redbull cans and lucozade bottles scattered across the desk, a half-finished bag of crisps open between them, and saoirse lying flat on her stomach, kicking her feet in the air.

liz was on her phone again, pretending she wasn't waiting. she'd been staring at owen's name for the past ten minutes, heart racing for no logical reason.

"you're waiting for him to text, aren't you?" saoirse said, not even looking up.liz scoffed. "no.""you so are.""okay maybe a little."

right on cue, her phone buzzed.

owen: hey, you awake?

liz's breath caught. she glanced at saoirse, who was now wide awake, grinning like she'd manifested it."don't just stare at it, reply!"

elizabeth 🤎: yeah can't sleepowen: me neither lolelizabeth 🤎: why not?owen: i've a lot on my mindelizabeth 🤎: like what?owen: like you

liz blinked at the screen. her hands literally froze. saoirse leaned over her shoulder, eyes wide."he DID NOT just say that—"

elizabeth 🤎: haha ur funnyowen: nah i'm serious lizelizabeth 🤎: that's not possibleowen: so it's not js me then?elizabeth 🤎: no. it's definitely not just u😭

there was a pause. the typing bubble came and went, came and went again.

owen: can i be honest?elizabeth 🤎: alwaysowen: i like you liz properly not in a "we're just friends" way i've liked you for ages but idk i js didn't know how to say itelizabeth 🤎: ohowen: oh?elizabeth 🤎: oh as in i like you too like properly too

saoirse screamed into the pillow. "oh my days just spit it out already before i grab you're phone!"  liz's face turned bright pink as she typed:

elizabeth 🤎: i thought maybe u didn't anymore after mia and all thaowen: i did tbh i just didn't know what to do about it but i want to now

her heart was pounding so hard it almost hurt.

elizabeth 🤎: so what are h u saying?owen: i'm sayin would you go out with me? properlyelizabeth 🤎: yea i wouldowen: for real?elizabeth 🤎: of course owen: good then i'll see you tmrw?elizabeth 🤎: tomorrow it is x

liz smiled, screen glowing softly in the dark."so?" saoirse whispered.liz whispered back, grinning, "he asked me out."saoirse screamed again, muffling it with a pillow. "it's about bloody time."

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harry was mid-rant about how fifa was rigged when owen threw his controller aside, smiling at his phone like an idiot.

"what's got you smiling like a muppet?" harry asked."she said yes." harry's head snapped up straight away "no way. you actually did it?""yeah.""and she said yes?""yeah."harry jumped up, smacking him on the shoulder. "finally, bro. you've been talking about her for months. i was starting to think i'd have to ask her for you." owen laughed, shaking his head. "i'm seeing her tomorrow. thought i might bring her flowers or something."

"you're bringing your flowers ?" "yeah. the lilies. she said she liked them."harry whistled. "man's in deep." he threw himself onto the bed scrolling his phone.

"might ask saoirse out too."owen looked up. "really?""yeah. i mean, it's kind of obvious now, isn't it?"owen grinned. "saw it coming. i reckon you should do it. double date."harry smirked. "you read my mind."

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saturday morning. 

liz was brushing her hair in the mirror when a different phone buzzed on liz's bedside. saoirse grabbed it, still half-asleep, and read aloud.

harry: hypothetically, if i were to ask you out, would you say yes?saoirse rolled her eyes and laughed. "is he for real?" she texted back.

saoirse: hypothetically? probably ye.harry: and non-hypothetically?saoirse: still yesharry: cool. it's a date then

saoirse threw the phone at the pillow, squealing. "he actually asked me out. in a text. what is this life." liz looked at her, eyes wide "what did he say?" "he's a mess but he asked. and i said yes." liz grinned, hugging her. "oh my god. double date confirmed."saoirse whooped. "we're actually doing this."

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meanwhile, at owen's house, the panic had moved from words to wardrobe.

"you've changed outfits three times," harry said, lying across the bed, watching him. "well i dunno know what to wear." owen held up a white hoodie, then a plain tee, then a another jumper, plain black nike crewneck. "it's not an awards show, mate, it's her house.""yeah but i don't wanna look like i didn't try."harry sat up, pretending to be stern. "rule number one: don't try too hard. rule number two: don't be boring." owen sighed. "what would you wear?" 

harry prodded his tracksuit "this one. the , not trying to be fashion. also bring a jacket in case she wants to go out, y'could give her jacket to be romantic 'nd that"

owen held three hoodies up in a row, asking the silent ceiling for guidance. "this one? or this?" harry was merciless. "the middle one. lose the neon logo, unless you wanna be photobombed by your own jumper."owen laughed. "i hate you."

they both stood in front of the mirror five minutes longer than necessary, adjusting jackers, checking shoes,  harry flicked his hair and did a ridiculous wave. "i look like someone who definitely has a date.""you do." owen said, quieter than he intended. harry gave him an exaggerated wink. "now go, get those flowers in the car and stop being nervous."

owen left with the lilies wrapped in paper on the passenger seat, his hoodie finally chosen, the butterflies in his stomach doing summersaults.

"you boys look nice" noreen, owens mum compliments. "thank you. owens got a date" harry winked whxih made his parents look up. "oh??" she grinned from ear to ear while owens face went as red as a tomato. "oh my god" he groaned in embarrassment. "is it the liz girl you've been on about lately?" his dad chimes in. "oh my god"  owen groaned louder, shaking his head and wishing silently to disappear. "yes! it is!" harry exclaimed excitedly. "right .. erm— can we go?" owen said quickly which made them all snicker. "yes, i'll drop you boys to the collins house is it?" "yea, please" owen nodded as the headed out the door.

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the doorbell rang. liz froze halfway through brushing her hair. her mum shouted up the stairs, "elizabeth! owen and harry are here!"she nearly tripped running to the door. and there he was — hoodie, messy hair, that same soft smile  holding a small bunch of pink lilies. harry beside him, grinning like he knew every secret in the world.

"hi," owen said, smiling at her like she was the only person in the room.liz's heart skipped. "hi."he handed her the flowers. "for you. you said you liked lilies." she smiled, cheeks pink. "you remembered.""of course i did."

her mum waved them in. "the flowers are lovely owen. liz say thank you! you kids can hang upstairs if you want, i'm heading out soon." elizabeth's mum teased. "yes thank you owen" liz said in embarrassment as the boys walked in

there they were, the flowers now in a pretty pink vase. at first, it was awkward. the four of them sitting there, trying to find something to say. harry coughed. "so... what's the plan?"

"arcade?" saoirse suggested."yeah," owen said quickly, "arcade sounds good."

but as soon as they left the house, the energy shifted. the nerves turned into laughter. by the time they reached the arcade, it felt like old times — only better.

liz and owen played air hockey, pretending it wasn't competitive. harry and saoirse teamed up for basketball, pretending it wasn't flirting. the air was loud with noise and lights and teenage chaos.

at one point, owen leaned closer to liz, the neon glow painting his face soft."you know," he said, "i haven't had this much fun in ages."she smiled. "me neither."

they didn't need to say anything else.

harry and saoirse were off at the claw machines, arguing about which plushie looked easiest to win. harry grinned at her. "if i get that one, you owe me a milkshake." saoirse laughed. "if you actually win, sure." he did. and she did.

the noise of the arcade was constant — flashing lights, coins clattering, the smell of popcorn and cheap slushies in the air. owen was teaching liz how to hit the jackpot on the coin pusher, his hand brushing hers every time she leaned forward. harry and saoirse were a few machines down, laughing about something stupid.

"you're cheating," liz said, narrowing her eyes."no, i'm just good," owen teased, pressing another coin in. "oh yeah? prove it."he did — the coins spilled forward, lights flaring."that's rigged!" she laughed, shoving him lightly."talent, actually."

she was about to say something else when saoirse's voice dropped suddenly. "um. liz. behind you."

liz turned, half-smiling and froze.standing by the photo booth was mia.

she hadn't changed much, just different hair  darker now, a little shorter — and that same confident posture that used to make liz shrink back a bit. mia's eyes flicked from liz, to owen, to their joined hands on the machine.

for a moment, no one said anything. then mia gave a tight little smile. "hey."liz blinked. "hey."mia's gaze darted to owen. "didn't expect to see you here." owen shifted slightly. "yeah, just... hanging out.""right." mia's tone was light, but her eyes were sharp, like she was taking everything in  the way liz was standing closer to owen now, the quiet comfort between them, the way he kept glancing down at her like she was the only person who mattered.

"are you guys together?" mia blurred out. owen and liz exchanged glances before owen shrugs. "yeah we are" he said as he leaned closer to liz, a cheeky smile on his face — smug even but his face burning up at the wait for mia's response. 

liz waited for that old sting  the bitterness, the ache she used to get whenever mia's name came up. but... nothing. she just felt calm. solid. maybe even a little proud of herself.

"well," mia said, glancing at saoirse, then back at liz, "good for you lot... see you around, i guess."liz nodded. "yeah. see you." and just like that, mia walked off, her friends trailing behind her.

the silence hung for a second, until harry exhaled dramatically. "that was tense." saoirse laughed under her breath. "yeah, real." owen looked at liz carefully. "you alright?" liz nodded, smiling small. "better than i thought i'd be." "good," he said, brushing her hand again. "because she's not worth a single second of your headspace."

and she knew he meant it.

harry, ever the one to ruin a moment, groaned. "can we please get back to me destroying everyone at air hockey?" liz laughed, pulling owen by the hand. "fine with me"

the awkwardness dissolved into laughter again, and that was that — the ghost of the past finally left behind in the noise and light of the arcade

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the group walked home together under the streetlights, laughing over nothing. liz and owen lagged a few steps behind harry and saoirse, fingers brushing now and then neither of them pulling away. "today was really fun," she said softly with a smile never leaving her face

"yeah," he said. "it really was."

he looked at her for a second too long, and she felt that familiar flutter — the same one she used to get months ago, only stronger now. they sort of stood there, his hands shaking slightly but taking her by the waist. "y'alright with this?" he whispered. she nodded, as if every word in her vocabulary disappeared.

the moment was quick but it was nice, perfect. he leaned in — his lips pressing against hers softly before pulling away not shortly after. a small laugh escaping both their lips.

and for the first time, everything felt exactly how it was meant to be.

the thought of him and her being together made both their hearts ache in the best way possible 

END