Page 24 of Loving Lauren
Raven nodded solemnly. “If he can make pho from scratch, he’s a warlock.”
Jett smirked. “We’ll see. If he wears socks with sandals, it’s over.”
Sierra smiled, warm from the inside out. She didn’t say it aloud, but her chest ached in the softest way, because Jett was glowing a little, and it reminded her how rare it was for any of them to feel seen outside of their circle, let alone hopeful.
Calliope motioned lazily between Sierra and Lauren. “Anyway, y’all looked like you stepped out of a romance movie tonight. Soft lighting, tender glances, feline mediator. It was a whole vibe.”
“Babe, you two are giving serious Netflix vibes. Award-winning, queer, critically acclaimed. I’m obsessed.” Jett nodded.
“Already renewed. Obviously.” Raven agreed.
Sierra tried to play it cool, but the tug at her mouth betrayed her. She met Lauren’s eyes, and in that glance, something passed between them. Not flashy or loud, but steady and certain.
When the group finally drifted out into the night, the apartment felt too quiet, too still. Lauren lingered, helping Sierra gather empty cups and re-stack pizza boxes. They moved in sync, like muscle memory.
Sierra handed over a hoodie for the walk home. Their fingers brushed, and for one moment, neither of them let go.
The call came the next morning. Jonas. Her mentor, her boss, her favorite human hurricane.
“I’ve got a last-minute assignment upstate.” Jonas’ voice crackled with urgency. “Four days. Travel, hotel, all expenses covered. Fast-paced, high-profile. You in?”
Sierra blinked, still in bed, hair wild, heart suddenly wide awake. “Wait. Seriously?”
“Do I ever joke about paid gigs and fancy room service?”
“Sometimes, but I’m still in.”
She hung up, adrenaline buzzing through her. It was the opportunity she’d been chasing — real-world experience, an open door, a challenge wrapped in chaos. She should’ve been jumping up and down.
But her gaze drifted to the photo on her wall. The one Lauren had taken. Sierra mid-laugh, sunlight gilding her hair, the joy in her face so unfiltered it almost startled her. She hadn’t realized until now how much that moment meant. How much they meant.
She grabbed her phone.
Sierra:I have exciting news, and I hate it.
Lauren:That’s the most on-brand thing you’ve ever said. Tell me everything.
By nightfall, Lauren was curled up beside her, tucked into the blanket nest they’d unconsciously made together. Takeout containers littered her table like confetti, and Salem had given up and was sleeping on the floor in protest.
Sierra nudged Lauren with her foot. “Four days, and I leave on Friday.”
Lauren stilled, then nodded. “That’s amazing... terrible, but amazing.”
“I’ll try to check in, but Jonas runs on pure chaos and gas station espresso. So, I might vanish into the void a little.”
Lauren’s voice was quiet. “Just come back in one piece, okay?”
They hugged long and tight. The hug where your hands forget how to let go. Neither of them said the thing out loud. This already felt like goodbye.
The trip was beautiful, brutal, nonstop. Sixteen-hour shoots, fleeting bursts of amber light, and hotel suites so plush they almost made up for the exhaustion. Almost. Sierra fell into bed each night with sand still in her shoes and edits still buzzing behind her eyes.
She meant to call. She meant to text, but every time she found a moment, something came up.
When her flight finally touched down, she didn’t even unpack. She dropped her suitcase by the door, thumbed open her phone, and hit Lauren’s name.
No answer.
She stared at the screen. No missed calls. No new texts. Nothing.
