BLOOM • awsten knight

96

AUGUST 2019

"We could change it up each night," Spencer suggests, almost triumphantly, as they've been struggling to decide which song Elle should join the band on stage for, during their tour. "Like, some nights you can come on for Less Than I Do, and other nights you can come on for Hush Hush. Problem solved!"

"That's actually a really good idea," Jeffrey agrees. "I thought we were gonna do Honest at some point?"

"Oh, yeah! Honest, too," Spencer corrects, and Elle nods along, before glancing down at the time.

"Oh, shit," she mumbles.

"What?" Spencer turns to her. "Do you not like that idea..?"

"No, no! It's not that, sorry," Elle responds quickly. "I just— I really have to go. I have a date," she rushes, grabbing her things.

"A date?" Jeffrey smirks, as Spencer wiggles an eyebrow.

"Yes, a date, that I really can't be late for," Elle continues to shove everything she brought with her into her handbag.

"You're literally late for everything," Spencer comments.

"And you're not?" Jeffrey raises his eyebrows.

"Hmm, touché," Spencer hums.

"Yeah, well, I refuse to be late for this, okay?" Elle shoots them both an exaggerated grin, heading for the door.

"Have fun!" The two of them call, as she offers them a wave.

Thankfully, Elle doesn't have to walk or get a ride back to her place today; Taylor has been staying at their apartment again for the last couple of days, meaning her car was in their parking space again, and Elle could use it as she pleases.

She's home in no time, and hops in the shower quickly, beginning to get ready; Elle knows she still has a few hours until Awsten is due to pick her up, but she really doesn't want to risk being late for this.

Elle does her hair and makeup first, before trying to pick an outfit, since she knows that'll be the hardest part.

"Tay, help!" She calls, loudly, and Taylor soon enters the room. "I don't know what to wear," Elle pouts.

"I hope you realise that I'm not your personal stylist," Taylor feigns disinterest, earning an eye roll.

"Can you just help?" Elle looks at her, pleadingly.

Taylor offers her a softer expression, nudging her to go and sit on the bed while she looks through her wardrobe.

"Ah, ha!" She beams, seeming to have found something.

"What is it?" Elle raises her eyebrows, as Taylor turns around to show her a pale blue dress, with white flowers printed onto it. "Oh, shit, I forgot I had that," she stands up, to examine the dress.

"I think you should wear this," Taylor nods, confidently.

Elle takes a deep breath, contemplating for a moment if it's good enough; in reality, she knows it is, because Awsten will tell her that she looks beautiful in anything, but her own nerves are beginning to get to her.

"Yeah, okay, this is good," she agrees, finally, before shooing Taylor out of the room so that she can finish getting ready.

Elle clips a bracelet around her wrist, and slides her rings onto her fingers as finishing touches, as she checks over her reflection in the mirror.

"You've got this," she sighs, repeating the words quietly to herself; it's something she wants does before heading on stage, too. Ever since Elle found comfort in the phrase, mainly due to Awsten, she's realised that relaying it to herself has a similar, calming effect. Though, she much prefers it when the expression is coming out of Awsten's mouth, rather than her own.