BLOOM • awsten knight

120

DECEMBER 2019

Elle basically passes out after she hangs up the phone, and when she wakes up the next morning, it's due to a loud knocking at her door.

Groggily, she gets up, forcing herself out of bed, only to realise that she's still in her clothes from yesterday.

The knocking at her door is constant, and only makes the pounding in her head so much worse.

"Okay, okay! I'm coming," she grumbles, grabbing her keys and unlocking the door.

When she opens it, she finds both Taylor and Ethan stood in the hallway.

"You look like shit," Taylor comments, letting herself in.

"Mm, thanks," Elle hums, not at all taken aback by her tone, as she steps aside to let Ethan in. "What are you doing here?" She asks, letting out a sigh. "And what time is it?"

"It's ten 'o clock," Taylor states. "And I figured you need some tough love."

"Who called you?" Elle rolls her eyes.

"Jawn," Taylor shrugs. "Said Awsten's a mess, basically, and I said that you are, too," she adds, placing a bag on top of her kitchen counter.

"What's all of this—?"

"I'm glad you asked!" Taylor grins. "I've brought you breakfast," she chirps, pulling out some oats, "some healthy smoothie thing. Ethan said it's good," she shoots a look towards him.

"It is," he nods. "I think you'll like this one—"

"Shh, honey, I've got this," Taylor hushes him, which would usually earn a laugh from Elle if she wasn't in the state that she is currently.

She just stays quiet, letting Taylor buzz around her, until she's eventually pulled towards the sofa.

"Now, you need to snap out of this," Taylor gets straight to the point, guiding her to sit down.

"Snap out of what?" Elle blinks back.

"This," Taylor replies, gesturing all around her. "I've figured out the problem here."

"Oh, you have, huh?"

"I have," she nods, proudly and confidently. "You're so used to things not being fixed," Taylor starts, her tone softening slightly. "Alex just always expected you to get on with it and move on. You were always left to pick up the pieces and act as if it never happened," she explains. "Awsten isn't like that! He wants to resolve this with you, and move forward, in a healthy way."

"But, we just argued more last night, and I don't—"

"You argued because you both had to get all of your shit out of your system," Taylor cuts Elle off. "Now, I'm not saying that was the best way to do it, but it's easy to get your wires crossed when you're far away from each other," she elaborates further. "It happened with me and Ethan when we were still doing long distance."

"It did?" Elle's eyebrows furrow as she looks between the two of them.

"Uh, huh," Ethan nods.