seaycee (A Collection of Short Stories)

One Last Time 1/2.

this one is SO LONG but nonetheless, edited :)
21/22
switch pov's.

"Look, I know I can't tell you what to do," she cajoles gently, the picture of an exasperated mother trying to convince an unruly toddler; curled fists planted in the dips of her waist, "but I just want to make sure you're sure about this. I still have the airline website pulled up on my phone."

"Stop worrying and have a nap," is the only response she gets for all of her concern.

The audacity.

"I feel like I'm the only person in this room thinking things through," she mutters, starting to pace the length of the hotel room, "this is a terrible idea. Someone's gonna have their feelings hurt and it won't be me, so please reconsider."

Kaycee was. Sure, that is.

Decisive had never been a very apt description word for Kaycee Rice. She was too prone to stressing. Her mind constantly on max, balancing the pros and cons of every decision she made. Regardless of how menial. But for some reason, this? On this, she was completely sure.

"Bai, chill out," she insists calmly, inspecting her cuticles for hangnails.

"Kaycee..."

"Seriously, take a nap. We have class in a few hours."

"Okay, fine. Fine," Bailey says, waving away her concerns with the composure of a person experiencing withdrawal, "Whatever. I'm being chill. The chillest. So chilled, I'm ice. Subzero. Arctic-

"I'm sure we get it, Frozone," Kaycee interrupts drily, amusement coating her words.

She bursts into laughter when a throw pillow targets her head with rapid speed, dodging before returning fire at a glowering Bailey.

Bailey had a reputation for dramatics, an affinity really, and Kaycee had years in the bank of dealing with the chronic worrier. That wasn't to say she didn't actively attempt to rile her at least once a day.

while her worry was sometimes (often) unwarranted, Kaycee was grateful all the same to have a best friend who cared. There had been days where Bailey dragging her out of bed had been the only thing keeping her alive.

"Look, promise I'm good," Kaycee sobers, proffering her pinky finger, "and if that changes, you'll be the first to know."

There was a beat where Kaycee really believed Bailey would risk kidnapping charges to cart her back to the safety of LA. A city large enough to avoid a person if you really wanted to.

"Fine." Bailey reluctantly relents, rounding the bed to link pinky's with Kaycee before shaking on it, and again for good measure.

"I'm an adult B, we've moved on since and matured as people. It's old news now," Kaycee says reassuringly, flopping sideways to rest her head on the hotel room pillow.

"That's what worries me," Bailey says, climbing into the other side of Kaycee's hotel bed, "you say that but you haven't actually faced him since. It's all been unresolved feelings and avoidance for over a year. You can't say how you'll react when you see him again the first time."

"Yeah, I know." Kaycee murmurs softly, lifting her head to accomodate the hand she places beneath it.

"I just don't want you to get hurt again Kaycee, last time was..."