The Sapphic Christmas

Next year

The fait and the universe are in their side. Sophie and Ella are the right persons for each other, but it was the wrong time to be together. Ella had to move to NYC, she opened her coffee shop, worked there as a barista and as a manager. She builded one of the strongest team and then left. It felt great to live the dream, but it's done. It was time for new dreams, new adventures. The coffee shop is still open, Ella's a manager here, but she lives in UK now and visit the place time by time.

Ella still vlogs, but she quite her main channel. It's easier to be lifestyle blogger, when you have other businesses at the same time.

Sophie's moved to Brighton. New city, new life didn't work out, she still was depressed, even more after the break up with Ella. William was worried about her, and he made her visit the psychiatrist. It was a long, difficult road, it's not over yet, but she feels better now. Plus, it helped the relationship between Will and Sophie. Now she lives in her own apartment in Brighton, paint and sell it. Of course, she has difficulties with the work, but it's fine. She knows she'll be fine and one day she'll have her own art gallery. Sophie didn't quit her job as a translator, it connects her with the past of her family.

William came out to his parents, but he prefers to keep his relationship with Andy private. Andy doesn't mind, because all their friends knew. Moreover, it's easier because his best friend is finally okay with it. Sophie still jokes a lot, but it's fine.

After Ella had left, Sophie felt full spectrum of emotions: she was angry, sad, depressed, at some point even suicidal (well, the feelings were there all along, but the break up trigged it). She felt like it was her fault. She knew that she couldn't trust Ella anymore. She felt like she didn't deserved love. She felt like the loneliest person on Earth.

However, Sophie met with Louis, the friend of Ella, in June. She told herself it was to give the key to Ella's apartment. Was it the only reason? She kept watching Ella's vlogs, kept checking her social media. Sophie was worried, when Ella said she won't make any new video on her main channel, because it was one of the few strips to connect them. Sophie was jalousie when Ella showed her new friends from New York, they seemed to be more than friends. At the same time, she started to date her neighbor. He's name is Joe. He's gentle, cute, nice. He has only one con he isn't the one. They didn't date for long, but it helped Sophie to get over Ella. Or at least her heart didn't ache so bad. When she met with Louis, she asked about Ella. Sophie had promised herself not to do it, but she couldn't keep it. He was a bit surprised, told the news about Ella's come back.

Long story short, Ella and Sophie decided to meet, like friends. They still had feeling for each other, but it was painful to forget, act like they didn't know each other. They started with a dinner in Brighton once a week, then they met twice a week, then they had sleep overs, when they talked about everything, but the 1st of January. The girls knew they had feelings for each other, but neither of them was ready to make the first step. There's always a fear to hurt other, to repeat their mistakes. Girls knew they had tried to be a couple, it didn't work out, so at least they can be friends again. It's much better than strangers, ghosts of the past.

Their friends know about it, so they've decided to help and it happens tonight.

They (Ella and Sophie) celebrate Halloween with a big company: Ella called her friends from work, from the office, Sophie invited Joe (since they've continued to be friends, although they see each other less often), friends from art classes, from school and, of course, Andy and Will. And also, the cousins were invited, but Sophie has taken from them the word not to approach alcohol, not to irritate the guests. Each of the guests has +1. Not everyone has taken advantage of it, but there're a lot of people.

Since Ella and Sophie are hosts for the evening, they've a lot to do. They spent a lot of time together planning everything, choosing a place for a party, going everywhere together. Over the past months, their friendship had become much closer. Half of Ellie's stuff are permanently kept Sophie's apartment, and one of the rooms in Ellie's house (she bought when she came back) is used as a studio for Sophie. They also thought of making costumes for Halloween together, but then abandoned this idea, since friends already threw conspiratorial glances at them. Girls didn't tell each other who they were going to be, so it would come as a surprise. As a result, Sophie repeats the image of Freddie Mercury from the video "I want to break free", and Ella's a slutty witch. They can't take their eyes off each other in day-by-day life anyway, but when they're both in short skirts, tipsy and funny, it became even more difficult. However, the evening is just getting started, their friends' plan hasn't even started yet. The girls go from group to group greeting friends, taking pictures and making sure everyone is comfortable.