E’dawn paced the apartment. It was frustrating having to watch his so carefully crafted “get Luda out of the house” plan fail. He couldn’t sit down he was livid. He didn’t care if Mark thought he was being irrational. Luda was his girlfriend, he was allowed to want to make her leave a place he didn’t like. Why couldn’t Luda just ing make up her mind. He was tired of the back and forth, if he could he would’ve shaken her into making a decision. But Luda wasn’t the only reason he was mad, the other reason was now calling for him from his bedroom.

E’dawn could barely look at Exy, she was starting to really piss him off. The plan would’ve worked better had Exy focused more on Luda than her own personal desire to be welcomed back home. He knew there was no way in hell she’d be welcomed back he thought they’d discussed that. The plan was for Exy to break Luda. To completely destroy her self esteem, and make her think she was the reason everything around her seemed to be going wrong. He’d hoped with that, Luda would probably decide to leave then and there. She would never want to hurt someone he knew her weak moments like the back of his hand after Dawon left. He’d catalogued everything, and he knew it tore her up if she thought she was hurting people.

“I think it went pretty well,” Exy commented from E’dawn’s bed.

She made herself comfortable, because this was her first time having been invited back into the apartment in weeks she assumed there would be some form of payment for her ‘service’.

“Yeah you did a pretty good job at ing it all up,” E’dawn seethed.

“ you.”

“God you’re so ing useless.”

“I made a scene and probably ruined any shot I had at getting my room back for you, just so you could get your stupid little girlfriend to move out because you’re insecure and don’t trust her to be around other people other than you,” Exy fired back.

“You threw a plant at my girlfriend.”

“To traumatize the girl, because your sick wants her emotionally weak so you can manipulate her into leaving. I did it for you, god all of this was just for you,” Exy ground her teeth, E’dawn was being irrational.

“I’m sick? Look in a mirror Sojung, you’re the one practically begs me to have with you.”

“ you,” Exy looked down ashamed, she got off the bed and crossed the room to where E’dawn stood in the doorway.

“I like you, I have since the night I came over and you were all dressed up but this,” Exy gestured toward E’dawn, “This you right now is making me wish I’d never gotten involved with you.”

E’dawn put his hand out blocking off Exy’s exit. There was something so attractive about her standing up to him. He liked the loss of control, his eyes darkened with lust.

“God you are so gorgeous when you talk like that,” E’dawn husked.

Exy was a bit taken aback by the atmosphere shift. One moment she was ready to knee the guy in the balls and make a run for it, the environment a bit too hostile for her liking and the next moment he had her backing up till the back of her knees hit bed.

E’dawn was quicker than Exy. He practically ripped her shirt off throwing it behind him with one swift motion. All the while he kissed her capturing her lips refusing to let her breathe. She grabbed at his hair while he familiarized his hands with the contours of her body. She wanted him, more than ever before this unexpected change had lit a fire inside of her.  E’dawn trailed kisses up and down Exy’s neck until he reached her pulse point. The moans that followed as he tugged at her jeans excited him.

Cheng Xiao had arrived at Mark’s apartment drunk only an hour before E’dawn had come home. Mark hated when Cheng Xiao got this drunk, she wasn’t perceptive and he knew sleezy guys in the neighborhood who would drool to have a girl like Cheng Xiao fall into their laps. It was sad, his heart ached but he knew he couldn’t leave her out in the cold. She sobered up in Mark’s room to the noises of Exy and E’dawn having . She’d seen E’dawn before with Luda at school. They made out in a car in front of everyone and were a bit of a hot topic.

She’d wanted to apologize to Eunseo for being rude but when she saw the way Eunseo looked at Luda she decided to just back off. It hurt, she wouldn’t lie a part of her broke. Sure she wasn’t the best girlfriend, she definitely wouldn’t be winning girlfriend of the year but she still felt hurt that her loyal girlfriend might be drifting away. Drifting away for a straight girl too, god she hated biuals.

“So your roommate and Exy?”

Mark had been falling asleep, after the first couple of nights of hearing his roommate make love to Exy he’d grown accustomed to the noise and learned to block it out.

“Oh, yeah that happens sometimes,” Mark rubbed his eyes of sleep.

“Wasn’t he dating that Luda girl?”

“Think so,” Mark was still groggy.

“Interesting.”

“Yeah it’s a bit crazy, I don’t really like it.”

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Cheng Xiao excused herself.

In the living room she pulled out her phone shooting a quick text to her ex girlfriend before actually going to the bathroom.

    CX: I know something about your roommate that you don’t ;)

She hoped she’d been at least a bit enticing. Eunseo had only given her radio silence since they broke up. Not her fault her brothers friend answered the phone before she could pick it up. Eunseo of course would’ve never believed her if she told her the entire situation though. Sure she had messed up with Eunseo, but she wanted to make it right. She’d broken up with Mark when she knew Eunseo was who she really liked that had to count for something.

    E: I don’t have time for games.

    CX: meet me

    E: no.

    CX: you’re going to want to know what I know :)

    E: Whatever it is I don’t care.

    CX: Even if it involves Luda?

Cheng Xiao knew she had Eunseo where she wanted her. She pushed the phone back into her pocket before washing her hands and returning to Mark.

“Can you drive me to school, my brothers on his way there to pick me up and take me home.”

Mark was more than ready to get rid of her, he agreed without hesitation.

Eunseo stared at her phone. She’d been blocking anything and everything Cheng Xiao out of her mind and life. However she couldn’t bring herself to block the girl’s number. What if her ex wanted to talk about something important and she was the only person Cheng Xiao knew to call or text. She’d feel awful if she ignored her then.

The texts from her ex girlfriend out of nowhere were cryptic. Cheng Xiao liked to play games and she wouldn’t fall back into the trap. The second Luda’s name was brought up she was on alert. What could her ex possibly know about Luda that she didn’t. The two girls had only met one time, to her knowledge. Eunseo didn’t want to meet. She didn’t want to see Cheng Xiao again, she wasn’t emotionally prepared to and that scared her. She didn’t want to appear weak and not put together or potentially agree to things she’d never want to before.

    E: where do you want to meet?

    CX: the quiet place we used to eat lunch at be there k.

    E: see you in 15.

Eunseo had no car to get to school so she’d have to walk. She tucked her phone in her jacket pocket and made the trek to school against the wind. It was freezing out, there weren’t any people outside giving the few blocks to school a sort of eerie feel. Cheng Xiao was sitting at their usual table. The last time they were here a fight happened. Eunseo was weary, even as she approached she put her walls up high.

“Took you long enough,” Cheng Xiao sighed.

“I had to walk, I’m sorry,” Eunseo hated that she apologized seconds after she had.

Cheng Xiao stood up from where she sat walking over toward Eunseo and hugging her. It was unexpected for Eunseo she stood in shock while Cheng Xiao held her. The smaller girl stepped back after about a minute realizing that Eunseo wasn’t going to reciprocate the affection.

“I just wanted to warm you up, you looked cold,” Cheng Xiao spoke softly returning to her seat.

“So, what do you know about Luda?”

Eunseo would treat this as a business meeting. The hug was a test, and she’d passed she knew she wouldn’t waver now. She took her own seat opposite her ex waiting for the information.

“How have you been,” Cheng Xiao asked instead of answering, she wanted to prolong the experience. She missed Eunseo, and while it hurt that the girl was visibly shut off she hoped that more social exposure would open her up.

“Good, so about Luda?”

Eunseo wouldn’t let this slide. She knew what Cheng Xiao was doing and she wouldn’t fall to it.

“I missed you a lot..,” Cheng Xiao blew on her hands to warm them up the cold was starting to make her shake.

“Listen Eunseo, I- please can we get back together, I know I messed up with Mark but I broke up with him to be with you.”

“I don’t wanna talk about this.”

“But- I do.”

“We’re only here to talk about Luda.”

“I chose you because I love you, does that mean nothing?”

Cheng Xiao hadn’t cried since the breakup text, but she could feel the tears well up so she bowed her head. Eunseo hear the desperation in her ex girlfriend's voice, she knew that the girl was telling the truth. She loved Cheng Xiao too, but that was a source of her pain, it was why it hurt so much every day when she realized that the girl had cheated. She still loved the girl and she’d been trying so hard to get over it. She was getting over it, and she wasn’t going to let her Cheng Xiao’s desperate confession destroy her efforts.

“I love you, but it’s not the same anymore. Sure I’ll probably always feel for you but I spent a while reflecting and I know there are better people out there for me. I know there’s someone who will love me and never hurt me, and it’s not you,” Eunseo explained hoping to get through to her ex and get back on track to why they were actually here.

Cheng Xiao sat in silence, head bowed. She let the tears run off her nose onto the table before covering her face to hide the streaks. When she finally looked up and faced Eunseo the girl’s expression was set. She was already tired of being here. It pissed her off, to see Eunseo not even care anymore. All she cared about was Luda.

“You like her don’t you,” Cheng Xiao smiled with pain.

“What?”
 

“Please don’t make me repeat it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Eunseo stated plainly.

“You like Luda don’t you?”

“W-What no.. I don’t what are you on about?”

“I came here to try and convince you to reconsider the break up, but I can see that isn’t on the table anymore.”

“So there’s nothing about Luda. You called me here for your own selfish reasons?”

Cheng Xiao pushed out her chair. She smiled down at Eunseo ready to leave. Eunseo caught her hand as she was going, she wouldn’t let her leave there was a reason involving Luda that Cheng Xiao was hiding.

“Don’t with me, I don’t like you games be honest with me for once just ing once Cheng Xiao,” Eunseo sounded like she was yelling against the wind and in the empty school her voice carried.

Cheng Xiao crashed her lips against Eunseo’s, it was her last attempt to bring Eunseo back to her. However Eunseo just stood there. She dropped her hand and from Cheng Xiao’s wrist but didn’t reciprocate.

“Enough games, just tell me what you know,” Eunseo sounded desperate now.

Cheng Xiao couldn’t help but laugh, she was practically throwing herself at this girl in vain. She could tell that Eunseo was lost to her. The bitter feelings washed over her, there was no real reason to give up what she knew about E’dawn and Exy. In the back of her head she knew she should at least do something good to atone for the many mistakes she’d made in their relationship but at this point she just didn’t care it was clear there was no getting Eunseo back.

“You’ll find out sooner or later,” Cheng Xiao replied leaving Eunseo at the lunch table one last time.

Eunseo was frustrated, she had hope, be in a very small bit, but still some hope that Cheng Xiao was serious and wouldn’t play any games with her. She walked back to the Babe Cave angry, wishing for the day to just be over. She just wanted Luda home safe and then they could hopefully get everything back to normal. First Exy then Cheng Xiao all in one day she was exhausted.

Xuanyi was glad that it was only her and Luda for the two hour drive back to the Babe Cave. Her brain was overflowing with questions to ask the small girl and if Eunseo was with them she wouldn’t be able to ask a few important ones. Xuanyi rolled down the windows in her car to let in a little of the cold air. She actually really like the cold and the car was starting to feel like an oven because of how high Luda had turned the heat on.

For the first hour of the car ride Xuanyi gave Luda space, she knew bombarding her with questions or even scolding her for making such a rash decision wouldn’t get them anywhere. She let the girl enjoy a bit of time to herself before starting in on her. When she picked Luda up just seeing the girl again broke her heart. Luda looked done in. Her weary smile didn’t fool Xuanyi.  

“So do you feel better,” Xuanyi tentatively entered conversation.

“I little bit, I just really needed to clear my head so now it’s clear and I’m good,” Luda replied, she guessed her roommates next questions and decided to not be evasive or they’d be talking forever.

“Why’d you leave? Eunseo and I were worried something happened.”

“You’re sure I haven’t ruined anything? Because it felt like you both lied to me and I hate that, I left to decide if I should stay with you guys or move out.”

“Do you think you hurt Eunseo? Is that why you think you ruined things?”

Luda was ready to answer but stopped. She couldn’t make the words no come out just clamped shut. She did feel like she’d ruined something with Eunseo, she wouldn’t be able to really shake that unless she talked to Eunseo directly which wouldn’t happen because of what she’d ruined.

“Listen Luda, we are fine you haven’t ruined anything,” Xuanyi began, she hoped her explanation would be clear enough, “Sometimes weird things happen in the Babe Cave, like I don’t know if you caught it but Exy and I used to be in a thing.”

“Yeah I kind of caught that.”

“Well, when it was over we went back to normal and the Babe Cave resumed. The only hostility Exy has with me is that I kicked her out, not because of what happened before, she was trying to hurt me today but I think mainly she wanted to hurt you to get her old room back which by the way isn’t going to happen.”

“I don’t understand..”

“Sorry I really at explaining things, this is more Eunseo’s field,” Xuanyi paused trying to collect her thoughts to make her explanation easier for Luda, “What I’m trying to say is whatever is going on between you and Eunseo it won’t be that big of a deal in the long run. The Babe Cave always bounces back.”

Luda looked out the window Xuanyi was helping to ease her mind about staying but she was still a bit unsure.

“Do you think Eunseo hates me?”

Xuanyi was surprised at Luda’s question. She knew there was no way for Eunseo to possibly hate Luda if she wanted to kiss the girl so badly. Of course Luda couldn’t see that, it was part of the reason why Xuanyi was so frustrated. Her two roommates couldn’t be more obvious of their attraction toward the other. Only one thing had changed though, Eunseo was single and Luda wasn’t.

“No she wouldn’t have shared her paint with you if she hated you,” Xuanyi replied matter of factly.

“Luda I’m sorry to say this but your boyfriend is an .”

“What?”

“He was smiling earlier when everything went down with Exy, he was enjoying it and I saw that even when Exy threw that pot at you he only pretended to act protective of you, I don’t think he’s good I really don’t.”

“Okay well what the hell where is this coming from?”

Luda was confused at the sudden shift in conversation. Back at Dawon’s apartment both Meiqi and her best friend had tried to convince her to leave E’dawn stating that he wasn’t a good guy. She was starting to think everyone knew something she didn’t.

“I care about you Luda I saw how devastated you were when he didn’t show up for weeks I just want you to be happy.”

“I’m doing okay, you don’t have to worry.”

Xuanyi was ready to question Luda on her being “okay” but they’d arrived home. Luda couldn’t flee the car fast enough.

Eunseo had been dozing off on the couch waiting for Xuanyi to bring Luda home. She woke up when the car door slammed outside. She knew that Luda was safe but still she had to actually SEE the girl to believe she was alright. It was late. Two in the morning now and all Eunseo wanted was to sleep.

Luda expected the house to be dark when she opened the front door but Eunseo had apparently every light.

“Welcome home,” Eunseo sleepily greeted smiling when she noticed Luda wasn’t harmed.

Luda involuntarily smiled back, she couldn’t deny she felt warm inside thinking about how Eunseo waited up this late because she was worried. Eunseo got up from the couch when Xuanyi closed the front door. Now that everyone was home it was time to sleep.

“Goodnight everyone I love you all,” Eunseo addressed her two roommates before heading off to her bedroom.

Xuanyi busied herself by setting the pillows straight on the couch, she was hoping to have more of a conversation with Luda. Luda stared at the empty space where her succulent used to be.

“You cleaned up the mess,” Luda whispered.

“Yeah, we’re going to get a new succulent tomorrow to replace the broken one, you can come and pick it out if you want?”

“I don’t know.”

“It’ll be fun I promise.”

Xuanyi stretched it had been an incredibly long day and she was ready for bed.

“Hey let’s get some sleep and forget about today okay?”

Luda nodded toward Xuanyi but didn’t move from where she stood in the kitchen. Xuanyi left to her room leaving Luda by herself.  She still hadn’t decided if she was going to stay. She knew it was best to sleep on big decisions so maybe one more night in the Babe Cave wouldn’t hurt. Some of Dawon’s words had stuck to her. She’d have to figure something out with E’dawn, they needed to really talk about their relationship.

Luda flicked the kitchen light off before heading to bed hopefully sleep would help her make up her mind. She’d been in bed for not even 5 minutes before she heard Eunseo’s door squeak open followed by two soft knocks on her own door.

“Come in.”

Eunseo opened the door slowly, she was ready for Luda to kick her out, not really believing the ‘come in’ was an actual invitation. Luda sat up in her bed bringing her knees to her chest. Eunseo closed the door as softly as she could. Luda just watched amused at how stealthy the girl was trying to be when she didn’t have to be.

“Hi,” Eunseo whispered turning to face Luda.

Luda moved closer to the wall opening up enough space in her bed for Eunseo, she remembered the night Eunseo had comforted her and she missed being close with the girl. Eunseo pointed at the open spot then back to herself confused.

“Come here loser,” Luda answered patting the spot next to her.

Eunseo came to comfort Luda but found Luda trying to comfort her. The shorter girl snuggled up to her resting her head on Eunseos’ shoulder and pulling the girl closer to her. While Eunseo didn’t mind, she wanted to make sure Luda was okay because she herself was fine and didn’t understand why Luda was being a bit evasive.

“What’s up,” Luda asked tilting her head up to look at the taller girl.

“I couldn’t sleep without knowing you were okay.”

“Well I’m okay so no need to worry,” Luda didn’t know why she suddenly felt bold enough to lace her fingers together with Eunseo’s but she did it, maybe it was Dawon’s influence on taking risks.

Eunseo’s body was heating up very fast. Just yesterday they had been on no speaking terms and ignoring the other like their lives depended on it but now she felt.. Butterflies? Eunseo rested her head against Luda’s, whatever this was, she definitely wouldn’t question it. Sometimes good things were best savored.

“If you had the choice to stay here or move away what would you pick,” Eunseo was nervous to ask because with recent events transpiring one option seemed a little more attractive than the other.

Luda only sighed against Eunseo’s cheat having sunk further into bed. She was trying to figure this question out all night. Eunseo could see that Luda was on the fence and that hurt her she wanted the girl to stay badly. She eased out from under the girl and sat up turning her body to face the girl.

“I want you to stay. That might sound weird because things have been wild this past month but I really enjoy you… I don’t know. You make things happy and you’re passionate it’s attractive,” Eunseo threw in the last bit on a whim hoping maybe the butterflies would die down a bit but they only continued their assault on her body.

Now it was Luda’s turn to be shy. She hadn’t expected Eunseo to be so direct. She hid her smile from the girl by pulling Eunseo back down and resting her head on the girl’s chest again. Eunseo could feel Luda’s words vibrate through her.

“Where’d you get so much charm?”

“You can buy some at Starbucks d’ya know?”

The two girls laughed silently careful not to wake Xuanyi up.

“Hey ps your music taste isn’t all that bad,” Eunseo stared up at Luda’s Chvrches poster and smiled.

“Oh really,” Luda asked incredulously.

“Yeah ya know that song Lungs by Chvrches really helped me get my mind off Cheng Xiao.”

“Well I’m glad,” Luda poked Eunseos’ side testing to see if the girl was ticklish.

Eunseo was trying her hardest not to squirm, she refused to let Luda know she was ticklish. Once she knew that she had a feeling the shorter girl would be relentless.

“I wanna stay,” Luda spoke softly.

“Please do.”

Eunseo cracked a few more jokes just to hear Luda’s laugh fill the room. Every time she elicited a laugh Eunseo’s smile grew. Luda relished in this, she couldn’t imagine why she’d decided to ignore the girl for so long she’d been missing out.

The two fell asleep having changed into a more comfortable position. Eunseo didn’t know when she became the big spoon but she didn’t mind. Luda had probably the thinnest blanket in the history of blankets to ever exist. She wondered how the smaller girl didn’t freeze at night. She was very much thankful for the shared warmth.

Luda would stay. If it meant she could have more hangouts with Eunseo like this she would stay. She knew that her and Eunseo still had a shot at friendship, that’s all she cared about. Who needed to experiment when she could just get closer to the girl and become best friends with her? She didn’t feel guilty over being around Eunseo anymore. She was starting to care less what would or wouldn’t affect E’dawn.

Eunseo shifted in her sleep, she wanted to sleep more but her body wouldn’t let her. She expected it to still be dark out because it felt like she hadn’t even slept for that long but the sun was shining through Luda’s blinds onto the bed. Eunseo stretched a bit before yawning. It wasn’t till she yawned that she noticed the still sleeping Luda curled up into her left side.

Luda was cute when she slept. Something Eunseo could marvel over for a bit. Panic only ensued when she realized the clock on Luda’s nightstand read 2:03pm and that only meant Xuanyi was probably awake. Eunseo didn’t want Xuanyi to berate her with questions so she did her best to disentangle herself with Luda without waking the girl up. Luda unfortunately was a light sleeper and she noticed almost instantly when Eunseo’s body wasn’t by hers.

Seeing Luda stir made Eunseo panic more, she dashed toward the door not caring about stealth anymore. Eunseo flew into her room not noticing Xuanyi sitting on the couch watching the entire thing. Usually it took Luda hours to fully wake up but she was wide awake now. She rubbed her eyes of the last remainders of sleep. Did she do something wrong?

Her heart hurt a bit which was strange, she felt the same as when E’dawn hadn’t shown up when he promised. Her mind filled with questions and her body ached to be touched. She was back to square one. The questions of whether she felt for Eunseo or E’dawn were overwhelming. She shoved the pillow over her head trying to get back to sleep. This was too much to deal with upon first waking up. Her brain sent up red flags, flagging each feeling Luda felt that was something she shouldn’t be feeling having a boyfriend and being straight. Luda cursed Dawon for sneaking into her brain and influencing her heart.

She groaned realizing the only way to resolve any of this was to follow her best friend’s advice. She just needed to talk to E’dawn she needed to be reminded of what made her want him. If her heart and brain were at a standstill again maybe, just maybe she’d give in. Her heart still ached though, she wondered if she’d scared Eunseo off by being too affectionate. Maybe she drooled when she slept or snored. God she was probably so embarrassing when she slept.

a/n Can you believe E'dawn and Exy are such snakes? It's so crazy 

also would like to say that in the next few weeks ill be swamped with exams so I might not update on time :( but thank you for reading I appreciate all the sweet comments too thank you. 

PS: I promise the next chapter will be LIT