Hidden hoodie

POV

Millie

Saturday morning.

Tonight is my date with Nick that I completely regret initiating.

It's just one date, if it goes south he'll be leaving in two days anyway. I'm so not ready for any of this, I haven't gone on a real date with someone in a while and it's nerve-wracking.

I sit at the table in the suite drinking my morning coffee, not black, but with plenty of French vanilla creamer when Steph comes strolling out of the room like a hot mess with her hair everywhere and yesterday's makeup in all the wrong places. She wasn't home when I got home yesterday but I heard her stroll in late last night.

"Tonight's the night huh?" She asks in a sleepy voice.

"Yeah…do you think you can call me in sick for it?" I ask humorously.

"No baby girl, you did this to yourself, now you gotta follow through, no saving you tonight." She says through a yawn and tapping the top of my head.

"So where were you all last night?" I ask her.

She grins widely.

"At my new place.." she says with a smile that's revealing too many teeth.

I cock my head to the side, "what do you mean…?" I ask genuinely confused.

"Eee! Julian asked me to move in with him!" She says ecstatically.

"Oh my god, no way! Steph are you kidding me? I'm so happy for you!" I say wholeheartedly happy for her.

"And to think a few weeks ago you didn't even want to look him in the eye," I say rolling my eyes.

"I know! It's crazy isn't it?!" She asks waking up more.

"I'm so happy right now, give me that coffee I need it more than you, I gotta get ready to go home," she says snatching away my coffee and dancing around with it as if it's Julian.

I laugh at her silliness and am grateful for her shift in emotions from the other night.

I genuinely am so happy for her and Julian.

After about an hour, Steph leaves to go to her new home and I hop in the shower overthinking everything about this past week. I still feel completely heartbroken but every day is becoming a little less excruciating than the last.

It'll be good for me to get out regardless of whether it's a date or not, I need to be around more people and just let loose.

I watch a new YouTube tutorial on beachy appearing waves for my hair and by the grace of god I execute it. I apply a shimmery brown eyeshadow, add an extra layer of mascara than usual, and swipe on a glossy layer of lipgloss with a touch of shimmer.

I have no idea where we're going tonight but we agreed on casual so I pull out a pair of light-washed jeans that have a rip on the knee with a little kick at the bottom. I decide on a white off-the-shoulder top with ruched crisscrosses throughout. The fit is snug in all the right places and I'm finally gaining some confidence back.

I look through my bag digging through to find a gold necklace and bracelet and feel the familiar fabric of X's hoodie that I shoved at the bottom of my bag days ago. I shouldn't pull it out but I do.

I hold onto it in my arms and it still smells like him.

The scent I'll just never forget.

I contemplate going on this date with Nick more than ever before as I hold the hoodie close to me.

I'm too late though, my phone dings, it's Nick letting me know he's out front.

Here goes..