sweetbitter; remixed — dante & arcadia {jb}

[ines izar d11a 🖤 cait]

arcadia lumiere-fray

all the thoughts that we transpose

The revolving door that is the Justice Building entrance has not had a workout this intense in the history of ever, I’m sure of it.

The constant stream of people coming to wish me well is heart-warming, to say the least. Seeing so many friends and family members in one place is so sweet, I’ve already teared up multiple times. But no crying today – this is a happy moment! As I’ve said multiple times already, I’ll be back to party with them again in no time!

I take the brief moments of solitude in between visitors to sip the sparkling water that’s been set out on the table beside me, trying to keep the tickle in my throat at bay. One minute I’m alone again, and the next I’m spinning around ready to greet another guest.

Except I’m not alone.

She’s so quiet that I didn’t even hear her enter – didn’t even realise I had company until I’m setting my glass down and choking on the water in my mouth at my surprise. I splutter as the liquid goes down the wrong way, eyes watering in discomfort.

I’d like to say I never forget a face or name, but no matter how intently I study the girl in front of me, I can’t place her. She’s familiar, sure – has a cute smile that itches some part of my subconscious mind for long enough to know we’ve crossed paths before. But she seems… frightened? Apprehensive? Uncertain? All of the above? She obviously knows me – why else would she be here? – and the longer the silence stretches on, the more uncomfortable she appears to become.

And obviously I don’t want her to know I don’t remember her name. Like, how embarrassing that would be for her, the poor thing. I’ve gotta be delicate.

I cross my fingers behind my back, hoping that she’s just a girl from school and not a drunken one-night stand.

“Hey girl, what’s up?! You good? You’re in my chemistry class, right?”

template by Chelsey

[fox]

D A N T E

★

What the fuck is it with my crushes trying to die.

They sounded the anthem, they did the speeches, they played the video essay – and they finally updated it this year so the footage's not recorded on an ancient artifact. The content's still the same except they got each member of the High Council parroting a line like an oversized pop band. Snuck in a ballpoint and we played tic-tac-toe, blue smudge of victories and defeats along my arm by the end of it.

And I didn't even really think of Arcadia. Half the time I'm stressed Tatton's gonna lose her mind and volunteer – I don't know, like that bitch has me worried sometimes. Her last name's Le Roux.

Her whole family is predisposed to dying.

But then we got a literal Nobody and an actual Sacrifice and Tat was about to pull out the vape hidden in the folds of her clothes, and I was thinking how hilarious these games were gonna be with the names, until a blonde head popped out of the sea of people, rising like the damn sun.

"Are you fucking kidding me."

Maybe it's a Fray thing.

Then, some shit possessed me to stand in the hour long line for Arcadia's meet-and-greet-and-goodbye in the Justice Building. And then, somehow I'm in the fucking room, face to face with her in some daze of horrible decisions. She stares at me blankly for a second. I nearly get whiplash from looking away, burning a hole in the floor.

I remember the last time I was here it was because my sister died and they'd sent back the body from Two. The carpet's still the same. Tacky as hell.

Girlhood is a spectrum between feeling like god and like a bug on its back, and most of the time I'm the bug.

I'm ready to just turn around and leave again, but then she starts speaking and haha too late.

“Hey girl, what’s up?! You good? You’re in my chemistry class, right?”

I'm about to say Biology actually, but it occurs to me that it doesn't really matter because she's probably going to die. Chances are, I'm never going to see her again. And funny enough, that's what calms me down.

Yah, fuck it.

This might be my only chance.

"Okay. So here's the thing. I watched YLIP. You're a good kisser. I haven't kissed anyone. One plus one, you know?" Girlhood is a spectrum. I take in a deep breath and try not to pass out. Fuck it fuck it fuck it. "Kiss me."

[ines izar d11a 🖤 cait]

arcadia lumiere-fray

all the thoughts that we transpose

I blink.

Multiple times.

Might be the first time in my life I’ve been actually full-on stunned into silence. I’ve had my fair share of propositions, obviously, but never one quite as bold and brazened as this. There’s something familiar about her face but I really can’t for the life of me remember where from. I’m convinced I’m just trying to make her into someone I know to stop her from slipping into the lowly category of a crazed stalker.

I’ve been quiet for too long. The Peacekeepers guarding the door look over at us before starting to move closer, eyes honing in on the new girl. I shake my head at them, a quick jerking movement to keep them at bay. In all honesty, it doesn’t really matter if she’s a stalker. Judging by her size and the fact she seems to worship me, I doubt she’d manage to lay a hand on me before I got to her.

I mull over her words a moment longer. What an intriguing encounter.

“Yeah, that makes sense to me.” I humour her, smiling wide. It had been a while since I’d hooked up with anyone. Young Love had kinda put me off the idea for a while, and even though there’d been a few innocent kisses since, I was well below my usual quota. What better time than the present to remedy that, and especially on such a special day!

Probably wouldn’t be too much opportunity for romance in the Arena, right?

“You know, you’re cute, and I’m so flattered… buuuut I’m not sure if that’s the best idea,” I tease lightly, eyes dancing playfully across her earnest face. “I don’t usually grant wishes for first kisses.”

I step forwards, and delight in the backwards step she takes. That’s how I know her confidence is all an act – as if the long deep breaths she was drawing didn’t already give her away. A playful warning graces my lips:

“I’d ruin you for the rest of your life.”

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