Breathe For Me -rhea ripley fanfic-

Episode 5- Friends&Selfies

                                                          -Ava's POV-

wordcount: 1130

Authors Note: I will be using Grammarly for writing from now on to make the chapters a bit longer xx

As the day drew to a close, after a long day at work, Jacob, Sarah, Layla, and I decided to go somewhere to unwind. Though we were initially close with Sarah; Jacob and Layla soon became our friends. After some discussion, Jacob proposed a Saturday picnic at the old botanical garden, which seemed like the perfect opportunity for us to relax and get to know each other better.

On the day of the picnic, Jacob, Layla, and Sarah arrived early, each bringing something to share. Layla brought a gourmet pasta salad, Jacob brought an assortment of cheeses, and Sarah brought her sinfully sweet chocolate chip cookies. I decided to bring some fresh fruit to complete our feast.

The botanical garden was a symphony of color and fragrant blooms that day, with secluded paths and hidden benches, perfect for intimate conversations or moments of solitude. We chose a quiet spot under an ancient oak, the branches spreading wide above us as if to guard the memories of the day. Once settled, Layla proposed a game she had recently heard about called "Deep Questions," where each would draw a question from a hat and answer honestly. It seemed like a fitting alternative to our usual light-hearted banter.

The questions started harmlessly enough, asking about our favorite memories or books, but the mood shifted when Sarah drew a particularly personal one. "What's going on between you and Rhea? You two seem to get along well. Cause trust me, Rhea does not get along with anyone.'' I quickly tried to divert the attention away from me by replying, ''Oh, it's nothing really. As I told you guys before, I have asthma. She walked in on me having an attack and just helped me through it. I guess she just felt bad for me.''

I'll admit, I changed up the scenario a bit, but that's only because the whole story was a bit too embarrassing for me to share in full. ''Wow, I'm surprised she pretended not to notice, to be honest,'' Jacob laughed. ''Come on, she isn't that bad,'' I told him. ''She is that bad to anyone except you,'' Layla joked. ''Shut up!'' I said playfully.

They made some more jokes about the situation for a couple of more minutes until the game quickly went on, making us forget about the time and just enjoy the company of each other's presence, the beautiful weather, and of course, the delicious food. We learned a lot of things about each other that day, which made us even closer. I really appreciated the atmosphere we had created, as it made us comfortable with each other and strengthened our friendship.

As the evening progressed, the sky started to darken and we knew it was time to say our goodbyes. We exchanged waves and made our way back to our homes. As I arrived at my doorstep, I felt a sense of relief wash over me knowing that I could finally unwind. I headed straight to the bathroom and let the warm water cascade over my body, allowing me to relax and wash away the exhaustion of the long day.

As I was scrolling through my phone, I noticed a few unread messages from Sarah. It was kind of strange since we had just parted ways not too long ago, but I decided to read them anyway. But of course, Sarah was asking about something that didn't even exist - my supposed relationship with Rhea. Her message read, "Girl, we both know that something is going on between you and Rhea. I wanted to know all the details, but I didn't want to ask in front of everyone. Can you tell me everything tomorrow at work?" Despite being amused by her eagerness to know, I couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed by the assumption. I replied, "Sarah, oh my god I swear nothing is going on between Rhea and me! Okay maybe she acts nice towards me but that's it. I'll tell you about why she acted that way tomorrow though lol."

As the evening drew to a close, I mindlessly scrolled through my emails and social media, seeking some form of distraction from everyday life. My eyes darted from one screen to the next, absorbing a flurry of images and text. After a while, I decided to call it a night and changed into my new pajamas that I bought earlier this week.

As I glanced at myself in the mirror, I couldn't help but notice how cute I looked. So, I snapped a quick selfie and posted it on my social media story. It wasn't long before I saw that Rhea had liked my post. My heart fluttered with a strange mix of excitement and embarrassment. I tried not to think about it too much and hastily tossed my phone onto the nightstand.

As I crawled into bed and switched off the lights, my mind raced with all sorts of thoughts and emotions. The strange feeling of flustered excitement lingered, and I couldn't help but wonder what Rhea thought of me. Eventually, I drifted off into a restless sleep, tossing and turning as my mind refused to settle down.

-Rhea's POV-

As I lay in bed, ready to drift off to sleep, I couldn't help but reach for my phone and check my social media accounts one last time. That's when I stumbled upon a story posted by Ava. Being curious, I clicked through to see what she had shared, and there it was - a captivating selfie of Ava, dressed in her pajamas and looking as stunning as ever. (💗😭)

I was immediately drawn to her beauty and couldn't resist the temptation to tap the 'like' button. But as I lay there, staring at the ceiling, I realized that my action might not be the wisest move if I wanted to keep my emotions under wraps. Despite that, I couldn't bring myself to undo my like. I wanted Ava to know that she had a profound effect on me. She had made me more caring, more compassionate, and more gentle, which was highly unusual for me.

At that moment, I realized that Ava was changing me in ways I couldn't comprehend, and I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. Her beauty was undeniable, but it wasn't just that. When I saw her experience an asthma attack, my heart raced, and I felt an overwhelming urge to protect her from everything. I wanted to be kinder and gentler, but only to her.

Ugh, I didn't know what to do but I was sure of one thing: I didn't see her only as a friend, well at least not anymore..