✓ | MIRRORBALL ❨ C. STURNIOLO! ❩

48 | real life + instagram

LIZZIE EXCITEDLY RUNS up the steps to her mother's new house in california. marina had gotten the job she applied for, and now lived only twenty minutes from her daughter.

her flight touched down last night, so lizzie went over first thing in the morning to help her unpack. marina had gotten a house right on the beach, so lizzie knew she'd be spending an ungodly amount of time here.

although lizzie argued against it, marina insisted on listening to 'newbury park' through the speakers while they unpacked the boxes. they got through setting up her new kitchen as the album ended, and they both needed a break.

atlas followed his girls around, excitedly jumping on lizzie's lap when she would sit down to set up furniture. of course, she never complained, happily cuddling him into her chest as he licked her face.

nearing noon, marina suggested they grab lunch and coffees at a café down the street. after ordering a sandwich each, they sat down at a table outside.

"i'm so proud of you, you know that?" marina smiles.

"i'm so glad you're here," lizzie starts to tear up.

"i'd do anything to be closer to you, betty."

"i just don't know what to do from here," lizzie sighs. "the album has been getting so much support and i love it, but i'm so tired."

"you can take a break," her mom says. "you don't need to be working hard all the time. you're still a teenager, spend time with your friends and enjoy your youth. you've made such an impact on people already, it's not disappearing that quickly."

"i guess," lizzie says, "but everyone's already commenting asking for more. i'm out of ideas."

"that's what writing music is like, betty," marina replies. "you need to write about experiences, and to do so, you need to give yourself more experiences in the meantime."

"fuck, i've missed you," lizzie laughs. "you always know exactly what to say."

"that's what mothers are for."

they stroll back to marinas house, picking random flowers on the way to put in a vase in the kitchen.

they spend the rest of the day setting up different rooms in the house, marina focusing on her bedroom while lizzie helps decorate the living room. once the tv is set up, lizzie of course finds harry potter on hbo max.

an hour or so into the prisoner of azkaban, she hears her mom treading down the stairs.

"what's say we call it quits for the day?" marina suggests. "my stuff is all set up in my bedroom, and we've made a pretty good dent into everything else."

lizzie nods, wiping the sweat trickling down her forehead. she collapses onto the couch, cuddling into her mom when she sits next to her. atlas jumps up to lay in the middle of them, right on both of their laps.

"can we go to the beach?" lizzie asks quietly.

"hm, i don't know," marina jokes, "it's kind of a far trip."

minutes later, they're walking through the glass door to her patio. they go down the steps to get to the beach, right in her backyard. they set up a blanket on the dry sand, laying down to look up at the stars.

lizzie unclips atlas's leash to let him roam around, knowing he would never run away from his people.

"so, are you dating that chris boy yet?" marina teases.

"god, no," lizzie grimaces, "there's so much to catch you up on."

lizzie started to explain the situation to her mom, beginning to cry when she talked about their night in the hot tub. she was hesitant to tell her about charlotte, since she'd been in their lives since kindergarten, but it would be unlike her to not tell her mom everything.