The morning after
Dina stirs around in her queen-sized bed, limbs flailing in every direction like a starfish. She grumbles to herself, trying and failing to find a comfortable spot. The light creeping through the half-open curtain feels like it’s stabbing her directly in the eyes. She groans, stretching her stiff back with an exaggerated sigh, her body protesting every move.
Her head pounds, the remnants of last night’s party still lingering in her veins. She blinks, trying to push through the haze of alcohol and confusion, piecing together what happened. Most of it is a blur—bright lights, loud music, and laughter—but there’s something in her gut, a knot of unease she can’t ignore. It feels like guilt, or maybe regret, but she doesn’t want to admit it.
She sighs again, this time with a heavier weight. The thought of Ellie keeps circling her mind, unshakable. Too bad she could barely remember anything from last night.
She can’t even remember if they made it back to her place together. The only thing she’s sure of is that she liked being around Ellie—seeing her smile, hearing her laugh.
Her stomach churns again.
“Ughhh I hate hang overs.” Dina mutters to herself. “Coffee. I need coffee.”
She slaps her hand against the nightstand, fumbling for her phone. After several attempts, she finally grabs it, squinting at the screen. Ten missed calls from Jesse? Shit. Her thumb hovers over the screen and she had zero hesitation when it came to the one thing that overrides all else—Ellie.
She types quickly, a smirk pulling at her cheeks.
Dina: SOS have the worst hangover rn
Dina: wanna make me a coffee and tell me about all the mistakes i made last night?
Her heart speeds up just thinking about seeing Ellie again. She rolls out of bed. Can’t let Ellie see me like this. The thought makes her giggle, the sound uncomfortably high-pitched.
Forty-five minutes go by with no response. Dina’s frustration builds with every passing second. Her fingers are a blur on the keyboard as she checks her phone for the hundredth time. The more she waits, the worse it gets.
“I hope she got home okay last night,” she whispers, glancing out the window at the soft morning light.
Then it hits her.
Wait a minute. She literally lives next door.
A slow smile spreads across Dina’s face as the genius of her plan sets in. Without another thought, she grabs her jacket and heads for the door, her wet hair still dripping down her back.
This will be good. This will be perfect.
Her heart beats a little faster as she stands outside Ellie’s door, her fingers poised to knock.
“Hey, neighbor!” She almost laughs at how cliché it sounds. No, too cheesy.
“Did you miss me?” Too desperate.
She takes a deep breath and settles on something more neutral. She knocks melodically on the door. Seven knocks. Seven perfect knocks.
The seconds stretch on, and Dina can feel the tension in the air, the anticipation of seeing Ellie again. She fiddles with the hem of her shirt, smooths her hair, adjusts her posture. Anything to hide the nerves gnawing at her.
Finally, the door creaks open.
Her breath catches.
Ellie.
But she doesn’t look quite like Ellie. Not really.
Ellie’s hair is messy, her face pale, and her eyes seemed slightly grey.
“Ellie?” Dina questions.
Ellie’s eyes flicker over Dina, and Dina could feel the tension between them, thick and uncomfortable. She tilts her head, worried.
Ellie hesitates before speaking, her voice barely above a whisper. “Dina…”
She’s standing there in the doorway, looking anywhere but directly at Dina, like she wants to escape, like she doesn’t want to be here. The silence hangs between them like an accusation. Dina shifts uncomfortably on her feet.
“Are you okay?” Dina asks, her voice laced with concern.
Ellie shakes her head slowly. “Yeah… just really tired.” She says, her voice was soft, distant. She stepped back from the door, but not in the usual warm, welcoming way.
"From last night, right?” Dina’s voice is a little too chipper, as if she’s trying to make light of it, but the words fall flat. The weird vibe in the air is suffocating, and Ellie isn’t giving her anything to work with.
Dina tries to keep things light. “I feel like I’m still drunk. My head’s pounding, and I—” She pauses to scan Ellie’s face, "Okay, what’s going on? What did I do?” Dina’s tone sharpens with frustration. She can feel the knot in her stomach tightening.
Ellie’s shoulders sag as if the weight of whatever is going on has finally become too much. Dina feels a stab of guilt, though she has no idea why. She has no clue what she’s supposed to feel guilty for, but it doesn’t stop the wave of unease.
Ellie’s gaze darts to the floor, her voice strained. “It’s... nothing.”
Dina freezes, the words settling uncomfortably between them. Nothing? She can tell something’s wrong. Something happened, and it has nothing to do with last night’s hangover.
“Ellie…” Dina takes a step forward, her voice softening. She gently places her hands on both sides of Ellie’s face, lifting her gaze to meet her own. “You can tell me if something’s wrong.”
Ellie steps back, and for a moment, Dina wondered if she could just reach into her chest and pull the words out. But Ellie wasn’t letting her in. Not this time.
Ellie’s eyes—wide, lost—lock onto Dina’s, and for a moment, the air between them is charged with something unspoken, heavy. Ellie doesn’t answer right away. Her lips part, but nothing comes out.
“I… I—” She pauses, swallowing hard, before shaking her head. “Really Dina just forget it.”
“Are you sure?” Dina’s tone is soft but insistent, her hands reach for Ellie’s but Ellie takes a step back, avoiding Dina’s touch.
“Do you always have to be this stubborn?” Ellie snaps.
A tense silence falls between them.
“You’re right, I’m sorry.” Dina awkwardly shuffles, “Sooo… if it’s nothing, are you going to come make me a coffee, or what?” Dina tries to lighten the mood but Ellie doesn’t really respond to her attempt at humor.
The silence stretched, thick and loaded with unsaid words. Dina felt the walls closing in and kept trying to brush it off but she couldn’t keep dancing around this.
Without thinking, Dina grabbed Ellie’s shoulders, pulling her forward, their faces suddenly inches apart.
“Ellie,” Dina said, her voice low. “What is the matter with you?”
Ellie’s gaze flickered, her lips trembling with a thousand unsaid words. For a moment, Dina thought Ellie might cry, but instead, she broke away.
“I…” Ellie started, but then stopped, clearing her throat and avoiding Dina’s gaze entirely. “I just remembered. I have something to do.”
“Right now?”
“Yeah, gotta finish my project.” Ellie mumbles, as if this explanation should make sense to both of them. But it doesn’t. Dina’s heart sinks.
“Okay, right,” Dina says, her voice shaky now. “I guess I’ll just go then.” She forces a smile, trying to mask the disappointment and confusion swirling in her chest.
Ellie seems like she’s about to say something but then just... doesn’t.
“Okay, well, see you later then.” She moves to close the door.
“Wait!” Dina protests, reaching out as the door starts to swing shut. But it’s too late. It slams in her face.
Dina stands there, stunned, her hand still hovering in the air.
What the hell just happened?
She pulls her phone out again, her fingers shaking as she dials Jesse’s number.
“Hello?” Jesse picks up immediately.
“Hey Jess,” Dina says, voice tight with frustration. “Sorry to bother you.”
“No, it’s okay. What’s going on?” Jesse’s voice is still groggy, but the concern is there.
“I don’t know, man… something’s up with Ellie. She’s acting weird. Did something happen last night?”
Jesse pauses. “Well... she was pretty quiet when I took her home. She didn’t say much.”
“You took her home? Shit. We were supposed to go together.” Dina’s stomach twists with guilt. That’s it. That’s why she’s upset!
“Hey, you were drunk,” Jesse says, trying to ease her mind. “We all were. Don’t worry about it.”
“No, but I promised I wouldn’t leave her alone, and I—”
“You were both pretty drunk,” Jesse reminded her gently. “Don’t stress about it.”
But Dina couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
“Listen, I’m sure you can make it up to her.” Jesse says.
“How? She’s usually the one doing all the work. I don’t know what I can do.”
“You’ll figure it out.”
I really hope so.
——-
Ellie woke up to a stabbing headache, the kind that felt like someone had tried to pound nails into her skull. She groaned softly, pulling the blankets over her head in a desperate attempt to block out the world. The faint light seeping through the curtains did nothing to ease the raw, painful feeling in her head.
She shifted, feeling the tightness in her chest, like something was pressing down on her heart. I’m so fucked.
Flashes of memories came back—dancing, laughter, the music pumping through the air. And then... Dina.
Ellie’s breath caught in her throat as her mind honed in on the moment that stuck with her the most: the kiss. Her lips on Dina’s, soft and warm, a kiss that felt too real, too meaningful. But it wasn’t supposed to happen.
Ellie buried her face in the pillow, trying to push it all away. She couldn’t afford to think about it, not now, not when everything was so… complicated.
Her phone buzzed beside her on the nightstand. She turned over, groaning at the sight of the missed messages from Dina. The screen lit up with an SOS message and then another, both from Dina, asking about the mistakes she made last night. Ellie’s stomach twisted, her pulse racing.
She shouldn’t answer. She couldn’t answer. What was she supposed to say? How was she supposed to explain it?
She doesn’t even like you, Ellie.
That’s the thought that kept swirling in her mind. Dina and Jesse, the perfect couple. Dina didn’t kiss her because she wanted to. No, she kissed her because she was drunk, and Ellie had been there, a convenient distraction.
You’re just her ex’s best friend, Ellie thought bitterly. You’re nothing more than a mistake.
Her thumb hovered over the screen. The thought of texting Dina back felt like she was sealing her fate. What if Dina regretted it? What if things were awkward now? What if things were ruined?
Ellie squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to banish the thoughts. Her heart ached, her chest tight as she rolled over and buried her face in the pillow again.
No response. No more texts. She’d deal with it later. Or maybe never.
Knock knock knock knock knock knock knock
Seven knocks. That had to be Dina. Ellie groaned.
—-
“I can’t believe I was so mean to Dina this morning,” Ellie sighs to herself. She had gone to the art room partly to finally start her project, but mostly to hide from the beautiful girl who lived next door.
Her pencil strokes become bolder, frustration bleeding into her art as she remembers how stupid she sounded this morning. I wouldn’t blame Dina if she never wanted to speak to me again.
Who cares about Dina? She’s not important. Not anymore. Ellie tries to convince herself, but the words feel hollow.
She’s hunched over her sketchbook, eyes fixed on the paper in front of her, trying to focus on something other than the mess of feelings that keep resurfacing. She doesn’t even notice when a figure steps into the room.
“Ellie,” Dina calls softly. “I need to talk to you.”
Ellie jumps at the sound of her voice. Maybe I’m just imagining her.
“I brought you something,” Dina adds, holding out a small wrapped gift.
Okay, no—she’s definitely real.
Ellie glances at it, but quickly averts her eyes, trying to stay calm. “I don’t really want to talk right now, Dina. Can’t you see I’m busy?”
Dina’s heart races, but she doesn’t back down. “We need to talk about last night. You’ve been avoiding me all day, and I don’t know why.”
“Why do you even care?” Ellie’s voice falters as her gaze flickers to Dina’s. For the first time, she sees something in Dina’s eyes—something that looks like sadness.
“Of course I care, Ellie,” Dina says, stepping closer, her voice soft but firm. “I need you.”
Ellie’s chest tightens. “Don’t say that.” She attempts to refocus on her drawing, but her mind is elsewhere. The words sound like too much. Too real.
Dina steps in front of the canvas, blocking Ellie’s view. “Whatever I did, Ellie, I’m sorry. You can hate me all you want, but I’m not leaving until I find out what happened.”
“I don’t want to ruin things, Dina,” Ellie whispers, her voice barely audible, as if saying it out loud would make everything real.
Dina’s chest tightens in a way that makes Ellie feel like she’s suffocating. “Is this about Jesse? Because I told you, me and him are over.”
Ellie stares at Dina, her breath shaky. “Whatever happened between you and Jesse shouldn’t matter to me.”
“But it does, doesn’t it?” Dina presses, her eyes searching Ellie’s face for an answer.
Ellie doesn’t respond.
Dina grabs Ellie’s wrist, yanking her toward the storage room at the back of the studio before Ellie can protest. “Dina, what are you—?”
Before Ellie can finish, Dina pushes the door shut behind them, her actions suddenly more intense than Ellie was prepared for. “Now you’re going to listen to me,” Dina says, her voice almost shaking with a mixture of frustration and desperation.
“Dina, please tell me you didn’t just lock us in the storage room.”
Ellie glances around the cramped, dimly lit space, panic rising. “We’re not leaving until this is fixed.”
“Dina, what the fuck?” Ellie’s voice cracks. “I have a project to finish, and I don’t even have the keys! Why would you—?”
“Because you won’t talk to me! What else am I supposed to do, Ellie? Why do you always have to be so difficult?”
Ellie throws her hands up in the air, frustration boiling over. “Trust me, I’m not the one making things difficult!”
Dina’s brow furrows in confusion. “What, and I am?”
Ellie steps back, shaking her head. “You tell me, Dina. Who’s the one who gets drunk and forces me clean up all her messes?”
“I didn’t force you to do anything!” Dina shoots back, her voice a mix of defensive and hurt. “Geez I’m sorry I wanted to be friends with you!”
Ellie’s heart races as the words hit her. “Right, and friends kiss their friends out of nowhere too, right?”
Dina stands still, her face frozen in shock. “I… kissed you last night?”
Ellie scoffs bitterly, her voice thick with sarcasm. “I’m so stupid. Of course you don’t even remember. Fucking typical.”
Dina’s face falls, guilt and regret creeping into her features. “Is that what this is about, Ellie? Look, I’m sorry—I was drunk, and—”
“Yeah, well, I’m tired of being a victim of your drunk behavior, Dina,” Ellie spits out, her eyes burning with a mix of anger and hurt.
Dina’s eyes soften, but she’s still holding on to her emotions. “Listen, if you didn’t want to kiss me—”
Ellie’s breath catches. “That’s not the problem.”
“Then what are you mad about?” Dina asks, her voice suddenly quieter. “What’s wrong with you?”
Ellie’s throat tightens, the weight of everything she hasn’t said crashing down on her all at once. “Dina, I can’t be around you anymore. The rehearsals, the late night talks, showing up at my workplace? This might all be a fun and silly joke for you, but it’s torture for me.”
”But I thought-“
”I’m not good for you. I’m complicated, and hell, I’m your ex’s best friend. And still selfishly...”
Ellie’s voice trembles as she stares at Dina, her vulnerability raw and exposed. “I want you to look at me, talk to me but I don’t want to- I can’t be just another mistake.”
Dina stands there for a moment, the words sinking in. Everything clicks. Then, with a deep breath, she steps closer, her hand reaching for Ellie’s.
“Oh, Ellie,” Dina says softly, “You’re not a mistake.”
Ellie’s eyes lock into hers, the raw sincerity in Dina’s gaze making her heart flutter. “In fact,” Dina continues, “You’re all I have right now—the best thing I have right now.”
Ellie’s breath catches in her throat, unsure of what to say. She feels her walls start to crumble, the fear and doubt slowly dissolving in the face of Dina’s honesty.
“I am?”
Dina nods, her voice barely above a whisper. “Ellie, I might’ve been drunk last night, but I don’t regret kissing you.”
The words hang in the air, heavy with meaning. For a long moment, neither of them moves, the silence thick between them. Then Dina smiles, a teasing glint in her eyes.
“And…” she says, stepping even closer, “I’d say it’s a shame I was drunk because I can’t even remember if you’re a good kisser.”
“What?” Ellie breathes, her eyes wide with surprise.
Without another word, Dina leans in, closing the distance between them.
“It would be kind of rude of me to judge without any evidence, wouldn’t it?”
Ellie says nothing, she doesn’t want to risk waking up in case she was just dreaming.
Dina’s lips meet Ellie’s again, softer this time, meeting with the weight of everything they had kept inside. The kiss deepens, and all the unsaid things, the fears, the doubts, the regrets, and the hopes, finally find their place.