#ellie williams x ria ortiz

[readingunderstars]

Blue Dream - Two

Sypnosis: After a tense conversation with Julian, Ria encounters Ellie at Sasha’s party.

Warnings: 18+!! recreational drug use, underage drinking, cheating, sexual content

Word Count: 5.6k

⊰✭⊱

Ria awoke the following morning to the sound of her phone ringing. Groaning, she dragged her arms around the bed, trying to locate the source of the worst possible sound on Earth. Uncovering it from the sheets, Ria squinted her eyes and found Julian’s face on the screen. It was a photo from freshman year of high school, never updated. Ria answered the call.

“Hello?” she said, a croak coming out instead of her voice.

“Whoa,” Julian laughed. “Good morning, sir.”

“Morning,” she said, laying her head down on the pillow. She checked the time. 7:03 AM. Ria had to remind herself that Julian was three hours ahead, and tried not to be mad that he woke her up so early on a Saturday. “How are you?”

“Great,” he said, but Ria could tell he was itching to talk about something. Indeed, he went on. “Hey, I’m at this travel agency booking a cruise for my uncle’s birthday. We wanted to know if you want to come, too.”

“Uh . . . ” Ria’s eyes fought to stay open. “When would it be?”

“Late June to early July, we haven’t settled—“

“Oh.” Ria sat up at once and rubbed her eyes. “I can’t.”

“Why? Is your passport expiring or something? I’m sure we could—“

“No, my passport is fine.” You’ve put it off long enough. There won’t be a perfect time. Just say it.

“Are you getting a summer job?”

“I mean—“ Say it. “Well,” she started, but it wasn’t coming out.

“What is it?” he said.

Ria took a deep breath. “I got into the Monterey program. I won’t be going home for summer break.”

A moment passed before Julian spoke again. “What?”

“The school offered me a position in their marine biology summer program in—“

“Are you serious?”

She didn’t know what to think of his reactions. Ria couldn’t tell if he was happy or upset, so she simply said, “Yes.”

Julian remained silent.

Ria’s heart beat hard against her chest. “Can you say something?”

“I just want to get this clear,” he said slowly. “You’re choosing to spend a year away. On purpose. Correct?”

“Julian, I’ve told you about this program before—“

“I know you fucking told me, Ria. I just didn’t think you’d get in.”

Standing up from her bed, Ria stayed in silent bewilderment.

“And the saddest part is you probably don’t care whether you see me or not. So fine, run off with all the other fucking nerds—“

“That’s enough, Julian,” Ria said, crossing her arms despite him not being able to see. “This has nothing to do with us. I know you know I could never forgive myself if I let an opportunity like this simply pass me by.”

“Whatever. I have to go,” he said as his end of the call became noisy with the voices of his family. “We’ll discuss it later.”

“No—“

Julian ended the call.

“Fuck!” Ria cursed, and threw her phone against the bed. It bounced off, landing on the floor with a deafening crack. Closing her eyes, Ria scrambled to the floor, praying to every god that would listen. But the screen was shattered, only lighting up in fragments. 

Already prepared for the day to end, Ria fell on her mattress, face against her pillow. She took a deep breath in, and—with all her might—screamed into the pillow.

Dragging herself out of the dorm, Ria found solace in a study room deep within the bowels of the library stacks. She channeled all her anger into something useful. It was tedious work, especially the lab reports, but it was a welcome distraction. Julian would certainly not be the reason she fell behind on her schoolwork.

It took until midday to finish all her work for the next few days. She packed up her things and headed back to the dorm, finding the phone still lying on the ground. Ria picked it up, weighing her options.

Valerie College was in the middle of nowhere, and there was no good public transportation during weekends. The only person she knew with a car was AJ, but even if he wanted to drive her, they had both agreed to help with the party.

Until tomorrow it is.

Opening her closet, Ria dug out the duffel that had been in her possession since middle school and set it on the bed. She packed everything she’d need for the party and to stay overnight at the suite.

She passed by Hungry Mind, the cafe on campus, and picked up a cake pop for Sasha. Pressing her ID against the scanner, Ria pushed the door to Cedar Hall open. Music seeped through the door to the suite, and Ria found Sasha and all her suite mates gathered on the living room floor.

A tub of fried chicken sat on the coffee table, and they all sat on the ground around it. They looked up as Ria entered the suite, greeting her warmly.

There was Rosa Molina, of course, an expert knitter with Salvadorian parentage. Her Barbie doll of a roommate was Madi Jones. She was from Southern California, just like Sasha. Isla Kenney had come straight from Manchester to play for the school’s D1 women’s volleyball team, becoming their captain in under two years. Isla was dating Esther, who was not currently present but happened to be the childhood best friend of Quinn Xie, Isla’s roommate. They’d been born and raised just a few miles away in San Francisco.

“I was wondering if you really did get kidnapped,” Sasha said, standing to greet Ria, a party hat upon her head.

“Oh, sorry,” Ria said, “I got them, I got stoned, and then my phone broke this morning. But never mind that.” Extending her arm to show Sasha the cake pop, she said, “Happy birthday, darling! You can finally drink!”

“Legally,” Sasha said behind her hand, laughing. “And I’m sorry to hear about your phone. Come sit.”

Waving to the rest of them, Ria settled beside Isla, leaning against the couch. “What’s up, mate?” Isla said, offering a fist bump. She was one of those people who were so cool they made Ria nervous. Ria watched as she ran her fingers through her long, red hair.

“So did you talk to your boyfriend yet?” Madi asked from across the coffee table, snapping Ria out of her daze. She stared at Madi, her brown eyes bewildered. Madi stared back, unfazed until Quinn snorted, and they all burst into laughter.

Heat rose to Ria’s cheeks as she looked to Sasha for an explanation. How do they know about the Julian thing?

“We all know,” Isla said as Sasha shrugged away her culpability.

If it had been anyone else, Ria might have been angry that her personal matters were shared. But it was Sasha. It was so like her to share everything with this lot. “Letting this go only because it’s your birthday,” Ria joked, but she knew the truth—she’d forgive anything of her.

Ria sighed. “And yes, I did talk to Julian.” Sasha’s eyes widened, and she sat up. “It’s actually how I broke my phone. Sort of threw it in a fit of rage.”

“Damn,” Rosa said, sipping from her cup. “That bad?”

Ria nodded, kind of defeated. Quinn wrapped their arm over Ria’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, Ria.”

“Dump him,” Madi said, and Ria chuckled. It lightened the mood, bringing some cheers of agreement. “No man is worth a broken phone.”

“You should switch over to my team,” Isla said, winking. Somehow, Ria knew she didn’t mean volleyball.

Rosa stood up, starting to clean up. “How do you know she isn’t already on it?”

“I mean,” Isla inspected Ria’s appearance, and the other eyes joined hers. “Are you?”

Ria laughed nervously under their scrutiny, but didn’t give an answer. 

“She doesn’t look particularly gay to me,” Madi said.

As the group threw itself into a discussion, their eyes drifted away, and Ria listened in amusement.

“I’m sorry, does ‘gay’ look like something specific to you?” Isla said, standing up.

“Yeah, your face.”

“She definitely doesn’t look like Isla.”

“No, but she does wear tote bags.���

“Those are gay.”

“Sasha? Has she ever said anything gay to you?”

“I have the right to remain silent.”

“Fuck. Quinn, do you think she’s gay?”

“Honestly, I could see it.”

“Wait. Do you own anything Lululemon?”

“Actually, I once hooked up with a Lululemon lesbian.”

“Pause. That’s crazy.”

“Was she, like, old or something?”

“No, she was our age.”

“Fascinating.”

“Alright, that’s enough speculation,” Sasha said. “Whether she’s gay or not, we have shit to do, people.”

“Happy birthday, Sashalicious,” AJ yelled as he walked into the suite, carrying a large speaker. He placed it on the kitchenette counter. “Who’s gay?”

“You,” Ria said, kissing her brother’s cheek. She looked at the speaker. “Is this Papi’s?”

“Dang, Mr. Ortiz got that fancy shit,” Madi said, examining the piece of technology.

AJ leaned against the counter. “I knew you’d like it.”

Ria rolled her eyes and yanked her brother away from the counter, dragging him to the table where Sasha stood with everyone else.

Behind Ria, Quinn whispered to Isla. “Bet you ten she’s gay.” Sasha shushed them before beginning her speech.

“Here’s the game plan. Isla and AJ are doing the shopping. While they’re away, we’re cleaning, rearranging furniture, and decorating. We’re gonna make sure our rooms are presentable. I’m looking at you,” she said to Quinn. “Cup pong is going to be in your room, flip cup in Rosa and Madi’s.”

“What about yours?” Ria asked.

“It’ll be the crash pad,” she said. Ria thought of Halle, who always tapped out the earliest. “Anyway, when Isla and AJ get back, we need to make the spiked freeze pops. Jamie made jello shots, so we are good on that. Then we go out for dinner, come back and get ready. Pregame is at 9. Party starts at 10. Let’s go, people.”

The preparations went exactly as Sasha had planned. Ria helped clean up Isla’s side of the room. The furniture in the living room was moved up against the walls, leaving more room to dance. They set up tables for the drinking games, and put up the golden decorations all over the suite. Heading down the street, they ate noodles and sang a song for Sasha’s birthday, and by 9 pm the shots were being poured in the living room.

Ria stood in the suite bathroom, applying mascara with her cheek nearly touching the mirror. Stepping away, she scrunched her curls, shaping them until she was satisfied. Her mind drifted back to what Madi had said. Dump him. She was joking, Ria was sure.

It hadn’t crossed her mind until then, and now it was all that occupied it. Julian had been a part of Ria’s life since she was fourteen, since her mother married Tom and they all moved next-door to Julian’s family. He’d been her best friend for so many years, kept her company. They didn’t have a whirlwind romance, sure, but she didn’t mind that. Everyone loved him, and he loved Ria so deeply.

But the Julian she had spoken to that morning wasn’t the same Julian she knew. Maybe they’d spent too much time apart. They were getting farther from finding a balance, and she wasn’t blind to her own indifference when it came to the distance.

Ria smoothed the fabric of her beige cargo pants over her legs. She turned, taking one last look at her outfit. The top had been a lucky find at Goodwill, a blue, sheer top straight out of a Y2K daydream.

The living room was growing louder with the arrival of their friends. Inside Sasha’s room, Ria put away her things and kicked the duffel bag under the bed as a precaution. She didn’t want any stray partygoers going through her things.

Sasha walked into the room, holding a heap of green yarn. “What’s that?” Ria said.

“Rosa’s gift,” Sasha said, laying it out on her bed. It was a tube top, loosely knit with sequins sparsely placed. Several straps connected it to a shrug in the same style. It looked like something out of a fairytale. “I’m wearing it.”

Sasha pulled her top off at once and Ria chortled, looking away as she put on Rosa’s creation. Through the window, Ria could see the corner of Ellie’s truck.

“How is it?”

Ria spun to look at her. It was simply beautiful, the color complimenting the brown of Sasha’s skin. “You look like a mermaid,” Ria said, twirling Sasha’s hair in her hands, arranging the waves over her shoulders. “Hey, I wanted to ask—do you know an Ellie Williams? At least, I think that’s her last name.”

“Ellie?” Sasha said, stepping toward the floor-length mirror behind her door. “We had a class together. Why?”

“She was Murphy’s friend from yesterday.”

Sasha examined her appearance in the mirror. “Now that I think about it, I did know she dealt. I’ve heard quite a bit about her.”

Ria sat on the bed. “Like what?”

“Well,” Sasha said, and touched up her lip gloss. “She’s cool, but apparently, every time Ellie walks into a room someone leaves crying.”

“No way,” Ria said, laughing. She pictured Ellie, her relaxed manner in the stash room. 

Sasha shrugged. “Just what I heard,” she said. “Now, I want you to make an effort and not let this Julian stuff ruin your night. It’s my birthday wish.”

“Fine,” Ria said, grabbing the paper bag with the pre-rolls. “Let’s go, birthday girl.”

The pregame went as it usually did—the weed was distributed, Halle and Katherine were almost an hour late, and the blue freeze pops were the first to go.

Ria was four Berry Blue jello shots deep when the first large group arrived. It was a mix of Valerie sports teams, all there because of Isla. Already, the space felt tight. And it was only 10:30.

Quinn turned the music up. Isla sat on the couch with Esther on her lap, eating each other’s faces. Katherine and Jamie played cup pong as people watched. AJ was in charge of the door, and Madi had a horde of guys hanging on her every word. 

Ria watched them all as she nursed a grape freeze pop, twisting the promise ring around her finger. Rosa poured a couple of shots on the drinks table next to Ria. She gifted her one.

“Thanks,” Ria said, and nodded toward Madi and her horde. “Might have to go rescue her soon.”

“She’s fine, they’re talking robotics,” Rosa said, and raised her shot glass. 

Ria raised hers. Together, they chanted. “Pa’ arriba, pa’ abajo, pa’l centro y pa’ dentro.” They drank at the same time, grimacing as the tequila hit their tongues and burned its way down to their stomachs.

“Puñeta,” Ria cursed, squeezing out more of the freeze pop to offer some relief. Rosa downed a shot of pink lemonade as a chaser.

By the time the hum of alcohol was in full force, Ria had taken to the dance floor. She could feel the music vibrating in her chest, and as Bad Bunny’s only merengue song started playing, she dropped her jaw and looked at AJ.

He screamed as the partygoers cheered. It was a popular song, but Ria and AJ were Puerto Rican born and raised. Bad Bunny was theirs.

AJ ran to grab Ria’s hands as she laughed, and they let the fast tempo of the music set the pace. Ria moved her hips and let AJ guide her movements with his arms, just as their father had taught her. They were synchronized, and with just a shift of his hand, she knew to turn. Merengue was among their favorites to dance together, a push and pull of rhythm that was infectious.

Rosa and her boyfriend joined them, along with a few of the others who knew how to dance. They were in their own little bubble of Latin American bliss. Ria couldn’t stop smiling as she sang the lyrics.

Between the alcohol, the dancing, and the heat of a packed room, a sheen of sweat began to form over Ria’s skin. Still, she was sad when the song ended. AJ bowed when it was over, and snuck away into the crowd to do God-knows-what.

Ria’s head spun. She needed a breather. Two hands grabbed her shoulders. “RIA!” She jumped, startled until she saw it was Sasha.

“What?” Ria asked loudly.

“Look!” Sasha yelled, and pointed at something. Ria followed her finger, trying to focus through her drunken haze. “It’s your dealer!” Then she saw her.

Listening as a girl with bright pink hair talked to her, Ellie leaned against the wall, a bottle of Smirnoff seltzer in hand. Her hair was down this time, the short strands tousled into a soft shag. Boxers peeked beneath low-rise jeans, and a tank top left her arms exposed. Ria might not have recognized her had it not been for the tattoo. She tore her eyes away.

“I don’t see anyone crying,” Ria said, taking a deep breath. She was still winded.

“Yet,” Sasha said and stood up straighter, slapping Ria’s arm. “She’s coming.”

Ria scoffed, not believing her until she turned, Ellie’s face mere inches away.

She smiled down at Ria, her hands in her pockets. “Hey.” Ellie turned to Sasha as Ria took a step back. “Happy birthday. Nice party.”

“Thanks!” Sasha replied, then pointed behind her. “I’m gonna go dance.” And she was gone.

Neither of them spoke at first.

“What now?” Ria said suddenly.

“What?” Ellie said, leaning closer.

“You wished her a happy birthday,” she replied, reminding her of what she’d said the previous day.

Ellie chuckled, furrowing her brows. “That’s not all I came for,” she said.

Ria’s heart raced as Ellie’s words hung between them. She told herself it was all the dancing.

“Come smoke with me,” she said. “I owe you a few hits.”

Ellie considered it, rubbing the back of her neck as she looked to where the girl with pink hair still stood. She shook impatiently, her eyes on the two of them. Slowly, Ria realized Ellie had left the girl mid-conversation.

“Unless your girlfriend is waiting on you,” Ria said, tilting her head to the side.

Setting her gaze back on Ria, Ellie leaned even closer. “I don’t have a girlfriend.” Pulling back, she spoke again, louder. “Lead the way.”

On the way to Sasha’s room, Ria spotted her dancing with AJ. She laughed to herself, shaking her head. The last time she had seen her brother this excited about someone was with this girl called Marlene, but that ended pretty badly. At least for now, AJ was just having fun. She opened the door to Sasha’s dorm, and Ellie followed her into the room.

The moonlit serenity of Sasha’s bedroom was stark against the chaos in the living room. The closed door didn’t shut out the sound, but it made the party feel far away. Ria unlatched the window and pushed it open, letting the chill of the night cool her warm face. Small groups stood outside in the fog, chatting quietly or smoking. Some walked toward Cedar hall, searching for the party.

Sitting on the bench which Sasha had bought for this very purpose, Ria pulled the tube out of her pocket. She squeezed the top until the lid popped open, flipping it over as the pre-roll slid into her palm.

Ellie sat facing her, one knee up against the windowsill. Ria held the joint between her teeth as she looked for her lighter.

Something clicked, and a flame sparked between Ellie’s fingers, emanating from that same silver lighter in her hand. Ria leaned forward, letting the fire consume the twisted tip of the joint. Ellie’s eyes didn’t leave hers as she inhaled the smoke, blowing it out the window.

When she passed the joint to Ellie, Ria’s fingers brushed hers. She took a long puff and released it through her nose, the smoke floating lazily around her. “Was that Alejandro I saw you dancing with?”

Ria nodded. “You know my brother?” 

“You could say so,” she said. “You’re a . . . junior?”

“Sophomore.”

Ellie nodded, taking another hit before handing the joint back. “You declared your major yet?”

“As soon as I got here,” Ria said, smiling as she watched Ellie hold back a laugh. Most people waited until their second year, but Ria had been a bit overexcited. “What do you study?”

“Art,” she said, and Ria looked to Ellie’s green house, at the painted pots that sat in the darkness of her porch. “You?”

Ria smoked. “Biology,” she said, trying not to cough as she passed the joint to Ellie, “with a focus on marine biology.”

Ellie raised her eyebrows. “You into clams or something?”

Ria giggled, the effect of the weed starting to mix with the alcohol. “No,” she said. “I’m more of a sea turtle girl.”

“I see,” Ellie said, eyeing Ria. “How’d that happen?”

Watching her for a moment, Ria smiled softly. The memory played in her mind. She smelled the ocean, heard her parents laughing, her brother shushing them. They were so little, only seven and nine, but back then AJ felt so much older. It was the last time they were all together like that. Something too close to her heart, Ria thought. “I’ve only ever told two people.”

Ellie sighed as the joint went out, lighting it again. “And who has the honor of knowing?” She was digging for something, but Ria couldn’t be sure what it was.

“Sasha,” Ria said, “and . . .” She paused, suddenly feeling strange about answering the question. Sasha and Julian. The events of that morning rushed back into her mind and left a sour taste in her mouth. Did she want to tell her about Julian? Why wouldn’t she want to tell Ellie about her boyfriend? She’d told everyone else just fine, and Ellie wasn’t special. No reason not to say it.

“My boyfriend.”

For some reason, Ria searched Ellie’s face for a reaction. There was nothing. And there shouldn’t have been. Was she expecting something from her? What is going on with you?

The questions in her mind were growing too loud. As her brain started to fog, Ria propped her head on her hand.

Taking another hit, Ellie inched closer. “Where is this boyfriend of yours?”

Ria watched her carefully. Ellie’s eyes looked soft in the dimness of the room. “Not here,” Ria said. Their faces were so close.

Ellie held the now-roach up to Ria’s lips, and she took one last puff as the fire grew dangerously close to Ellie’s fingers. With her other hand, Ellie took Ria’s chin and leaned in, opening her mouth. Slowly, Ria released the smoke into it, not quite touching Ellie’s lips.

Ellie blew out the smoke, and a grin spread across her features.

The door to the room opened, and the party lights broke the intimacy of the moment. Esther stumbled through the door, laughing as Isla—who appeared painfully sober—and Quinn followed her in. Esther stopped in her tracks at the sight of the two of them by the window. “Oh my God, is that Ellie?” she said, slurring her words as Isla ushered her to the bed.

“Hey, Esther,” Ellie said softly, raising her hand in greeting.

“Sorry guys, she’s a little too drunk,” Quinn said, pulling the covers away for Esther to lie down.

Pulling herself to her feet, Ellie stood before Ria, their knees knocking. Ria looked up at her, her head spinning. Ellie held out her hand. “Let’s go dance.”

Behind her, Quinn and Isla gave each other a look. Aware of their attention, Ria decided to let them settle their bet.

Taking her hand, Ria let Ellie pull her up, their bodies so close Ria could smell her cologne. It was subtle, woodsy with hints of jasmine. Ria tried to ignore the way her hand felt in Ellie’s.

Stepping backward, Ellie led Ria across the room and out of Sasha’s dorm, her eyes never straying from Ria’s. Before the door closed, she heard Quinn say, “Pay up, bitch.”

If the living room had been packed before, Ria didn’t know what to call this. There were more bodies in the space than she even thought possible. Ellie worked her way through them.

Several people—mostly girls—greeted her as they passed, completely ignoring Ria. A blonde was particularly touchy, her hands grabbing Ellie’s waist. She pulled away smoothly, waving goodbye as she dragged Ria along. Ria waved, too.

Somewhere near the center of the room, she stopped. The crowd around them was so tight they were forced together. “Was that another one of your not-girlfriends?” Ria asked, struggling to keep her body from touching Ellie’s.

Ellie laughed, rubbing her neck. Ria stared at her tattoo—two ferns and a moth, spreading so far down her forearm that a few of the leaves reached the back of her hand. Ria wondered if it had a meaning. “Sure,” she replied, but Ria had forgotten the question.

“You seem to know everyone,” she said.

“Perks of the trade.”

Ria couldn’t hear the music anymore, too high to make out any melody over all the noise. But the others could, screaming as they recognized another song. They moved around her, body slamming against body, jumping and stepping every which way. Ria stumbled, but Ellie took her hips, steadying her.

“Thanks,” Ria said, but her hands didn’t leave. She looked up at her, and neither looked away.

Every person in the room screamed the lyrics to the song. Ria didn’t care to decipher the words anymore. It didn’t matter. Ellie pulled her closer, moving their bodies to the music as Ria blindly followed. Her skin prickled under Ellie’s touch, her hands tracing the curve of Ria’s waist. 

Leaning closer, Ellie looked at Ria’s lips. Ria’s eyes flickered to hers, and her stomach twisted when she realized what had crossed her mind. She pulled away and immediately missed the feeling of Ellie’s hands on her. The revelation disgusted her. 

She’d danced with people at parties before. Hell, she’d probably done worse with Sasha. But this felt different. This felt wrong. She liked it too much. Her entire body itched. 

“I need to use the bathroom,” Ria lied, and Ellie furrowed her brows. Before she could say anything, Ria pushed her way out of Ellie’s sight.

The way to the bathroom felt endless as Ria fought to squeeze between the crowd. It was growing too hot, and she wanted to claw at her throat. She burst out of the mass of bodies, gasping for air. The small hallway to the bathroom was empty, much to her surprise, but the door was locked. Ria knocked, and upon hearing a response, leaned against the wall to calm down.

She stared at her shoes as she waited, the seconds stretching into what felt like hours. A pair of converse stepped into her view of the floor, and she looked up. Ellie leaned against the wall across the doorframe, in the same manner as Ria.

“What are you doing?” Ria said, standing up straight.

Ellie shrugged. “Just waiting for the bathroom.”

Ria shook her head, scoffing as she took to the wall again. She was watching her, Ria knew. The toilet flushed inside the bathroom, and she looked up. Ellie’s eyes burned through her, so intensely it made Ria’s knees weak.

The door opened, and a guy walked out, leaving them alone in the hallway.

Gesturing toward the bathroom, Ellie spoke. “Go right ahead.”

This time it was Ria who shrugged. “Fine,” she said, and stepped inside, pushing the door closed.

But it didn’t close.

Ellie pushed it open, slipping in and closing the door herself, locking it behind her.

She moved closer, and Ria didn’t step back. Her hands found Ria’s waist again, and she didn’t protest. “Ria,” she whispered, their noses grazing as she tasted the sound. “Tell me your name.”

Ria’s heart raced, and suddenly the party—her life—was in a different universe altogether. Nothing outside of that door was real. Only the two of them existed. Only her. Her breath on Ria’s cheek. Her cologne. Her lips grazing hers.

“Maria Celeste,” she whispered.

Ellie smiled softly. “Maria Celeste,” she repeated, and pressed her lips to Ria’s. Her kiss was warm, gentler than Ria had ever known. Breathing in her scent, Ria snuck her hand behind Ellie’s neck, pulling her closer. Parting her lips, Ellie’s tongue found Ria’s, deepening the kiss. 

Allowing her hands to explore her, Ria dragged her fingers down Ellie’s abdomen, running over the taut muscle beneath her shirt. She sighed against Ria, and their kisses grew hungrier. 

Ria stumbled back against the counter as Ellie pressed herself against her. She looked down, parting Ria’s legs with her knee, placing her thigh between them. With every kiss, she rolled her hips against her, setting Ria’s core on fire. 

Lifting the fabric of Ellie’s tank, Ria pulled it as far as Ellie would let her. But she didn’t stop her, only pulling away to take the shirt off. Ria’s eyes lingered on her exposed chest, and Ellie chuckled softly before kissing her again, harder. 

Her hands were all over Ria, grasping at her hips, snaking under her shirt. She squeezed her breast, moaning softly into her mouth. She hadn’t been touched like this in so long, never felt so needed. Ria found the button of Ellie’s jeans, beginning to undo it. “Don’t.” She took Ria’s hand, stopping her. Ria pulled away to look at her. Ellie smiled in the dim light. She kissed Ria’s neck, her own hands unzipping Ria’s pants. “I’m good.”

Her fingers slithered beneath her underwear, and Ellie groaned against Ria. “You’re so wet,” she whispered next to her ear as her fingertips stroked the tender spot.

“What did you expect?” Ria breathed.

Ellie grabbed her face with her free hand, kissing Ria deeply as her fingers set a steady rhythm. The room grew hotter with every breath, but not in the same sticky way as it was outside. Ria liked this—loved the heat that formed between them. Her face grew hot, heart pounding in her chest as she breathed harder. It only spurred Ellie on, applying more pressure.

A haze of pleasure clouded Ria’s already fading mind, and her hands clutched the edge of the bathroom counter, begging for something to ground her. Ellie started moving farther down and slipping her fingers inside her, sending waves of ecstasy through Ria. She was all she could hear, smell, feel—and God, she felt so good. Ria arched against her, writhing with her touch, desperate for release.

A knock came at the door. Ria’s eyes fluttered open, but all she could see was Ellie, and she wasn’t stopping. She brought a finger up to her lips, shushing Ria softly as her hand sped up. Ria opened her mouth, wanting to scream as her legs clenched.

Ellie kissed her again, silencing any sound that might’ve found its way out. The knocking resumed, louder now, and Ellie pressed against her, moving faster yet. Ria dug her fingers in her hair as Ellie pushed her over the edge, her knees buckling as climax shook through her.

It took every fiber of her being to keep from making noise, breathing heavily as she leaned her forehead against Ellie’s.

“There you go,” Ellie said, holding Ria upright as her body threatened to crumble.

“Fuck,” she breathed, and Ellie planted tender kisses down her neck.

She was still coming down from the high when the knocking intensified, the handle rattling as someone yelled from the other side. “Hellooo?” 

Ellie finally reacted, looking at the door.

Suddenly the universe inside the bathroom collapsed, and reality rushed back to Ria. She was still foggy from the substances, but growing more and more sober with the thought of what she had just done.

Ellie’s hands held her hips, and Ria stared at her unbuttoned pants in disbelief, shocked by her own behavior. Julian’s face appeared in her mind. He might not have been the perfect boyfriend, but they were still together. He didn’t deserve this. Ria’s stomach turned. “Fuck,” she said, her head spinning.

Looking at her, Ellie opened her mouth to say something before she saw the panic in Ria’s eyes. Her words caught, and Ria had a feeling she knew exactly what Ria was thinking.

Pulling away, Ria zipped up her pants, stumbling on Ellie’s shirt. “I should go,” she said, reaching down to pick it up and hand it to her.

“Uh.” Ellie quickly pulled the tank top over her head. “Okay.”

Ria walked past her toward the door, and Ellie took her hand. “Ria,” she said, but Ria couldn’t bear to look at her. It would only make her want more. She needed to leave Ellie’s presence.

“I’m sorry,” Ria told her, not knowing what else to say. Unlocking the door, she faced whoever she assumed had been knocking. They said something, but Ria didn’t stay long enough to hear it. 

She threw herself into the crowd again and burst into Sasha’s room. The window was still open, and she stepped quietly past Esther—and now Halle, as she predicted—to reach it. Climbing on top of the bench where Ellie and she had sat, Ria swung her feet over the windowsill, dropping half a foot onto the soft grass.

The fog was thicker now, diffusing the street lights of campus. Ria’s feet carried her to the green, and she laid down on the grass beneath Old Tree. Breathing in the cold night air, she let it cool her inebriated mind.

This was a fucking mess. She didn’t know how to fix it, or if it could even be fixed. Either way, she had to fix her phone first.

⊰✭⊱

Notes: this has been a long time coming (sorry!!) but thank you for reading! more to come soon

The art for this chapter is NSFW so do with that information as you will.

https://imgur.com/a/bathroom-yJFLHom

[readingunderstars]

Blue Dream - One

Dealer!Ellie Williams x OC, College/University AU

Sypnosis: 

Ria Ortiz is a sophomore at Valerie College, grappling with the difficulties of a long-distance relationship. In preparation for her friend's birthday party, Ria needs to get her hands on some pre-rolls. Her regular plug only sells edibles, but he refers her to another dealer on campus—Ellie Williams.

Warnings: 18+!! recreational drug use

Word Count: 2.5k

⊰✭⊱

Professor Vargas’s office was everything one might hope for in a study. A massive shelf consumed the far wall, full to the brim with science books. Before it, a colossal desk was home to the Chair of the Biology department at Valerie College. Photographs from decades of research adorned every corner. Professor Vargas was in all of them, holding sea urchins, embracing her teams, petting turtles.

Ria stared at them in awe as she waited for the professor to finish whatever she was writing in her computer. At once, the typing ceased, and Professor Vargas removed her glasses, setting them aside. “Thank you for your patience,” she said, and looked at Ria in the chair opposite her. “Miss Ortiz, I have news for you.”

Straightening her posture, Ria fidgeted with her ring. “Did you hear back from the Monterey program?”

Professor Vargas opened one of her drawers, and retrieved a blue envelope, sliding it across the dark wood of her desk. Ria took the envelope. It was from the Biology department. She looked up to Professor Vargas, who was watching expectantly. “Did I get in?”

“Open it,” Vargas said with a smile, and Ria’s fingers trembled as she ripped the side, pulling out a folded letter. 

This was it. The reason she had come to Valerie. Well, not the only reason, but it was the biggest one. Valerie College partnered with the Monterey Bay Aquarium to create a marine biology summer program for its students. It was everything Ria wanted, from field work all over the west coast to the chance of studying marine life. Especially green sea turtles. She had spent countless hours preparing for this—studying, building a relationship with the department, interviewing, writing essays. And now she held the decision in her hand, a year and a half of hard work condensed into a single moment. 

She opened it, and gasped as she read it, her eyes filling with tears. “Welcome to the team,” Professor Vargas said, standing to offer a congratulatory hug.

Ria jumped into her arms, closing her eyes, crying with happiness. “Thank you so much, Professor.”

“Please, we’ll be working together soon,” she replied. “Call me Melissa.”

Ria ran out of the science building complex and into the green center of campus. “AJ!” she screamed. Her brother looked up at the sound of his name, standing up from his spot under Old Tree, where she had seen him studying earlier. “I GOT IN!”

AJ laughed, grabbing his head with his hands. “For real?” 

“YES!” The wind ran through her curls as she charged at AJ. Ria threw her tote on the ground as he braced for impact. She ran straight into him, launching them both unto the grass.

Rolling off him, Ria sighed and stared up at the massive canopy of Old Tree. Little laughs escaped her, still in disbelief.

“Congrats, renacuaja,” AJ said. Tadpole.

Ria shoved him, but couldn’t manage to be mad. She’d gotten in.

“You gotta tell Julian.”

Sitting up, Ria’s smile dropped. “You couldn’t let me have a moment before thinking about that?”

AJ shrugged. “Sorry,” he said. “But you do have to.”

“Ya te oí,” Ria said, waving her hand. I heard you already.

Ria’s phone vibrated in her back pocket, and she jumped. Unlocking her screen, she opened Snapchat to a notification from the only person she ever texted on the app—her dealer.

Ryan Murphy had replied to her question about some pre-rolls for tomorrow’s party. 

murphyslaw: i only sell edibles

Ria groaned. He was the only dealer she’d bought from since her last one graduated, and Ria had promised to hook everybody up.

“What’s wrong?” AJ asked, going back to where his laptop sat.

“Murphy doesn’t sell bud,” she replied, twisting to look back at AJ.

He tsked. “I could’ve told you that.”

Giving him a look, Ria laid her head back down on the grass. Another notification popped up.

murphyslaw: my friend sells bud tho, she might have some. u want her info?

Fuck yeah, I do.

ria.ortiz: Yes pleaseee

murphyslaw: alr hold on

murphyslaw: @el_will

ria.ortiz: Thanks Murph, see you around

Typing in the username into the search bar, Ria laughed. El Will. The Will? She wondered if Murphy’s friend was Hispanic. It didn’t help that the account had no name, just an emoji of a fern. Ria added her.

Standing up, Ria swiped away any pieces of grass on her clothes and hair. Then she spotted her bag several feet away and picked it up, sitting against the trunk of Old Tree beside AJ. “What kind of gifts does Sasha like?” he asked.

Ria’s phone lit up again. “Um,” she said, seeing the dealer had added her back. That was quick.

el_will: you came from Ryan, right?

“Ria,” AJ called.

ria.ortiz: Yeah, he said you might have pre-rolls?

“What?” she said, not really paying attention to him.

“I asked you a question,” AJ said.

el_will: i do. right now i’ve got a sativa-dominant hybrid. that good?

“Hm?” Ria looked at him. “Oh. She likes candles.”

ria.ortiz: Yep, I just need 10 for tomorrow

“What did you get her?”

“Just get her a candle, AJ,” Ria said, watching as the dealer typed. “Can’t go wrong with that.”

el_will: alr so it’s 10 half-gram pre-rolls, $7 a piece. can you meet at 6?

ria.ortiz: Sounds good and yes

el_will: come to the green house across the street from Cedar Hall.

⊰✭⊱

Ria spent the rest of her afternoon in her dorm, first calling her parents to tell them the news, then doing assignments until her brain practically rotted. Closing her eyes, she decided to leave the rest for the following day, before the party.

Checking the time, she saw there was enough to grab dinner before picking up everyone’s share of the money. She grabbed a sad plate of pasta and questionable chicken and climbed up the hill to Birchwood Hall. Halle and Katherine had left their dorm unlocked for Ria, and the money was on Halle’s desk.

Two floors above them, Jamie handed her the cash. “I’m making jello shots. What flavor do you want?”

Looking at the flavor boxes laid out on Jamie’s bed, Ria took the blue one. “Berry Blue.”

“The only option,” Hugo said, walking into his boyfriend’s dorm. He took out his wallet and counted enough for two joints. “Thanks, Ria.”

“Anytime,” she said, and headed out.

The last stop was Sasha’s suite on the first floor of Cedar Hall. It was the dorm building across from the dealer’s house, and where the party would be held the following night. Ria knocked as a courtesy but didn’t wait for an answer before turning the knob—none of them ever locked the front door during the day.

The suite living room connected the three dorms within, two doubles and a single. Party decorations had been dumped on the small table, waiting to be put up. A foldable chair sat to either side of a couch, upon which one of Sasha’s suite mates sat, knitting. Rosa’s hands worked to make something Ria couldn’t identify out of the sage green yarn on the ground.

“Oh hey,” Rosa said, and stopped knitting to point at a roll of cash on the coffee table. “It’s all there. Sasha’s in her room, in case you wanted to see her.”

“Thanks,” Ria said as she counted the bills, walking to the door directly past the couch. Her hand barely touched the handle before Sasha opened the door, smiling brighter than usual. 

“So?” she said, her brown eyes wide. “Did you talk to Vargas?”

That same happiness flooded Ria again, and she smiled just as brightly as Sasha. “I got in,” she said.

Sasha screamed jumping as she took Ria’s shoulders. “Oh my God!” Then she stopped, her jaw dropping. “Oh my God,” Sasha said. “Now you really have to tell Julian.”

Ria groaned, throwing herself on Sasha’s bed. “Why is that the first thing everyone says?”

“He’s your boyfriend, Ria. He needs to know at some point.” Sasha knelt beside the bed, and Ria turned her head to face her. “What’s scaring you?”

“I’m not scared… It’s just that we only see each other when I go home, and if I stay in California over the summer,” she covered her face with her hands, “I know he won’t like it.”

“Alright, so he doesn’t like it. What’s gonna happen?” Taking Ria’s hands away from her face, Sasha leaned her head on the mattress. “Would he end your two-year-long relationship over this?”

“No,” Ria said, staring at the ceiling. Sasha had placed glow-in-the-dark stars on it, the kind Ria had always wanted as a kid. “He wouldn’t. But the distance is already hard on him, and I feel bad.”

“Isn’t the distance hard on you too?”

Ria shrugged. “I don’t really think about it a lot.” Looking down at Sasha, a heavy weight fell on her stomach. “Is that bad?”

Sasha considered it, pressing her lips together. She softly stroked the hairs on Ria’s forearm. “I can’t answer that for you.”

Ria chewed her cheek. “I guess,” she said, getting up. “Oh, by the way, Murphy didn’t have pre-rolls so I’m getting them from his friend.”

“I could have told you he doesn’t sell pre-rolls.” Sasha said, and Ria glared in disbelief. How did everyone know that except for her?

“Whatever,” Ria said, laughing as she opened the door. “Find me if I get kidnapped.”

“Of course,” Sasha said as Ria stepped out.

“See you tomorrow, Rosita,” Ria said, and Rosa waved.

Ria crossed the street, crossing the boundary between the campus and the world outside. She walked down the hill to the only house that matched the description.

It was a small house with two floors, the green paint beginning to crack. Hand-painted pots held flowering plants on the porch, and a wooden bench leaned lazily beside the front door. 

A rather large, dark gray Toyota truck was parked outside, pristinely clean and sorely out of place. Ria admired it as she passed. She spotted a doorbell camera as she approached the door, and began to feel awfully self conscious. A chime rang as her finger pressed the button.

Seconds passed as she fiddled with her promise ring. A dog barked in the distance. She was about to ring the doorbell again when the door opened and a tall, bronzed girl with cropped hair appeared behind it. Her dark eyes squinted in the sunlight, perfectly smudged with black eyeliner. She smiled softly at Ria as she walked past, crossing the same street she just had.

Ria couldn’t help but watch her.

“You Ryan’s girl?” A voice said behind Ria, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Turning to face the source, Ria eyed the girl at the threshold. She was just taller than Ria, her dark auburn hair pulled back into a bun. Her eyes were the same soft green as the painted panels of her house, set among freckled cheeks. The sleeves of her flannel were rolled up to expose a tattoo which covered the whole of her right forearm. She didn’t seem to notice Ria’s startle.

“Ellie,” the girl said, holding her hand out for Ria to shake. 

Ellie. El Will. El is short for Ellie. What’s Will short for? Williams? Ellie Williams? Definitely not Hispanic.

She took it. “Ria.”

Ellie nodded. “Come in.”

She led Ria through the house. The living room was dimly lit, with a worn-out couch and more plants in painted pots. A set of stairs led to the upper floor, but they walked right past it, and past the old kitchen as well, through a narrow hall that led to a room in the back of the house.

The smell hit her before Ria could see it—a scent that was simultaneously delicious and repugnant. She looked around, to the shelves that held jars upon jars of weed and all sorts of equipment. A desk sat against the far wall; a scale and a tray with dozens of joints atop it. Ellie took a bin labeled “tubes” and set it on the desk. “So,” she said. “What party is this?”

Ria laughed. She’d never said it was for a party, but she guessed there weren’t many things to do for someone to buy that many joints at once. “My friend Sasha is turning 21 tomorrow,” Ria said. “She’s throwing this big party at Cedar.”

Placing a pre-roll in each of ten tubes, Ellie spoke. “Sasha Mehra?”

Ria furrowed her brows. “You know her?”

“We had our first year art seminar together.” Ellie placed the tubes in a paper bag, folding the end. “She’s very talented.” Opening one of the drawers of the desk, she retrieved a silver lighter. Ellie took one of the joints from the tray and held it with her lips.

She handed the bag to Ria, lighting the joint as Ria dug in her pocket for the roll of cash. “Yes, she is,” she said as she handed the cash to the dealer.

Taking a hit before counting, Ellie seemed satisfied and set it aside. “Here,” she said, holding the joint up to Ria’s mouth. It was the first time Ellie really looked at her, and Ria could see the thin scar cutting across her brow.

“Alright.” Ria took a hit, hearing the soft crackle of the weed burning in the silence of the house. Ellie leaned against the desk, her eyes watching Ria carefully. The smoke rushed in, but it didn’t burn Ria’s throat as much as other strains she’d had. It tasted almost sweet. Holding the smoke in for a couple of seconds before exhaling, Ria handed the joint back to Ellie, watching a thick cloud of smoke leave her lungs.

Ellie took another hit from the joint, her eyes scanning Ria’s body as she did. The attention made Ria nervous, and she nearly laughed, but held it in. As Ellie breathed out, a grin pulled at her mouth. “I might pass by tomorrow,” she gave Ria the joint, “wish Sasha a happy birthday.”

The next hit was smoother than the last. “I think she’d appreciate that.” Although, Ria didn’t know whether Sasha would remember Ellie.

She nodded slowly, her eyes still lingering on Ria. Taking one last hit, Ria returned the joint and took a few steps back. “I’ll see myself out,” she said, pointing to the front of the house. “Thanks for the J.”

Ellie’s chuckle followed Ria out of the house and all the way back to her dorm. She told herself it was just the weed taking effect, that she’d imagined Ellie’s eyes straying and the way it made her heart speed up.

Whether it was the weed’s fault or not, one thing was above reproach—Ellie’s weed was damn good.

⊰✭⊱

Notes: hiii this is the first fic i’ve ever actually posted, you can also find it on ao3 under the same name and username. just as an FYI, i am also an artist, so i’ll be posting some art along with the chapters. it’ll be linked at the end of every chapter :)

art for this chapter is actually a preview for the next one. it is Sasha and the Suite Mates. you’ve already met Sasha and Rosa, more on the others next chapter