Page 72 of Scorpio Season

“Florence,” she says. “I’ve been thinking. I feel like we—”

Bzzzz.

The buzzing comes from Florence’s phone, lying face down on the coffee table next to them. Florence blanches when she sees the caller ID.

“Who is it?” Luca asks, deflating.

Florence wordlessly shows her the screen. Jeffrey Blake.

There are too many things for Luca to comprehend: the fact that Florence has her father’s contact saved under his government name, the fact that he’s calling at all, much less now, two hours after midnight and right when Luca is about to say something important.

“Are you going to pick up?” she asks. For some reason, she has the urge to whisper, as though Florence’s father is some kind of omnipotent being that will overhear if she speaks too loudly.

Florence is still looking at her phone like it’s a rattlesnake. Every inch of her body has tensed.

“Flo?” Luca asks softly. Watching Florence’s freeze response kick in has her own heart speeding up.

“I should probably—” Florence begins, but she breaks off when the buzzing stops and her screen goes dark.

Without it, the lobby seems very quiet. After a moment, Florence begins to laugh. It’s not her usual laugh but a terrible, jagged version of it. Luca does not join in.

“Oh my God,” Florence says. “I can’t believe—right now?”

“Are you going to call him back?” Luca asks tentatively.

“No,” Florence says immediately. “No. I’ve been messaging him for months and he has never once responded. I will pick up when it suits me.”

Judging from the way Florence is clenching her jaw, Luca has a suspicion that time might be never.

“Anyway,” Florence says, dropping her phone back onto the table like it’s burning her. “How are your parents doing?”

“Fine, I think. It’s been a few days since I’ve spoken to them.”

“Have you told them about dropping out yet?”

“No. I was thinking . . . maybe after tour. If this thing keeps going well, maybe I can lead with that. You know, kind of like I know I dropped out without telling you, but look, we’re in the charts! Or something.”

Florence’s eyes roam her face in that intense way they do sometimes.

They don’t talk about their parents again for the rest of the night, and Luca does not say what she was going to say before Jeffrey Blake called.

They still have one tour stop left before they go back. Maybe she’ll be brave enough to say it then.

goodnightsorrow

floluca staring at each other with heart eyes backstage is my favorite genre of photo

#floluca #scorpioseason

grabthelighter 2 hours ago

Literally what I came here to say!! The photo the band posted earlier made me shriek a little. They really are in a world of their own :,)

princelinglia 2 hours ago

that photo really has everything omg. florence in cowboy boots. luca in a tank top. florence licking honey from a spoon WHILE HOLDING EYE CONTACT. blushy, nervous luca watching her with the softest expression known to mankind. man i wish scorpio season were real

lightupthenight 1 hour ago