3 months ago:
She hadn't named the chicken. Melvin did, as she liked to name things, and she'd named it Bubblegum. After Raven's affinity for gum. If a giant stuffed chicken, won for her at a fair by some idiot boy in a giant hat and shutter shades, had to have any name, she supposed it wouldn't make sense for it to be a normal name.
Bubblegum perched in her reading chair when it wasn't in use, staring at her with beady plastic eyes as she navigated her bedroom. While she brushed her hair before bed, while she fingered the purple strands that, supposedly, made her look badass. While she looked in the mirror and wondered if her eyes really did take his breath away.
While she smacked the palm of her hand to her temple.
Honestly, what was wrong with her?
From the nightstand, her phone blinked with a notification. Picking the device up, she found yet another text from her agent harassing her to increase her social media presence as promos for the movie started to really pour out. He knew she despised social media, but it was either she posted something or someone else would do it for her, under her name. She refused to give that power to someone else. Whatever was said under her name would be said by her, and her alone.
She tapped open one of the apps he wanted her to use, dropping into the chair with Bubblegum. If there was one thing to be said about the dumb thing, it was a cozy pillow. A quick check revealed that she'd been tagged a few times since her last check of the account. Most were about the movie, although there was one picture Gar had posted of them, Vic, Dick, and Kori from the birthday party last month. It was a nice photo, and although she was absolutely squished between Victor and Gar, she looked happy. She was happy.
The most recent tag also came from Gar, who obviously knew she rarely checked her socials. It was of the two of them, but it lacked the intentionality of the group photo. She stood in the background, fidgeting with her necklace and staring pensively at something out of sight. The left half of the photo belonged to Gar's smiling face. It was taken some time towards the end of filming, judging by their appearances and the location.
While she wanted to be mad at him for posting a candid photo of her, it wasn't a bad photo at all. She scrolled down to the caption. "I bet she's thinking about me."
A disbelieving laugh burst out, surprising her.
Immediately, she pressed the reply button, shaking her head. Then she paused. She could answer with 'absolutely not' and give him a giggle, because she knew the phrase would amuse him. Or…
"Perhaps. I know you're thinking about me."
Before she could change her mind, she hit send.