I just finished tearing through Nothing's Wrong with Dale over the course of 24 hours, and I am in love. I have not fallen for a story this hard in a long time. I love these characters, I love the setting, and I love how you're writing the "there is a secret that only the protagonist knows" trope without coming off as tired or unrealistic. It's just all so good!!! I can't wait for more, and I'm going to be so sad when it's over. I seriously wish it was a book so I could buy it and have it to read whenever!
@ivybladewitch
ah! thank you so much - it always blows my mind to get such lovely comments and appreciation for my very self-indulgent story! i'm so so happy whenever people love it as much as i do!
keeping all the tropes fresh while also hitting all the ones i love is a balancing act so i'm always glad when people notice!
i really do hope to publish it fully one day so definitely keep an eye out for that (but obviously the rough draft isn't even finished yet lol)
until then, u'll hav to content yourself with the next chapter! to be posted within the hour
thanks to everyone for their patience!
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Catching up.. ☕
Tristen: It’s pretty here, right?
Matilda: For sure-.. but I wanna know how you ended up in Tartosa of all places.
T: I guess it just kinda happened.
M: [laughs] Yeah, but how? You randomly got on a plane one time and that was it?
T: Pretty much! I didn’t exactly set out with a plan. I ended up in Moonwood Mill for a bit but it was kinda dead n’ I was running outta cash-.. decided I’d head to Del Sol ‘cause why not? Big enough place to get lost in and plenty of dead-end jobs, y’know?
M: I didn’t think you’d wanna head somewhere so busy.
T: I didn’t really think about that at the time-.. hated it the minute I got off the bus though. I overheard some guy speaking Tartosan in the smoking area n’ thought, fuck it.
M: And that was that?
T: Yeah, it sounds stupid now.
M: Little bit-.. were you high by any chance?
T: Little bit.
M: [snorts] At least it worked out.
T: I kinda love it here, everything’s so chill and relaxed-.. I did think about coming back sometimes, or visiting at least but…
M: I get it.
T: Do you? You’re here, I never had the guts to come back.
M: I was dragged here.
T: You didn’t want to come?
M: I did, it was just…
T: I get it-.. maybe you’d have been dragged here sooner if I’d told you where I was.
M: Maybe.
T: I’m sorry I ghosted you; I didn’t really mean to but the longer-…
M: I know, it’s okay.
T: Not if it made you mad.
M: I think I was sadder than anything.
T: That’s worse.
M: Well.. I forgive you, so shut up.
T: I’ll make it up to you.
Matilda cast a lopsided smile into her lunch, avoiding Tristen’s gaze. God, why was everything so difficult with him, so awkward? Men were easy, and Matilda knew exactly how to play each one to her advantage; it never took long to figure out how to get them hooked; she asked, she got-.. usually. But she didn’t want to play Tristen, she wanted him to love her without being cajoled, manipulated or asked. In some ways it seemed obvious that he already did, but Matilda had never played this game before, how could she be sure? She could ask outright, she supposed, but it felt impossible and far too vulnerable a task to bear.
T: So, what’s new with you?
M: Nothing much, it doesn’t feel like anything’s really changed in the last few years.
T: Take it you worked everything out with the whole Pixie thing though?
M: I’m like a fun aunt, I suppose-.. all the good parts of having a kid without any of the hard stuff.
T: Does she know you’re her mom?
M: Yeah, we’ve explained that it’s a bit different but she’ll probably understand it better as she gets older. Ivan does a good enough job on his own though, so she doesn’t really care.
T: Why the long face then..?
M: I feel bad for him, I guess-.. him and Bruno are probably gonna break up.
T: Oh, how come?
M: It’s complicated.
T: Chalk and cheese, right?
M: Something like that. Breakups really fuck him up though and I can tell he’s wondering what he did wrong, as if it was his fault-.. he did the same thing when we broke up, blamed himself. I really broke his heart, y’know? Like, he was trying his best that time around and I threw it back in his face; not that I think we would’ve worked out in the end, but still…
T: Yeah, but that was then.
M: Do we really change all that much?
T: I think most of us do; or can, if we want to.
M: I don’t know…
T: Are you seeing anyone now, like..?
M: I kinda was.
Matilda shocked herself with her honesty, realising she probably should’ve lied; Triss must think she was a slut by now, always with someone new-.. someone pointless and vapid.
M: Nothing serious, he was an idiot.
T: I sense a story…
M: Well, everything was fine, everything was casual-.. and then he changed his mind, and got mad when I didn’t.
T: Can you blame him-.. for changing his mind?
M: Tch, that’s beside the point.
T: Fair.
M: He proposed to me, just.. out of the blue, and this was after numerous conversations where I’d told him I wasn’t into the whole kids n’ marriage thing.
T: Okay, he definitely sounds like an idiot now.
M: I said yes.
Matilda’s laughter hitched in her throat as Tristen’s face fell; teasing him suddenly didn’t seem so fun anymore.
M: I’m kidding!
T: God-.. I just called the guy an idiot.
M: Uh-huh.
T: So, that’s over?
M: I think he finally got the message; I’ve been ignoring him for months now-.. how about you, anyway?
Tristen laughed out loud, immediately clearing his throat with embarrassment; as though he hadn’t meant to declare his presence to those around them.
T: Uh, no.
M: That’s it, just no? All this time, no flings, no nothing?
T: C’mon, you know I’m no good at those-.. figured I’d be better off without the hassle.
M: Guess it’s better than ending up with another Vicky.
T: Exactly!
M: I find it hard to believe no one’s at least tried.
T: Aha, I guess there’s been a few-.. I dunno though, I always attract the wrong type.
M: Yeah, maybe you do…
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