hopeless, ch 6
trinity x bryce, love island
summary: feeling increasingly left behind as everyone around her settles into relationships, trinity begins to question whether she's simply too much for anyone to love. a casual invitation to a bar from her best friend might be the first step toward changing that.
authors note: i just want to say thank you again to everyone who has commented!! it really means a lot. while writing this fic ive gotten scared it's become a little redundant, but ultimately the goal anyway is for it kinda to be a slow love story. idk but expect more coming soon!
other chapters here!
in the days leading up to bryce’s headlining dj set, he and trinity have grown quite close.
confiding in each other through private messages has become its own little bonding experience. the newly discovered freedom of talking without the rest of their group there was almost like a high for trinity.
she has begun to feel as though she could tell him anything. and she acts on it—sending him cute pictures of herself at work or typing out a well-thought-out message whenever something reminds her of him.
trinity can tell that bryce feels the same way. he has started sending selfies back, though he still refuses to send photos from his modeling portfolio that trinity keeps requesting. despite his refusals, she thinks she’ll crack his shell eventually.
things are beginning to be way too serious. secretly, trinity is fine with that.
while in the middle of texting bryce for what feels like the hundredth time this week, trinity hears the bells above the entrance ring, signalling someone has entered the store. she looks up to see kayda.
“hey! i thought i’d come to surprise you,” kayda announces.
“with what?”
“um, my presence?” she says with a laugh. “what’s been up with you?”
glancing around, trinity makes sure the coast is clear before launching into the tangent she has been holding in. so much has happened, yet kayda knows none of it.
trinity starts with what happened between her and bryce at his birthday party—their ‘will-they, won’t-they’ moment when their hands touched. kayda’s mouth drops open, but trinity assures her that it isn’t even the best part. bryce asked her to hang out the next morning and nearly kissed her, but ultimately didn’t.
“what? why didn’t he just do it?”
“i don’t know,” trinity says. “i think zach got in his head.”
kayda’s expression falls at the mention of zach. she stares at trinity for a few moments before sighing.
“not to get all serious on you, but i’m genuinely sorry about him sometimes,” she begins. “it seems like he’s always in your way somehow.”
a smile quickly forms on trinity’s face. she always appreciates how easily kayda can shift from a normal conversation to something important.
“i just don’t want you to feel annoyed by him either,” she continues. “he has good intentions, but he can be an idiot.”
trinity grabs kayda by the shoulders and lightly shakes her before she can continue. “girl, i promise you, it’s okay. i kind of think of him as, like, an annoying little brother.”
they laugh almost in unison, which makes trinity think about how similar they can be sometimes. she feels genuinely lucky that they met so long ago and are still this close. she and zach have become her found family.
after the two finish giggling, trinity steps out from behind the counter and pretends to check the aisles when she really just wants to walk around with kayda.
“okay, but what did zach even say to bryce?” kayda asks as they enter the lumber section.
“he told him that i didn’t see him that way,” trinity says. “so bryce started overthinking, i guess.”
slapping her palm against her forehead, kayda looks genuinely irritated. “i’m going to kill him.”
“i think i saved it, though,” trinity explains. “we’ve been texting a lot, and he invited me to his dj set.”
trinity keeps walking, but the silence behind her begins to feel strange. she looks back only to see kayda standing in place, shock clearly written across her face.
“there’s no way!” kayda squeals, rushing to catch up with her. “i’ve never even been to one, but zach goes every time. he says it’s huge.”
“it’s literally tonight. can you come with me? i’m nervous.”
“i can’t. zach would be so pissed if i invaded his ‘boy time’,” kayda says, making air quotes. “that’s why i’m surprised you were invited.”
trinity throws her hands up dramatically. “that’s great. now i can’t show up to the club alone! i don’t know what i’m gonna do.”
her ears perk up at the sound of boxes opening. turning around, she spots aniya carefully unpacking stock. trinity glances at kayda and then back at aniya before walking over to her. kayda silently follows.
“heyyy,” trinity begins. “are you busy tonight?”
aniya jumps before turning around, clearly startled. “uh, no. why?”
“you know that guy i was talking to? who am i kidding? of course you do,” trinity jokes. “anyway, he invited me to this club to watch him dj tonight. would you wanna go with me?”
aniya stares at her for a second before jumping up in excitement. “oh my gosh, yes!”
“yayyy!” trinity claps. “let’s coordinate outfits after work.”
“genuinely, i’m so excited. thank you for inviting me,” aniya exclaims.
kayda watches them both in awe. “great, now i’m jealous. you two are gonna have so much fun.”
“you know you could come if you really wanted to,” trinity reminds her.
“why aren’t you?” aniya asks, confused.
“she doesn’t wanna make her boyfriend mad.”
“hush!” kayda interrupts. “this has been a tradition between zach, bryce and the rest of the guys for years. i can’t just show up to crash it too because you’re the chosen one and you can go now.”
aniya’s expression changes suddenly, as though gears are turning in her head. after a few seconds, her eyes brighten, and trinity can almost imagine a lightbulb appearing above her.
“why don’t you just put on a disguise? that’d be kinda hot.”
trinity’s mouth falls open. “wait, yes. you can roleplay with zach as, like, an unknown, mysterious baddie. i bet he’d be happy you were there then.”
“you guys are so stupid,” kayda says with a chuckle.
“sooo?”
“i’ll do it,” she says, shrugging. “you technically invited me, and he can’t own a public space, so…”
the three of them jump together in the middle of the store, all hoping nobody happens to walk by.
“what time are you guys off work then?” kayda asks, almost out of breath.
“six. the event starts at ten, so we’ll have a lot of time,” trinity replies. “we should go shopping.”
“i’m so hype,” aniya says. “is it cool if i bring my friend?”
“why not?”
eventually, kayda heads out, leaving aniya and trinity to finish their shift together. the remaining hours pass more slowly than usual. every time trinity checks the clock, only a few minutes seem to have passed.
by six, aniya and trinity rush through the sliding doors and find kayda waiting in her car near the entrance. she leans across the passenger seat to push open the door before trinity can reach the handle.
aniya climbs into the back seat. “dang it, my friend melanie’s probably already there. she hates when people are late.”
“then she’s gonna hate us,” trinity says, buckling her seat belt.
the mall is only fifteen minutes away, but kayda drives like they are already behind schedule. she changes lanes unnecessarily, ignores trinity every time she tells her to slow down, and spends most of the ride arguing that she does not need an entire disguise.
aniya leans forward between the front seats. “we need to buy you a wig. that’s nonnegotiable.”
kayda glances at her through the rearview mirror. “what kind?”
“like bright yellow?” trinity suggests.
“i’m not wearing a yellow wig. i don’t want to look like i’m going to a children’s birthday party.”
“bitch, you’re picky for somebody trying to roleplay with her own boyfriend.”
kayda pulls into the parking lot without responding. melanie is waiting for them near the main entrance, resting against the wall beside a display of posters. trinity immediately recognizes her from the pictures aniya has shown at work.
aniya waves both hands above her head as they approach her.
“mel!”
melanie looks up from her bag. “hiii!”
“sorry you got here before us,” aniya says.
“it’s fine. my uber just drove here too fast,” melanie says, looking between kayda and trinity. “you guys are gorgeous.”
“thank you!” they respond at the same time.
the four of them enter the mall together. the stores are beginning to close, but most still have enough time left open for them to shop. trinity leads them toward a beauty supply store on the first floor, where rows of mannequin heads stare toward the entrance from shelves along the walls.
the store smells faintly like synthetic hair and perfume. wigs of every possible color hang along the walls, ranging from natural-looking waves to bright colors kayda refuses to consider.
aniya pulls down a long green wig and holds it beside kayda’s face. “this one.”
“wait, why are we shopping for wigs?” melanie questions.
“her boyfriend has a boys-only tradition that she’s not allowed to go to, so she’s making up a disguise to crash their night,” trinity replies.
“that sounds… bad.”
“don’t worry. i promise it’s not,” kayda awkwardly laughs.
after nearly twenty minutes, they settle on a long honey-blond wig with loose waves. once kayda tries it on, the change is more convincing than trinity expected. the hair falls past kayda’s shoulders, framing her face differently enough that she barely looks like herself from the side.
aniya gasps. “wait. you look so good.”
trinity claps once. “now you need a fake name.”
“you look like a vanessa,” melanie says, studying kayda thoughtfully.
kayda’s expression shifts into a smile. “that’s perfect.”
for the rest of the shopping trip, they refer to her only as vanessa. kayda ignores them at first, but eventually begins correcting the details of the fake identity they invent for her.
they find their outfits in separate sections of the store. trinity chooses a short black dress with a low back and thin straps, simple enough that she won’t feel overdressed but fitted enough to be worth buying. aniya finds a deep red dress with long sleeves and several cutouts along the sides. melanie chooses a dark green halter top and black skirt.
kayda takes the longest, but she eventually steps out of the dressing room wearing a silver dress that catches every light above them. paired with the blond wig, she looks completely different.
aniya begins recording her. “vanessa’s first public appearance.”
kayda covers the camera with one hand. “delete that.”
“hell no.”
by the time they finish paying, it is almost eight. they leave the mall carrying too many bags and arguing over whether kayda needs an accent.
“she should be british,” melanie says as they cross the parking lot.
“aww, yes! her boyfriend is british,” trinity adds.
“shut up,” kayda says sarcastically, unlocking the car.
aniya takes the backseat again while melanie climbs in after her. “where are we going now?”
“mine,” trinity says. “we can get ready there.”
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trinity’s apartment becomes crowded almost immediately.
shopping bags cover the floor, makeup products clutter the counter, and somebody has already plugged a curling iron into an outlet near her bed. music plays from trinity’s television while the four of them move between the bathroom and bedroom in different stages of getting ready.
aniya looks toward trinity’s reflection in the bathroom. “are you nervous?”
“no.”
“yes, she is,” kayda answers.
trinity turns away from the mirror. “i’m not nervous. i just don’t know what the vibe is.”
“it’s a club,” melanie says. “the vibe is dark and loud.”
“and bryce invited you,” kayda reminds her. “he obviously wants you there.”
trinity looks down at her phone resting beside the sink. bryce sent her a message twenty minutes earlier.
you still coming?
she replied with a picture of herself in her dress lying across the bed.
maybe.
his response arrived immediately.
you’re coming.
she hasn’t answered yet. a small part of her likes that he is expecting her. another part enjoys making him wonder.
aniya notices. “what did he say?”
“nothing.” trinity places the phone face down. “finish getting ready.”
at nine-thirty, they stand together in trinity’s living room, completely transformed from how they looked earlier that evening.
trinity’s black dress falls against her thighs, paired with heels she already knows will hurt by midnight. aniya wears silver jewelry with her red dress, while melanie’s green top makes her eyes look brighter beneath the apartment lights. kayda stands in the center wearing the silver dress and blond wig, looking pleased with herself despite every complaint she made while shopping.
trinity raises her phone. “we need pictures before we leave.”
they spend the next fifteen minutes crowding around the living-room mirror and taking turns holding the camera. when the notification appears that their ride has arrived, trinity rushes to gather her purse.
a loud horn sounds from the street, and all four women move toward the window at once. a long black vehicle is parked in front of the apartment building, colorful lights glowing through its tinted windows. it isn’t a normal car, but it isn’t quite a full-sized limousine either.
melanie looks at trinity. “what did you order?”
“an uber xl.”
aniya begins jumping beside the window. “it’s a party limo!”
trinity looks back at the app, convinced there has been a mistake. surprisingly, the license plate matches, and the driver’s name is the same.
the side door opens automatically as they approach, revealing curved leather seats and a ceiling covered with tiny lights. music plays through speakers inside, and a small screen near the front welcomes them by name.
“oh my god,” trinity says as she climbs in.
the driver explains that his normal car is in the shop, so he upgraded their ride at no additional cost. within minutes, all four of them are shouting along to the music. colored lights move across their faces as the vehicle turns through the city.
by the time taller buildings surround them, trinity has nearly forgotten she was nervous. the limo feels separated from everything outside it, filled with music, alcohol, laughter, and the growing excitement of finally reaching the club.
trinity looks through the tinted window and sees a line stretching down the sidewalk outside a brick building. purple light spills through the entrance every time the doors open. bass already vibrates through the street, strong enough that she can feel it through the floor before they step outside.
the door opens, and the four of them step onto the sidewalk. several people waiting in line turn to watch them climb out of the limo. trinity tries to act like arriving that way was intentional, even though kayda is still laughing beside her.
melanie leans toward her. “they think we’re important.”
the security guard checks their ids before directing them inside. bryce had placed trinity’s name on the guest list, along with space for whoever she might’ve been bringing. hearing the employee say her name sends another small rush through her.
the entrance leads into a narrow hallway where the music grows louder with every step. when they reach the main floor, the space opens around them.
the club is larger than she imagined, with two levels surrounding a crowded dance floor. lights flash above hundreds of moving bodies, shifting between deep red, blue, and purple. a long bar stretches across one wall, while private booths line the other.
at the front, raised above the dance floor, bryce stands behind the dj booth. for a second, trinity barely recognizes him. he wears a dark shirt with the sleeves pushed above his elbows, with headphones resting around his neck and one hand moving across the controls in front of him. the quiet awkwardness he sometimes carries around her has disappeared. he looks completely comfortable beneath the lights, moving with the music while the crowd reacts to every change he makes.
aniya grabs trinity’s arm. “that’s him?”
trinity nods without looking away.
“didn’t he come into the store one time?”
“yeah,” she mutters, clearly distracted.
bryce lifts his gaze from the controls. his eyes move across the room before settling directly on trinity. the recognition is immediate.
a wide smile spreads across his face, different from the small, shy ones she usually pulls from him. he lifts one hand from the equipment and points toward her.
trinity’s face warms as aniya and melanie begin screaming beside her. she tries to appear calm as she waves back.
bryce continues looking at her for another second before returning to the music. even after his attention moves away, the smile remains on his face.
trinity feels almost dizzy.
they move farther into the club and eventually find the rest of the group near one of the private booths. sincere and kc greet them immediately, though both stare at kayda for longer than they should.
sincere leans toward her. “new hair?”
“damn it, how’d you recognize me that fast?” kayda asks with a scoff. “i thought i looked pretty different.”
trinity turns away before she starts laughing. zach is standing near the bar, completely unaware that his girlfriend is less than twenty feet away.
bryce’s set continues for nearly another hour. trinity tries to focus on dancing with the others, but her attention keeps moving back toward the booth. sometimes he smiles. other times, he only holds her gaze for a second before returning to the controls. it feels strangely private despite everyone surrounding them.
when another dj finally walks onto the platform, bryce removes his headphones and speaks to him briefly. he glances toward trinity before stepping down from the booth. people stop him along the way, reaching out to shake his hand or say something about the set. bryce responds politely but continues in her direction. by the time he reaches their group, trinity has already tried to adjust her hair twice.
bryce looks at her slowly, taking in the dress before returning to her face.
“you look—” he pauses. “really good.”
trinity smiles. “thank you. you look good too.”
bryce grins before turning toward aniya and melanie. trinity introduces them, then gestures toward kayda.
“and this is… vanessa.”
bryce takes one look at kayda, and his expression immediately changes. he presses his lips together, clearly fighting a laugh.
“nice to meet you.”
“yeah, you too,” she snickers. “i guess my disguise isn’t as hidden as we thought.”
bryce waits until kayda walks away before leaning closer to trinity. “what are you guys up to?”
“kayda’s trying something new with zach,” trinity responds. “but is it okay that i brought everyone? i didn’t know if the invitation was supposed to be just for me.”
“the more the merrier,” bryce says. “i’m glad you came.”
his voice softens when he says it.
the dj behind them changes songs, and the crowd erupts. bryce steps closer so trinity can hear him over the music.
“i have another set soon,” he explains. “but i get a little break.”
“how long?”
“not long enough.”
before trinity can decide whether she imagined the meaning behind the answer, sincere calls their attention toward the bar.
kayda walks toward zach. the entire group becomes quiet, watching from a distance as she approaches him. zach looks at her when she stops beside him. his eyebrows pull together, his confusion visible from across the room.
kayda touches one hand to the blond wig and says something trinity can’t hear. zach responds slowly while trinity leans forward, trying to read his lips.
do i know you?
kayda shakes her head. then she rests one elbow against the bar and smiles up at him. zach’s posture changes immediately.
“he’s actually playing along,” kc says, sounding disgusted and impressed at the same time.
“i think it’s cute,” melanie says.
kayda says something else. trinity can only make out the final words.
buy me a drink.
zach smiles and signals toward the bartender. sincere cheers loudly enough that several strangers turn toward them while aniya raises both hands in victory.
across the room, kayda glances toward them. when she sees everyone watching, she gives the smallest possible wink before returning her attention to zach.
he appears completely captivated. guess kayda’s charm worked.
“they’re shameless,” trinity says as she looks around at everyone laughing together. she feels strangely comfortable here. maybe it is the darkness, the music, or the way bryce remains close to her. whatever the reason, the night feels removed from real life.
the dj onstage raises one hand toward bryce, who checks the time on his phone. “i have to go back.”
trinity tries not to let her disappointment show. “already?”
he takes several steps toward the booth before stopping. then he turns back.
“come with me.”
trinity stares at him. “where?”
“up there.”
she looks toward the raised platform. “you’re joking. what am i supposed to do?”
“stand there and look pretty. you do it easily enough already.”
trinity’s eyebrows scrunch together. “thanks…?”
bryce smiles. “you can press a button. i’ll show you.”
he holds out his hand, and trinity places hers in it. his fingers close around hers before he leads her through the crowd. security moves aside when they reach the steps beside the booth, allowing bryce to guide her upward.
the room looks completely different from the platform. the crowd stretches farther than trinity realized, filling nearly every space beneath them. lights flash across the walls and balcony while phones rise from different parts of the dance floor.
bryce puts his headphones back around his neck and takes his place behind the equipment. trinity stands beside him, trying not to touch anything.
“see this?” bryce points toward one of the glowing buttons. “when i tell you, press it.”
the song playing through the club lowers gradually. the crowd reacts immediately, voices rising in anticipation of what comes next.
trinity watches his hands move smoothly between the controls, adjusting several things she doesn’t understand. his focus sharpens the second he is behind the booth, but now she is close enough to see the concentration beneath it.
he glances toward her. “ready?”
“yeah.”
bryce points toward the button, and trinity presses it.
the next song explodes through the speakers. lights flash above the crowd as everyone begins jumping at once. the reaction is so immediate that trinity screams, grabbing bryce’s arm. he laughs and raises one of her hands above her head.
“oh my god! this is so cool,” trinity shouts.
bryce leans toward her. “you did that.”
trinity looks toward her friends below. aniya and melanie are drinking cocktails together while kayda dances with zach, their fingers interlocked.
moving to the music as lights flash over them, trinity dances beside bryce. every few seconds, bryce turns toward her with the same wide smile he gave when she first entered the club. he shows her another button, then lets her adjust one of the smaller controls while his hand remains over hers to keep her from moving it too far.
there is no uncertainty in the way he looks at her now—no awkward pause or friend’s opinion sitting between them. bryce seems proud to have her beside him, even if she is contributing almost nothing.
trinity looks toward the crowd again in pure happiness. she had spent years imagining what it would feel like to be chosen openly. as the song reaches its loudest point, bryce raises trinity’s hand again.
she still doesn’t know exactly what is happening between them.
but standing beside bryce, surrounded by noise while he looks at her like she is the only person he can see, trinity realizes she is no longer afraid to find out.
next ch
