Jenna X Reader - Tumblr Posts

ethereal bonds

pairing: tara carpenter x fem!reader

summary: tara finding solace in the quiet moments that you share together.

warnings: none just fluff

word count: 470

a/n: this is my first time actually posting my work somewhere lol

Tara sat comfortably in her dimly lit room, a warm cup of chamomile tea resting on the nightstand beside her. Moonlight filtered in through the window, casting a gentle glow on the pages of the book she held in her hands. The silence of the night was broken only by the soft rustling of pages as Tara turned them.

As she read, her attention occasionally shifted from the words on the page to the peaceful figure resting beside her. Y/N, the girl with an aura of serenity, in Tara's mind at least. You nestled on Tara's shoulder, your breaths steady and calm as you slumbered. The events of the day had tired you both, and Tara found herself cherishing this quiet moment of intimacy you shared.

Tara's heart swelled with love and affection as she glanced down at your peaceful face. Moonlight painted your features in soft, ethereal hues, making you look almost otherworldly. Your eyelashes cast delicate shadows on your cheeks, and a content smile graced your lips. The sight of you brought a sense of calm and happiness that Tara had never experienced before.

With great care, Tara shifted slightly to ensure you were still comfortably sleeping against her. She adjusted the blanket that draped over both of you, making sure you both were warm and snug. Her fingers brushed your hair, a tender gesture that she couldn't resist. The touch sent a shiver of warmth through her, a sign of the constant deepening connection between you two.

The book in Tara's hands held a captivating story, but her attention was divided. She found herself watching the rise and fall of your chest, listening to the soothing rhythm of your breathing. Memories of your shared moments, the laughter and meaningful conversations that you had exchanged, played in her mind like a slideshow, making her heart flutter.

As the night continued to unfold, Tara felt a growing sense of contentment. She was surrounded by the hush of the night, the gentle rustle of pages, and your comforting weight against her. This quiet companionship filled her with a unique happiness she had never known.

Tara leaned her head against yours, letting your presence envelope her. The room seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you in a world of your own making. Your breaths synchronised, and the brunette felt a bond that was as tender as it was profound — a connection that transcended words.

Your eyelashes fluttered, a sign that you were starting to wake from your sleep. Tara noticed this and smiled softly. She knew the delicate balance of sleep that often accompanied moments like these. Gently, Tara pressed a kiss to your forehead, hoping to soothe you back into your dreams.

"It's alright," Tara whispered, her voice a gentle melody in the quiet room. "Rest a little longer, love. I'm here."

Your brows furrowed slightly, and you murmured something incoherent before settling back into a deeper sleep. Tara continued to read, her fingers occasionally tracing soothing patterns along your arm and waist. The warmth of Tara's presence and the soft reassurances seemed to work their magic as your breathing steadied once again.

As dawn approached, the first rays of sunlight gently illuminated the room. Tara felt you stir once more, your awakening becoming more pronounced this time. But Tara was ready, she leaned down to press another tender kiss to your forehead, her lips lingering as she whispered softly, "Sleep, baby. I'm right here with you."

Your features relaxed, and a small smile graced your lips. With Tara's presence and words as your lullaby, you quickly drifted back into the gentle embrace of sleeping in her arms. Tara continued to hold you, savouring the moment of your shared tranquility.

In the hushed darkness of the room, you remained entwined, lost in dreams and each other's company. The bond the two of you shared was as delicate as the moonlight filtering through the curtains, a testament to the unspoken emotions that had woven your hearts together.

As the night waned and the world outside gradually stirred awake, Tara sat in the soft morning light, her heart full of warmth and gratitude. With you in her arms, she had found a love that was both tender and unbreakable — a love that whispered promises in the quietest hours and painted dreams in moonlit hues.

unwinding tensions

pairing: tara carpenter x fem!reader

summary: you and tara hadn’t had much time together lately because of finals and seeing how stressed you are, she decides to make you forget about everything for just one night.

warnings: smut (+18), fingering, cunnilingus, orgasm denial, overstimulation, dom!tara + sub!reader

word count: 2.9k

a/n: i've never wrote smut, so please bear with me on this one <3

"I'm gonna go take a shower." You said looking towards your bed where your girlfriend Tara was laying on her stomach going over her revisions for finals.

"Yeah, just don't take long," She said without looking up from her notebook, "We've barely had time to see each other this week and I need to be home by nine."

You stopped dead in your tracks, looking back at the brunette "What? That's in like, an hour," You said with wide eyes when you checked the time on your phone "Tell Sam I'll drop you off at 11. I promise you won't be a minute late." Tara sighed, her eyes hovering over the towel wrapped around your body "What? The worse she can say is no, in that case, I'll take you home after I shower."

You said leaning on the bathroom door, Tara blinked rapidly, snapping out of her thoughts, quickly grabbing her phone and dialling her sister's number "She's gonna kill us, you know?" She said chuckling while waiting for Sam to pick up the phone. 

As soon as Sam picked up, you sat on your bed beside Tara so you could listen to the conversation "Come on Sam! It's almost finals week, and we haven’t been able to spend time together, it's just two more hours, please?"

Tara was frustrated, it was obvious that her sister wasn’t budging, she sighed. "Let me talk to her." You whispered, hoping that somehow you'd be able to convince the older Carpenter. She wasn’t your number one fan but she had been more accepting of your relationship with her sister in the past few weeks.

Which was an improvement since you'd been dating the smaller girl for almost a year now and she still hadn’t warmed up to you.

Tara waved you off, rolling around your bed, and then she looked back at you "Go shower." She mouthed, you sighed and got up from the bed.

As you made your way to the bathroom, you couldn't help but feel a bit stressed out. You and Tara had barely spent time together in the past few days because of college, and also because her sister wasn’t one hundred percent fond of you yet. So any time you had together was like a blessing lately.

As you turned on the water and stepped into the shower, you tried to shake off your worries and focus on the warm water cascading down your skin. But your peace was short-lived.

Just as you were about to grab the shampoo, you heard a knock on the bathroom door. "Hey, babe, can I come in?" Tara's voice called out softly from the other side of the door.

"Uhm, sure." you replied, feeling a little thrown off. It's not like Tara had never come into the bathroom while you were showering before, but this just wasn’t a good time since you needed to take her home soon and you didn’t have time for distractions.

You heard the door open and Tara's footsteps approaching the shower curtain. "Mind if I join you?" she asked, pulling back the curtain without waiting for an answer.

Before you could respond, she had stepped in the shower, naked and with a wicked grin on her face, pushing you against the nearest wall, hard enough to send vibrations through your body but not to hurt you. She kissed you so passionately and so quickly that you didn’t have time to properly react to her getting in the shower with you in the first place.

You quickly kissed her back with the same passion, her hands found their way to your waist and began to explore the rest of your shower-wet skin, she let out a soft moan and yet another kiss, trailing down to your neck, leaving a line of kisses from your lips to your collarbone.

You quickly pulled her hair tie, letting her long, wavy hair fall down her shoulders in dripping wet waves. You ran your hands through her hair as she moved her head down, her lips hovering over your breasts, her tongue sticking out to lick your nipples.

A soft moan escaped your lips, Tara's grin not leaving her face, she pulled away and looked you deep in the eyes "I want you," she said with a seductive tone, making you shiver, then she kissed you again.

You could feel yourself getting wet against her as she pulled back to look at you again, a soft smirk on her lips, quickly both your lips were back on each other’s, kissing hard and passionately again.

Tara wrapped her arms around your neck, while you grabbed her ass and pulled her a bit closer to you. Her left hand found its way down to your pussy, while her right hand was still wrapped around your neck, keeping you close to her body.

You let out a surprised gasp into Tara's mouth, as she pushed her fingers into your entrance wet with water and your arousal. "You're so wet baby." she said with a smirk, she removed her right hand from around your neck and used it to move your head back, licking and sucking your neck.

You could feel her fingers moving in and out of you, you were letting out moans, both from the feeling of her fingers inside you and the sensation of her lips leaving marks that later would become dark purple hickeys.

The brunette stopped sucking on your neck, but you were too busy with the feeling of her fingers pumping in and out of you at a rapid pace to even notice that she was moving down.

Suddenly, you felt something warm and smooth between your legs, you moaned louder as Tara began to lick and suck your clit. "F-fuck." you let out a loud moan, as she pushed in another finger, curling it slightly and hitting that spongy spot inside you again.

Tara was still sucking and licking you, then she looked up at you and grinned "Already?" she asked, your eyes widened as she moved her fingers harder inside you.

You gave her a quick nod, making her smile as she moved up again, wrapping her free arm around your waist and pulling you closer to her. You wrapped your legs around her waist, your eyes locking as she pushed her fingers into you and kissed you passionately, and you moaned into her mouth, biting on your bottom lip at the feeling of her tongue exploring your mouth and making you taste your arousal.

She began to move her fingers faster, hitting your g-spot every time, you were pressing yourself closer to Tara, trying to get her closer to you, you could feel yourself getting closer to the edge. You wanted to cum so badly.

You were moaning louder and louder, you felt yourself tightening around her fingers, and you tried to slow down your ragged breath, but you could feel yourself getting closer and closer to your orgasm.

The feeling of Tara's tongue inside your mouth, her fingers inside you hitting your g-spot and the feeling of her body hitting yours was enough motivation for you to cum. "Tara, I'm gonna-" you could barely speak through your moans.

"Not yet," she said as she pulled her fingers out of you, you let out a whine as she broke the kiss and got on her knees again, her tongue licking your pussy ever so gently. Tara snickered, slowly licking her fingers, "You taste so good baby." she said seductively, you blushed and tried to cover your face with your hands.

Tara got up and grabbed your hand, pulling you down and kissing you again, you let yourself get lost in the moment, "Don't cover your beautiful face when I'm about to make you scream my name." She whispered and broke the kiss, pecking your lips so softly that you'd wonder if she was the same person that was thrusting her fingers into you like her life depended on it just a minute ago.

"I'm not gonna scream, I can't. I'll get complaints from other students, again." You said looking into her eyes, now it was her time to blush, remembering all of the times you'd have sex and she made you scream or vice versa.

Then the next week you'd get a warning from the university dorm on behalf of all of the students that lived on your floor.

"But you will, babygirl, whether you like it or not, I'm gonna make you cum so hard and so good, you're gonna scream my name and beg me to fuck you until you can’t take it anymore. That’s what’s gonna happen," She said it in such a seductive tone that you knew you wouldn’t be able to say no, not that it would matter to her anyway, she'd do it her own way and you both knew that, and that just made you love her even more.

She got her knees again, a bright grin on her face. "Ready to get off baby?" Tara asked as she pushed herself down, her lips meeting your pussy.

The brunette sucked hard on your clit, sending waves of pleasure through your body as she grinded her teeth a little bit on your clit. You let out a loud moan, surprised by the sudden feeling but loving every second of it.

Tara made sure to keep sucking and licking you in the right spot, her hands found their way to your breasts, squeezing and pulling at your nipples as you felt yourself getting closer and closer to the edge.

Once again, you felt yourself tightening around Tara's mouth, making her suck you a little bit harder. You couldn't take it any longer, you were at the edge and you wanted to fall off it, you grabbed her hair and pulled it, forcing her head into you, you were almost screaming as you came hard, your hips bucking against Tara's face, making her moan.

She moves one of her hands down, her fingers making their way inside you and she wasted no time in moving them quickly, hitting your g-spot.

You were moaning like crazy at the feeling of her fingers thrusting into you right after your orgasm, you let go of Tara's hair and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her closer to you, grinding against her fingers.

You couldn't believe how amazing it felt, it almost felt better than when you did it yourself, then again, there was something special about the way she'd drag her tongue across your clit before she focused on it, and other times when you'd feel her moan against your pussy, making you shiver from the vibrations.

You'd come to believe that she found your weak spots and would always hit them when you were close to an orgasm, it was like she just knew. "I'm gonna cum again," you said as you felt yourself getting closer to the edge again, Tara had stopped moving her fingers and began to lick your clit at a slow pace, teasing you, you let out a loud moan.

"Tara, I'm gonna cum again." you said, your voice raising a bit, you could barely talk as you got closer and closer to your second orgasm, Tara put one of her fingers in your mouth.

"Suck." she said, you smiled as you sucked her finger and got it as wet as it could.

She pulled it out of your mouth and moved it up to your pussy again, pressing it against your entrance, you were quivering as you felt her fingers inside you, but she didn't move it, she just teased you, you couldn't take it anymore "Please!" you begged.

"Please what?" she said as she licked your clit, making you moan loudly, she smiled "Please move your fingers?" she laughed "Or you want me to lick your clit and make you cum again?"

"Yes!" you yelled in reply, shutting your eyes, she smiled again and grabbed your legs, wrapping them around her neck,

"Are you sure?" she asked, and you nodded as you felt yourself tightening around her fingers. Tara finally pressed both of her fingers into you, moving them a little bit inside you, teasing you.

"Please, fuck me," you said, hoping that your begging would get her to finally move her fingers inside you.

Tara pressed her tongue against your clit, she sucked it and pressed it against her mouth, then she moved her tongue down, pressing it against your entrance, you were grinding against her like you were trying to fuck her face.

Her fingers were still inside you, but she still wasn't moving them. You were getting desperate, she was teasing you like you were a fucking toy for her to play with, and you decided that you were done with her teasing.

You pulled her face against your pussy, pressing her tongue against your entrance, she moaned against your pussy and moved her fingers into you almost all of the way, but she kept going in and out of you at a slow pace.

"Please fuck me!" you screamed loudly, Tara squeezed your thighs and moved her tongue so it was barely touching your entrance.

Your hips moved on their own, trying to grind against her, but she didn't let you, she began to suck on your clit while she was fingering you, her hands were holding your thighs and your hands were back on her hair, you were moaning loudly, you couldn't hold yourself back anymore, you were about to cum.

Tara knew it as well, you were tightening around her fingers, then you came hard, letting out a loud moan, Tara's fingers and mouth moving away from you, she licked her fingers and smiled at you. You kissed her hard, your hands locking around her neck and her arms wrapped around you. "I love you," you said breathlessly as you broke the kiss, still shaking from the overstimulation she had put you through.

"And I love you, baby." Tara said as she pulled you in for another kiss, you sighed trying to recompose yourself. After you had calmed down, the brunette washed your body and your hair with such care and love, she didn’t seem like the same person that was making you beg just minutes ago.

When you both got out of the shower, the cold titles on the floor snapped you back to reality; you had to take Tara home as soon as possible or Sam would have your head on a stake, undermining any progress that had been made to improve your relationship with her.

You panicked, running towards your closet and putting on the first pair of clothing you could find, when you turn around to call Tara's name, you saw her leaning on the bathroom door, still in her towel and laughing at you.

"This is not funny Tara, put on something quick, I need to take you home or Sam is gonna kill me, then you, ruining any chances of her letting you go anywhere near me ever again!" You say frustrated looking at the girl who was still laughing at you with a big smile on her face.

"Come here," She said softly, you sighed, looking at the clock on your bedside table, eight forty-nine, you closed your eyes for a second, taking a deep breath and walking towards Tara. "Calm down, yeah?" She said, wrapping her arms around your waist.

"Please, I don't want her to hate me even more than she already does." You whispered looking into her eyes, hoping she's take your plea and get moving. When she saw the look on your face she gave in and pecked your lips.

"We're in no rush baby," she said calmly, you looked at her confused by her response. "She let me stay the night, why else would I have fucked you in the shower?"

You rolled your eyes at her, resting your head on her shoulder and smiling "Did she really?" you said hopeful.

"Mhm," She mumbled and kissed your cheek "And I think you've been way too stressed out about your finals, you're smart, and you study your ass off every time, so, as the amazing girlfriend I am, I'm gonna make all of that stress go away. " she whispered and squeezed your waist, making the butterflies in your stomach go crazy.

"Lay down and let me take care of you, please." She whispered and moved you both to the bed, laying you down gently and letting the towel fall off her body, kissing you while her hands move down to the hem of your sweatpants.

"I should get stressed more often then." You laughed and pulled up your shirt so she could kiss your stomach. She smiled and kissed it, then she moved back up, kissing your neck and collarbone.

"Mhm, just the stress," She kissed you again, a little bit harder and moved her hands down to your sweatpants and her thumbs hooked under the waistband.

"Wanna get out of these?" She whispered against your lips, you nodded and she pulled them off of you, smiling at you when you were completely naked. You knew this was gonna be a long night and you would probably regret not studying more, but that was a problem for future you.

Because when Tara sets her mind on something it was hard to get her to think otherwise. Not that you were complaining anyway, you made a mental note to thank Sam the next time you saw her because her sister was about to rail the shit out of you all night long thanks to her.

shadows of comfort

pairing: jenna ortega x fem!reader

summary: jenna decides to have a horror movie night date, having to comfort you afterwards.

warnings: none, just comfort and fluffss

word count: 1.8k

a/n: where did all of the jenna fics go? also just had to mention my fav movie of all times: parent trap <3

One chilly autumn evening, with leaves rustling outside the window and the scent of pumpkin spice in the air, Jenna had decided to have a cozy movie night at her place. She insisted on watching a horror movie, knowing that as much as you weren’t a fan, you'd watch it with her, just not at night because you'd always have nightmares afterwards.

"Why can't we just watch a rom-com? This is stupid, we don't need to watch a horror movie just because Halloween is right around the corner." You said sighing as you leaned on the kitchen counter while your girlfriend smirked and turned her back to you, focusing on making the popcorn.

"It's not even that scary, besides, The Babadook is a great movie I'm sure you'll like it babe." She said shrugging.

"Of course you'd say that, you love horror movies." You said rolling your eyes and opening the fridge, looking for something to drink. Jenna knew you'd be scared, she had watched the movie before and it was just the perfect opportunity to get you in the mood for Halloween.

Despite your reluctance, you agreed, settling in on the couch with a bowl of popcorn in your lap. Jenna had transformed the living room into a cozy den of warmth, with soft blankets strewn across the couch and cushions inviting you to sink in, knowing that the cozy atmosphere would be welcome, especially when watching a horror movie.

"I still think we should watch something else, Parent Trap is a good movie, the rain outside and the coziness would make everything just perfect." You said, leaning your head on her shoulder as a last plea for her to change her mind, you knew she wouldn’t, but it didn’t hurt to try. She chuckled and pecked your lips.

"It's not that scary, you'll be fine." She was starting to get annoyed at your requests, you had already agreed, so why back up now? You had googled the movie when she was making the popcorn and to say you weren’t very fond of what you saw was an understatement.

You sighed, giving up. She was a huge fan of horror and was always looking for job opportunities in that area and honestly, that was one of the things you loved so much about her — the way she absolutely loved what she did even more behind the cameras.

The lights were dimmed just right, casting a warm glow that contrasted with the eerie atmosphere of the movie that you were about to watch. As you settled in, sharing a bowl of popcorn between the brunette and you. The movie started innocently enough, with scenes of idyllic landscapes and seemingly normal characters going about their lives.

Yet, you both knew that beneath this façade, a lurking dread awaited. As the minutes ticked by, the tension grew palpable. Scenes of eerie whispers in the darkness, creaking floorboards in the house, and unsettling shadows moving just beyond the characters' vision filled the screen.

With every jump scare and spine-tingling twist, you felt your heart racing faster, your breath catching in your throat. You tried to hide your unease, laughing nervously and making quips to break the tension, stealing glances at Jenna who seemed to be just as absorbed in the film.

The movie was a classic psychological horror, with creepy scenes and jump scares that made you jump out of your skin. Jenna, on the other hand, was completely unfazed, her eyes glued to the screen as the Babadook opened the kid's closet. Her calm demeanor was a lifeline, grounding you as the horror on screen escalated.

The plot grew more intricate, the paranormal occurrences more sinister. It was a relentless assault on your senses, and you found yourself gripping the edge of the couch, your knuckles turning white. "It's okay, don't be such a baby it's just a movie." She whispered in your ear, causing you to jump slightly.

"Fuck you, why didn’t you just say that out loud, why whisper in my ear when we're watching a horror movie?!" You said looking at her with wide eyes, a bit frustrated with her attempt to scare you even more.

Jenna just laughed at your reaction and went back to eating the popcorn and watching the movie like she was watching a Discovery Animal Planet documentary. She spent the rest of the movie ignoring your attempts to cuddle into her for comfort, only keeping her hand on your thigh and dismissing you when you tried talking to her.

The movie finally reached its climactic twist, leaving you in a state of breathless anticipation as the credits began to roll. The room was silent for a moment, "Well, that was… interesting," Jenna said, you wanted to reply but you were mad at her, maybe her joke went too far or maybe the movie just really scared you.

Either way, when you tried to speak your voice betrayed a hint of nervousness. "It's a good movie, but I'm not watching it again." You say and get up from the couch, walking towards her bedroom.

Jenna turned toward you, her gaze soft "No, come back here," she whined and sighed once she saw you ignored her request, wondering if her attempt to scare you throughout the movie was a little bit too much.

She got up and went to her bedroom after you, finding you in your pajamas and in bed curled up "Did the movie actually scare you?" she asked in a soft tone.

You looked up at her, rolling your eyes "Why did you keep dismissing me when I got scared?" she sighed and massaged her temple.

"I was just trying to scare you a little bit, I'm sorry. Please don't be mad, I genuinely didn’t mean to make you upset, baby." She said truthfully her gaze softened more.

You furrowed your eyebrows and looked away, responding with a mumbled "You're an idiot," Jenna chuckled, it wasn't the first time she had annoyed you with her antics, but you loved her all the same.

"Yeah, but I'm your idiot." she said kissing your forehead and going back to the living room to collect the leftovers of the popcorn you had left and throwing it in the trash.

You sat up looking at her when she came back to the room, you knew she didn’t mean to make you upset and that she was only trying to get you to enjoy the movie as she does. "I'm not mad, I'm just scared. What if this Babadook thing comes after me when I'm asleep? He feeds off people’s dream and shit right?"

You knew that was completely irrational but you couldn’t help but feel a shiver down your spine thinking of the creature wandering in the shadows. Jenna chuckled, trying to shake off the lingering tension. "I'm not gonna be able to go to sleep Jen, I'm serious."

You say sighing and moving under the duvet again, she smiled at your reaction. Her smile was warm and reassuring, her eyes full of empathy. "You know what, same here. Those horror movies always leave a lasting impression, right?"

You knew the movie didn’t scare her and she was just trying make you feel comforted. As Jenna prepared to head to bed, you couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in your heart. Every shadow seemed to take on a life of its own, dancing menacingly in the corners of the room, and the faintest creak of the floorboards outside sounded like the footsteps of unseen specters.

Jenna must have noticed your discomfort because she paused before laying down. "Do you want me to hold you?" She whispered, her offer was like a blessing, a source of comfort that you desperately needed.

With a grateful smile, you nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over you. She settled into bed, the room bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through the curtains. Jenna's presence beside you was reassuring, and as you lay there, side by side, her warmth seeped into your senses, easing the lingering unease.

Jenna pulled you into a gentle embrace, her arms wrapping around you protectively. "Don't worry, I'm here with you. Nothing's going to get us tonight, or ever." You nestled into her embrace, feeling the steady rhythm of her heartbeat against your back.

The scent of her hair and the gentle rise and fall of her chest were like soothing lullabies, gradually lulling you into a state of calm. Her words echoed in your head, and you tried to focus on them as you slowly drifted off to sleep. "I'm here with you."

As you felt the silent darkness envelop you, you thought of the words that Jenna had said to you before, her promise that nothing would hurt you that night, you couldn’t help but feel that her words had a double meaning. Through the hazy fog of your dreams, figures began to materialize, their faces masked by shifting shadows that seemed to wrap around them like tendrils of smoke.

Their clammy skin seemed to ooze darkness like ink, and you could feel their icy stares upon you, watching silently as your dreams slipped through your fingers like sand. You were running, fleeing from your pursuers. Your bare feet pitter-pattered furiously on the white linoleum floor as your shadowy foes loomed in the hallway.

A feeling of dread firmly rooted in your chest as you desperately clawed at the wall. You woke up, scared and confused, Jenna quickly woke up due to your movements, she sighed and tightened her arms around your waist. "It's okay, it was a dream." She whispered hoping to lull you back to sleep.

"I'm scared, stay up with me." You whispered tugging on her arm, she opened her eyes and looked at you softly.

"Shh, it's okay. Come here," and she pulled you towards her and you ended up pressing your face against her chest.

The feeling of her heartbeat, inhaling her scent, you were feeling more and more relaxed by the second and. You felt her lips on your forehead, kissing you softly "I love you." You mumbled under your breath.

As the night wore on, your whispered conversations ranged from light-hearted anecdotes to deeper reflections. Jenna's soothing words acted like a balm, gradually replacing the horrors of the movie with a sense of security and tranquility.

Eventually, the weariness of the day and the comfort of Jenna's presence combined to overcome the lingering fear. Your eyelids grew heavy, and the last thing you remembered before drifting off was the sensation of her fingers tracing gentle patterns on your arm. In the darkness, Jenna's presence remained a steadfast anchor, a reminder that even in the face of fear, you could find solace in each other's arms.

As the night whispered on, her comforting embrace and the knowledge that you were there for each other allowed you to finally find the sleep that had been eluding you since the haunting images of the movie had begun to play.

how you lost the girl

pairing: jenna ortega x fem!reader

summary: a rainy night makes you think back to your relationship with jenna, but a unexpected appearance interrupts your thoughts.

warnings: angst<3

word count: 3k

a/n: flashbacks are in italics!! heavily based on "how you get the girl" by taylor mother but ofc i had to make it angst..

The rain was relentless, pounding against the windowpane as if mirroring the turmoil inside your heart. Six months had passed since that fateful day when your relationship with Jenna crumbled like a fragile porcelain doll.

The apartment felt empty, its corners echoing with the memories of laughter, whispers, and stolen kisses that had once filled the space with warmth and love.

You chuckled, shaking your head at Jenna's silly behavior. She had just thrown flour all over you while you were trying to bake a batch of cookies using a recipe from your phone. "You are so weird," you said.

As the flour settled on your face, you couldn't help but laugh. She had always been a bit of a troublemaker, but you couldn't deny that her antics always made you smile.

"Alright, alright," you said, trying to hold back your laughter. "I think that's enough flour for one day."

Jenna giggled and brushed some of the excess flour off of her apron. Oh, come on, where's your sense of adventure?"

You rolled your eyes playfully. "I have plenty of adventure in my life, thank you very much."

Jenna smirked. "Oh really? Do tell." You smiled and leaned in closer to her.

"Well, for starters, there's this." And with that, you closed the distance between you and kissed her deeply.

The flour on your face was forgotten as you lost yourselves in the moment. Jenna's lips were soft against yours, and it felt like you could kiss her forever.

Eventually, you broke apart, both of you breathless and grinning from ear to ear. You brushed some of the flour off of Jenna's cheek, and she laughed, looking up at you with those beautiful brown eyes.

"I guess I'll have to clean this mess up," you said, gesturing to the kitchen, which was now covered in a thin layer of white powder.

Jenna smiled mischievously. "Oh let's just leave it for now," she said, stepping closer to me again and placing her hand on your waist.

"Why don't we go do something else instead?" She suggested, looking up at you seductively through her lashes.

You chuckled softly and pulled her closer until your bodies were pressed together. "That sounds like an excellent idea," You agreed. And then you were off into the night, leaving the kitchen far behind you in a flurry of kisses and laughter.

You stood by the window, gazing out at the rain-soaked streets, your thoughts consumed by memories of her. You had tried so hard to move on and rebuild your life without Jenna, but the pain of her absence lingered like a ghost haunting your every step.

The rain made you wonder how everything had gone so wrong. Jenna was the love of your life, or so you thought. But things had spiraled out of control, and now here you were, alone and heartbroken.

"Maybe we could watch a movie tonight," Jenna suggested, her eyes on the road as she drove home after a long day of traveling.

You chuckled and rolled your eyes at her. "Do you seriously have energy to watch a movie after a whole day of work plus flying home from New York?"

Jenna shrugged, a playful grin spreading across her face. "I'll have plenty of energy if the movie is interesting enough."

You chuckled again, admiring Jenna's mischievous spirit. Even after a long day, she was always up for a little excitement. As you pulled up to your house, you couldn't help but feel grateful for having her by your side.

Once inside, Jenna immediately made her way to the couch, scrolling through Netflix with a determined look on her face. You grabbed a couple of sodas from the fridge and settled in beside her, laying your head on her shoulders.

"What do you feel like watching?" you asked, taking a sip of your drink.

"Hmm, how about something with a little action and a lot of sex?" Jenna winked, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

You laughed, shaking your head in amusement. "You never change, do you?"

Jenna leaned in closer, her lips brushing against your ear. "Why should I?" She said with a wide grin.

You turned away from the window, your heart heavy with a mixture of anger and longing. How can someone just disappear from your life without a proper explanation?

The hurt ran deep, leaving scars that no amount of time seemed capable of healing. As if on cue, a knock sounded at the door. Your heart raced in your chest as you cautiously approached the entrance. Who would be at your door at 2 a.m. on a Tuesday?

A sudden knock at the door jolted you out of your thoughts. You hesitated for a moment before making your way to the door. You opened it to find Jenna standing in front of you, drenched to the bone by the rain, her eyes meeting yours for the first time in what felt like an eternity.

Your heart skipped a beat as you gazed into her eyes, trying to gauge her emotions. She looked up at you, and for a moment, neither of you said a word, the silence between you heavy with the weight of unresolved emotions.

"Are you insane?" Your voice wavered and your eyebrows furrowed, a mix of anger and vulnerability evident in your tone. "Showing up here like this after all this time?"

Jenna swallowed hard, her own emotions starting to overwhelm her. Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have left the way I did. I miss you."

You felt a wave of emotions wash over you―anger, hurt, and a deep, gnawing desire for her. You wanted her to explain why she had left and make things right. But at the same time, you couldn't ignore the intense longing you had for her, the way your heart leapt at the sight of her.

You wanted to pull her into your arms, to feel her warmth and sweet smell again, but you held yourself back. You needed to know the truth before even considering letting her in again.

"Why are you here?" You asked, your voice was cold and distant. As much as you wanted her, she didn’t deserve to see you cry. "You just disappeared without a word."

Jenna took a deep breath, her eyes filling with tears. "I was scared," she said, her voice shaking. "I didn't know how to deal with everything that was happening between us. I needed time to figure things out."

You felt a pang of sadness and hurt at her admission. How could she have just left without telling you? "You could have talked to me, Jenna," you said, a hint of anger creeping into your voice. "We could have worked through things together."

"I know," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "I regret it every day. But I'm here now, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make things right between us."

You shook your head, looking at her with an evident hurt in your face. "And it took you six months to come back? I mean, you left without giving me an explanation or looking back. Can you even begin to understand how much that hurt?" You said with tears in your eyes, holding them back for as long as you could.

Your gaze hardened, but her eyes held a glimmer of something that resembled hope. "A long six months, and you were too afraid to tell me what you wanted. Is that it?"

Jenna looked down, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her wet shirt. "I was afraid," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Afraid of losing you, of losing everything we had built together."

You sighed, running a hand through your hair. "And you think just showing up here in the middle of the night is going to make everything better?" You asked, your tone laced with a hint of bitterness.

Jenna looked up at you, her eyes filled with tears. "No," she said. "I know it won't. But I had to try. I had to see you, to tell you how much I love you, and to ask for your forgiveness."

You felt a knot form in your stomach at her words. Despite everything that had happened, you still loved her, and the thought of being without her had been unbearable. But at the same time, you couldn't just forget all the pain she had caused and let her back in your life.

The rain continued to pour outside, the drops tapping against the windowpane like a somber melody. You stood there, facing Jenna, contemplating your next move. It was tough to ignore the pain she had caused you, but at the same time, the love you had for her wasn’t going anywhere, and you knew that.

You decide to speak up, knowing staring at her for too long would only hurt even more. "And what do you want, Jenna? You left because you were scared, now what?"

Jenna looked up at you with hopeful eyes, willing you to understand. "I want us to be together again. I want to make it work, to do whatever it takes to make things right between us."

You sighed, feeling torn between your desire to have her back in your life and the hurt she had caused you. "It's not that simple, Jenna," you said, your voice softening a bit. "You can't just waltz back into my life and expect everything to be okay. You hurt me beyond what I could ever even imagined. You are a coward, you should’ve fought for us, for me!" You said in a louder tone, letting your emotions take over, and the tears you were fighting back streamed down your face.

Jenna's eyes filled with tears as she listened to you, her own emotions starting to bubble up to the surface. "I know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I was a coward. I should have fought for us, for you. But I was scared, and I didn't know what to do, can't you understand that?"

"No! Because I don't want to be your dirty little secret, I deserve more than that! I deserve a girlfriend who’ll take me to her family’s Christmas dinner, a girlfriend who’s not afraid of what other people in the media will say about her relationship!" You said now crying almost uncontrollably. You wanted to hate her, you deserve better. But she was Jenna—your Jenna.

Jenna shifted her weight from one foot to the other, a mixture of shame and love in her eyes. "I know, I'm sorry," she said. "I want to make it up to you, to be the girlfriend you deserve. Please forgive me."

You sighed. You wanted so much to believe her, but a part of you still felt that she was just trying to make things better for herself. "I don't know," you said, shaking your head.

"I'll do anything you want, I just want to win you back!" Jenna pleaded, tears and drops of rain streaming down her face.

You looked at her, knowing deep down she meant every word, but you still felt the hurt. It was an impossible situation, and you didn't know what to say.

Everything seemed to fall silent for an endless moment once again, and the weight of the situation settled in. The silence was almost deafening, and you felt tears starting to form in your eyes again at the thought of never seeing her again.

You took a deep breath, trying to control your emotions. You knew that Jenna had hurt you deeply, but at the same time, you couldn't deny the love you still had for her. "I need time, Jenna," you said, your voice softening. "Time to think about everything that's happened, and time to decide if I can forgive you."

Jenna's eyes filled with tears once again, but this time they were tears of hope rather than desperation. "I understand," she said, her voice shaking. "I'll do whatever it takes to prove to you that I deserve your forgiveness."

You nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope yourself. Maybe things could work out between you and Jenna, but it wouldn't be easy. "And I need space, Jenna," you said softly. "I need time to process everything and figure out what I want."

Jenna nodded, her eyes still filled with tears. "It's okay, I get it," she said again. "I'll give you all the space you need. But please don't shut me out completely."

You gave her a small smile, feeling a pang of sadness at the thought of not seeing her again. "I won't shut you out completely, Jenna," you said. "But I need to take things one day at a time."

Jenna nodded again, wiping away her tears.

You watched as she turned to leave, her footsteps echoing softly on the hardwood floor. As she reached the door, she turned back to look at you with a sad smile on her face. "I love you," she said softly, before slipping out into the rain and disappearing into the night.

You stood there for a moment, staring after her, unsure of what to do next. The rain continued to pour outside, the drops tapping against the windowpane like a lullaby.

You took a deep breath and let the gravity of the moment wash over you. Jenna had hurt you deeply, but at the same time, you couldn't deny the love you still had for her.

You knew that you needed to take things one day at a time and figure out what you really wanted. Only time will tell if you were willing to take the risk and try to make things work with Jenna again.

lover

pairing: tara carpenter x fem!reader (could be gn!reader too)

summary: you and tara shared enchanted nights under christmas lights, intertwining your hearts in a destined love story. your love became a symphony, echoing through years, forever harmonizing your souls.

warnings: none

word count: 1.4k

a/n: this was based on the song Lover by Taylor Swift. i'm a huge swiftie and this just felt right, it was literally so heartwarming to write this with lover on repeat. also let's pretend i did not just disappear for 6 months! anyway enjoyyy!

The winter winds whispered through the streets of New York City, carrying with them a promise of enchantment. Amid the soft glow of Christmas lights that adorned the city, Tara and you found yourselves entwined in a story that seemed to be written in the stars.

The snowflakes danced around the two of you like tiny white fairies, punctuating the silence of the night with a magical sparkle. Tara's cheeks were rosy, her eyes bright with joy. You smiled at her, and she laughed, the sound echoing through the air as if it were the only thing in the world that mattered.

You reached for her hand, your fingers intertwining as you looked up into the sky, searching for the stars in the night. You both paused, taking in the beauty of the city and the warmth of the moment. Then, you turned to each other and, without a word, stepped forward, deeper into the embrace of the night.

Your hearts connected in those moments, and you both knew that this was something special that would last forever. You were finally in the place you'd been dreaming of - together, in love, and at home. The city was your canvas, and together you created a living masterpiece that you would never forget.

The night was alive with promise, and every step you took together revealed a new layer of excitement. You stopped to admire the holiday decorations that adorned shop windows, and you couldn't help but share secret glances as you laughed at your own stories and memories. A feeling of contentment filled your heart as you held hands and looked into one another's eyes, feeling as if the world was just right this very moment.

You eventually reached an open-air cafe, its tables lit only by the stars in the sky. After ordering drinks, you moved to one of the tables furthest from the city's hustle and bustle.

Comfort feeling your heart knowing that Tara would always save a seat for you, her lover. The sound of laughter around you lingered in the air like soft music, fuelling a shared sense of peace and joy between yourselves.

You began talking about everything - life, love, dreams - until finally there were no more words to be said; just silence that spoke volumes through comfortable silences. The night gradually faded away into morning light without either of you noticing as you stroll through Central Park, time felt irrelevant when it came to your connection.

As dawn arrived, so did an awareness that this night would remain forever etched in both your hearts and minds as something special beyond compare. With one last lingering glance at each other over steaming cups of coffee, Tara smiled softly at you before taking your hand once again and leading both back home.

You stepped through the door of your apartment, a cozy retreat that you had created with Tara. As soon as you crossed the threshold, the outside world melted away and it felt as if nothing else existed but the two of you. This was your kingdom, a safe space filled with laughter and love where no one else could enter.

Here, there were no rules or expectations; just comfort and contentment in each other's presence. In the evenings, you cuddled up on the couch in front of a crackling fire, sipping hot chocolate and talking about your days.

You shared stories and secrets, little moments of joy that had occurred throughout the day — experiences that only you two could understand. As time passed, your conversations slowly transformed into stargazing sessions; mugs in hand, you marvelled at the night sky in amazement.

During wintertime especially, these moments became sacred rituals. The warmth of your connection melted away any chill outside as cuddles replaced blankets and cups of tea replaced mugs of hot chocolate.

As time moved forward so did both your hearts - protecting all the memories made within those walls - so much so that it seemed impossible for anything to break them apart ever again. These were special days that neither one of you would ever forget because here in this little apartment was where two hearts entwined forever made a home.

The apartment began to feel like a canvas for your love, painted with the hues of shared meals, tangled limbs, and whispered secrets. You created your own little world inside those walls, a place where nothing else mattered but the two of you. It was here that your souls connected and intertwined in an indescribable dance.

Time no longer seemed to exist as minutes turned into hours and days fading away into weeks without either one of you noticing. Your connection was more than just physical; it was an intangible bond that neither of you could explain but both knew existed nonetheless.

Even in the midst of friends filling the space with laughter and chatter, your connection remained the heart of it all — unbreakable and unwavering in spite of any outside forces.

As months flew by, so did the moments shared within those four walls, each new experience bringing even deeper understanding and appreciation for one another.

It seemed impossible for anything to ever break apart this bond between you two - not distance or time or anything else this world throws at you - for within these walls, a love had been forged that would remain forever etched in both your hearts and minds as something special beyond compare.

The seasons marched on, leaving footprints in the sands of your relationship. As three summers came and went, your love deepened with every passing day. The passage of time only seemed to enhance the resonance of your emotions, each moment engraving itself into your hearts. In the midst of these fleeting yet timeless moments, you knew that a lifetime would not be enough for either one of you to express the depth of your love for one another.

As autumn arrived bringing it's crisp air and colourful foliage, you decided to make a promise of forever; a promise to stand by each other no matter what life had in store. So on an early Saturday morning in October, with friends and family gathered around you two, right where it all began; you exchanged vows of eternal love and commitment.

In the presence of those who have known and loved you both since the beginning, you stood as a testament to the enduring power of love. The vows you exchanged held the weight of promises to cherish and support one another, no matter what the future held.

As you looked into each other's eyes, you knew that your hearts were forever intertwined; here was a beautiful moment that neither one could put into words - but instead celebrated with tears of joy and elation for this was exactly where they wanted to be for eternity.

Years unfolded like the enchanting notes of a beautiful symphony, delicately weaving together into a melody of love that grew stronger with every passing moment. With each year that passed, your love story blossomed into something even more extraordinary, like a flower opening its petals to the sun's gentle caress.

The warmth and tenderness between you radiated like the soft glow of Christmas lights, illuminating not only the city's streets but also the depths of your souls. And just like those lights that danced through the winter nights until the dawn of January, your love continued to shine brilliantly in every season of your journey.

The memories of your first winter together hold a special place in your hearts, like a treasured memento hidden amongst the pages of a favorite book. The laughter that echoed through your private universe created a symphony of joy that resounded with warmth and comfort. It was a time of shared whispers, stolen glances, and stolen kisses, as the promises exchanged on that momentous day bound your souls together in an unbreakable bond.

These precious memories, like delicate threads, were etched in the tapestry of your love, weaving a story that would be cherished for eternity.

As you reflect upon the chapters of your love story, you realize that your journey together can be likened to a symphony — a beautiful composition that evokes emotions and stirs the deepest parts of your being.

The enchanting melody of your love resonates within your hearts, forever playing in perfect harmony. It is a symphony that is timeless and everlasting, destined to echo throughout the annals of your love story, for it is a melody that will endure. Tara would be your lover, forever and ever.

how you lost the girl - part 2

pairing: jenna ortega x fem!reader

summary: Jenna's unexpected return forces you to reflect on the choices that led to the events of the past.

warnings: this is sad..

word count: 2.2k

a/n: i wasn’t going to make a part two but here we are! i wanted that angst to be resolved but i got carried away again so...

The alarm buzzes, but you don't stir. Your heart aches for her warmth. Your eyes remain closed, mind clouded by dreams of Jenna's soft skin and the sound of her laughter.

Three weeks had passed since the day you last laid eyes on the brown-eyed brunette. Her sudden reappearance in your life reignited old feelings within you, making you question yourself and all of the decisions that led to this moment.

The morning sun streams through the window, casting long shadows across the empty room, it's eerily quiet without Jenna's presence. The air is stale and heavy, clinging to the walls like a shroud that refuses to be shaken off. The sheets are cold where she used to lay, the side of the bed that she had claimed, still holding onto the heat from her body.

The closet door creaks as it opens and closes, revealing the neat row of sweatpants and shirts that once were pressed against Jenna's curves. The room feels cavernous without her. If only she hadn’t showed up, you were doing just fine without her. Why'd she have to just show up at your door after all this time?

You dressed slowly, each movement deliberate and calculated, as if you were walking through water, trying so hard not to think of her. You pour yourself a bowl of cereal, the milk swirling softly as you stir it into the bowl, but there's no joy in the simple act. The spoon clinks against the ceramic as you eat, each bite tasting like ashes in your mouth.

You look out the window, but all you see is the blue sky and the trees with orange leaves - a reminder that winter is approaching, and Jenna isn't there to share it with you. The day drags on as you go about your routine, each task feeling hollow and meaningless.

The weight of Jenna's absence hangs heavy in every corner of your existence. The once vibrant colours that adorned your life have now faded to muted shades as if the world itself mourns her absence. Each passing moment only intensifies the ache within you, the longing for her touch consuming your every thought.

In an attempt to distract yourself from the overwhelming emptiness, you decide to take a walk through the park. The crunch of fallen leaves beneath your feet echoes in the silence, a haunting symphony that mirrors the broken rhythm of your heart. As you wander aimlessly along the winding path, memories of Jenna flood your mind.

You remember how she used to laugh, her melodic voice weaving through the air like magic. Every joke was accompanied by a playful twinkle in her eyes, and the sound of her laughter was enough to make your soul soar. But now, even the echoes of her laughter feel distant and unattainable.

Lost in your reverie, you find yourself standing before the place where you had your first date with Jenna. The wooden slats of the bench have weathered over time, but the memories of that day remain vivid in your mind.

You can still feel the nervous excitement that coursed through your veins as you sat down beside her, unsure of what the future held for the two of you.

A bittersweet smile tugs at the corners of your lips as you take a seat on the bench. You close your eyes, allowing yourself to be transported back to that moment. The scent of freshly cut grass mixed with the subtle fragrance of Jenna's perfume fills your nostrils. The warmth of her hand in yours sends a tingle up your spine, igniting a fire within you that still burns, despite her absence.

"I didn't know what was your favourite fruit," Jenna said, pulling out a big Tupperware with a variety of fruits. "So I just brought a fruit salad." She said with an awkward chuckle, scared of your reaction to her extreme efforts to give you the best first date experience.

Things might’ve gotten a bit out of hand; the picnic at sunset in a secluded area of the national park, the different types of food just in case you had an allergy, small pillows to make sure you were comfortable, fairy lights on the bench behind you and across the blanked she had placed on the grass.

You couldn't help but smile at Jenna's gesture, feeling a surge of warmth filling the void within you. Her thoughtfulness and attention to detail were part of what drew you to her in the first place. As you picked up a piece of fruit from the Tupperware, you marvelled at the explosion of flavours in your mouth - a perfect blend of sweetness and tartness.

"I love it," you replied, your voice filled with sincerity. "You didn't have to go through all this trouble, but I'm glad you did."

Jenna's eyes sparkled with joy as she leaned closer, her lips brushing against your cheek in a gentle kiss. The softness of her touch sent shivers down your spine, reigniting the fire within you that had been dampened by her absence.

As the sun began to set behind the mountains, casting a warm orange glow over the park, you and Jenna sat in comfortable silence. The chatter of birds and rustling of leaves provided a soothing soundtrack to your thoughts.

"I wanted to make this day special," Jenna whispered, her voice laced with vulnerability. And she had succeeded. From the thoughtful picnic to the stunning view of the sunset, everything about this day was perfect.

You turned towards Jenna and took her hand in yours, interlacing your fingers with hers. "It's more than special," you said, sincerity dripping from your words.

Jenna's smile widened as she leaned in for a kiss. But just as your lips were about to meet, a loud noise shattered the peaceful atmosphere. You both pulled away, startled by the sudden disturbance.

"What was that?" you asked, scanning your surroundings for any signs of danger.

"It sounded like fireworks," Jenna said, pointing towards the sky where colourful sparks were now lighting up the darkening sky.

"Fireworks?" you echoed in confusion.

Jenna grinned mischievously. "I may have arranged for a surprise fireworks show," she admitted sheepishly.

Despite yourself, a laugh escaped your lips. "You really went all out for this date."

Jenna shrugged nonchalantly. "I just wanted it to be perfect for you."

As you watched the dazzling display before you, you couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by Jenna's thoughtfulness and love for you. At that moment, surrounded by nature and with Jenna by your side, you realized that this was where you belonged – with her.

The last firework faded into darkness and there was nothing left but the sound of crickets chirping in the distance. You turned back to Jenna and cupped her face in your hands before leaning in for a soft kiss.

"This has been an amazing day," you said as you pulled away. Jenna smiled, her eyes shining with affection. "I'm glad you think so," she replied, her voice filled with warmth. "But I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of something even more incredible."

The words hung in the air, heavy with possibility. You gazed into Jenna's eyes, seeing a future filled with love and adventure. 

The emptiness that had haunted you earlier was now replaced with hope and anticipation.

"I think you're right," you said, your voice steady with conviction. "I'm excited to find out what the future holds for us."

Jenna leaned in closer, her breath mingling with yours as she whispered, "Me too."

In that moment, time seemed to stand still. The world around you faded away as your lips met in a kiss that spoke volumes. It was a kiss filled with promises and dreams, sealing the bond between you and Jenna.

With an exhale, you open your eyes and gaze out at the park. Children laugh and play on the playground, their innocent joy serving as a stark contrast to the heaviness in your heart. You watch as couples walk hand in hand along the path, their love radiating from them like a warm embrace. A pang of longing shoots through you, a reminder of what you once had with Jenna.

It has been months since that perfect first date in the park. Months since Jenna brought light and laughter back into your life. But circumstances beyond your control forced you to part ways, leaving only memories and unspoken promises behind.

As you sit on the weathered bench, the weight of Jenna's absence becomes unbearable once again. The once vibrant colours of the park seem dull and lifeless.

You find yourself wondering if you made the right decision and if letting go of Jenna was truly for the best. The taste of regret lingers in your mouth like bitter medicine, seeping into every crevice of your being. You can't help but question if you will ever find happiness again.

"That is the most stupid Halloween costume I've ever seen!" You said laughing at Jenna's costume as she twirled around in her makeshift ghost attire. She had draped a white sheet over herself, cutting out two eye holes and a crooked mouth that seemed to dance with mischief.

Jenna's laughter mingled with yours, filling the air with joy. "I thought it would be fun to go as a classic ghost, you know, for old times' sake," she said, her voice muffled by the sheet. "Plus, it's easy to put together."

You couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth in your chest as you watched her playfully float around the room. Despite the heaviness in your heart, Jenna had always been able to bring a smile to your face. It was as if her presence alone had the power to chase away the shadows that lingered within you.

As the night grew darker and eerie jack-o-lanterns flickered in the distance, you and Jenna ventured out into the neighbourhood, hand in hand. The air was crisp with a hint of autumn, carrying the scent of fallen leaves and the promise of Halloween mischief. Children ran from house to house, their laughter echoing through the streets as they collected candy in their baskets.

Jenna's excitement was contagious, her eyes sparkling with childlike wonder. She would skip ahead every now and then, her ghostly sheet billowing behind her as she approached each house. You couldn't help but smile at her infectious enthusiasm.

As you walked together, memories flooded your mind - memories of past Halloweens, carving pumpkins and getting lost in corn mazes. Halloween had always been your favourite holiday, and Jenna knew just how to make it even more magical.

You stopped in front of a house decorated with cobwebs and fake spiders, a cauldron of candy sitting on the front porch. Jenna turned to you with a mischievous smile hidden beneath her ghostly disguise. "Trick or treat?" she asked, her voice filled with love.

You chuckled and nudged her playfully. "Come on, Jenna. You're not fooling anyone with that ghost costume." Jenna's eyes widened in mock surprise as she slowly closed the space between you two. "Oh no, my secret identity has been revealed!" she exclaimed, feigning distress but with a loving look on her face.

You couldn't help but be captivated by Jenna's playful spirit. The way she embraced the whimsy and magic of Halloween, reminded you of all the reasons why you fell in love with her in the first place. At that moment, standing under the dim glow of the porch light, you felt an overwhelming surge of nostalgia mixed with a renewed sense of hope.

You reached out, your fingers gently pulling back the sheet that concealed Jenna's face. Her eyes sparkled with mischief and love, and you couldn't resist leaning in to capture her lips in a tender kiss. It was a kiss filled with shared memories and unspoken promises - a reminder that even though time had passed, your connection was still strong.

As you pulled away, Jenna's ghost costume slipping off her shoulders, you were struck by how beautiful she looked in that moment - vulnerable yet radiant. "I think I love you," you whispered, your voice brimming with emotion.

Jenna's eyes widened in surprise, her lips parting slightly as she took in your words. A soft smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and the air between you seemed to crackle with an electric intensity.

"I think I love you too," she murmured, her voice barely audible against the cacophony of laughter and whispers echoing through the night. Her confession hung between you, delicate and shimmering like a spider's web spun with moonlight.

In that instant, all doubt and uncertainty melted away. The weight of regret that had plagued you vanished, replaced by a sense of purpose and determination. You knew deep down that this moment was a turning point.

That was last year, Halloween was just around the corner again and you knew it wouldn't be the same without her. The memories of that magical night with Jenna still haunted your thoughts, and the ache in your heart grew stronger with each passing day.

The thought of Halloween without her by your side was absolutely soul-crushing. You had tried to move on, to fill the void left by Jenna's absence, but no one could compare to her. She was the light in your life, the one who made every moment feel like an adventure.

As the days grew colder and the leaves turned shades of orange and gold, you found yourself wandering through the streets, feeling lost without Jenna's hand in yours. The world seemed to carry on around you, oblivious to the emptiness that consumed your heart.

Tara…Carpenter??

who here…who here is in love with Jenna Ortega or Tara Carpenter?

anyone..??

the shakespeare exhibit - part 8

pairing: tara carpenter x reader

summary: in which you and tara both have things to talk about

warnings: mentions of stabbing, talks of substance abuse and verbal abuse

word count: 2700+

previous part | next part

Finals season was in full swing at Blackmore University, sending its students into poor sleep schedules and even worse diets as they attempted to cram a semester’s worth of information into their brains.

You and Tara, unfortunately, were no exception. For the past week, the two of you had holed yourselves up in either the library or one of your apartments, your noses stuck in your books and your hands fumbling around for an energy drink whenever you needed a pick-me-up.

The only time you had taken a break was to celebrate Tara’s 20th birthday, but even then it was hardly a celebration. You had gathered all of her friends at her apartment, had a small party consisting of drinks and movies, and then went right back to studying, Tara in tow.

Safe to say, the stress levels were at an all-time-high, especially for Tara, who was experiencing her first round of finals in university. You had offered her a few studying tips, since you had already gone through the struggles of freshman-year exams the year prior, before immersing yourself in your own revision.

You were in the midst of reviewing for your Romantic Literature course--the last final that you had for the semester--when your mother called you, leading you to slip out of Tara’s bedroom and into the hallway to speak to her.

Tara sat at her desk, grumbling as she tried to study for her Introduction to Literature course. This is just as stupid as it was when I was studying for the midterm, she thought, eyes scanning her notes about Emily Dickinson. Maybe it’s even more stupid now.

Your voice broke her concentration as you walked back into her room, and she twisted her chair around to face you. “Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll ask her, alright?” You rolled your eyes and pointed at your phone, mouthing, she talks so much. Tara giggled softly, extending her arms for you to stand between, and you sighed as you slid into place, her fingers rubbing over your hips. “Okay. Yup. Yeah, okay. Yeah. Right. Okay, bye, mom.”

“What was that all about?” Tara asked when you hung up, throwing your phone onto her desk. “Did Eddie pull another prank on the Dylan Thomas statue again?”

You chuckled, thinking about the photo that your brother had sent you the week before—he had put a wig, makeup, and a shaving-cream beard on the statue of your grandfather’s late friend. “No, no. The statue garden has gone untouched this week.”

She shook her head, a grin on her face. “I still can’t believe you guys have a statue garden,” she said. But of course her family does. Because why wouldn’t they?

“Well, my dad’s always been big into statues. Like, when he was younger, he--” You cut yourself off. “That’s not important. Anyway, my mom invited us to spend Christmas at the house.” Tara’s eyes lit up, a type of joy that she didn’t know existed rushing through her. Us? she thought. I’ve been invited to family Christmas? “Do you want to go--”

“Yes!” she exclaimed immediately, nodding her head fervently. “Please, yes.” Shit, I’ll need to buy presents. What the hell do you get for kids who could buy anything they’ve ever wanted?

You giggled at her enthusiasm and tilted your head. “Are you sure you and Sam aren’t going back to California for the holidays?” you asked.

Back to California? Back to…Woodsboro? She furrowed her eyebrows, biting her bottom lip. “Why would we go to Cali?”

You squirmed a little where you stood. What’s she so nervous about? she wondered. “I just thought you might want to see your mom?” Your voice pitched on the last word, and Tara tensed, her arms falling to her sides. You frowned and reached out, but she pulled back, swallowing.

“No, there’s--we’re not--no,” she stammered out, her voice short. She shook her head. “I’ll be here.”

You nodded. “Okay.”

Tara wanted the conversation to be over, but your lips were pursed like you still had something you wanted to say. “What?” she asked.

You shook your head. “Nothing!”

She clenched her jaw and narrowed her eyes at you. “No, you look like you have something to say. What?”

“I just…you’ve never spoken about her. Maybe we could--”

That’s because there’s nothing to say.” She’s good for nothing, she thought. “I don’t like to talk about her.” I’d rather read Shakespeare, which is really saying something.

“But--”

“No.” Her voice was stern, clear-cut, and she watched as you deflated a little, your eyes flitting around the room. She sighed, running a hand down her face. “I’m not doing this right now, okay? I’m not talking about her.”

“Tar…” The nickname came out as a coo, soft and careful and meant to be comforting, but it ignited a strange irritation beneath Tara’s skin, and something in her snapped.

“Listen, we can’t all have a perfect-fucking-family, okay?” she shouted, and you flinched, taking a step back, your eyes widening at her sudden outburst. “Just because you have parents who are there and who care doesn’t mean everyone does! I mean, Jesus, my mom didn’t even come to see me last year after--” After Amber stabbed me half-to-death, she finished in her head.

The air was tense, quiet. You stood in front of her, worrying your bottom lip between your teeth, and Tara cursed herself when she noticed that your hands were trembling slightly.

“Baby…” She reached out for you, but her fingers met open air as you shook your head and crossed the room to grab your things from her bed.

“It’s fine. I--I shouldn’t have pushed,” you rushed out, your voice shaking. You threw your notebook and laptop into your backpack hastily before hurrying to the door. Tara stood, desperate to do something to stop you from leaving, but she didn’t get the chance as you said, “I’m sorry.” Of course she’d apologize when I snapped at her. “I’ll see you later, yeah?”

The door shutting behind you pulled all the air from Tara’s lungs, and she fell back into her chair, holding her face in her hands.

“God fucking damnit,” she groaned. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”

* * *

Hours later--during which Tara had sat in her bed and moped--there was a knock on her bedroom door. For a brief second, she thought it was you. But there would be no reason for her to come back after I got mad at her, she reminded herself, and any hope she had disappeared when Sam walked into the room, a frown on her face.

“I thought Y/N was staying for dinner so you two could study through it,” Sam said, bringing Tara’s attention right back to the fact that you had left. She stepped into the room, her arms crossed over her chest, and asked “What happened?” You’re all”--she gestured at Tara--“sad.”

Tara huffed, glaring at her sister. “Nothing,” she grumbled.

Sam scoffed. “Oh, please. You and Y/N have been attached at the hip since the start of finals.” She shook her head. “Scratch that--since you two began dating. So, what happened, Tara?”

Stupid Sam, being a good older sister. Tara sighed and relented. “She asked about mom.”

“Oh.” Sam frowned. “And what did you say?”

“I--” Was a bad girlfriend and got mad at her for no reason, Tara thought, shame seeping into her veins. “I snapped at her. I didn’t mean to. It’s just…mom’s a tough topic, and it’s even harder because Y/N’s family-life is so perfect.” She clenched her jaw and glanced away, ignoring the spark of jealous lighting in her chest. “She’s got two parents who are there, and they have money, and she’s just…” Perfect.

Sam tilted her head, walking over and sitting beside Tara. “You know, it wasn’t easy for me to tell Danny about mom, either. He’s in the same boat as Y/N--well, not the super rich family part, but his parents are together and there.” She shrugged. “It’s hard not to envy that, but she’s your girlfriend, so you’ll need to talk to her about mom at some point. She deserves to know.”

Tara nodded, hanging her head. “I know. I feel horrible for getting upset with her.” She gestured lamely at her phone. “I tried texting and calling her, but…” She pointed across the room, where your phone still sat on her desk. “Obviously that didn’t work.”

Sam hummed. “I’m sure it’ll be fine, Tara. Maybe she just needed a minute.” She rested her hand on Tara’s shoulder. “Plus, she’ll need her phone.”

“What if she comes back and breaks up with me?” Tara asked, looking up at Sam with wide eyes. What if she never speaks to me again? she thought. What if this is it? What if--

“Every couple has arguments, Tara.” Sam smiled softly at her. “She’s not going to break up with you over this. That girl’s head over heels for you, even more than you are for her. It’s gonna be okay, okay?”

Tara bit the inside of her cheek. “Yeah, okay,” she said, not missing the sorrow in her own voice. “Thanks.”

“Of course.” Sam stood, her hands on her hips and her head tilted. “Now, should we get Chinese food or pizza?”

* * *

Sam was right: you did just need a minute.

It was as Tara was getting ready for bed that she heard a knock on the front door. Sam’ll deal with it, she decided as she climbed beneath her sheets, ready to lay in the darkness and wallow for a while. Just as she was reaching over to turn off her bedside lamp, a certain name caught her attention.

“Oh, hi, Y/N!” Sam said loudly from the living room, and Tara knew she had raised her voice so that she would know who was at the door. She sat up immediately. Y/N is here? What? There was some mumbling before Sam’s voice came again. “Yeah, she’s in her room. Go ahead.”

Moments later, there were soft knocks against her bedroom door, and Tara scrambled out of her bed, rushing across the room to open the door for you. There you stood, your lips pulled in a downturned smile and your eyes wide with worry.

“Hey, pretty girl,” you muttered. You were still wearing the same clothes from the day, and your backpack was still hanging off your shoulders. Did she not go home? she wondered, furrowing her eyebrows. You pulled your arm out from behind you, revealing a small bouquet of flowers. “Got you these.”

Tara blinked. She bought me flowers?!  “I--Thanks?” She took them from your outstretched hand. “What are you doing here?”

“I said I’d see you later, didn’t I?” you tried to joke, but your voice was strained, like you were trying to be careful, and Tara felt guilt prick at her knowing that she was the cause. “Could I come in?”

“Oh, yeah. Of course. Always,” she rushed out, moving to her bed to sit. She placed the flowers on her bedside table and watched as you sat in front of her, fingers playing with her blanket. “So, what’s up?” ‘What’s up?’ Really? That’s the best I can do?

You sighed, a shaky breath falling from your lips. “I want to apologize,” you said. “I didn’t mean to push you into talking about your mom earlier. I know she’s a touchy subject.”

Tara frowned. “Why are you apologizing? I’m sorry for shouting at you. I shouldn’t have done that.”

You shook your head, glancing up and finally making eye-contact with her. “No, it’s okay. You didn’t want to talk about her. And, that’s okay.” You shrugged and offered her a comforting smile. “You don’t have to tell me about her…ever, if you don’t want to.”

“I should, though. I mean, we should talk about her.”

“Tara, you really don’t have to--”

“No, I--I want to.” Want’s a strong word, she thought. But I should.

“Okay,” you said, nodding and giving her your full attention. “You have the floor.”

She sighed heavily. “Well, my dad left when I was 8. My mom started working more so that she could afford Sam and I, but it turned more into an obsession for her, I think. Next thing I knew, she was never there. Sam left home when I was 13, and it was just me.” She shrugged, glancing down and fiddling with her fingers. “Then, Sam came back after I was attacked, and my mom wouldn’t talk to her, so we made the choice to cut her off. I haven’t spoken to her since we moved.”

Tara clicked her tongue, looking back up at you. To her surprise, your face wasn’t full of the pity she was used to seeing after telling people about her past; you were watching her carefully, looking close to tears.

“So, that’s that,” she said awkwardly.

You inhaled sharply, blinking your glassy eyes away. “You didn’t deserve any of that, Tar, and I’m sorry that you had to deal with it.” You reached out, your hand cupping her cheek, and she leaned into your touch. “I’m so happy that you’ve found your family.”

Her heart fluttered at your words, her mind flashing to Sam and Mindy and Chad. “Yeah,” she agreed. “I am, too. I really love those guys.” And I’ve found you, too, she thought. You make it all complete.

You grinned, and she practically melted into her mattress. “Good. They’re good--all of them.”

She giggled. “C’mere.” She wrapped her arms around your shoulders and pulled you to lay down with her, your face nuzzled into her neck. She laughed at the feeling of your nose against her skin, and said, “I love you. Like, a lot.”

Your arms wrapped around her waist, and you squeezed lightly. “I love you, like, a lot, too.” You sighed into her. “And I’m sorry for leaving like that earlier. I just…I don’t do well with raised voices.”

Huh? Suddenly, she was on high alert. Why not? What happened? “Any particular reason?”

You twisted in her hold so that you could lay beside her, your gaze trained on the ceiling. She scooted down so that her head was level with yours and looked at you, tracing your side profile with her eyes. So pretty, she thought. Wait, stay on topic, Tara.

You clenched your jaw. “We’ve never talked about it, but, um, my dad…” You closed your eyes. “When I was younger, my dad had a big drinking problem.” Her eyebrows furrowed. Her dad? That man? Really? “He was never physical,” you said, shaking your head lightly. “But he had a temper when he was drunk, and everything I did was always wrong.”

“Oh, Y/N,” she sighed, intertwining her fingers with yours. Your grip was tight, like she would float away if you didn’t hold on.

“He’d yell a lot, at me, at my mom.” Oh, baby. Your thumb rubbed over the skin of her hand. “But he’s good now. He got better after the boys were born--got sober. He hasn’t had a drink since.” You turned your head, looking back at her.

“He’s not, like, obsessed with apples, or anything,” you said. What does that have to do with the conversation? she wondered. “But, he eats them a lot when we have parties. That was his thing--eat an apple when he wanted a drink. It stuck, so we keep the fridge stocked, and any time someone sees him even look in the direction of alcohol, we get him an apple.” You smiled. “He eats them begrudgingly, but he’ll never have an apple out of his own volition now.”

Tara chuckled softly. “I’m happy he’s better now, but I’m sorry you dealt with that. I’m sure it wasn’t easy.”

You shrugged, leaning closer so that your forehead rested against her cheek. “It’s okay now. I’m alright,” you promised. “Just…never buy that man an apple, alright?” you joked, easing the tension in the air.

“Deal,” she agreed, nudging your head up. She leaned in, kissed you, and said, “I guess no family’s perfect after all, huh?” when she pulled away.

“I guess not.” You grinned, leaning up on your elbow to hover over her. “But, maybe ours could be the first.”

Her heart practically stopped, and she couldn’t help the smile that took over her face. Ours? she thought. She felt like she wanted to burst from the amount of joy that came with that thought. Yeah. Ours.

“Okay.” She pushed herself up and kissed you again. “Ours will be the first.”

the shakespeare exhibit - part 9

pairing: tara carpenter x reader

summary: in which it's time to celebrate the holidays

warnings: implied smut

word count: 2900+

author's note: long awaited but finally here

previous part | next part

"Seriously?" Tara asked as she stepped into the living room, a mug of hot chocolate in each hand. Her eyes were trained on the television, which was displaying the Elf title screen in all its fluorescent-glory. "We watch this every Christmas Eve!"

"Exactly!" Chad said, twisting around to grab one of the mugs from her hand. His face was alight with joy, his eyes wide and sparkling. "It's a tradition now!"

Tara glanced at Mindy, who shrugged. "Don't look at me. I wanted to watch Krampus," the girl said.

Chad huffed. "And I told you I'm done with horror movies. We already lived through one." He took a sip from his drink, and his eyebrows raised the moment the hot chocolate touched his tongue. "Tara! This is actually pretty good."

Tara frowned. "'Actually'?"

The boy glanced away sheepishly. "Well, you know, you have the tendency to--"

"Burn things," Sam deadpanned from behind as she exited the kitchen, mugs in her own hands. She handed one to Mindy, who immediately started gulping it down, and then turned to Tara. "The last three times you tried to make anything, our fire alarm went off."

Well maybe we shouldn't have such a sensitive alarm, Tara thought, furrowing her eyebrows. "Whatever," she scoffed, rounding the couch to sit between the twins. She pulled the blanket off Chad and covered herself, ignoring his whines. "Let's just watch Elf."

Mindy reached for the remote, and just as she was about to hit play, there was a knock on the front door. Every tensed slightly--an involuntary reaction none of them seemed to be able to shake--and Sam stood, edging toward the door slowly. She looked out through the peephole, and Tara watched as she sighed with relief, her shoulders relaxing. She undid the locks, opened the door, and Danny popped his head into the living room.

"Am I late?" the man asked as he shuffled inside.

"Perfect timing, man," Chad answered, holding his hand out. Danny dapped him up quickly before settling on the armchair, leaving room for Sam to squeeze beside him. "Okay," Chad started, lifting his legs to put his feet on the coffee table, "Elf time."

Almost as soon as Mindy pressed the play button, there was a thud against the front door. Again, everyone sat up a little straighter. Tara swallowed, her eyes trained on the doorknob as it twisted slightly.

This is it, she thought. Ghostface is going to attack us on Christmas Eve, because why the fuck not?

There was another thud, softer this time, and Danny glanced around the room, resolving to open the door. Everyone's attention was on him as he crept up, looked through the peephole, and then chuckled.

"You've got a present outside, Tara," he said, undoing the locks that Sam had redone and opening the door.

A present? she wondered. It's too late for UPS to be here.

There, in the hallway, beneath the flickering yellow light, stood you, your arms weighed down by bags and a small red spot forming on your forehead. You grinned at the group sitting inside.

"Hi!" you greeted, lifting your hands to show off what you had brought. "I have presents!"

Tara scrambled to stand, hastily placing her hot chocolate on the coffee table, and launched herself into you. You stumbled back a few steps before setting the bags on the floor and wrapping your arms around her waist.

"Hey, pretty girl," you muttered into her hair.

She pulled back, staring up at you with a gleaming smile. "What're you doing here? I thought you were stuck in Zoom calls with overseas family members." She had invited you to the Christmas Eve excursions, but you had declined for the aforementioned reason.

You giggled. "I was, but we ended a bit earlier than normal, so I thought I'd come over." You glanced over the top of your head at the others in the living room. "I hope I'm not intruding."

"The more the merrier, buddy!" Chad exclaimed, holding his hand out as Tara twisted around to stand beside you. You simply stared at him for a moment before taking his hand in your own and shaking it.

Tara couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. Stupid, she thought. Chad seemed to be thinking the same thing as he tilted his head yet accepted the handshake.

As you pulled away from Chad, Tara glanced up at you. "Why did you knock so menacingly?" she asked, and then she looked up a little higher at the red mark on your forehead. "Did you use your head?"

You smiled shyly and nodded. "My hands were too full," you admitted. You perked up, whipping around and grabbing the bags you had left by the door. "That reminds me: I have gifts for you guys."

Tara watched you, sighing dreamily. She's so perfect. She'd be such a good mom. She shook her head. No baby thoughts, Tara. Now's not the time.

"This one's for you, Mindy," you said as you handed the girl one of the paper bags. "This is for you, Chad." He greedily accepted the package you held out to him. "Sam, for you." The bag was small and thin, and Tara didn't have to watch to know that it was another bottle of wine. "Uh, Danny, I didn't know you'd be here."

The man shook his head and waved you off. "Don't worry about it."

"Oh!" You reached for your wallet and drew out a few hundred-dollar bills. Tara's eyes widened. Who the hell carries that much cash on them? she thought, before shrugging and thinking, I guess when your parents have as much money as hers do, it doesn't even matter. You held them out to him. "Here! Merry Christmas!"

He simply stared at you, unblinking, for so long that it started to unnerve Tara. Hesitantly, like you would lean down and bite him if he moved too fast, he reached out and took the money from your hands.

"...Thanks," he said. Sam rolled her eyes and leaned toward him, whispering something in his ear. Tara heard the tail-end of the statement: "....family's rich." Danny nodded his head and smiled. "Yeah, thanks. Merry Christmas, kid."

You grinned happily and then turned back to the twins, waiting for them to open their presents. Mindy glanced at Chad, who shrugged and started ripping into the package you had handed him. He pulled out a pristine, red football jersey that had 'Bosa' on the back. Beneath the numbers was a large scribble.

"Holy shit," Chad said, his eyes practically bulging out of his head as he stared at the jersey. "You got this signed by Bosa?! The Bosa?!"

You nodded, giggling. "Yup. Or, well, my dad got him to sign it, but same thing."

Chad leaned back and sighed happily. "Man, you are such a great addition to his family."

Your smile widened at his words, and Tara thought you might start bouncing up and down as she looked at you, a soft smile on her own face. God, I agree with Chad for once, she thought. It's a fucking Christmas miracle.

"Okay," Mindy began, hesitantly opening her own bag. "I don't think you can top that, but let's see what's in here." With careful hands, she pulled out a framed poster, and her jaw dropped so wide that Tara briefly thought it had broken. "No fucking way! Absolutely no fucking way!" She spun it around so that everyone else could see, and even Tara was shocked to see a Stab poster signed by all of the original cast members.

"It was a little difficult tracking everyone down, but we got there eventually," you said, beaming. "I hope you like it."

"Like it? Y/N, this is the best gift I've ever gotten in my entire life!" Mindy practically shouted. Her face fell quickly. "No one tell Anika that. I promised her that the necklace she bought was the best thing ever."

A chorus of laughter erupted throughout the room, and while everyone was distracted, you turned to Tara. "I have something for you," you said, tilting your head in the direction of her bedroom. "Can we...?"

She caught on quickly, nodding fervently, and grabbed your hand, shouting out a, "Watch the movie without me!" to which Sam responded, "Door open, Tara!" Yeah, right, she thought.

Tara pulled you inside and, much to the muttering complaints of her sister, shut the door behind you. She led you to her bed, where you sat on the edge of it and pulled something from your pocket.

"It's just something small," you started, glancing away shyly, "because your real gift is coming tomorrow, but I just...I wanted to give it to you today." She smiled at your nerves, thinking, She's just too cute. Too fucking cute.

She sat beside you. "Okay," she said. "But, just so you know, I only got you one gift."

You giggled and held the gift out. It was a small envelope, tiny enough to have fit in the pocket of your sweatpants, with your scrawl on the front. Tara furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at it and then took it from your hand. With slow and steady fingers, she opened the envelope, shivers running up her back as she realized what it was.

"It's your museum ticket," you said, watching her carefully, "from the day we met. Or, well, it's a copy of your ticket, since, you know, you have--or, had--the original." You shrugged and bit your lip. "I thought it would be a cute memento, but if it's dumb, you can just--"

She leaned in and shut you up with a soft kiss, trying to put all of the love she felt for you into it. When she pulled away, you were a blushing mess, and your words had died on your tongue.

"How did you get this?" she asked, looking back at the ticket.

You scratched at the back of your neck. "After I realized this was something"--you gestured between the two of you--"I scoured through the computer one day after work looking for your last name. There aren't very many Carpenters, so it wasn't too difficult."

That does it. Official. She's the very best thing that's ever happened to me.

"I love you, you know that?" Tara murmured softly.

You grinned. "Yeah, I do." You kissed her. "And I love you, too."

She grinned at you. "Since my door's shut, let me give you part of your Christmas gift," she said, and you blushed at the implication. She kissed you again and pushed you onto your back, easily hovering over you. "Merry Christmas, baby."

* * *

The sun shining in Tara's eyes woke her up. She turned over groggily, pressing her head into your neck, and you grumbled a little, shifting as you were woken up by her movements. Before even saying a word, you leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Morning, pretty," you said, your voice low and scratchy and filled with sleep. Tara melted at the sound, just like she did every time the two of you had a sleepover.

"Merry Christmas, baby," she offered, and your eyes shot open.

"Holy fuck." You sat up quickly, leaving Tara scrambling and confused as you reached for your phone. "Fuck, Tara!" You slipped out of her bed and immediately started getting dressed, stumbling around her room.

She sat up, the sheet pooling around her waist. "What?"

"We're gonna be late!" You pulled your shirt over your head. "Shit, the boys are gonna be so mad that they have to wait to open their presents."

Tara fell onto her back, groaning. This is gonna be a long day, she thought.

* * *

You bursted through the front door of your house, gifts nearly falling from your arms, and were immediately greeted by your brothers.

"Merry Christmas!" you shouted, and the boys swerved around you and headed straight for Tara.

"Tara! Tara!" Eddie cheered. "What'd you get me?"

"Please tell me you didn't get him any cologne. He's been spraying that stuff like mad recently," Nate said, elbowing his brother.

How did I forget how...energetic...they are? Tara wondered. "I'm not telling you," she said to Eddie, and then turned to Nate and said, "But no, it's not cologne."

Eddie frowned. "Darn."

"Oh, thank goodness!" Nate cheered. "Come. Mom and Dad are waiting by the tree. We've been up for hours waiting for you two."

"Hours and hours and hours," Eddie added, grabbing Tara's wrist and tugging her toward the family room.

Hours and hours and hours, she mocked in her head, and then she felt a little bad for mocking a child.

"Why've you guys been up for so long?" you asked as you followed close behind, the gifts blocking your sight slightly. Tara had offered to take some from you, but you had refused.

"Lia woke up early," Nate started.

"So we all woke up early," Eddie finished.

"Plus, grandpa was making pancakes," Nate said.

"And you know how his pancakes are," Eddie added.

When the four of you finally reached the living room, your parents stood.

"The prodigal daughter returns!" your father exclaimed, just as he had when he saw you at Lia's birthday party.

You set the presents down and rushed forward, pulling both of them into a hug. "Hi, guys!" You pulled back and they stepped up, taking Tara into their arms one by one. Even your grandmother offered Tara a hug. "So, presents?"

"Yes!" Nate shouted.

"Finally!" Eddie cheered.

Needless to say, the process of opening presents was chaotic—so much so that, just for a split second, Tara regretted saying yes to coming. You and the adults were calm, carefully unwrapping your presents and ooh-ing and ahh-ing at each one. The boys, on the other hand, left a trail of little pieces of wrapping paper and gift bags and bows, and Lia ended up spitting up everywhere at one point.

This is it, Tara thought at one point as she watched your family. This is every Christmas for the rest of my life. And when the boys opened their presents from her--an edition of an Emily Dickinson book for Nate and a game of COD for Eddie--and basically tackled her as their thank-you's, she thought, Maybe it's not so bad. Yeah, she decided as they cheered and yelled and started bursting out into random Christmas songs, this isn't so bad.

Finally, after everything had finally finished, and there were just two more presents left to give, the rest of the family excused themselves to make lunch in the kitchen. It was you and Tara sitting by the tree alone, neither of you having exchanged your own gifts yet.

"Do you want to go first?" you asked, shifting where you sat, your eyes flickering around.

She's nervous, Tara realized quickly. Awe, she's nervous!

To try to quell your worries, she nodded. "Sure." She grabbed her gift for you, which was neatly wrapped with a little bow on top. Unfortunately for her, she had Chad to thank for the wrapping, but she'd never admit it as you complimented her on how crisp the paper was.

With careful hands, you unwrapped your present, revealing a small ring box. You furrowed your eyebrows as you opened it, and Tara gulped as she watched your eyes widen and your jaw drop.

"Oh my god," you muttered. "Oh. My. God." You pulled the ring from its box. "It's a signet ring! It's Shakspeare's signet ring! I've been looking for one of these for forever!" You slipped it onto your pinky, and Tara sighed with relief when it fit. You brought your hand closer to your face, inspecting the ring. "It even has the heart loop!"

"So, you like it?" Tara asked.

You looked up, a huge grin pulling at your lips and your eyes sparkling with pure joy. "I don't even have the words to describe how much I love it, Tar. Thank you."

She smiled. "Merry Christmas."

You glanced back down at the ring. "Where did you find this?" you asked.

Oh, shit. Should I be honest? God, I should. Damn it. "Uh, I drove up here a few days ago and your brothers and I went shopping. Nate saw it in that antique shop downtown."

You chuckled. "You asked my brothers to help you?" Your voice was light, teasing, and Tara blushed up to her ears.

"...Yes."

You cooed, reaching out to run your thumb along her cheek. 'That's adorable, baby."

"Shut up," she mumbled. "Your turn."

"Okay. Right. My turn." You picked up the little box left beneath the tree and handed it to Tara, breathing out shakily as you did. "I hope you like it."

She was a lot less gentle than you were, eager to know what you had gifted her. She tore through the wrapping paper and tilted her head as a tiny cardboard box revealed itself. When she opened it, she found a gold necklace inside, an emerald pendant dangling from its chain.

"This is beautiful," she said, looking up at you. "Like, seriously beautiful. I don't even know what to say." She lifted it from the box carefully, letting the pendant dangle in the air.

"It was my great grandmother's," you rushed out, and Tara's eyes shot toward you. "It's passed down to each first born in the family on my mom's side, and we're meant to give it to...to the person we want to spend forever with."

Forever. Tara grinned. I like the sound of that.

"I know it's still early in our relationship," you continued, glancing away, "but I'm confident in this." You looked at her, a soft smile playing on your lips. "I'm confident in you."

She shot forward, wrapping her arms around your neck and engulfing you in the tightest hug she could manage. "I'm confident in this, too," she admitted. She pulled back, holding the necklace out to you. "Help me put it on?"

With ease you clasped it around her neck, and when she turned back around, she swore your eyes were sparkling.

"It looks perfect," you said breathlessly. "It's perfect."

You're perfect, she thought. This is perfect. Everything's perfect.

"Hey," she said, calling your attention. "I love you."

You smiled. "I love you, too, Tara. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Y/N."

the chase

pairing: vada cavell x reader

summary: in which you and vada play a game of cat and mouse

warnings: none

word count: 4100+

author's note: does this make any sense? great question!

The moment Vada slipped into the passenger’s seat of Nick’s car, words were flying out of his mouth faster than she could comprehend, which was saying a lot considering how often she’d find herself rambling about the most random of things.

“Where were you yesterday?” he started as he shifted the car into drive, beginning their short ride to school. “I called you seven times, and you didn’t answer once. It was Sunday, and you do nothing on Sundays! I was beginning to think you were dead until I texted your mom and--”

Vada shook her head. “Wait, slow down. Back up. You text my mom? When did you get her number?”

He waved her off. “Not important. What is important is you telling me what you were doing yesterday.” He rolled past a stop sign, barely even glancing in its direction as he drove past. “I mean, seven calls, V, and you answered not a single one! So, what were you doing?”

She grinned, giggling in her seat at what she was about to reveal. “I had a date!”

Almost immediately, Nick whipped his head to look at her, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. “With who?!” he practically shouted.

Vada reached out, took his chin between her forefinger and thumb, and turned his head back in the direction of the windshield. “Eyes on the road, stupid. I’m not trying to die today.”

His grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Vada, if you don’t tell me who you went on a date with in the next five seconds, I’ll purposely drive us into oncoming traffic.”

“You’re so dramatic,” she teased with a roll of her eyes. He glared at her quickly before focusing on the road again. She bit her lip, trying to quell the excitement raging in her stomach as she said, “It was with Y/N.”

The car skidded to a stop and Vada was jolted forward, her seatbelt pressing tight against her body.

“Dude, what the fuck--” she began, but she was silenced as Nick twisted in his seat, his eyes hard as they set on her and his frown so defined that it made her uncomfortable.

“What,” he deadpanned.

She rubbed at her chest, right where the seat belt had dug into her. “What?” she asked, confused.

“You went on a date with…Y/N? Popular Y/N? Like, most-popular-girl-in-school Y/N?”

Vada tilted her head. “Uh, yeah?”

“Why the fu--” Nick was interrupted by a car honking at him. He threw his arm up in annoyance before starting to drive again, and Vada gulped as he stewed in his seat. “I can’t believe you went on a date with Y/N!”

“Why are you saying it like that?” Vada asked. She shifted, disliking the tension that was starting to fill the air. “You make it sound like a bad thing. I thought you’d be excited! I finally went on my first date with a girl! You’ve been waiting for this moment since the second I came out to you.”

“First of all, I’ve been waiting for this moment since the second I met you, because, baby, the closet is glass.” He took a hard right. The school loomed up ahead. “Secondly, I wanted you to go on a date with basically anyone other than Y/N.”

Vada furrowed her eyebrows. “I’m not that obviously bisexual.” Silence filled the car and she huffed, crossing her arms. “Fine, maybe I am. But why is going out with Y/N such a bad thing? She’s funny and cute and really smart. Basically, she’s perfect.”

“She’s not perfect, V,” Nick said, sitting up a little straighter as he pulled into the parking lot. “Haven’t you ever noticed that she’s got a new girl hanging off of her every month?” Vada’s stomach dropped, a sudden sense of anxiety flooding through her veins. “I mean, she goes through girls like you go through sugar.”

“No she doesn’t,” Vada tried, but her denial fell on deaf ears.

“She’s the biggest player this school has,” Nick said, leaning forward as he tried to pull into his designated parking spot. “She’s probably the biggest player in the damn county. She chases after a girl, stays with her for a few weeks, gets bored, and then does it all over again.” He turned to her as he shifted the gear into park. “Vada, she’s worse than John Tucker.”

“Are you seriously referencing a movie right now?” She scoffed and unbuckled her seatbelt. “She’s not like that.”

“Fine,” Nick conceded. “But when you get hurt, don’t say I didn’t warn you. She’s just in it for the chase.”

Vada clambered out of the car and pulled her backpack onto her shoulder. “And when we live happily ever after,” she started as she and Nick started to walk into the school, “I’ll say ‘I told you so’.”

He glanced at her before looking forward, his eyes widening. “...I’m not so sure about that one, V.”

She frowned and followed Nick’s line of sight, a sharp pain shooting through her at what she saw. You had your back pressed against your locker, trapped there by Stacey from Vada’s history class, who had her hand flat against the metal and was leaning close to you. Stacey was batting her eyelashes and giggling, and you were smiling along.

“Oh,” Vada said, voice quiet and small. She tore her eyes away and blinked hard, looking back up at Nick. “Well, I guess you were right.”

He offered her a pitiful smile. “I’m sorry, V. But, you should be glad you won’t be another girl stuck in her revolving door of girls.”

“Yeah,” she said, voice low and filled with sorrow. “So happy.”

Nick wrapped his arm around her shoulder, leading her toward his own locker. “Don’t be so sad. It’s for the best.”

Vada glanced away. “I just don’t get it. I mean, if she’s in it for the chase, then why is she flirting with another girl? Was I not good enough to chase?” She frowned. “Am I just too boring? Or do I talk too much?” She looked up at Nick. “Nick, be honest with me, do I talk too much? Could that turn someone off?”

“Yes,” he said simply, nodding his head. Vada huffed. He pulled away as the two reached his locker and focused on putting his combination into the lock. “Don’t think too far into it, though. I don’t think you wanna go through the pain of it anyway.” He shrugged and then hit the metal door when it wouldn’t open. “Stupid, old locker.” He glanced at her. “You’d just end up getting your heart broken.”

Vada sighed and leaned against the locker beside Nick’s, her shoulder pressing against the cool metal. “That’s dumb. And unfair. And not very nice.”

Nick’s locker door finally popped open. “Just ignore her from now on, okay?” He glanced at her and started to put his books into his locker. “Don’t talk to her, don’t text her, don’t even think about her. ‘Y/N Y/L/N who?’ That’s how you should be acting.”

She nodded hesitantly. “Okay. I guess I can do that.”

“Good.” He slammed the door shut. “Now let’s go to class.”

* * *

The first few periods rolled by smoothly. Vada had no classes with you until after lunch, and she didn’t even get a glimpse of you in the hallways. While part of her was still disheartened by your act, she also agreed with Nick’s words: it was probably for the best that she didn’t get tangled up with you.

That is, until she asked to use the bathroom during her science class, and upon walking inside, found you standing by the sinks, fixing your hair in the mirror. Almost immediately, your eyes landed on her figure through the reflection and you grinned, showing all your pearly-white teeth, before turning around to face her. Vada’s breath was practically sucked from her lungs as she stared at you.

“Vada! Hey!” you greeted, voice happy and excited.

It made Vada uncomfortable, how easily you were able to put on that mask. Nick’s voice rang in her head: Don’t talk to her. She bounced on the balls of her feet before promptly making the decision to hide in one of the stalls, slipping away from your field of vision without a word.

“Oh…kay…” she heard you say. There was the shuffling of your feet before she could see your shoes beneath the stall door. “Text me, okay? I had fun yesterday.” You turned and Vada listened as your footsteps receded.

When she knew she was finally alone, she let out the breath she had been holding and leaned forward, her forehead bumping against the metal of the stall.

“C’mon, Vada, get it together,” she mumbled. “She’s a player. She doesn’t want anything from you.” She clamped her eyes shut and shook her head. “She doesn’t want you.”

That was the mantra that repeated in her head for the entire day. It was what she heard when she saw you during lunch, waving at her from across the cafeteria. She reminded herself of it when you sat down beside her during English class and tried to make conversation, to which she entirely ignored you--it did hurt her heart a little when she saw your wide eyes and jutted out bottom lip when you realized she wouldn’t talk to you, but she tried to ignore that, too.

It all came to a head at the end of the day, when Vada was trying to pile as many of her books as she possibly could into her backpack. She was almost done when you sidled up beside her, a gleaming smile on your face and your hands tucked sheepishly in the back pockets of your jeans.

“Hey,” you said softly, like Vada was a scared animal that would run away.

She swallowed, half of her so desperately wanting to talk to you and ask why you would ask her out just to play with her, while the other half of her was set in her stubborn way of not speaking a word to you. The latter half won as she shut her locker door and walked away, but she couldn’t shake you.

You followed beside her, looking down at her as you walked. “I don’t know what happened between yesterday and today, or if you’re just having an off day or something, but I really did have fun on our date, and I’d like to take you on another one.”

She glanced up at you, unable to stop the quickening of her pulse. What if you were telling the truth? She shook her head, Nick’s words in her ear: Don’t even think about her.

Vada managed to lose you in the crowd of students all trying to exit the school at once, but she still heard your voice call over the sound of everyone else.

“I’ll text you then!”

Something about your determination made her want to melt right into your arms, but she stood up a little straighter and continued walking. You didn’t actually want her, she reminded herself. You just liked the chase.

* * *

After a night full of text messages from you that Vada never answered, she sauntered into school the next day with Nick by her side, completely set on avoiding you as much as she could. Unfortunately for both her and Nick, it seemed like you wanted to make that impossible.

The minute she passed through the front doors, you were walking beside her, a bouquet of flowers in hand. Vada glanced at them quickly, feeling butterflies stir in her stomach at the sight, but Nick slapped her on the hand, forcing her to keep her stoic face as she picked up the pace and tried to walk away.

“What, do you not like roses?” you asked, just a step behind the pair. You sounded dejected, defeated--some part of Vada felt bad; the other part thought ‘good. she should feel bad’. After a moment of silence from you, she heard the smallest, “Well, okay,” and when she looked over her shoulder, you were gone, the roses sticking out of the top of the nearest trash can. It was a depressing sight to see.

She sighed. “I feel kind of bad, Nick,” she admitted, and the boy shook his head.

“Don’t,” he said firmly. “She deserves to be humbled for once.” He scoffed. “She can’t just have anyone she wants and then throw them away when she gets bored because she’s pretty and popular. And she most certainly can’t do that to you.”

“But, yesterday she said that she had fun on our date and wants to go on another one. What if she was telling the truth? What if she actually likes me?”

Nick shook his head again. “It’s all part of her sick game. She wants you to fall for her, and then she’ll pull the rug right out from under you.” He patted Vada on the shoulder. “Trust me; she’s bad news.”

Vada glanced back over her shoulder again, and this time she found you in the same position as the day before--leaning back against your locker with Stacey standing in front of you, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger.

Your eyes flitted toward her for a split second, wide and forlorn, before they were focusing on Stacey again. You broke out into a grin, throwing your head back as you laughed.

“Right,” Vada grumbled, an ache forming in her chest and radiating throughout the rest of her body. “Bad news.”

* * *

The ‘bad news’ didn’t seem so bad anymore when, in the middle of English class, Vada was tapped on the shoulder by the boy behind her. When she twisted around to see what he wanted, he unceremoniously shoved a folded piece of paper in her direction, a scowl on his face as he waited for her to take it.

With furrowed eyebrows and a frown, Vada grabbed the paper and turned back in her seat, glancing up at her teacher to make sure he wasn’t watching as she unfolded the sheet.

Vada,

Thought I might try the old-fashioned way. Are you free on Friday night? The drive-in is showing The Princess Diaries, and I remember you saying you had a crush on Anne Hathaway. Wanna go together?

Y/N :)

Vada glanced toward the back of the room, where you had found yourself sitting that day, and saw you already looking at her, hope painting your face prettily. She cursed herself internally at the butterflies in her stomach as she looked back at the note you had sent forward. It was cute--she’d give you that--and she was tempted to say yes, but the image of Stacey flirting with you flitted through her mind, and that was enough for her to crumple the paper in her hand.

She didn’t look back at you.

* * *

The rest of the day passed without incident: you didn’t try to speak to her in the halls, and by the time she went to sleep, Vada hadn’t received a single text from you. Just before she drifted off for the night, she briefly thought that you had given up--perhaps you had grown so used to girls falling into your lap that chasing Vada was just too much energy that you didn’t want to use.

She was proven wrong when she woke up to a voicemail from you in the morning. You had called her late at night--the timestamp reading nearly three o’clock--and when Vada played the message aloud, your voice filling her room, shame bloomed in her stomach.

“Hey,” you started, your voice quiet and scratchy. “It’s me. Or, it’s Y/N. I--I don’t know if you’ve deleted my number or something. I just…Look, I know it hasn’t been long since our date, but…” You sighed, and Vada could hear the faintest sound of a sniffle. “The cold shoulder from you doesn’t feel great. I just wanna know where we stand. I had fun on Sunday. Uh, it’s okay if you didn’t. I just wish you would tell me.” You sniffled again. “I guess if you don’t answer this, that’s my answer. Yeah, okay. I’ll see you in school.”

Vada threw herself back into her pillows with a sigh. She ran a hand down her face, groaning. “Fuck,” she mumbled. “Fuck.” You sounded so sincere in the voicemail, but what if that were just another one of your ploys? What if you did this with every girl? What if—

“Bitch, why the fuck are you still in bed?” Nick asked as he burst into Vada’s bedroom.

She groaned again, throwing her legs up and down like a small toddler not getting their way. Her heart was pulling toward you, but her brain was trying to run away from you as fast as possible. She was torn, and she had no idea what to do.

Luckily for her, she was given more time to think than she had expected. You were absent that day, your missing presence a large hole in her day. There was no one to offer her flowers, or to try to pass her notes during class, or to wave at her in the cafeteria. As much as she hated admitting it to herself, she still liked you, and the lack of you carved a deep pit into her stomach.

That night, when there was still no sign of you--no texts or calls or even posts on any social media--she fell asleep with worry itching beneath her veins and guilt pricking at her chest.

The next morning wasn’t any better. Anxiety sat heavy like a rock in Vada’s stomach as she got ready, while Nick sang some random song in the car, when she walked through the parking lot and into school.

Her eyes immediately flitted toward your locker, a mixture of relief and sorrow surging through her at the sight of you standing there, alone, but with your head hung and your eyes trained on your feet. You were in sweatpants and a baggy hoodie. It was all completely unlike you.

“Nick,” she called, getting the boy’s attention. She subtly pointed at you. “Do you think she’s okay?”

He scoffed. “I’m sure her outfit just didn’t look as good in real life as it did in her head. What else does she have to worry about?”

Vada shrugged, her eyes still locked on you. You didn’t look up once.

* * *

It was at night that Vada’s worry had turned into all-out panic. Throughout the school day, you had avoided her like the plague, making sure to never interact with her. At one point, you had locked eyes with her down the hall and then swiftly spun on your heel and walked back in the direction you came from.

That, combined with getting absolutely no notifications from you, led her to a terribly easy decision as she stood from her bed, grabbed a hoodie, and lied to her mom that she was going to Nick’s house. She slipped out the front door, her pace quick as she rushed the few blocks to your house.

When she arrived, it was almost completely dark, save for the fluorescent light coming from your living room, where Vada had found herself just days before after you had taken her out to dinner.

With a hesitant hand, she knocked on your front door. It took only a few seconds before you appeared, looking completely unsurprised to see her.

“Vada,” you said softly, and she was immediately surrounded by the scent of alcohol on your breath. “What’re you doing here?”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “Are you…drunk? On a Thursday night?”

You shrugged. “So what if I am? What’re you doing here?” you repeated.

Pushing aside her concerns about your drinking habits, she asked, “Why did you stop?”

“Stop what?”

“Chasing me,” she said, like you should’ve known.

You forced out a dry laugh, tilting your head to the side. “You know, you’re a confusing girl.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that you completely ignored all of my attempts to talk to you, and now you’re upset that I’ve stopped, even though it seemed like that’s what you wanted.” You narrowed your eyes. “Sounds kind of confusing, don’t you think?”

Vada swallowed, crossing her arms and shaking her head. “That’s not fair.”

“Not fair,” you muttered beneath your breath. “Okay. Sure. I was unfair to you.” You leaned back on your heels, your hand gripping the doorknob. “Now, if that’s all, then I’ll see you at school.”

You started to close the door, but something about your indifference made anger rise in Vada. “I just didn’t want to become a girl in your revolving door of girls!” she shouted.

You stilled, your eyes widening before glazing over. “Right. My revolving door of girls. That’s what everyone says, right?” Your voice was hollow, sad. Vada didn’t understand why.

“They say it because it’s true,” she huffed. Your posture fell and you glanced away, clenching your jaw. “You chase, you get, you grow bored.”

“That’s not true.” You looked at her, and faintly, she could see tears glossing your eyes. “That’s not…true. Those girls chase me; they use me; they leave me.” Your volume grew steadily, a sort of rage backing your words. “But since I’m the one factor that stays the same, everyone blames me. And it’s not--” You sighed. “It’s not true.”

You scoffed. “And you know what, I thought you might be the one person that didn’t believe what everyone else said. You seemed real, authentic, like you didn’t really give a shit about the crowd, Vada. That’s why I liked you, why I was trying. I thought you were your own person. But I was wrong. You’re just like the rest of the school.”

With all of the new information thrown at her, confusion and guilt and shame and hurt burning her, the only thing Vada managed to say was, “Oh.”

You nodded, glancing away. “Yeah. ‘Oh’. So, I’ll see you at school.”

When you shut the door, leaving Vada standing alone on your front porch, realization struck her like a tidal wave, and everything from the past few days came crashing down on her.

You didn’t chase. Or, at least, not until her.

“Shit.”

* * *

Vada (11:42pm): need ur help

Vada (11:42pm): 911

Mia (11:43pm): ???

Vada (11:43pm): help me ask Y/N out

Vada (11:43pm): ur her best friend. pls.

Mia (11:45pm): bro u fucked up big time

Mia (11:45pm): shes forgiving and all but…

Vada (11:45pm): mia pls

Mia (11:49pm): fine.

Mia (11:49pm): only b/c i know how much she likes u

Mia (11:49pm): dont fuck up again

Mia (11:50pm): heres what u should do

* * *

You didn’t show up to school again the next day, but it barely registered in Vada’s mind. She had already known beforehand that you wouldn’t be going--Mia had slipped her some ‘secret intel’ that your hangover had you sleeping the day away. Instead, she spent the hours mentally preparing herself, and as soon as the bell rang to signal the end of the day, she set her plan into motion.

At exactly six o’clock at night, Vada was standing at your front door again, a bouquet of flowers in one hand and her (Mia’s) car keys in the other. She knocked on the wood, waited, and when you pulled the door open, her words immediately pushed themselves out of her mouth.

“The drive-in is showing The Princess Diaries tonight, and I know you don’t like Anne Hathaway as much as I do, but I’d like to take you to see it.” She inhaled deeply and continued. “And I’d also like to apologize because I’ve been shitty to you these past few days, and I shouldn’t have listened to the rumors, and I should’ve just talked to you about it all, and I’m really sorry about everything that happened, and I just”--she gasped, her lungs stinging with lack of air, and kept going--“I really do like you, and I did have fun on our initial date, and I’m sorry. Can I take you to the drive-in?”

You blinked once, twice, before you raised a single brow. “What?”

Vada sighed. “The most important thing from all of that is that I’m sorry. I know I hurt you, and I know that can’t just go away, but I’d like the chance to make it up to you, if you’d let me.” She shoved the flowers in your direction. “Want to go see The Princess Diaries?”

You glanced down at the flowers, your bottom lip pulled between your teeth, and then took them from her. With the smallest and softest smile that made Vada’s knees buckles, you nodded.

“Okay.” Your face fell. “But on one condition.”

She nodded fervently. “Anything.”

You grinned. “Let’s get milkshakes after and talk.”

bonus: “like, how could you not have a huge crush on anne hathaway?” vada asked, her eyes glued to the big screen.

you hummed. “i’ve got my eye on someone else.”

when she looked at you, ready to argue about anne hathaway’s attractiveness, you were already staring at her, smiling.