(lol)
"Just bring your backpack downstairs, we've got blankets and stuff, I'll make you some tea. What kind do you want?" Elaine slid her bag off her shoulders, thankful that her parents probably wouldn't be home for another hour or so. She'd just have to deal with their anger at inviting someone over without asking first once she got back from school the next day. It doesn't matter anymore, Veronica matters more.
“Do you have caramel chai, by chance?” Veronica asked with a tiny smile, lifting her backpack off the ground to take it downstairs. A few minutes sipping some tea and cuddling under a fluffy blanket wouldn’t hurt, right?
(meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee)
"Of course." Elaine smiled. "Make yourself at home." She slipped into the kitchen, falling into the routine task of preparing tea. Allowing her shoulders to completely relax, she hummed quietly to herself.
Veronica dropped off her pack, then immediately found a blanket and curled up in it’s warmth on the nearest couch, closing her eyes as she waited for the tea. I should be doing homework… but… Veronica didn’t want to cry again, she just wanted to ignore the world for a little bit after today. Ignore everything except Elaine, of course.
Elaine poured the tea into two mugs, carrying them both carefully down the stairs. "Hi," she greeted Veronica softly, holding out a mug for her. Sitting down next to her friend, Elaine tugged on the blanket until it covered the bottom half of her body, much closer to the other girl than necessary.
Veronica took the cup gratefully, scooting even closer to Elaine than she should have and taking a hearty gulp. It tasted heavenly, making the corners of Veronica’s mouth curl upwards, “It’s really good…” She leaned her head on Elaine’s shoulder, way too close to be just friends- but they were just friends.
"It was easy to make…" Elaine trailed off, heart skipping a beat. Slowly, carefully, she rested her head lightly on top of Veronica's. "Feeling any better?" Stopstopstop you're being stupid stopstopstop she's going to hate you–
“Yeah,” Veronica replied quietly, “It just… built up, I guess. I— I needed to cry about it, I think.” Because being able to get it out, being able to have her friend -or more than that?- to support her. Veronica took another sip of her tea, infinitely happy that she had Elaine with her.
"I'm really sorry," Elaine whispered back, slipping an arm around her friend– she was nothing more than that, right? "I hope it gets better for you soon– is there anything I can do?"
“Will you… will you always be here?” Veronica’s voice turned to a barely-more-than-silent whisper. She just needed someone- someone to be there for her no matter what. A friend or something more than that, she just needed Elaine to get through this.
“Alwaysalwaysalways,” Elaine promised, squeezing her friend tightly and sipping her tea. “No matter what it is you need. Always.”
Veronica finished off her tea, setting down her empty cup before wrapping her arms around Elaine’s waist- something any friend would do, right? “Thank you, Elaine…” A thought in the back of her mind told her that this was wrong, that she was straight, that she should at least make sure Elaine was okay with cuddling, but her mouth didn’t move to break the moment and her arms stayed wrapped around her friend.
Heat rushed to Elaine’s cheeks, but she definitely did not want to pull away. Almost of its own accord, her hand began rubbing soothing circles in Veronica’s arm. “There’s no need to thank me, I’m just doing my job as a friend…”
Veronica pulled the blanket over them more, smiling even more at the moment. She just felt so safe with Elaine like this, she felt the opposite of alone with her. And she was so warm too… “I-“ I love this… Veronica clamped the words down before they could be spoken aloud, instead panicking and saying, “I should get started on my homework…” She forced herself to sit up correctly, despite how much she wanted to stay cuddled like that forever.
Elaine’s heart plummeted. You see?? She’s going to hate you now. This is all your fault.
“Yeah,” she replied quietly, quickly adding an upbeat agreement. “Same here. Want to start with the essay?”
“That’d probably be best to get over with first,” Veronica responded, smiling a little bit even though she regretted that she had pulled away. She pulled out her school issued ipad and got ready to start typing.
(Want to timeskip to when they finish working?)
(Yeah sure)
Elaine sighed a little, setting down the iPad. “I think we’re done for today.” She wanted so badly to lean against Veronica’s side, but she didn’t dare. Luckily for her, that’s when she heard the faint sound of a key turning in the lock. The door swung open, and heels clacked sharply on the floor. “Elaine?”
“Hi mum!” Elaine called back, feigning convincing enthusiasm. “Veronica’s here, she’s staying the night if that’s okay.” Her heart pounded as she awaited an answer.
Veronica looked towards the direction of the new voice, chewing her lip. She was mentally exhausted and desperately wanted to cuddle up with Elaine again. But she faked a smile for Elaine’s mother, ever the robot slaving away for school and society.
The sound of high heels slowly descended the stairs, and Elaine’s mother appeared. She was a severe, strict woman of Indian descent, with dark skin and straight black hair to match her daughter’s. Her eyes were deep brown and perpetually narrowed, her back was always perfectly straight.
“Hello, Veronica,” she greeted, though her tone seemed to be stern. She turned towards Elaine, and her eyes seemed to harden slightly as her smile softened. “That’s fine, dear, I’ll be upstairs working if you need anything.”
And that was all. She simply turned and left for her office.
Veronica watched the woman go, keeping up the smile until she disappeared from view entirely before she murmured quietly enough for only Elaine to hear, “She seemed…” Mean. Although Veronica couldn’t outright say that to Elaine, so instead she said, “She seemed like she had a bad day.”
Elaine's shoulders sagged. Normally, when she'd had friends over, she'd timed it so that they left before her parents came home, or even better, had elected to go out to some coffee shop instead. But it had been unavoidable today. All of her friends thought her parents were just strict and valued academics, and Elaine had preferred to keep it that way. It's too late for that now..
"Sorry about her.." Her voice was oddly quiet. "She's……… distant."
Veronica scooted closer and wrapped her arms around Elaine and sighed. She didn’t know the whole story, but Elaine has been there for her all night so Veronica wanted to provide some kinda of comfort. “Do you… Do you want to talk about it?”
Elaine bit her lip. "You have bigger problems then my parents," she told Veronica softly, secretly wanting to snuggle further into the other girl's embrace. No–stop it–nonononononostop. She did not move away, couldn't make herself. I do want to talk about it.. but that would be selfish of me. You matter more.
“That doesn’t matter… Do you want to talk about it?” Veronica repeated softly, drawing circles on Elaine’s back comfortingly. She’s just so strong… I don’t know how she can bear it all… Veronica wanted to repay Elaine in some way, even if it was small, for everytime she comforted Veronica.
Elaine almost shivered under Veronica's touch. Stop it. Stopstopstopyoustupidgirlstopitnow. The voice inside her head turned into that of her mother's. After a pause, she caved in. "Yeah. I'm sorry." She knew she was being a horrible, selfish, weak person, and hated herself for it.