Veronica felt a flutter of so,etching warm in her chest when Elaine grabbed her hand and they walked together out of the overly packed halls of the school. She managed to keep her head held high the entire way out, mostly thanks to her friend by her side.
They walked together across the field, Elaine keeping hold of Veronica’s hand the whole way. “How are you feeling? Don’t say ‘fine’ or ‘just tired’,” she asked, chewing on her lip and giving her friend a worried once-over.
“I’m-“ Veronica found that she couldn’t use her typical answers this time, “I’m stressed. Really stressed.” She said quietly, “It was just… a rough day…” Veronica’s face contorted for a second as she tried to hold in all of her emotions. I’m such an easy crier lately, just please not today, please not now…
Elaine slipped an arm around Veronica’s side and hugged her close. “I’m really sorry,” she responded quietly, words saturated with worry, “Dp you want to talk? Is there anything I can do?”
I’m just depressed and sad all the time and even minor amounts of stress are enough to break me and I’m confused about my sexuality becuase I secretly kinda like you, don’t mind me. The words were so true, Veronica, if only for a second, wanted to say them. But she wisely decided against it, rather stopping her walk and turning to press her face on Elaine’s shoulder -something a friend would do, right?- to take a deep breath. “I- I’m sorry I’m a mess, you should’ve partnered with Griffin for the english essay, I’m not- I’m not- I’m not cut out for it.” She felt her eyes threaten to burst with tears, but she blinked furiously to get rid of them as she kept her face pressed into Elaine’s shoulder.
Elaine immediately pulled Veronica off the field and onto the sidewalk, out of sight from the school. “Stop— stop saying things about yourself. Veronica I couldn’t care less how much of a mess you are or aren’t, you’re my best friend. You are cut out for this, you are amazing and everything you touch turns to gold and I need you to promise me you will never hurt ypurself.”
Veronica just didn’t know how to deal with everything anymore. All the school stress and depression eating away at her, she didn’t even know how to tell anyone what hurt. Except for Elaine, because here she was crying on her friend’s shoulder. “O-O-Okay,” She barely got out, trying to hold in the sobs that wanted to come. Everything felt like it was weighing on her chest and the weight was suffocating her.
“It’s okay to cry…” Elaine murmured into Veronica’s hair, rocking her gently back and forth. She swallowed a hard lump of sympathy that was in the process of lodging in her throat. “I am so, so sorry,” she kept saying over and over again, rubbing soothing circles into Veronica’s back.
“It’s- It’s not your fault,” Veronica mumbled quietly through her sobs that finally surfaced. She focused on Elaine, trying to disappear from the world around them, and slowly -so darn slowly- the sobs transformed into small sniffles and quiet tears.
Elaine squeezed her tighter. “There we go— it’s going to be okay—“ She listened to her friend’s crying calm down, holding her. “I think— I think it might be a good idea for you to stay over tonight…” You could tell from the look in her eyes how worried she was from her friend, how determined she was to help.
“I- I’d like that a lot…” She mumbled, sniffling a little as the last of her sporadic tears finally dried to a halt. Veronica wanted to stay with Elaine, because she didn’t think she’d be able to get through the night without crying again if she was alone. She got out her phone and sent a quick text to her mother, still leaning on her friend for support.
Elaine kept one arm wrapped around Veronica's side, protectively hugging her closer. "I'm always here, if you want to talk…." she told her friend quietly. "And if you want to take a break from working at any time today just tell me."
“Al-Alright…” Veronica responded, barely more than a whisper, starting back up on their walk home. She felt safe with Elaine right next to her, she didn’t feel alone anymore. I love her….. as a friend. Yeah, just as a friend…
(me everyday lol)
Elaine, afraid she was overstepping some boundary, removed her hand from around Veronica, instead settling to lay it on the crook of her arm. The walk home seemed shorter than usual, and when Elaine finished fumbling around with her key she was relieved to have her "I'm home!" be met with silence. "My parents aren't home yet, she told Veronica, slipping off her shoes.
(Yas tho lol)
Veronica felt a tiny relief that there wouldn’t be any overbearing adults in the house, that she wouldn’t have to fake a smile for anyone. She slipped off her shoes as well, trying to ignore the fact that all she wanted to do was go snuggle under a fluff lay warm blanket. But as friends… or… do I like Elaine? No, we’re probably just friends… I’m just confusing my emotions up today… She slid her backpack off her shoulders, setting it down just for a second and letting herself take a moment to breathe and not go directly to homework.
(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?”
