fic: Break Downs and Build Ups
Kristen knew her. They weren’t friends or anything like that, but they had participated in some polite small talk. Kristen hated small talk, it just wasn’t her thing. Honestly she never would have even opened her mouth if not for Taylor and his silly schoolboy crush. It wasn’t like the few conversations they had shared were deep or life altering. They simply didn’t seem to have a whole lot in common. So she wasn’t exactly upset when Taylor never got anywhere, she might have even been relieved that there would be no more inane short chats about the weather or how the concierge was a bit of a jerk. It did make her wonder though. Taylor was a great catch. Disney’s newest pretty little princess should have jumped at the chance to date one of the stars of the apparent tween bible.
She didn’t need to wonder anymore.
It was completely accidental, eavesdropping on their conversation. By the time the two had entered the dimly lit bathroom, Kristen already locked her stall’s door so it wasn’t her fault. Really it wasn't because she frankly could care less. Although she finds it strange they weren’t more careful, but neither seemed to be thinking all that clearly at the particular moment.
The other girl she does not know outside of that one time she read an article about the Jonas kids. It wasn’t her proudest moment, pouring over a poorly written teen magazine, but she was high and it certainly wasn’t the worst thing she’d ever done after taking a hit. Vaguely she remembered reading that this Demi Lovato chick and Selena Gomez were BFFs or something terribly cheesy like that. A very minuet part of her is kind of jealous at the close bond the two supposedly shared, or at least did. She's not so jealous right now.
The angry softly spoken words lead Kristen to believe this is not a new fight. They both know their parts too well. From what she could gather Lindsay Lohan was not Disney’s only child star involved with a member of the same sex. Shocking stuff except not really because Kristen was beginning to believe half of Hollywood switch-hit. The thing that did throw her was the content of the argument. This Demi apparently had cheated on Selena and the girl was rightfully upset. The girl's excuse however was that they never stated that they were going to be exclusive. Judging by the raw anguish in Selena’s voice, she was not aware of this particular aspect of their relationship.
Kristen waits until she hears the whoosh of a closing door before finally venturing out of her stall. She figured the argument had moved elsewhere, that she was safe. She was wrong.
Standing before the sink, clutching the basin as though it were the only thing holding her up, stood Selena. Her face was pointed downward and obscured by a few stray locks of shiny dark brown hair. Kristen can see the muscles of her back, exposed by a gorgeous gown, ripple with every hitch of her breath as she tried to contain her sobs.
Her innately awkward disposition flares up and the heels they had forced her into make a terrible squeaking sound. The red pair of converse resting in her closet would never have betrayed her in such a manner, of this she is certain.
Selena jerks her head up and spins around, face alight with fear. Kristen thinks it would almost be comical, if not for the fresh coat of tears.
“Hey.”
Selena clears her throat, but it does little to dull the look of panic streaked across her face, “Hi… um I mean, hello.”
Kristen’s brow furrows, confused by the terrified person before her. She didn’t have to be afraid of her. Then again Kristen had just heard a very personal conversation. Selena was probably worried she would rat them out.
“Are you okay?”
She wants to tell Selena that she won’t spill. If anyone knows what it is like to lose what little privacy the modern age allowed it was her and it wasn’t like it was any of her business anyway what Selena did or who she did for that matter. Then again it wasn’t her business if she was okay either. Kristen didn’t even know why she asked. She shouldn’t care. Despite the fact that she shouldn't, she couldn’t just leave the girl alone to cry in the bathroom. She didn't know why.
Selena attempts a grin, but even she seems to recognize how forced and fake it looks and it quickly disappears, “Yea, yes. Sorry. I’m okay. Thank you, for asking.”
Kristen ignores her stuttered attempts to be polite and shrugs, “These things suck.”
Whether she is talking about the party that both of their managers forced them to attend or what had just occurred moments ago, the bitter angry shadow of what was once something so precious, Selena doesn’t know. Either way she finds herself nodding in agreement.
“They do.”
A closed mouth sad smile graces Kristen’s face and Selena tries to mirror it, she fails yet again. The calming presence of the socially awkward girl was making her forget the fight she wasn’t certain could be resolved with anything other than a clean break. Later she would call Taylor who would be all supportive and positive or Jen who’d get mad and indignant on her behalf, but she couldn’t deal with either right now. Not when the ever present undercurrent of ‘I told you so’s’ and pity would be just below the surface. Kristen, well she only offered her not quite smiles and short sincere words because she didn’t know how stupid Selena was. How much she had put up with when everyone else said it wasn’t worth it.
“I’m probably going to duck out soon. I can give you a ride, if you need to leave,” Kristen finds herself asking even though she wasn’t actually planning on leaving for at least another two hours because that’s when Rob and the others were going to head over to his apartment. Something tells her Selena doesn’t want any part of that though so she refrains from asking if she'd like to join.
Selena pauses and Kristen kind of assumes she is going to decline. It’s most likely an uncomfortable situation for her, being spotted with a pot smoking dead beat was something Disney probably trained her to avoid. She is surprised when Selena nods and brushes a few errant tears off her pale cheeks.
“Okay… If you don’t mind? I mean, you don’t have to, if you were just offering to be nice.”
“I don’t mind.”
Kristen feels a genuine smile coming on and doesn’t feel any need whatsoever to try and tamp it down for the first time in a very long time. Her hand reaches out on it’s own accord and brushes back a few loose strands behind the girl’s ear. She doesn’t know why she is offering, doesn’t know why she cares, but something flutters in her chest when Selena finally cracks a small smile and she figures it doesn’t matter why she is offering or why she cares.
She didn’t need to wonder anymore.
It was completely accidental, eavesdropping on their conversation. By the time the two had entered the dimly lit bathroom, Kristen already locked her stall’s door so it wasn’t her fault. Really it wasn't because she frankly could care less. Although she finds it strange they weren’t more careful, but neither seemed to be thinking all that clearly at the particular moment.
The other girl she does not know outside of that one time she read an article about the Jonas kids. It wasn’t her proudest moment, pouring over a poorly written teen magazine, but she was high and it certainly wasn’t the worst thing she’d ever done after taking a hit. Vaguely she remembered reading that this Demi Lovato chick and Selena Gomez were BFFs or something terribly cheesy like that. A very minuet part of her is kind of jealous at the close bond the two supposedly shared, or at least did. She's not so jealous right now.
The angry softly spoken words lead Kristen to believe this is not a new fight. They both know their parts too well. From what she could gather Lindsay Lohan was not Disney’s only child star involved with a member of the same sex. Shocking stuff except not really because Kristen was beginning to believe half of Hollywood switch-hit. The thing that did throw her was the content of the argument. This Demi apparently had cheated on Selena and the girl was rightfully upset. The girl's excuse however was that they never stated that they were going to be exclusive. Judging by the raw anguish in Selena’s voice, she was not aware of this particular aspect of their relationship.
Kristen waits until she hears the whoosh of a closing door before finally venturing out of her stall. She figured the argument had moved elsewhere, that she was safe. She was wrong.
Standing before the sink, clutching the basin as though it were the only thing holding her up, stood Selena. Her face was pointed downward and obscured by a few stray locks of shiny dark brown hair. Kristen can see the muscles of her back, exposed by a gorgeous gown, ripple with every hitch of her breath as she tried to contain her sobs.
Her innately awkward disposition flares up and the heels they had forced her into make a terrible squeaking sound. The red pair of converse resting in her closet would never have betrayed her in such a manner, of this she is certain.
Selena jerks her head up and spins around, face alight with fear. Kristen thinks it would almost be comical, if not for the fresh coat of tears.
“Hey.”
Selena clears her throat, but it does little to dull the look of panic streaked across her face, “Hi… um I mean, hello.”
Kristen’s brow furrows, confused by the terrified person before her. She didn’t have to be afraid of her. Then again Kristen had just heard a very personal conversation. Selena was probably worried she would rat them out.
“Are you okay?”
She wants to tell Selena that she won’t spill. If anyone knows what it is like to lose what little privacy the modern age allowed it was her and it wasn’t like it was any of her business anyway what Selena did or who she did for that matter. Then again it wasn’t her business if she was okay either. Kristen didn’t even know why she asked. She shouldn’t care. Despite the fact that she shouldn't, she couldn’t just leave the girl alone to cry in the bathroom. She didn't know why.
Selena attempts a grin, but even she seems to recognize how forced and fake it looks and it quickly disappears, “Yea, yes. Sorry. I’m okay. Thank you, for asking.”
Kristen ignores her stuttered attempts to be polite and shrugs, “These things suck.”
Whether she is talking about the party that both of their managers forced them to attend or what had just occurred moments ago, the bitter angry shadow of what was once something so precious, Selena doesn’t know. Either way she finds herself nodding in agreement.
“They do.”
A closed mouth sad smile graces Kristen’s face and Selena tries to mirror it, she fails yet again. The calming presence of the socially awkward girl was making her forget the fight she wasn’t certain could be resolved with anything other than a clean break. Later she would call Taylor who would be all supportive and positive or Jen who’d get mad and indignant on her behalf, but she couldn’t deal with either right now. Not when the ever present undercurrent of ‘I told you so’s’ and pity would be just below the surface. Kristen, well she only offered her not quite smiles and short sincere words because she didn’t know how stupid Selena was. How much she had put up with when everyone else said it wasn’t worth it.
“I’m probably going to duck out soon. I can give you a ride, if you need to leave,” Kristen finds herself asking even though she wasn’t actually planning on leaving for at least another two hours because that’s when Rob and the others were going to head over to his apartment. Something tells her Selena doesn’t want any part of that though so she refrains from asking if she'd like to join.
Selena pauses and Kristen kind of assumes she is going to decline. It’s most likely an uncomfortable situation for her, being spotted with a pot smoking dead beat was something Disney probably trained her to avoid. She is surprised when Selena nods and brushes a few errant tears off her pale cheeks.
“Okay… If you don’t mind? I mean, you don’t have to, if you were just offering to be nice.”
“I don’t mind.”
Kristen feels a genuine smile coming on and doesn’t feel any need whatsoever to try and tamp it down for the first time in a very long time. Her hand reaches out on it’s own accord and brushes back a few loose strands behind the girl’s ear. She doesn’t know why she is offering, doesn’t know why she cares, but something flutters in her chest when Selena finally cracks a small smile and she figures it doesn’t matter why she is offering or why she cares.