And a Happy New Year.
"Get out! Just fucking get out!"
There's a loud slam of a door and Gale is almost knocked over by the flurry of skirts and giggles, the crisp, dry-cleaned-within-an-inch-of-its-life smell of uniforms mixing with nauseatingly sweet perfume. Great, they’ve been up to something, probably picking on someone, if the raucous laughter didn’t give it away. It’s only October, too. Briefly, she wonders if Charlie is involved before realizing the shout had sounded rather familiar. The brightly coloured door of the locker room is heavy and she pauses before completely opening it, expecting to see chaos and destruction. When nothing but blank, checkered tile can be seen through the crack between door and doorframe, she carefully wanders further inwards.
There's nothing of particular note, only a couple of belongings that hadn't made it to the lost-and-found box scattered to and fro on the ground. Maybe she'd misheard? "Charles?"
Scarlett Pfeffer is quick to voice her discontent before sticking her head around the lockers, placating when she sees who it is. She's pretty as always, even if her hair is that slight bit out of place and her eyes are just a tiny bit redder then they're supposed to be, hardly noticeable. If Gale hadn't heard the commotion before, she may have missed the signs completely. Signs indicating something was wrong after all. "Hello, Tiger."
'Tiger' is her nickname for Gale, just as Charlie is Gale's name for Scarlett. It had all started during an unplanned outing to boardwalk, maybe a week after they had first met and decided that, regardless of their circle of friends, they shared a lot in common. Among laughter, ice cream and playful banter those nicknames were thought up and decided upon. Not that Gale quite knew where they came from?
"Why Tiger? I don't think I look or act like one. It's not even my sign."
"No reason. Just... 'cause."
"Hey. Is everything alright?" Charlie huffed and unlaced one of her sneakers, pulling it off sharply.
"Yeah, it's all damn well annoying, that's what. They're just jealous. Pisses me off."
It is rather difficult to piss Charlie off, as far as Gale can tell. Certainly not with words, the girl had a razor tongue. "Jealous of what?" She sank onto the bench near the other. Since Scarlett wasn't making eye contact, especially because of that, the problem must be deeper still.
"Everything. My looks, my strength, my smarts, my bra size." A growl and the next sneaker is thrown at the lockers opposite, not violently but enough to make some noise. "And they can’t even be civil about it. Whatever, just, never mind."
Gale nods, not really convinced, as Scarlett puts on her spare shoes, shouldering her bag, still in her uniform. "Aren’t you going to-"
An angry shake of blond curls and Gale quietens again. Guess not. "What are you doing here after class, anyway?" Charles’ tone seems to have calmed a little bit but she’s still not making much eye contact, preferring to inspect the colorful posters on the walls as they pass.
"JSA is today, remember?"
"Oh, right, you said…" With a soft sigh it is almost like Charlie wishes away all of the tension. "How was it today?"
A smile and everything seems to be right in the world again. Somehow, Gale doesn’t press the topic again, but she still worries.
……….
"Charlie? Scarlett?" They were supposed to meet at the front door, but it’s at least a half hour past when practice should be over. Gale had seen most of the girls on the squad walk out already, disappearing on the late bus. And the buses are long since gone. They’ll need to wait for Gale’s mom, now, and she will only be here in an hour, now that there’s traffic.
The school is quiet, oddly so. Of course, it’s after hours, but Gale’s never been here after after hours. It’s February outside, chilly and rapidly getting dark, casting the fluorescent lights in stark contrast. Everything seems too colourful, even the paint on the walls is too bright. She pushes the locker room door in with an effort, feeling a bit of déjà vu. Except, this time, the floor is littered in shredded paper and fabric. And not just in corners, swept to the side by feet, but everywhere. "Scarlett!" The only answer is the soft pitter pattering of dripping water, an open water bottle spilling over one of the benches and a running shower somewhere in the distance. A beat and then a mournful "Go away…" This doesn’t look good.
It doesn’t sound like she’s hurt, not physically at least, so Gale carefully steps around the debris, looking around. The whole place is a mess. Textbooks, papers and pieces of clothing everywhere, and Gale nervously fishes out her phone, taking pictures before sticking both her long heavy coat and bag in the nearest empty locker. Charlie is nowhere to be seen, but there are clearly her things. Scraps of handwriting and one of the blonde’s favorite pens under the benches only prove it. Finding Scarlett’s bag, Gale gingerly collects everything that looks like it can still be salvaged, even if it can’t, like some of the clothes, organizing and folding it to the best of her ability. The rest of it goes in the garbage and within minutes, the locker room looks innocently clean.
The shower finally turns off and Gale calls out again, but gets no answer. "Well, I’m coming in…" There’s a bit more mess in the sinks but no one around, the one shower curtain drawn in resolute silence. A soft sigh and Gale washes the shampoo and nail polish down the drain, throwing their containers in the garbage. The torn scraps of paper here, oddly enough, have Gale’s handwriting on them, carefully arranged on the wet counter as if the piece of paper was whole. As far as Gale can remember, it was just a note with the day’s homework, once, when Scarlett had been sick. Nothing important, so she decorated it with silly doodles, figuring Charlie would get rid of it when she was done. "Charles, come out, please."
The "No," sounds so choked and sad that Gale pulls back the curtain herself, finding her friend dripping wet, shivering, skin red from what had probably been scalding hot water, contrasting with the stark white of her soaked through underwear. And the miserable lump crosses her arms and backs into the corner of the stall, bare feet slipping on the floor, looking both stubborn and helpless. "Go away…"
As soon as Gale turns, however, not to leave, no, just to get a towel, and warm, wet arms are around her middle. "N-No, I lied, I’m sorry! Please don’t leave me," the end of the phrase sounds more like a strangled sob than anything coherent.
"You could have told me, you know," she addresses the comment more to the wall than the girl behind her, wrapping her fingers around thin, pale wrists before turning around. "Let’s get you cleaned up, hmm?" She manages to coax Scarlett out of the showers, walking almost glued to her side, persuading Charlie out of soaking underwear and wrapping her in the tattered towel before sitting her down. The shivering has stopped but Scarlett doesn’t look any less like a drowned rat, hair matted and a shade darker than Gale is used to. Of course, that would make her quite the stunning drowned rat and the point is now moot. Miserable but still beautiful. It was the first time she’d even seen the girl without makeup on, and she might even like this one better. "What is that note I wrote you doing on the counter?"
She wasn’t really expecting the topic of conversation to be very triggering yet Charlie turns pale, then flushes before tearing up again. "I uh, kept it, that’s all. I just, uhm, it’s nothing. Never mind."
"You told me ‘never mind’ last time and look what happened."
"I…" Scarlett scoots away a little, hiding her eyes under the fan of pale lashes. "I kept it because I tend to keep everything. And they found it and took it and I got angry and things… got out of control. They supposed I liked you and used that as a weak point. I mean, they weren’t quite wrong-"
"That it was a weak point?"
"That I like you, you idiot!" A huff and Charlie moves still further down the bench, hunching her shoulders, hiding.
It’s a bit of a dumbfounding revelation so all Gale can do is suppress a shaky giggle and ask, "Did you tell them that?"
"No! Tig-Gale!"
"You didn't tell me that, either. Really, Charlie, I'm your friend," well... "You need to tell me these things or I won't know how to help."
"And how would you be able to help? I can handle this on my own." The little bit of resistance seems to be just desperation, now, trying to get away from the topic Gale was dying to discuss. The girl is blushing from head to toe, it's obvious.
"I could... Support you." Leaning over the distance to see Scarlett jump when she she places her hand on the bare shoulder. Faced with a wide, uncertain gaze, she almost feels bad for teasing.
"You... Aren't mad?" She shakes her head no. "Angry?" Still, it's a no. "Deceived? Disgusted?"
"Flattered, a bit. Charmed. Happy."
"So you're not opposed then?"
"Opposed to what?" Once again, she really would feel bad but it was so novel to see uncertainty and hesitance in green eyes.
"Gale!" A whine in protest and Charlie is standing now with a childish stamp of her feet on cold tile, fingers clinging desperately to the hem of her towel. Which is reminder enough and now Gale is embarrassed.
"Maybe this isn't the best time to talk about it, actually." Of course, now that she's clearly uncomfortable and the reason is obvious, Scarlett is in her own element.
"Oh, but, Tiger~" Scarlett is never opposed to using her body as leverage, not even when all it's covered with is a ragged towel. Especially not then actually. "If I promise to tell you everything, will you do the same thing for me?" Or, in fact, hover extremely close, close enough so that damp hair was brushing against Gale's cheek.
"Of course." It is ridiculously hard to keep composure. So Gale doesn't and presses her lips against the other's.
As first kisses go, it's fairly memorable. Considering Gale doesn't really know what she's getting herself into and then Charlie resorts to tongues and they're in an empty locker room way past hours and then there's a cell phone ringing noisily in between them, it ranks rather high as far as first experiences go.
......
The fact that Scarlett's wearing Gale's coat and the nothing else is a little bit hard to explain when they are both breathless and from red ear to ear.
.......
"They were bullying you because you like girls, weren't they?"
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Well then? Enlighten me."
"Jealousy. Any sort of homophobia is completely on the way side. You don't see the GSA attacked, do you? They just use any weakness they can find."
"That's an awfully logical thought from someone who was victimized."
"Me? A victim? In someone else's eyes, maybe, but I'd never let it get to me."
"So you wouldn't mind officially dating me?"
"If you want, you can tell our parents. The whole school does not have to know."
.......
The next day, Scarlett was wearing an odd dress of an assortment of patchwork, some of it obviously bits and pieces of a cheer uniform. Statement aside, it somehow managed to look tasteful and amazing and all the boys were after her again while all Gale could do was laugh. Always the confident one.
.......
No one is particularly amazed when, in the middle of the actual prom (one that Gale had only resisted going to for so long until Scarlett wore her down), Charlie has to get up on stage and stand next to some lanky, tan guy with white hair to be declared Prom King and Queen. To be fair the kid is a bit bewildered as well and it is actually amusing to watch them reluctantly dance through a slow song, spot light on them and everything. Zeph, Gale recalls his name. He and Charlie talked, but sparingly. It's funny, of course, but she feels a twinge of regret that she can't be up there with her. Boy got lucky.
Of course, all that ceases to be at the center of her attention when she is dragged onto the dance floor by some short blond. Really short. Most of the boys were her height at least, this one was missing a few inches some place. That slow song is still playing somehow and Gale is too lost to do anything but try not to step on the kid's feet.
"So, how's your day been so far?" the question is posed as if they're characters in some sit com who just met over the coffee machine.
"Good," she comes up with. "But why are-"
She's shooshed before she can finish the question and the blond kid rolls his eyes. "Consider it doing me a favour to make this evening even more complicated for him." A jerk of his head toward the two still in the spotlight.
"Why-?"
"Boyfriend."
"Ah, well." That's an interesting coincidence. "Girlfriend, then." She nods her head in the same direction.
"Oh. Well, that's useful."
"What, you're actually trying to make him jealous?" The grin she receives leaves little room for doubt. "Well what if I'm not?"
"Then you're a bit late." Sure enough, Charlie comes, well, not quite plowing through the crowd of dancers, but close enough, obviously in full out pout mode.
"Seivers, I will clobber you, right now, if you don't get your hands off of her." Even if she is shouting, so is everyone to be somewhat heard over the music so it's not even causing as much a scene as she would like.
"With what? Those? Shouldn't you be saving them for your precious girlfriend?" And so on goes the sparring match while Gale and the tardy Zeph just watch.
"So I'm guessing this was some sort of stint to make me jealous?" he wonders aloud and Gale just sighs and nods.
"The arrow missed it's mark, it seems."
"Oh, no, it didn't. There's just no way I can compete with that barrage. It seems Kogi's found his match."
"And so has she. Care to hit the buffet while they're at it? I haven't had a bite to eat since we got here."
"After you."
The two blondes find them idly chatting at a table, each reluctantly sitting down next to their respective partner. Later, they all go out to the beach to see the sun rise. It's quiet and warm, as if no one else thought to do this. Making new friends, well, at least Gale did, and enjoying a nice happy moment seems like a pretty good end to high school. And a terrific start to a new life. She smiles, Charlie leaning in to steal it from her lips, flashing Kogi the one finger salute for a snide comment. Yep. Pretty good start.
There's a loud slam of a door and Gale is almost knocked over by the flurry of skirts and giggles, the crisp, dry-cleaned-within-an-inch-of-its-life smell of uniforms mixing with nauseatingly sweet perfume. Great, they’ve been up to something, probably picking on someone, if the raucous laughter didn’t give it away. It’s only October, too. Briefly, she wonders if Charlie is involved before realizing the shout had sounded rather familiar. The brightly coloured door of the locker room is heavy and she pauses before completely opening it, expecting to see chaos and destruction. When nothing but blank, checkered tile can be seen through the crack between door and doorframe, she carefully wanders further inwards.
There's nothing of particular note, only a couple of belongings that hadn't made it to the lost-and-found box scattered to and fro on the ground. Maybe she'd misheard? "Charles?"
Scarlett Pfeffer is quick to voice her discontent before sticking her head around the lockers, placating when she sees who it is. She's pretty as always, even if her hair is that slight bit out of place and her eyes are just a tiny bit redder then they're supposed to be, hardly noticeable. If Gale hadn't heard the commotion before, she may have missed the signs completely. Signs indicating something was wrong after all. "Hello, Tiger."
'Tiger' is her nickname for Gale, just as Charlie is Gale's name for Scarlett. It had all started during an unplanned outing to boardwalk, maybe a week after they had first met and decided that, regardless of their circle of friends, they shared a lot in common. Among laughter, ice cream and playful banter those nicknames were thought up and decided upon. Not that Gale quite knew where they came from?
"Why Tiger? I don't think I look or act like one. It's not even my sign."
"No reason. Just... 'cause."
"Hey. Is everything alright?" Charlie huffed and unlaced one of her sneakers, pulling it off sharply.
"Yeah, it's all damn well annoying, that's what. They're just jealous. Pisses me off."
It is rather difficult to piss Charlie off, as far as Gale can tell. Certainly not with words, the girl had a razor tongue. "Jealous of what?" She sank onto the bench near the other. Since Scarlett wasn't making eye contact, especially because of that, the problem must be deeper still.
"Everything. My looks, my strength, my smarts, my bra size." A growl and the next sneaker is thrown at the lockers opposite, not violently but enough to make some noise. "And they can’t even be civil about it. Whatever, just, never mind."
Gale nods, not really convinced, as Scarlett puts on her spare shoes, shouldering her bag, still in her uniform. "Aren’t you going to-"
An angry shake of blond curls and Gale quietens again. Guess not. "What are you doing here after class, anyway?" Charles’ tone seems to have calmed a little bit but she’s still not making much eye contact, preferring to inspect the colorful posters on the walls as they pass.
"JSA is today, remember?"
"Oh, right, you said…" With a soft sigh it is almost like Charlie wishes away all of the tension. "How was it today?"
A smile and everything seems to be right in the world again. Somehow, Gale doesn’t press the topic again, but she still worries.
……….
"Charlie? Scarlett?" They were supposed to meet at the front door, but it’s at least a half hour past when practice should be over. Gale had seen most of the girls on the squad walk out already, disappearing on the late bus. And the buses are long since gone. They’ll need to wait for Gale’s mom, now, and she will only be here in an hour, now that there’s traffic.
The school is quiet, oddly so. Of course, it’s after hours, but Gale’s never been here after after hours. It’s February outside, chilly and rapidly getting dark, casting the fluorescent lights in stark contrast. Everything seems too colourful, even the paint on the walls is too bright. She pushes the locker room door in with an effort, feeling a bit of déjà vu. Except, this time, the floor is littered in shredded paper and fabric. And not just in corners, swept to the side by feet, but everywhere. "Scarlett!" The only answer is the soft pitter pattering of dripping water, an open water bottle spilling over one of the benches and a running shower somewhere in the distance. A beat and then a mournful "Go away…" This doesn’t look good.
It doesn’t sound like she’s hurt, not physically at least, so Gale carefully steps around the debris, looking around. The whole place is a mess. Textbooks, papers and pieces of clothing everywhere, and Gale nervously fishes out her phone, taking pictures before sticking both her long heavy coat and bag in the nearest empty locker. Charlie is nowhere to be seen, but there are clearly her things. Scraps of handwriting and one of the blonde’s favorite pens under the benches only prove it. Finding Scarlett’s bag, Gale gingerly collects everything that looks like it can still be salvaged, even if it can’t, like some of the clothes, organizing and folding it to the best of her ability. The rest of it goes in the garbage and within minutes, the locker room looks innocently clean.
The shower finally turns off and Gale calls out again, but gets no answer. "Well, I’m coming in…" There’s a bit more mess in the sinks but no one around, the one shower curtain drawn in resolute silence. A soft sigh and Gale washes the shampoo and nail polish down the drain, throwing their containers in the garbage. The torn scraps of paper here, oddly enough, have Gale’s handwriting on them, carefully arranged on the wet counter as if the piece of paper was whole. As far as Gale can remember, it was just a note with the day’s homework, once, when Scarlett had been sick. Nothing important, so she decorated it with silly doodles, figuring Charlie would get rid of it when she was done. "Charles, come out, please."
The "No," sounds so choked and sad that Gale pulls back the curtain herself, finding her friend dripping wet, shivering, skin red from what had probably been scalding hot water, contrasting with the stark white of her soaked through underwear. And the miserable lump crosses her arms and backs into the corner of the stall, bare feet slipping on the floor, looking both stubborn and helpless. "Go away…"
As soon as Gale turns, however, not to leave, no, just to get a towel, and warm, wet arms are around her middle. "N-No, I lied, I’m sorry! Please don’t leave me," the end of the phrase sounds more like a strangled sob than anything coherent.
"You could have told me, you know," she addresses the comment more to the wall than the girl behind her, wrapping her fingers around thin, pale wrists before turning around. "Let’s get you cleaned up, hmm?" She manages to coax Scarlett out of the showers, walking almost glued to her side, persuading Charlie out of soaking underwear and wrapping her in the tattered towel before sitting her down. The shivering has stopped but Scarlett doesn’t look any less like a drowned rat, hair matted and a shade darker than Gale is used to. Of course, that would make her quite the stunning drowned rat and the point is now moot. Miserable but still beautiful. It was the first time she’d even seen the girl without makeup on, and she might even like this one better. "What is that note I wrote you doing on the counter?"
She wasn’t really expecting the topic of conversation to be very triggering yet Charlie turns pale, then flushes before tearing up again. "I uh, kept it, that’s all. I just, uhm, it’s nothing. Never mind."
"You told me ‘never mind’ last time and look what happened."
"I…" Scarlett scoots away a little, hiding her eyes under the fan of pale lashes. "I kept it because I tend to keep everything. And they found it and took it and I got angry and things… got out of control. They supposed I liked you and used that as a weak point. I mean, they weren’t quite wrong-"
"That it was a weak point?"
"That I like you, you idiot!" A huff and Charlie moves still further down the bench, hunching her shoulders, hiding.
It’s a bit of a dumbfounding revelation so all Gale can do is suppress a shaky giggle and ask, "Did you tell them that?"
"No! Tig-Gale!"
"You didn't tell me that, either. Really, Charlie, I'm your friend," well... "You need to tell me these things or I won't know how to help."
"And how would you be able to help? I can handle this on my own." The little bit of resistance seems to be just desperation, now, trying to get away from the topic Gale was dying to discuss. The girl is blushing from head to toe, it's obvious.
"I could... Support you." Leaning over the distance to see Scarlett jump when she she places her hand on the bare shoulder. Faced with a wide, uncertain gaze, she almost feels bad for teasing.
"You... Aren't mad?" She shakes her head no. "Angry?" Still, it's a no. "Deceived? Disgusted?"
"Flattered, a bit. Charmed. Happy."
"So you're not opposed then?"
"Opposed to what?" Once again, she really would feel bad but it was so novel to see uncertainty and hesitance in green eyes.
"Gale!" A whine in protest and Charlie is standing now with a childish stamp of her feet on cold tile, fingers clinging desperately to the hem of her towel. Which is reminder enough and now Gale is embarrassed.
"Maybe this isn't the best time to talk about it, actually." Of course, now that she's clearly uncomfortable and the reason is obvious, Scarlett is in her own element.
"Oh, but, Tiger~" Scarlett is never opposed to using her body as leverage, not even when all it's covered with is a ragged towel. Especially not then actually. "If I promise to tell you everything, will you do the same thing for me?" Or, in fact, hover extremely close, close enough so that damp hair was brushing against Gale's cheek.
"Of course." It is ridiculously hard to keep composure. So Gale doesn't and presses her lips against the other's.
As first kisses go, it's fairly memorable. Considering Gale doesn't really know what she's getting herself into and then Charlie resorts to tongues and they're in an empty locker room way past hours and then there's a cell phone ringing noisily in between them, it ranks rather high as far as first experiences go.
......
The fact that Scarlett's wearing Gale's coat and the nothing else is a little bit hard to explain when they are both breathless and from red ear to ear.
.......
"They were bullying you because you like girls, weren't they?"
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Well then? Enlighten me."
"Jealousy. Any sort of homophobia is completely on the way side. You don't see the GSA attacked, do you? They just use any weakness they can find."
"That's an awfully logical thought from someone who was victimized."
"Me? A victim? In someone else's eyes, maybe, but I'd never let it get to me."
"So you wouldn't mind officially dating me?"
"If you want, you can tell our parents. The whole school does not have to know."
.......
The next day, Scarlett was wearing an odd dress of an assortment of patchwork, some of it obviously bits and pieces of a cheer uniform. Statement aside, it somehow managed to look tasteful and amazing and all the boys were after her again while all Gale could do was laugh. Always the confident one.
.......
No one is particularly amazed when, in the middle of the actual prom (one that Gale had only resisted going to for so long until Scarlett wore her down), Charlie has to get up on stage and stand next to some lanky, tan guy with white hair to be declared Prom King and Queen. To be fair the kid is a bit bewildered as well and it is actually amusing to watch them reluctantly dance through a slow song, spot light on them and everything. Zeph, Gale recalls his name. He and Charlie talked, but sparingly. It's funny, of course, but she feels a twinge of regret that she can't be up there with her. Boy got lucky.
Of course, all that ceases to be at the center of her attention when she is dragged onto the dance floor by some short blond. Really short. Most of the boys were her height at least, this one was missing a few inches some place. That slow song is still playing somehow and Gale is too lost to do anything but try not to step on the kid's feet.
"So, how's your day been so far?" the question is posed as if they're characters in some sit com who just met over the coffee machine.
"Good," she comes up with. "But why are-"
She's shooshed before she can finish the question and the blond kid rolls his eyes. "Consider it doing me a favour to make this evening even more complicated for him." A jerk of his head toward the two still in the spotlight.
"Why-?"
"Boyfriend."
"Ah, well." That's an interesting coincidence. "Girlfriend, then." She nods her head in the same direction.
"Oh. Well, that's useful."
"What, you're actually trying to make him jealous?" The grin she receives leaves little room for doubt. "Well what if I'm not?"
"Then you're a bit late." Sure enough, Charlie comes, well, not quite plowing through the crowd of dancers, but close enough, obviously in full out pout mode.
"Seivers, I will clobber you, right now, if you don't get your hands off of her." Even if she is shouting, so is everyone to be somewhat heard over the music so it's not even causing as much a scene as she would like.
"With what? Those? Shouldn't you be saving them for your precious girlfriend?" And so on goes the sparring match while Gale and the tardy Zeph just watch.
"So I'm guessing this was some sort of stint to make me jealous?" he wonders aloud and Gale just sighs and nods.
"The arrow missed it's mark, it seems."
"Oh, no, it didn't. There's just no way I can compete with that barrage. It seems Kogi's found his match."
"And so has she. Care to hit the buffet while they're at it? I haven't had a bite to eat since we got here."
"After you."
The two blondes find them idly chatting at a table, each reluctantly sitting down next to their respective partner. Later, they all go out to the beach to see the sun rise. It's quiet and warm, as if no one else thought to do this. Making new friends, well, at least Gale did, and enjoying a nice happy moment seems like a pretty good end to high school. And a terrific start to a new life. She smiles, Charlie leaning in to steal it from her lips, flashing Kogi the one finger salute for a snide comment. Yep. Pretty good start.