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Chapter Text

An uncomfortable silence had filled their tiny home. It was way past Pearl’s bedtime, but no one had remembered to put her to bed. Her sisters were too busy being distracted to remember.

Pearl’s second oldest sister, Yasmin, was sitting in the loveseat across the room, frowning at the pile of bills laid across her lap, while Pearl’s third oldest sister, Bec, was sitting on the couch doodling in her notebook.

The three of them had been waiting for their eldest sister, Whitney, to come home from her trip to Empire City. Whitney had been unemployed for a while now, but earlier this week she had found a job opportunity in Empire City and decided to travel to the city for the job interview.

“I’ll be back by Sunday morning.” Whitney had promised, but when Pearl had woken up this morning, her oldest sister was nowhere to be seen.

Yasmin was furious that Whitney hadn’t returned when she promised. No Whitney meant no one to watch Pearl, so Bec had to miss another day of work in order to watch her little sister.

Pearl was only five, but she already understood that their family was struggling financially. Her sisters worked hard to provide for their family, especially Yasmin, who had two jobs and was always working.

Sometimes, Pearl felt like she was another added problem that her sisters had to deal with. Their mother had died when Pearl was a toddler, leaving her sister’s to take care of her. Her sisters were young and Pearl understood the weight of their stress, so Pearl would often try her best to be a good kid, even if it meant sometimes she would have to be unhappy.

So even though Pearl was exhausted, she wouldn’t whine about it. She’ll just wait until one of her sisters figured out how late it was.

Pulling her legs towards her chest, Pearl rested her chin on her knees as she watched Yasmin anxiously run her hands through her short blonde hair. She could tell by the look on her face that something was bothering her sister.

In the corner of her eye, Pearl could see Bec lightly sketching a figure into her notebook. Turning towards Bec, Pearl squinted at the sketch as she tried to figure out what her sister was drawing.

Earlier today Bec had let Pearl play with her nice paints, the expensive ones Whitney and Yasmin had given her as a birthday present. Together they had swirled yellow and orange paints together on the canvas until their painting of a sunflower was completed.

Rubbing at her tired eyes, Pearl let out a loud yawn, catching Bec’s attention. Looking up from her notebook, Bec pushed away her brown bangs from her face as she glanced over at the analog clock hanging above Yasmin. Realizing the time, Bec closed her notebook before placing it on the coffee table.

“I’m sorry, June.” Bec apologized as she got up from the couch. “Let’s get you to bed.”

Truthfully, Pearl hated her first name. She much rather have a nickname like Bec did, but Pearl had never bothered to talk to her sisters about it.

Right as Pearl is about to get up from the couch, the sound of the door opening had stopped her from moving any further.

Standing behind the door was Whitney, who was holding her suitcase and a couple of shopping bags. As soon as she entered the house, Whitney immediately dropped her bags on to the floor, before closing the door shut.

As soon as Whitney entered the living room, a huge smile lit across her face. “Hey guys! Did you miss me!”

Avoiding eye contact, Bec sat back down on the couch, while Yasmin placed her stack of bills onto the coffee table.

“Jeez, why are you guys so serious?” Whitney said to no one in particular. “And why is June still up? It’s almost ten.”

“You said you’d be home by this morning.” Yasmin declared. “Because of you, Bec had to miss another day of work. You know we can’t afford to miss days of work.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” Whitney sighed, annoyance clear in her tone. “I just got caught up in the city.”

“Doing what!?” Yasmin questioned, her voice rising to an angry tone that made Pearl uncomfortable. “Tell me, what was so important that it made you stay in Empire City for another day!”

“Don’t talk to me like that.” Whitney scoffed.

“I can talk to you however I want to.” Yasmin snapped.

“Well in case you forgot, Mom put me in charge when she passed away.” Whitney pointed out. “Not you. So stop acting like a little bitch.”

“You in charge?!” Yasmin chuckled. “That’s funny because I’m the one who’s working hard everyday. How are you in charge when you do nothing?!”

Pearl watched in horror as her sisters continued to argue, their voices getting increasingly louder with every sentence they spoke. She’d had never seen Yasmin and Whitney fight like this before. They would get into little arguments every now and then, but never to the extent of them screaming at each other.

Every part of Pearl wanted to run to the safety of her and Bec’s shared room, but she felt frozen, like if she was somehow glued to the couch. Noticing Pearl’s discomfort, Bec gently tried to comfort her sister, but her soft words were quickly overpowered by Whitney’s and Yasmin’s screaming match.

It was suddenly all too much for Pearl.

Tears quickly spilled out of Pearl’s eyes, as sobs started to shake her tiny body. Trying to hide her distress, Pearl buried her face into her knees. Beside her, Pearl could feel Bec get up from the couch.

“Stop!”

Bec’s voice cuts through the screaming, causing the room to go silent. Bec, who is always soft and gentle with her words, is never the one to raise her voice.

Lifting her head up, Pearl saw Bec facing Whitney and Yasmin with her hands clenched into fists. “You’re making June upset.” Becs explained, her voice returning to its normal, soft tone.

Yasmin and Whitney both turn towards Pearl, who was trying her best to wipe away her tears.

“June, I’m so sorry.” Whitney apologized, as she ran over to the couch.

Following Whitney, Yasmin sat next to Pearl on the couch, while Whitney made herself comfortable on the floor.

“I shouldn’t have yelled at you, Whit.” Yasmin admitted. “And I’m sorry for making you cry, June.” Yasmin said, tilting her head down to look at her little sister.

Pearl pressed her body closer to Yasmin, a small gesture of forgiveness.

“You have every right to be mad at me.” Whitney sighed. “I should have called and told you I was coming home late. I just got distracted.”

“Why did you stay in the city?” Yasmin asked.

“So you know how I went for that interview? The one for being an assistant for Bianca Diamond, CEO and founder of Diamond Corp.?” Whitney bragged. “Well, I went… and I got the job!”

“You did?!” Yasmin gasped, leaning forward slightly.

“I did!” Whitney exclaimed. “She likes me! This morning, she called me right as I was about to leave the hotel, and she told me I got the job! And then she asked me if I wanted to get brunch, and of course I said yes! We went to this really overpriced restaurant and got breakfast and after that, she took me shopping— let me show what I got!”

Getting up from the floor, Whitney went over to the doorway and picked up a small white bag. Walking back over to the couch, Whitney pulled a small white box from the bag and placed it onto Yasmin’s lap.

Picking up the box, Yasmin examined the logo that was printed on the front. Tilting the box to the side, Yasmin grimaced as she read the price tag.

“Don’t tell me you paid for this.” Yasmin scolded, shaking her head.

“Bianca bought it for me.” Whitney answered, sitting down on the carpet once again. “She likes me.”

Yasmin opened the box, and pulled out a small perfume bottle. “This thing is more expensive than our car bill.” Yasmin mumbled, cupping the small bottle into the palm of her hand.

“Can I see?” Bec asked, extending her hand towards Yasmin.

Pearl leaned back into the couch as they passed the bottle around, trying to avoid getting hit by one of her sisters arms.

After taking the perfume bottle from Yasmin, Bec carefully admired the small glass bottle. Uncapping the glass lid from the bottle, Bec brought the bottle up to her nose. Even though Bec hadn’t sprayed the perfume, Pearl could still smell the overpowering scent of roses.

Scrunching her nose at the smell, Bec placed the lid back on the bottle before handing it over to Yasmin, who placed the bottle back into its box.

“So,” Whitney started, taking the box of perfume from Yasmin. “My job starts next week.”

“Are you planning to drive over to Empire city every day? That’s a pretty long commute.” Bec wondered.

“Well…” Whitney took in a deep breath. “Bianca wants me to move in with her.”

“You’re going to move four hours away from us?!” Yasmin exclaimed.

“Wait, wait, wait! Before you guys complain, there might be a possibility where you can move to Empire State with me.” Whitney blurted out quickly, trying to calm Yasmin down. “When Bianca and I went to brunch, she was talking about how her business partners, Yelena and Blair Diamond, needed someone to clean their house, so I recommended you two.”

“Whitney,” Yasmin sighed. “You know we can’t do that, not with June. Who would watch her while we work? ”

“June can go to work with you guys. I’m pretty sure the Diamond’s will understand. They have a daughter around June’s age.” Whitney suggested.

“And what about Bec? She’s still in high school.”

“I know, but you have to understand that this is such a great opportunity for our family! You guys could be working for one of the richest couples in America!” Whitney pleaded. “I know we would have to move and everything, but this job can really help us financially.”

“I don’t know Whitney, I still need to think about this.” Yasmin responded.

Bec nodded her head in agreement with Yasmin. “I need some time to think about this too.”

“Okay.” Whitney said after a moment of consideration. “We can talk about this later.”

Pearl can't help but let out another big yawn, catching everyone’s attention.

“It’s way past your bedtime June, let’s put you to bed.” Yasmin smiled, turning to face June.

“I’ll bring her to bed.” Whitney offered as she got up from the ground.

Picking up Pearl from the couch, Whitney carried her little sister over to the hallway and into her and Bec’s bedroom.

“You’re starting to get heavy June-Bug.” Whitney teased, as she placed Pearl onto her bed. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” Pearl replied, her voice soft and sleepy.

“I’m sorry about earlier. I never want you to feel upset because of us, okay?” Whitney said as she smoothed Pearl’s strawberry blonde hair.

Too tired to respond, Pearl only hummed in agreement.

“Goodnight June, I love you.” Whitney whispered as she placed a kiss on Pearl’s forehead.

“I love you too.” Pearl mumbled, closing her eyes.

Flicking off the lights to the room, Whitney then slowly closed the bedroom door, leaving Pearl alone in the dark.

Because of the thin walls, Pearl could hear the muffled voices of her sisters coming from the living room. Normally the noise would have bothered Pearl, but because of how tired she was, it didn’t seem as bothersome as it usually was.

So Pearl focused on the sounds of her sisters voices. And after a while of trying to distinguish Whitney’s loud voice, from Yasmin's thin voice and Bec’s soft voice, Pearl finally found sleep.

Chapter Text

Yelena impatiently tapped her fingers against the countertop of the small cafe. She had been waiting for her order for almost fifteen minutes now because of how crowded the cafe was. The line to order went all the way to the door, making the small shop seem even more tinier. Baristas ran back and forth behind the counter trying to make orders as quickly as they possibly could.

According to the clock on the wall, her lunch break would be over in a couple minutes, which would make her late for the job interviews that she and her business partner, Bianca Diamond had scheduled for today. And one thing that Yelena had learned from working with Bianca was how much she despised people being late. 

It would be technically Bianca’s fault if Yelena arrived late, she was the one who wanted coffee in the first place. Normally, Bianca’s assistant would go out and do simple tasks like this, but she hadn’t shown up to work for the past couple days. Bianca had fired her, just like the other dozens of past assistants that couldn’t keep up to her standards. 

“Black coffee and espresso.” One of the Barista shouted as she placed the drinks onto the counter. 

Quickly claiming her drinks, Yelena placed them on a cardboard tray before promptly leaving the shop. 

Thankfully, the cafe was only a block away from the office building, but like always, the Empire City sidewalks were crowded with people. Making her way down the street, Yelena walked as fast as she possibly could without spilling her drinks. 

Stopping at the end street, Yelena waited until the light of the crosswalk told her it is safe to cross the busy street. Cars and yellow taxis whizzed by, all in a rush to go to their destinations. 

Beside her, a couple people stopped and waited for the light on the crosswalk to turn as well, all seeming just as impatient as Yelena was. Business people on their way back to their office jobs and tourists desperately waiting to explore the crowded city streets. 

When the light on the crosswalk turned, Yelena continued down the street until she reached the tallest grey office building on the street. 

As soon as Yelena entered the building, she was immediately noticed by a security guard. 

“Ms. Davidson.” The guard greeted, tilting his head upwards to Yelena. 

Giving him a quick nod in a similar fashion, Yelena continued her way over to the elevator. She had no time for small talk. 

Entering the elevator, Yelena pressed the button for the 25th floor, where Bianca’s office was located. Their business, Diamond Corporation, had two floors located in this building. The 24th floor was where most of the employees worked, including herself, and the 25th floor was often used for business meetings.  

As the doors of the elevator closed, Yelena checked her appearance on one of the mirrored walls. Bringing her free hand up to her head, Yelena ran her hand through her short dirty blonde locks, before smoothing out the imaginary wrinkles on her crisp black business suit. 

Once the elevator arrived onto the 25th floor, the elevator doors slowly opened, revealing the small waiting room packed with people. 

Yelena immediately frowned at the sight, mentality cursing at the thought of spending the entire day interviewing all of these people. 

Walking across the waiting room, Yelena made her way over to Bianca’s office. As soon as Yelena opened the office door, Bianca, who was sitting down at her desk, immediately looked up from the papers she was reading. 

Sending Yelena one of her signature smiles, Bianca signaled her to close the door.

“Oh, Yelena, where on earth would I be without you.” Bianca declared in her typical dramatic fashion. 

Letting out a small chuckle, Yelena placed the coffee tray onto her desk before taking a seat on the office chair placed right next to Bianca. 

As the two grab their drinks from the tray, the both of them took a moment to enjoy their drinks.

The two had first met when Yelena was in her first year of college. Back then, Yelena still had dreams of pursuing a career in science, something ambitious for a woman in an Ivy League college, like Harvard, at the time. 

Yelena had a knack for numbers, and though the difficult mathematical equations used in chemical equations, she found her love for chemistry. She had often pictured herself in a long lab coat, with safety goggles and gloves, discovering the next new element, making a new ground breaking discovery. Often this vision would help her push through the constant pushback she would face. 

While it was a great accomplishment to be one of the few women in the science department, it also felt like a setback. Most of her professors refused to take her seriously, assuming she was some fragile blonde who needed to be guided like a child through chemical labs and lectures. 

Yelena was determined to prove that she deserved to be taken seriously. She had to not only fight for herself, but for the women that would come after her. That year Yelena would prove her point by being at the top of her class, earning all straight A’s along with a full ride scholarship. 

Yelena fought hard to pave her way in the science department, at least until she met Bianca. 

One day as Yelena was leaving one of her chemistry classes, she noticed a woman in her late twenties, dressed much too nicely to be a student, standing outside the building. As soon as Bianca had spotted her, she immediately walked up to Yelena and struck up a conversation. 

“Yelena Davidson?” The woman had asked, her plump dark lips stretched into a knowing smile. 

As Yelena nodded in response, she wondered how this stranger could possibly know who she was. 

“I heard a lot about you, Yelena. Especially about how smart you are.” The woman had commented, extending her hand towards Yelena. “I’m Bianca Diamond.” 

Shifting her heavy textbook to her right side, Yelena had grabbed and shook Bianca’s pale hand. 

Bianca had then offered to take Yelena to dinner, and there she discussed how she had been looking for someone to start a business with her and how she thought Yelena seemed like the perfect person to help her do that. With the money that Bianca had inherited from her family, she had planned to create a business based on technology, Diamond Corp.

After learning about Yelena’s extensive knowledge about math, Bianca had confirmed her suspicions about Yelena being the right business partner and immediately offered her the position of Chief Financial Officer on the spot. 

Yelena was of course extremely hesitant. How could she accept a position in a company that didn’t exist? Yelena would have to change her major to finance and leave behind her chemistry courses, a subject she truly loved. 

It all seemed incredibly risky, but Yelena stayed open minded. After taking a couple days to consider Bianca’s proposal, something in Yelena gut told her this was a risk worth taking. 

So after careful consideration, Yelena took the position. And in the end, all of the risks they made all worked out perfectly. Diamond Corp was extremely successful, with no signs of slowing down soon. 

“Yelena,” Bianca placed her coffee down onto the table. “Can you call the first person in for the interview?” 

Getting up from her seat, Yelena placed her coffee cup down and grabbed the clipboard with the paper with the interviewees names attached to it. 

Heading over to the waiting room, Yelena pushed the office door open as she scanned the paper. Squinting down at the tiny font, Yelena called out the first name on the list. “John Hessonite?” 

Taking a quick glance around the waiting room, not a single person in the room moved. 

Recognizing the name as a current employee working in the office, Yelena doesn’t bother to call out his name again. He should know by now how things worked around here. 

Looking down at the paper once again, Yelena called out the next name. “Blair Dorsey?”

A woman in the corner of the room immediately stands up at the sound of her name. She was dressed in business casual clothing, a navy blue pencil skirt, and a white button up blouse. Her black stilettos loudly tapped against the floor with every step she took towards Yelena. 

“Blair.” The woman greeted with a smile, extending her hand towards Yelena. 

Taking Blair’s hand, Yelena gave her a firm handshake. “Yelena.” 

Entering the office, Blair’s wavy light brown swayed behind her as she went over to greet Bianca. Following her into the office, Yelena closed the door shut behind them. 

Leaning over Bianca’s desk to give her a handshake, the hem of Blair’s skirt rides up slightly, showing a small bit of the back of her thighs. 

Averting her eyes away from Blair, Yelena scolded herself as she tried to erase the image of Blair’s hips from her brain. 

You shouldn’t have been staring in the first place. Yelena thought to herself as she walked back over and took her seat next to Bianca. 

“You can sit.” Bianca announced, motioning over to Blair with the flick of her hand. 

Blair takes her seat as directed, gently placing the manila folder she was holding onto her lap. 

Taking the clipboard from Yelena, Bianca took a couple seconds to review the information printed on the paper. 

“Yelena, the schedule says we were supposed to interview someone else at this time.” Bianca pointed out as she tapped her long painted nail to clipboard.

“He wasn’t there, so I called the next person.” Yelena explained. 

Humming in response, Bianca turned to face Blair. “Well it’s a good thing you arrived early. Can we see your resume?” 

Opening up her manila folder, Blair took out two copies of her resume before handing them over to the two business partners.

As Yelena was reading through her copy of the resume, she noticed Blair carefully watching her. Looking up from her paper, the two made eye contact for a split second. Hazel eyes meeting Blair’s baby blues. 

Forcing her eyes away, Yelena forced herself to ignore the flustered feelings rising in her chest by turning her attention back over to Blair’s resume.

“Interesting.” Bianca said after placing Blair’s resume into her desk. “As you can see, there are a lot of people interested in this position. What makes you qualified for this job?” 

Without a wasting another second, Blair begins her perfectly calculated response to Bianca’s question. She was clearly confident in her answer, her voice smooth and steady. 

Blair’s voice was naturally soft and light like silk, and the more time she spent talking, Yelena could pick up a slight trace of an accent. 

Irish, perhaps? Yelena thought to herself as she focused on the curvature of Blair’s full lips. She also had pretty lips… 

As soon the thought enters her mind, Yelena could feel her face starting to get hot. Pulling her eyes away from Blair, Yelena needed a couple seconds to compose herself. Focusing her attention on Bianca’s desk, Yelena stared at the date of today’s newspaper. August 31st 1981. 

“Yelena, would you like to ask Blair any questions?” Bianca, questioned as she turned towards her business partner. 

Yelena cleared her throat before answering “No.” She said much more bluntly than she had attended to. 

“Well, that’s the end of her interview.” Bianca promptly concluded. “It was very nice to meet you Blair.” 

“It was nice to meet you two as well.” Blair smiled as she leaned over to give Bianca another handshake. 

After pulling away from Bianca, Blair extended her hand over to Yelena. Taking Blair’s hand, Yelena scolded herself once again for behaving so unprofessionally during this interview. 

Once Blair had exited the room, the two of them began to discuss their opinion of her interview.

“I think Blair would be the perfect candidate for this position. With her background in advertisement and business, she has the potential to become a valuable asset to our company.” Bianca recalled, as she looked over Blair’s resume. 

Yelena nodded, as she looked through the glass office door and into the waiting room, where Blair was standing near the elevator, waiting for the doors to open. 

“I think she’s perfect too.”

Chapter Text

Staring outside the window of her family’s small car, Pearl watched as cars and trucks passed by their car, all driving in a similar pace down the long straight highway. 

Pearl and her sisters were driving down to Empire State, where Yasmin and Bec were going to have a job interview with the Diamonds. After taking some time consider the opportunity, both of her sisters decided taking the job would be the best option for their family. 

The car had been silent for most of the ride. Occasionally, Yasmin, who was in the driver's seat, would ask Bec about directions from the road map that she had laid across her lap. 

Both Whitney and Pearl sat in the backseat of the car. For most of the trip, Whitney had her eyes closed like if she was trying to take a nap, but Pearl knew she was still awake by how often she was moving. 

Being trapped in her car seat for almost five hours straight was starting to make Pearl feel uncomfortable. As much as Pearl loved the dress she was wearing, the tulle material that underlined the skirt of her dress was starting to make her legs feel itchy. Yasmin had bought this dress for Pearl to wear at their job interview, specifically to make a good first impression with the Diamonds. 

At first Pearl was excited to have a new dress. Her sisters rarely bought clothes for Pearl, most of her clothing were hand me downs from Bec. Yasmin had brought Pearl with her to the department store and together they chose the dress Pearl was wearing today, a flowy dress with blue sleeves, a yellow bodice and pink skirt. 

Pearl’s sisters also had dressed for the occasion as well. Whitney, Yasmin and Bec all wore their nicest professional clothing, almost as if what they were wearing was the most important part of the job interview. 

Letting out a quiet sigh, Pearl looked over to the windshield, where in the horizon, was a bridge that crossed a large body of water. Wanting her Whitney to see the view as well, Pearl reached over and tapped her sister’s arm. 

Opening her eyes at the sudden touch, Whitney turned to face Pearl. “What’s the matter June?” 

“We’re gonna cross a bridge!” Pearl beamed, clearly excited to see the pretty view of the water. 

“Hmm?” Whitney straightened herself up as she looked over to the horizon. “Oh yeah, that’s the Empire River.”

As the car made its way over to the bridge, Pearl sat as tall as she possibly could as she admired the scenic view of the water glittering in the sun. 

“Look, June! There’s a boat!” Whitney exclaimed as she pointed to the window on her side of the car. 

Craning her neck towards the other window, Pearl tried to see what her sister was looking at, but because of the restraints of her car seat and her height, all she could see was the infrastructure of the bridge. Frowning, Pearl slumped back into her car seat. She wished she could have been as tall as sisters. 

Noticing her disappointment, Whitney placed her hand on Pearl’s shoulder. 

“When I was in Empire City, I saw this huge bridge.” Whitney exaggerated. “Maybe one day I’ll take you to see it.”

Pearl’s smile immediately returned to her face. “Really?” 

“Of course, silly.” Whitney giggled as she smoothed Pearl’s hair. 

In the passenger seat of the car, Bec lifted up the map from her legs, and began to trace her finger across the line that represented the interstate they were traveling on. 

“Yasmin,” Bec called to get her sister’s attention. “We get off at the next exit.” 

Glancing over to one of the green signs by the side of the road, Yasmin turned to face Bec for a quick second. “Exit 20?” 

“Yes, exit 20.” Bec repeated with a nod as she went to go double checked the map. 

At the end of the bridge, Yasmin turned onto the exit, bringing the car off the interstate and to their destination, the city of Homeville. 

Driving down the town's main road, their car passed by houses, business and neighborhoods that made up the sleepy town. The small city was situated right next to the Empire river, and from the road they were driving on, Pearl could see glimpses of the shining river peeking through the trees. 

Once they had traveled to the end of the town, Yasmin made a right turn onto a hidden road, practically covered by the trees from the woods. They could have easily driven right past it if they hadn’t paid attention to where they were going. 

Embedded inside the woods that surrounded the small side road, were some of the biggest houses Pearl had ever seen. Every single house on the street had a massive amount of cleared out land, with plenty of trees surrounding the properties to help spread out the houses from being too close to one another.

Traveling to the end of the side road, Bec instructed Yasmin to turn on the next street to their left. Driving down the dead end street, the family’s car approached the second to last house on the street, before pulling into the long circular driveway.

Just like all the other houses on the street, the two story home in the center of the circular driveway was just as enormous. The house had large sleek windows with a light grey siding and the land surrounding it was neatly landscaped. A thick blanket of trees lined the border of property, and beyond that was the uncharted woods.

“We’re early.” Yasmin announced as she parked the car at the side of the driveway. “But I suppose it’s better to be early than late.” 

As her sisters got out of the car, Pearl unbuckled the straps of her car seat before climbing out the car door. Once Pearl had exited the car, Yasmin immediately rushed over and began to smooth out the wrinkles in Pearl’s skirt. 

“This place is huge!” Whitney exclaimed, as she took a step towards the house. “Imagine living in a place like this?”

Yasmin rolled her eyes as she reached for Pearl’s hand. “Come on guys, let go.” 

Pushing their way past Whitney and Bec, Yasmin led Pearl across the driveway and up the set of stairs that lead up to the front. 

“Stop being so uptight, Yas.” Whitney began as she and Bec followed them up the stairs. 

“ I’m trying to be professional.” Yasmin quipped. “So shut up.”

Before Whitney could snap back with a rebuttal, Yasmin reached over and pressed the doorbell, sending a chime into the air. 

The door creaked open only a few seconds later, revealing a lady with long brown hair, dressed in a blue cocktail dress. Beside her stood an equally tall, short haired blonde woman, dressed in a yellow button up blouse with black dress pants. 

“Are you the Pearls?” The woman dressed in blue asked, 

“Yes, yes we are.” Yasmin immediately answered, a forced,  nervous smile appearing onto her face. 

After taking a moment to study the girls outside, the lady dressed in blue glanced over to the blonde lady next to her, before stepping away from the door.

“Come inside.” She welcomed with a smile, as she gestured for the sisters to enter the house. 

Upon entering into the house’s enormous foyer, Pearl realized she had never been to a place bigger than this room. A sitting area with a couch and television was at the right side of the room, and to the far left, was a large staircase leading up to the second floor of the house. 

Pearl hadn’t even seen the entire house yet, but somehow she already knew that every room would be just as overtop as this one. Just the sheer amount of space in this house made Pearl wonder if people could get lost in their own homes. 

“I’m Blair Diamond.” The lady in blue introduced. “And this is my partner Yelena Diamond.” 

Beside Blair, Yelena Diamond gave a curt nod in what was supposed to be a greeting. Pearl could already tell she was much more serious and intimidating than her counterpart. 

“I’m Yasmin, this is Rebecca and Whitney.” Yasmin pointed to each sister as she introduced them. “And this is June.” 

Blair Diamond gave a warm smile to Pearl. “June? That means your birthday was sometime last month.” 

Now nervous from suddenly being thrown into the spotlight, Pearl turned her attention to the shiny hardwood floors. 

“Yes,” Yasmin had answered for her. “She just turned five a couple weeks ago.”

“Our daughter, Pink, just turned five in April.” Blair stated as she clasped her hands together. 

Yelena gave a brief nod to her partner. “We’ve heard that one of you is working for Bianca.”

Whitney raised her hand. “Yes, that’s me.” 

Yelena raised an eyebrow as she inspected Whitney's appearance. “Good luck with that.” She scoffed. 

“Thanks?” Whitney shrugged her shoulders as she responded with a nervous giggle. 

“Anyways,” Blair cleared her throat as she changed the conversation. “Your job is to cook, clean and watch over our daughter while we’re working.”

“I’ve been working from home ever since I gave birth to Pink.” Blair continued. “I didn’t expect to work from home for so long… but now I decided it would be best for me to return to the office. 

As Blair was talking, Pearl could notice that she was visibly upset by the tone of voice and how watery her eyes were getting. Yelena had seemed to notice as well, and had gently placed her hand onto Blair’s shoulder.

“How about we give you a tour of our house?” Yelena suggested. 

“Yes.” Blair nodded as she quickly composed herself. “That way you can become more familiar with the house.”

“That would be nice.” Yasmin agreed. 

“So, this is the foyer.” Blair introduced, motioning over towards the living area. Turning around, Blair began to walk over to the center of the room, causing everyone to follow her.

“That door leads you to the basement, where the laundry room and the wine cellar is.” Blair explained as she pointed over to the door underneath the staircase. 

Continuing across the room, Blair stopped near the hallway at the end of the room. “Over here is where our guest bedrooms are. Yelena’s office and our exercise room is down here, as well.”

“Over here is our dining room.” Blair announced as the group entered the room.

In the center of the spacious dining room, was a huge dinner room table, clearly meant for a large crowd. A crystal chandelier hung over the table, scattering flexs of light across the room from the sunlight that peaked in from the glass sliding door. Outside in the backyard was a paved patio, along with a gated pool. 

“Outside there is the pool, the garage and the guest house— that’s where you’ll be staying.” Yelena acknowledged.

Blair nodded before turning back to her tour. “And over here is our—” The sound of a loud crash coming from upstairs, suddenly cuts Blair off mid-sentence. 

“…Kitchen.” Blair finished a moment later. “How about we go upstairs?” She suggested before quickly making her way over to the stairs. 

Following Blair and Yelena up the stairs, Pearl and her sisters followed the two into the first door to the left of the hallway.

On the floor sat a girl around Pearl’s age, surrounded by toy blocks scattered across the hardwood floor. Behind her, a plastic chair was pressed against the wall, underneath a high shelf filled with buckets of toys. 

The girl's eyes go wide upon seeing her parents enter the room. Quickly scooping up the blocks from the floor, the girl dumped them into the green bucket in front of them. 

“Pink!” Blair hissed as she crouched down to pick the remaining toys on the floor. Placing the bucket back on the shelf, Blair dragged both the chair and Pink back to the circular table in the center of the room.

“You’re not supposed to be playing, you’re supposed to be reading.” Blair scolded as she sat Pink back onto the chair. 

“Mommy, I don’t wanna read!” Pink pouted as she crossed her arms around her chest. 

Across the room, Yelena shot a glare at her daughter, a silent warning for her to stop misbehaving. 

“This is Pink’s playroom.” Blair resumed as if nothing had happened. “If you want your sister can stay here while we finish the rest of the tour. 

Looking up to Yasmin, Pearl squeezed her sister’s hand, her silent way of begging her sister not to leave her alone in this unfamiliar place.

“Sure.” Yasmin agreed, completely missing, or ignoring, all the signs Pearl tried to telepathically send to her. 

Bringing Pearl over to the table in the center of the room, Yasmin pulled out a seat for Pearl to sit on the opposite side of the table from Pink. 

“Be good.” Yasmin whispered just loud enough for only Pearl to hear, before returning back to her sisters and the Diamonds. 

“Pink’s playroom is also connected to her bedroom.” Blair explained as she walked over to the right side of the room. Opening the door that connected the two rooms together, Blair guided the group into Pink’s room. 

Whitney, who is the last one to enter, gave Pearl a smile  right before she closed the door shut, leaving the two girls alone in the room all by themselves.

Pearl faced the girl sitting across from her, who seemed to practically radiate with joy as she began to introduce herself. “I’m Pink! What’s your name?” 

“June.” She shyly answered. “But you call me Pearl if you want.”

“Okay!” Pink exclaimed. “Do you want to color?”

Pearl nodded. “Sure.”

Jumping up from her seat, Pink ran over to the small bookshelf in the corner and grabbed a coloring book from one of the shelfs. Heading back over to the table, Pink placed the book onto the table before dragging the plastic chair she was sitting on, over to the shelf on to the wall. 

Climbing onto the chair, Pink stood on her tippy toes as  reached for the purple bucket on the shelf. 

Pearl can’t help but notice how over the top Pink was dressed. She was wearing a puffy brightly colored pink dress to match her namesake, with white stockings and ballet flats that perfectly matched her dress. 

As Pink continued to reach for the purple bucket, something tucked behind her short brown curls gleamed in the room's artificial light. Upon further inspection, Pearl noticed that she had small diamond studded earrings attached to her earlobes. She already had her ears pierced.

Finally grabbing on to the purple bucket, Pink tipped forward, causing her to spill some crayons onto the floor, as she waved her arms into the air to keep her balance. 

Once Pink was steady, she then proceeded to hop off of the chair before bending down to pick up the fallen crayons off of the ground. 

Dragging her chair back to her table, Pink sat down and placed the bucket on to the center of the table. “Rip out the one you want.” She explained as she slid the coloring book towards Pearl. 

Looking through the color book, Pearl flipped through the pages until she found a page that wasn’t scribbled on. After carefully tearing out the page from the coloring book, Pearl handed the book back over to Pink. 

Pink took time to find her to find a picture she wanted to color in. Flipping through the colored in pages of her book, Pink would occasionally stop and admire her previous works. 

By the amount of drawings pinned along the walls of the playroom, it seemed like Pink was interested in art. All along the light pink walls of the playroom, various pieces of art were neatly thumbtacked to the wall, like if they were all precious paintings hanging in a museum. 

Finally deciding on a picture, Pink ripped out the page in one swift motion, accidentally tearing off one of the corners of the in the process. 

Pearl waited for Pink to grab crayons out of the bucket before grabbing her own. Looking through the bucket of worn down nubs of crayon, Pearl grabbed a yellow crayon that wasn’t as small as the rest. 

“Are those girls your mommys?” Pink asked as she scribbled her crayon across the paper.

Pearl shook her head as she gently shaded in one of the flowers in her picture, “No, they’re my sisters.” 

“Oh,” Pink briefly paused before speaking again. “Are they the ones that are going to cook and clean? Are you going to stay with them?” 

“Yeah—” 

“Yay!” Pink cheered, cutting off Pearl with her overwhelmingly loud voice. “When you move we can play in the pool— or we can ride our bikes in the driveway! I got a bike for my birthday and I know how to ride it without the training wheels!” 

Pearl tried her best to follow along with Pink, as she continued to ramble about all the things they could do together now that Pearl was moving. As much as she tried to keep focus, Pink’s ongoing tangent was so fast paced it made Pearl’s brain run in circles.

Thankfully the door to the playroom opened a few minutes later, cutting what could have been a long discussion short. Waiting at the door frame was Yelena Diamond and Yasmin, who were both ready to call the girls.

Jumping up from her seat at the sight of her mother, Pink ran over and gave Yelena a huge hug. “Mama!” 

Picking her daughter up, Yelena smoothed down some of Pink’s defiant curls. “Have been good?” She asked, raising one of her eyebrows.

Pink, of course, nodded and told her mother about how they played nicely while she was gone. 

Standing up from the table, Pearl placed her crayons back into the bucket before going over to Yasmin. The four of them then headed downstairs, where Blair, Whitney and Bec are all waiting for them by the foyer, 

“Thank you once again, for this opportunity.” Yasmin acknowledged. “We have a long drive home, so it would be best if we head out.” 

“It was very nice to meet you all.” Blair smiled. “Have a safe drive home.”

“If you have any more questions, you know where to call.” Yelena added, while Pink waved goodbye to the group from her mother’s arms. 

After exchanging a round of quick goodbyes, the sisters left the house and made their way back into their car in silence. While Pearl’s sisters were quiet now, the ride home would be anything but silent. Once the car hit the highway, conversation would bloom about the family’s new future  involving their jobs. 

Chapter Text

Walking over to the elevator at the end of the parking garage of her office building, Yelena hit the elevator button with one of her gloved fingers before waiting for the doors to open. Once the elevator doors parted a few seconds later, Yelena entered into the elevator and pressed the button for the office floor. 

The elevator only managed to travel up one floor before stopping once again. Moving over to the corner of the elevator, Yelena expected a large crowd to enter when the doors would open, but to her surprise, only one person was waiting behind the elevator doors.

And that person being, was Blair Dorsey.

By now, it had been several months since Blair had started working at the office, and since then, the two had only interacted only a handful of times. Yelena had made a point to avoid interacting with her, not because she disliked Blair, but because quite the opposite, Yelena had developed a small crush on her. 

Blair was just so intimidatingly beautiful that Yelena always found herself being anything but composed around her presence. Yelena hated feeling so out of control of her emotions, so to avoid being seen as a fool, Yelena just flat out ignored Blair all together, unless their work forced them to collaborate with each other. 

Entering into the elevator, Blair sent a smile over to Yelena, who tried her best to give a casual nod in return. Yelena could feel her face heat up from the gesture, making her thankful for the cold that already flushed her cheeks.

Looking down at her hands, Yelena pulled off her gloves from her clammy hands and stuffed them into her pockets. She could feel nervous butterflies that formed in her stomach, now squeezing at her lungs. The silence between the two felt incredibly awkward, and Yelena desperately wanted to remove herself from the situation. 

“It’s freezing outside.” Blair said, clearly trying to engage in some form of small talk. “I heard it might snow tonight.”

“Maybe upstate.” Yelena countered, with not a single hint of nervousness in her voice, even though it secretly overtook her body. 

Blair hummed and the elevator went silent once again. The elevator would go up two floors before she would speak again.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something for a while now.” Blair began as she turned to face Yelena. “I was wondering if you would like to go to dinner with me? There’s this restaurant not too far from where I live, and I figured I could invite you… if you aren’t busy.”

Yelena could only blink as she took a second to fully understand what Blair had said to her. She definitely wasn’t expecting Blair to ask her to dinner, her mind just naturally assumed that she would ask her something work related. 

“Sure.” Yelena answered a few moments later. “I’m available this weekend.”

“Great!” Blair exclaimed, her pretty smile returning to her face. “How does Saturday at six sound?”

“That works.” Yelena agreed, flicking her eyes nervously away from Blair once she felt her face warm up again.

The elevator suddenly dings, alerting the two that they have arrived at their designated floor. Once the elevator doors part open, Yelena lets Blair exit the elevator first before exiting herself.

“I’ll see you on Saturday then.” Blair nodded, sending Yelena one last smile, before heading over to her office. 

Yelena stood frozen by the elevator, as she took a moment to process what had happened between the two. Finally snapping out of her trance a few minutes later, Yelena realized she had been standing by the elevator for an unusual amount of time. Quickly regaining her usual composure, Yelena made her way over to her office, scolding herself for acting so strange around Blair. 

_____

Yelena ran her hands through her slightly damp hair, styling her dirty blonde locks into its usual gelled up hairstyle. After her hair was styled to her liking, Yelena ran her hands under the bathroom sink to wash the hair gel from her hand.

As Yelena wiped her hands dry on the front of her pants, she took a second to double check her appearance in the mirror. She was wearing a simple pale yellow button up shirt, along with a pair of black work pants. Yelena had originally planned to wear one of her thick oversized blazers as well, but decided against it at the last minute once she realized it would make her look too formal, like she was going to one of Bianca’s fancy parties instead of a casual dinner. 

Exiting the bathroom, Yelena patted both her pockets, checking for her wallet and car keys. Finding that both were tucked into her pockets, Yelena pulled on her coat before leaving her apartment. 

The car ride to the restaurant wasn’t as long as Yelena expected, the evening traffic had died down exponentially, making the trip across the city a lot more tolerable. 

Pulling into the restaurant’s small parking lot, Yelena parked her car in the first available parking lot she spotted. Exiting the car, Yelena entered the restaurant, only to find the waiting area packed with people.

Searching through the crowd of people, Yelena found no sign of Blair around the room. Assuming that Blair hadn’t arrived yet, Yelena approached the hostess stand to reserve a table.

“How many?” The hostess behind the stand asked. 

“Two.” Yelena answered as she searched around the room. “I’m waiting for another person.” 

“Do you happen to be waiting for a…” The hostess squinted down at the list of reservations. “Ms. Dorsey?”

“Yes.” Yelena confirmed with a nod. 

“She is already seated.” The hostess informed. “Let me bring you to where she is.” 

Grabbing a menu, The hostess then escorted Yelena into the dining room and over to the area where Blair was seated. 

At the sight of Yelena walking over towards the table, a warm smile lit up on Blair’s face. Standing up from her seat to greet Yelena, Blair was dressed in a mid-length navy colored cocktail dress, along with a pair of silver strappy heels.

Blair wore a classic shade of red lipstick, which was different from what she would wear on a daily basis at the office. Yelena thought the color suited her, the ruby red color highlighted the soft curves of her full lips. Even though every part of Blair looked stunning, there was something about her lips that made the dormant butterflies inside Yelena’s chest flutter once again. 

“You look… nice.” Yelena blurted once she had reached the table. 

“Thank you.” Blair beamed as the two took their seats, clearly flattered by Yelena’s words. “You look very nice as well.”

As Yelena racked her brain for a response, one of the waiters approached their table, saving Yelena from looking like a complete idiot. 

“Hello ladies, I’m Thomas, and I’ll be your server today. Can I start you off with a complimentary sample of wine?” The waiter stated as he held up a bottle of red wine.

“Why not?” Yelena agreed with a shrug, as she slid one of the empty wine glasses over to the waiter. Wine would be the perfect thing to calm her nerves. 

Blair placed her own wine glass towards the waiter as well, who filled up both of their glasses with a small amount of wine.

Bringing the glass up to her lips, Yelena downed the entire sample. “We’ll take the bottle.” Yelena declared, setting her wine glass down with a clink . 

Taking a tiny sip of her own of wine, Blair's face scrunched up in disgust at the bitter taste. Sliding her lipstick stained wine glass away from her, Blair turned to face the waiter. 

“Can I please get an iced tea?” She asked, earning a nod from the waiter, who quickly scribbled down Blair’s order onto a notepad. 

Once the waiter had moved away from their table, Yelena filled up her glass with more wine, taking another huge sip before turning her attention to the menu in front of her. 

The two sat in silence, flipping through the restaurant’s menu, until the waiter came back to the table to take their orders. Once their orders had been taken, their menus had been taken away as well, leaving them with no choice but to fill the awkward silence with conversation. 

The two began to talk about the only thing they seemingly had in common with each other— work. While Blair was definitely more engaged in their conversation, Yelena would occasionally comment about a certain topic between her sips of wine. 

After a while, Yelena could feel the wine kick in and help relax her overly tense nerves. When she was almost finished with her first drink, Yelena poured more wine into her glass. It wouldn’t take long for her to go through her second glass, in less than twenty minutes, Yelena would find herself pouring herself another glass. 

As Blair continued to talk about something along the lines of her work project, Yelena could feel herself starting to zone out. Instead of focusing on what Blair was saying, Yelena found herself studying the features of Blair’s face. 

Blair’s wide blue eyes seemed to light up whenever she was talking about something she was clearly passionate about. Her nose would also crinkle in the cutest way whenever she would laugh. And her lips… 

It only took a couple seconds for Yelena to realize Blair’s demeanor had quickly changed throughout the couple minutes she had zoned out. Now quiet, Blair pressed her lips together as she glared over at Yelena. Her blue eyes were now narrowed and laced with annoyance, showing she knew Yelena hadn’t paid attention to what she had said. 

The two ate their meals in silence. The tension that had risen between the two felt excruciating painful, and Yelena tried to ignore it by taking more sips of her wine. If the wine could control her nerves, then it could help Yelena push down her feelings of guilt. 

Yelena wanted to apologize to Blair, she wanted to let her know that it wasn't her intention to seem disinterested, but her tipsy brain couldn’t find the right words to say out loud. So in fear of looking like a complete fool, Yelena thought it was better to stay silent than to say anything at all. 

When the waiter delivered their check to the table, Yelena paid for both meals despite Blair insisting that she should pay for her own meal. She hoped that paying the check would count as a silent apology, after all the bill was pretty pricey because of that bottle of wine…

Finishing the last sip of drink, Yelena reached for the wine bottle once again, only for Blair to move it out of her reach. 

“I think you’ve had enough.” Blair declared, finally breaking the silence between the two. 

Yelena rolled her eyes. “I’m completely fine.” 

Besides the small headache starting to form around her temples, Yelena felt fine for the most part. It usually took a lot for Yelena to get drunk and a couple of small glasses of wine wasn’t going to do anything to her. 

“How did you get here?” Blair asked. “Did you take a taxi?” 

“I drove here.” Yelena answered as she pushed her wine glass almost to the edge of the table. 

“I guess that means I have to drive you home.” Blair sighed, annoyance clear in her tone. 

“You don’t have to.” Yelena insisted. “I’m perfectly capable of driving myself home.” 

“Yelena!” Blair hissed. “You cannot drive yourself home! You’re drunk!” 

“I am not drunk.” Yelena countered, earning a dark glare from Blair. 

“I’m done with this.” Blair demanded as she stood up from her seat. “Let’s leave.”

Walking away from their table, Blair didn’t even wait for Yelena to get up from her seat before storming towards the restaurant's exit. Following Blair, Yelena’s head spun as she tried to keep up with Blair’s fast pace. How on earth could she walk so fast with high heels?

Finally catching up with Blair in the parking lot, Yelena led Blair over to where her car was parked in the now almost empty parking lot. 

“Keys.” Blair held out her hand towards Yelena, clearly asking for her to give up her car keys. 

As much as Yelena wanted to prove that she was sober enough to drive her own car, she also wasn’t in the mood to argue with Blair. Reluctantly pulling her car keys from her pocket, Yelena dropped them into Blair's hand. 

Unlocking the car, Blair entered the driver’s seat, while Yelena had no choice but to sit in the passenger’s seat. After pulling on her seatbelt, Yelena crossed her arms over her chest as she watched Blair start the car.

After taking a second to inspect the controls of the car, Blair placed one hand on the steering wheel and the other at the gear shift. Pushing the gear shift forward, Blair stepped her foot on the gas, launching the car forward. 

Clearly panicked by the car's sudden movement, Blair quickly slammed her foot on the brake. Taking a moment to compose herself, Blair placed both her hands on the wheel to steady herself.

“I know what I’m doing.” She said out loud, almost as if she was trying to convince herself more than Yelena. 

Yelena furrowed her eyebrows. “Are you sure about that?”

Ignoring Yelena’s remark, Blair managed to pull the car out of the parking lot and onto the city streets. While she was able to drive somewhat steadily on the road, Blair drove at an unnaturally slow pace. She was clearly an inexperienced driver, Yelena could tell by how nervous she seemed on the road. 

“Turn right.” Yelena instructed, pointing over to the road Blair needed to turn on. 

Nodding, Blair did as Yelena said and turned onto the street without putting her turn signal on. A car horn behind them blared, practically making Blair jump out of her skin.

“Sorry!” Blair apologized, even though the person behind them wouldn’t be able to hear her.

Yelena began to pinch the bridge of her nose. She had truly made a mistake in letting Blair drive her car. 

“I can tell you don’t drive often.” 

“I don’t.” Blair sheepishly admitted. “I haven’t driven a car since I was nineteen.”

“How old are you now?” Yelena questioned.

“Twenty-two.” Blair softly replied.

“What twenty-two year old doesn’t know how to drive?” Yelena laughed, her words sounding much more ruder than intended. 

Blair’s face reddened as she slumped into the driver’s seat. Blinking more than usual, Blair gripped on the steering wheel so hard, that her knuckles began to turn white.

The rest of the drive was mostly quiet, except for Yelena occasionally pointing out the directions to her apartment building. Once the two had reached Yelena’s apartment building, Blair pulled into the parking area and parked the car in one of the empty spots.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Yelena was glad they had made it home without getting pulled over by the cops, or worse, getting into a car accident. 

Unbuckling her seatbelt, Yelena stumbled on her own feet as she got out of the car. Once Yelena had successfully regained some of her balance, she glanced back over to Blair, who exited the car with much more grace than she did. 

“Here.” Blair said as she approached Yelena with her car keys. Blair tucked the keys into Yelena’s open palm, both of their fingers brushing together for a split second.

Blair eyed the apartment building. “Let’s go inside, it’s freezing.”

“You don’t have to come inside.” Yelena suggested. “I can go to my apartment by myself.”

Ignoring Yelena once again, Blair rolled her eyes before making her way towards the entrance of the apartment building. Following after her, Yelena stumbled as she tried to keep up with Blair. 

Once the two entered the building, they both headed straight into the elevator, where Yelena pressed the button for her apartment floor. After a few minutes of waiting in the elevator, the two arrived on the 13th floor. Walking out of the elevator, Yelena led Blair over to where her apartment was. 

Unlocking the door to her apartment, Yelena flicked on the lights as she entered. Instead of following Yelena inside, Blair stood by the doorframe.

“I should go.” Blair explained as she pointed towards the hallway.

Yelena found herself nodding in agreement, but as soon Blair turned to leave, she immediately reached out to grab Blair’s hand. 

“Wait!” Yelena cried out, causing Blair to turn back around.

Ignoring the confused look on Blair's face, Yelena glanced over to their interlocked hands before her eyes settled on Blair’s lips. 

Her mouth was slightly parted, and in the center of her lips, her red lipstick had faded from eating and drinking. Yelena found herself having a strong impulse to kiss them, so without thinking, Yelena planted a sloppy kiss on Blair's lips.

Immediately pulling away from Yelena, Blair let out a loud gasp as she backed into the hallway. Like a deer caught in headlights, Blair froze, only moving to bring her fingers up to her lips.

In shock of her own actions, Yelena stood frozen for as well, staring back at Blair with equally as wide eyes. When her actions finally sunk in a few moments later, Yelena immediately panicked and slammed her apartment door shut. 

Taking a couple steps back, Yelena stared at her front door, the memory of Blair just a few moments prior burned into her head.

“What the hell did you just do?!” Yelena found herself whispering to herself. 

A part of herself was in denial, the other part of Yelena was extremely angry for even allowing herself to do something like that in the first place.

It was wrong. It was wrong to kiss Blair like that. Yelena knew what it was like to be at the opposite end of an unwanted kiss, and all the anger that came with it. Yelena should have never copied that behavior, and being drunk wasn’t an excuse. 

Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror she had hung on the entranceway of her apartment, Yelena’s lips were stained a reddish pink. 

Walking up to the mirror, Yelena began to scrub at her lips, trying to remove the color from her lips, only to smear the color across her face even further.

Storming away in defeat, Yelena plopped herself on to her couch and buried her hands into her face. Her small headache from earlier had turned into a full blown migraine. 

Besides being angry, Yelena was mostly disappointed in herself. She should have never said yes to that dinner in the first place, it only added fuel to a fire that wasn’t meant to burn. 

Now Yelena was left with the consequences of her actions, with one of them being, accidentally outing herself to someone at her workplace.

While outing herself to Blair under any other circumstances would be equally as terrifying, her being an employee at Diamond Corp made the situation more horrible for Yelena. She had made Blair beyond angry tonight, and if she truly wanted to, Blair could head straight to Bianca’s office on Monday morning and have her fired. 

It wasn’t uncommon for people to be fired based on their sexuality. Yelena had heard plenty of stories. But now that reality of it seemed possible, Yelena was truly terrified. 

From the moment she and Bianca started the company, Yelena had poured every fiber of her being into her work, including blood, sweat and tears. If she were to lose everything, she would be devastated beyond repair. 

With everything on the line, Yelena's future now laid in Blair’s hands

Chapter Text

The three of them sat on the floor of Bec and Pearl’s bedroom, packing away the contents of their room. While Yasmin sorted through Pearl's clothes, Bec was busy packing all of her artwork and art supplies. Pearl helped with the packing as well, placing all of her toys into her backpack. 

In the chaos of moving, the entire house had rearranged itself overnight. Boxes were scattered over every surface of the house, either marked keep or donate. Furniture stood around the house in random places, ready to be moved into the moving van and taken to a second hand store. Most of the hard work of moving had already been done, leaving the family of four left with the simple tasks of packing their clothing and personal items.

Picking up her teddy bear from the pile of toys that still needed to be packed, Pearl forced the stuffed animal into her bag, which was already packed to the brim. Looking down at the pile of toys still on the floor, Pearl realized that she wasn’t going to have enough room to fit all of them into her backpack. 

Unsure on what to do next, Pearl turned and faced Yasmin, who folded one of Pearl’s shirts before placing it into her suitcase.

“What’s the matter June?” Yasmin asked, quickly recognizing that something was bothering her sister. 

“All of my toys don’t fit.” Pearl frowned as she pointed over to her bag. “Does that mean I have to get rid of some of my toys?”

A couple days ago, Yasmin had a conversation with Pearl where she explained that they wouldn’t be able to take all of their belongings into their new home and that whatever they couldn’t bring, would be donated to a second hand shop. 

Pearl would never admit it, but it secretly hurt to see all their belongings go. Some things hurt less, like the analog clock hanging in the living room, but other things left Pearl with a weird sense of emptiness. 

Earlier, Yasmin had instructed Whitney to get rid of all of their Christmas decorations, and Pearl had found herself sad at the upcoming loss of them. Giving away their Christmas decorations felt like they were giving away the memories that came with it. It felt strange to think about these items being in a store, being easily available to a stranger, who would have no idea of the memories and moments these items held. 

Pearl didn’t want that to happen with her toys. She was already losing so much with giving away the impersonal things, that giving up something she was so close with would feel like the end of the world. 

Yasmin pressed her thin lips in a line. “June—” 

Yasmin was quickly cut off by the sound of Bec dumping her art stuff on the floor. Paintbrushes and pencils clattered, while papers fluttered on the floor. 

“Here.” Bec mumbled, tossing her empty backpack over to Pearl. 

“Bec,” Yasmin glanced over to the pile of artwork on the floor. “You don’t have to—”

“It’s fine.” Bec interrupted once against, her voice this time thick and unusually hard with emotion. 

Bec looked down at the floor with watery eyes. Letting out a loud sniff, Bec shot up from the floor and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her. 

Pearl looked over to Yasmin, who avoided eye contact as she carefully began to pick up Bec’s art from the floor. 

“It’s okay.” Yasmin reassured as she placed the pile of Bec’s artwork back into her bag. “We can put the rest of your toys in a box.”

Pearl felt like it was her fault for making Bec feel upset, even though Yasmin had told her otherwise. As much as Pearl should have been helping Yasmin clean up all the art supplies sprawled across the floor, Pearl felt frozen, the guilty pang in her stomach causing her to stay put and not ruin anything further. 

Snapping Pearl out of her guilt induced thoughts, the door to their bedroom swung open, catching both of Yasmin’s and Pearl’s attention.

Standing in the door frame was Whitney, who was holding something in her arms. 

“Look what I found.” Whitney exclaimed, waving the item up in the air. “It’s our photo album!”

Running over to where her sisters were sitting on the floor, Whitney sat herself in the space right between Yasmin and Pearl. Displaying the photo album on her lap, Whitney wiped away the thin layer of dust on the book’s surface. 

“Where did you find this?” Yasmin asked, ghosting her fingers across the spine of the photo album. 

“I found it in the attic, right next to all the Christmas stuff you told me to get rid of.” Whitney explained, continuing to wipe away the remaining specs of dust stuck on the plastic surface of the cover. 

“We haven’t looked through this in years!” Yasmin grinned.

“I know! I don’t think June has even seen this before!” Whitney announced excitedly, opening the book. “Where’s Bec? She’ll definitely want to see this too!” 

Yasmin paused for a second, her lips puckering once again. “I think she wants to be alone right now.” 

“Okay.” Whitney shrugged, not paying much attention to her sister’s tense body language. 

Turning towards Pearl, Whitney titled the album towards her direction. “Do you want to look through the album with me?”

Pearl immediately nodded, moving closer to Whitney so she could see what was inside. Placing the album across their laps, Whitney opened up the first page of the book and pointed over to the first picture inside. 

“This is mommy when she was pregnant with me.” Whitney explained, her fingers gently brushing over the photo.

In the picture, their mother was standing outside, dressed in an oversized floral print summer dress that hugged her pregnant frame. Holding her swollen baby bump, their mother looked straight into the camera, and gave a warm, wide smile that was reflected in her blue eyes. Her hair, the same strawberry blonde that Whitney and Pearl shared, was sleek and straight and fell just above her shoulders. 

In the photo, their mother seemed so energetic and full of life, but in the few memories Pearl held of her, their mother had looked the opposite, sick and tired and always in pain. 

Pearl looked over to Whitney, who was smiling down at the photo, matching the smile on their mother’s face. Whitney didn’t see their mother in the same way Pearl did, she could remember the good memories, not the ones where their mother was slumped over in a hospital bed.

Finally moving on from the first photo, Whitney turned her attention to the several photos underneath it.

“This is me when I was a baby.” Whitney said as she  pointed over to a picture of herself when she was a newborn. In the picture, baby Whitney was swaddled in a pink blanket, her face red and wrinkled. 

Glancing over Whitney’s shoulder, Yasmin snorted at the sight of the picture. “Ugly.” She playfully teased, clearly wanting to get a reaction from her sister. 

“Oh you shouldn’t be talking Yasmin!” Whitney retorted. “At least I was born with hair!”

Flipping to the next page of the album, Whitney pointed to a picture of their mother holding a newborn Yasmin. “Look!” Whitney tapped her finger to the photo. “You were bald! Everyone thought you were a boy!” 

Whitney's remark had sent Pearl into a fit of giggles, which in turn, made Whitney double over in laughter as well. Despite the annoyed glare on Yasmin’s face, her lips twitched upwards almost as if she was trying to suppress her own laughter. 

Once Whitney and Pearl had calmed down from their laughter, they both turned their attention back over to the photo album. While Whitney reminisced over photos of her and Yasmin as toddlers, Pearl caught interest in a few photos in particular.

On the right side of the album, was a picture of a six year old Whitney and a three year old Yasmin, both giving hugs and kisses to their mother’s pregnant stomach. Right below it, was a picture of a newborn Bec, but instead of having her familiar brown hair, she had blonde, almost white hair. 

“Bec had blonde hair?!” Pearl gasped, completely dumbfounded over the fact that hair could suddenly change color. 

“When she was a baby.” Whitney replied. “It changed as she got older.” 

“Oh.” Pearl tilted her head to the side, her brain still not fully understanding why or how that was possible. 

Looking through the next few pages of the photo album, Pearl watched her sisters grow from toddlers, to kids, to teens in the matter of seconds, milestones of their lives all captured by polaroid pictures, labeled with dates, years and ages.

With another flip of the page, the two finally stumbled across Pearl’s baby pictures. Whitney immediately directs Pearl's attention to a few select photos, one of them being a picture of their mother sitting in a hospital bed, looking down fondly at the baby in her arms. 

“Look how tiny you were!” Whitney gushed, pointing her finger to the small, swaddled baby in the photo. 

Pearl could hardly believe that tiny baby was her. Given, the photo taken somewhat far away, making her look tinier than she probably was, but Pearl still thought she looked tinier than her sisters did at that age. 

“I remember we were all fighting about who would get to hold you first.” Whitney smiled, pointing over to several pictures of herself, Yasmin and Bec all individually holding Pearl.

Whitney flipped over to the next page in the book, only to find it blank. Flipping through the last few pages of the book, every single page was just as empty as the first. 

The way the album ended with newborn pictures of Pearl felt jarring. With the amount of blank pages left in the book, it seemed like their mother had every intention to fill the book up with more photos of Pearl as she grew. But because of her illness, the album was quickly forgotten, placed on the back burner to never be touched again. 

The book suddenly held a heavy weight to it, pressing down on both of their legs. 

Bringing the photo album to the floor, Whitney closed her eyes for a moment, taking a second just to breath. Pearl now understood why the photo album stayed in the attic for all these years. It brought up too many painful memories instead of the good ones the album was supposed to showcase. 

Whitney opened her eyes with a sigh. Turning to face Pearl, Whitney immediately pulled her little sister into a hug. 

“You look so much like her.” Whitney began as she pulled Pearl close to her chest. “You have her pretty hair and eyes…” 

Bringing her hand up to Pearl’s head, Whitney gently ran her fingers through her sisters short locks. Despite the smile on her face, Whitney had a sad look in her brown eyes. 

Talking about their mother always made her sisters sad, so it was never a topic they spoke about too often. As a way to comfort Whitney, Pearl pulled her sister into a tighter hug, knowing that her cuddles alway made Whitney feel better. 

Melting into her sister’s hug, the two held each other for a moment until Whitney pulled away. By the look on her face, Pearl’s hug had definitely done a lot to cheer her up. 

“Why did you have to get so big?” Whitney pouted, her signature cheery personality returning once again. “What happened to that tiny little baby in those photos?” 

Pearl giggled at her sister’s question. “I grew up!”

“Who said you were allowed to do that? Yasmin?” Whitney joked, earning another round of giggles from Pearl, and another eye roll from Yasmin. 

“If it were up to me, I would have you stay like this forever.” Whitney continued on. “Promise me you won’t grow up too fast while I’m gone?”

Even though it was a silly question for Whitney to ask of her, Pearl wanted to promise her anyways. Finding Whitney’s hand, Pearl wrapped her pinky finger around her sister’s. 

“I promise.”

_____

A bump on the road had woken Pearl up from her nap. Rubbing at her tired eyes, Pearl sat up straight in her car seat, before opening up her heavy eyelids.

Her eyes took a couple of seconds to adjust to the bright light of the sun beaming into the car window. In the front of the car, Whitney sat in the driver’s seat, softly humming along to the song on the radio, while Bec laid back in the passenger's seat, trying to catch some sleep like Pearl did. 

Yasmin was the only sister missing in the car. While Whitney, Bec and Pearl all rode in the family car, Yasmin was left with the task of driving the moving van with all of their belongings inside. 

The four of them stayed up late last night, trying to finish up any last minute packing they had left, along with trying to empty the house of all its furniture. They were all pretty exhausted, and it didn’t help that they all had to wake up earlier than usual to make the drive over to Empire State. 

Pearl was at least fortunate enough to get the most sleep out of all of them. Last night her sisters had stayed up way past midnight, stressing about the details of their move. 

While Whitney seemed the most awake, Bec had been like Pearl, tired and sluggish. Pearl wasn’t one to take naps anymore, especially in uncomfortable places like the car seat, but after all the exhaustion from last night, she so desperately needed one.

Taking a moment to stretch her tired limbs, Pearl wondered how long she has been asleep for. 

“Whitney?” Pearl called, keeping her voice low and quiet just in case Bec was sleeping. “Are we almost there?”

“We should be there pretty soon.” Whitney answered, their eyes meeting briefly at the rear view mirror. 

Soon enough, the car pulled into the familiar neighborhood that belonged to the Diamonds. Pulling into the circular driveway, Pearl noticed that the moving truck Yasmin had rented was already parked to the side of the driveway. 

Parking the car across the moving truck, Whitney turned the car off, stirring Bec from her sleep. Getting out of the car, Whitney opened the back door of the car and began to unstrap Pearl from her car seat.

Taking a moment to wake herself up, Bec followed Whitney out the car a few seconds later. Heading over to the back door of the passenger side, Bec opened the car door up, facing Whitney and Pearl from the opposite side. 

 “All of our stuff is the backseat, right?” Bec asked, pointing down to the suitcases and bags that laid on the seat and floor of the car.

“Yep.” Whitney agreed as she helped Pearl get down from the car. “I put all of my stuff in the truck.” 

“Okay.” Bec nodded. “June can you come over here and help me grab our bags?” 

As Pearl ran over to the opposite side of the car, Bec had already pulled Pearl bags from the car, placing them onto the pavement of the driveway. Grabbing her backpack, Pearl placed it onto her shoulders before taking hold of her suitcase. 

“Need any help?” Whitney offered, even though her own hands were full. Walking over to her sisters, Whitney held Pearl’s car seat in her arms. 

Pulling her suitcase close to her, Pearl shook her head. “I got it.”

“Okay then.” Whitney laughed. “Let’s go to the house. Yasmin’s probably waiting for us inside.” 

After Bec had gathered her own bags, the three of them headed across the Diamonds front yard and over to the guest house at the end of the property. 

Compared to the Diamonds house, the guest house looked extremely small. The outside of the house was lined with the same grey siding, with a couple of concrete steps leading up to the front door. 

Pearl didn’t like how the house was so close to the trees that surrounded the property. The woods seemed so dark and uneasy, a place where you could easily get lost in if you went inside. Who knows what kind monsters could be lurking there after dark? 

Climbing up the stairs to the guest house, Whitney opened up the front door, revealing a fully furnished living room/kitchen. Sitting on the small red couch in the center of the room, was Yasmin, who immediately stood up to greet her sisters. 

Entering the house, both Bec and Pearl stood by the entrance, while Whitney began to walk around the living room, exploring the small space around her.

The small carpeted area that consisted of the living room was filled with a couch, a coffee table, and a big box like television. The kitchen, which was located in the front of the room, was a small tilted space of counters and kitchen appliances. Together, both areas of the house felt awfully cramped, especially since the four of them were all in the room together.

“This place is much smaller than I thought it would be.” Whitney admitted as she met Yasmin by the couch. 

“It is…” Yasmin sighed, rubbing her arm. “But it’s fine, it's just going to be the three of us anyway.”

A frown found its way on Whitney’s face. “Yeah, just the three of you…” 

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air. For weeks now, they all had known that moving was a required part of Whitney’s job, just like it had been for Yasmin’s and Bec’s. The only difference would be Whitney staying at Bianca Diamond’s house, which was almost half an hour away from where they lived. 

They all had come to terms with the idea, accepting the fact that they probably wouldn’t see each as often as they usually did. But now that their parting was about to become reality in a few short hours, saying goodbye was going a lot harder than expected.

Clearing her throat, Yasmin quickly changed the subject of the conversation. “Why don’t we look around before we start unpacking?” 

“Why not?” Whitney exclaimed she placed Pearl’s car seat down onto the coffee table. Despite the cheery tone in her voice, Pearl could recognize that it was way too happy and fake to be considered real. 

Guiding the group over to where the hallway was, Yasmin pointed over to the first door on the right.

“This is the bathroom.” Yasmin informed, opening up the door for her sisters to see inside. Moving over to the other door on the opposite side of the hallway, Yasmin opened the door to reveal a bedroom. “And this is going to be June’s room.” 

Following her sisters inside her new room, Pearl noticed that there was only one piece of furniture in the room, a small twin sized bed, that was pressed against one of the white walls of the room. 

Pearl was confused as to why there was only bed in the room. Her and Bec had always shared a room together, and they hadn’t discussed otherwise during the process of moving. 

Looking up to Bec, who was biting at her lower lip, Pearl waited for her sister to give an explanation. 

“Yasmin and I are sharing a room.” Bec explained, answering the question Pearl didn’t dare to say out loud. 

“Luck you.” Whitney grinned, crouching down to Pearl’s height. “You get to have a room all by yourself.” 

Pearl found herself frowning. She didn’t know how to feel about sleeping in this room all by herself. 

Noticing the unhappy look on her sister’s face, Whitney reached over and placed a hand onto Pearl's shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll get used to it.” 

After a quick tour of Yasmin’s and Bec bedroom, which had been identical to Pearl’s, the four of them headed back into the living room. While her sisters gathered around the front entrance of the house, Pearl made herself comfortable on the new plushy red couch in the center of the living room. 

“We should probably start unpacking.” Yasmin suggested, pulling the keys from the rental truck out from the pocket of her jacket. “I have to return the van before the moving company closes.”

“It’s better to start now so I can help you guys unpack before I leave.” Whitney agreed, eying the clock that was hung right above the TV.

Nodding Yasmin opened up the front door, letting Whitney and Bec leave first before exiting herself. At the sight of all her sisters leaving, Pearl immediately jumped down from the couch and ran straight over to Yasmin. 

“You don’t have to help us, June.” Yasmin insisted. “You can stay inside if you want.” 

“I want to be you guys.” Pearl shyly answered, not fully wanting to explain to Yasmin that she felt uncomfortable being in the house all by herself. 

Looking down at her sister with pursed lips, Yasmin took a moment to think before speaking. 

“Fine.” She finally settled on, letting Pearl come outside before closing the door shut. “You can come with us, but you're not unpacking anything from the truck. The boxes are way too heavy for you to carry.”

Nodding, Pearl took her sister’s hand as they traveled down the front step of their house. Both Whitney and Bec were waiting for them on the paved pathway that led to the front of the guest house. 

“June’s tagging along?” Whitney asked as soon as the two approached her and Bec 

Nodding, Yasmin opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, she was interrupted by the sound of the Diamonds sliding door opening and closing. Bringing their attention over to the Diamonds house, Yelena Diamond stood on the back patio, both of her hands situated on her hips.

Making eye contact with Yasmin, Yelena motioned for her to come over, clearly wanting to start up a conversation with her.

Letting go of Pearl’s hand, Yasmin threw the keys of the moving truck over to Whitney, who somehow managed to catch them without any warning.

“Start unpacking the truck.” Yasmin instructed to both Whitney and Bec, ignoring the dirty look on her older sister's face.

 “And June,” Yasmin began, turning to face her sister. “You stay over here.”

Walking away from her sisters, Yasmin hurried over to where Yelena Diamond was waiting, jogging across the neatly trimmed lawn that separated the two houses.

While Yasmin made her way over to the Diamond’s house, Whitney and Bec both strolled down the pathway, whispering to each other as they made their way to the moving truck parked in the driveway.

Pearl did what she was told and stayed put. Sitting down on the front steps, Pearl slowly dragged the sole of her sneaker across the edge of the concrete steps as she watched Yasmin and Yelena talk from afar. 

So far, the conversation between the two had been more of a one sided thing. While Yelena did most of the talking, Yasmin would occasionally comment on something, or would agree to something every now and then. For the most part, Yasmin stayed quiet, nodding along to show that she was listening. After all their conversation was about the responsibilities her and Bec had to do around the house, so it wasn’t like Yasmin had much to add in the first place. 

As Pearl continued to watch the two, in the corner of her eye she could see the tiny silhouette of someone from inside the Diamonds house approaching the tinted sliding door. 

As the figure stepped closer to the sliding, Pearl was able to see her face, quickly recognizing the person as Pink Diamond, who was holding a melting orange popsicle in her hand. 

Compared to the last she saw her, Pink was dressed casually in her blue denim shorts and white t-shirt. Even from far away, Pearl could see the orange stain from her popsicle smeared across the front of her shirt. 

Standing on her tippy toes, Pink peered out the glass door, clearly wanting to know what her mother was up to outside. After watching her mother for a few seconds, Pink quickly lost interest, looking beyond the patio where Yasmin and Yelena stood, and over to where the woods and guest house was. 

Spotting Pearl on the steps, a smile immediately lit up on Pink’s face as she began to frantically wave with her free hand. Reaching for the handle of the sliding door, Pink pushed all her weight against the door, sliding it open.

Upon hearing the sound of the sliding door open, Yelena paused from her conversation, turning her attention over to the open screen door. 

“Close the door.” Yelena instructed, sending a glare over to her daughter. 

Instead of listening, Pink looked her mother in the eye as she stepped outside onto the patio. 

“Pink Diamond.” Her mother declared. “Don't make me bring you inside.” 

Ignoring her mother once again, Pink took a small step forward, clearly testing how much she could push her mother's patience until she could get what she wanted.

“Do you want to go time out again?” Yelena snapped, clearly at her wits end with her daughter’s behavior. 

This time her threat had worked, causing Pink to run back into the house, leaving a trail of melted orange syrup in her path. 

Returning back to their conversation, Yelena gave what was assumed to be an apology, before continuing as normal. So far in all the interactions with their family, Yelena Diamond had handled things seriously and directly, almost as if she was dealing with something as serious as a business transaction instead of employing someone.

Yelena Diamond just held an intimidating, untouchable, aura to her. From the way she had reacted to Pink ignoring her, Pearl realized it was best to avoid getting her fired up. Her reaction had been mostly mild, but Pearl could tell that Yelena was the type of person to turn the fiery place downstairs over when she would get angry.

Clearly mad about being sent back inside, Pink slammed the sliding doors shut, the loud sound from the collision echoing throughout the backyard. The impact of the door being thrown had clearly shaken the house, because the dripping popsicle in Pink’s hand had fallen to the floor in a heap of melted sludge. 

It wasn’t a surprise that Blair Diamond had rushed into the room almost a second later. After hearing the sliding door being thrown close, she probably had an instinct that her daughter was up to no good. 

At the sight of her mother standing by the entryway of the dining room, Pink immediately froze, knowing that there was no way she could cover up her tracks, or her mess, now.

Blair immediately pulled her lips into frown as she spotted the melted mess of popsicle on the floor. Closing her eyes for a second, Blair’s hands found their way to her temples, seemingly trying to soothe an upcoming headache.

And by the look on Blair’s face, Pearl could tell that situations like these happened way too often at the Diamond household. 

After taking a moment to gather her composure, Blair made her way to her daughter, being mindful to avoid the orange puddle of sugar on the floor. 

Crouching down to her daughter's height, Blair began what Pearl assumed to be a scolding. Their conversation couldn’t be heard through the glass, but with the context of the situation, Blair was most likely chastising Pink for leaving the house and making a mess on the floor. 

Surprisingly, Blair had managed to stay calm for the most part. She was of course annoyed, and it showed on her face, but compared to how her partner reacted to Pink misbehaving earlier, Blair was clearly the lenient parent out of the two.

Pointing over to the stained fabric of Pink’s shirt, Blair then motioned over to the living room, clearly sending her daughter out of the room. Standing up to her full height, Blair followed Pink into the living room, where the two of them disappeared from Pearl’s view.

Hearing footsteps walking on the pathway, Pearl turned her attention away from the Diamonds sliding door and over to the pathway in front of her. Walking over to the house, was Whitney and Bec, both holding two boxes in their hands.

Realizing that she was blocking the stairs, Pearl stood up and moved away from her seat on the front steps. 

As her sisters walked past her and climbed up the front steps of the house, Pearl turned her attention back over to Yasmin, who seemed to be wrapping up her conversation. Past the two of them, Pearl could see Blair Diamond through the screen door, kneeling on the floor, mopping up her daughter’s mess.

Parting from their conversation, Yasmin and Yelena headed towards their separate ways, Yasmin over to the guest house and Yelena towards the sliding door of her own home.

As Yelena opened up the screen door, an audible “Be careful!” from Blair could be heard. Carefully stepping into the house, just as her significant other suggested, Yelena closed the sliding door shut, muting their conversation for Pearl to hear.

Looking down at Blair sitting down on the floor, Yelena watched as Blair began to explain the mess their daughter made, pulling her lips into pout as she pointed to the now clean floor.

Responding to her rant, Yelena extended her arm towards Blair, who took it as she carefully stood herself up. Whatever Yelena had said to her did not lighten up the sullen mood on Blair's face, causing her pout even more.

Laughing at the look on Blair’s face, Yelena pulled Blair closer, wrapping her arms around her waist. The look on Blair’s face immediately softened as she leaned into the embrace, pulling her lips in a giddy smile short from pulling her spouse into a kiss.

Pearl immediately tore away her eyes from the scene. Kissing was gross and she had seen enough of it watching soap operas with Whitney.

As Yasmin finally reached the house, Whitney and Bec appeared from inside, walking down the front steps and over to their sister. Making their way back over to the moving truck, Pearl followed behind them. After all, she still didn’t want to be left alone. 

_____

It didn’t take long to bring all of the boxes into the house, especially since they had brought much to begin with. Pearl had tried her best to help along, even though she was limited with what she could do. She wasn’t allowed to carry any boxes, but she was allowed to help her sisters sort through all the unpacked items and decide where they should go in the house. 

Once the majority of their items had been unpacked, the four of them had settled down for dinner. While Yasmin and Bec were in the kitchen flipping grilled cheeses on the stovetop, both Whitney and Pearl had cuddled up on the couch, enjoying the little time they had left with each other before having to say goodbye.

Walking over to the living room with a ceramic plate in hand, Yasmin walked over to Pearl, who pulled herself away from Whitney’s embrace before taking the grilled cheese from her sister.

“Thank you.” Pearl said before she picked up one of the halves and took a bite. 

Yasmin only gave her a smile before turning back into the kitchen. There had always been an unspoken rule in the family that Pearl was always to be served first. 

As Pearl finished the first half of her sandwich, Yasmin appeared from the kitchen once again, this time with a plate for Whitney. 

From the kitchen, the smell of toast bread and butter wafted in the living room. Bec, who was watching the bread grilling on the pan, took a bite from her own sandwich, before picking up the pan from the stove and sliding the grilled cheese onto a plate reserved for Yasmin. While Pearl was the first to eat, Yasmin was always the last.

Eating the last bite of her dinner, Pearl slid off of the couch with her empty plate in hand. But before Pearl could take a step forward to the kitchen, Whitney placed her hand onto Pearl’s shoulder, stopping her from moving forward.

“Hmm!” Whitney hummed as she chewed through a mouthful food. “I’ll take your plate.” 

Taking the plate from Pearl’s hand, Whitney stood up from the couch as she made her way over to the kitchen, placing the empty dishes into the small sink. Moving over towards Yasmin, who was leant over the counter eating, Whitney tapped her shoulder before whispering into her ear. 

“Now?” Yasmin frowned, placing her sandwich down onto her plate. 

Whitney slowly nodded, turning her attention over to the tiled floor of the kitchen.

Yasmin glanced over to Pearl before meeting Whitney’s eyes again. “You have to be the one to tell her.” 

Turning to face her little sister, Whitney nervously chewed on her bottom lip before she found the courage to speak up. 

“June,” She started, taking in another deep steadying breath. “I have to go now.”

As much as Pearl thought she had prepared herself for this, it hurt a lot more than she thought it would. She had always been the closest with Whitney, after all she was the one that would take care of Pearl most of the time. It would be strange to not have her around anymore.

She could feel the tears pricking in her eyes, as much as she promised herself she would not get upset, Pearl couldn’t help herself. 

Letting out a series of shaky breaths, the tears quickly take over, blurring her eyesight. Through her tears, Pearl could see Whitney running over to her before immediately engulfing her into a hug. 

“Don’t cry.” Whitney tried to comfort, trying to wipe away the tears running down Pearl’s flushed cheeks. “June, please .” 

Whitney's voice cracked awfully, like if she was trying to hold back her own tears. 

The sadness in her sister’s voice somehow makes Pearl more upset, causing her to sob even harder. Pulling Whitney into a tighter hug, Pearl sobbed into the fabric of her sweater, not wanting her sister to leave her. 

Eventually prying herself away from Pearl’s grip, Whitney tried to give her sister a smile, but Pearl could easily tell that it was just an act to make her feel better. 

“I promise that I’ll call when I’m not busy.” Whitney assured. “And whenever I’m off from work, I’ll try to come over and visit.”

Pearl nodded through her tears, trying to muffle the hiccups that came from her intense sobs. 

Pressing a kiss to her little sister’s forehead, Whitney brought Pearl into another comforting hug. “I love you so much June-Bug, I truly do.”

Staying in the hug for a second longer, Whitney pulled away, smoothing down Pearl’s hair one last time before getting herself up from the floor.

Walking over to Bec, Whitney pulled her sister into a tight hug as they exchanged their goodbyes, a couple of low whispers only the two of them could hear.

And once Whitney finally pulled away, she finally turned to Yasmin. 

Silence hung in the air for a moment, unspoken words waiting to be said. A million things could have been said in that moment, a whole catalogue of unspoken apologies and promises, remembrances and goodbyes. But ultimately, Yasmin decided to say one thing.

“I’ll walk you to your car.”

Even though her suggestion seemed rather uncaring, Pearl knew their relationship well enough to know that’s how most exchanges went between them. It seemed appropriate for them to want a private moment to say their goodbyes, after all, at one point it had been the two of them against the world. 

As Whitney and Yasmin made their way over to the front door, Pearl immediately turned away and ran over to Bec, burying her face in the rough denim of her jeans so she didn’t have to see them leave.

She could still hear the door shut, which didn’t make her feel any better. Finding herself crying again, her hiccups came back in full force, violently jerking her body with every sob. 

Picking Pearl up as if she was a baby, Bec gently rubbed her sister’s back as she grabbed a glass and filled it with water from the sink. Placing Pearl back on her feet, Bec handed over the glass, which Pearl took and began to slowly sip at.

Once her hiccups had disappeared, Pearl brought the glass away from her mouth, staring down at the remaining water left in the glass.

“It’s getting pretty late.” Bec said as she took the glass from Pearl’s hand. “I think it’s time for you to take a bath.” 

After a quick bath, Bec had dressed Pearl in her pajamas and had combed through her wet hair before allowing her to leave the bathroom. 

Entering into the hallway of her new house, Pearl shivered as her bare feet touched the cold hardwood floor. Walking over to the carpeted area of the living room, Pearl saw that Yasmin was sitting on the couch, blankly staring at the TV in front of her. 

Moving closer to the couch, Pearl could see how blotchy Yasmin’s face was, along with how swollen and red her eyes looked. She had been crying about Whitney too.

Pearl hoisted herself onto the couch, making her presence known. Pulling herself closer to Yasmin, Pearl leaned for a hug, wanting to comfort her sister. Whenever Pearl would feel sad or upset, her sisters would be there to hug her and cuddle with her until she felt better, so it was only fair to return the favor when Yasmin was in need. 

Accepting her little sister’s hug, Yasmin wrapped her arm around Pearl’s tiny frame, pulling her close to her side. Pearl immediately relaxed in the comfort of her sister, closing her eyes as she paid little to no attention to the low jumble of words and sounds coming from TV.

It wasn’t Pearl's intention to fall asleep in her sister’s arms, but after all the unpacking and crying she had done today, she had felt completely drained of energy. Whatever sleep she did get on the couch didn’t last long, the sound of a plate falling into the sink would wake Pearl up from her sleep.

Shifting into a different position in her sister’s arms, Pearl rubbed at her tired eyes, wanting to sleep to take over once again. But before that could happen, the sound of Yasmin speaking stirred from her sleepiness.

“I think it’s time for you to go to bed.” Yasmin decided, keeping her voice soft and whispery to not disturb Pearl any further.

As Yasmin carried her over to her bedroom, Pearl cracked her eyes open, noticing Bec trailing behind them as they traveled down the hallway.

Entering the bedroom, Yasmin carefully placed Pearl into her bed before tucking her into the covers.

“Goodnight.” She whispered. “We love you.”

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Yasmin moved out of the way, so Bec could have her turn to say goodnight. 

Coming to the bed with Pearl’s favorite teddy bear, Bec tucked the stuffed animal under the covers before pressing a kiss to her sister’s cheek. “See you tomorrow.”

Watching her sister’s leave the room, Bec was the one who closed the door shut, leaving Pearl all alone in her unfamiliar room. For some reason she doesn’t feel sleepy anymore, almost as if all the sleep had drained from all her body in the seconds it took for her sisters to leave the room.

Moving on to her side, Pearl stared at the blank wall across from her, illuminated by the remaining glimpses of daylight entering from the window.

It was weird to see the walls of her bedroom be so blank. In her and Bec’s old bedroom, the walls of their room were covered with her sister’s art, showcasing all the paintings and drawings she had made at school or during her free time. 

Pearl loved it just as much as Bec did. At night, when Pearl had trouble falling asleep, she would look up to all the drawings in the room. In the dark, the art would transform into something completely different than it originally had intended to be.

Pearl couldn’t help but frown at the empty wall across from her. Seeing it made her miss sharing a room with Bec.

There was comfort in knowing that Bec would always be there at night, sleeping right across from her. If Pearl had a nightmare, she knew that Bec would be there to reassure her that everything was okay, and if Pearl was scared of the dark, she knew that Bec would be there to protect from anything that could harm her.

But now, Bec wouldn’t be in her new room with her. 

What would happen if she had a nightmare? 

Pearl found herself glancing over to the window. Through the thin white curtains she could see the outline of the trees outside.

What would happen if she became scared?  

Prying her eyes away from the window, Pearl closed her eyes shut, pressing her teddy bear close to her chest. 

She could feel the hot tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She wanted to go home. She wanted Whitney to live with them again. 

Clutching her teddy bear even closer to her chest, Pearl let out a couple of quiet sobs. Even though she felt beyond exhausted, she couldn’t turn off her mind.

The pattern of overthinking had continued for most of the night until Pearl had finally passed out from exhaustion. Whatever sleep she did manage to get was short lived, because Yasmin had woken her up much earlier than expected.

Opening the door to her room, Yasmin flicked the lights on, waking Pearl up from her sleep. Sitting up on her bed, Pearl squinted at her surroundings, taking a second to remember where she was as her eyes adjusted to the light.

Helping her sister get down from the bed, Yasmin changed Pearl out of her pajamas and into a new set of clothes. After taking a moment to comb through Pearl’s disheveled hair, Yasmin had picked up Pearl’s backpack from the ground and placed it onto her shoulders before taking Pearl’s hand and leading her into the living room.

As soon as she spotted her sisters entering the room, Bec immediately got up from the couch and made her way over to the front door, allowing her sisters to exit the house before leaving herself. 

It was still dark outside as they crossed the pathway that connected the two houses together. In the horizon, the sun had started to rise, barely producing enough light to illuminate the entire backyard. 

Pearl held tightly onto Yasmin's hand as they made their way over to the Diamonds back patio. In the dark, the back property seemed even more shadowy and intimidating than it was before.

Pearl kept her eyes on the ground, trying not not to scare herself any further by looking around into the unknown of the dark. As they approached the back patio, Pearl spotted the trail of dried up popsicle syrup Pink had left on the ground. A dead ant laid in one of the particularly big puddles, where it had gotten stuck and eventually had drowned in the sugar syrup.

The sound of Bec opening the sliding door tore Pearl’s eyes away from the ground. Following their sister in the house, Yasmin was the one to close the door shut, being mindful not to carefully close the door with any force.

Walking into the kitchen, Yasmin led Pearl over to one of the empty corners at the far end of the room. Taking Pearl’s bag off of her shoulders, Yasmin placed the bag against the wall.

“You can sit here while we cook.” Yasmin explained, pointing over to the corner where Pearl’s backpack was.

Nodding, Pearl sat where she was told, watching Yasmin as she went over to help Bec grab ingredients from the refrigerator.

Pulling her backpack to her chest, Pearl rested her chin on the bag almost as if it were a pillow. Struggling to keep her eyes open, Pearl eyes felt like heavy weights that couldn’t be held up for too long. She felt beyond tired, and the fact that she did not get enough sleep wasn’t helping.

As much as her body craved sleep, the kitchen wasn’t the best place to sleep in. The sounds of eggs sizzling in a pan, the toaster popping up, Yasmin teaching Bec how to separate egg whites from the yolk, all prevent Pearl from reaching the sleep she so desperately needed. 

Even though sleep seemed impossible with all the noise, Pearl still kept her eyes shut. The artificial light of the kitchen was too straining on her tired eyes.

But eventually, the sound of Bec calling her name does force her to open her eyes.

Slowly cracking open her eyes, Pearl saw that Bec was standing above her with a plate of food in her hands. Taking the backpack out of her sister’s hand, Bec crouched down and placed the plate of food onto Pearl’s lap. 

“Eat.” Bec stated, standing up to her full height. 

Pearl inspected the food in front of her, scrambled eggs along with a slice of toast cut into triangles. Picking up the fork on the side of the plate, Pearl poked a few pieces of egg before placing them into her mouth.

Looking back up to Bec, Pearl noticed that she hadn’t moved from where she was standing. Standing at an angle, Bec watched as Yasmin portioned food out onto two plates, while still standing over Pearl.

As Yasmin left the kitchen with the two plates of food balanced on her hands, Bec immediately tensed, looking over her shoulder almost as if she expected someone to come in the kitchen and take Pearl’s food away.

Bec's fidgeting was starting to make Pearl feel nervous as well, making her pick up her pace when it came to eat just so Bec could stop hovering over her. 

Once she had finished eating, Pearl had tapped the side of Bec’s leg, alerting her that she was done with her breakfast. Taking the plate from Pearl’s hands, Bec went over to the sink and placed the dish inside along with the other kitchenware that had become dirty during the process of making breakfast.

Running the water from the sink, Bec grabbed a kitchen sponge and saturated it with water before dabbing a small amount of dish soap on to the surface. 

As Bec began to wash the dishes, Yasmin returned to the kitchen, heading straight over to the sink to talk to her sister. Keeping her voice low, Pearl couldn’t hear Yasmin well, especially since the water in the sink was running.

Bec, who had heard Yasmin clearly, nodded along as she turned off the water from the sink. Drying her hands on a little dish towel by the sink, Bec then made her way over to where Pearl was sitting in the corner.

“Get up, June” Bec said as she extended her hand for Pearl to grab on to. “Yasmin talked to the Diamonds, they said you could sit at the dining room table whenever we’re in the kitchen.”

Holding onto Bec’s hand, Pearl lifted herself up from the tilted floor, still holding on tightly to her sister’s hand as she picked up her backpack from the floor. 

They continued to hold hands until they reached the empty dining room. Helping Pearl take a seat on one of the tall chair’s on the dining table, Bec placed her backpack onto the chair sitting next to her.

Pearl studied the massive mahogany table in front of her. Across from where she was sitting, two empty plates were sitting on the table, waiting to be picked up. 

Once Bec had made sure Pearl was situated, she had walked over to the other side of the table and picked up the plates, taking the forks and knives in one hand, while taking the two plates in her other. 

“You can play with your toys, but be careful not to scratch the table.” Bec warned. “And make sure you stay quiet, the Diamonds are in the living room.”

Pearl nodded at her sister, silently promising to be as careful and well behaved as she could possibly be. 

“We’ll still be in the kitchen if you need us.” Bec reminded, nodding towards the direction of the kitchen. 

As Bec returned to the kitchen, Pearl peered into the living room, trying to see where both of the Diamonds were. She couldn’t see them, but by the light from the TV bouncing off the shadowy parts of the living room, Pearl knew that had to be at the sitting area in the front of the house.

With not much to do at the table, Pearl repositioned herself on the chair to look at the sunrise. She did have her toys to play with, but after Bec’s warning, she wouldn’t dare to put them close to the table. 

A couple minutes later, the sound of high heels approaching the dining room immediately caused Pearl to turn away from the sliding door. Sitting herself up straight, Pearl watched as Blair Diamond entered the room, seemingly heading towards where her sisters were in the kitchen. 

Noticing Pearl sitting at the table, Blair gave a polite smile before continuing her way over to the kitchen.

Pearl’s eyes fall to her lap, too shy to look up at Blair Diamond again. Pearl still watched her from her peripheral vision, only looking up once again once Blair had turned her attention over to the kitchen.

“Rebecca?” Blair called, resting her hand on the framing the separated the two rooms. 

Bec, who was packing food into a lunchbox, immediately lifted her head at the sound of her name. “Yes, Ms. Diamond?”

“I want to show you Pink’s routine before I leave.” Blair Diamond explained. “This way you’ll know how to operate things while we’re gone.”

Bec nodded her head, quickly packing the last few items into the lunchbox, before walking towards where Blair Diamond was standing.

“Oh, and Yasmin?” Blair continued, stopping both of Pearl’s sisters in their tracks. “Can you please give Yelena our lunchboxes when you are done packing them?”

Yasmin frivolously nodded at the command given to her. “Of course, Ms. Diamond.”

Turning away from the kitchen, Blair began to explain the beginnings of her daughter’s routine as she and Bec both made their way towards the living room.

“Normally, I usually let Pink wake up by herself, but for the sake of showing you everything before I leave, we’re going to have to wake her up now.” Blair shared as the two of them entered the living room. “I hope she won’t be too cranky for you.” 

Once Blair and Bec had disappeared from her view, Pearl turned her attention back over to the kitchen, where Yasmin was still busy packing both of the Diamonds lunches.

Zipping both of the lunchboxes shut, Yasmin picked both bags up from the counter and headed straight towards the living room and over to the couches that were beyond Pearl’s view.

After handing over the lunchboxes over to Yelena Diamond, Yasmin made her way back over to the kitchen, passing Pearl without even stopping to acknowledge her. 

Pearl understood that both of her sisters were working, so she knew they wouldn’t have the time to stop and check on her during the most parts of the day. Pearl had to help on their part by being independent, which was something she was already familiar with. As long as she was in close enough proximity to her sisters, Pearl would be fine with being alone. 

The sound of someone running down the stairs immediately drew Pearl’s eyes back over to the living room. Sprinting down the staircase, was of course Pink Diamond, who already had way too much energy for someone who had woken up only a few minutes prior. 

Yelena Diamond had heard her daughter coming down the stairs as well, getting up from her seat on the couch to greet her daughter at the end of the staircase. 

As soon as Pink reached the bottom staircase, she immediately ran into her mother’s legs, causing Yelena to stumble back from the force.

“Mama!” Pink cheered, raising her hands as a way to tell her mother she wanted to be picked up. “You’re home!” 

Picking up her daughter, Yelena grimaced as she adjusted to the weight of holding her daughter. The heavy work bags slung across her shoulders didn’t seem to help, only adding more strain.

“Not for long.” Yelena deadpanned. “Your mother and I are going to work soon.”

Pink twisted her lips into a pout. “Oh.” 

Coming down from the stairs, Blair entered into the living room, still explaining her daughter’s routine as Bec trailed after her.

“After breakfast, I like her to do something educational for at least an hour, like reading or practicing the alphabet.” Blair informed as two stopped in the foyer, right next to Yelena and Pink.

At the sight of Blair arriving downstairs, Yelena had placed Pink back down, clearly wanting to get the other hefty work bag off her shoulder. Handing over the navy colored bag to Blair, who took the bag without even pausing from her conversation. 

“Lunch time is at twelve, and for that I’ll make her a sandwich with a side dish of fruit, and then I’ll serve her dinner around six.” Blair specified. “She's been picky when it comes to eating lately, so I left some suggestions for you to make. Sometimes I let her have a little bit of ice cream after dinner, but only if she finished all of her food.” 

“Bath time is at 7:30, you don’t have to worry about washing her hair because I already washed it last night.” She continued. “And then bedtime is at eight. We should be home by then, but if we are not, make sure to lock the door in her room that leads to the playroom.”

Bringing her index finger to her chin, Blair paused for a second. “There was something else I wanted to tell you…” 

Taking another second to think, Blair lit up as soon as she remembered what she wanted to talk about. “Oh! Time out!”

“So this is the time out chair.” Blair explained as she brought Bec’s attention over to the crushed blue velvet chair flushed against the staircase wall. “If Pink starts to misbehave, we’ll sit her here until she apologizes. I try not to put her on time out too often, I try to give her a couple chances to fix her behavior before I do. But for the most part, time out does work.”

Walking up to Blair before she could start talking again, Yelena laid her hand onto her spouse’s shoulder. “We’re going to be late if we don’t leave soon.”

“Okay, just let me say goodbye to Pink before we leave.” Blair assured, turning her attention over towards their daughter.

“Pink,” She cooed, crouching down her daughter’s height.“Can I get a hug and a kiss before I go to work?”

Launching herself into her mother’s arms, Pink immediately pulled her mother into a tight embrace.

“I love you Mommy!” Pink exclaimed, pressing a kiss to her mother’s cheek. 

Smoothing down her daughter’s brown curls, Blair couldn’t help but smile down at her daughter. “I love you too, baby girl.”

Pulling herself away from her daughter, Blair stood to her full height, brushing away the wrinkles from her skirt. “Now go say goodbye to your mama.” 

“Wait!” Pink whined, tugging on the sleeve of mother’s blouse. “I want to tell you something!”

“Then tell me.” Blair calmly answered, gently prying her daughter’s fingers away from the fabric of her sleeve.

“Can I go to the pool later?” Pink asked, swaying side to side as she waited for her answer. 

“I forgot to tell you about the pool!” Blair gasped, turning face Bec again. “Whenever Pink’s in the pool she needs to be supervised at all times. She is a very strong swimmer but you still need to keep an eye out for her, especially when she’s diving into the deep end.”

“Blair.” Yelena interrupted, tapping her finger to the face of her gold watch to emphasize the time. “We have to go.”

“I know Yelena, I know.” Blair responded, waving off her spouse to return back to her and Bec previous conversation. “If you have any questions, just let us know. Our emergency contacts are on the fridge.”

Yelena rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed at the fact that Blair was continuing to talk even though they were on a time crunch. 

“Relax love, I’m ready to go.” Blair laughed, finding the look on Yelena's face to be amusing. “Say goodbye to Pink and then we’ll leave.”

Doing as Blair said, Yelena brought Pink into a hug, the irritable look on her face alleviating once Pink had warmed up to her embrace. Bending down to her daughter’s height, Yelena pressed a kiss to the top of Pink’s head.

“Behave.” She warned, her face turning serious once again. 

Pulling away from Pink, Yelena adjusted the cross body strap of her work bag, turning to tell Blair that she was ready to leave. Making their way over to the front door, Yelena unlatched the heavy duty lock before pushing the door open.

While Yelena headed outside, Blair lingered at the doorway, taking a second to look back at her daughter before following her outside. A sleek black car was parked in the center of the driveway, and right beside it, was a chauffeur waiting to open the car for the Diamonds.

Running up to the open front door, Pink stood at the door frame as she watched her parents enter the back seat of the car. Once her parents had gotten situated, Pink began to wave at the car, wanting to send them off with another goodbye.

Pearl had caught a glimpse of the car as it pulled out of the driveway. With the back window of the car rolled down, the frown on Blair Diamond’s face was easily seen as she waved back at her daughter until the car had pulled away from the front of the house. 

Once the car had disappeared from the driveway, Bec had closed the door shut, locking the fancy gold latch on the door once again. 

Looking down to Pink, Bec had placed her hand on the younger girl’s shoulder. “Are you ready to have breakfast?”

“Yeah!” Pink cheered, bouncing up and down on the tips of toes before bolting over the dining room.

Noticing Pearl sitting at the dining room table, a huge smile lit up on Pink’s face as she ran over to take a seat across from Pearl.

“I saw you sitting outside yesterday!” Pink recalled as she climbed onto one of the table’s tall chairs. “I wanted to come out and talk to you!”

Coming from the kitchen with a plate of food in her hand, Yasmin froze as she saw the two girls sitting at the table together. Looking over to Bec, who had just entered the room, Yasmin shared a frantic look with her sister.

Pearl immediately recognized that they were communicating without talking, something the two of them did when they didn’t want Pearl to know what was going on.

Giving her sister an equally as exasperated look, Bec shrugged her shoulders, clearly not knowing how to respond back.

Rolling her eyes at Bec, Yasmin pulled her lips into line as she placed the plate food in front of Pink. Heading across the table over to where Pearl was sitting, Yasmin grabbed her sister’s backpack and placed it over one of her shoulders.

“Come on, June.” Yasmin grumbled as she took Pearl’s hand, helping her get down from the chair. 

Pearl knew what sour tone in her sister’s voice meant, so Pearl followed Yasmin out of the room without any complaint. A part of her wanted to know why they had to leave, but Pearl decided against asking her sister why after seeing Yasmin’s tense behavior.

Instead, Pearl just sighed as she followed her sister downstairs into the laundry room. 

_____

The sound of the washing machine hummed throughout the laundry room, drowning out the sound of Pearl scribbling her color pencils across her notebook. Underneath all of her toys, Pearl had found a notebook and color pencils at the bottom of her backpack. After asking Yasmin if it was okay to draw, Pearl had started to draw a picture as a way to pass some time.

Looking up from her half finished drawing, Pearl watched as Yasmin folded another shirt before adding it to a pile of nearly identical blouses on the small laundry table. 

Letting out a sigh, Yasmin paused for a second as she glanced over to the small clock on the wall.

 “June,” She called, turning to face her little sister, who was sitting on the ground. “It’s time for lunch.”

Nodding at her sister, Pearl placed both of her notebook and color pencils back into her bag before lifting herself up from the ground. Walking back upstairs, the two of them entered the dining room, where Pink was already sitting at the table, waiting for her lunch to come. 

Bringing Pearl over to the opposite side of the table, Yasmin helped Pearl climb on to the seat right across from Pink.

“I’m going to get your lunches, I’ll be back in a minute.” Yasmin explained before heading into the kitchen, leaving the girls in the dining room by themselves.

Turning her attention over to Pearl, Pink sat herself on her knees, making herself look taller. “Do you want to go to the pool with me later?”

“I don’t know, I have to ask my sisters.” Pearl shrugged, peering into the kitchen where her sisters were busy preparing their plates of food. 

“If we go, we can jump in the deep end! Or we can race! That’s what me and my mommy do whenever we go swimming! My mama never goes in the pool with us because she doesn’t know how to swim— Do you know how to swim?” Pink blurted out in all one breath 

Pearl shook her head no, only to be interrupted by Pink before she could explain. 

“I can teach you! It’s really easy, all you need to do is hold your breath and…” Pink trailed off before she could finish her sentence, getting distracted by Bec coming into the room with their lunches.

As Bec placed the plates of food on to the table, Pearl tried to thank her sister, but her quiet voice was quickly overpowered by Pink’s loud one. 

“Yay strawberries!” Pink cheered, picking up one of the pieces of fruit from the plate. “Strawberries are my favorite fruit!”

Bec nodded along with Pink. “Make sure you eat your sandwich too.” 

“I will!” Pink promised before placing a strawberry into her mouth.

While the girls ate their lunch in silence, Bec and Yasmin stayed in the kitchen, chatting as they wiped the counters clean. As Pearl took the last bite of her sandwich, the phone in the living room started to ring, sending a loud chime into the air 

Sprinting out of the kitchen, Bec ran over to where the rotary phone was in the living room, right on the small desk that was next to Pink’s time out chair. Picking up the phone from the base of the telephone, Bec held it to her ear. “Diamond residence?”.

Listening to the other person talking on the other side of the phone, Bec nodded her head. “She’s in the other room, I’ll go get her.” 

Lowering the phone from her ear, Bec placed her hand over the speaker. “Pink, your parents want to speak with you.” 

Hopping down from her seat at the table, Pink ran over to Bec, who handed her the phone.

“Hi mama! Hi mommy!” Pink said into the phone, before climbing onto the blue accent chair. “… I’m doing good, I was just eating my lunch!” Pink explained, pressing the phone closer to her ear. “… I had a peanut butter jelly sandwich and strawberries! What are you having for lunch?… That sounds good. Apples are my second favorite fruit!…”

Pink ran her finger across the phone cord as she listened to her mothers speak. “… They’re nice…” Pink answered, glancing over to Bec and then over to Pearl. “… Rebecca’s is going to take me to the pool later on, but I have to wait a little bit because I just ate… okay, mommy I know…” 

“…Wait mommy! I want to tell you something before you go! Do you think we can go to that park next to the river tomorrow?…” The smile on Pink’s face immediately faded into frown as she heard her mother's response. 

 “… What do you mean you have to go back to work tomorrow?! I don’t want you to go!…” Pink wailed, slamming her fist onto the armrest of the chair. 

“Noooo! I don’t want you to go !” Pink shouted before letting out an ear piercing scream into the phone. Tossing the phone over her shoulder, Pink threw herself onto the floor, kicking and flailing her legs as she cried into the floor. 

Hearing the commotion going on in the living room, Yasmin stepped out of the kitchen and peered into the living room, where Bec was kneeling on the floor, trying her best to console the distraught girl. 

“It’s okay, it's okay!” Bec tried to console, desperately trying to find a way to calm Pink down. “Um… why don’t you talk to your mom?” Bec suggested, pointing over the telephone that was dangling over the desk.

“No!” Pink bawled, pushing herself away from Bec. 

Standing up, Bec up the dangling telephone and held it to her ear. “I—I’m sorry, she’s upset and I was trying to calm her down…” 

Getting up from the floor, Pink stomped her way back over to the dining table. Rubbing her tears away, Pink climbed back on her seat and pushed away her empty plate of food. 

“Are you going to eat those?” Pink asked, pointing to the last two strawberries on Pearl’s plate. 

Pearl pushed her plate of her to Pink, who loudly sniffed before eating both of the strawberries.

Collecting the girls empty plate, Yasmin exchanged a look with Pearl, who was just as confused as she was. Just a minute ago Pink was having a full blown tantrum, and now, she was eating strawberries as if nothing had happened.

Yasmin let out a heavy sigh. It was going to be a long day. 

Chapter Text

Through the cracked glass door of the balcony, the smell of cigarette smoke wafted into the room, making Yelena cringe at the all too familiar scent. The fumes had been hanging around the room for a while, the source coming from Bianca and her friends, socializing and smoking as they hung outside on the balcony.

Bianca had graciously offered Yelena a cigarette of her own before she had gone outside, but Yelena had naturally declined. She wasn’t fond of cigarettes at all, and with their toxic taste and fumes, Yelena wasn’t willing to try them. She much rather stay inside and plainly enjoy the party around her, preferring sips of champagne over puffs of chemicals. 

Like always when it came to the holiday season, Bianca was willing to throw a party every occasion, including one for the holiday happening today. While it was slow at first, Bianca’s New Years Eve party was starting to gain some traction, with the majority of guests arriving fashionably late as expected.

The original time of the party was set for one hour earlier, but because of the nature of this holiday, the city was filled with traffic from the influx of tourists. Yelena had tried to beat the traffic herself by leaving beforehand, but the commute was still horrible despite it being early on in the evening. 

Despite all the traffic, Yelena still was one of the first few people to arrive at the party, along with a few other employees who were trying to make a good impression. Even with the party being held at the top floor of the office building, the guest list wasn’t strictly forced on having a job at Diamond Corp. Bianca had invited her rich socialite friends as well, creating a true hodgepodge of people attending the party. 

At the current moment, the party was starting to fill up with people, but that didn’t mean Yelena had anyone in specific to talk to. Her one connection to new people was still out on the balcony, and without her, Yelena wasn’t about to go socializing on her own.

Yelena always had company employees to converse with, but she much preferred to keep things work professional, finding no use in making relations with anyone working underneath her. And while Bianca’s friends were anything but work related, Yelena could find them a little too pretentious for her taste.

She was perfectly fine with being by herself at the moment, relaxing at the less populated corner of the room, enjoying the city skyline view she saw through the balcony. Bianca and her friends were mostly blocking it as they chatted on the rooftops, but that was a problem that clearly would last long. With the cold temperatures out tonight, they could only last as long as their cigarettes, especially with their glitzy party dresses.

Once their cigarettes turned to ash, Bianca had led the group back inside, bringing cold winter air and traces of cigarette smoke with them. While most of her friends were focused on warming up, Bianca was more interested in greeting her recently arrived guests, quickly ditching her old group for the newly formed one at the center of the party.

Unlike her other group from before, Yelena was actually familiar with a few faces standing in the crowd, recognizing a shareholder and his wife, and one of Bianca’s friends from Wall Street.

With Bianca now there, Yelena felt much more comfortable to thrust herself into the conversation, finding the sudden rush of courage to walk herself over there. But as Yelena started to make her way over towards them, the elevator had suddenly opened, drawing her eye to an all too familiar person.

Turning back on her heel, Yelena had hurried back to her isolated spot in the room, praying she wasn’t spotted by the one person she was desperately trying to ignore. She didn’t dare to look back into that direction until she had returned to the safety of her corner, only finding the confidence to only do so once she knew for a fact that she was hidden far away. 

Stepping out of the elevator was, of course, Blair Dorsey, who was dressed to the nines with her long sleeved cocktail dress. In comparison to what others were wearing, her cobalt colored dress was more on the modest side, eligible for a work party while also being suitable for other casual events. 

And while it was a casual piece, Blair had dressed her outfit up for the occasion, adding a large silver necklace to her sweetheart neckline, embedded with all sizes of sapphire colored stones. Even from far away, Yelena could see how the necklace sparkled underneath all the party lights, showing the true quality of the gems. 

As a minute passed, Blair continued to stand in front of the now closed elevator, completely unsure of what to do next. By the way she was scanning around the room, she was clearly looking for someone familiar enough to be around, just like Yelena did a few moments prior.

Even though she was far away, Yelena could recognize the flash of worry painted across Blair’s pretty features, telling her true nervousness when it came to finding her sense of belonging. 

After that disaster of a dinner, Yelena had forced herself not even to think about Blair, trying her best to avoid her in her entirety. But now that she was in her line of sight again, Yelena couldn’t help but want to let her in again, allowing herself to think of Blair, to sympathize with her.

She allowed herself to cave, but that didn’t mean Yelena wanted herself to be seen doing so. As Blair searched around the entire room, her eyes had unexpectedly landed on Yelena’s back corner, catching Yelena completely off guard. Yelena had immediately torn her eyes away from Blair, praying that she hadn’t been caught staring.

In her fear of being noticed, Yelena pretended to be occupied with someone else, turning her gaze away from Blair for a while. But eventually curiosity got the best of her, causing Yelena to turn back over to Blair’s direction.

In the time Yelena had turned a blind eye, Bianca must have recognized Blair's presence, because when Yelena had brought her attention back over to the front half of the room, Blair was talking to the sole CEO herself. 

Bianca had clearly invited her into her little group, bringing Blair to the center of everyone’s attention by complimenting her chunky silver necklace. In the familiar way she would cross boundaries with everyone, Bianca had lifted up the necklace chain from Blair’s neck, singing out praises to the coveted piece of jewelry.

Blair, of course, had beamed under all the flattery, her face lighting up into a pretty smile that made Yelena’s face burn with admiration.

Yelena doesn’t allow the feeling to last long, trying her best to distract her mind by focusing on her champagne glass. But in the whirlwind of Blair, Yelena can’t help but think back to her, wondering when and how Bianca and Blair ended up becoming such great friends. 

It would have been easy for Yelena to miss their newly formed friendship, because after all this time, Yelena was still avoiding Blair as if she were the plague. Their dinner together had happened almost a month ago, and in the time between, Yelena was beyond mortified to even show her face around Blair. 

Without talking, the two of them had collectively decided to pretend that neither one of them existed, acting as they knew nothing of each other at all. Yelena had gone to new extremes when it came to avoiding Blair, changing her entire work routine just out of the fear of it. 

Instead of coming to work just shy of an half an hour early like she used to do, Yelena would come to work as soon as the building opened at seven, so early that the janitors were still cleaning around. Her fear was being trapped alone in an elevator with Blair, or just to be trapped in any space with Blair. Break room, bathroom, Yelena avoided all, unless in an absolute necessity. 

For the most part, avoiding Blair had been successful, at least until the two of them were set to attend a business meeting together. Yelena didn’t even know that Blair's presence was even required for that type of meeting, so she had let all of her precautions slip, proceeding her routine as she normally would.

In her habit of punctuality, Yelena had arrived early to the conference room, expecting no one to be in the room almost ten minutes prior to the actual meeting. 

And to her surprise, Yelena was very wrong. As soon as she stepped foot into the room, Yelena had spotted Blair at the end of the long conference table, her attention quickly drawn towards Yelena as she just entered the room. 

Their eye contact had lasted a split second, a slip up on both of their parts. But besides the awkwardness of that, it wasn’t the worst part of being stuck in a room together. As much as Yelena wanted to run out the room, she had already been spotted by Blair, meaning she had to accept her fate and endure the painful silence between them. 

By now, they were used to ignoring each other, but not when it came to being directly in each other's faces. The time spent sitting in the conference room felt excruciating, pretending to be strangers when they clearly weren’t, waiting at the second for another employee to come in and help break the tension for them. 

And with no distraction to keep her mind off of Blair, Yelena couldn’t help herself from spiraling, reliving every humiliating moment from the dinner and beyond. 

At that moment Yelena truly wanted to disappear, for her body to suddenly poof into vapor and be as transparent as air. Even as time progressed and the meeting came with its people and space, Yelena still had to fight her urge to disappear completely, to run straight out of the office building and over to her car, to drive cross country and start a brand new life at a brand new city, complete with an alias and everything. 

In hindsight, the idea was truly stupid when Yelena thought about it now, but in the moment, she was just trying to protect herself. She truly felt vulnerable at that date of time, even if she hated admitting the truth of it to herself.

It stung so deeply to expose herself like that, to lose all self control as she recklessly revealed her deepest darkest secret to someone who she barely even knew. Even now, as Yelena watched Bianca and Blair talk from afar, it felt like a slap to the face to know that they were closer than ever, to have her secret waved right in front of her, just waiting to slip out and ruin her life forever. 

Even before the moment she had figured out the word for it, Yelena knew that this was something she had to keep to herself. She had to repress her feelings to protect herself, especially as a young child with only negative experiences and slurs tied to the word. 

_____

One of her most vivid memories about her sexuality happened in the summer of sixty-nine, when Yelena was only thirteen years old. She was still very much a child at that age, even though her mother had now expected her to act like an adult overnight. 

Her mother was incredibly traditional when it came to her values, insisting that Yelena was now mature enough to take on her ‘natural’ duties that came with being a woman, to help along with all the cooking and housework. 

At that age, Yelena was more rebellious and stubborn than she was now, desperately clinging on to her last freedoms of childhood for as long as possibly could. But her old childish habits didn’t die out as fast as her mother wanted them to, causing her to get in trouble for small, trivial things. Things that wouldn’t get her in trouble if she were a boy. 

On this particular day, Yelena was truly feeling the effects of her current punishment. This time she had been grounded for a month, for punching Tony Hoffman after he had placed a worm in her hair. The neighborhood boys were always known to roughhouse, but once Yelena had done so, it was now considered too ‘inappropriate’ and too ‘indecent’ for a girl her age.

She was only trying to defend herself, but her mother heard none of it, expecting Yelena to take the torment with a smile, because according to her, boys who pick on you only do it because they like you. 

No matter how many times her mother tried to convince her daughter otherwise, Yelena would stand guard with her own opinion, regretting none of her actions. But her mother could only tolerate her daughter’s tenacity for so long, quickly wearing Yelena down by forcing her to do the household chores without any escape.

And on that specific summer day, Yelena could remember just how desperate she was to leave that house. With the fiery tensions of her father suddenly appearing at their house after disappearing for days, she wanted nothing more than to run outside and distract herself with the neighborhood kids.

While her parents were busy in the other room screaming at each other, Yelena had looked out the window, longingly watching a group of her friends riding their bicycles down the cul-de-sac, their squeals of joy heard of through the sounds of her parents arguing. 

With her parents so occupied, Yelena could have slipped out of the house completely unnoticed. It would have been so easy for her to escape, with the front door unlocked, and with her bike leaning up against the large oak tree on her front lawn. But it was too risky for her to do so, and with her mother beyond mad, it wasn’t worth revoking her outside privileges completely.

At that moment, Yelena had to turn away from the living room window, the temptation of running away far too great. Instead, Yelena had sat on the floor of the living room, turning her focus to the television in hopes of drowning out the sounds of parents further.

By now, Yelena was used to this, the constant fighting, her parents disdain. How her father would come home drunk and in a rage, ready to take it all out on his wife by using her as a punching bag. It was a horrifying experience to constantly witness, but at her young age, there was nothing in her power she could do to stop it. The best thing she could have done, was just to ignore it all, stay out of the situation so it wouldn’t escalate to something worse. 

But to ignore everything was a lot easier said than done, especially when her father screamed out every curse word in the book. Running away from the house was the only true way to escape all the commotion, but with her predicament at the time, Yelena had to make do with the television.

The low drone of the newscaster on screen was no match for her father, but Yelena still listened to every dull word the reporter said. The specifics of what she was watching was an indistinguishable memory, but her thirteen year old self had followed along intently to the news report, desperate to hear something else besides screaming. 

While it was somewhat effective in the short term, the television wouldn’t serve as her escapism forever. Her parents’ argument would come to its eventual boiling point, the moment of contention where all hell broke loose. Her mother, who had kept her rage under wraps the entire time, had finally snapped at her husband, responding with the same disrespect he was so prone to give her. Like Yelena, her mother could only hold back her anger for so long before exploding into something monstrous. 

After her mother had screamed through her tirade of choice words, the house went silent, deadly silent. And for a split second in time, Yelena was naive enough to think that it all was over.

*

The rude awakening came moments later, the sound of a hand hitting skin, her mother’s painful cry. Fear had raced through Yelena’s body, her heart left pounding in the aftermath.

Her mother had wailed out in fear, her words unintelligible as she pleaded for her husband to stop, trying everything in her power to prevent him from putting his hands on her again. With how distraught her mother was, Yelena had almost expected her father to hit her again, squeezing her eyes shut as she waited for the terrible sounds of hitting and crying to happen again.

But unlike what she had originally anticipated, no more sounds of fighting ever came, allowing Yelena to open her back up once she realized that they were in the clear. Instead, the entire house shook as her parents bedroom door was pushed open, her father’s looming shadow creeping down the hallway and over to the hardwood floor of the living room. 

“That’s what you get for not doing my laundry, you stupid bitch!” Her father had yelled into the room, the sound of him spitting clearly coming afterwards. 

*

He couldn’t have walked away without getting one last jab in, only doing so to make his wife more distraught as her sobs grew even louder than before. Another sick power move to remind her of where she belonged. 

As her father trudged down the hallway, his heavy footsteps had caused the floorboards to squeak, loudly announcing his presence as he entered into the living room. At the first signs of his appearance, Yelena had turned away from his direction, acting as if she were oblivious to everything going on. Her father had never hit her before whenever he was angry, but Yelena wasn’t willing to figure out if he ever would. 

Once her father had entered the living room, he had quickly turned his attention to Yelena, watching her with narrowed eyes before he had continued to stomp through the living room. Before he had an alcohol problem, her father was once naturally lean and tall like Yelena was, but after his addiction of beer and hard liquors, he was unusually heavyset.

After that fight, he was clearly in no mood to stick around the house, practically throwing the front door out of his way as he stumbled down the porch steps and over to his car parked in the driveway. In his drunkenness, he had forgotten to close the front door, allowing Yelena to have the full view of him getting in the car and pulling out of the driveway, almost hitting a poor kid on his bike during the process. 

Without realizing it, that encounter would be one of the last few times she would even see her father. By the end of the summer, her father would disappear completely, abandoning Yelena and her mother without a trace or clue.

But in that current moment, Yelena’s mind wasn’t wrapped up with her father leaving, it was busy with the fear of her father returning. She didn’t dare to move from her spot on the floor until the coast was completely clear, taking the neighborhood kids returning to the center of the road as her true sign of safety to get up and close the door. 

Despite there being no immediate threat or danger, adrenaline had still coursed through Yelena’s veins, causing her to run to the front entrance and quickly close up the front door. The house fell quiet as all noise from outside was shut out, her mother sobs and the soft humming of the television only to be heard. 

She couldn’t stand to hear her mother cry, so as Yelena made her way back to her spot on the floor, she had turned the volume of the television up higher, the cheerful chimes of commercials overpowering her mother’s faint cries and whimpers.

Yelena had learned it was best to leave her mother alone after incidents like these. In her own anger of being punched and pushed around, her mother was prone to take it all out on Yelena, creating verbal arguments of her own. While it was nothing to the extremes of her father, Yelena hated getting to that point with her mother, especially when wounds were still open and fresh. 

At that age in particular, it was extremely frustrating for Yelena to watch the acceptance of her mother’s abuse, how she would often welcome it with open arms. In her habit of rejecting everything traditional, Yelena didn’t think that leaving a marriage would be so hard, especially when it meant safety. 

Her perspective of the world was still very much naive at the time, the harsh realities untapped and unlearned. As Yelena grew older, she learned that society wasn’t kind to women who were trying to leave a loveless marriage. No matter what the situation was, a man was needed in order to maintain a survivable life. 

Without a man by your side, there would be no bank accounts, no mortgages or houses in your sole name. And if you were able to find a possible loophole through that system, you were still met with the shame of your community, notably when it came to living in a small, suburban-like town, just like where Yelena and her mother resided. 

The eventual talk of town, a woman who’s divorced , the gossip of all housewives alike, a scary thought for someone as orthodox as her mother. 

It took some experience as an adult for Yelena to sympathize with her mother, to understand her true reason for staying. It was just easier for her to pretend that everything was perfect, to put on smiles for others wives on the cul-de-sac, to act happy, to hide your true feelings. Her mother grew up in a world where she wasn’t taught to question anything, to stay compliant just like a perfect woman should. 

And for a thirteen year old Yelena to blame most of it on her mother, clearly wasn't the right solution to fix the problem. But in her anger she was blind, indifferent to the growing changes around her. In the time that she had been alive, the world had changed so drastically, opportunities arrived and accepted, fighting to make a new and permanent change. 

As an adult, the world Yelena knew was different to her mother’s. She wouldn’t need a man to secure her house, or a car or anything that required a contact of the sort. Yelena was able to live her life out single and free, with a career chosen out of opportunities that never could be dreamed of by the women before her. It was everything she wanted after living with her mother, who was so opposed to everything the lifestyle would present to her. 

But during that moment as a teen, in the aftermath of her parents fighting, the future and its possibilities didn’t matter at all. Her outrage was the only thing she could focus on, her growing temper boiling and bubbling to the surface. 

With her anger rising to alarming levels, Yelena needed to take her frustration out on something. Her hands had  gravitated over to the side seam of her dress, grasping at the strands of string unraveling from the stitch on the dress, just waiting to be pulled apart.

Her mother was the one who had sewn the dress together in the first place, hand making the entire piece by herself. Like with every piece she would sew, the dress was made with impeccable quality, made to last until Yelena had outgrown it. But with the way Yelena liked to play, there were times where her dresses wouldn’t hold up to the natural wear and tear of her outside adventures. 

Her mother had considered her old enough to repair her dresses on her own, but sewing just wasn’t something Yelena had a knack for. Unlike her mother’s clean and straight stitches, Yelena’s would create jagged lines that would unravel completely, even when she was trying her hardest to be neat and precise like her mother. Eventually, Yelena would just give up when it came to being perfect, sewing horribly just to spite her mother.

She had attempted to fix the side seam of this dress, with terrible results to say the least. Both ends of her mended seam were starting to unravel, and with one gentle pull, the string had removed itself from the fabric completely.

In the heat of her anger, Yelena wasn’t willing to stop there. She was ready to pull apart the rest of the side seam, to hear the satisfying snap of strings being pulled apart. But before she could go to that extreme, the sound of the television had caught Yelena’s eye, bringing her attention back to the box-like screen. 

The incessant commercials had finally come to its end, transitioning back to the dull and somber atmosphere of the news program. Coincidentally, her mother had appeared out of her bedroom at the same time, which in part, made Yelena thankful for the distraction of the television. If it wasn't for the sudden change in program, she would have continued to rip open her dress, which would definitely have gotten her in big trouble with her mother. 

Yelena paid no mind to her mother as she entered the living room, keeping her eyes on the television to avoid making any contact. On screen, the newscaster had flipped his stack of papers over to the next story, taking a brief moment to clear his throat before continuing on. 

Despite this happening years ago, Yelena could remember it all so vividly, from the newscaster’s serious face, to his stern and monotonous voice. In the matter of seconds, he would deliver the news report that would turn Yelena’s entire world upside down, sparking a battle of questioning that would continue for years. 

“Four policemen were injured after raiding a bar down in Greenwich Village, Empire City.” The newscaster began, his voice loud and clear throughout the living room. “According to the police department, the officers were attacked by a mob of men, angered after they were kicked out of an reportedly ‘homosexual’ bar.”

As soon Yelena heard the word, she could feel all the air being sucked out of her lungs, the feeling of panic filling up the void. She had froze at sudden remembrance of her mother being in the same room, the volume of the television loud enough to where both the report and the word was unmissable. 

At that moment, Yelena already expected a tirade of hate to come out of her mother as she stormed across the living room and over to where Yelena was sitting. But what her mother would do next, would truly feel like a sucker punch to her gut, despite it being mild mannered. 

With her index finger, her mother had pressed the small off button of the television, the black and white picture disappearing with a flash. On the now black screen, Yelena’s mirrored reflection looked back at her, wide eyed and pale with fear. 

“Yelena,” Her mother called, giving the familiar warning of asking her daughter to look her up in the eyes. 

With her disciplinary tone of voice, Yelena knew better than not to comply, finding the strength to move her paralyzed body by tilting her head upwards towards her mother.

Her mother had stood with her arms crossed over her body, her hazel eyes glared and her blonde eyebrows furrowed, the same look of anger she had passed on to her child. But beside her mother’s look of disapproval, Yelena couldn’t help but notice how the left side of her face was tinted cherry red, clearly the place where her father had struck her earlier. 

In a vague attempt to cover everything up, her mother had added a visible layer of powder foundation across her face, lessening the true alarming nature of her bruise. For second, it had distracted Yelena from thinking about her mother’s upcoming reaction to the news, the rude awakening coming once again when her mother had cleared her throat.

“What on earth were you watching?” Her mother demanded, her words coming out more like a statement than a question.

Yelena had suddenly found her throat to be extremely dry, forcing her to swallow the thick knot that formed in the back of her throat before she could blurt out her answer. 

“The news…”

Her mother clearly wasn’t satisfied with her daughter's response, even though it was the truth. As soon Yelena delivered her answer, her mother’s temper had seemed to raise a notch, specifically mad at her daughter’s overly strange behavior.

“You know where people like that go to?” Her mother had spat, her voice bitter and sour with acid. 

She had left the question hanging in the air for a moment, making Yelena unsure if she was the one who was supposed to answer it for her. But before Yelena could make up her mind, her mother had continued on for her, fuming with the answer Yelena had expected of her.

“They go to hell.” She insisted, her harsh reminder stabbing Yelena deep, just like a knife. 

These words weren’t unfamiliar to Yelena at all. If the rare conversation came up, the utterance was definitely said, all in the effort of her mother scaring her otherwise. 

Her mother had always known, maybe even before Yelena had realized it herself. 

When Yelena was younger, she had a reckless way of telling about it, unfiltered like most kids were. She would just plainly state how she didn’t like boys, but of course, her comments weren't met with any seriousness. It made her mother laugh at first, causing her to smile as she would  explain to her four year old daughter, on how she would grow to like boys as she got older.

Her mother's statement would never come true. Four grew to six, which blossomed into nine, and even at that age, Yelena still held the same feelings as she did before. But with her older age, she had a lot more self discovery than she did before, discovering her admiration for girls instead.

At that age, it was still too complicated for Yelena to comprehend, especially when she had never seen or heard of anything like that before. She had kept that secret to herself, but it was a lot harder to hide her disdain of liking boys in a romantic way. 

Yelena would much rather have a boy be her friend, than be her boyfriend. (Italics) She had plenty of friends around the neighborhood that were boys, a lot more in comparison to girls. Somehow, girls her age were a lot harder to talk to than boys, leaving Yelena flustered with strange panicky feelings whenever she interacted with a few girls in particular.

But hanging around the boys led to the biggest misconception, that she was actually interested in them. Especially as she got older, the neighborhood wives would often joke about Yelena being their son’s future wife, recurring banter that they considered harmless and fun, but was incredibly infuriating to Yelena.

Even as a child, she was already expected to be of a wife, and nothing else of greater importance. She was just starting to see the world as it is, with all its strange customs and expectations. Already, it was frustrating to see herself underestimated, belittled down to a requirement. She had so much more to offer than an obligation, and yet no one seemed to care about that, not even her mother.

It took a couple more incidents like that one for Yelena to stop complaining about it to her mother. It wouldn’t take long for her to realize that her mother was just like the people she would rant and grumble about, stuck on the belief that women only belonged at one place only, the home.

Her mother was the epitome of tradition, staying at home and cooking and cleaning, with the occasional side hobby of tailoring and sewing commissions. If it wasn’t for Yelena’s father blowing their money away on booze, her mother wouldn’t have worked for money at all. 

But despite all the evidence being presented all in front of her, Yelena was convinced that she could get her mother to see her point of view, and possibly even change her mind. But with her mother being just a stubborn as she was, that clearly wasn’t an easy feat.

One day, after her mother made a marriage comment of her own, Yelena had sat her down to talk about how she didn’t want to be married. The conversation had started off normal at first, but it had quickly escalated into heated exchange. In her anger of her mother disapproving otherwise, Yelena had screamed out how she didn’t like boys in the first place, revealing much more than she had intended to.

And instead of accepting her daughter’s statement with the same giggles and smiles she gave when Yelena was child, her mother had received her answer with rage, practically fuming at the answer as told her daughter that she had no choice but to comply.

She had to officially know at that moment, after all, the majority of signs had been already shared. How Yelena begged to cut her long hair short like a boy, or how she despised the frills and limited mobility of dresses. 

The puzzle pieces had clearly clicked in after that moment, and from there on out, her mother made sure to keep her daughter in the place where she thought a girl should belong. No dramatic haircuts, only occasional trims to the ends of Yelena’s medium length hair. No pants and only dresses, even though that was a rule that was already strictly enforced in the first place. And along with that, came the constant reminder of what she would become one day, a wife to a husband.

While Yelena had found her mother’s house rules to be stupid, she quickly had found a way to avoid all the scolding that came with wanting to defy them. When it came down to specifics, her mother would only share her disapproval if Yelena was the one to bring the subject up, so after discovering that pattern, Yelena began to keep her complaints to herself.

No matter how hard she tried, her mother could not shake Yelena’s views, even with the challenge of not being able to express them out loud. Yelena had continued to stand her ground, resilient until her mother found the perfect way to break her down, to talk poorly of homosexuality. 

Yelena herself was incredibly sensitive to the topic, so deeply insecure about that unknown part of herself. No matter what age she was, it was one of the few ways for Yelena to shut down completely, scared of the verbal and violent hate that would come with it. 

So to hear those words come out of her mother’s mouth, had truly hurt Yelena in the moment, those words holding much more meaning than what her mother originally said. I hate you too, because you are just like them . 

It took willpower to hold back tears, to push away the terrible feeling of emotion pulling down on her throat. But of course, her mother wasn’t done with just that, moving on to the next thing that would purposefully tear down at her daughter. 

“And how many times do I have to tell you not to sit like that when you're wearing a dress? Sit like a lady!” Her mother scolded, pointing a finger towards Yelena’s splayed legs.

As soon as her mother had mentioned it, Yelena had quickly fixed her posture, moving her legs from their relaxed position of sitting up with one knee up in the air, to the stiff, decent way she was supposed to sit whenever she was wearing a dress. If it were a different day, Yelena would have most definitely fought back, answering back with her own point of sitting however she wanted in the privacy of her own home. 

She was so close to crying, that arguing with her mother would definitely bring her to the point of her tearing up. After all, it was her mother’s goal to see her break down over this, which was something Yelena refused to let her mother have the satisfaction of viewing. 

After that final jab, her mother had nothing left else to say, twisting her lips into a memorable frown and she turned her way towards the divided section of the room that was the kitchen. Even as her mother left, Yelena had stayed put on her spot on the floor, staring at the dark screen of the television in wonder. 

Her mind couldn’t help but wander back to the news report, an event that would be shrouded in mystery until Yelena would do the research herself later on as an adult. But until that point in time, Yelena didn’t dare to turn the television back on. 

_____

Anger burned in the pit of Yelena’s stomach as she downed her last bit of her champagne. She didn’t want her brain to go back to that dark pit in her mind, especially since she wasn’t at the safety of her own apartment.

Feelings and memories as tumultuous as these, were reserved for a certain time, alone on sleepless nights, in a secure place where heavy emotions could be let free. Not around parties and occasions where Yelena was strongly held in appearance.

But these thoughts weren’t light enough to ignore, causing Yelena to spiral down to her dark place. She hated how she brought this to herself in public, especially when there were hundreds of people potentially watching. Yes, she was still in her isolated corner of the room, but she probably looked weird to most as she stood and sulked alone. 

She eventually came to her rude awakening somehow, a flash of blue in the corner of her eye snapping her away from her depressive funk. The cobalt color had sent blaring alarms to Yelena's head, her gut instinct warning her about what was coming her way. 

As prompted, Yelena had turned her towards the direction, not expecting much to begin with. But turns out, her body was right to warn her in the first place, as Blair was heading straight towards the area of the room she was standing in. 

Blair’s appearance had immediately caused Yelena to turn away, her heart pounding as she quickly tried to find another spot in the room where she could run and hide. Panic had instantly clouded her mind as she frantically scanned around the crowded room, finding herself freezing with horror as she realized that there was no other safe place for her to run and hide to.

While Blair was a little too close for comfort, there was still a good, sizable distance in between the two, just far enough as to where Blair was simply unaware of Yelena’s presence at all. 

Despite there being less than a few people around that area of the room, Blair’s was clearly focused on heading over to the bar, which was along the center wall Yelena was leaning against. Instead of turning her attention over to her surroundings, Blair was preoccupied with digging through the contents of her clutch, searching for a much needed item she stepped straight towards the bar. 

It turned out to be a huge sigh of relief to see that Blair hadn’t noticed Yelena right away, giving the perfect opportunity for Yelena to rethink her plan of escaping. As long as the two continued to stay in the same area of the room, they’d run the risk of bumping into each other, which was something Yelena truly wanted to avoid. 

She wasn’t sure on where she wanted to go next, but Yelena knew that she definitely wanted to move away from her dark and depressive, pity party of a corner. But before Yelena could find the absolute courage to walk away, she had to turn back to Blair, justifying her reasoning with wanting to make sure her escape route was clear. 

As expected, Blair was still absorbed with her clutch, but it was truly something else beyond her that caught Yelena's attention. Coming from across from the room, was a person that Yelena unfortunately knew all too well of, causing her to stay put in her place. 

Infamously known for his many complaints and incidents around the office, was John Hessonite, a tall and burly employee who had been working in the marketing department for at least a year now. 

John Hessonite was the last person Yelena could think of when it came to being the perfect Diamond Corp employee, his name not even coming to mind. He had been hired without Yelena’s knowledge, appointed to be a part of the marketing team by the person who once held Blair’s position, for immediate reasons that Yelena did not know of.

John was incredibly lucky to have been hired by someone else, because if it had been up to Yelena, he would never have gotten the position in the first place. He was well known around the office for wandering around the floor at unprecedented times, slacking off from his work and flirting with the women in the office instead. 

After dealing with multiple work related incidents, Yelena had grown to dislike his annoyingly loud and arrogant behavior. He was smug in a mocking and egotistical way, looking down at other employees as if he were way smarter than everyone else. He had even dared to pull that stunt with Yelena, which wasn’t met with his usual accepting response. Since then, he acted more cautious around Yelena, but clearly not well behaved enough to stay out of trouble.

And speaking of trouble, John was clearly looking for some as he came towards Blair, who was still somewhat busy as she continued to search through her clutch. As John slowly neared her, Blair was just as inattentive, a look of frustration crossing over her features as she was having trouble finding what she was looking for. 

Even from far away, Yelena could tell that Blair’s small clutch was packed to the brim, a few dollars peeking out from the inside along with the recognizable outer packaging of a tampon. As Blair dug deeper into the bag, she was clearly trying to stop all the content of her clutch from spilling out, stopping her brisk walk to search further.

But with how stuffed her clutch was, it was almost inevitable for something to spill out of her bag, despite all of Blair’s efforts to control it all. A tube of lipstick had eventually managed to escape from her bag, bouncing onto the floor and landing on the carpet in front of her. 

At the sight of the lipstick falling onto the ground, Blair had immediately pulled her lips into a pout, muttering something under her breath as she crouched down to pick the silver tube up. 

If you wanted to call it chance and not perversion, John had ‘coincidentally’ decided to approach Blair at this moment, his legs brushing up against Blair’s backside as she had picked the tube of lipstick up from the floor. 

At the sudden, unexpected touch, Blair’s body had jerked forward, her tube of lipstick flying from her hand once again. But instead of reaching for it a second time, Blair had jumped up from her crouched position, standing up to her full height as she turned around to face her culprit. 

And of course, as Blair had defensively turned around, John immediately put on the fakest apology Yelena had ever seen, acting as if the entire matter was an accident despite being the one who placed himself on Blair in the first place.

John had a cunning way of going about it, pretending to be coy and remorseful as he gave a somewhat of a convincing apology. Telling lies that were easy enough for Yelena to detect since she had witnessed the whole ordeal, but laced with the poison of sounding so truthful that he had easily convinced Blair that he was being sincere. 

It was somewhat frustrating for Yelena to watch, to see Blair accept all of his apologies in her habit of being overly polite. As the only possible witness to the entire event, Yelena wanted more than anything to go over there and scream out the truth, to tell Blair about how John had intentionally bumped into her with a satisfied smirk on his face. 

The only thing that was truly stopping Yelena, was her previous tensions with both members of the party. While Yelena could easily face John on any day, approaching Blair would be a drastically different story. 

After that horrible mistake of kiss, the two could barely stand in the same room together, so to go over there and act all friendly in an attempt to whisk Blair away, would be too awkward to bear, especially if Yelena lost her cool and went to her original plan of screaming at John.

With all the possibilities of a plan like that, it was considered way too risky for someone of Yelena’s taste. Usually she was all about risks when it came to the business, but when it came down to something as personal as this, any unexpected curveball could paralyze Yelena with fear. 

Blair held to much power by knowing her secret, and it made possible interactions terrifying. It was incredibly selfish of Yelena to leave Blair alone in a situation like this, especially when she had the power to swoop in and get her out of it. But doubt had a funny way of playing with her mind, convincing her that Blair would want help from someone like her , and how her helpful behavior could be easily construed as flirty or jealous. 

The two sides of her mind were busy arguing with each other, guilt mixing in with the unknown fear as no clear decision came. But thankfully, as Yelena continued to watch on, she saw that Blair was trying to find the means of escaping herself, which turned out to be a huge relief on Yelena’s part.

Apologies had quickly turned into conversation starters, trapping Blair in a discussion she clearly wasn’t keen on being in herself. For the sake of being polite, Blair was engaging as lightly as she could, wanting to make it clear that she wanted her distance.

But while her body language was obvious in showing that she was disinterested, John had ignored every sign of it, stringing Blair along into another long winded conversation where she barely had time to speak herself. Surprisingly, John was smart enough to know that Blair wasn’t one to interrupt, trying to keep her to himself as long as he possibly could. 

But his plan clearly wasn’t as full proof as he made it out to be in his dim little head. Eventually Blair did find the courage to speak out on what she had been dying to say all along, giving a quick reason as to why she had to go. 

For just a brief second, John was left dumbfounded over Blair's sudden burst of courage, which in turn gave Blair the perfect opportunity to make her escape. But before Blair could have the chance to fully walk away, she only managed to turn on her heel before John had suddenly snapped back to reality, hooking his arm to her waist to stop her from moving any further. 

Upon John’s immediate touch, Blair had stiffened, her body gone unusually rigid as John dragged her back to the place he wanted her to be. Blair’s heels had practically dragged against the carpet as John tucked her into the crook of his arm, frozen in place like a mannequin, overtaken by blatant fear.

Her face had gone pale, frozen like the rest of her body, as her lips were stuck agape. Blair’s eyes were the only things that seemed to be unstuck, moving in real time as she frantically scanned the room around her.

Despite there being nothing to look for in this part of the uncrowded room, Blair still searched, eyes desperately moving towards the bar, where the bartender was clearly too busy to notice her at all. 

With nothing else around, Blair’s eyes had quickly traveled over to Yelena’s side of the room, spotting her silhouette in record time. A look of relief had instantly crossed Blair features, her face softening as she now had someone to help get out of this situation. But as Blair did a double take, her comfort had instantly faded away, recognizing the stranger to be other than Yelena Davidson. 

A reaction like that was almost expected out of Blair, especially in a high stress situation like this one. Despite it being unfavorable, Yelena understood where that look of recoil came from, assuming she would do that herself if she were in Blair’s position. 

But deep down inside, Yelena was more or less lying to herself when it came to accepting Blair’s less than receptive reaction. She wanted to deny how much it hurt, to ignore the stinging sensation building in her chest in the effort of helping Blair. But with that, came the negative emotions she had dealt with earlier, swarming back up to her head. She couldn’t help but feel gross, considered to be disgusting by Blair.

Compared to before, Yelena didn’t allow herself to dwell on those feelings for too long, still wanting to keep a sharp eye on both John and Blair. While Yelena had taken a quick moment to process things, it clearly was enough time for Blair to give up on the hope of anyone helping her out, because as Yelena turned back to the both of them, Blair was no longer frozen in John’s arms, lively as she joined conversation. 

Blair's demeanor seemed calm enough, with her agreeing nods and tight-lipped smile. From the casual glance of a stranger, there wasn’t much to think about besides two close friends, or with the way they were standing, maybe even more than that. But Yelena could easily see through the facade, pinpointing Blair’s true discomfort.

Her face said cordial, but Blair's eyes were seething with emotion, a rage so subtle that Yelena could barely tell what it was. Like before, her body was stuck in an unnatural stiffness, practically making her look a inch taller than her original height. 

The true reason for her continued stiff behavior was John and his arm, snaked around her hips and parked at the base of her thigh. As John went on with small talk, Blair had tried to push his arm away with her elbow, subtly nudging against his arm with every little nod of her head. Yet still, John couldn’t catch the hint of her irritation, persisting with his eager flirty behavior. 

To see him act like that, simply unaware of Blair’s clear cut boundaries, was starting to grind on Yelena’s gears. Anger had built up in its familiar and fast way, leading up to its peak of being red faced with animosity.

She didn’t care if John saw, or if anyone for matter of fact. If he even dared to confront her, John would be met with a well deserved punch to the face, an unlikely extreme Yelena was willing to take at the moment.

Yelena wasn’t one to be overcomed with this much anger, but with all of the stressful and emotional events leading up to this point, she needed an outlet to deal with all the contention. 

In the alarming heat of passion, she ready for the fight, to hear the satisfying crack of her fist meeting John’s nose. To see him recoil in pain as blood dripped down his nose. 

The idea was euphoric, until it clearly wasn’t, her unusually violent thought scaring her back into place of restraint. She would never do something that brash unless she was pushed to the limit, and right now, at this New Years Eve party, watching Blair work so calmly through her own anger, was enough evidence to tell her not to indulge in something she would instantly regret. 

Even though she was able to brush those intrusive thoughts to the side, her burning anger towards John refused to diminish. To see him get away with this kind of behavior, was beyond infuriating, and to know that it clearly had happened to other women before Blair, only heightened the feeling more. 

John Hessonite was truly a disgusting human being, toying around with women if they were nothing but nothing but a discardable plaything. And to make matters worse, Yelena knew that he wasn’t a single man, discovering he was married in a much easier way than some other people had figured out.

John's wife was a memorable figure to Yelena, because she often visited the office looking for the whereabouts of her husband. If she hadn’t loudly announced her husband by name, Yelena wouldn’t have never guessed that he was married, his behavior too flirtatious to be seen as committing.

At the thought of her, Yelena had began a search around room, trying to see if John was dumb enough pull a stunt like this if he had brought his wife along as his plus two. If anything, finding his wife somewhere in the crowd would only prove one thing Yelena knew well of, scumbags like John will always get sloppy with their cheating. 

And with her second scan around the room, Yelena was right to confirm her suspicions, finding John Hessonite’s wife standing all alone on the other side of the room, staring intently at both her husband and Blair. Just from her sharp, deadly glare alone, she had been clearly watching the entire time, keeping her focus on her husband instead of enjoying the party around her. 

As often as Yelena would see her, she somehow couldn’t remember her name, racking her brain for the sound, familiar syllables waiting at the tip of her tongue. But of course, in the way names were always hard for her to remember, the word didn’t come easily, making Yelena stare at her until the name came to the face.

In a similar fashion to Yelena, John’s wife had isolated herself away from all the other guests, standing in a less popular section of the room, very preoccupied with the fact of her husband flirting with another woman. But with her disdainful look aside, she was dressed to the flashy degree of most guests of the party, wearing a pumpkin colored mini dress, showing off most of her hazel brown skin. 

Her tight ginger brown curls were styled in the popular fluffed up way most women were keen on wearing their hair. Every couple of seconds, her restless hand would run through her hair, flattening her style while also showing her true frustrated feelings.

Of course, she had to be angry at John, after all, what women wouldn’t be when faced with constant cheating? But she clearly showed the emotion in a different way, nothing like that fuming and stormy nature of Yelena’s own anger. Instead, she looked like she was on the verge of tears, eyes wide and blinking rapidly. And in that moment, her name had suddenly popped into Yelena’s mind, remembering it to be Joanna Hessonite.

Yelena felt true sympathy for Joanna, the horrible aftereffects of being cheated on clearly doing an emotional number on her. To see Joanna look so heartbroken and lost, only fueled the continuous fire of Yelena’s rage. No one deserved to be treated like that, to be blatantly disrespected by someone that was supposed to love you.

If anything, this gave Yelena another reason to to punch John in the face, the temptation rising up again. Even through her heightened anger, she obviously knew better than to act on it, expressing her disdain with a subtle declaration of sending a dirty look his way. 

Despite another added glare coming his way, John was still oblivious to any outsider opinion, only focused on wooing Blair with his humor. His method of flirting had turned into giving out horrible little jokes, forcing a reaction of fake, stunted laughter out from Blair. And somehow in his own stupidity, John had assumed Blair’s laughter to be real, a smug look growing on his face that Yelena so desperately wanted to wipe off.

Watching the two only continued to flare up her temper further, truly testing to see how long her patience could last. The only thing that was holding her up for now, was to see how crooked and misfigured John’s nose was, almost as if someone had punched him in the past to show him a lesson. Hopefully that past memory would hold John back from doing anything stupid, because if dared to do any of the extremes Yelena was thinking of, she wouldn’t hesitate to break his nose again. 

She was holding back for the sake of her own integrity, especially with all of the Diamond Corp employees around. But if this whole ordeal didn’t end sometime soon, there was a part of her willing to snap and take matters into her own hands. 

At this point, Yelena was overtaken by an unhealthy amount of anger, an uncommon occurrence that would happen only in true moments of extremes. Something so rare that Yelena could hardly recognize any other moment of times where she had felt this much rage. It had gotten to the point where she couldn’t even focus on her own surroundings, barely even noticing that someone had come and approached her side.

It was only when a cold and familiar manicured hand had pressed itself against her shoulder, had Yelena jumped back to reality, whipping her head over to her side to see what person was at hand. 

If Yelena hadn’t caught that first glance of sparkle and white, she might have blurted out a few choice words, but at the realization of it being Bianca, Yelena had instantly pressed her lips shut, immediately recognizing her signature look of displeasure. 

Bianca’s grey eyes were pulled into that dreadful glare of disapproval, her dark, crimson colored lips drawn into that all to familiar scowl. That look would usually send chills down Yelena’s spine, but at the moment she was too preoccupied with figuring out how she had possibly missed Bianca coming over to her side. After all, with her eye catching, glitter bomb of her evening gown, she was just as distracting as the disco ball hanging over Times Square.

With that comparison aside, Bianca clearly meant business by coming over, and whatever problem that was troubling her now, was wanting to resolve itself at this minute. 

“Don’t act like I didn’t notice.” Bianca declared, causing Yelena to raise one of her furrowed eyebrows in a confusion. 

Like always, Bianca was starting off without context clues, causing Yelena to scramble through her brain for the possible reason for this conversation. But before she could find it, Bianca had interrupted her train of thought, continuing on with what she was clearly dying to say all along. 

“I know something is going on between you two.” She accused, pointing a long painted fingernail over towards Blair’s direction. 

Instantly, as soon as the words came out of Bianca's mouth, Yelena’s heart had plummeted, crashing down to the bottom of her chest. For a month now, she had been teetering dangerously around this game, waiting for the moment where her career and life would be all over. And now, at this unexpected moment, it was all here. Bianca knew and her obvious reasoning for knowing, was all because of Blair.

Bianca went silent as she waited for Yelena to respond, crossing her arms around her chest as she expected a transparent explanation from her co-founder. But with being suddenly put on the spot, along with her secret being exposed, Yelena found her mouth to be extremely dry as no sound was able to come out, her lips movingly awkward as her mind was desperate to come up with some clarification. 

Her silence had only lasted a few seconds, but clearly enough, that was too long for Bianca to tolerate any longer. In her impatience, Bianca had snapped again, showing her displeasure for the lack of clarification. 

“Whatever it is, I want it to get fixed now .” Bianca snarled, baring her overly white teeth in a true sign of true anger. “I’m not going to let some petty misunderstanding ruin the productivity of my company!”

With her last sentence, Bianca had pointed her sharp nail dangerously close to her chest, the action done with so much force, that it would’ve drawn blood with the simple misstep. But yet, Bianca was more focused on glowering at Yelena, sending a long, threatening glare her way before turning on her heel and storming away, the long flowing train of her evening gown trailing behind her. 

Dumbfounded, Yelena could only watch as Bianca disappeared back into the crowd, completely taken aback by her business partner’s hostility, and how there was much less of it than Yelena expected. If anything, that discussion had only left her more confused than Yelena originally was before it, leaving her with the question of what Bianca truly knew about her situation. 

Even with all the questions and possibilities brimming to the surface of her mind, Yelena was willing to brush those thoughts aside for just a moment, feeling relieved over the outcome of her and Bianca’s conversation.

While most people would find Bianca’s heated exchange to be anything but positive, Yelena was able to see the good things through, even with Bianca’s unreasonable anger. That conversation was a thousand times better than what Yelena had imagined in her head, considering it a success for the most part, since she mostly had her job intact. And after years of working with Bianca, Yelena knew what a bad conversation looked like, the one they just had now barely scratching the tip of the iceberg. 

Yelena had expected the worst, assuming that Bianca would blow up on the topic of her sexuality after mentioning the situation between her and Blair. But after seeing her mild reaction at best, along with hearing her words that came after, Yelena wasn’t sure if Bianca knew the specifics at all.

One question, burning to be answered, came quickly to Yelena’s mind. Did Blair really tell about her sexuality like Yelena had expected her to? 

Unfortunately, there was only one way to find out that answer, and it definitely wasn’t going to be an easy task for the two of them.

Taking in a deep breath, Yelena had turned back over to both John and Blair, nerves replacing the original anger of watching them together. But to her surprise, they weren't in the same, uncomfortable position that they were in before, instead the two were parted, standing with a normal distance between them as colleagues were supposed to do.

The only and obvious reason for this change, was because of the third added person to their conversation. Clearly John didn’t want to be caught doing such sleazy behavior, saving face for the person Yelena recognized to be a higher up employee at Diamond Corp. But with that being, John no longer had control on whether Blair could stay, giving her the perfect chance to escape.

In his own stupidity, John was almost certain that Blair would stay, glaringly comfortable in the concept from just his body language alone, focused on conversing instead of keeping Blair stuck in place. Her lack of involvement in the conversation was a good thing, allowing her to have a hassle free exit.

Yelena could almost see it in Blair’s eyes, how she had been thinking of this escape plan for a while now, brimming with the nervous emotions of acting on it. And with an opportunity this perfect, there was clearly no time to be stalling, so with a deep breath, Blair had placed a smile on her lips and excused herself, even when at this point, it wasn’t justified.

Before both men had time to react, Blair had turned her back and walked straight away, leaving them both in the dust of her words. While the higher up employee seemed completely unfazed, continuing on with conversation as normal, Yelena could tell that it truly bothered John, causing him to get distracted and stumble idiotically on his words. 

To see him get flustered like that was worth all the wait, probably a lot more satisfying of an outcome than her original idea of punching him in the face. But still John got what he deserved, even if it was a little too mild for Yelena’s taste. 

With all ideas of revenge aside, Yelena now wanted to focus on her problems with Blair, remembering all the cryptic and choice words that Bianca had shared to her earlier. But if she wanted to have a moment to talk with Blair, Yelena needed to act quickly, even if it was a lot easier said than done. 

Knowing John, it wouldn’t be too long before he would try to come up to Blair once again, so if Yelena really wanted to go through with the decision, she needed to act on it now. Turning her attention back over to Blair, Yelena kept an eye on her as she continued to walk away from the boys, heading over to the destination she was desperate to reach for a while now, the bar. 

After what Blair went through, a drink was understandable, hell, even the rollercoaster of stress Yelena went through was enough for the occasion of wanting another drink. And while the thought seemed extremely nice, the idea of being around Blair, along with the concept of even talking to her, was still too nerve wracking for Yelena. 

She was very conflicted, and watching Blair from afar wasn’t helping her with making a decision. Keeping an eye on Blair only made Yelena more nervous for the conversation she wanted to have, so nervous, that it made her want to chicken out of the idea completely. 

Just the thought of having a conversation like that was unbearable, especially with all of the added factors of facing Blair or having a random eavesdropping guest listening along. It would truly be a thousand times easier to avoid having the entire conversation in the first place, going on with the ignorance of pretending that there was no history at all, with nothing of the likes of a past. 

Maybe Yelena would have taken that route of cowardice if it wasn’t for the reminder of Bianca, knowing a lot more of what Yelena tried to keep hidden. She was incredibly clear with her warning, that Yelena had no choice but to fix things with Blair, whether she truly liked it or not. At this point, Yelena wasn’t willing to toy with her job for the sake of her own comfort, not when Bianca’s opinion of her sexuality was unknown. 

Yelena wasn’t even a hundred percent sure if Bianca had known of her sexuality in the first place. When she thought about it now, Bianca's whole tirade of a conversation was about Yelena fixing her work relationship with Blair, no hinting or harping at any knowledge of their kiss. It was physically impossible to know exactly what Bianca knew of unless Yelena asked herself, but truthfully, that would be a stupid idea no mater the outcome. If anything, this gave Yelena another perfect reason as to why she should go there and talk to Blair. 

Still, fear licked her nerves at the thought of talking to Blair. No matter how casual their conversation could start off, it would only lead to the inevitable, the discussion of her sexuality. That topic was something Yelena could barely tolerate on most days by herself, so having a similar talk among the presence of Blair, would be extremely humiliating, especially when given with her initial reason for kissing her. 

Without a doubt, this wasn’t an easy bridge to cross, but Yelena wasn’t helping herself either by thinking of all the negatives. At the thought of trying to search for something positive, Yelena was brought back to Bianca’s lecture, remembering her demands of not letting drama affect the productivity of the company. While that wasn’t inherently a positive reason to talk to Blair in itself, it had reminded Yelena of the overly tense workplace, bringing forth another practical reason as to hash things out with Blair. 

If they were able to solve things now, it could make the workplace a lot less stressful for both of them. With the nature of their jobs, Yelena in charge of the company’s finances and Blair head of marketing, the two were bound to work with each other eventually, so to solve all their grievances now, would make the future of a difference. Yelena would finally be able to walk around the workfloor without stepping on eggshells, to enter the office space each morning with her peace of mind.

So with that single reason alone, Yelena had finally made her decision, not overthinking it like she did moments prior. She was going to walk up to that bar, and she was going to talk to Blair. 

In the high of her decision, the rush of determination had flowed through her veins, creating enough courage to walk away from her corner of safety. As she traveled across the room, Yelena started off with a fast stride, wanting to keep her movements quick so she wouldn’t time to second guess herself. 

But as she continued her way on over to the bar, something shiny on the ground had stopped her in her tracks, a glint of metal catching her eye. Just a few feet to the side of her, was a tube of lipstick lying on the ground, recognizing it to be the same one Blair had dropped from her clutch earlier.

Taking a detour from her set route, Yelena had walked over to the lipstick, stopping only for a second to pick up the silver tube, before carrying on as usual. Inside her fist, the cool metal tube had seared against her warmth of her palm, now clammy from her slight tinge of nervousness. Adrenaline had done a good job with numbing out the emotion, but with every step she took closer, she could feel her apprehension peeking through her built up confidence. 

Being just steps away from the bar, Yelena wasn’t about to let her anxiety get to her now, pushing forward as she approached the bar, setting her champagne glass down on the countertop with just enough force to catch both of the attention of Blair and the bartender.

“I take whatever she’s taking.” Yelena announced, meeting eyes with the bartender, who had simply nodded at her request before taking away her glass to fill it up with her requested drink.

Conveniently, Blair had requested a bottle of champagne that hadn’t been opened, giving some time between the two to start their much needed conversation. But clearly, that was a lot easier said than done in practice, as tense air had fallen in between the two, neither one taking the first initiative of talking.

Despite Blair being just inches away, Yelena kept her eyes focused on the bartender, aware of the movement of blue to the right of her peripheral vision. The adrenaline, the small portion that was left of it and not overtaken by nerves, told Yelena to act, because from seeing Blair’s body language alone, it was clear that she was in no mood to start things off herself. 

Looking over her shoulder, Yelena was trying to sneak a quick glance of Blair, trying to think of something casual to start off a conversation with. With a small glimpse of an idea, Yelena was confident enough to turn to face Blair completely, ready to incite something. But clearly, Blair must have had a similar idea when it came to confronting Yelena, because as soon as Yelena had turned towards Blair, the two made immediate eye contact, causing the two to quickly shy away.

With her face heating up, Yelena had brought her attention back to the bartender, who had finished opening up the champagne bottle completely. She could feel herself getting hot with nerves, reminding her of the once cool item she tucked into her palm. 

From being held, the metal of the lipstick tube had now matched the warmth of Yelena hand, but besides that unneeded fact, it gave Yelena the perfect opportunity to start talking with Blair, an idea she hadn’t thought of when she had first picked up the lipstick.

Unraveling her fist, Yelena looked down to her open palm, noticing her fingerprints smudged against the smooth surface of the lipstick tube. Yelena had quickly rubbed the tube against the material of her pants, polishing the surface before placing it onto the counter and flicking over towards Blair’s direction.

The lipstick had hastily rolled across the wood surface of the bar counter, coming to a stop as it collided against Blair’s silver clutch. Before momentum could push it back in Yelena direction, Blair’s thin fingers took hold of it, placing it back into the opening of her unzipped clutch.

“Thank you.” came the sheepish acknowledgement Yelena wasn’t expecting at all from Blair. Her body language from earlier told that she was closed off, unwilling to do this at all. But there she was now, the one to take the first step out of the two of them. 

At the hope of her words, Yelena had turned back over to look at Blair, her face dusted with pink as she watched the bartender's steady movement of pouring out drinks.

“We need to talk.” Yelena found herself saying, keeping her voice just low enough for only Blair to hear. “But not over here.”

Even though the bartender had been preoccupied with their drinks for the entire time, Yelena had a feeling that he had picked up on their tension, assuming something was going on with the two. She didn’t want their conversation to happen here, or anywhere near the bar for matter of fact, not when they had the risk of someone listening along. 

Blair, with her eyes still locked on the bartender, gave the slight nod of head as her answer, a gesture so subtle and silent, that it could’ve been easily missed if Yelena hadn’t paid much attention. But unlike Blair, Yelena had the actual courage to look at her directly, something that Blair was still working on. 

With their plan of action already decided on, the two of them stayed quiet until the bartender had placed both of their drinks onto the bar counter, the discomfort between them way too prominent for any small talk between. As they immediately took hold of their drinks, Blair had thanked the bartender, giving him a warm smile before bringing her glass to her lips.

The bartender had instantly perked up at Blair's smile, his lips pulling into a matching smile of his own. But his reaction wouldn’t last too long as he met Yelena’s narrowed gaze, a part of the curt nod she had sent his way. Her honest attempt at being polite, turned out to be a lot more threatening than she expected. 

Stepping away from the bar, the two walked side by side as they traveled along the side of the room, keeping a sizable distance between them as they tried to avoid nearing the crowded hub of people located at the center floor. As they neared the front of the room, they both came to a stop, just a few feet away from the elevator placed against the center wall. 

Like before, neither one of them knew how to proceed with moving forward, standing stiff and awkward as they stood across from each other, eyes roaming everywhere besides one another. In their familiar practice of silence, it was clear they were both waiting for the same thing, for the other to start the conversation for them. If it truly hadn’t been for all the people around the room, Yelena wouldn’t have minded taking that first leap, after all, it was her idea to have this talk with each other in the first place.

No matter where they went inside this room, Yelena would never feel comfortable with discussing their private details out loud, even if they did move over to a less crowded part of the room. With Bianca’s extensive guest list, it was almost impossible to avoid being around people, running the risk of being overheard by a coworker, or even a complete stranger. 

Call her paranoid, but Yelena wasn't willing to take a risk like that, especially when it was involved with a career ending secret that could affect the both of them. She didn’t want Blair to get stuck in the midst of the crossfire, her business career so new and fresh, that it would be easy for Diamond Corp to let her go in the wake of scandal. And considering Yelena’s own position, a secret like this could easily brew into a company wide problem if the two were careful. 

She was acting with extreme caution, trying to think of a place where could talk without any snooping ears. For a second, the thought of talking outside on the balcony had briefly crossed her mind, seeming like a great idea until she thought of the realities. It was winter, and considering the altitude of the building they were in, it was bound to be extremely windy too. But besides that, it was another place where guests could freely come in and out as they pleased, not minimizing their chance of being heard at all. 

With that second alternative gone, Yelena was now all out of options when it came to being in this room. But thankfully, Yelena was quick to think of another solution, leaving her with an idea that didn’t involve them being on this floor of the building at all. 

All of this thinking had Yelena starting off into space for a while now, causing her to turn back towards Blair once her decision had come to mind. Surprisingly, Blair seemed to be deep in thought too, staring down at the golden liquid in her champagne glass, while a frown had twisted on her lips.

At the reaction of seeing Blair’s less than happy expression, Yelena heart couldn’t help but drop to the bottom of chest, her mind frantic with thinking, assuming that she was the one who had caused Blair’s obvious discontentment. 

She had ignored Blair in the favor of her own thoughts, which looking back at it now, didn’t seem like the greatest idea Yelena had in the moment. In reality, Yelena had no intentions of pushing Blair to the side, she was just really focused on working out a plan to protect the both of them. But Blair clearly wouldn’t have known any of that unless Yelena had told her otherwise, so she was almost justified to assume that Yelena was flat out ignoring her, especially when they had all this previous tension between them.

The familiar feeling of guilt had panged against her chest, making it only right to explain her thoughts and actions to Blair. Quickly putting an apology together in her head, Yelena took a moment to go over what she wanted to say beforehand, making a clear point to talk about why she was holding up conversation. With all of those thoughts prepared, Yelena had cleared her throat, trying to get Blair’s attention. 

As soon as she heard Yelena, Blair had lifted her gaze up from her champagne glass, their eyes briefly meeting before Yelena had nervously pulled her own away. At the sight of those blue eyes, Yelena’s mind had gone empty, everything inkling of thought now completely lost. But even with her plan erased, Yelena still wanted to continue on with something to the sorts of apology, even if it turned out to be a lot more disfigured than she originally planned.

Building up her courage once again, Yelena had turned to face Blair for a second time, her consciousness still in a blank from the last time. Her mind’s sudden paralysis wasn’t going to stop her from talking though, speaking on the first, immediate thing that came to mind. 

“We should go to my office.” was the blurted out response Yelena hadn’t even expected from herself. It was nothing along the lines of an explanation, or even apart her expected line of saying that she was sorry. And with her words already said, she was too deep in her own panic to try make a recovery from that, continuing on with her statement as if it were along the lines of her initial plan. 

“There’s too many people around.” Yelena had said in her attempt of going on with further detail, her words mostly falling short. In an effort to give more context to what she was talking about, Yelena had guestured over to large crowds in the center of the room, hoping that Blair would understand what she meant by her next sentence. “They might hear us talk.”

At first, Blair gave a strange expression, clearly confused by Yelena’s obscure request. But as Yelena elaborated further, in an incredibly bad effort to say at least, Blair had seemed to understand what Yelena had meant, eyes traveling over to the elevator as she gave another silent, yet confirming nod. 

While Yelena was somewhat relieved to get her point across, she was angry with how she delivered her words, nerves causing her to stumble and say things in a manner that wasn’t like her usual cohesive behavior. Compared to what her actions were like in reality, Yelena made them out to be a lot worse inside her head, making her determined to hold a conversation without seeming like a complete embarrassment in front of Blair. After all, she still had some more explaining to do, which in turn, gave her the perfect opportunity for redemption. 

But before Yelena had the chance to act for herself, Blair had seemed to take matters into her own hands, abruptly walking away without even a word of warning. And at the unexpected action, Yelena was immediately taken aback, scrambling after Blair as she hastily made her way over the front room, weaving through a few groups of people as she headed over towards the elevator.

For some reason, Yelena hadn’t expected the reaction of Blair wanting to go down to the office so quickly, especially when they were just talking about it a few moments ago. She had really hoped to burn some time before then, wanting to give out her silly reason for an apology before moving on to the serious stuff.

But maybe it’s better for things to work out this way. Yelena thought to herself as she cut around another group of people, finally catching up to Blair as she reached the front of the elevator. If she had continued with her talking, she would have made herself out to be a lot more stupider than she already sounded, which was something that wasn’t further needed since Blair already saw her as unfavorable. 

As Yelena approached her side, Blair had immediately pressed down on the embossed button to the side of the wall, causing the elevator doors next to it to slowly open up at the command. Blair was first to head into the elevator, walking over to the left side of the confined space, while leaving Yelena to the right.

Once Yelena had made her way in, Blair had pressed on the button that led to the office floor, the metal doors of the elevator closing once again, leaving the two in complete silence, besides the occasional ding of the elevator as it descended through the building's floors. 

Again, came that familiar oppressive silence, turning seconds in hours as the elevator slowly moved through the building’s many floors. Both Yelena and Blair were left itching at the obvious discomfort between the two of them, leaving them to their own devices of trying to cope with all the uncomfortability. Through her peripheral vision, Yelena could see Blair staring down at her own heels, rubbing her thumb anxiously across the sequined material of her clutch.

Yelena habits were a lot more apparent when it came to showing her true feelings. This was one of those rare occasions where Yelena wasn’t confident in herself at all, her usually well hidden nerves peaking through with frenzied movements, hands picking at her appearance just from seeing her stressed out reflection alone, showcased around the elevator’s mirrored walls. 

After the thousandth time of running her hand through hair, and as well as messing with the collar of her oversized dress shirt, Yelena was simply fed up with being trapped in this elevator, forced to look upon her mirrored appearance since there was no other comfortable option to look elsewhere. 

It was only then, as Yelena continued to stare at her less than ideal reflection, did she finally think about the drink in hand, something that she had completely forgotten about throughout the chaos of trying to talk to Blair. A glass of champagne was the perfect remedy for relaxing, so as Yelena brought the glass to her lips, she downed the majority of the glass all in the effort of calming down her nerves.

She didn’t think that Blair would notice, as she wasn’t loud or obnoxious with the way she had chugged down her drink. But even with her slick and subtle movements, Blair was still able to tell that Yelena was drinking, her disapproval causing her to give a huffy reaction that made Yelena turn to her direction. 

Blair wasn't directly looking at Yelena in the eye, but it was still easy to recognize her maddened emotion from just her body language alone. Yelena’s behavior was definitely striking on her nerves, in the calm kind of anger Blair had shown at their dinner, the cause of it obviously coming from that same reason too. 

Just from seeing how Yelena consumed alcohol on that night alone, clearly made Blair think that Yelena had an alcohol problem, especially after seeing her now, which probably only confirmed the suspicion. In reality, Yelena, couldn’t be more cautious with the way she drank, never overindulging to the point of complete drunkness. But on that day of their dinner, Yelena had let go of her inhibition, so overruled by the fear of being seen as nervous that she wanted alcohol to solve it all, to give her the assurance she was clearly lacking. But in turn, the alcohol had given her a little too much self assurance, causing her to get into this awkward position in the first place.

That’s where she truly went wrong in her decision to drink, because it wasn’t served under her usual pretenses of restraint. She had downed glasses of wine, one by one, all until she was at an unrecoverable point of tispy, inevitably causing all of the domino effect of events that lead her here today. Yelena had placed her job and life on the line just for the sake of her pride, wanting to keep up with her well known guise of being strict and professional, all for the sake of impressing Blair.

And even now, Yelena had just drank for the same reason she had used at the dinner, repeating the same history. She had always been flustered around Blair, and clearly, she didn’t want to be seen acting in such a way, drinking to wind down the effects of her nervousness. But if she learnt one thing from last time, relaxing was definitely not the case for her, the alcohol only making things worse by blocking her from making any rational decisions. 

If anything, Blair giving her the opportunity to make amends, served as great enough warning for Yelena to stop, not wanting to blow over her chance because of some stupid champagne. She was at that point of desperation of where she would stop drinking for the night completely, just to prove to Blair that she didn’t have a problem. 

But with that, came the fact of being seen as nervous, which was something Yelena wasn’t happy about sharing openly. It was a little too vulnerable for her liking, especially when it came to behaving like that among the likes of Blair. While the idea seemed extremely off putting, there was no way to chicken out now, not when they were already in the elevator, on their way to the 24th floor. 

The matter at hand was Yelena having to be a lot more emotive than she was usually, something that had to be done in order to ultimately work things out with Blair. It would truly be hell, but it was the step to put everything behind them. And with all the chaos between them, this was probably the last time they would ever speak to each other on a non-work basis, making the idea of sharing her feeling a lot less intimidating than Yelena initially thought.

Finally, after years of waiting in silence, the elevator came to a complete stop at the office floor, metal doors parting to slowly reveal the dark and empty office space. Through the large windows placed across the room, silver light poured in from outside, lighting up the prominent features of the room, like the rows of empty cubicles, along with the clear pathway between that led over to Yelena’s office.

With the doors now fully opened, the two had exited the elevator, walking across the carpeted floors as they made their way over to the opposite side of the room. Like before, Blair kept to the front, walking with the same fast and determined pace. Yelena had trailed behind her, trying to keep up as she pulled her keys out from the pocket of her pants, trying to locate the specific key for her office in the dim lighting of the room, all while trying to balance her glass of champagne.

Reaching the office, Yelena had finally found the key she was looking for, immediately sticking the piece of metal inside the doorknob. Twisting the key to the side, the glass door had opened with a silent, almost inaudible click, the tension of the lock unclicking felt on Yelena's hand. By now, the action almost felt like a reflex, considered a muscle memory after doing the same thing everyday for almost five years. 

While balancing her champagne glass in her left hand, Yelena had held the office door open with her right, gesturing for Blair to enter inside. And as directed, Blair made her way into the office, avoiding further eye contact with Yelena as she walked through the doorway.

With Blair now inside, Yelena had reached for her set of keys, the rest of her keychain dangling freely as her office key was still attached to the doorknob. Yelena gave a tug to the base of the key, only to be met with resistance, causing her to pull at it with more strength in order to get the key successfully out. 

As she did that, the force from the movement had caused her leftover champagne to dangerously splash up against the side of her glass, practically millimeters away from spilling out completely. If she hadn't chugged the majority of her drink earlier, she would have definitely spilt champagne on herself and the floor. 

Still, through her impatience, Yelena couldn’t help but click her tongue at the glass, mad at it even though it did nothing of her hypothetical thought. In a moment of blind anger, Yelena found herself wanting to get rid of the leftover champagne, all of her thoughts from earlier only making her more aggravated. So without thinking, Yelena got rid of her drink the only way she knew how to, by dumping it into the fake plant that resided outside of her office. 

As soon as she did it, Yelena had instantly regretted the action, realizing the fake, plastic leaves wouldn't absorb any liquid at all. Glancing down at the now wet plant, Yelena couldn’t help but bite down on her lip, praying the office wouldn’t reek of alcohol when she came back on Monday morning.

Entering her office, Yelena had quickly closed the door behind her, acting as if nothing majorly stupid had happened in the seconds prior. And thankfully, Blair didn’t seem to notice a thing, much too preoccupied with admiring the view of the city skyline. 

“Woah.” Blair gasped, her whisper of amazement filling up the ringing silence of the room. 

It was clear from just the way Blair had moved across the room, that she was enamored by the view, practically gravitating over to the panels of windows that covered the entire back of the room. But through her trance, Blair had taken a moment to stop at Yelena’s desk, placing both of her drink and clutch down on the cluttered surface before continuing on over to the end of the office. 

Even though Blair had been at her desk for a literal second, Yelena couldn’t help but cringe at the fact of Blair seeing her beyond disorganized work desk, piled with paperwork and other similar matters of the sort. Something that was more embarrassing on her desk, was the old coffee cup Yelena had left from the day before, and unfortunately, it was one of the more obvious items she saw when it came to looking at her desk. She just hoped Blair had moved fast enough not to notice it. 

But unlike Yelena, Blair was focused on anything but the organization of Yelena’s desk, approaching one of the window panes and placing her hand to the surface, studying the widespread view of twinkling city lights. 

In typical fashion to how the city usually was, artificial lighting made up for all the natural lighting in the sky, hiding the remnants of all stars, and sometimes even the entirety of the moon. From it being winter and all, it was one of those expected nights where the moon was covered by excess clouds and pollution, hidden completely from the human eye. 

But despite there not being a moon out tonight, cool and silvery light had casted its way through the windows of Yelena’s office, the source coming from all the buildings surrounding them, lit up in the same way, for the same celebratory party. And somehow, as Blair stood in the center of it all, she looked as if she were glowing in the light, the features of her face highlighted and defined as if she were the moon itself. 

Yelena couldn’t look away, her face flushing red as she watched Blair look up to the sky. Everything, from her amazed reaction, to her ethereal moonlit appearance, had placed Yelena into a daze, only confirming the attraction that she thought was long gone.

In the time that they were avoiding each other, Yelena had thought her crush on Blair was over, infatuation quickly replaced by her plausible fear of being outed. But now that the two were in the same room together, naturally at the force of their own will instead of being forced like last time, Yelena couldn't help but realize that her previous concern was anything but true. She was in it deep with Blair, which only brought up her initial problem of crushing on women in the first place. 

“The view from your office is amazing.” Blair exclaimed as she turned to Yelena, her true enthusiasm shown by the smile on her face.

It was the first time Yelena had seen Blair smile like this, nothing along the lines of her usual work smiles, given out just for the sake of being seen accommodating. Compared to those, this smile was truly genuine, born out of her own happiness instead of pleasing the feelings of someone else. 

Yelena could see it in her eyes, those breathtakingly blue eyes smiling back at her, showing a lot more than the put-together self Blair had always made herself out to be. Watching her beam with excitement, was like seeing a brand new part of Blair, completely unfiltered compared to the same person Yelena had saw earlier 

If anything, seeing Blair in this way definitely didn’t help with Yelena dismantling her crush any further. In a weird way, it was almost nice to know that Blair didn’t hate her to an entirety, that she was comfortable to act freely around Yelena, even with all of their previous problems at hand. Even now, as they stood and faced each other, Blair was making complete eye contact, a huge leap in confidence compared to earlier, where she was clearly too nervous to do so. 

And despite Blair turning towards her for conversation a few seconds ago, it was only through another moment of silence, that Yelena realized Blair was waiting for a response, surprisingly patient through all the seconds passing in between. 

At the immediate realization, Yelena began to panic as she racked her mind for answers, not wanting to waste any more time, and not wanting to be seen as any more stupid. So at the first flustered thought, Yelena had tried to regain what was left of her composure, clearing her throat before saying what came to mind. 

“The view from your office is probably the same.” 

As soon as she said it, Yelena couldn't help but cringe at herself, already failing at her attempts of avoiding stupidity. But while Yelena was beating herself up for her words, Blair couldn’t have seemed to care less about the disjointed response, countering with her own reply as she turned to face the window once again. 

“I know,” Blair answered with a soft chuckle. “I just think the view is a lot prettier at night.”

Yelena had only hummed in agreement, mostly at the fact of being at a complete loss when it came to continuing on conversation. Instead of stressing over what to do or say next, Yelena had looked towards the windows, taking the steps over to the paneled wall in order to catch another glimpse of the familiar cityscape. 

By now, the nighttime view of the city skyline was nothing new or exciting to Yelena, the idea worn by being dragged into penthouse parties by the sheer and forced will of Bianca. But despite that, Yelena could still understand the same feeling Blair had felt now, the exhilaration of first moving into a big city and seeing a sight like this. It makes you feel like you are at the top of the world, awake and alive in the city that never sleeps. Seeing that same drive in Blair, was enough evidence to know that she was new and fresh to the city, ready to carve her own way into her career, just like Yelena had done herself. 

But with all the seriousness of their problems waiting around them, Blair’s moment of thrill had gradually faded as she came back to reality, the weight of their troubles pressing down on her again as she shared a sobering look with Yelena, telling everything she wanted to say without speaking a single word. The two of them had been stalling for a while now, Blair clearly wanting to get this over and done with. 

That shared look alone was enough to warrant an agreement between the both of them, silently promising not to hold back on this. They were both at a point where they couldn’t ignore this any longer, even through their fair share of distracted moments. It was time to act on it, and despite the initial eagerness from the two of them, they suddenly were at a standstill once again, not wanting to take the first leap of action themselves. 

The idea itself was terrifying for both members of the party, so it wasn’t fair to just pinpoint the conversation starter on any specific person. But oddly enough, the added pressure of silence only made things more tense between them, and that alone made Yelena want to step up and take matters into her own hands.

So with that initiative in mind, Yelena had walked over to her desk, pulling her office chair from where it was tucked in underneath. With the type of conversation they were about to have, it was better for them to sit down, but of course, Yelena didn’t communicate that to Blair before she grabbed the chair from the table, causing Blair to raise an eyebrow as Yelena pushed the chair her way. 

“Sit.” Yelena had explained in order to clarify Blair’s confusion, but in her typical way of freezing up with nerves, her explanation sounded a lot ruder than she intended it to be, words coming off as commanding instead of helpful.

But besides her tone, Blair had followed her instructions regardless, smoothing down imaginary lines and creases on her dress before sitting down at the requested seat. Clearly, Blair hadn’t overthinked it like Yelena had, knowing what she meant even through Yelena’s horrible way of explaining everything. And despite Blair being okay with it, Yelena was still scolding herself for her word choice, even as she headed across the room for her second office chair.

Pulling her second chair from the corner of her office, Yelena had dragged it over to where Blair was sitting by the windows, parking the chair across from her. Having this conversation with Blair, meant that Yelena was going to stumble and mess up on her words, so accepting all her mistakes now, would make it a lot easier to continue through with this.

As she took in a deep breath, Yelena had sat down on her worn and deflated office chair, which was many levels away from being just as comfortable as her new one. The only reason for keeping this old thing was for the rare occasion of calling an employee into her office, to have them sit down as Yelena gave them the usual news of being terminated from the job. 

And here she was again, calling an employee to her office, this time for a lot harder of a reason than to fire someone. With her exaggerated exhale, Yelena knew that she had to be the one to start this conversation, since it was mostly her idea in the first place. After all, there was no use in delaying the inevitable, especially when they didn’t have all the time in the world to do so. 

“First off, I want to start with an apology.” Yelena began, her words drawing the attention of Blair, who was nervously picking at the nail polish on her fingers. “For that dinner, and for earlier.” 

“Earlier?” Blair interrupted, bringing her gaze over to Yelena’s. “You did nothing wrong earlier.”

“Oh.” Yelena faltered, her voice shrinking down to a mumble. “Never mind then…”

Taking a second, Yelena tried her best to shake the mishap, wanting to continue with her apology despite the added blunder, already taunting her alongside the others in her head. So in her best attempt to ignore all those thoughts, Yelena took in another reassuring breath before carrying on as she normally would. 

“About that dinner…” Yelena specified, picking up at the topic she last left off at. “I was incredibly drunk that night, more so than I usually get.”

Turning to Blair, Yelena was surprised to see that she had a neutral look across her face, not showing any obvious emotion besides the fact of her listening. It definitely wasn't helpful when it came to figuring out Blair’s exact emotions, leaving Yelena to stumble blindly as she went forth with the rest of her explanation.

“Regardless of how drunk I was at the moment, it was still extremely inappropriate for me to kiss you, and even that shouldn’t be my excuse for doing so.”

Yelena paused again, trying to rack her brain for a proper way to show her guilt without revealing too much of her own personal emotions. She truly wanted to be honest, but at the same time, Yelena wanted to go about this conversation without dumping her emotional baggage all on Blair, even if that meant she had to be a little vague.

“I honestly don’t know why I did that.” Yelena admitted. “But I know that I should have never done it in the first place. It was wrong and I’m… sorry.”

After she had uttered the last of her apology, the room had gone silent, so silent that they could practically hear all the outside traffic, even with the distance of being on the 24th floor. Even with the worst part practically over, Yelena still couldn’t stand silence between them, excruciatingly long compared to all the others. 

Her voice through the entire time she was speaking, was relatively normal to how she would usually talk, but with the way her heart was pounding, Yelena was surprised that her nervousness didn’t show through all. But now that she was left waiting for Blair’s response, Yelena’s anxiety had spiked through the roof, so intense, that she refused to look anywhere but her lap, just out of fear of facing Blair.

Through that eternity of quiet, Yelena was incredibly unsure with moving forward. She was starting to doubt that Blair would even answer at all, and if she did, would that be the end of their discussion? But before Yelena could think about those potentials any further, she was met with an answer, Blair finally speaking up after her year-like minutes of silence. 

“I forgive you.” Blair assured, a soft and understanding expression on her face as Yelena met her in the eyes, settling down all the worry and fear that had been swirling in her mind for the last month. Somehow, Blair wasn’t angry with her in the slightest, which turned out to be the biggest relief of them all.

“I mean,” Blair continued, flicking her eyes away as she went back to picking at her hands. “I just didn’t know you were—“

“Gay?” Yelena had answered for her, mostly so Blair couldn’t have the opportunity to fill in the word for her. Out of all of the terms she knew, this was the one she was most comfortable with using, the others tainted in her mind as slurs and insults.

It was her first time saying it aloud to someone that was besides herself. Not whispered when she looked at her reflection in the mirror, or said in between sobs as she cried herself to sleep, but to a real and live person, to Blair, who looked at her as if it were nothing special, nothing of the sorts of shameful. And to Yelena’s surprise, it wasn’t even hard to admit at all.

“Yeah.” Blair nodded, her voice hushed and secretive. “I promise I won’t tell.”

While it was reassuring to hear those words come out from Blair, it was still all so scary to have someone know, even if they did promise to keep the secret. Yelena didn’t want that to change her perception, to be seen differently by Blair. For any of her future actions being taken as flirty or advancing, because of the fact of her sexuality. 

Clearly, the hesitation was evident on her face, because as Yelena looked to Blair, she was quick to convince Yelena otherwise. Pressing her lips together and dragging her finger across the length of her mouth, Blair pretended to close her mouth shut on the secret, flicking the imaginary key towards the window and down to the city streets. 

And at the silly gesture, Yelena couldn't help but let a chuckle escape from her lips, her serious expression forming into a grin as she met Blair’s own smile. 

While that moment was nice and light compared to all the seriousness of earlier, it wouldn’t last as long as they wanted too, not when the two were so prone to reverting back to their awkward nature of ignoring each other. As they met with the familiar lull of quiet, they had come back to their own advances, Yelena gnawing down her lip as she figured out their plan for next, while Blair swayed side to side in her office chair, chipping away at the manicure.

With the room being so silent, it was hard for Yelena to ignore the sound, the soft clicking of Blair scraping her fingernails together. She would be lying if she didn’t say it annoyed her, but then again, Yelena had annoying habits too, like chewing on the ends of pens and pencils and leaving old coffee cups on her desk. 

From the sound calling her attention, Yelena had watched as Blair scratched away at the silver nail polish painted across her ring finger, only until something else had ultimately caught her attention. On her same finger was a small silver ring, a tiny ivory pearl embedded into the center of the band.

The sight of the ring immediately brought panic signals to Yelena’s brain, the idea of Blair being taken, instantly coming to mind. And in her alarm, Yelena didn’t think to double check it, quickly speaking of her worry.

“You’re engaged?!” Yelena blurted, eyes widening as she pointed down to Blair’s hand.

“What?! No!” Blair gasped, holding up said hand in the air. “This is my mother’s ring!”

And with that second glance, Yelena realized that the ring was placed on her right hand, her face instantly flushing red at the mistake. 

You idiot . Yelena scolded to herself as she bit down on her lip, embarrassed with herself for not noticing a major detail like that in the first place.

“I’m single.” Blair clarified. “I haven’t been in a relationship since I was in high school— if you could even count that as a real relationship.” 

Yelena nodded as she listened along, trying to seem as interested as she possibly could be, while also screaming at herself internally for saying something so thoughtless and idiotic. 

“We barely even dated for a week.” Blair continued with the shrug of her shoulders, flipping her brown hair over to her shoulder. “I broke up with him because he wanted to kiss me.”

Although Yelena was relieved to hear that Blair wasn’t involved in a relationship, the subject had brought something else to mind, especially at the mention of Blair breaking up over a kiss. It seemed like that action meant a lot more to her, clearly holding some sort of specialty if it was the main reason for their break up. 

The possibility of taking that away from her, made Yelena sick to her own stomach, adding a new layer of guilt that she could never forgive herself for, if she found her suspicion to be true. With the whole start of their conversation being on the basis of their kiss, Yelena had to ask now, or otherwise the guilt of not knowing would tear her apart. 

Averting her eyes away from Blair, Yelena had to swallow the huge lump forming in her throat, unable to say her question out loud unless she did so. 

“Our kiss…” Yelena brought up once again, the rasp to her voice causing her to pause and clear her throat for a second time. “Was it your first?”

Their usual silence was almost expected with the nature of this question, taking its accustomed hold throughout the room, filling up the seconds between Blair’s answer, which was a plain and simple “No.”

No was an all too familiar word for Yelena, something often heard through business ventures and her everyday ambition. And while she hated to hear that word in those situations, Yelena was actually grateful to hear it this time around, all of the weight of her anxiety fading away at the sound of Blair’s voice. After everything she had done, it was a true sigh of relief to know that she didn’t cause any more harm to Blair, especially when their kiss was an ongoing problem in the first place. 

 “Since you asked first,” Blair began, her words unexpected after the vagueness of her first response. “Have you ever kissed someone?”

Despite it being the same question Yelena had asked earlier, she still couldn’t help but hesitate on the answer, even though it was only fair to reciprocate like Blair did. 

“In college…” was the ambiguous answer Yelena had given out, mostly out of the fear of drawing out too many questions with anything further detailed.

To most people, the milestone of their first kiss was extremely memorable, even if it wasn’t ideal or special. But for Yelena, it was something she didn’t like to think about at all, mostly out of the shame of it suddenly happening in the moment. It wasn’t intentional like most first kisses were, or even expected in the slightest. Frankly, it just happened one night at a random bar, done completely sober, and with a rational and clear mind. 

That night in particular, served as an occasion to celebrate the early on achievements of their new company, no longer just a concept in their heads, but now a real and tangible reality that she and Bianca were in the process of making. And while everything was slowly falling into place for the company, Yelena was left scrambling to keep up with the new workload, another pile of added assignments on top of her final semester of studies.

At that point in her life, Yelena was drowning in all of the paperwork that was coming her way, overwhelmed with how little time there was in a day. For weeks, she was essentially a full functioning zombie, living with a full blown coffee addiction as she barely got any hours to sleep, pulling all nighters just for the sake of studying and finishing up assignments. And with how often Yelena was cooped up in her dorm, Bianca was the one to drag her outside into the real world, bringing her to restaurants and bars, or to any place in general where Yelena could temporarily wind down. 

But with the way Yelena was, relaxing wasn't something that came natural to her, especially when there were piles and piles of work waiting for her at home. So on that night, when Bianca had forced her into that bar, Yelena was already unhappy with the fact of being there, thinking about all the precious time she was wasting by sitting at the bar countertop and doing nothing. 

And on top of that, Bianca was urging her to drink, clearly wanting Yelena to unwind from her usual self-restraint. From a previous experience, Yelena knew better not to drink with her caffeinated and sleep deprived state, knowing that any possibility of hangover would be a thousand times worse than a usual one. It truly wasn’t worth the risk it was asking for, not when Yelena had back-to-back morning classes scheduled for the next day.

Despite her valid reason for not drinking, Yelena had still ended up with a glass anyways, ordering wine just to get Bianca off her back. No matter how many times Yelena had explained it to her previously, Bianca refused to understand where she was coming from, only giving unhelpful advice that involved drinking as the main cure to insomnia or hangovers. While Bianca was extremely talented in the aspect of running her business, she clearly had no knowledge in the medical field, her recommendations so outlandish that Yelena never followed along. 

As she and Bianca chatted alongside the bar that night, Yelena had taken a couple sips of her wine, which turned out to be a huge mistake on her part. With her stomach being empty from not eating earlier that day, a major headache had formed at the alcohol, the searing pain throughout her temple stopping her from drinking any further.

A pounding headache like that, was synonymous with the beginnings of a hangover, causing Yelena to quickly abandon her drink in favor of containing her migraine. But even with her effort of trading her wine in for a glass of water, Yelena’s attention was shot, distracted by all the splitting and sharp pains shooting across her skull. 

Even through her pain, Yelena had kept up her composed front, sipping on her water as she tried to keep up with Bianca’s rollercoaster of a discussion. As much as Bianca could talk, it was no wonder that Yelena hadn’t noticed all the looks from the bartender coming her way, as she was much too preoccupied with staying on pace to the conversation, than to notice the significance of those stares. 

While Yelena’s mind was busy and overwhelmed, she wasn't completely blind to the fact of someone staring at her. A couple of times throughout their exchange, Yelena had caught the female bartender staring at her, but she didn’t think much of it besides eavesdropping, something she assumed all bartenders did. 

Yelena continued not to think much of it, even when the bartender had conveniently clocked out of her shift at the same time of Yelena excusing herself to the bathroom. With that day being a weekday and all, the bathroom was a drastically different from what it was on weekends, completely devoid of people as Yelena entered inside, making the perfect place for an ‘unintentional’ meeting, 

After Yelena had finished using the bathroom, she had gone over to the sink and washed her hands, checking her appearance in the mirror throughout the process. As she dried her hands with a paper towel, the door to the bathroom had squeaked open, drawing her eye to the person entering inside.

There was the bartender, Yelena’s not-so-secret admirer. To this day, Yelena could remember her so vividly, without actually remembering her name at all. Tall and freckled, blue eyes and fiery red hair, approaching Yelena with such confidence and flirtatious behavior, that she was thrown completely off guard, forgetting how to speak and act through the banter. 

Of course, there were formalities shared between them, sharing names and where they lived around the city of Boston. Through Yelena’s nervousness around pretty girls, words had failed her once again, leaving her blushing and stuttering through her responses. And while Yelena was deeply embarrassed with the way things were going, her admirer had seemed to think otherwise, laughing and smiling through Yelena’s answers before eventually pulling her into a kiss. 

The seconds after that, had left Yelena stunned, frozen in shock as the bartender had pulled away. But before her admirer could move away completely, she had slipped a note into Yelena’s hand, sending a wink her way as she walked out of the bathroom.

And there was Yelena, paralyzed and bewildered, as she was left alone in the restroom once again. Her initial shock had instantly faded into anger, and the note in her hand was quickly crushed into a paper ball. She didn’t have to see it to know that it was name and a number, her suspicions already confirmed by the bartender’s behavior. 

In the heat of her own outrage, Yelena had rushed back into the bathroom stall, throwing the paper in the toilet before stomping on the toilet lever with so much force, that she truly was surprised to see it intact afterwards. While unnecessarily harsh, Yelena needed that note to disappear in that moment, wanting more than anything, for the shame of the situation to disappear in the same way. 

Anger had been her initial cover for it, but in truth to how she felt inside, Yelena was deeply ashamed. How a person could see right through her and notice something so deep and personal, a part of her well hidden, tucked away so no one else could see.

It was terrifying at that point in time, just like it was now,  years later from that time and date. True to those same emotions, the world had slowly crumbled under her feet, assuming it would end in catastrophe at the likes of anybody knowing. But in comparison to last time, the outcome wasn't so scary or earth shattering as it originally seemed, despite the stakes being a lot higher than it was for her college self. 

Maybe it was the fact of saying it on her own terms, even if it wasn't intentional. Or maybe, it was just the luck of kissing Blair instead of someone else, who could have easily reported her to HR the next morning if they hadn’t been so understanding. To see that side of Blair, so patient and forgiving, made Yelena feel the utmost guilt for even putting her in that position, along with the assumption that she would even tell her secret in the first place. 

“I’m sorry.” Yelena found herself apologizing, breaking the cliffhanger of silence with another confession of her guilt. She hadn’t expected herself to say that out loud, but clearly her subconscious was telling her otherwise, admitting remorse for things Blair didn’t even know of. 

“Yelena, it’s okay.” Blair reassured, stopping Yelena before she could go on another apologetic tirade. “While I appreciate you apologizing, you really don’t have to do it again. I have already forgiven you for that kiss anyways.”

Yelena was somewhat surprised to hear those words come out of Blair's mouth. And yes, she was aware of Blair saying them at her first apology, but her mind was still very clouded in denial, Blair’s words giving the comfort she needed, but possibly not the truth, as this situation was way too serious to be forgiven in the matter of minutes. 

Without realizing it, Yelena was clearly showing her bewilderment through her facial expressions, bushy eyebrows furrowed as she gave Blair a questionable glance. She was only made aware of how glowering she looked, once she saw that flash of panic in Blair’s eyes, clearly assuming that Yelena was mad, when she truly wasn’t. Her face just had a habit of looking angry all the time, even through non-angered emotions like confusion. But before Yelena had the time to explain that, Blair was quick to jump to her own conclusions, clarifying the meaning of her previous words. 

“I understand if you're skeptical, but I’m not lying to make this situation any easier.” Blair admitted, her face now serious at the turn of her conversation. “Truthfully, I had forgiven you weeks ago, but I didn’t want to bring it up because I could tell you were uncomfortable…”

“Work wasn’t the right place to do it, and I had no other contacts besides that.” Blair explained further. “I’m sorry it came to the point of Bianca scaring you into talking to me. I swear I didn’t tell her anything, but she kept insisting that there was something going on between us.”

“Bianca knows everything that goes on.” Yelena interjected, sharing her piece of well-known advice. “I’m surprised it took her that long to notice.” 

“Well, this holiday season was incredibly busy…” Blair pointed out, bringing up a valid reason that Yelena hadn’t even thought of.

“True.” Yelena confirmed with the shrug of her shoulders. After all, she had the numbers in the finance books to prove it, this holiday season being a lot more profitable than the years previous. 

“But back to what I was saying earlier,” Blair reminded, maintaining her original point of talking. “I just didn’t want to pressure you into talking before you were ready, because I understand this might not be the easiest thing to tell someone.”

Once again, Yelena was stunned speechless by Blair’s way of awareness, somehow knowing those exact emotions, and putting it into words that Yelena was too scared to admit herself. Unlike Blair, Yelena was prideful, so protective of her feelings and emotions, that she didn’t dare to share them in fear of getting hurt. And if it wasn't for the situation they were in now, Yelena would have never expressed those feelings in the first place, not even to the people she was really close with. 

But Blair needed to know that she was sorry, that their kiss wasn’t on the grounds of anything malicious, but out of her own drunken manifestation of problems. And thankfully, with her gift of understanding, Blair had seemed to know all that, blue eyes staring into her soul and knowing what was deep inside, relating to problems and emotions that weren’t even her own. 

And while Yelena was obviously taken aback by all her empathy, Blair was clearly unaware of it otherwise, the panic on her face telling her uncertainty with Yelena’s current silence, the blonde’s face blank and inexpressive, not helping when it came to figuring out emotions. 

“I mean, that’s what I thought, but I still could be very wrong.” Blair backpedaled, her nerves evident by her voice and tone. “If you don’t want to talk about this, we can easily change the conversation to something else, like… college.”

“You’re fine, Blair.” Yelena asserted, ready to insist that all of Blair’s assumptions were quite alright. But her own nervousness, Yelena was scared of sounding too vulnerable, pausing to think of the right words to say.

“Thanks,” was the word Yelena was settled on, about to end her thought with just that single word alone. But with the meaning being so vague, Yelena needed to add more, speaking on her next words without a second thought. “…for saying what you said.”

At first, Blair seemed to be confused on what Yelena exactly meant, taking a second to think on her words before figuring it out. In typical fashion to how Yelena explained everything tonight, her words were clumsy compared to how they sounded in her head, only saying half of what she truly meant to say. And to her previous point, Yelena wasn’t willing to get so sappy, her badly spoken answer still doing well by the means of Blair, who had her signature smile back on her face. 

With everything seemingly settled between them, Yelena was almost relieved to see that smile, knowing that it was the end of all their unspoken tension. It was that same smile Blair had when she was looking at the view, a true sign of being relaxed and comfortable with where she currently was. And for Yelena, that was the ultimate weight lifted off her shoulders, seeing her worries of Blair disliking her, diminish under the presence of that expression alone. 

But besides calming her irrational fear, Blair’s pretty grin had made Yelena's face turn hot, her heart beating fast as she tried to stop herself from turning beet red. At the moment, she had nothing to be embarrassed about, making her true reason for blushing around Blair look somewhat obvious. 

Her best way of covering it up, was to distract herself with something else, like another conversation with Blair, where her growing blush could be easily blamed on her nerves, even though they weren’t as apparent as they were before. 

“I think you spoke for both of us when you talked about changing the conversation earlier.” Yelena resumed, running her hand through her hair as she recalled Blair’s earlier suggestion. “We can talk about college, or pretty much anything if you like.”

Blair had nodded in response, seeming to agree on the topic since she didn’t say anything otherwise. But apart from that nod, Blair had stayed silent on the statement, not out of the intention of being rude or dismissive, but for the reason of wanting to hear Yelena speak first, which was something understandable. Yelena knew Blair’s background from her resume, while Blair knew nothing of the sorts of Yelena’s, clearly wanting to discover more of her accomplishments. 

“I got my bachelors degree at Havard.” Yelena revealed, starting with the most basic information she could first think of.

“Really?!” Blair exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with excitement. “I did my four years at Boston University, which isn't too far from Harvard at all. What year did you graduate?”

“Seventy-seven.” Yelena had answered, her response causing Blair to beam with even more enthusiasm. 

“That was the year I first attended!” Blair laughed. “That’s so funny! We could have ran into each other at a party or something!”

“Possibly,” Yelena shrugged, sitting herself up straight in her seat. “But I wasn’t much of a party person anyways, not even when I was a freshman.”

Throughout college, Yelena had always been incredibly studious, especially during her senior year, when the company was another main focus of hers. And even when her work was minused, Yelena still wasn’t a big fan of college parties, not when Bianca could take her to a place much more refined, with alcohol better than anything served up at those parties. 

“I wasn’t really a partier either,” Blair acknowledged. “I was mostly dragged in by friends who wanted me to be designated driver.” 

At her words, Yelena had let a snort escape her lips, finding the concept of Blair being forced to drive a car full of drunk people, completely hilarious, especially at the added reminder of Blair driving like a drunk person herself. 

“You, designated driver?” Yelena teased, her amused grin immediately causing Blair to roll her eyes. 

“I didn’t drive all the time!” Blair huffed, obvious in her act of pretending to be annoyed, as the upturn of her lips was her clear giveaway. “I only drove when we were off campus, and even then, I did it so everyone could get home safe.”

Even though Yelena did appreciate Blair’s kind sentiments, there was still a part of her dying to tease Blair with another question, wanting to continue with the banter, while also keeping it to a point of restraint, since she still wasn’t quite familiar with all of Blair’s boundaries. 

“Did you ever get pulled over?” Yelena continued to pester, keeping the taunting as nice and light as the question would allow it, since after all, it was nothing serious anyways. 

Just based on the assumption of how Blair behaved, she would never in a million years, be the type of person to have a charge in her name, clearly too morally correct to do anything considered bad. And already, the suspicion was confirmed as they did a background check before hiring her, not a single offense in sight, not even an innocent one like speeding. 

But thankfully, Blair had taken the joke the way Yelena had expected her to, bursting into giggles as her eyes traveled up to the ceiling. “I actually did.” 

“I’m surprised, even though I shouldn’t be.” Yelena quipped, placing herself to be nonchalant, when in reality, she truly was shocked to hear that revelation come from Blair. “With that way you drive, anyone would think you were drunk.” 

With that second jab from Yelena, Blair had placed her lips into a pout, acting all defensive and uptight until her eyes met Yelena’s, her mouth melting back into its usual smile as she couldn’t keep up with all the pretend seriousness.

“I didn’t get in any trouble at all.” Blair confessed through another round of laughter. “I guess the cop just liked me.”

Along with a shrug, Blair had moved her hair away from where it fell across her neck and shoulders, causing a few of her long locks, to somehow tangle around the thick chain of her necklace. Immediately, Blair had taken hold of the knotted strands, wincing as she proceeded to pull at the hair tied around her necklace. 

Yelena couldn’t stand to see Blair struggle, especially at the sight and sound of her pain as she continued to tug at her hair, despite there being more gentler ways to untangle it. It was only when Blair had let out an audible “ow”, did Yelena go over to help her, closing the sizable distance distance between them, by pushing her office chair closer to Blair, there knees practically centimeters away from touching, as Yelena leant over to help with the untangling as well. 

Gently taking the necklace into hand, Yelena had wedged her finger in between the thick knot of hair, loosening a good majority of it from where it was wrapped around the chain, before pulling the hair free. Only a few, single strands were left attached to the chain, which Blair had taken the courtesy of pulling and snapping herself. 

“Thanks.” Blair appreciated as soon as Yelena had pulled away, the two instantly going back to their own perimeters of personal space.

It was only then, as Yelena nodded along in response, did she truly realize how close they were in distance, those few centimeters between them, feeling a little too close for comfort, causing Yelena to push her office chair a few inches back. Her reply to Blair was delayed with the seconds it took her to scoot her seat back, the wheels of the chair dragging clumsily against the carpeted floor. 

“Yeah, it's no problem.” She had answered with another nod of her head.

There she was again, trying to act all nonchalant, when in reality, Yelena was nervous about the recuperations of her actions, thinking she might have gone a little too far with helping Blair untangle her hair from her necklace. 

In the moment, Yelena had jumped in before asking, wanting to help Blair before the possibility of dull office scissors came into play. But with the way Yelena had crossed boundaries before, she should’ve announced what she was doing before she leaned in, hoping she didn’t scare Blair with that familiar way of movement. 

But as Yelena thought about the situation some more, she realized that Blair hadn’t reacted negatively at all, seeming completely fine as it happened, as there was no flinching or recoiling, or any other body language that hinted at her being uncomfortable during the process. Even now, Blair seemed just as fine as she did before, relaxed and otherwise happy with Yelena’s presence. 

If anything, her behavior now, was truly opposite to how Blair acted at the beginning of their conversation, clearly uncomfortable then, with all her telltale signs of being reserved and extremely on edge. And after seeing that part of Blair, Yelena could easily spot that difference in her comfortability, finally recognizing that everything was okay, even with her intrusive thoughts trying to convince her differently. 

Despite all the relief that came from Blair not hating her, Yelena still couldn’t help but feel flustered, embarrassed with the fact of this letting this happen for a second time. Once again, Yelena had worked herself over with the potential consequences of her actions, thinking that Blair hated her for the simple slip up, even though that couldn’t be anything but false.

At the moment, Blair was quiet, but it wasn’t out of the reason Yelena had talked herself into thinking, as Blair was more focused on removing the broken and short strands of hair still attached to the chain link of her necklace. 

“I love this necklace, but it’s so annoying.” Blair explained, picking a few more of the snapped strands free, before tossing them onto the floor. “The same thing happened to me earlier as I got into a taxi.” 

At Blair’s mention of her necklace, Yelena had taken a double take, finding the necklace extravagant up close, just as it was far away, blue jewels noticeably bigger and luxe looking. 

“Your necklace is nice.” Yelena had commented, despite the fact of not being a big fan of such flashy jewelry herself. 

“Thank you.” Blair had smiled, sitting up a little taller as she straightened out the necklace across her neck. “It was a Christmas present from Bianca.” 

“She must really like you then.” Yelena revealed, confirming the suspicion she had known all along. “She has her favorites, but that doesn’t mean she’ll go easier on you. I know that well from experience.”

Blair immediately gave the nod her head, hands gently cupping around the gems of her necklace, as she clearly understood what Yelena had meant.

Mimicking her nod, Yelena had looked down to her hands, hoping to change the conversation to something lighter than the stress of work. On her right hand, was a simple gold band wrapped around her middle finger, a present of her own, gifted to her by Bianca.

“This was my Christmas present from a few years back.” Yelena shared as soon as she twisted her ring off her finger, holding it up in the air for Blair to see. “As you can see, Bianca loves to give out expensive jewelry.”

With a small laugh, Blair had moved her office chair closer, extending her hand as she met Yelena’s eyes, her quiet and unobtrusive way of asking to see the ring up close. And while Yelena usually wouldn’t do this for anyone, she had trusted Blair, dropping the golden ring onto the center of the palm.

As Blair withdrew her arm away from Yelena, she had admired the ring in hand, taking a second to marvel at the golden band, before slipping it onto her own middle finger. In comparison to how it fit around Yelena’s finger, the ring was loose and ill-fitted around Blair’s, her hands clearly thinner at the drastic size difference. 

“Pretty.” Blair complemented, holding her hand at a distance to see the sparkling ring from afar. “Bianca has good taste.” 

“She does.” Yelena agreed, only for her words to be immediately overshadowed by the booming sound of fireworks echoing in from outside.

The sound, along with the flash of colors, had instantly turned their attention over to the windows, the sky lit up with twinkling silver and gold fireworks, dancing way above the horizon and past the tops of skyscrapers. While these fireworks were expected, the two were quickly thrown off by the appearance of them, so lost with time, that they both anticipated the display to come later at midnight, not early in the night like they presumed the time to be. 

At the suspicion of being terribly wrong when it came to the time, Yelena had looked over to the clock hanging on her office wall, the time reading much later than she had assumed to be. Twelve o’ six to be exact, way past midnight and well into the new year, which obviously explained the fireworks going off.

“It’s midnight.” Yelena stated as she turned to face Blair, who had raised one of her eyebrow in disbelief.

“It is?” Blair had wondered out loud as she glanced to the clock, quickly confirming the answer to her first question, while also leading to her second one. “How on earth did we lose track of time?”

Well, time does fly when you're having fun , was the response Yelena had quipped inside her head, even though she had held her tongue from saying it out loud. The retort was obviously sarcastic, but Yelena knew it was little too much to joke about, especially when they both had their uncomfortable moments throughout their discussion. So instead of answering with that response, Yelena had shrugged her shoulders, replying with a simple and alternative “I don’t know.”

But despite that being a little offhandish, Blair didn’t seem to care anyways, more preoccupied with picking up her champagne glass for their own little toast to the new year. Yelena had quickly understood that hint, and was willing to join in herself, until she remembered her glass to be empty as she picked it up from the table, turning to Blair with a sheepish look on her face. 

Instead of rolling her eyes and acting similar to how she did in the elevator, Blair had only smiled as leaned over towards Yelena, pouring some of her own champagne into the blonde’s empty glass. After filling the glass half way, Blair had extended her drink into the air, Yelena doing the same as she waited for Blair to give out the rest of her toast.

“To the new year.” Blair cheered, keeping the toast to something short and sweet, much to Yelena’s liking. 

By now, Yelena was a little too used to Bianca’s over the top speeches, toasts taking centuries to complete, as Bianca would ramble on and on about the sentiments of a person or occasion. But unlike that kind of toast, the two didn’t have much history to reminisce on, or any possibility of a future to hope for, making it better to keep their celebration as plain and simple as it initially was. 

“To the new year.” Yelena repeated, the two clinking their glasses at the cheers of their toast, before drinking to the occasion.

With the display of fireworks still going on in the background, the two had both turned to the windows to watch the rest of the show, taking the occasional sips of champagne, as they enjoyed their solitude and stillness of their own private viewing.

They were more lucky to have this to themselves, the quiet and uninterrupted awe of being alone in the office, instead of being upstairs at the party. Even with the majority of fireworks being cut off by the buildings around them, the display still wouldn’t have felt the same up at the party, where even there, with the height of the top floor, the fireworks would still be hidden, all obscured by the crowds of guests, all desperate to see the same view.

It was more intimate this way, in the purest way possible. Silently, they had agreed to just have this together, staying in the office until the sky went dark, their man made stars now over and gone.

A few minutes after that, did they finally make their reappearance back at the party, which was brimming with more buzz and excitement than it had when they had last left it. And even through all that chaos, they were still immediately spotted as they stepped out of the elevator walls, instantly bombarded by the presence of Bianca, and her million pressing questions of where and what they were doing. 

“Yelena, Blair!” Bianca had greeted as she finally approached the two, coming from her long winded journey from across the room, ditching another one of her friend groups in favor of them. “Where on earth did you two go?!”

Of course, in the typical, guilt-trip dramatics she was prone to give, Bianca was beyond theatrical, acting as if she hadn’t seen the two in decades, as they just recently resurfaced from years and years of hiding.

“I was looking for you everywhere!” Bianca exclaimed as she placed a hand over her chest. “You even missed out on the toast!”

“We went down to my office.” Yelena had explained in the effort of calming Bianca, who was clearly butting into her business as usual, just as she did earlier. “We needed to talk things out like you suggested.”

“And everything was resolved?” Bianca insisted, acting all innocent as she asked her assumption, even though it was an obvious attempt at trying to pry out more information. It was another well known tactic familiar to Yelena, but was something Blair was simply unaware of.

And with knowing that, Bianca was trying to use Blair’s naiveness to her advantage, only looking to Blair as she asked her question, wanting to get the details she would never be able to budge out of out Yelena. 

In just the way that ploy was supposed to work, Blair became visibly nervous under Bianca’s stare, completely unsure on how to respond, since she wasn’t allowed to speak on most things that happened in that conversation, keeping to her words of secrecy as promised. But instead of answering as Bianca assumed she would, Blair had put a smile on her face, nothing like the ones she had earlier, but something that along the lines of being incredibly apprehensive as she only gave a nod as her answer. 

With Blair’s reply not being the smoothest, Yelena had quickly jumped in to explain things further, trying to make the conversation between them look as innocent and normal as possible, wanting to prevent Bianca from becoming more suspicious than she already was. 

“Yes,” Yelena agreed as she nodded along with Blair. “It was just a simple misunderstanding.”

At Yelena’s annoyed tone, Bianca’s dark lips had stretched into a smile, her usual blank eyes looking down at her in a chastising way. “Well, I guess that wasn’t too hard for the both of you, even with all that fussing about.”

Even though she held her tongue on any remarks, Yelena couldn’t help but roll her eyes, knowing that comment was targeted more to her than it was to Blair, who was more or less clueless to how their banter went about. 

“I'm going to head over to the bar for a refill.” Bianca declared, brushing off the situation as she made note of her empty champagne glass in her hand. “You two care to join me?”

“No thank you.” Blair was quick to reply, keeping to her usual polite formalities. “It’s getting late, and I probably should be heading out soon.”

Like Blair, Yelena was ready to decline Bianca’s offer, especially since she wanted to keep up with her promise of not drinking for the rest of the night, which she had already cheated at in the aspect of drinking to their toast, which was only done out of courtesy for Blair. But going to the bar with Bianca, was a definite way of being pressured into getting a drink, a matter Yelena didn’t have the time or energy to deal with after the night she had. 

Besides that, Yelena didn’t want to stay at a party she no longer had interest in, something that clearly wasn’t worth losing any more sleep over, especially when the weekend was the only time she could truly get a good night's worth of sleep. But unlike Blair, Yelena wasn’t about to make a gentle excuse of it, not when Bianca was currently in the habit of getting on her nerves. 

Instead, Yelena had given out a simple “I’m leaving too”, which was obvious in her undertone of being annoyed from earlier.

And while her answer coated with a lot more sass, Bianca didn’t fight or comment on her decision like Yelena expected her to, knowing better to let Yelena cool off after their little tiffs and disagreements. 

“I’ll see you both on Monday then.” Bianca had stated with the purse of her lips, looking to both Yelena and Blair before heading over into the direction of the bar. 

Now that they were alone at last, the two had moved away from where they were standing in front of the elevator, walking over to the other side of the room, far away from where the bar was located. 

“Bianca’s always like that, isn’t she?” Blair questioned as they strolled across the room, seeming to know the answer to her question, despite asking it anyways.

“Unfortunately.” Yelena had huffed the roll of her eyes, her annoyed body language telling everything that her mind refused to to say out loud. 

While Yelena was extremely blunt in her words, her affronted behavior was clearly funny to Blair, as she burst into laughter so contagious, Yelena’s mood couldn’t help but lighten up, beaming with the pride of making Blair happy.

As the two settled in their own little empty spot in the room, they began to talk about subjects more lighter and comfortable than before, forgetting all about their plan of leaving until later on in the night, when they found themselves both getting.

It was two a.m as they lost track of time, mostly talking about the ins and outs of work, with the added details of their own personal lives. If it weren’t for exhaustion, Yelena could have talked to Blair forever, their conversation no longer dull and as awkward as they were before, as her tiredness ended her ability to overthink. Talking to Blair was surprisingly easy, which made it hard to believe that Yelena once thought differently. 

Eventually they did make their way out of that party, together as they entered the elevator and went down to the lobby, together in the cold as they waited for taxis outside. 

The city that never sleeps, was definitely not sleeping tonight, traffic and filled taxi cars never ending at the influx of the occasion. And when a rare empty taxi did come their way, Yelena had let Blair take it, finding it only right to put her first in that situation. 

Yelena would wait for another hour in the cold, until an available taxi came along, ready to bring her home. But in that time Yelena had looked up to the sky, to the thick grey blanket enveloped around the city, hiding stars above them with its layers of smog. But they were still there, even though they were hidden in plain view. And without seeing a single one of them, Yelena still thanked each and every one lucky star in the sky, thanking them all for their roles in tonight

Chapter Text

On the floor of Pink’s playroom, laid a tower of wooden  building blocks, with different colors and different shapes stacked way high, coming up to about the length of both Pink and Pearl’s knees. With one final block added to the top of their tower, their creation was finally complete; a triangular block added by Pink, marking the end to their building, as it was clear that no more blocks could be added without it tumbling to the floor. 

Whenever the two neared it, the tower had wobbled unsteadily, too tall and skinny to remain still as the girls walked around it, shifting with every movement of the hardwood floor. And much to Pearl’s relief, Pink had placed the final block without incident, taking careful steps as she walked backwards towards Pearl, wanting to admire their work just as she did. 

“It’s perfect!” Pink exclaimed upon approaching Pearl’s side, who was less enthusiastic about the block tower in front of her, mostly out of the reason of her own exhaustion.

So far, it had been a month of the same routine, rinsing and repeating as they did the day before. Pearl and her sisters would wake before the sun could rise, spending the rest of their day couped up in the Diamonds house, where they were busy with chores and taking care of Pink. 

Waking up early was only an easy task for her sisters, as Pearl was still too young to be doing so, needing a set amount of sleep to function properly. And on top of that, Pearl wasn’t going to sleep at her usual bedtime of eight thirty, coming home way past midnight, as her sisters would be preoccupied with work until late in the evening. 

Dinner time was when her sleepiness would really catch up to her; Pearl left sluggish as she trailed after her sisters, bouncing room to room as they ticked off their tasks of cleaning and cooking. Sometimes her tiredness would be brought on earlier by Pink, whose hyper antics always left Pearl exhausted, even if it was something as simple as the two of them playing with blocks. 

At night, when the sun was down, and Pink herself was sound asleep; was when Pearl felt it worse. She would become cranky, which was something unusual to Pearl’s behavior, as she was a mellow kid that did much without complaint. But compared to Pink’s version of cranky, which was kicking and screaming tantrums, Pearl was prone to crying, weeping at things that would bother her, like when she was forced to walk to the bathroom all by herself, traveling across the vastly empty first floor of the house, something that completely terrified her in the dark. 

Pearl, quiet and shy, had a tendency to hide her true feelings, wanting no fuss at all, not when her sisters already had a lot to do. But with those drastic changes in emotions, so out of character to her usual self, it almost seemed impossible for her behavior to go unnoticed, her sisters suddenly desperate for a change. 

Over the last few days, Yasmin and Bec were trying to come up with a solution, Pearl catching pieces of a plan here and there, overhearing how they were going to confront the Diamonds with their deal upfront. And from the information Pearl gathered, their plan would be simply this: to request a small break before Pearl’s bedtime, just to get her bathed and in bed at an time appropriate for a five-year-old.

But so far, the only problem with asking this, would be finding the right time to speak with the Diamonds, as it was the busy summer months, and the Diamonds were exclusively spending time at their Empire City office. These days, it was rare to see the couple inside their own house, and in the limited times they were around, both Diamonds were preoccupied with relaxing and keeping to themselves. 

Yasmin or Bec wouldn’t dare to disturb them otherwise, walking on eggshells whenever the Diamonds were near. And without permission from neither of the Diamonds, her sisters’ plan had come to complete standstill, refusing to risk the chance of losing their jobs. 

In the meantime, while Pearl was still suffering with her sleep deprivation; her sisters were now forced to find a second solution, an alternative to putting Pearl to bed without leaving the property. 

It had been Yasmin’s idea to put Pearl in the playroom, just for the evening, where Pearl could at least sit and relax, while they finished up with their work for the night. Although it was nothing compared to sleep, relaxing was still better than following her sisters around, a task made more tedious when Pearl was tired and miserable. 

But in the meantime, as her sisters tried their best to work a schedule out, Pearl would only continue to spend her evenings like this: playing with Pink until Yasmin sent her to bed, and eventually, napping on top the arts and crafts table, as Pearl unintentionally, would always drift off into sleep. 

“Let’s play with barbies!” Pink had blurted suddenly, her tone so loud and abrupt, that it had instantly snapped Pearl out of her tired daydream.

Pearl’s rude awakening had only continued further, as Pink ran across the room without any warning, leaving her dazed by the block tower, which had swayed dangerously in the wake of Pink’s thunderous footsteps.

For a second, Pearl was left frozen, wondering if she should follow Pink when there were still blocks left on the floor, not wanting to get in trouble for leaving their old mess unattended.  

The two weren’t alone in the playroom, as Yasmin was there too, sitting on one of the small chairs from the arts and crafts table, folding laundry as she kept a close eye on both girls. With her sister around, their mess wouldn’t go unnoticed, leaving Pearl with no choice but to stay and clean for the both of them, as she wanted neither Pink or herself to get in trouble. 

Kneeling on the floor, Pearl began to pick up the random blocks scattered on the hardwood, grabbing handfuls at a time before placing them into the green bucket they were stored in. She had only managed to get a small portion of blocks into the bucket before her attention had turned elsewhere, Pearl’s eyes drawn to Yasmin as she got up from her seat, the plastic chair announcing so, creaking with the release of weight, as it made for a child instead of an adult. 

Even through the stacks of folded laundry, Yasmin was still quick to notice Pink running around, who was less than subtle as she stated her intentions loudly enough for Yasmin to hear. Already, with Pearl knowing her sister as well as she did, the way Yasmin was standing wasn’t a good sign at all, the hands on her hips a clear warning of the scolding yet to come. 

That look alone, had filled Pearl with fear, even if the discipline clearly wasn’t targeted towards her. Her sister was always gentle, but she could be rather intimidating at times, especially with Pink, as the littlest Diamond would often ignore Yasmin’s early efforts of making peace. 

And speaking of the Diamond, Pink was doing exactly as mentioned, ignoring Yasmin as she continued on over to her dollhouses, though there was no doubt about Pink seeing her caretaker all at. Under Yasmin’s stare, Pink's behavior had changed, now trying to be subtle, which was nothing of her loud and proud nature. 

Her running pace had turned into a brisk walk, her slippered feet, tiptoeing into the cornered part of the room, sneaking past Yasmin, as Pink had finally reached where her dolls had resided. Still, even with the first half of her mission completed, Pink kept her eyes on the floor, slowly reaching for one of Barbies, which were located inside of her dollhouse.

As she took hold of the doll, Pink smiled in victory, clearly proud of herself for getting this far with Yasmin’s glaring attention. But as quick as that confidence came, it was quick to diminish, Yasmin’s serious tone stopping her right there and then. 

“Not so fast, Pink.” Yasmin declared with her hands still on hips, her words doing all the talking for her. “It’s time for you to go to bed.” 

“Noo, Yasmin, noo! ” Pink cried, her foot stomping in obvious disagreement. If anything, that reaction only proved that Pink was ready to go to bed, as she was clearly cranky enough to make a giant scene out of nothing. 

“Put away your dolls and go help June. I know that you were playing with those blocks too.” Yasmin instructed, her voice stern, yet at the same time, tired. 

This wasn’t always a daily occurrence in the Diamond household, as Pink could sometimes be compliant when she wanted to. But more than often, Pink would try it with Pearl’s sisters, testing their breaking points to where they give in and give up. It was a well-tested technique used on her parents, as when they were tired, they were prone to give into Pink’s whims and requests. 

So with that very thought in mind, Pink was obviously willing to put up a fight; her cheeks brightly burning the color of her namesake, as she had slammed the barbie doll down to the floor. With her dramatic act of defiance, Pink had crossed her arms in anger, her pout prominent as she stomped right over to the second door of the room, which was the one that led straight into her bedroom. 

As Yasmin was standing strong, Pink had clearly given up on her fight of going to bed, accepting defeat on that one, though she still held on to her battle of refusing to clean up after herself; the toys left on the ground, true to that testament. 

While Pink was smug to say the least, Yasmin was shocked by the sheer audacity of it all, holding on to the last pieces of her thinning patience, as she had no choice to become the bad guy in this situation. 

“Your parents are supposed to come home soon. Do you want me to bring them in here and show them your mess?” Yasmin questioned, pointing a finger to the toys scattered all around the room. “I don’t think they’ll be too happy, especially when they plan to taking you to park this weekend.” 

With that warning, Pink had only frowned harder, stomping her feet once again, as she let out a loud whimpering cry. Tears were forming in her eyes, just as they did in the clear beginning stages of a tantrum, though both Yasmin and Pearl were rather unfazed by this common occurrence.

Having seen this act countless times before, both sisters knew that they were only crocodile tears, something that was  meant to garner an apology on their behalf, when Pink’s motion to cry wasn’t even their fault all. If anything, Pink was the one who brought trouble onto herself, and now, she was trying to guilt her way out of it. 

“We’re not doing this, Pink.” Yasmin deadpanned, refusing to fall for that overused trick. “The tears might work for your parents, but they're not going to work on me.” 

Pink’s tears had stopped after that, the girl taking a moment to wipe the ones dripping down her cheeks, before walking over to Pearl and sitting down on the floor. Along with Pearl, Pink had helped pick up the remaining blocks, a task done in no time, with the help of two hands. 

After all the blocks were placed in the bucket, Pink had picked up the green container before handing it over to Yasmin, who was the only person tall enough to place it on the shelf the toys belonged to. With their exchange, Pink tried her best to ignore Yasmin, turning her head to avoid the unnecessary eye contact, as her intention was to steer clear of Yasmin in hopes of her forgetting about the second mess. But Pink, being naive as she was, would only come to another rude awakening, as Yasmin wouldn’t hesitate to remind her again. 

“And your doll?” Yasmin mentioned, looking over to where the Barbie laid stagnant on the floor. 

At the much dreaded reminder, Pink had pouted further in her anger, surprisingly quiet as she walked back over to her dollhouse, picking up her barbie doll without any fight of complaint. Once her doll was back in its place, Pink had marched right over to her bedroom door, crossing her arms as she waited for Yasmin to follow. 

Soon after putting the bucket of toys away, Yasmin had met Pink at the door, twisting the handle and letting Pink enter before entering herself, leaving the door open afterwards, just like she always did. 

Pearl listened closely for the next few minutes, sitting herself at the table as she tried to track and picture their movements, her attempt mostly unsuccessful, as Yasmin had followed Pink into the bathroom, helping her get ready for bed.

Eventually, as the two did get out of the bathroom, Pearl was instantly able to tell, as Pink’s footsteps could be heard running across the bedroom floor, at least until Yasmin had told her to stop otherwise. But with that command said, Pearl had noticed a difference, how Yasmin was using her normal tone of voice, and how Pink had stopped as soon as Yasmin asked her to, the sound of her footsteps coming to indefinite halt. Clearly, they weren’t so mad anymore, presumably having a conversation in the bathroom, where unfortunately, Pearl didn’t have a chance to listen in. 

While Pearl was somewhat bitter about that, she was soon distracted by the sound of bedsheets shuffling, a clear indicator of Yasmin helping Pink into bed. After all, Pink did sleep on a mattress that was bigger than anything Pearl had owned, so needing someone’s help to get in was definitely a must, especially when both girls currently stood under four feet. 

“Goodnight, Pink.” Yasmin stated after presumably tucking Pink into bed, her words soft and gentle, but still loud enough to be heard by Pearl in the other room. 

Yasmin had waited a second for Pink to echo the sentiment back, silence filling the room in the meantime, as Pink was clearly thinking about saying something other than goodnight. 

“Yasmin?” came Pink’s small and hesitant voice, piping throughout both rooms. “Before you go, can you read me a bedtime story?” 

Even if it was a simple ‘yes or no’ question, Yasmin didn’t give an immediate answer, needing a second to think, as she obviously had her other chores to complete. Pink wasn’t in the room to see, but she could almost picture what her sister was doing now; Yasmin most likely frowning, sitting on the foot of Pink’s bed, debating if she should prioritize work over a bedtime story, all the while, trying her best to avoid Pink’s puppy eyes, as it was something that definitely could sway her judgement. 

After all, guilt was a weapon that Pink wasn’t afraid to use, willing to go the extra mile in order to win Yasmin over. 

“Please?” Pink begged, suddenly remembering to use her manners, as they were forgotten all throughout the incident in the playroom. 

With that tactic, in combination to her puppy eyes, Pink was almost certain that Yasmin would give in. But the continuous silence on her sister’s behalf, was enough for Pearl to know that Yasmin wasn’t budging, needing something else to convince her otherwise. 

“Mama always reads me a book before I go to bed…” Pink lamented, her heartbreaking tone selling her entire sob story. 

That sentence alone, was the embodiment of a frown, using sympathy as a ploy to swing Yasmin in her favor. And with Pearl being in the other room, unable to see her sister’s reaction, she wasn’t sure if that story had worked on Yasmin. All that could be heard from the playroom, was a loud yet, weary sigh, something that most definitely came from her sister. 

“Fine.” Yasmin relented a second later, letting go of another tired breath. “But just one book, okay?” 

Pearl, who was highly aware of her sister’s ability to stay stern and strict, was flabbergasted to say the least. By now, she shouldn’t have been surprised, but it still felt like a sucker punch to the gut, as Yasmin would constantly bend over backwards for Pink, while at the same time, refusing to do the same for Pearl. 

Their house was only a few feet away, barely a three minute walk from the main house, yet Yasmin still wouldn’t dare to bring Pearl over for bedtime. But when it came to the Diamonds, Pearl’s sisters would attend to their every need, Pink easily becoming one their top priorities, as she occupied so much of their time. Pearl was tossed somewhere to the side, close enough to where her sisters were aware of her presence, but distant enough to be left mostly unsupervised, as she wasn’t the one to start fires behind their backs. 

Pearl, by no means, was neglected, as she had all the love and sustenance needed to survive; though personally, when it came to her own feelings, she couldn’t help but feel ignored, as her sleeping issues had gone unsolved for too long.

So as Yasmin re-entered the playroom, Pearl immediately turned away, giving the cold shoulder, as she wanted her sister to have a taste of her own medicine. Even if she was shunning her own sister out, she wanted Yasmin to know that something was wrong, to have her at least stop and notice Pearl’s feelings. 

Despite Pearl’s feelings of so-called anger, she didn’t look the part, typical to her usual quiet behavior, which at a quick glance, seemed normal enough. If anything, Yasmin had barely looked at Pearl as she walked on by, finding her so normal, that she had no need to pay attention to her.

There was the final blow, another painful punch from reality, this time pricking tears to her eyes. Pearl frantically tried to blink them away, turning farther away from her sister, who was thankfully in a rush to get out of the room, picking one of Pink’s picture books before leaving as fast as she came.

Even as Pearl was left alone, she wasn’t safe to cry. With the bedroom door open, and the looming fact of Yasmin having to come back to collect the laundry, Pearl only continued to hold in her tears, wiping away a few rogue ones that had managed to escape. 

Yasmin’s voice had soon echoed out of the playroom, the story read loud and clear, though at this point, Pearl couldn’t find it in herself to follow along. Accompanied by the sad feelings that caused her tears, came a fire of full blown jealousy, raging from her stomach as it raced towards her chest, only igniting further as Pearl remembered the last time her sisters had read her a bedtime story. 

It had been a long time since then, months ago when they were back in their old house, where Pearl was fortunate to have all of her sisters under one roof. She was trying her best to replay the memory, but it was blurry in the midst of being tired at the time, as Pearl was only certain about one thing. 

It was Whitney who was reading to her.

Already, it had been a month without any contact, as the last time they'd heard or seen of Whitney, was the day they had moved into the Diamonds property. There were promises to call on her behalf, but so far none came, as Whitney was just as busy as both of her sisters, if not, more, since she had to travel often. 

That was the excuse Pearl had gotten every time she had asked, Yasmin and Bec clearly clueless of their older sister’s whereabouts and priorities, but always staying optimistic for Pearl’s sake. 

Without Whitney, things felt strange, life becoming so boring and bland. While she was the oldest, Whitney was anything but authoritarian, that title belonging to Yasmin, as she was the one who was always strict and straight to the rules. Her older sister was carefree and adventurous, turning boring trips to the supermarket into something fun.

Back when Whitney was mostly unemployed, she was the one to take care of Pearl while their other sisters were at school or work, minimally taking care of housework as they spent most of their time around town. One of their favorite places to go was the local library, where Pearl could spend hours just roaming around all of the bookshelves, fascinated by all the number of books. 

They’d spent so many days huddled up in the corner of the children section, tearing through piles of books, as Whitney was the one to read them all to her. And with how often Pearl was immersed in books, she had eventually learned how to read by herself, reciting the same stories right back to Whitney, who was thoroughly impressed with the rate she was reading at. 

But now they lived far away from that library. And now Whitney lived far away from Pearl. The two of them would never go to that place again.  

Thinking about those memories did not help with her tears, fighting extra hard to keep them in now, as Yasmin could be heard wrapping up the bedtime story. 

“…And they all lived happily ever after. The end.” Yasmin sighed out, way less enthusiastic than she was in the beginning.

With that, came the sound of Yasmin closing the book; the cardboard spine crinkling, along with a soft thud of papers hitting together, noises so quiet, that Pearl had to actively look out for them.

“Goodnight Pink.” Yasmin repeated once again, Pearl picturing her sister looking down at a now sleepy Pink, adjusting her blankets as needed. “Remember what we talked about, okay?”

There was no response from Pink, which had definitely confirmed Pearl’s suspicion about her being half-asleep, as this was one of the few times where Pink would ever be this willingly quiet. 

The lights in the room were turned off a second later, Yasmin’s footsteps indicating that she traveled over to the lightswitch before heading towards the playroom, her silhouette appearing at the door frame seconds later. 

As she stepped into the playroom, Yasmin wasn’t as shadowy as she was in the dark, revealing a smile as she finally turned her attention to Pearl, keeping quiet until she had carefully closed the bedroom door. 

“Hey June.” Yasmin greeted soon after, that same uneasy smile still forced across her face, mouth obviously uncomfortable with her cheeks so stiff. 

While Pearl had looked up to her sister, she didn’t do much besides blink, too scared to speak, as she was mostly in fear of crying. But thankfully, Yasmin didn’t seem to notice anyways, more or less occupied with keeping her own happy appearance.

“We’re probably going home at eleven today, which I think is great news.” Yasmin affirmed, trying her best to stay happy and cheery. “That means we get an hour of extra sleep!” 

As much as that was relief to hear, Pearl didn’t react well to the news at all, barely managing a nod, as she was desperately holding back on her tears. She didn’t show it at the moment, but Pearl was glad to go home early, as sleep these days, was something hard to get enough of. 

But with her sister mentioning the topic, Pearl’s mind immediately went back to her thoughts from earlier, suddenly angry with how her sisters were treating her sleeping issues, once again, ignoring the problem as it never existed. 

Unlike other instances where her anger had gone unnoticed, Yasmin had clearly seen it this time; Pearl’s complaint left unsaid, otherwise revealing itself through stubborn watery eyes. She didn’t need to say it out loud for Yasmin to understand, her sister’s face drooping in realization, her happy facade instantly gone, as Yasmin was now left to do some explaining. 

“I know that you’re not sleeping well… but I promise we’re doing everything to work this out.” Yasmin acknowledged. “The Diamonds should be coming home soon… maybe Bec and I can talk to them.”

Pausing for a second, Yasmin had looked to the ground, taking a moment to think carefully about what she had to say next. 

“We’ve tried to negotiate… but sometimes the Diamonds are difficult to talk to,” Yasmin admitted, her voice wavering, as if she was saying something she wasn’t supposed to. “Especially when it’s late and they’re tired…”

Yasmin gritted her teeth, sucking in a breath before she had turned back to Pearl. It was then, as she met her little sister’s eyes, did she put on another smile, this time not as convincing as the ones that came beforehand. 

“I promise we’re gonna get you a bedtime, it might just take a little while longer.” Yelena assured. “Do you think you can hang in till then?”

Frowning, Pearl shrugged her shoulders, her eyes falling down to lap. She truly didn’t know if she could hang on for any longer, practically dangling off the edge of her emotions, waiting to pop and burst like a bubble. 

Pearl gave no indication of a response, but it wasn’t like Yasmin was waiting for one anyways, walking away to put Pink’s book back on the shelf, as her sister refused to stand still when there was still work left to do. 

That again, felt like another sucker punch to the stomach. 

With Yasmin’s back turned towards her, Pearl took a quick second to wipe at her eyes, almost as if she was trying to physically push back her tears. Her chest panged with a strangling ache, heightened by the blow and the tears burning behind her eyes. 

“I know all this adjustment is hard, but I really appreciate your patience.” Yasmin began, her unexpected words causing Pearl to go rigid, straightening herself out, as she didn’t want to seem suspicious or too emotional. 

Pearl kept her eyes away as Yasmin headed for the table, watching from her peripheral vision as her sister approached the chair next to her, picking up the laundry basket from it. With the basket now settled into her arms, Yasmin had then moved over Pearl, pressing a kiss to the back of her blonde hair.

“I love you June.” Yasmin had whispered before pulling away, lingering behind her sister for a second longer, waiting for the sentiment to be repeated.

But Pearl couldn’t find it in her to say it back. 

Yasmin had only waited for a minute before leaving, staying silent, as the door to the hallway was the only thing to announce her departure. The air was left tense in her wake, but Pearl didn’t seem to care any longer, finally letting her tears flow freely. 

Since moving here, everything about her old life had changed, old routines forgotten and dynamics ignored; a family now divided, with one sister living miles apart. It all was all too quick for comfort, and with the reminders being brought back into light, Pearl couldn’t help but breakdown over the whole situation, mourning over the world she once had. 

On top of that, Pearl continued to replay the conversation she just had with Yasmin, melting into a pile of tears as she realized how wrong she was. 

As much as her anger was directed towards Yasmin and Bec, they were struggling just as much as she was, only putting on a strong front for her sake. And that made Pearl feel immensely guilty, as she had spent days blaming them, even wishing that she had gone with Whitney, when all of this wasn’t even their fault.

That all made Pearl cry even harder, the quiet sobs that had once racked her body, turning into loud hiccups, leaving her gasping and wailing as she was desperate for air. She wasn’t aware of her volume at all, because after all, her sisters were supposed to be downstairs, and with the insulated walls of the house, she couldn’t be heard at all. 

But maybe Pearl was a little too careless with the way she was crying, so caught up in all of her emotions, that she wasn’t aware of the one person who could hear her. In fact, that hadn’t crossed Pearl’s mind at all, at least until the bedroom door had swung open. 

Immediately, Pearl had paused mid-hiccup, wiping away tears from her eyes as she saw Pink Diamond standing at the door frame, hair and pajamas disheveled from being in bed. Pink had stopped to rub away the sleep away from her eyes, yawning, as she let her eyes adjust to the bright lights of the room.

“Are you crying?” She questioned, traces of sleep still left in her voice, though clearly, with Pearl crying so loud, she didn’t get much of it. 

Pearl had every intention of answering, but just thinking of the question had made her burst into tears, now covering her face, as she was ashamed to be crying in the first place.

But surprisingly, Pink wasn't bothered by the tears at all, approaching the table and sitting down on the chair next to Pearl, placing a hand onto her back as a way to comfort her.

“It’s okay.” Pink murmured, giving a soft pat to Pearl’s back. “You don’t have to be upset.”

Pink Diamond, whose presence was always loud and energetic, was actually calm and gentle for a change, an secret ability Pearl didn’t know she was capable of. And somehow, that made Pearl feel so much worse, as she had previously thought poorly of the girl and her antics. 

She was now crying even harder, feeling terrible as ever, as Pink only continued to stay by her side, giving gentle rubs and pats to the center of her back. While she did feel an immense amount of guilt, on the flip side, Pearl was able to have some sort of relief, as she was able to cry in front of someone without feeling so burdensome. 

As of late, Pearl had been holding in all of her emotions, saving her tears for when her sisters weren’t around, not wanting to cause them any unnecessary stress. Because whenever Pearl cried, it was the only time they ever noticed something was wrong, making Pearl feel even worse than she had started off.

She would rather keep it all in, but this time, she had a feeling that she would spill to Pink; not because the youngest Diamond was obviously curious, but because the weight of her feelings were slowly crushing her. 

Eventually, with crying as hard as she did, Pearl quickly came to the point of exhaustion; a place where her tears would no longer come easily, running dry like a well. Pearl was left hiccuping, holding her breath as an attempt to calm them down.

But clearly, that technique didn’t work well at all, especially since she was sitting next to the world’s most talkative person. Pink, with her usual restlessness, was dying to talk to Pearl, fidgeting in her seat as she was waiting for the right time.

Personally, Pearl hated to see Pink so antsy, turning to face her, just so the girl could say whatever she wanted without exploding. And just as expected, Pink didn’t hesitate to start talking.

“Why are you crying?” She asked, her facial expression genuine enough for Pearl to confide in her. 

“I’m sad… and my sisters are sad too.” 

“Why?” Pink repeated with the tilt of her head, clearly confused on what Pearl could be so sad about. 

“Because we miss our old home,” Pearl explained further, pausing to wipe her nose on the hem of her shirt. “...And we miss our sister.”

“You’re sister?!” Pink gasped, her sudden and loud tone throwing Pearl for a loop. “Does she have buns on the side of her head?” 

At that question, Pearl had immediately nodded her head, her suspicions practically confirmed as Pink pointed over to the sides of her head, right where Whitney’s signature buns would be. 

“I know her!” Pink exclaimed, jumping down excitedly from her seat. “She lives at my grandma Bianca’s house! She’s always there to watch me whenever we go over!”

You’ve seen her?! Pearl wanted to say in response, lacking the time to do so, as Pink was quick to interrupt her with more of her rambles. But surprisingly, Pearl wasn’t angry about that at all, only ecstatic to hear the whereabouts of her sister. 

“She’s really nice! We play in the foyer together because Bianca doesn’t want me messing around with her furniture.” Pink revealed, going on about unnecessary details that Pearl would normally have no interest in. But since they were mostly about her sister, Pearl listened closely, holding every piece of information with high regard. 

“Sometimes I’m not allowed to sit on the furniture.” Pink shrugged, turning back to Pearl with another topic that had crossed her mind. “What’s your sister’s name again?”

“Whitney!” Pearl answered with a giggle, putting Pink’s usual forgetfulness aside, as the girl was telling her more about Whitney than her sisters had ever told.

If anything, Pearl knew they were just as clueless as she was, as both Yasmin and Bec were often too busy to eat or even sleep, nevertheless, too busy to find out information about Whitney’s wellbeing. 

“Maybe next time I go over, I’ll tell Whitney that you miss her, and then you two could meet up! Or you could call each other on the phone!” Pink shared, happy to help push the message along. 

 “Call?” Pearl found herself echoing, mostly confused in the sense that she hadn’t thought of this before; something so simple, that it was silly to think the thought hadn't crossed neither of her sisters’ minds beforehand. 

Saying that, was more of a rhetorical question to herself, even though Pearl ended up receiving an answer anyways, as Pink was sure to share much more of her needed guidance. 

“Bianca has a bunch of phones at her house!” Pink stated proudly. “I’m sure Whitney can use one of them !” 

As Pearl nodded along to Pink’s statement, she found her mind easily wandering over to somewhere else, thinking about the newly installed landline in the guest house, how she was planning to call Whitney in her spare time. 

Clearly, those thoughts wouldn’t last forever, especially with Pink continuing to talk on and on, doing so without missing a beat, even as she changed subjects. 

“Hey, are you still sad?” Pink probed, as Pearl had gone silent and serious once again. “‘Cause we can get ice cream if you’re still feeling sad.” 

At that suggestion, Pearl couldn’t help but look at Pink as if she was a little crazy. Ice cream? At eight pm?  

Thankfully, Pink didn’t notice that expression at all, more or less caught up in her own idea, as she was now trying to convince Pearl to follow along.

“Ice cream always makes me feel better when I’m upset.” Pink asserted, taking Pearl’s hand and pulling her arm forward. “Come on!” 

With that said, Pink had yanked Pearl’s arms with so much force, she had practically pulled Pearl up from her seat. Feet had hit the ground awkwardly, as Pink only continued to pull her along, causing Pearl to stumble forward.

There was no time to protest, as Pink had dragged her over to the hallway door, opening it, before forcing Pearl outside with her. This was a dangerous game that they were playing, one where they could be caught by her sisters roaming around the halls; as to Pink’s obliviousness, Pearl knew that her sisters were still working at this time. 

Currently, the two were the only ones standing in the hallway, but that didn’t mean they were safe from being ambushed. The Diamonds house was colossal, completely vast in size, meaning Pearl’s sisters could be anywhere around the house. Today was also laundry day, increasing the risk of her sisters being out and about, potentially just doors away, heightened areas where the girls could be caught. 

Pearl had to warn her, to coax Pink back into the playroom, where the two would definitely be safe from trouble. 

“P-Pink?” Pearl began, voice trembling at the thought of confrontation. But before Pearl could even get her full sentence out, she was quickly shut down by Pink, who had shoved a finger in her face as she shushed Pearl quiet.

“ Shhhh. ” Pink whisper shouted, keeping her finger by Pearl’s lips until she was certain the blonde would stay silent. “You’re gonna get us caught!” 

Taking Pearl’s hand again, Pink had brought her over to the end of the hallway, starting down the stairs, which left no choice but for Pearl to follow along. 

As much as she wanted to, Pearl couldn’t break free from Pink Diamond. Her hand was held loosely around Pearl’s wrist, something she could technically get loose from with some force, though Pearl was extremely hesitant to do so.

The feeling was strange, as she felt paralyzed, but her feet still traveled down stairs, tiptoeing after Pink. Her heart was racing, pounding in her chest, the feeling only made worse as they reached downstairs, the two of them facing the real danger. 

Once Pink had reached the end of the staircase, she had let go of Pearl’s hand, gripping the metal railing instead, as she slowly peered into the living room. Most of the room was dark, like where the couches and TV sat; currently unlit, as the space was unoccupied. But on the other hand, the more spacious part of the room, closer to where the dining room and hallway were, was lit up by ceiling lights, giving some insight as to their surroundings. 

With the coast obviously clear, Pink had grabbed Pearl’s hand once again, leading the shyer girl down the last steps of the staircase, before essentially forcing the two of them to run across the living room.

Compared to Pink, whose footsteps were feathery light because of her barefoot feet, Pearl’s own steps were clunky, her sneakers making noise as they sprinted across the hardwood floor. The unmistakable sound, which did nothing to calm Pearl’s nerves, was definitely loud enough to be heard and felt from the basement, a place where her sisters could potentially be if they still weren’t done with washing and drying laundry. 

She was almost certain that they would get caught now, expecting one of her sisters to pop up from the basement stairwell, just in time to catch them as they were halfway through the living room. Even with the probability of that scenario being incredibly high, the two somehow managed to reach the dining room unscathed; Pearl barely able to let out a sigh of relief, as there were plenty of other ways to get in trouble. 

They had paused at the dining room table for just a second, needing some time to catch their breaths from all of that running. Clearly, they weren’t safe to rest for long, but even if they did have the option, Pink still wouldn’t have waited around for any longer, as she was quick to rush Pearl into her next plan of action.

“Pearl! You gotta help me lift up this chair!” Pink had directed with a whisper, pointing over to one of the wooden chairs tucked into the sides of the large table. 

Pearl had heard Pink clearly, but she was definitely in a state of disbelief, as there was no way for two five-year-olds to lift up a chair without any noise. After all, these weren’t your typical dining chairs, as they were carved out of a high quality mahogany wood, the heft of them alone, showing their expensive price. 

Of course Pearl thought the idea was crazy, having extreme reservations with doing this, though she knew better to share them. No matter what she said or did, there was no way to talk Pink out of this, leaving Pearl no choice but to be compliant, as she was even more scared of confrontation. 

“I’ll lift the front, you grab the back!” Pink explained as she pulled out a chair from under the table, taking hold of her side, as she urged Pearl to the same. 

So without complaint, Pearl took hold of the backside of the chair, wrapping her arms around the wooden framing of the backrest, while Pink had crouched down and held on to the two front legs.

A glance from Pink was the signal to lift up the chair, the girls doing so with a surprising amount of ease, at least until they started walking over to the kitchen. It was clear that Pearl was holding most of the weight, and while it was somewhat manageable for now, it wouldn’t be if they took any longer, needing to speed up their walking pace. So in a twisted change of events, Pearl was now pushing Pink along, now incredibly desperate to get this over with. 

The kitchen was a matter of a few feet away, though for Pearl, it felt like miles with the weight of the chair crushing her arm muscles. Eventually, they did make it to the fridge, which in turn, probably made Pink a little too excited, as she had dropped her side of the chair without any sudden warning. 

While the front legs of the chair had hit the ground with a thud, Pearl was left scrambling to hold on to her side, her own body tipping forward with the chair. And before her side could come crashing to the floor, Pink had helped with placing the chair down, the back legs meeting the tile without a single sound. 

Pearl desperately needed another breather, more on edge than ever, as they made much more of an incriminating noise. But with the chair now situated on the ground, Pink wasn’t about to wait for Pearl to calm down, climbing up on the chair herself, wobbling unsteadily as she did so, as the tiled floor was way too uneven for the chair to remain steady on.

Pearl was left with no choice but to help, as Pink falling to the ground and injuring herself, would definitely be the thing to ruin their plan and get them punished. So just as Pearl did before, she held onto the back frame of the wooden chair, not obviously lifting it, but keeping it steady as Pink stood up and rummaged through the freezer. 

She wasn’t specified to keep watch of their surroundings, though Pearl naturally found herself doing so anyways, as Pink already turned a blind eye to everything that wasn’t the freezer burned popsicle box. In her paranoid mind, Pearl was already anticipating her sisters’ arrival, prepared for when they would suddenly pop into view, ready to investigate the loud noise they heard from whichever part of the house. 

Truthfully, Pearl already had the beginnings of an apology prepared, even if everything did seem fine for now, as there was no indication of footsteps or anything else that would signal her sisters.

But all that stillness didn’t mean it was safe to relax. 

As stressful as it was to play guard, Pearl found herself a little too carried away with her self-assigned role, so focused on their surroundings, that she couldn’t hear Pink talking, the girl having to practically yell to get Pearl’s attention, 

“Pearl!” Pink hissed, trying her best to keep her volume low, even though irritation had still got the best of her. 

That tone, different in contrast to their secretive whispers, was the thing to turn Pearl’s head back over to Pink; eyes wide in alarm, almost as if she expected Pink to mention something wrong.

But with attention back on her, Pink had morphed back to her usual bubbly and carefree self, holding up the box of popsicles for Pearl to see. “What flavor do you want?”

Pearl, whose brain immediately went blank when asked for an answer, had looked to the popsicle box for a flavor, her mind too on edge to decide something for herself. 

“Cherry?” Pearl blurted with obvious hesitation, her eyes reading the first flavor that was labeled on the box.

With that, Pink had picked two plastic wrapped popsicles, holding them all in one hand, while she closed the box with her other, placing it back into the freezer before carefully climbing down from the chair. And just as they did before, the two girls had lifted the chair back into the dining room, placing it down without a trace of a sound, as this time, they had counted to three before letting go. 

Next was running through the living room, the most nerve racking part for Pearl, as she tried her best to run on her tippy toes, which was just as impossible as it sounded. But eventually, they did make it to the staircase, a practical safe haven, as they were only a few feet away from the playroom 

Pearl trailed behind Pink as they traveled up the staircase, taking them slow as she was pretty much breathless, and also because she didn’t want to make any more clomping noises with her shoes. By the time she had reached the hallway, Pink was already waiting by the open door of the playroom, motioning for Pearl to enter, before frantically closing the door behind them. 

They had then settled down at the arts and crafts table, sitting on chairs directly across from one another, as they now had an opportunity to relax from that whirlwind of an adventure. As soon as they sat down, Pink had tore open her sugary treat, while Pearl on the other hand, needed a few seconds before she could even think about hers.

Her heart was racing, lungs gasping as winded, like if she was running a fifty-mile marathon. Clearly, Pearl’s body had no need to act like this, as she was sitting perfectly still; adrenaline not seeming to notice a difference, as Pearl was still incredibly panicked from the whole ordeal. 

That was the riskiest thing Pearl had ever done in her life, even riskier than the time she had returned a library book two weeks later than its due date, which at the time, seemed like the worst offense in the world. 

But here Pearl was with a popsicle, something that equated to contraband in her eyes. She had peeled the wrapper open before taking a bite of the sweet, medicinal tasting treat, trying to enjoy as much as she could without feeling guilty.

The room was silent as the girls continued to eat their ice cream, giving Pearl some time to think about the things Pink had told her earlier. She was truly thankful to hear news about Whitney, even if Pearl didn’t have the opportunity to thank Pink right away, as she was pulled right along into Pink’s scheme.

 “Pink?” Pearl called, looking towards the direction of said girl, who had lifted her head at the sound of her name.

“Hmm?” Pink had mumbled through the last bite of her popsicle, brown eyes connecting with Pearl’s blue, as it was clear that she was paying attention.

Pearl had paused for second, shy as she looked down to her half-eaten popsicle, something she began to nervously twirl with her hands.

“Thanks,” Pearl began, her eyes still locked to hands. “For making me feel better.”

Slowly and carefully, Pearl had lifted her eyes up, meeting back at Pink’s, whose brown eyes were smiling just as hard as she was; beaming with a distinguishable sense of pride, as Pink sat up even taller in her seat.

“I mean, that's what friends are for!” Pink gushed, her cheeks flushing in obvious flattery. 

At the sound of those words, Pearl’s stomach couldn’t help but flutter in excitement, as she had never had an ‘official’ friend before. But for some reason, Pearl felt a feeling mostly made up of denial, making her want to say the word out loud, almost as if she didn’t want to believe it herself. 

“Friends?” Pearl repeated, sounding more like a question than a confirmation, as she was looking to Pink to answer that for her.

“Yeah, friends!” Pink cheered, letting out a few giggles. “I want to be your friend, even if my moms don’t want me too!”

Pearl immediately went quiet, her excited smile fading, as she wasn’t sure how to react to that statement at all. 

Pink probably didn’t mean to say it, as the girl had a tendency to blurt things out without thinking at all. But even if that was her intention, Pink undoubtedly had no clue to what those words really meant, seeing them as a simple reassurance, when in reality, they alluded to a harsher truth,  something that Pearl had noticed all along. 

At one point in time, the adults in the house were trying to keep the two away from each other. It was prevalent to Pearl when they first moved in, her sisters keeping them separate, until it practically became impossible, as Pink would always find ways to interact with Pearl, desperate to talk and play with someone closer to her age.

Eventually, Pearl’s sisters did lighten up on the rules, letting the two girls interact and play, but only when the Diamonds weren't around, as Pearl now clearly knew, that both of Pink’s parents weren’t fans of them being together.

Pearl had no idea what to say, as her joy had popped and deflated like a balloon. While this mood chance seemed obvious to Pearl, Pink didn’t seem to notice a difference at all, still happy and beaming over on her side of the table, leaving Pearl to grapple with herself.

Thankfully, they wouldn’t be left in this awkward position for long, as a muffled noise was heard from outside, both girls recognizing the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. 

Instantly, as Pink heard that familiar sound, she froze, sitting still in her seat until she had come to her senses. And then in a matter of seconds, Pink had transformed back into her usual ball of her energy, jumping down from her seat as she looked to Pearl with wide, frantic eyes.

“They’re here!” Pink gasped, gathering her popsicle stick and wrapper, balling the trash together before sending it Pearl’s way. “Hide the evidence!”

With the garbage no longer her problem to deal with, Pink ran over to the open door of her bedroom, entering the dark shadows before shutting the door behind her. She had left the playroom without any sort of a warning, the air suddenly silent in her wake, as she had dumped her trash on Pearl. But more importantly, Pink had left Pearl with more thoughts to process, though at least this time, they weren’t sad ones to make her cry. 

The friendship situation between her and Pink was somewhat confusing, but Pearl didn’t stress on it any longer, as there was nothing she could do to change the minds of others. She would much rather focus on the happy news at hand, honing in on the idea of talking to Whitney, eager to tell her other sisters about her plan to call. 

But that eagerness was on the borderline of impatience, as Pearl found herself unable to do anything else; even taking time to finish her melting popsicle, as her mind was too busy making exciting scenarios about the two talking together.

For once, she was truly excited to go home, hoping they would go as early as Yasmin promised, so they could at least squeeze in a short phone call. Pearl was hoping that Whitney was following a similar schedule as they were, because if not, they'd have to wait till the morning, where Whitney would hopefully be up just as early. 

The idea of waiting seemed almost impossible, as they already lost so much time with being apart. Pearl wanted to talk right this second, even if she knew it wasn’t possible with her sisters working, knowing well that they wouldn’t pause for something as trivial a phone call. 

But talking to their sister was anything but trivial, especially when they’ve been in the dark for this long. It was still early in the night, and if Pearl went downstairs and talked to her sisters, she could potentially talk them into a short phone call, something just to calm Pearl’s nerves.

Taking the last bite of her popsicle, Pearl had gathered her wrapper along with Pink’s, disposing them in the trash can in the corner of the room, something that was meant for paper scraps instead of any sort of food. She just hoped that her sisters wouldn’t look too close at what they would eventually empty out from the garbage. 

Pearl had then turned to the door, facing where she and Pink snuck out just moments prior, though in her mind, the whole ordeal had seemed to happen hours ago. Even this time, as Pearl approached the door and twisted the handle open, she felt just as nervous as the first time she stepped out into the hallway, almost hesitating to do so as she checked out her surroundings. 

The hallway was the same as before, but this time, it seemed intimidating to walk through by herself. With as big as the house was, Pearl was often scared to walk alone by herself, the house feeling like a never-ending maze, with plenty of places and rooms to get lost in. 

She didn’t even know where her sisters were, and that made the house seem even more scary, as Pearl would now have to roam around to find them. That alone made Pearl want to turn back into the playroom, but then again, there was that  thought of Whitney stopping her from doing so, encouraging her to take that step forward in the hallway, letting her take a moment to figure out where her sisters could be. 

Her mind then went to the laundry room, the place where Pearl suspected her sisters to be earlier, as she and Pink crept around downstairs. 

So that was her first place to go, as Pearl traveled the hallway and started down the stairs, knowing that her journey downstairs would be a lot less stressful than it was last time around. 

Pearl only made it down the first few steps before stopping in her tracks, recognizing a sound that was similar to someone crying. She had quietly climbed down another step, which gave her some insight of the living room below her, crouching her body down to peer through the iron railing.

Sitting in the now lit up living room, was Blair Diamond, her body hunched over, as she sobbed violently into her hands. The sounds were muffled, but Blair clearly didn’t care about volume, as her cries were loud enough to be heard from the top of the staircase. 

Yelena was next to her on the sofa, the same woman that Pearl considered harsh and stoic, now laced with every bit of concern. She was gentle and unusually soft, rubbing her hand up and down the length of Blair’s arm; attention solely focused on her, as she was doing everything in her power to console poor Blair.

Pearl, with walking into this, had no idea what was going on, just thankful that she had stopped and snooped before going downstairs, as she would have walked into something really awkward.

Now that the Diamonds were back home, it was obvious that the phone call wasn’t going to happen, as her sisters weren’t allowed to make phone calls unless the two were instructed to do otherwise. While Yasmin and Bec were keen on breaking some rules from time to time, they wouldn’t dare to pull anything like this when the Diamonds were around, leaving Pearl to deal with their hypothetical answer of ‘no’.

With her phone call postponed, Pearl didn’t have a reason to see her sisters anymore, as her pleas would no longer do anything to change any of her sisters' minds. But instead of turning around and heading back up to the playroom, Pearl had found herself staying put, even sitting down on one of  the stairs, as she was desperate to learn more about what was going on in the living room. 

For the most part, there was sobbing and only sobbing, no words to an explanation, until Blair began to blubber her feelings out. 

“I haven’t had the chance to see her all this week.” Blair admitted through tears, lifting her head up to look back at Yelena, who was probably just as desperate for an explanation. “By the time we get home, she’s already asleep!” 

With that, Blair started to weep again, hands wiping away her tears, leaving mascara smudges in their wake. “What kind of mother doesn’t tuck her child in at night?!” 

Blair’s voice rang out with a crack, distraught, as she was practically on the verge of inconsolable. More tears threatened to spill from her eyes, though Yelena was quick to try and distract her with conversation, wanting to calm Blair down before she could shed anymore tears. 

“Hey,” Yelena murmured, voice softer than anything Pearl had ever heard. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but everything’s going to be okay.” 

Just as she predicted, Blair didn’t want to hear that generic advice, whipping her head towards Yelena with a certain look on her face, undoubtedly annoyed with narrowed eyes and pouty lips. 

“Everything is not okay!” Blair snapped before burying her face back into her hands; mannerisms that really had no correlation, but still reminded Pearl of Pink, as the girl had to get some of her spunk from somewhere. 

Yelena rolled in her eyes, something that was not obviously seen by Blair, but was caught by Pearl. It was a quick few seconds, but Pearl could still tell that no harm was meant with the action, as Yelena was annoyed in a way that was welcomed; knowing well of the difference when the Diamond was bothered, as her eye rolls and glares were something to different caliber. 

And even with that blip of annoyance, Yelena was still there at Blair’s side, her hand finding its way over to Blair’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze before retreating. 

Blair had stirred at the gesture, tilting her head and peaking through her fingers, pausing to decide if she wanted to continue hiding. She had finally pulled back a few seconds later, hands dropping to her lap defeatly, revealing her blotchy and mascara smudged face. 

There were no more tears, but there was still that look of sadness in Blair’s eyes, as Yelena’s comment had distracted her from crying overall. Stopping her from sobbing was probably a good thing, even if that didn’t solve the problem head on, as Yelena’s next plan of action was to address all of that. 

“Blue,” Yelena called as she looked towards Blair, though the pet name did nothing to catch her significant’s attention. 

Blair had continued to stare down at her lap, so consumed in her sadness, that she had easily overlooked Yelena and her pleas. Her mind seemed to be miles away, but yet, Yelena wasn’t intimidated at all; refusing to deter from the conversation, as this was something she had dealt with plenty of times before. 

“You know our hours won’t stay like this forever?” Yelena resumed, obviously unfazed by Blair’s stand-offish behavior, as she had carried on with conversation as usual. 

With those words so flippantly said, Blair’s focus did return to where it needed to be, the subject matter instantly making her look up from her lap. She had faced Yelena with a nod, silently answering her question, before pushing herself into Yelena’s arms. 

The gesture was immediately received, Yelena wrapping an arm around Blair, and she let her settle in the crook of her body.

“With Labor Day coming up in a few weeks, I know our hours have been hectic.” Yelena explained as she rested her hand on Blair’s upper thigh, giving it a reassuring pat. “And I know you’ve been missing Pink just as much I have.”

Yelena had tilted her head to look at Blair, who didn’t appear to be any better than she was before, her frown just as hard and somber.

“But at least we have this weekend to look forward to.''  Yelena assured, her words optimistic in intention, even if they did turn out to be a lot less comforting in Blair’s opinion. 

“We’ll have the entire two days to spend with her.”

Hearing that had only brought tears back to Blair’s eyes, weeping in Yelena’s arms until her tears were finally noticed, her sobs shortly revealing themselves with their violent gasps for air.

At that moment, Yelena knew there was something more to Blair’s sadness, her face now laced with every bit of concern, as she was attempting to do everything in her power to help Blair calm down. Her hand had carefully found its way to Blair’s arm, just as it did before; though this time, Yelena was somewhat hesitant as she did the soothing action, almost testing to see if the gesture was welcomed. 

Clearly, the attempt at affection was more than welcomed by Blair, as she herself, had clung tighter to Yelena as she continued to cry. 

The two had sat there and held each other, Yelena hugging Blair as she cried, whispering sweet nothings into her ear, which were mostly inaudible at Pearl’s distance. It was a matter of minutes of them sitting like this, but to Pearl it felt much longer, as she was a spectator merely watching along. 

Now that Pearl had the time to think about, spying into someone's conversation was a little weird; something that should’ve felt wrong and intrusive, but was incredibly enticing at the same time. If the topic of discussion had been about anything else, Pearl wouldn’t have stuck around for long, but since they were talking about Pink, Pearl was glued to her seat, especially after learning about the comment they had made about the two becoming friends. 

But with how long Blair was taking to cry, the glue on Pearl’s seat was slowly unsticking, now wanting to leave, as she had seen enough tears for today. 

Pearl had held on to the iron railing, carefully lifting herself up from where sat on the staircase. But before she could stand up completely, Blair had started to speak once again, causing Pearl to sit back down and peer through the bars of the banister. 

“I feel guilty,” Blair cried out, wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her blouse. “For going to work and leaving her home.” 

Yelena gave a solemn nod as she reached over to the coffee table, grabbing a couple of tissues from the box of Kleenex. 

“Thanks.” Blair acknowledged as the tissues were handed her way, using one to dab at her red eyes, while using the others to wipe at her nose. 

As soon as Blair was finished, she let out a sigh before continuing with what she was saying before; her tears now at bay, though they seemed willing enough to fall once again. 

“I know she’s independent… and doesn’t need much of my help anymore,” Blair stammered, her voice trembling. “But I can’t help but feel that she’s outgrowing me.”

Blair brought a tissue back to her eyes, dabbing away some of the stubborn tears that had escaped from her eyes. She had head turned downwards, as if she was embarrassed for admitting that out loud, waiting for Yelena to even admit that the idea was far-fetched.

“Blair,” Yelena deadpanned, though there was some evidence of playfulness in her voice. “Pink is five. She can barely tie her shoes without help.” 

“I know! It sounds stupid!” Blair shouted, balling her tissues inside of her fist. “But I can't help but think—”

“Don’t say that.” Yelena interrupted with narrowed eyes, every bit offended to hear Blair use that word to describe her feelings. 

Yelena had a habit of reacting in anger; Pearl knowing this well, as she'd seen her sisters be berated over things that were hardly criminal, like accidently leaving an unwashed fork left in the sink. But in this case, Yelena was at least smart enough to know that approach wouldn’t work with Blair, especially since she was already so fragile with her emotions. 

Yelena paused, taking in a deep breath to relax herself, before turning to Blair with much calmer words of advice. 

“Pink is always going to need you, Blue. She’s going to get older and much more independent, but that doesn’t mean she’ll outgrow of you completely.” Yelena reassured. “Best believe it, when she’s twenty-three and out on her own, she’ll come crawling back for your advice.”

Blair didn’t respond right away, resting her head on Yelena’s shoulder, as she had snuggled back into her love. Earlier with her outburst, she had unconsciously pulled away, probably not realizing until now.

“She’s your daughter too.” Blair reminded, her eyes looking straight ahead and away from Yelena. “You don’t think she’ll come to you for advice?”

“Oh, of course she will.” Yelena scoffed, her eyes rolling over to shoulder. “I can predict her coming to me for anything financial.”

Blair had giggled, almost as if she was able to tell that Yelena had rolled eyes from just her tone alone. “I mean, she already comes to you with her preschool work...” 

With that, Blair had lifted her head slightly up, still resting her chin on Yelena’s shoulder, though the two were now able to make eye contact.

“You always know how to make me feel better.” Blair had gushed with a smile, her face like the light that would appear after a storm. 

“It’s because I’ve been with you for way too long.” Yelena teased, reciperating the smile before kissing Blair’s forehead, allowing Blair to then pull herself up for another kiss on the lips. 

It was something short and sweet, as they pulled away seconds later, having more things that obviously needed to be said, as Yelena was the one to break away.

“I know that you’ve been stressed lately, so I was thinking after dinner, I’ll draw us a nice bubble bath to relax in.” Yelena suggested, taking Blair’s hand into her own.

“Really?!” Blair beamed, her face practically lighting up at the idea, scooting even closer to Yelena as she swung her legs over the woman’s thighs. 

“By now, I thought you’d know how I spoil you.” Yelena insisted, words low and husky as her hands wrapped around Blair’s waist, pulling her onto her lap with one swift motion.

“Yelena, wait!” Blair had gasped, lowering her voice down to a whisper, as she wanted to keep this matter between the both of them. “Dinner is almost done! They’re gonna come into the room to tell us!”

Yelena had paused to look over to the dining room, and while Pearl couldn’t see anything herself, she knew that coast was clear, as Yelena was quick to turn back to Blair. 

“But they're not here yet.” Yelena shrugged as she looked over to Blair, ultimately waiting for her to make a decision.

Blair was only silent for a second before a giggle had escaped her lips, then leaning over to Yelena for another kiss. Obviously, Pearl took this as her cue to leave, as she knew there wouldn’t be anymore talking from the two of them.

As Pearl stood up, she had quietly climbed up the staircase, cringing about the idea of kissing, though that thought was mostly overshadowed by the disappointment of not being able to talk to Whitney. 

Pearl couldn’t help but frown, her feet dragging across the hallway as if she was weighed down. She had re-entered the playroom just as quietly, as she didn’t want to disturb Pink, who was probably fast asleep. 

Pearl was definitely tired from all that running around, sitting down at the table, and resting her head on the hard and uncomfortable surface. She just held on to the hope of sisters being able to talk to the Diamonds, wanting to go home early after an extra long day. 

Unbeknownst to Pearl, as she drifted off into sleep, the promise made to her wouldn’t hold up, as today still wasn’t the right time to ask. In fact, that time wouldn’t be tomorrow, or even the day after that. It would take two weeks for the conversation to even come up, as the beginning of kindergarten was their convincing case to get the Diamonds seal of approval. 

Chapter Text

A sigh escaped from Yelena’s lips as she thumbed through a stack of papers; a ten-paged monstrosity filled with blocks of print front to back. She had to annotate the entire thing by tomorrow morning; which would have been fine by her, if it wasn’t such a tedious task.

It was an easy enough job to be done by another employee, preferably someone with lesser work than she had; like Bianca’s newest assistant, who had currently had an employed running streak of fifty-two days.

But beside Yelena, Bianca didn’t trust anyone with classified information, even if her assistant was to be around her side for most of the day. Call it paranoia, but it was just a matter of protecting their company; as technology was the new booming business, having everybody and their mother coming out with models of telephones and computers.

Yelena had already made it through the first page, her messy handwriting filling up the margins with brief notes; the blue ink of her pen circling and underlining any portions of sentences she found interesting or noteworthy.

But as she flipped to the second page, Yelena found herself stalling, looking up to the clock in her office instead. She much rather be running the books and doing her usual math and budgeting, as dissecting pieces of text like this wasn’t at all her forte; understanding numbers and their simple meanings, better than she ever could with words. 

It was quarter past twelve; well into her lunch break, which didn’t require her to be working on this now. Most people spent their day eagerly awaiting their break, but Yelena often chose to work through hers; only occasionally leaving the office for a coffee or sandwich, as she wasn’t a big lunch person in general.

She could get more work done for the company when she persisted right through; so even if Yelena wasn’t fond of what she was doing at the moment, she still forced herself to continue on.

Bringing her pen to her mouth, Yelena squinted down at rows of endless words; the font so tiny and jammed-packed, that it was practically blurry. She was only page through, and already deep into a headache.

Despite the painful strain on her eyes, Yelena had forced herself to read; trying to absorb all of the information at once so she did have to re-read for a second time. Subconsciously, the cap of her pen had found its way into Yelena mouth; teeth digging into the plastic, mangling the cap even further. 

It was a bad habit she did without realizing it. Right now, if Yelena were to look to the front left of her desk, right where her stationary was located; she would find that most of her pens were covered in chew marks.

Not the most sanitary thing to do, but it wasn’t like Yelena invited people into her office often. 

Consumed with her work, another few minutes of her lunch break had passed; eventually pulling the pen from in between her teeth to scribble down some more notes, only for it to find its way back into her mouth. 

With her train of thought noted and taken care of, it was back to reading; though this time she wouldn’t be able fully to do so without being distracted.

The clear door and adjacent glass wall was her insight to the rest of the office; her way to keep an overall eye on everything without stepping foot out of own her private office. Her mind could usually block out the commotion; how employees swept up and down the cubicles, going from one place to another. 

But something had caught her attention from her peripheral vision; how someone was heading towards her office, which was nowhere near the breakroom or printer amenities. 

An angry noise came out the back of her throat as Yelena pushed her stack of papers aside, hoping that she wouldn’t have to waste her time heckling an employee over potential raised wages or promotions. If they weren’t already on her radar, it wasn’t happening.

Turning towards the office door, Yelena was genuinely surprised to see a familiar face heading her way; one that would always stop her in her tracks completely. Of course, it was Blair Dorsey, dressed in her usual office attire that today consisted of a grey pencil shirt with black blouse; her outfit including matching black tights, as it was below freezing this morning.

Yelena froze; eyeing the employee up and down, as flashbacks of New Years Eve came running to her mind; truly not expecting to see her face anytime soon. 

She spent the weekend thinking about their time at the office; the conversation they exchanged, the secret she told. They made amends and left on good terms, making Yelena think that was the end of that, even if thinking about Blair still made her heart sing in a shameful way. 

And there she was making an appearance again; heading towards Yelena’s office with the intention of going inside.

Poor Yelena didn’t know what to do, paralyzed to her seat, as she was stuck facing forward; everything moving in slow motion like a horror movie. In a panic, she clearly had forgotten that glass doors were see-through; staring at Blair as inched closer and closer to the door, only realizing that Blair could see her back once the two had made eye contact.

Blair had erupted into a friendly smile, while Yelena was a mess of a blush; even more humiliated now that she remembered about the pen hanging out from mouth.

She had pulled it from teeth immediately, wiping the saliva-laden pen on her pants, before tucking it back into the breast pocket of her matching khaki-colored blazer. 

Despite making eye contact a short second ago, Blair still gave a polite knock to her office door; taking a step back as she waited for her answer. 

Even if Yelena had work to do, she couldn’t say no to Blair; waving her in with one hand, while the other combed through her blonde hair. 

Yelena watched as the door crept open; Blair’s hand lingering on the door knob as she took a small step forward; blue eyes landing on the piles and piles of paper that covered the entirety of Yelena's desk.

“Are you busy?” Blair asked, looking up to Yelena with concern; as clearly she had mistaken the clutter on her desk as work needing to be accomplished.

Her desk just happened to look like this all the time; and yes, it was very intentional. Everything Yelena needed was within an arm's reach, even if to the average eye it seemed unorganized; knowing exactly where everything was.

But Yelena still didn’t want Blair to think that she was busy, even if she did have nine pages to still annotate; panic rising in her stomach, as she was quick to deny the claim.

“No,” Yelena found herself choking out the words. “I’m— I’m actually on my lunch break.” 

Clearing out her throat, Yelena was still able to make a smooth recovery, as the last half of her sentence sounded nonchalant as she wanted it to be. Like it wasn’t a great big deal that Blair was dropping by here unannounced.

“Oh, me too!” Blair smiled as she lifted up the lunchbox in her hand; a tiny detail Yelena had failed to notice when preoccupied with nerves. 

So, she takes her break at twelve too…

“I won’t be long, but I came here to return something.” Blair explained, closing the office door behind her.

Heading over towards Yelena’s desk, Blair was looking down at her hands; the perfectly manicured fingers of her left, migrating to over her right; playing with the rings adorned around her middle and ring finger, even whilst carrying her lunch bag.

She had on the same nail polish from New Year’s Eve, as Yelena could tell by her ring finger; missing chips of silver paint, while her other nine nails were virtually perfect.

Blair came to a stop at the front of her desk; the two practically a foot away from each other with the barrier between. Clearly, it was still close enough to see Blair reaching for the gold ring around her finger; the item looking familiar to Yelena, as Blair twisted it off of her finger with ease. 

“I might of… accidentally stolen this from you.” Blair confessed as she held the ring between her thumb and her forefinger; her eyes looking to the ground instead up at Yelena.

Frankly, Yelena had forgotten all about that ring; as it wasn’t something she wore frequently enough to notice it missing. It was a mistake on both their parts, as Yelena had given Blair that ring willingly; the two then distracted by fireworks and champagne to think about it further.

As Blair stated before, it was an accident; so Yelena wasn’t going to make a big fuss over something that barely inconvenienced her in the first place. Everything was all fine by Yelena, but Blair was still unaware of that reaction; her face paler than normal, as it was awashed with a mixture of nerves and guilt.

Yelena couldn’t stand to see that face; panic rising in her chest once again, as she needed to let Blair know that it was okay. But before she could have the chance, Blair would bet her to the chase; explaining more than she had too. 

“Sorry. I hope you didn’t miss it too much while I had it.” Blair sheepishly admitted, shifting her weight from foot to foot as she glanced back up to Yelena. “If I’m being honest… I was a little tipsy after we shared that champagne”

Her cheeks had blushed red as she said it, but there was a hint of laughter in Blair’s voice; something so contagious that Yelena couldn’t help her own smile.

“Only a little?” Yelena teased, feeling her lips quirk into her signature smirk; using it affectionately. God, Blair was such a lightweight.

Blair had scoffed, rolling her eyes and acting offended, even if it was somewhat obvious that she was being playful; her lips still smiling, eyes bright as ever. 

Yelena was more than proud of herself for landing that joke; beaming brightly, as her confidence was now at an all time high. She was on top of the world, and nothing could stop her from going all out on this feeling.

“You know, you could have gotten away with stealing this.” Yelena remarked as she peered up at Blair, holding her palm out, obviously for her ring.

She wasn’t trying to sound flirty; but her words were definitely a lot more smoother than they usually were around Blair. Either way, Yelena caught herself, clearing her throat and continuing on, because she wasn’t flirting.

“If you never came here, I wouldn't have realized that it was gone.” Yelena concluded; keeping an eye out on Blair and her reaction.

Besides her typical smile, Blair wore a neutral expression; a sigh of relief to Yelena, as she didn’t want Blair to think that she was flirting. She could now safely say that they were acquaintances, not wanting to rock the boat by jumping onto her again.

“Aw, I couldn’t do that to you!” Blair laughed as she leaned over the desk, carefully dropping the ring into Yelena’s hand. “It was a present from Bianca. I know it has to be expensive.”

Yelena nodded as she leaned back into her office chair, pulling the ring over her middle finger. The metal was still warm from Blair’s touch.

“And besides,” Blair bragged, flipping her perfectly waved hair onto her shoulder. “I much prefer silver.”

Prior to this moment, Yelena could never imagine the two of them being this; laughing and joking as if they were friends. All of their interactions so far had never gone this smoothly before; and secretly, Yelena didn’t want this one to end. 

But with half an hour of their lunch break already wasted, that couldn’t be possible; as Blair still had her lunch to eat, and Yelena had her work cut out for her.

As their laughter and jokes died down, eventually a small blip of silence had filled the room; something Blair was quick to fill up with some small talk.

“Did you already finish your lunch?” Blair assumed, passing her lunchbox from one hand to another.

Yelena didn’t think much of her asking this; answering honestly as she crossed a leg on top of her knee; the sole of her shoe pressing firmly against the side of her chair’s armrest. 

“I only eat lunch on occasion.”

Blair’s expression had quickly dwindled down into one of concern; her eyes wide as she raised an eyebrow. 

“You won’t even take a break?” She questioned, clearly appalled at the idea of working eight hours straight without as much as stopping. 

Now that Blair had mentioned it, the conditions Yelena had put herself through did sound crazy; even more so if she brought up the fact of working overtime on a regular basis. 

But Blair didn’t need to know that, as Yelena could already see her worrying. Habits always die hard for Yelena, as she established being a workaholic well into her college days; now only exacerbated further with her position as a CFO.

“Sometimes. When I’m not busy.” Yelena shrugged alongside her reply; though more times than not, that was just an occasional thing like lunch.

“Oh,” Blair blurted a second later, eyes flicking nervously around the room. “I mean, I have my own lunch… and I know it’s not big, but if you want…”

Blair found the courage to meet Yelena eyes again; sharing another one of her pretty smiles. “…We can share it?”

God, Yelena was trying her best to act smooth and nonchalant, but her heartbeat was racing like if she was about to go into cardiac arrest. Inside her head, she was scolding herself for being so pathetic, as hopefully that would deter herself from her bad habit of blushing.

“I don’t see why not,” Yelena agreed; her voice sounding more robotic than she wanted it to sound casual. “It’s not like I’m busy or anything.”

Her hands had reached for the stack of her unannotated papers, tossing them to the side along with a few other bits and pieces to make room. 

In the meantime, while Yelena did a quick clean over of her desk, Blair had dragged out her spare office chair from the other side of the desk; bringing it towards Yelena so they could sit next to each other, similar to what they did on New Year’s eve.

“It’s really not that much,” Blair stated as she placed her lunchbox on the desk, sitting down on the chair she had dragged up right next to Yelena.

The two were only inches away; a drastic difference compared to the last time they were in this room together.

“I have apple slices, some almonds, and yogurt.” Blair declared upon taking each item out her bag, lining them up in front of Yelena so she could have first picks. 

Yelena grabbed the plastic baggie of almonds; as they couldn’t really share the yogurt, and she wasn’t in a mood to eat any apples. She barely had an appetite to begin with, but Yelena was still going to sit here and eat for Blair’s sake, as she was kind enough to offer her lunch in the first place.

Opening the seal of the sandwich bag, Yelena reached for a handful of almonds, popping three into mouth while cradling another two in the palm of her hand. The almonds were unsalted; a crime to humanity in Yelena’s opinion.

Taste aside, as Yelena chewed, she was watching Blair as she pulled out a plastic spoon and a few paper napkins, zipping up her lunchbox as she had then reached for her yogurt. Yelena wanted to talk to her; to bring up casual conversation like they did before, though this time she didn’t know what to say.

She threw the almonds in her hand, into her mouth; as she was trying to buy time and conversation by continuing to eat. 

Yelena was thinking through an arrangement of topics as Blair peeled the aluminum of her yogurt lid. Ask her about her day, Yelena had thought to herself as she swallowed her bite of food; the almonds feeling like they weren’t going down right.

Taking in breath to prepare herself, the words wouldn’t come out for Yelena; as in that moment; Blair has finished taking off the yogurt lid, bringing the foil to her mouth as she has licked off the yogurt stuck to the lid.

Her mind had wandered to a place that Yelena didn’t want it to wander to; heat rising to her face as she had turned away and shoved more almonds to her mouth. She was a billion degrees and she desperately needed water; the almonds in her mouth like razor blades of dry sand. 

But she still kept eating them; because if she was busy eating them, she didn’t have to talk or even look at Blair.

For now, Blair at least seemed fine with eating in silence; eating a few spoonfuls of yogurt before reaching her bag of apple slices. They were the pre-packaged ones you buy at the grocery store; the ones where the apples magically took forever to brown, compared to if you were to cut up an apple and put it in a sandwich bag yourself.

Blair tore open the bag; taking hold of an apple slice between her index and middle finger, before offering the bag to Yelena.

“No thank you.” Yelena sputtered; face still flushed, and on the practicality of choking as the almonds were overtaking her airways.

But at least Blair didn’t know that she was suffering; oblivious as she turned back to her yogurt, placing the baggie of apple slices back on the desk. The apple she had in her hand was then purposely dipped into her yogurt; something Yelena couldn’t help but snort at.

“What?” Blair chuckled as she turned to face Yelena; that playful glint back in her eye as she leaned back into her seat. “Are you making fun of me?!”

Her lips had settled into a pout before taking a bite of her yogurt covered apple, raising her an eyebrow as she waited for Yelena to answer her question.

Everything was fine and not catastrophically awkward like Yelena thought it would be. Blair hadn’t even noticed that she was embarrassed. 

“No,” Yelena retorted, fishing through the bag in her hand for some more almonds. “Just judging your life choices.”

Blair shook her head as she chewed quickly, forcing herself to swallow in order to talk. “You should try it! It’s not as terrible as you think.”

She had given Yelena a glare, as she pointed her half-eaten apple slice over to her yogurt. From context, Yelena could tell that it was nothing serious. 

That ‘intimidating’ look from Blair wouldn’t last for long; her face deflating as she saw her plastic spoon sitting in the yogurt.

“I double-dipped.” Blair confessed, referring to the spoon. “Does that bother you?”

Yelena had looked at Blair and her blue eyes; seeing them concerned and sympathetic, not that she had a genuine reason to be.

“It’s fine.” Yelena relented with the shake of her head. “It’s not like you…”

She found herself stopping mid-sentence, realizing her thought wasn’t the best thing to say out loud; as ‘It’s not like you have a disease or something’ would go over well with someone you were mere acquaintances to. 

But Blair was laughing; as she wasn’t stupid enough to not know the context of what Yelena was saying.

“I mean, we already kissed.” Blair mentioned, her voice hushed, even in the privacy of Yelena’s office. “If I’d given you something, I’m sure that you would have it by now.” 

Yelena sank her teeth into her bottom lips; her face heating up again. She hated the reminder of that moment, as it definitely played in her head more times than not.

Clearly, she wasn’t fine thinking about that memory; but it was at least reassuring to know that it wasn’t a plaguing nightmare for Blair, as she could joke about it so casually.

For Yelena’s own sanity, she could only hope that Blair was fine. 

She was practically frozen with embarrassment; watching Blair as she ate what was left of the apple slice in her hand. Chewing, Blair had reached for another apple slice; dipping it into the yogurt before she had handed it towards Yelena’s way. 

“Try.” Blair pleaded with a smile; and Yelena couldn’t help but give in. 

Yelena had reached for the apple; taking hold of the part saturated in yogurt, as she was too scared to brush against Blair’s fingers. Once in her grip, she had taken it and placed the entire thing in her mouth; snacking in contemplative silence to form her opinion.

“It’s okay.” Yelena shrugged, giving her review after a few bites. “Not the best thing I’ve had in the world.”

Blair scoffed, playfully offended as she reached for a spoonful of yogurt. 

“I prefer my apples with peanut butter.” Yelena concluded as she closed up the bag of almonds in her hand. She had placed them onto her desk, done with snacking for the day; as with eating so many almonds in one sitting, she frankly never wanted to eat one again. 

Watching Blair, Yelena saw that she was scrunching her nose as she brought her spoon back to her yogurt; the long and pretty slope of Blair’s nose, settling into a wrinkle.

“Agree to disagree.” Blair commented as she moved back over to her apples.

Yelena could spend her time debating over it, but a quick glance at the clock told her there was only fifteen minutes left of their lunch break. With all of their talking and discussing, Blair barely had the chance to touch her lunch; Yelena letting her have a few minutes to herself in order to eat. 

In the meantime, Yelena had reached for one of the napkins Blair had set out from her desk, wiping away the remnants of yogurt still left on her hands. Her fingers were still sticky regardless; just having to deal with it until she had the chance to go to the bathroom.

It wasn’t awkward waiting for Blair, as she was vaguely aware of the time-crunch too; hurrying with her lunch so they could have the chance to talk again. Yelena’s brain was more or less preoccupied with finding another conversation starter, something that was casual and didn’t lead them into arguing about their food opinions.

So, when Blair started collecting her empty containers of food, Yelena had started with the only topic she was certain about. Work. 

“How’s everything with your marketing team?” Yelena inquired, balling her used napkin in the palm of her hand. “Your monthly marketing report is coming along?”

While Yelena was speaking, Blair was carefully collecting her trash into one pile; pausing as soon she heard that question. Her body immediately went tense, a deer caught in headlights, until she was ultimately forced to compose herself; a heavy sigh escaping from her lips, as she shrunk into her seat.

“It’s… coming along…” She answered, choosing her words very carefully, as she was well aware that she was talking to her superior.

Her lack of smile and general change in demeanor, told Yelena everything. That it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows like Blair was making her marketing team out to be. 

Seeing Blair diminish had almost made her regret asking the question; but now that Yelena knew something was going on, she had to know the root issues of any ongoing problem. 

This was her business after all; and she wasn’t going to let the bumbling idiots of the marketing team tamper with Blair’s reputation. 

“Don’t lie to me.” Yelena asserted as she crossed her arms, letting Blair know that it was fine to tell her these things.

But Yelena wasn’t really aware of her tone as she spoke those words alone; her voice reprimanding, rather than expressing her willingness to help.

From the shocked look on Blair’s face, Yelena realized that her words weren’t any bit as reassuring as she had wanted them to be; as Blair appeared almost terrified to the point of tears.

Yelena had to correct herself, the familiar panicky feeling grasping her lungs; as she of course, had to mess things up, especially when they had gotten along this far. 

Even if she recognized her mistake in a fraction of a second, Yelena wouldn't have the chance to explain to herself, as Blair began to talk over her; apologizing, even if she didn’t have a reason to. 

“I’m sorry, I was lying.” Blair confessed, hanging her head. She had her eyes closed, almost as if she couldn’t bear to look at Yelena while admitting the truth. 

“Everything is kind of a mess right now, but I didn’t want to complain to you. You’re my boss, and I don’t want to seem ungrateful for the job I have.” Blair had only continued to disclose; carefully cracking open an eye for Yelena’s reaction.

She was scared, as Yelena was known around the office for her temper; notably unleashing her wrath on the poor office staff below her. But Yelena could never imagine herself doing that to Blair, as she wasn’t just another employee who would find a new way to jam the printing machine every other week.

Yelena wanted to make that known by her body language, but she also needed to use her words as well; as in general, she wasn’t the best at making herself look all welcome and open. 

“Don’t apologize. It’s my fault for wording that so strangely.” Yelena addressed before clearing her throat.

She hated admitting to her faults; but in this situation, it was extremely necessary.

“This is business, Blair. Everything starts off as a mess until it isn’t.” Yelena explained, keeping her eyes directly on Blair. “Clearly you’ve been doing a good job of dealing with it, because I’ve only heard about this now and not in a formal complaint.”

Blair’s eyes weren’t closed anymore, staring right back at Yelena; her cheeks flushed with a light shade of pink. She was probably embarrassed, and Yelena didn’t want to make her feel any worse.

“Don’t beat yourself up for something you can’t prevent.” Yelena advised, sharing a few words of wisdom others weren’t as lucky to get. “But I’m just saying, if you ever need my help, I’ll be more than willing to pull a couple of strings.”

“Strings?” Blair echoed in a question, blinking in her obvious confusion. “I don’t know how that deals with my team being so indecisive?”

“That’s the problem.” Yelena addressed, turning in her chair to fully face Blair. “I can still see their behavior even if I don’t personally work with them.” 

For Yelena to keep a special tab on someone’s behavior, was of course a bad thing; as this was supposed to be a quiet and professional office environment; not a playground for preschoolers. At the mention of it, Blair’s face had paled as well; probably aware of the exact people Yelena was hinting at. 

That of course, was John and two of his lackeys; their names irrelevant to Yelena, as their attitudes were noticeable enough.

“My team is not that all bad.” Blair defended; though in Yelena’s opinion, it was unrightfully so. “We just struggle to mesh all of our opinions into one.” 

Blair sighed, reaching for the sandwich bag of almonds before throwing the item into her lunchbox. As she zipped her bag up, Blair had looked up to the clock; reading five minutes left of their lunch break.

“I want to be a good boss,” Blair huffed; her tone miles different from her defense of earlier. “Is it too much to ask for our marketing report to be cohesive for once?”

“No.” Yelena concurred, encouraging Blair to state any of her problems.

“They just make it so difficult for me.” Blair had sighed out once again; anger melting into defeat, as clearly she didn’t understand the hint of confiding to Yelena.

At the end of that day, Yelena wasn’t going to force her to say anything, as Blair did have some pride with managing her work. Yelena could say the same for herself; as she wouldn’t be too fond of someone sticking their nose into her business either.

But in the future, Yelena was still going to keep an eye out for any arising issues. 

“I’m going to head back to my office now.” Blair announced as she stood up from her seat; the clock now showing that there was only three minutes left. “I have to throw away my trash…”

Taking her lunchbox into one hand, Blair had carefully balanced her trash in her other; starting her way towards the office door. In the strange feeling Yelena felt before, she could find herself already missing Blair; wanting to at least let her know that she enjoyed their time together.

“My offer still stands from earlier.” Yelena resumed; her voice making Blair stop mid-walk, as the brunette had turned back to her. “If you ever decide that your marketing team is too much, I can get you some new employees.”

Yelena had a reference of people already working for the company; employees currently occupied with smaller positions, but could be easily promoted due to their work ethic.

“It will all be your choice, of course.” Yelena explained to a seemingly unassured Blair. “Hopefully we’ll be able to make some changes… something less male-dominated.”

As of right now, Blair was the only female member of the marketing team, being the leader of the entire group of six men; which certainly had to be the root of some problem with the imbeciles like John and Co. 

In the past, mostly in her college days; Yelena had experienced that conflict herself, refusing to let Blair fight in this battle alone. More than anything, she strived for this company to be inclusive; to break the strict gender-roles of who was in power.

But clearly, Blair and her over-the-top politeness didn’t see that yet; nodding and stretching a smile of her lips, for the sake of cordiality towards Yelena’s offer.

“Thank you.” She acknowledged quietly, spinning back towards the direction of the door.

But still, Yelena couldn't let her go, even if they were running dangerously low on time; as she couldn’t help but beat around the bush on what she really wanted to say.

“Also about your marketing report…” Yelena began, which had made Blair stop and glance back over at her again, making her feel particularly pathetic for wanting to keep Blair around.

“If you ever need help with that, you can find me here on my lunch break.” Yelena had offered as nonchalantly as she could she possibly ask; trying her best to ignore the clawing feelings of embarrassment.

Yelena was holding her breath as she searched for Blair’s reaction; though that was mostly for nothing as Blair was smiling . She was smiling beforehand, but this time it was really genuine, as her cheeks couldn’t contain her excitement.

“Maybe I’ll pop by tomorrow.” Blair chimed before turning around, letting Yelena get one last glimpse of that pretty smile. “I’ll make sure to bring you some more almonds.” 

Of course, Yelena’s almond-eating rampage wasn’t as subtle as she thought it was; her face flushing red with heat once again. At least this time, Blair wouldn’t be there to witness it.

Before Yelena could have the to say anything back, Blair was out the door; closing the glass behind her, as she traveled the workspace back to her office 

Yelena was staring; ultimately forcing herself to turn back to her pile of work, as she was somehow all spacey and unusually giddy.

God knows how much work she could have got done without her encounter with Blair, but it was too late now to ever find out. 

Chapter Text

A single file line of kindergartners marched down the hallway; pushing through the open doors that lead to the playground. Everyone in Pearl’s class had seemed so ecstatic; breaking free the second they stepped on asphalt, scattering through the school’s vast playground. 

In the classroom, there was order; but on the playground, there was freedom .  Recess was an already coveted time; even if kindergarteners hardly had work to begin with. 

Pearl enjoyed school to a degree; as she liked the classroom, and found learning pretty interesting. But it had been two months since she had started; and yet, she hadn't made a single friend. 

Yes, she did have Pink; who would talk to her at times;  but was mostly caught up in her own world of having friends. She had an entire group who would flock to her; a posse that would often exclude Pearl. 

So recess became an uncertain time for her. It made Pearl anxious, as she was often left alone; idling around the playground equipment just to get by. 

And today as she stepped outside, Pearl already knew what was coming; following Pink and her crew again. She had no other choice, as Pearl wasn’t in the mood to feel lonely.

Already sulking, Pearl had dragged her feet across the grass field surrounding the playground; meeting the girls gathered around the property fence. They didn’t bother to wait for her, as they all sat in a tight-knit circle with their identical school uniforms; having no room for Pearl to enter.

The fence was their   spot during recess; mimicking the older elementary girls who would sit and chat there as well. It was a nice spot in general, in view of the other two buildings on campus; both the middle and high school, under the same Prince Academy name. 

Pearl approached as quietly as she usually did; sitting outside of the group, as she could tell nobody was willing to let her in. If she pried, there was the possibility that Pink would let her join; as she always included Pearl the best that she could. 

But at the moment, Pink wasn’t even aware of her presence; busy talking to her circle, as all the girls were listening intently.

“My mommies are taking me to France!” Pink had boasted to the group. “We’re going to see the Eiffel Tower, and then we’re going to see the Leaning Tower of Pizza!”

Immediately, her friends reacted with coos and awe; ignoring Pearl further, as they went around sharing details of their own past vacations.

Pearl has never been on vacation, so she didn’t have a story to tell, (not that they would be interested in hearing her out, even if she did  have something interesting to say). All this talk about travel was hardly the subject matter Pearl wanted to hear about; as Yasmin   was accompanying the Diamonds on their trip to France, leaving Bec and Pearl all alone in the meantime. 

She was scared to have another one of her sisters leave. They already lost Whitney, and she was still yet to call; even if Pearl left her voicemail upon voicemail, each and every day.

Yasmin promised that she was coming back; though the idea still made Pearl’s stomach turn. Before she left, Whitney had promised her too.

Frankly, Pearl couldn’t stand to listen to this any longer; standing up, and brushing the grass away from skirt. She meandered onto the actual playground; shoes shuffling through the wood chips, as she was unsure on what to do. 

The swings were occupied, and the jungle gym scared her; also, not too fond of the idea of playing kickball with the boys. Her only option was the slide, occupied with few other of her classmates; as they waited patiently in line. 

 She headed on over the back of the line; joined by a few kids who had previously gone down the slide. 

In no time, it was Pearl's turn; slowly walking upon the rusted metal steps, which creaked terribly under her weight. That was strange, as Pearl was lightweight to begin; having no choice but to swallow her fear, as she was too scared to chicken out.

Her heart was racing; taking the stairs slower than normal, as she gripped on the metal railing for dear life. Behind her, Pearl could feel someone trailing her every step; clearly impatient with Pearl, as she was taking longer than they’d liked.

But Pearl was trying  to hurry up; she really was. She was only encouraged by the kick that was thrown to the back of her leg, making her stumble up the last few steps.

“Hurry up!” The voice behind her snapped; belonging to a boy Pearl had instantly recognized. 

It was Conner Samuels, one of the popular boys in her class; well-liked by most, though Pearl knew him as the someone who would bully others. He would target people often; and he even had friends to tag along; bothering the quiet and different kids, the scared ones who wouldn’t tattle.

Otherwise, he was a teacher's pet; as Conner was good at hiding his awful behavior. He never had his card flipped onto any color besides green; and he always earned a prize at the of the week. Only few knew his true colors; and Pearl was one of them out of pure caution. He had never messed with her before.

Pearl didn’t want to be his target today, and she definitely didn’t want to be his target ever again. Even if Conner was the one all up in her bubble, Pearl was trying to make herself scarce; invisible, as she wanted to run from his clutches. 

Going down the slide was her only way to escape; as Conner had cornered her to the top.

She made the mistake of looking down; the ground seeming so far away, as the slide was much higher than Pearl anticipated. Since school started two months ago, she avoided the slide out of fear; picking the wrong day and time, to try and conquer it.

Pearl found herself frozen in panic; and every thought of Conner and his terrorizing self, had slipped to the back-burner. She wasn’t bold enough to do this, she needed to turn around and get off of this thing. 

But Conner was there blocking her, and he wasn’t going to let her off easy; not when he could sense her fear. He took another step on purpose, forcing Pearl closer to edge; as he was pressuring her to do this.

At this point, it wasn’t about him being desperate to go down the slide. For a second, Pearl had thought about compromising; letting Conner go first, as she would then book it for the fence; running to any area that a teacher would be nearby.

 While that version of herself was quite optimistic, there was no way Pearl could find the strength to settle that. The slide seemed like an easier feat than it was to talk to Conner; as Pearl only had so much courage at once, trying to pick her battles wisely. 

Even if she was scared, at least the slide wouldn’t fight her back; her safest option at best. She could do this, if she just had a minute; if she went on her whim, and just trusted herself—  

Her thought process disappeared just as fast as Conner’s hands hit her back; her arms trying to reach and save herself, though there was nothing to hold on besides air.

Pearl had never done a frontflip before, but there’s a first time for everything, as her face hit the metal; the rest of her body tumbling forwards, as her back eventually made impact on the ground. 

Wood chips dug painfully into her sides. She was gasping for dear life, as the wind was knocked out of her. Tears filled her eyes as she was fighting for oxygen; now aware of the fiery pain, blooming throughout the center of her face. 

All she could hear was laughter; coming from all around the slide, as the kids on line had seen what happened too. Conner’s friends had to be a part of that; keen on following his every move, probably finding this hysterical as well.

She was disoriented, the world dizzy around her; though Pearl still found some strength to sit herself up, smoothing down her skirt. Her nose was dripping, only roaring with pain as Pearl wiped it on the back of her hand; leaving a smear of red, recognizable through blurry vision.

Pearl was blinking back tears as she looked back up at the slide. Conner stood smugly at the top; hands on hips, like he was king of the world. 

She picked herself up; as she didn’t want him to see her cry. It was a reflex from the pain; not because she was embarrassed.

In the initial shock of it all, Pearl stumbled forward; her body somewhat in pain, but nothing  compared to how her face felt in the current moment. Her nose was bleeding pretty badly; blood dripping down her mouth and chin, tracking dots onto her white uniform shirt. 

Her heart was racing at the amount of blood she was seeing. How was she going to stop it?

Pinching her nose wasn't an option; as her nose was in too much pain. Pearl had no choice but tilt her head up into the air; finding her footing, as limped away from the slide; moving as fast as her sore legs could take her.

With her face all bloodied, Pearl had to scratch her original plan of going to a teacher. She didn’t want to be seen like this. 

Instead, she made a detour towards the jungle gym; located at the far end of the playground where no one was hanging around; having a few park benches Pearl could take solace at. 

These benches were usually reserved for time-outs, though thankfully, they weren’t occupied with anyone today; as teachers would usually standby in watch of their misbehaving students. Pearl needed time to figure out what she was going to do— or say ; as any adult would question her as soon as they saw her face.

The one thing she couldn’t do, was tattle. That would only make things worse for herself.

By the time recess would end, Pearl at least needed an explanation. She was terrible at lying to begin with; and her skill definitely wouldn’t be improved by the pain she was in. Her entire face was throbbing, and it was all she could think of. 

Everything hurt, and she just needed time to wallow. Pearl accepted this as her life now; that no one would be there to save her; especially not Whitney, when she needed her most.

When she was lonely at school, or just lonely in the giant Diamond house; Pearl would daydream. That Whitney would swoop into their life again, and maybe turn it back into any semblance of normal. 

Pearl was homesick. Sometimes she felt so sad, that she might as well explode. And sometimes at night, she did; crying herself to sleep, weeping quietly in fear of being caught. 

It felt like she had no one to talk to. She spent her days at school quiet, because Pink had her own life and friends; too jovial to understand that anything in life could be wrong . Pearl spent her nights trying not to bother anyone at all; her sisters were stressed beyond comprehension, doing their best to hide behind happy smiles.

She didn’t quite understand the feeling. These days, it was hard to understand any of her emotions at all. 

The sharp sound of a whistle had filled the air; all too soon in Pearl’s opinion, as that meant recess was finally over. She had to report back to her teacher for roll-call, something she was usually fine with on most days; compared to her other classmates who whined and complained at the idea of going back inside.

But Pearl was dreading today, as roll-call meant showing her face around the other kids. Some already knew of her injuries; as they were witnesses to it. They wouldn’t say anything in risk of being incriminated, but their teacher was certain to notice eventually. It was hard to miss Pearl with all of the blood.  

Obviously, Pearl was left without choice. It wasn’t like she could just run away; she had  to go back to the classroom.

Pearl sniffed, swallowing the blood that had dripped down into her throat. She cringed at the taste; but in her own vanity, Pearl was quick to wipe away any remaining tears from her face.

Her pain wasn’t the only reason for her tears; as she could at least admit that now that she was alone. Still, Pearl had no choice but to suck up her sadness; she didn’t want to continue to cry in front of her peers. 

Hopping down from the bench, Pearl kept her head low; as she was walking slowly on purpose. She couldn’t be the first one on line; nor the last, as she didn’t want to risk any attention. 

Besides, it wasn’t that hard for Pearl to be overlooked. If she acted as normal, quiet as she always was; she could easily slip through the cracks. Pearl wasn’t quite sure for how long, but it could at least buy her some time.  

By the time Pearl’s feet had hit the asphalt, a good chunk of students were already in line; standing in their assigned spots, as directed by alphabetical order.

This right here was the hard part; as Pearl could easily be noticed by anyone.

Their teacher, Ms. Riley, was conveniently checking her clipboard as Pearl had approached the school building. She was quick to duck her head again, as Pearl slipped into her place in line; letting out a sigh of relief, as that was surprisingly successful too.

For now, this was working out fine; but Pearl still hadn’t thought of what would happen next in the classroom. There was no way she could hide there; as they all sat at circular tables. 

Pearl was taking her time to brainstorm; to think of a solution quickly. If she could just make it into the building undetected, maybe she could pull Ms. Riley privately to the side. Their teacher always stood by the classroom door, as everyone entered inside; giving Pearl the perfect opportunity to talk to her alone; away from all her classmates with prying ears. 

Her plan seemed foolproof enough; if she could make it past roll-call. Usually Ms. Riley would walk down the line; checking off each individual name from her clipboard, as she  was making sure all of her students were present.

Maybe Pearl could turn away; or reach down and pretend to tie her shoe. That way Ms. Riley could see that she was there, but wouldn’t be able to see her face at all.

“Okay, class!” Ms. Riley called, trying to catch the attention of her rowdy students. “Let’s do roll-call!”

Her class mostly straightened after that; still a little bit chatty, but that was mostly normal for five-year-olds. Pearl’s heart couldn’t help but race as Ms. Riley started down the line; stopping briefly to check every name she had stated out loud.

She was certain that her heartbeat was loud enough to catch anyone’s attention; avoiding any sniffling too, as her nose was stuffy from all the blood; making it hard for her to breathe. 

Pearl inhaled and exhaled through her mouth; but soon enough her nose was itching terribly, trying everything in her power not to sneeze. If she sneezed, she would mostly likely be noticed by someone; maybe even by Ms. Riley, who was inching closer and closer.

But it would prove to be impossible to hold in that sneeze; especially when her nose was already on fire. Pearl had almost lasted a minute; that reflex out of her control, as she could contain herself.

It just came out automatically, as Pearl was quick to try and cover her sneeze with her hands. But a scary amount of blood came pouring out, covering her hands completely; as Pearl had nothing to clean herself with. 

And of course, she had let out a loud sneeze; not one of those quiet ones that could easily go unnoticed. One of her classmates standing in front of her, Page Miller, had turned around at the moment; her face contorting with horror, as Pearl looked straight from a Halloween movie; badgered by Michael Myer s or something. 

“Eww!” She whined; stepping back from Pearl. 

In her shock, Pearl had glanced down at her own hands and then back at Page; who made enough noise to catch the attention of others. Some of their classmates at the front of the line had turned around; confused to hear the sudden screaming. 

“Page! What is the matter?!” Ms. Riley prompted as she walked down the line, rushing over to her concerned student.

But she stopped dead in her tracks as soon as she saw Pearl. 

And if Pearl thought Page was loud enough, Ms. Riley made even a bigger fuss; gathering the attention of the entire  class, including the kids at the back. 

“What on earth!” She gasped; her clipboard dropping to the floor, as her hands reached for her mouth. “June, are you okay?!”

Pearl shrugged; not sure what to say. But before she had the chance to think of a response, Ms. Riley was scrambling for her clipboard; taking hold of Pearl’s arm, and plucking her straight from the line. 

She pulled on her hard ; and Pearl was quite uncomfortable as Ms. Riley dragged her away. It wasn’t like she could hold Pearl’s hand; as poor Pearl was covered in her own blood. 

Her short legs struggled to keep up with Ms. Riley’s pace; moving frantically, as she led Pearl over to one of the playground monitors; adults who served as extra eyes for the teachers idling around. This one in particular, was a short old lady; waiting by the side doors that opened up to the first floor. 

“Maureen!” Ms. Riley shouted; calling for the first playground monitor she laid eyes on.

Obviously, Ms. Riley had a class to watch; needing to hand Pearl off to somebody. And Old Lady Maureen, had no choice but to help; her eyes turning wide as she saw Pearl too.

But she didn’t freak out like Ms. Riley did, just shaking her head and puckering her lips; as already she was looking down at Pearl. Maybe she thought Pearl was a bad kid; and that alone, made Pearl hesitant to be around her.

Was she going to get in trouble? 

Even if Pearl felt frozen to the ground in fear, Ms. Riley had only continued to push her forward; finally meeting Maureen, who didn’t even bother to meet her halfway.

Their kindergarten class was left unattended in the meantime; as Ms. Riley was clearly rushing to get back to them. Twenty-five students left alone, was a disaster waiting to happen; and at the moment, Ms. Riley couldn’t afford to deal with another one.

“My student is hurt,” Ms. Riley explained breathlessly; glancing over to her class waiting in the distance. “You need to take her to the nurses office!” 

She was quick to let go of Pearl, before turning around; leaving her alone with Maureen, as she sprinted back over to her kindergartners. 

At least Pearl knew she was going to the nurses office, having a bit  more trust with this stranger; as she knew that wasn’t the place bad kids would go when they were in trouble. 

But even now, as the two were alone; the playground monitor had hardly acknowledged her. She didn’t give Pearl her sympathies; but instead, walked to the school doors without warning.

Pearl scrambled after her; but clearly it wasn’t fast enough, as Pearl was promptly chastised. 

“Come along,” Maureen instructed with the wave of her hand; which Pearl would soon find out to be ironic, as the playground monitor walked slower than she did.

Maureen walked with a limp; her hip jutting out awkwardly as she did so. As they traveled down one of the school’s main hallways, Pearl walked at her pace; just as she was taught to do when she was walking with a grown up. 

Her school had some strict rules; but Pearl made sure to follow all of them. 

Also, Pearl really had no choice but to follow her lead; as she was unfamiliar with this part of her school. She has never been to the nurses office before; and currently, they were walking across the west wing of the elementary school. Her classroom was on the first floor of the east wing; a place they would be nearing soon, as Pearl now recognized the main lobby just a few feet away from where they were standing.

For a second, Pearl was almost certain that they were heading into that direction; up until Maureen made a sharp right into one of the classrooms. Pearl had her reservations, but they died down soon enough; as this was  the nurses office, not one of the classrooms like Pearl suspected.

It was the average size of a typical Prince Academy classroom; but maybe it seemed a little bit smaller, as the room was filled with large medical cabinets; a couple of cots for sick students to lie on. A teacher's desk was located in the back, by the windows; and there sat the school nurse combing through some files.

She was dressed more like a teacher than she did a nurse; but either way, the lady had looked up as they’d entered. 

Originally, the school nurse had turned to Maureen; sighing as she saw her fellow colleague. But of course, Pearl’s bloody face was just calling  for the spotlight; as whatever small talk the nurse had in store, had quickly died on her tongue.

Pearl’s face obviously warranted some immediate medical attention; as the nurse jumped from her seat, and ran over to Pearl. The nurse was freaking out, as she crouched down to Pearl’s level; rightfully badgering Maureen for some answers, as she stood up to her full height. 

“What happened to her?!” The nurse gasped; turned to the medical cabinet in aid of supplies. 

“I don’t know.” Maureen shrugged; which was hardly a helpful answer at all. “All I know is that she’s one of Riley’s kids.” 

The nurse paused as she reached for some gloves in the cabinet; looking rather annoyed at her tactless response. She didn’t prompt Maureen for anything more, as she continued to fish through the closet with a frown on her lips; which in turn, gave Maureen the perfect opportunity to make her slow escape.

She limped out of the room without any word; leaving Pearl standing in the middle of the office. 

Once again, Pearl was afraid; frozen in her fear, as she could only watch the nurse from afar. Even in her pain, Pearl was quiet enough to hear a hypothetical pin drop; probably able to make a louder noise than Pearl ever could in the moment. 

Closing the cabinet doors, the nurse had turned to her in surprise; almost shocked to Pearl standing so obediently in place, without as much as a single tear. 

Unbeknownst to her, Pearl had let them all out earlier; but that wasn’t something she would be willing to tell so freely. 

Her school nurse so far, had seemed genuinely nice; compared to the other adults today, who just handed Pearl off to next. She was the first person to recognize that Pearl was scared, terribly shy than the average; as therefore, she needed to be approached a little differently than being toted around. 

“Can you please take a seat for me?” The nurse asked as she pulled on a pair of blue medical gloves; sharing a smile with Pearl.

She had a kind smile; warm like her brown skin and eyes. 

Pearl relaxed a little, as she found herself complying. She scrambled onto one of the cots; still mindful of her bloody hands, as she folded them on her lap. 

As the nurse successfully wrangled both gloves onto her hands, she walked over to Pearl with roll paper towels; something else she had grabbed from inside the medical cabinet. She didn’t ask Pearl to do anything at first; just examining her face, as the nurse’s neat eyebrows were fixed in concentration. 

“How did this happen?” She lilted a second later, bringing her gloved hands over to Pearl’s small chin. 

Her touch was feather-light as she carefully lifted up Pearl’s head; peering up Pearl’s nose from a distance, as she was still bleeding quite profusely. 

The nurse frowned, and Pearl wasn’t sure how to answer. She didn’t want to be tattletale; but she didn’t know how to  account for any of her injuries.

“I fell.” Pearl whispered, her voice so meek and small; as she was practically giving herself away. It was quite obvious from her demeanor that she had a secret to hide. 

But surprisingly, the nurse didn’t pry any further. Maybe she had mistaken Pearl for wanting to cry, as she shot her a sympathetic glance; lowering her chin slowly.

“What’s your name, sweetie?” The nurse questioned, trying to provide some comfort with her tone. “I have to call home to your parents. You’re too hurt to go back to class.”

Pearl had sniffed; a little disappointed that she would be missing story time. But the throbbing on her face wasn’t stopping; and at least the nurse was smart enough to assume that she wasn’t well enough to stay. 

“June Pearl.” She answered; brave enough to speak a little louder.

She didn’t even bother to correct the nurse on the parents' thing; that was too complicated to explain all at once. 

The nurse wouldn’t have the time; walking over to the garbage can and flicking her gloves off; repeating Pearl’s name under her breath, as she had to search through her files. 

Pearl watched as she returned back to her desk; the nurse sitting down on her fancy office chair, and spinning towards her file cabinets. An entire span of them covered the back wall; about eleven or twelve cabinets in total.

The nurse veered towards the right; opening one of the bottom drawers of the cabinets. As she combed through the files neatly tucked inside; she continued to hum Pearl’s name like a melody. Pearl, Pearl, Pearl;  as the nurse was searching for her last name in a vast sea of manila folders.

It brought a smile to Pearl’s face; something that wouldn’t last for long, as Pearl had to urge to sneeze again. She didn’t hold it back this time, having no reason to hide; as she brought her hands up to face.

Her sneeze wasn’t as loud as before, but it was still noticeable enough for the nurse to turn around. She had Pearl’s file in her hand; but that was quickly forgotten as she saw the blood dripping from Pearl’s nose, covering the entirety of her hands once again.

“No, no, no! Don’t sneeze into your hands.” The nurse cried; though her panicked reaction to say the least, was much more milder than Ms. Riley’s.

The nurse was calm and coherent; still sitting in her seat, though she did initially cringe as she saw Pearl sneezing into her hands. At the same time, she managed to talk to Pearl so carefully; addressing Pearl in a manner that showed her mistake, but not to scare her.

“That’s why I got you the paper towels, sweetie. If you need to sneeze or blow your nose, please do it there.” The nurse acknowledged; pointing towards the roll of paper towels she had placed next to Pearl. 

“You should go to the sink and clean your hands.”

Pearl agreed, but couldn’t really talk back to her. Blood was dripping down her mouth from that sneeze; so instead, Pearl had slid down from the cot, beelining towards the sink at the corner of the room.

She caught a glimpse of herself at the sink’s mirror; and now she understood why everyone was staring at her so strangely. There was blood smeared all over the bottom of her face; her checks, her lips, her chin.

Pearl even had some on her neck; stains dripping down the white collar of her uniform shirt. 

Quickly, she had reached for the paper towel machine right next to the sink; wiping all that she could with dry paper towels. Eventually she did have to wet some underneath the sink; as had some dried stubborn blood, that wouldn’t just wipe away. 

Her nose rang with pain every time she would touch it; as wiping away the blood, revealed that the bridge of Pearl's nose was crooked. It was sizably swollen; which wasn’t a good sign at all. 

She swallowed hard, trying to push down the growing lump in her throat. It was metallic in taste; blood mixed in with her physical sensation of anxiety; as Pearl finally  understood the severity of her injury.

All this time, Pearl was just worried about the blood; a greater level of concern, as people weren’t supposed to bleed like this. 

In her mind, she figured that it would stop eventually—  almost like a paper-cut; pain for a moment or two, until a bandage was given along with a hug. Maybe Pearl was naive, but she’s never had any injury worse than a scrape to her knee.

Deep in her gut, Pearl knew something was wrong; and that made everyone’s reactions seem a little bit more sensible. 

About a month and half ago, Pink had gotten hurt too; remembering how all the adults fussed over her. Apparently, she had tripped up the stairs at her grandmother's house; cracking open her chin and requiring fourteen stitches from the doctor.

Pink had handled it like a champ, though. The next day she was bouncing around like she wasn’t even injured at all; much to Blair Diamond’s hesitation, who thought her daughter was as fragile as a china plate; freshly mended back together. 

But did Pearl have to go to the hospital? Did she have to get stitches too ? 

Pink had to explain what those things were; that doctors would have to close your skin up with staples. And in Pearl's mind, she had imagined a doctor pinching a paper stapler to Pink’s chin; just like the big one their teacher had lying on her desk.

It sounded like pure torture . 

Thankfully, Pearl wouldn’t be left lingering on that thought for any longer; distracted by the sound of the nurse picking up the landline telephone. 

In the corner of the mirror, Pearl could see a bit of the nurse’s reflection; just a small glimpse of her sitting at her desk. The big medical cabinet had cut out most of Pearl’s view; but it was still enough to see the nurse pressing buttons on the keypad, holding up the phone to her ear.

The room was quiet enough to hear the phone ring a few times; as in meantime, Pearl began to wash her hands, waiting for one of her sisters to answer the nurse. 

She was scrubbing her hands with plenty of soap, when the ringing came to a sudden stop; the phone obviously connecting, as the nurse sat up straight; peering back down at Pearl’s open file.

“Hello,” She began; her voice just as friendly as it was with Pearl. “This is the school nurse calling from Prince Academy Elementary School. Is this the parent or guardian of June Pearl?”

The nurse paused for a second, as Pearl ran her hands under the open sink.

“…Oh yes, thank you for reminding me, Yasmin.” The nurse nodded, glancing down at her papers for a second time. “Anyways, I was calling to let you know that June here, fell and injured herself. Her nose looks to be broken…” 

Pearl frowned as she rubbed the blood stuck on her fingernails. Of course, it had to be Yasmin to answer; her older sister who had a tendency to panic a lot more openly than Bec did; which in turn made Pearl more nervous. 

Yasmin was an adult; so if she had reason to be scared, Pearl definitely had her reason to freak out too. And from her muffled voice that came echoing out from the telephone; Yasmin had an awful lot to say on the matter. And thankfully, Pearl wasn’t able to make out most of her words.

“I would recommend immediate medical attention.” The nurse insisted; finally able to get in a sentence. “As soon as you pick her up, take her straight to the ER.” 

Again, there was a long pause from the nurse, as Yasmin was responding. And now that Pearl’s hands were finally clean, she reached for a paper towel and closed the sink; walking back to the cot she was sitting on before.

“She’ll be waiting in the nurse's office; just ask one of the ladies in the office for directions… okay, i’ll see you then… goodbye.”

She hung up the phone; turning a page in her file, before looking back at Pearl.

“Your sister should be picking you up in thirty minutes.” The nurse shared; her hands gravitating towards the phone again. “I’m going to call someone to get your stuff from the classroom.”

In comparison, that phone call was much shorter; not that Pearl was really paying attention, as her nose was starting to drip again. 

It wasn’t that big of a mess compared to before, as she had the paper towels to stop her blood; making an occasional trip to the garbage can, as her napkins eventually became sodden.

But the bleeding did come to halt; as it also had stopped for a moment's time earlier. Pearl was too preoccupied to notice it then; washing her hands and face, as she eavesdropped into her sister’s conversation.

  That had to be a good sign though; as the worst was now over.

Still, she kept a wad of paper towels nearby; waiting on her lap. She didn’t want to let her guard down and make a bloody mess of her face again; not after she spent an excruciating amount of time cleaning herself up.

In the meantime, while the two of them waited for Yasmin; the nurse had gone back to her usual desk work, leaving Pearl just to wait quietly around. She had no problems with that, as per usual; looking around at the posters placed all around the room, showcasing various pieces of medical information in kid-friendly ways.

There was one poster on how to do CPR; less enticing compared to the others, as there weren't any bright colors or cartoon infographics. But clearly, it had to be important enough; smack-dab in the center of the room, as it was the closest thing Pearl had the opportunity to stare at. 

Fortunately, Pearl’s entire time wouldn’t be spent just staring at the walls. Another staff member had entered into the office as well; unfamiliar to Pearl, though she was carrying Pearl's belongings.

Though it took a second for Pearl to recognize her as such; this was the person the nurse had obviously called in. The lady, who Pearl assumed to be another teacher, was quick to hand over Pearl’s backpack and jacket; giving her sympathies as she did so. 

But her attention wasn’t kept on Pearl for long. Clearly, she knew well of the nurse; making some friendly small talk about a faculty meeting. 

While she stuck around and chatted for a minute or two, the teacher lady wouldn’t stay for long; quickly mentioning that she was on her lunch break. She bid the nurse farewell, without even looking at Pearl; heading back out into the hallway, and almost bumping into someone in the process.

The teacher had mumbled out a ‘sorry’ before scurrying away; and Pearl had craned her head towards the open door to see the altercation. 

Pearl was almost surprised to see that the other person was Yasmin; looking just as frantic, as she was in a rush to get to the nurses office. It didn’t help that Yasmin was also unfamiliar with the school’s layout; as unfortunately, both she and Bec missed out on orientation night, held earlier this month.

But hey, her sister had still made it here; rather quickly to say the least, though Pearl was hardly keeping track of time to begin with . The Diamond house was close enough; though the process of getting out of the actual house was a journey. Her sisters didn’t have their own car anymore; needing one the Diamonds guards to chauffeur them around.

It was a timely process; as a bodyguard had   to be called if one wasn’t already at the house. And that could take up to half-an-hour at times; as not all bodyguards lived within a short distance. 

Knowing her sister, Pearl could imagine Yasmin heckling with one of the guards to come as fast as possible. Pearl's situation did  count as an emergency; giving Yasmin a valid excuse to leave the house without warning.

But now, as her sister stepped into the room, Yasmin’s body language was cautious; tense, as she didn’t know what she was walking into. At first, she seemed unsure if this was the right place; though that question was soon answered for her as she saw Pearl sitting on a cot; her face turning white like the bedsheets they would fold together.

Yasmin froze for a mere second; quickly coming to her senses as she ran over to Pearl. She scanned over her body, checking for any other injuries besides the obvious one on her face. 

“ Oh god .” Yasmin whispered; clearly coming in as a shock to her, as the vivid details couldn’t exactly be translated through the telephone.

It was worse than Yasmin initially assumed; Pearl could just tell from her face. 

“Hi,” The nurse began with formalities as she stood up from her seat; quickly pushed to the side as Yasmin was panicking.

“June! Are you okay?” Her sister shrieked; full-on freaking out, as her hand had reached for Pearl’s cheek.

Her fingers had barely grazed her skin; but Pearl still recoiled from the pain. 

As one could imagine, that did nothing to calm Yasmin’s concerns; only heightening them to an extreme, as her sister was now irate with emotion. Her face, by all means, looked angry; but Yasmin hardly meant that towards anyone or anything. 

Her worry had translated in a weird way; as initially Pearl thought she was in trouble with that face. It was a similar reminder to when Yasmin would scold both Pink and her; warning the girls to be careful, as they dodged and ducked around furniture. 

The obvious difference was her eyes; generally fearful this time, as an accident had actually   happened. She had turned to the nurse with this pleading look; too much in frenzy to ask for advice, or help, or anything .  

At least the nurse was nice enough to notice; calmly talking Yasmin through.

“I know you want to panic, but I highly doubt it’s anything serious.” The nurse assured, taking a couple steps towards Yasmin. “A doctor will be able to fix her right up” 

Yasmin nodded; grabbing Pearl’s jacket and backpack, and slinging them over her shoulder. Certainly, they were nice words to hear; but the second mention of the doctor was the only  thing Yasmin could focus on for now.

Her sister wasn’t going to be rude, but she was definitely in a rush to get out here; obvious by how antsy she was being. Yasmin reached into the front pocket of her jeans, reaching for the small, thin wallet that was already peeking out from the denim.

Clearly, she must have been frazzled enough to place it there. Yasmin was usually smart enough to not place things where they could easily be lost; a reminder she often gave Pink, whose things would slip out of her possession, left and right. 

“The ladies at the office said I need to show ID?” Yasmin remembered; opening up her wallet for the card.

  “Oh, no.” The nurse brushed off with the wave of her hand. “I know you two are related; you look exactly  alike.” 

Yasmin gave a nervous laugh; folding her wallet. “We get that a lot.”

She didn’t tuck it back into pocket; instead, holding it in her hand, as she nudged Pearl to get up from the cot.

Pearl had grabbed the wad of paper towels on her lap, as she stood up. It was better to take some for the ride. 

“Thank you again for taking care of her.” Yasmin had quickly appreciated; reaching for Pearl’s hand. 

“It’s no problem.” The nurse smiled, directing her attention down to Pearl. “I hope you feel better soon!”

Yasmin thanked the nurse once again, before bringing Pearl out into the hallway; leading her through to the lobby, and over to open the front door. 

A school secretary waved to them on their way out; barely batting an eye at a postman, who’d entered the school with some packages in hand.

Their car was waiting for them right in front of the school building; idling in the parking zone that was usually used for school buses. It wasn’t close to dismal time at all, so their driver could easily get off the hook; even though the school parking lot was just a few feet away from the courtyard. 

Yasmin definitely  didn’t want to stick around to see the consequences; rushing her little sister into the car. 

Pearl felt a little lightheaded, but she didn’t complain as Yasmin opened the car door for her; helping her climb into the back seat of the spacious SUV. 

On a typical day, Pearl usually didn’t need anyone’s assistance; even if the car had height to it. Both she and Pink had a technique of bear crawling into the back, giggling and making bear noises as they did so; though both of them had no clue as to what bears really  sounded like. 

Inside, both car seats were attached to the leather interior; meaning this was probably the same car, and driver, that brought the two to school this morning. But Pearl couldn’t be exactly  sure; as the Diamonds had an assortment of similar-looking cars, along a with plethoras of similar-looking bodyguards

She was probably too young to grasp the real reason why the Diamonds needed bodyguards; as in Pearl’s mind, they were doing a similar job to what her sisters were doing; just driving the Diamonds around, and helping with tasks.

They even drove Pearl and Pink to school; which was nice in the case that there was bad weather. At least they wouldn’t have to wait outside; compared to the other kids who took the buses.

Closing the door on her way in, Yasmin had climbed into the back as well; sitting herself down on the middle seat, as both sides were occupied by girls' car seats. 

By now, Yasmin was used to it; as she wasn't going to take apart Pink’s car seat for her own comfort. She and Bec would often take turns accompanying the girls to and from school; forced to sit in the back, as Pink had a habit of unbuckling her seatbelt. 

It's not like they would be comfortable sitting up front anyways; isolated next to one of the mysterious bodyguards, who wouldn’t talk unless they were spoken to. Frankly, it was made even more awkward by the glass dividing walls; a special installment in all of the Diamonds cars, mainly for privacy reasons. 

Pearl has been in a taxi before; similar to the inside of that, with a slightly tinted window separating the front from the back. The only difference, was how the Diamonds had way  fancier cars; a comfortable amount of legroom than the average yellow cab.

The glass screen was currently open; pushed to the side like how you open up a window. While they got themselves situated in the back; the driver up front, was waiting patiently on Yasmin’s directions, following the same protocols he would with the Diamonds. 

Before Yasmin could turn to him, she was distracted by a handful of other things; dumping Pearl’s bag and jacket into Pink’s empty car seat, and then checking to see if Pearl was properly strapped into hers. 

Her hands had quickly skimmed over the car seat straps in conformation; as she wouldn’t dare start this car unless everyone was buckled up. She finally tugged on her own seatbelt, as she called for the chauffeur; directing him to the nearest hospital. 

The bodyguard slowly started the car; pulling away from the front of the school, as he continued straight down the pathway that turned back onto the main road. They passed the middle and high school on their way out; Pearl watching, as the three schools faded out into the distance.

After a minute or two, Yasmin was finally able to relax in her seat; not without a sigh or two, as her nerves wouldn’t go unnoticed. Her sister seemed to be a lot more stressed about the hospital than she was; and Pearl was the one with the thoughts about paper staplers and stitches.

Like no kid her age, she wasn’t a fan of the doctor; though strangely enough, Pearl quite was familiar with hospitals. She was a frequent visitor when she was a toddler; often accompanying her sisters, back when their mother was alive, but still bedridden. Even then, her memories were mostly scarce and fuzzy; just remembering how sterile it was, how quiet. 

Maybe similar thoughts were going through her sister’s head; the reason why she was being so silent. 

Pearl thought  that she was going to be okay; as by all means, she was fine throughout the thirty minute car ride. Maybe she was a tad bit anxious; but she was certain those feelings were rubbing off from her sister. 

But as soon as the car pulled up in front of the large, grayscale building; Pearl felt those panicky feelings drop into her stomach. She didn’t want to leave the car, but Yasmin was already unbuckling her seatbelt for her.

She didn’t resist; following Yasmin out of the car, with her own free will. But god, she held on tightly to her older sister’s hand; all until they had entered inside. 

This place, the ER, was just a giant waiting room; mostly empty besides a few receptionists, a few people waiting around the designated chairs. To Pearl’s surprise, it wasn’t that scary like the hospitals she had been to before; no loud beeping machines, no eerie silence.

There was even a TV broadcasting daytime television.

Pearl found herself relaxing a little bit; this was like visiting her regular doctors office, though hopefully this visit didn’t require her to get any shots. 

But still, she stuck around her sister as they walked over to the receptionist desk; her sister doing all the talking for her, as Pearl just peered up at the lady taking down all of the information.

Her injuries must have been dire enough; as it took one glance from the receptionist, to quickly escort them into the closed off area besides the waiting room. The receptionist hounded her sister with questions, and Yasmin answered them all; giving out Pearl’s medical information when prompted, bringing out ID cards from her wallet.

And of course, that was a long process; though Pearl was thankfully seated on a chair; the receptionist and her sister, combing through the paperwork. 

They were handling the matter seriously; with a sense of urgency that made Pearl nervous. This place could look all sweet and kind from the waiting room; but deep inside, it was just as intimidating as Pearl thought it was. 

From where she was sitting, she was just a few feet away from an empty IV rack; a couple box-like machines that scared Pearl at first glance. She wasn’t hoping to find out what they were used for, not today at least; though mockingly, they did stare at Pearl from her peripheral vision.

Pearl wanted nothing more than to run up and hide behind Yasmin; to get her eyes away  from those creepy machines. But on the same boat, Pearl was glued to her seat; knowing she wouldn’t be looked on too fondly, if she started wandering around.

Her patience would pay off soon enough; as in the next minute, Yasmin was grabbing her hand; the receptionist leading them out into a hallway, opposite to the door they had entered from.

Pearl held on tight to her sister; her eyes frantically scanning in her surroundings. As they headed deeper into the hospital, they were passing small, cubby-like rooms; separated with white sheets, instead of any actual doors. 

The receptionist had led them into an empty room; ushering them inside, while she stood outside herself. She assured the pair that the doctor would be in soon, grabbing the white curtain on her way out; pulling it shut.

But that thin fabric could hardly provide some privacy; almost transparent in bright hospital lights. There was chatter around them too, as Pearl could hear a person coughing not too far away.

Their small compartment of a room had a bed, a chair, and another jumble of mystery medical machines; something Pearl couldn’t escape no matter where  she went. 

At least she had Yasmin to comfort this time, as her sister led her over to the bed; the two sitting down, as they waited for the doctor. 

And waiting definitely took awhile, as obviously they weren’t the only patients needed to be seen in this hospital. Pearl thought her sister to be a pretty patient person; though it was probably the combination of missing work and being here  of all places, that was making her restless.

Bec was probably swamped with work in her sister's absence; a deadline added to the fact, as Pink had to be picked up from school at a certain time.

The time was currently unknown; as there were no clocks, no windows, no indication of anything ; which could definitely make one crazy after a while.

A decent amount of time passed, and the two were just silent; somberly waiting for anyone to come at this point. And without warning, the curtain had suddenly pulled back; coming as a surprise to both, as both of their heads had turned.

“June Pearl?” A voice asked; as on first glance, Pearl assumed this person to be a doctor; a middle-aged woman dressed in a white, pristine lab coat.

She was tall; with light brown skin, and greying black hair. She also held a clipboard in hand; looking down at her stack of papers, as she waited for an answer.

“Yes,” Her sister confirmed; giving an awkward pat to Pearl’s shoulder. “This is June.”

The doctor nodded, her eyes lingering on Pearl for a second; before closing the curtain.

“I’m Doctor Adarsh, and I’ll be taking care of your daughter today.” She began, introducing herself with a smile. “What brings you two to the ER?”

“Oh, no, um… she’s actually  my sister.” Yasmin corrected.

Pearl glanced up at her sister, noticing the flustered look on her face; as this was a misconception made quite   often. Bec would get the same comments from strangers; and back when Whitney was around, she would too. 

They were all noticeably similar, with their prominent noses and slender frames; even some of their habits , matching and identical. It was just common for people to assume that Pearl had parents; that corresponding adult standing next to her was, of course, her mother. 

“My apologies,” The doctor quickly acknowledged; turning back to the subject at hand. “So what happened?”

She was looking at Pearl while she asked; only making the poor girl more nervous, as Pearl still   wasn’t willing to tell the truth. Obviously, the doctor wasn’t affiliated with her school in any way; doubting those two paths would cross, even if Pearl had her reservations.

But Yasmin was here; definitely being the person to tell a school official, if she ever found out. Her older sister was protective, and she probably wouldn’t mean to throw Pearl under the bus; but getting other adults involved wouldn't make Pearl’s life any easier; especially on the playground, where she already struggled enough. 

“She fell during recess.” Yasmin relayed; speaking for her sister as she typically did, as she knew Pearl was shy around strangers.

Her sister hardly had a clue that she was helping Pearl with a cover-up; though Pearl was eternally grateful, as she wouldn’t be able to word it without sounding like she was purposefully excluding something. 

With Yasmin’s confirmation, she could only hope that it was enough for the doctor; wanting her to drop the subject entirely. Pearl couldn’t be entirely sure that she would, as the doctor had just nodded at them; the look on her face, rather unreadable. 

“Hmm…” Doctor Adarsh wondered out loud, taking a few steps forward. “Let me get a closer look.” 

She continued towards the cot they were sitting on; tucking her clipboard underneath her arm, as she pulled her lips into a thin little line. Her eyes were quick to settle on Pearl’s nose bridge; crouching down eventually, as she needed to check from a different angle. 

More than anything, Pearl wanted to hide in Yasmin’s arms; but she knew she couldn’t do that with the doctor examining her. If she just stayed by her side, Pearl could probably make it through this without crying; though she wasn’t holding any promises out for now. 

“That’s definitely a nose injury.” The doctor agreed after a moment; standing up, and reaching for her chart. 

Some of her papers were crumpled; but that fact was easily ignored, as she was checking up on some information. Doctor Adarsh had only paused for a brief moment; looking up again, as Yasmin called for her attention.

“The school nurse said it looked broken?” Yasmin inquired; not usually like her to interrupt, though this was Pearl  they were talking about.

She was the baby of their family; overly cautious, of course, as Pearl could just tell that her sister was overwhelmed. 

Doctor Adarsh was at least understanding; clearly not her first time dealing with concerned relatives. She nodded at Yasmin, hearing her out; though it was better not to confirm anything, before checking Pearl out herself.

“We’ll see.” The doctor assured before turning on her heel; nearing dangerously close to those big, unknown medical machines in the corner of the room.

Pearl gulped; as she’s been eyeing them ever since she got here. But in that same breath, she avoided looking too closely; she wasn’t trying to worry herself any further before the doctor came. 

She was trying to be mature about this; as Pearl didn’t want to be a baby and cry. But her entire body ran cold as she saw there was another  tray of equipment; arrayed with much smaller, hand-held supplies. 

In Pearl’s opinion, it all looked like stuff you could find in a toolbox; metal fixtures meant to poke and prod, with rubber cushioned handles for comfort sake— only for the doctor’s hands, of course.

Reality couldn’t be much clearer; as the doctor took an agonizing  amount of time to put on a pair of sterile gloves; culling over her selection of weapons, as Pearl just waited there with baited breath. Her heart pretty much popped like a deflating balloon; bursting completely, as the doctor finally  took hold of something.

Her instrument of choice, was thankfully, plastic all around; similarly shaped to a hammer, which instantly negated the small glimmer of hope Pearl had for this being non-invasive.

Pearl’s need for being mature went out the window after that. She was trying to hide behind Yasmin, as the doctor came back; her sister knowing better, and keeping her pinned in position; though she wasn’t prepared for a usually obedient Pearl, to start flailing around.

Yasmin was obviously alarmed; as she has never seen her sister freak out like this. Pearl was a kid, of course, but Yasmin didn’t want to see her upset; trying everything in her power to calm her before the tears came.

“Hey, hey, hey! You're going to be okay! She’s not going to hurt you!” Yasmin had cooed rather frantically; the soothing part obviously out of practice.

With all the commotion, it was hard for the doctor not to notice; stopping in her tracks, as she was somewhat obligated to lend in her helping hand. Her job wouldn't be made much earlier, if she didn’t  stop Pearl from resisting; trying to handle this in a more practical way, as it didn’t take her much to recognize why Pearl was so scared.

Doctor Adarsh had called to her calmly; her voice loud and clear to get Pearl’s attention. 

“June,” She stated before lifting up the medical instrument in hand; quick to explain what it was before Pearl could panic again. “This is a flashlight. I’m going to use it to see inside your nostrils.”

At first, it really felt like a trick; an elaborate ruse to get Pearl still and compliant. But the doctor had clicked a button on the flashlight-thing; a bright light flickering on with its touch. 

Pearl immediately went still; blinking through her blurry tears, as relief had hit her like a ton of bricks. She didn’t even have time to feel embarrassed; as she was just so grateful that she wasn’t going to be dissected alive.

“See?” Yasmin insisted as she loosened up her grip on Pearl. 

Her sister had breathed in a sigh of relief as well; glad Pearl’s tantrum had dissolved before it turned into something full-blown. With Pink in their care, Yasmin had witnessed her fair-share of them; Pearl starting to feel bad herself, as she had only added in more stress for her. 

It felt like she was in trouble; not made any better by that fact of Yasmin pulling away.

Nothing drastic was going to happen to her; but still, she wanted her sister to comfort her.

“Can I hold your hand when she looks?” Pearl sniffled; almost nervous to ask, after behaving so badly.

But Yasmin wasn’t mad at her, of course; smiling as she took back her sister's hand.

“I’ll be by your side the entire time.” 

The doctor had turned on her flashlight again, asking Pearl to tilt her head. She closed her eyes as she did so; as some of the light shone painfully in eyes as the doctor was examining her nose.

It lasted a little longer than a minute; but by the way the doctor was humming, Pearl could tell her situation wasn’t ideal. Pearl had peaked open an eye to try and see her reaction; but again, she was blinded by light.

“There’s a lot of dried up blood in there, but her septum doesn’t look to be deviated.” The doctor informed after clicking off her flashlight; leaving Pearl to lower her head back to normal, as she assumed  that this was now over.

“That's good, right?” Yasmin understood; as like Pearl, she wasn't so accustomed to this fancy medical language.

There was only one question Pearl had in mind: what the heck was a septum? To her understanding, a nose was called a nose.

“Yes,” Doctor Adarsh was quick to confirm. “I think the swelling is what’s making her nose look so crooked. With the help of some ice, that should fix itself within a couple of days.”

“But gosh, that was certainly a fall.” The doctor remarked; glancing down at Pearl again. “I usually don’t see fractured noses in most cases.”

There was this question again ; as Pearl could feel the doctor drilling holes into her head, like she was prompting her to tell the full story and details. Mentioning that she just ‘fell’, obviously wasn’t the option anymore; as Doctor Adarsh wouldn’t let up, and probably wouldn’t let them leave until she fessed up.

Not that Pearl was trying to be rude, but none of it was her business really. She was still too naive to understand the real  reason why Doctor Adarsh was asking.

But here she was, lying through her teeth regardless; as she didn’t want Yasmin to know. She wasn’t going to make things up completely, as frankly, Pearl was too inexperienced as a liar; just admitting the truth selectively .

“I fell down the slide.” Pearl recalled; pausing for a second before adding in another detail that came into mind. 

“My shoes were slippery,” Pearl fabricated as she peered down her legs; her bare knees and legs slightly scuffed. “I tripped on the slide when I was about to sit down.”

She bit down on her lip, as she turned back to the doctor; hoping that her story was at least   convincing. In her own mind, Pearl had painted a clear enough picture; having some actual evidence to back herself up.

Doctor Adarsh squinted down at Pearl’s shoes; dangling down from the edge of the cot. The patent leather of her mary-janes were scratched; evidence of her fall, corroborating to Pearl’s version of events. 

None of them were actually there; so why wouldn’t they take her words as anything less than the truth? 

Surprisingly, Pearl found lying a little easier than expected; but she wasn’t about to be too cocky, with her new-found power. She's seen with Pink firsthand; what the consequences were, when you got too confident.

Pearl had a strong conscience; though as of right now, it wasn’t really kicking in. She was celebrating her victory of getting Doctor Adarsh off her back; only assuming Yasmin would too, as she wanted to get out of here as well.

“ Not again ,” Yasmin had sighed.

Pearl whipped her head in her older sister's direction; a little too fast, as face twinged with pain. Ouch . 

Really, all this time she was thinking about fending off the doctor; not thinking about how Yasmin would react to the story. The shoe thing had been a problem since school first started; the girls slipping and sliding around the tiles of their school and house, as their uniform shoes were new and weren’t worn enough.

It was mostly a problem with Pink; as she had multiple pairs of shoes, while Pearl only had one set. With daily use, Pearl had worn her’s eventually; now going back on her statement, to keep up with her lie. 

“Well, it looks like the time to buy her some new shoes.”The doctor pointed out with her finger; directed Yasmin’s attention to the scuffs. 

“They’re a part of her uniform.” Yasmin replied a little too quickly. “She goes to a private school.” 

Pearl was starting to feel bad now; conscience flipped back on like a light-switch, as she remembered how truly expensive these uniform shoes were. She could recall Yasmin setting aside the budget; as even then, they still couldn’t afford much more than a single pair.

Lying no longer felt like a good thing; not if her sisters were directly involved. Guilt was weighing on her stomach like an anchor, but Pearl had to suck it up for now. The doctor was staring at her again; this time attention turned to Pearl’s shirt.

Somehow, Doctor Adarsh managed to look past all the blood stains; focusing on the logo of her shirt, instead.

“Prince Academy, huh? I’ve only heard good things.” The doctor admired.  “That must mean you’re a smart girl.” 

“Yes,” Yasmin beamed, glad to have changed the subject. “She is.”

She gave Pearl’s hand another squeeze; though this time, Pearl couldn’t find any comfort in it. 

With all said and done, the doctor was now free to discharge them; scribbling some notes on her chart; instructing the two to stay put until someone came with their estimated bill. 

They were left waiting again; as Doctor Adarsh made her exit with a quick goodbye. Ideally, as they’ve been inside of this hospital for long enough; both sisters were hoping that this wouldn’t take any longer than it did before.

But five minutes of waiting had easily turned into fifteen; leaving Yasmin to grumble about how this hospital had a horrible waiting time; that it would have been worth their time to drive an extra thirty minutes to the ‘nicer’ hospital.

Her sister’s ranting must have stirred something in the universe; as a man had entered their room soon after, handing over their medical bill.

It consisted of three long pieces of paper; text top to bottom, as Yasmin had flipped through and scanned each page. Pearl watched as she pulled her lips into a pucker; folding the papers in half, as suddenly, Yasmin had stood up from her seat.

There were no further words from her, as she directed Pearl to get up as well; only continuing her silence, as she escorted her sister out of the building. 

Somehow, they had managed to find the car in the maze that was the parking lot; Yasmin speaking once they had settled inside, informing the chauffeur to drive the two home. 

Her sister was quiet throughout the entire ride, as Pearl was no longer the sole focus of her worries; that bill was weighing on her mind too. Yasmin had wasted no time to tuck that bill away; knowing that it was a bad thing, as Pearl wasn’t so naive and clueless as her sisters made her to be.

She would have to eavesdrop to find out more details; as her sisters would only talk about things when they figured Pearl wasn’t listening. But Pearl was always listening, as she had so many of her questions left unanswered. 

Pearl had repeated them plenty: why Whitney wasn’t calling; asking for when she would finally  visit, going on months since they had last seen each other. 

On most occasions, these questions were deflected; even limiting the amount of times Pearl could call Whitney. Their littlest sister was surprisingly stubborn at this; trying her hardest to make contact, while they weren’t even trying anymore.

A single month of unanswered calls was enough to make them  discouraged; but Pearl wasn’t quitting, having the tenacity to push through the disappointment. 

The heartbreak of every missed call would be soon worth it; as Pearl was  reuniting this family, having no doubts about it.

It wasn’t long before the car arrived on Diamond property; pulling up into the long circular driveway, and letting the two exit, before the chauffeur drove away. 

And instead of entering the Diamond house as expected, Yasmin had guided her over to their tiny house; entering into their living room, as Yasmin had then stripped Pearl of her bloodied uniform.

Yasmin came back from her bedroom with a new pair of clothes; letting Pearl dress herself, as she headed over to sink with the uniform in hand. As Pearl slipped her new shirt over her head, Yasmin had started to run the clothes under the sink; scrubbing the blood stains with dish soap and hot water, as she was trying to salvage the pieces as best as she could.

If anyone could work a miracle, it was Yasmin; though it would probably take time, maybe including a trip down to the Diamonds laundry room, where she could ‘borrow’ some supplies while the Diamonds were turning a blind eye. But for now, her sister was trying to make due with what she had; as turning there would be her last resort.

Steam had billowed up from the sink, as Yasmin was running the sink up at the highest temperature possible; seeming like her sister would be there for a while, which gave Pearl the perfect idea to pass the time.

Pearl was quick to finish changing, as she then migrated over to the telephone; the latest model gifted by the Diamonds themselves. Technology was changed frequently around the house; and this one was completely different compared to the old they had.

This one had an answering machine; fancy buttons you could press instead of rotating the dial around in a circle.

It seemed really complicated at first; though Pearl had made herself familiar by the sheer amount of times she would use this thing. As per usual, Pearl started off by picking up the actual phone part; standing on her tiptoes, as she dialed in the number.

Her heart was racing as she brought the phone to her ear, attuned to the sound of it ringing; as typically, Pearl would find herself counting along. But today she held her breath, as she wasn’t supposed to be doing this right now; Yasmin oblivious to what she was doing behind her back.

Pearl had moved on autopilot, not thinking it through this time; as the mere idea of Whitney picking up, had caused her to call on impulse. No harm, no foul; as the phone went to voicemail, leaving Pearl with no choice but to put the phone down in defeat. 

From across the room, Yasmin was still hunched over the sink; working on Pearl’s shirt, as she continued to scrub at the stubborn stains. Pearl had watched for a few seconds; turning towards the kitchen, but refusing to move otherwise.

Obviously, she had a plan to stay; reaching for the phone once again.

She repeated all of the steps; placing the phone to her ear, and dialing in the number; the ten digit code already memorized by heart. It was worth another shot, though her expectations were a little lowered; as Pearl wasn’t expecting an answer after being ignored.

After this call dropped, Pearl swore  that this would be her last attempt; that she was lucky enough to get in a phone call and a half. A third one would definitely be too risky; as there was no doubt about Yasmin catching her.

Surprisingly, her nerves weren’t stopping her from ending this call. It would be over soon; as Pearl knew how many times the phone would ring before being sent to voicemail. 

She was halfway there; counting three in total.

There were two more waiting on for her; the fourth starting it’s usual blare, until it was suddenly cut shorter than normal. The line went silent with a click, and Pearl was confused for a second; her breath halting, as she never heard this before.

In cases like this, she would either ask for Bec’s or Yasmin’s help; as they were adults, knowing better than she did. Obviously she was out of luck, as she was quick to assume that she did something by accident; like pressing the wrong button or something .

Pearl wouldn’t have time to retrace her steps; the idea obliterated from her mind completely, as a voice miraculously , piped in from the other side of the line.

“Hello?!”

All Pearl heard was a female voice; nothing in a similar tone to her sister’s, but it was through the phone after all. Pearl was much too excited to understand it fully; in a shock of sorts, as finally , she was able to accomplish the one thing they were waiting for all along. 

Talking to their sister.   

Reality set in quickly; as after that, Pearl was hardly able to contain herself.

“Whitney!” She squealed into the phone; immediately forgetting about Yasmin, and how she wasn’t supposed to be doing this in the first place.

The running sink came sputtering to a stop; as the next thing she knew was Yasmin running towards her, the carpeted floors thundering under her wake. It all happened so fast, but Pearl was certain that was the fastest she’d seen her sister run; not since the incident two months ago where Yasmin had caught Pink playing the stove. 

Pearl was ecstatic ; bouncing on her feet as she turned to Yasmin, who was by her side within seconds. She was expecting her to feel the same, peering up at Yasmin to see her reaction; only to be met with shock, as her sister suddenly tore the phone from Pearl’s grip.

The telephone cord was pulled taut with resistance; as Yasmin practically lifted the entire machine off the side table. Pearl could only gape up at her; ignored by her sister, as Yasmin pushed the landline back onto the place; this all accompanied by the voice from the phone, droning on in the background, as she  was clearly confused.

After a few seconds of fumbling, Yasmin had finally brought the phone to her face; the water droplets from her wet hands, dripping down to her forearms. With Pearl's sudden announcement; of course, she didn’t have the time to dry them.

Her lips had moved to say ‘hello’; but she could barely get the sound out, before being cut off by the other voice on the telephone. And from where Pearl was standing, she couldn’t understand anything (italic) that was being said; as the phone’s speaker wasn’t meant to project that loudly.

She could only be certain of one thing, how the voice was loud like Whitney’s; the only thing Pearl could really hear coming from the telephone. But again, the volume was super low like a hum; just hearing the garble of spoken words.

And really, the voice was relentless; as Yasmin couldn’t even get in a single word. Pearl had only figured that Whitney was catching up; becoming evidently clear that it wasn’t the case, as her sister’s face had paled; the person on the other side, talking for too long.  

This feeling of dread had overtaken Pearl’s excitement completely; as she knew she had messed. It was too late to apologize and hang up the phone; her sister was already involved.

Yasmin was taking Pearl’s slack; quite obvious that she was being berated over the phone, just from the sheer amount of time it took for Yasmin to get in a sentence.

“I’m so sorry, Ms. Diamond. It won't happen again.” 

She was admitting fault right away; not like Yasmin would have any time to argue this through, as she was being talked over again . Her sister wasn’t that type of person anyways; willing to cut her losses instead of getting into any kind of trouble. 

 But to Pearl, this sounded like trouble; overwhelmed with so much fear, that she could only stand and stare up at her sister with wide-eyes. Yasmin couldn’t even look at her back; pressing her teeth into her bottom lip. 

“Yes, I understand that, and I apologize.” Yasmin had managed to squeeze in. “There must’ve been a miscommunication between me and my—”

Her efforts were silenced once again; leaving Yasmin to nod along meekly, even if the gesture couldn’t be seen.

“Sorry.” She mumbled; eyes lowered to the ground.

Pearl couldn’t count herself as lucky for missing out on this conversation; as it was evidently clear that she was getting in trouble after this call. 

It was hard not to wait in agony, as Yasmin only continued to hold up that phone to ear. Pearl didn’t have the time to feel selfish for herself; as after this, she truly deserved to be screamed at; only fair after what Yasmin’s been through. 

No matter how old you were, it clearly didn't feel good to be yelled at. Pearl really thought as you got older, that it would be completely  different; that you held more power as an adult, to be respected much more. 

But living and working for the Diamonds, had proved quite the opposite. They would always   find something wrong; her sisters building up an armor of tolerance, just to deal with them. 

“I will.” Yasmin had promised again; having all the patience in the world, even if it wasn’t quite deserved. 

Her sister was silently furious; a rage you wouldn’t hear in her voice, but brimming quitely inside. Pearl could see glimpses of it; simmering behind her eyes, wound tight in her jaw.

But she took a deep breath; and Yasmin was again, speaking normally. Pearl didn’t know how she could do that; but unbeknownst to her, that habit was already innate in herself. 

“Goodbye, Ms. Di—” 

Her voice hung sharply in the air, interrupted by the blare of the phone disconnecting.

Yasmin’s jaw fell open; her eyes narrowing from how rude it was. She was quick to pull out the phone beneath her ear, slamming it back onto the table, before turning around; not noticing how her sister had flinched at the action.

Semi-wet hands had wiped at her face; needing a second to cool down before she could confront Pearl. 

And poor Pearl had no choice but to watch and wait; the tension around them, so thick and consuming; her heart leaping out of her chest, as Yasmin faced her again. 

She came off as strong; hands on her hips, as she wasn’t playing around anymore.

“You can’t ever  call that phone number again!” Yasmin snapped; her voice entirely serious, as she no longer had the patience to be polite and all reasoning. 

Pearl didn’t even have the strength  to argue back; she was beat down too many times today, taking in the scolding she knew  she deserved. 

“Apparently, she can’t take phone calls!” Yasmin scoffed as her hands fell to her sides, throwing her head up in annoyance.

To Pearl, this was easily mistaken as anger towards her; not to the phone call, or the new rules sprung up on her so suddenly. She was ashamed , and she was trying everything in her power not to cry; forcing down the lump in throat, painful as emotion was constricting her airways.

She sniffed and blinked, and it stung; as her sinuses were on fire again. Pearl was trying to look up at Yasmin, to show that she was paying attention; but god, it was hard to do so without bursting into a mess of tears. 

Yasmin had seemed to collect herself in that minute and a half; but she was still staying stern while talking herself down, trying to make her point clear.

“Whitney can get into serious trouble if you call again.” Yasmin warned. “So from now on, you’re only allowed to use that phone during emergencies.” 

“And you know what I mean by emergency, right? Like when somebody is hurt or in danger.” Her sister had paused to question, leaving Pearl to respond.

Unfortunately, her vocal-chords were completely frozen; forcing herself to nod, as she blinked up at her sister.

“If I see you touch that phone when you’re not supposed to, I will punish you.” Yasmin reprimanded. “Do you understand?”

It took Pearl a moment to remember how to talk; but eventually, she did squeak out something. 

“Y-yes.” She whispered.

Yasmin understood her sister well; as Pearl wasn’t someone you had to repeat yourself with. So that was the end of lecture; stopping it right there and then, as Pearl had already been through enough.

But Pearl was holding her breath; waiting for it to be over, when frankly, it already was. She was in denial; earning a light slap on her wrist, for something so  explosive. 

Her sister had moved on as normal; walking back to the kitchen, and tending back to Pearl’s wet uniform. She did everything in her skill-set to remove the majority of the stain; but it was obvious that the white shirt needed more than just hot water.

Whatever stain-removing elixir they needed, was probably in the Diamonds laundry room; as it was Yasmin's next plan of action to head over there, stuffing the soaked uniform into a plastic bag. 

On her way to the front door, she had grabbed Pearl’s hand; tugging her little sister along, as they headed down the path towards the Diamonds house.

They were entering through the sliding door as they usually did; Yasmin pushing the door open for her sister, and letting her enter in first. 

As Pearl stepped foot into the dining room, the house was surprisingly quiet; a clear conclusion that Pink wasn’t home yet. Silence could only be possible in her absence; as wherever Pink would go, she would always make herself known.

Quickly, Pearl found herself stepping to the side; letting Yasmin follow in afterwards. She was turned away from the kitchen, as she watched her sister pull the door shut; the plastic bag shielded by her body, as none of the Diamonds knew they did laundry with their   machines.

Pearl wasn’t sure if they would approve otherwise; but it wasn’t the risk worth taking. They couldn’t do any laundry at the guest house; the Diamonds hadn’t equipped them with a washer or dryer. 

With the sliding door closed and locked, Yasmin had motioned for her to follow; Pearl spinning on her heel and using all of her wingspan, because she wasn’t aware of anybody being close to her. 

But her arm and shoulder were quick to collide with a body; unintentionally being on the pathway of exiting out of the kitchen. Of course, the person behind Pearl thought they could squeeze by; not expecting her to move so suddenly.

“Oh, I’m sorry, June.” The person, Blair Diamond, had quickly apologized before backing away. 

Pearl did the same; relieved that it was Blair instead of Yelena; as at least she was kind and somewhat forgiving. 

She did have Pink Diamond as her child, so she had to have a lot of patience as a person.

“You’re so quiet,” Blair chuckled, taking the situation lightly. “Sometimes I forget you’re even here.”

Even if she seemed okay with it, Pearl still had to apologize regardless; as it was the polite thing to do, on top of Blair being their boss.

Pearl had turned to the Diamond with a ‘sorry’ on tongue; only to be completely ignored, as Blair finally caught a glance of her face.

She gasped loudly and dramatically; hands flying to her face, as Blair took another step back.

“My goodness! Is she okay?!” Blair shrieked as turned to Yasmin; treating her as if she was oblivious, like she was ignoring Pearl’s injury on purpose.

“You need to take her to go see someone! Her face is bruised!”

“I did! We just came back from the hospital!” Yasmin had frantically explained; as of course, she did care about Pearl to get her medical attention. “I asked for a car earlier!”

“Oh,” Blair nodded; unaware, as Pearl could only assume that Yelena had dealt with all that.

“There’s an ice pack in the freezer.” Blair continued, pointing back to the kitchen where she came from. “She really needs one.” 

It was a good thing that Blair was focusing on Pearl, giving her sympathies; because one glance at Yasmin, told Pearl she was furious . 

Really, Yasmin had every right to be offended, as Blair was treating her as clueless; someone too inexperienced to be taking care of a child. But for the sake of her employment, she was holding herself together; not doing as great of a job as before, as Yasmin was visibly gritting her teeth.

“Thank you,” Her sister acknowledged for the sake of being polite. “But I have to finish mopping the floors.”

Her bared teeth had turned into a grin now, enough restraint for the untrained eye; though Pearl knew better and could tell she was faking it. If looks could kill, Blair Diamond would be six feet under; but her sister’s saccharine smile was enough to convince Blair otherwise. 

With her free hand, Yasmin had reached over to grab Pearl’s arm; tugging her to move along, as she wanted to escape before her true colors could bleed out. 

Luckily, Blair Diamond had taken the liberty to exit the room as well; having more important things to do than stand around; heading into the first-floor hallway, while the two had scurried down into the basement.

It was a good thing that she was walking in the opposite direction; as the laundry room had none of the supplies to clean the floors. Blair was probably smart enough to catch them on their lie; only if she took the time to actually stop and think.

_____

Pearl was mostly asleep. And by mostly asleep, she was tossing and turning throughout the few hours she had been in bed.

By nature, Pearl was a side sleeper; her nose making her uncomfortable, even if it had nothing to with that. Parts of her cheekbones were swollen and tender to touch; hurting every time she would turn. 

On top of that, her nose was still incredibly stuffy; nothing compared to how it felt earlier, but still drastic enough; as Pearl had to occasionally breathe in her mouth.

That was jarring enough to wake her from her fits of sleep; so Pearl wasn’t all that surprised by the sudden thumping noise that came in from the living room. Her eyes flicked open at the sound; taking a second to adjust in the dark.

A sliver of moonlight had crept into her room, and Pearl could only assume that it was midnight; as that was time her sisters would come home from the Diamonds house. 

On a typical night, she wouldn’t hear them walking around at all; in a deep sleep like the majority of the population. But she was awake now; and the thinner, less insulated walls, weren’t helping her favor.

The floorboards in the house had a habit of creaking and cracking; nothing her sisters could really do to avoid making that sound. Obviously, they weren’t trying to be any louder, but Pearl could still tell that they were still up and awake; as nights were the only time they had to themselves. 

They had work, Pearl had school in the morning; and really, all three of them should be asleep. They were all up for different circumstances; but Pearl figured that she shouldn’t be alone. 

She was groggy as she got up from bed; stopping to rub at her eyes, as she slowly opened up her bedroom door. The hallway was mostly dark, but light was peering in from the living room; as Pearl took a sharp turn towards her destination.

Frankly, Pearl was half-asleep while she was walking; stumbling in like a zombie, eyes squinting in complaint of the lighting. But she was quiet enough not to be noticed by her sisters; their backs turned towards Pearl as they were sitting on the couch, eating bowls of cereal.

They seemed to be mid-conversation, stopping to eat some of their cornflakes; as Pearl knew how quickly that could turn into mush. Bec had pulled her spoon from mouth, and there was a topic already waiting to be said; glancing over at Yasmin as she plopped her spoon into her bowl.

“You have everything?” Bec asked as she jeered her thumb towards the front door; a suitcase leaning there, presumably packed and ready to go.

Yasmin nodded; taking her time to answer as she chewed through her cereal. 

“Yes.” She swallowed. “But what about you? Do you think you can handle the entire house while I’m gone?”

“I mean, it’ll be empty.”  Bec shrugged, staring down at her bowl. “At least you’re the lucky one who gets to go to France for a week.” 

“ Tch , yeah,” Her sister scoffed; as Pearl could practically hear her rolling her eyes. “The lucky one who watches Pink, while her parents go out and day drink.”

Reaching over to the coffee table, Yasmin had placed her bowl down with a clink ; clearly done with her cereal.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love that little girl, I really do.” Yasmin explained; her hands growing with emphasis. “But sometimes she drives me crazy. Like literally  insane.”

Her other sister was oddly quiet; but on second glance, it wasn’t hard to recognize that Bec was holding in her laughter; her cheeks puffed up, lips pulled into a smirk. It really wasn’t right for them to laugh, but it all came tumbling out like an avalanche; right as the two made eye-contact.

They were hysterical for a moment; extremely quick to contain themselves, as it was already late at night. For now, they were oblivious to the fact that Pearl was awake; keeping their teasing to a quieter level.

“Why does she think it’s a good idea to play with dirt, when her poor mother is a germaphobe?!” Yasmin exclaimed; her voice just below her normal volume. “I’m surprised Blair hasn’t had a heart attack yet!” 

Bec brought a hand up to her mouth, trying to cover another chuckle. “And Whitney thought June was a handful.”

The atmosphere had immediately changed at the mention of her name; every ounce of sleep lifted from Pearl’s body, as Yasmin’s mood had switched drastically as well; her sister sulking back into the couch like a child. 

“Mm-hm, speaking of the devil,” She began; words tarter than a lemon. “She’s a liar and a flake.” 

“Yasmin,” Bec had cautioned.

“It runs in her DNA, I guess.” Yasmin continued, ignoring the efforts of her sister. “Just like our bastard of a father.”

“You share the same father.” Bec pointed; wanting to stop this before it could turn into an argument. Her sister was hardly the type of person who was confrontational; the mediator of fights, usually wedging her way between Yasmin and Whitney.

But today, she found herself on the other side; trying to calm Yasmin before she could say something regrettable. 

Their sister was already on that train; as Yasmin wanted nothing to do with advice, airing out all of her frustrations instead. And if her sister was right on that assumption, that similarities ran through their blood; she had  to inherit the same testiness  as Whitney, both firecrackers on their own accord. 

“At least, I  have the decency to think of June!” Yasmin retorted; not happy at Bec for answering in that way, as she jabbed her finger in the air. “She knows how it feels first hand, for someone to just abandon you!”

“Please lower your voice.” Bec pleaded; nervous about the commotion.

“I can’t believe she lied about us being able to call her!” Yasmin ranted; this time, with more restraint on her volume. “June’s crushed completely!”

“I know,” Bec sighed; gaze fixed on her cereal bowl. “But maybe the rules had changed for her? They’ve changed on us before.”

Yasmin had mimicked her sigh; this time louder, and much more dramatic.

“Ugh, I don’t know!” Yasmin had argued upon standing up; hands falling to her sides as she turned to Bec. “Are you done with your dinner?” 

Bec had blinked up at her sister; surprised to see her pause on her anger. She hesitated for a mere second, before handing over the bowl; not as empty as Yasmin’s was, as clearly, she wasn’t in the mood to eat anymore.

This small moment of ceasefire would soon be over; as Yasmin was back to barraging her sister, reaching for the second bowl on the table.

“—And then I’m the bad guy who has to break the news!” Yasmin complained as she glanced back at Bec; now on her way over to the kitchen. 

She was only able to take a few steps forward, before she suddenly did double take; eyes immediately drawn to the hallway, as she saw Pearl standing in the corner of her eye. 

Yasmin jumped; as the image of a little girl dressed in all white, wasn’t the thing you wanted to see standing in your hallway. Especially at night; and not because you were smack-talking your sister, just moments pior. 

Whitney was adored  by Pearl; and obviously she knew better than to talk like that in front of her. 

“June!” She gasped; more nervous than she was shocked. “Why are you awake?!” 

Pearl had blinked up at her sister; noticing how pale her face was, as her eyes had frantically turned to Bec. At the mention of her name, Bec had perked up as well; peering from the side of the couch, as there was nothing she could really do to help Yasmin.

She had already warned her beforehand. 

“I can’t sleep.” Pearl mumbled; her voice a little croaky from its lack of use. 

Yasmin had hummed; quick to address her, but even quicker to carry herself into the kitchen; as she had her excuse to go do the dishes.

Really, Pearl had nothing against her for doing that; the roles actually reversed for once, as Yasmin was trying to avoid any trouble from Pearl. Her sister hadn’t had a single clue that Pearl was standing there; just listening to them all along. 

Yasmin clearly couldn’t guess for how long; as it didn’t really matter for this case, as all parts of her conversation were bad . It was better for her to chicken out of this situation, and let Bec deal with Pearl; the only good guy in this situation. 

“C’mere, June.” Bec lilted, trying to get Pearl to move from the hallway. “Did you have a nightmare?”

It was a pretty accurate guess; but not the case for today. On the occasion Pearl did   wake up in the middle of the night, items usually for that reason; as Pearl would often sneak into their room, wanting to cuddle with Bec. 

“Nuh-uh.” Pearl had whined with the shake of her head, making her way towards Bec. “My nose is all stuffy.”

As she approached the couch, Bec had helped her climb up; not all that awake like she thought she was.

“Well, that’s not good.” Bec frowned; letting her little sister crawl into her arms. “Would it make you feel better to just sit here for a while?” 

“Yeah.” Pearl whispered; resting her head on Bec’s shoulder, as comfortable as she could be for now.

Her face was still hurting, but it felt better now with Bec next to her; Pearl closing her eyes to the soft sound of the sink running, as Bec held her similar to a baby.

It was the same way she would hold her when she had a nightmare; like if her sister had magic powers to lull her back to sleep.

“I think I’m going to keep you home from school tomorrow.” Bec decided out of nowhere; stirring Pearl out of her stupor.

She couldn’t be mad at her for doing that; because overall, Pearl was still droopy-eyed.

“Yay.” She cheered, words raspy and thick with sleep; though Pearl could still manage a smile, even if she couldn’t open her eyes entirely.

Bec had chuckled; and Pearl could feel the vibrations bouncing from her chest. Obviously, they couldn't keep up this conversation for any longer; as persuasive sleep was luring her back in.

She was lucky enough to be coherent for a few more seconds; wishing that she could sleep in Bec’s bed tonight, but hardly having the strength to say it out loud. She could no longer fight the trance, even if she tried; plain exhausted from all the sleep torn away from her.

But Pearl could be happy with this one moment. What a rarity now, to have these late-night cuddles; to fall asleep in her sister's arms, and to be carried back into bed. 

Frankly, they were too busy now to make this commonplace; only allowed to step away, just to tuck in Pearl for the night. 

This was their new normal, and it had been for months ; as it wasn’t changing on Pearl’s own accord. She missed her old life, but days like these made it feel like a far-off memory; just thankful for the family that cared for her, who actually stuck around.

She’ll accept it one day; maybe not tomorrow, but soon enough.

Chapter Text

“…With all of this in consideration, I can safely predict that our phone sales will increase by twenty percent.” Blair boasted; confident as ever, as she sat tall in Yelena’s extra office chair.

In the afternoon sun of her office, Blair was no longer a stranger to Yelena. 

The VP made eye contact, concluding herself perfectly; as Blair was proving why she was hired for this job. This was only a practice run of her presentation, though it could have been the real thing— Blair was more than well prepared; as she recited the majority of points from her memory. 

She typed out a little cheat-sheet for herself; something to reference, if she did falter. But over the weeks that they had been practicing together, Blair had hardly used it at all; as Yelena could count the amount of times on one hand. 

For once, Yelena was thoroughly impressed with one her employees; as Blair had given herself less credit than she deserved.

And yes, Yelena was the one to offer up some assistance; but Blair didn’t need it creatively. She had plenty of great ideas, and just needed the extra push to pursue them; as after all, Yelena had this growing suspicion that Blair’s own marketing team was getting to her head. 

When Blair came in with her first draft, nearly two weeks ago; her report hardly needed to be tweaked. Her thoughts, her wording, needed to be a little more concise; but Blair had easily fixed that problem on her own. 

Yelena had a lot of faith in her; as she even went the extra mile to run some numbers for Blair. Statistics, predictions— all calculated during Yelena’s free time; mighty generous of her, considering that she wasn’t getting any of the brownie points.

But strangely enough, Yelena had wanted to do it; as she didn’t mind switching roles between them. She saw it’s worth in the end; because Blair was proud of what she created.

She wasn’t apprehensive anymore. Blair was no longer meek and shy. Even if it was just the two of them in this office, Blair had the utmost confidence in her presentation; finishing just as strongly as she started.

“Thank you all, for taking your time and consideration.” Blair addressed as if she was speaking to a crowd. “If any of you have questions, I am willing to answer them now.”

Yelena nodded; breaking the intense eye contact, as she glanced down at the physical copy of the report, in her hand. Essentially, it was the summary of Blair’s entire presentation; something to hand out to stockholders, so they could remember the finer details.

It’s just business. Yelena justified, as she scanned through the double-sided paper. That’s that nature if it, you have to look at people. 

But she needed that break for her own sanity. For the sake of being professional, as they had history between them…

One-sided; but still history, nevertheless. 

“Where are my questions, Yelena?!” Blair demanded all playfully; running Yelena for a loop, as she still expected Blair to be on business mode.

Quickly, she cleared her throat and composed herself; as she wasn’t going to let Blair see her off guard.

“I was going to quiz you, but I decided to give you a break.” Yelena declared; handing the paper back over to Blair. “This copy of the report is perfect.”

Blair beamed; taking the compliment, as she took the paper.

 “Thank god we noticed that spelling error yesterday.” Blair laughed; lifting the paper in the air. “I would be so embarrassed to have the wrong use of ‘there’ on my paper.” 

“It happens to the best of us.” Yelena shrugged. She leaned back into her office chair; reaching for the sandwich bag of trail mix Blair had brought in for lunch. 

Blair had hardly touched it herself; but then, she was talking the entire time. She had her yogurt, at least; scarfing that down towards the beginning of their break, as Blair wanted to have the right amount of time to practice her speech.

Her timing was impeccable as always— as a glance at the clock showed that their break would be over in nine minutes; meaning, that it was three more hours until the presentation itself. 

Everything was in order, and Blair was well-prepared; but as soon she saw the timing for herself, her confidence came dwindling down. It was nerves, Yelena noticed; as Blair couldn’t help by sigh, and retreat back into her usual shell.

She wasn’t trying to stall, despite it. Blair had reached for the manila folder she had brought with her; as currently, it sat upon Yelena’s organized desk.

“I’m trying not to be nervous, but it’s so much easier talking to you.” She confessed; careful, as she placed the paper back into the folder. 

Somehow, she read Yelena’s mind exactly. 

Was her concern for Blair, that obvious? 

Yelena threw some trail mix in her mouth; biding herself some time, as she wanted to encourage Blair; just needing to find the right words.

Speaking on impulse, wasn’t playing it cool; and Yelena had to play it cool, because she didn’t want to be mistinterped as flirting. Yelena wasn’t trying to flirt; because Yelena didn’t like Blair like that. 

That's what she kept telling herself, at least.

Upon swallowing, Yelena had figured out what she was going to say; no time to come off as nonchalant, as she already spent so much time just thinking. 

“You’re going to do an amazing job. You always do.”

If Blair wasn’t here, telling her that she was nervous; Yelena wouldn’t have guessed it at all. From the way Blair presented herself in front of the board— even down to the way that she talked; there was nothing but professionalism. 

Blair was surprisingly brave enough to share this; as after all, Yelena was a part of the stockholders she doted upon— one of the big bosses of this company.

“You really think so?” Blair hesitated; as she was clearly having trouble accepting such a high compliment.

This time, Yelena didn’t wait around to speak— though she probably should have. She nodded fervently; hardly realizing what she was saying, until it was far too late.

“Honestly, you’re probably one of the best presenters we’ve had in a while. You have this eloquent way of speaking…” 

She was gushing. Yelena was gushing, and it was exactly the thing she didn’t want to do. 

Her brain ran on autopilot; and of course, it was an incredibly stupid thing to say, considering that Yelena did every in her power to not make things more awkward between them. 

Backtracking would only make it worse; Yelena wasn’t going to take it back, and break Blair’s heart, when she truly meant those words. Whatever consequences that came from saying it, Yelena had to accept; as in turn, she was the only one responsible for shooting herself in the foot. 

But the word, consequence, couldn't be more of an overstatement. In reality, Blair was smiling at her; and it only could be assumed that she wasn’t angry.

Nevertheless, it was a complicated feeling for Yelena to wrap her head around; as Blair was a thousand piece puzzle set, she only had seconds to solve.

Like, the pink in Blair’s cheeks— was she embarrassed? Because naturally, Yelena assumed that she was embarrassed— as what else was to it? 

“You’re sweet.” Blair quipped; giggling in such a confusing way. “When I stand in front of that board room, I’m going to pretend that I’m just talking to you.” 
 
She stood from her chair; a relatively normal pause in their conversation, as Blair was gathering up all the trash from their lunch. They were acting like colleagues— maybe even friends; as Yelena was always the one to blow things out of proportion. 

“I have to go and make some extra copies of my report,” Blair announced, as she eyed the clock on the wall; only three more minutes until one. “Thank you again for your help, and hopefully I’ll see you later…?” 

Blair, of course, was going to see her at that meeting; but the way she was suggesting it… 

Maybe Yelena was reading her wrong again, but it sounded like Blair wanted another opportunity to speak with her. About what, was the question; but Yelena hardly had time to wonder, before she found herself speaking.

“I’ll be there early.” She confirmed. 

Yelena was already the type of person to arrive early to begin with— but she didn’t need to explain that to Blair. Instead, she focused on making sure that Blair had everything; offering the bag of trail mix Yelena still had in her hands, even though Blair insisted that she’d keep it.

With that exchange, Blair was on her way out of her office; bidding Yelena one last farewell, as she opened up the door; more or less a waving goodbye with her manila folder, as her hands were quite occupied at the moment.

It was enough to make Yelena smile; distracting her momentarily, from the piles of work that she had to launch herself back into. Her lunch break was now over, and she was officially slacking on company time; tossing the bag of trail mix onto her desk. 

There was that stack of paperwork, Yelena was working on before her lunch break— resuming from where she left off, as pulled a pen from the breast pocket of her blazer. She wrote her signature down a thousand times; all budget plans she was authorizing. 

And when that was over, there were plenty of more papers to thumb through; math she had to double check, until her mind was numb with numbers. Time flew by fairly quickly, as she was now pushing that all aside for a phone call; scheduled for two-thirty sharp. 

But already, her patience for this was running thin; as Yelena didn’t expect herself to be on hold for almost fifteen minutes. Their manufacturing division was lucky enough not to be located in their office; as Yelena would’ve marched over there, and given them a few choice words. 

She could be more understanding if just a few minutes; a considerable waste of her time, when she had other important work to attend to. Really, it just left a sour taste in her mouth; already huffy and ill-tempered, when someone did answer. 

Their exchange was less than ideal— an hour that Yelena spent hemming and hawing, about the details of their latest computer production; only to find that they were behind schedule. 

Great. 

By the time the phone call was over, Yelena couldn’t take it— she was now stress snacking on the trail mix Blair had left for her; as she just needed a second to collect herself.

Once she’d recouped, it’s around three thirty-five; as Yelena isn’t left with much time to focus on anything minuscule. For what time is left, Yelena was focused on her most time-sensitive documents; making sure they were complete, and ready to meet their deadlines.

At three forty-two, Yelena reached for her briefcase sitting underneath her desk; placing a hefty stack of those papers, inside of the leather bound case. All of these needed to be delivered to Bianca; killing two birds with one stone, as she was traveling upstairs to their meeting.

Her briefcase could be honestly used as a weapon; quickly balanced between her arm and leg, as Yelena had locked up her office. With her briefcase back in her hand, and keys slid back into her pocket; Yelena had started her way towards the elevator, passing the rows of cubicles on her way.

It was quite so obviously a Friday; that feverish rush of adrenaline in the air— something Yelena had experienced herself, when she was rushing to get her work done, before the weekend. 

There was only an hour left; and usually, it was around this time, where people would start slacking off. At least, that wasn’t the case when Yelena strolled by; noticing her employees huddled by their desks, working away.

As she approached the elevator, it was a couple minute wait until the doors had actually opened; no surprise that it was full of stockholders— mostly familiar faces. 

They were quick to greet her, as she entered; pulling aside to make some room for Yelena; even if the elevator ride up to the twenty-fifth floor was only a couple of seconds.

Two of the men tried to make small talk; though Yelena had to excuse herself, as the doors opened up to the designated floor. The waiting room was almost packed to the brim; as the majority of the two dozen people had already arrived.

Yelena woved through the crowd; making her way to the restricted area that was Bianca’s office. She knocked on the door, and peered through the crystal clear glass; only to find that Bianca's assistant was the sole person inside.

Her assistant had opened the door for Yelena; as certainly, Yelena noted that she had to be new. She was doe-eyed, and a bit frazzled, as she let Yelena into the office to drop off some paperwork; watching her every move, as Yelena didn’t waste her time to get out of there.

Next plan of action was to head into the conference area; just around the corner from Bianca’s office, as Yelena was only steps away from entering. There was another small group of board members, standing outside of the room’s open doors; noticing Yelena faster than Yelena had noticed them; as of course, they were prompting her to stay and join their casual conversation.

This time, Yelena decided to stick around for the small talk; having some time to kill before the meeting could officially begin; and also, because their COO Andrew Hastings was here, chatting away. Yelena was cordial to the other stockholders, acknowledging them as well; but was ultimately here to pull Andrew aside for some insight.

She had to inform him about the delay in their computer production; wanting to break the news herself, insead of it being Bianca. Yelena was saving him the torture; as his weekend didn’t need to be started off by screaming.

When Yelena finally managed to pull him aside, the two of them migrated into the actual conference room itself; bustling with chairmen starting to seat themselves at the table. As it was more private here, Yelena could officially cut the pleasantry; wanting any company affairs to stay between the hierarchs— not any investors with wandering ears. 

Before she could trust herself to speak, her eyes had scanned around the room in precaution; blinking over men and women dressed in the usual black and greys. But unexpectedly, Yelena found herself doing a double-take; a familiar shade of blue catching her eye; as suddenly, she forgot about talking to Andrew in the first place, excusing herself instead. 

Yelena wasn’t thinking— her feet were already moving towards the front of the table; immediately concerned by what she was seeing. 

If she hadn’t glanced in Blair’s directions for a second time, Yelena would have hardly noticed her. She was front and dead center, but Blair had made herself small; hunching over the reports she had spread across the table. 

Frantically, Blair was flipping through each and every paper; her composure a complete night and day, from when Yelena had last seen her. 

Her face was pale— strange, considering that Blair naturally held more color than Yelena did; quite obvious that something had happened to her in the meantime, as Yelena had no choice but to figure it out. 

She was steps away from Blair, when Yelena called out to her; hardly even loud or disruptive, as of course, she was keeping this to a private manner. But her voice still managed to be somewhat jarring enough, as Blair jumped out of her skin, and knocked some of her papers to the ground; flying onto the grey carpet around her.

Blair sprung down to the floor, and Yelena was quick to aid her; crouching down and gathering the papers alongside her, as Yelena decided to ask now.

“What’s wrong?” She broached; picking up multiple papers at once, as she turned to Blair.

Despite being flustered, Blair was perfectly balanced in her stilettos; grabbing the last few papers on her own, before she stood again. 

Yelena was confused; picking herself from the floor regardless, as she was about to place the reports back onto the table. But Blair had put a hand out to stop her; connecting with Yelena’s, as she shoved the papers close enough for her to read.

At the contact, Yelena glanced up at her; all the questions dying on her tongue, as Blair had explained to her with one simple word.

“Look.” 

As prompted, Yelena looked down at the report in her hand. It only took her a second of scanning, to know that it was different. 

Drastically different.

Now she knew why Blair was freaking out; as the copy she held now, wasn’t the one Yelena had held earlier. Clearly, this had to be a mishap, an accidental switcharoo of papers; as this was the completely raw version of Blair’s report— never intended to see the light of day.

This wasn't written in the polished way, Blair would usually format her work; as any under circumstance, a first draft wasn’t something you would ever present as final product. Yelena recognized it as such; as Blair had handed this same copy to her, when they first started collaborating. 

Her first draft was written, to get all her thoughts down; a stepping stone for the final report Blair created— which wasn't this.

The quality wasn’t comparable to that; and frankly, Yelena would have lost her shit, if she was Blair’s current position. It didn’t even have the statistics— missing some of the core ideas Blair had wanted to share.

With this mess of a report, Blair’s presentation was going to be seen differently. She always came with the quality; and this would definitely be a distraction, from anything valuable she had to say. 

“I don’t know what happened!” Blair whispered in a panic. “I should have photo-copy all the prints myself! But I was in a rush to complete my other work for the day, so I handed it to one of my marketing guys! I swore I gave him the right copy!” 

Yelena raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Someone from your team offered to make copies of your report?”

“Yes, Robert did!” Blair exclaimed; gesturing with her hands, as she was that  upset. 

The name did sound familiar, but Yelena hardly had the time to interrogate it further; as Blair was standing there, just subtly freaking out. 

There was no way she was making a scene in front of these stockholders; so Blair was keeping her outward panic to a minimum, only letting the guise slip with Yelena.

“What do I do, Yelena! This is all such a mess!”

Her face screamed of pure desperation; pleading with Yelena, as she was too anxious to think for herself. 

And most people had the misconception that Yelena didn’t have a heart— but there was no way she could ever ignore Blair, when she was looking at her like that. She had to be blunt and realistic, as there wasn’t much Yelena could do— her advice, per say, a shot in the dark.

“You can’t hand this out. You have to ditch it.” 

Blair was very aware of the mess, that was her report; but still, she looked at Yelena as if she had two heads.

“But Ialways hand out a report at these meetings” Blair doubted. “Don’t you think they’ll notice?” 

“I don’t know.” Yelena answered honestly; though it sounded like a shitty thing to say. She frowned at the stack of reports she still held in her hands; stepping forward to place them on the table.

Time was unfortunately ticking; and it was no surprise that Bianca stormed into the room at this moment, as the meeting was set to schedule… now.

Her presence was naturally a head-turner, followed by her doe-eyed assistant; as everyone in the room immediately settled into their places, meaning that Yelena had to do the same. 

But her feet stayed frozen to the ground; as Yelena would hate to leave Blair on such a morbid note. Her advice was so terrible, it needed to be compensated with something positive— having the utmost faith that Blair could turn this situation around.

“Stick to the script we practiced, and you’ll get through this.” Yelena promised; taking in one last glance of Blair.

She had no choice but head back to her seat; the room quieting down in the meantime, as Bianca currently dictated the mood. Yelena slipped into her seat at the head of the table; as of course, she was second in command— right next to Bianca, if she had been seated at that moment.

It was hardly a surprise to see Bianca talking to her assistant; demanding the poor girl to handle all the meger tasks that she couldn’t bother to do herself. Bianca was practically berating her; and she couldn’t care less that she was doing so in front of the entire board.

At the end of the day, her wrath spared no one. 

After another minute or two, Bianca had finally joined the table; reeking of cigarettes and freshly applied floral perfume; as she clearly came back from a smoke break. 

Yelena recoiled at the smell; enough to temporarily distract her, as Bianca commenced the start of the meeting.

The shareholders had suddenly turned their eyes onto Blair; who seemed completely startled by the fact; as if she had somehow stumbled into this meeting by accident.

Ultimately, it took Blair a second to collect herself— and Yelena could finally let out a breath, when she started talking. She normally wouldn’t care this much about anyone else; but Yelena had really wanted her to succeed.

Blair put this pageant smile on her face, and gave the most perfect introduction to her presentation. Polite greetings to stockholders, thanking them all for their time consideration; as Blair had segued into the meeting itself.

So far, so good; even if Blair was a bit more figdity than normal. Though perhaps, that was only noticed by Yelena; as she was paying the utmost attention to everything. 

She didn’t want to believe that it would teter and fall apart; the feeling most imminent, even if Yelena was hardly a superstitious person. It mostly definitely felt like she was jinxing this; a terrible suspicion that would ultimately be confirmed; as out of nowhere, Bianca was interrupting Blair mid-speech.

“Where is your report, Ms. Dorsey?” Bianca scolded; as she clearly didn’t want to listen to anything, without an accompanying report in hand.

Fuck, Yelena panicked; as certainly, the same thing had to be running through Blair's head.

For Yelena, it was a thousand times worse just to watch Blair’s reaction— as she froze completely; thrown off track from such an unexpected question. Yelena could see her mind was searching for the right answer, but Blair clearly didn’t know what to say; her lips moving, though no sound could come out from her mouth. 

“Oh, please don’t tell me you forgot!” Bianca chortled; her laugh echoing throughout the meeting room. 

An echo of snickers and small chuckles had followed; as with Bianca's own jab, she had given permission for the stockholders to laugh as well.

All except for Yelena— as she was seeing red; matching the same exact shade of Blair’s embarrassed face. 

She blinked through watery eyes; and Yelena wanted to scream on her behalf.

“I…” Blair’s voice trembled, as it spoke into the air. “I… accidentally printed out the wrong copy of my report. So I apologize for how… messy, it is.” 

Blair turned to the pile of disheveled papers; straightening them on the table, as she handed them to the first stockholder on the right.

The reports were passed around from person to person, and Blair was stumbling to find her footing again. Her confidence was squashed— no doubt about it; as all Blair had to do now, was survive. 

The dwindling stack of papers eventually made its way to Yelena; as she was reluctant to take one of the copies, and pass the rest down to Bianca. But she did so anyway— panging with an embarrassment that didn’t even belong to herself; as she was dreading Bianca’s reaction.

Yelena couldn’t even look into Bianca’s direction; quite hard to avoid her at all, when Yelena was sitting right next to her. She couldn’t stand the idea of Bianca judging Blair’s work; but really, there was no other place in this room, Yelena could turn for refuge. 

Time was moving slow; so drastically slow, that a year could have passed between now, and the beginning of this meeting. For the sake of her own sanity, Yelena had to zone out; as watching this was bringing her real and physical pain.

As terrible as it sounded, Yelena wanted the ground to open them up and swallow them whole. But as drastic as a measure that was, Blair was at least wrapping up the end of her proposal; meaning that they didn’t have to stay in purgatory forever. 

She finished as best as she could, considering the circumstances; even shooting herself in her own foot, by asking the board for any questions.

The room went dead silent, upon her request— and that had to be the worst part of it all. 

“You had every right to apologize earlier.” Bianca began; as Yelena and Blair were holding their breaths alike— along with the twenty-one other stockholders in the room.

“How did you ever expect us to take you seriously? You can articulate yourself well enough, but couldn't even bother to write us a proper report?!”

In pristine white, Bianca rose from her seat like the sun; tall and authoritative, over the seated shareholders below her— as without warning, she threw her copy of Blair’s report across the table.

It nearly whacked one of their chairmen in the head; but Bianca didn’t quite care. She had death glare set out on Blair; and she wasn’t accepting any bit of her previous explanation.

“That’s the part I don’t understand, Blair. You’ve always been consistent, and yet you hand us this.” Bianca scoffed; jeering her finger towards the discarded paper.

From across the room, Blair visibly gulped; (Italic) eyes brimming with red, and she was blinking rapidly. She appeared small against the goliath; and at least Blair was smart enough not to fight back. 

This was as merciful as Bianca could get; as assuredly, Yelena has seen a thousand times worse. 

Still, guilt can’t help but plague her; as Yelena was sitting here, doing nothing, while Blair was being yelled at. But at the same time, it’s better if she doesn’t say anything at all; as speaking out could definitely hurt Blair in the long run.

“You should be lucky that I'm feeling so generous today.” Bianca remarked; placing a manicured hand onto her hip. “I’ll give you a second chance. Bring the revised version to my office my Monday morning, and maybe I’ll consider pulling your proposal through. 

Yelena could breathe again; relaxing into the back of the pleather chair. She was relieved that Blair wasn’t fired on the spot—and that could truly be tied up to Blair’s performance.

Yes, she was more nervous than usual— not the best presentation she had ever given; but Blair was still able to convey her genius plans, despite the inconveniences. Blair’s mind in itself, was enough to prove that she deserved to be here; as ultimately, she was hired for that exact same reason.

Bianca had an eye for talent; her judgement still reasonable, even if she was currently pissed off. Her anger would soon fade away, and she would be confident in her decision of keeping Blair; as Blair was the type of person to never make the same mistake twice.

“This meeting is over.” Bianca declared; pushing her seat back with some force, as apparently she needed more space for her walk away.

It was just the typical dramatics— nothing to gawk or worry about; as by now, Bianca maintained a reputation of being notoriously difficult. Certainly, every CEO in the city had to be titled the same; all professional for the press, but screaming time-bombs to their serving employees.

The shareholders didn’t even blink at her behavior; better not to, as they didn’t want to be targeted as well. Instead, they gathered their folders and briefcases; conversation blooming again, as the majority stood from their seats. 

Some had followed Bianca out of the board room; heading towards the elevator, to beat the upcoming rush. But much to Yelena’s annoyance, the stockholders had lingered around in the room for way too long; taking their sweet time to migrate over to the waiting room again, as most of them found themselves in conversation.

Not Yelena, though; as she was being aloof on purpose. She was avoiding attention by sulking; staying put in her seat, whilst everyone else mingled around. 

Her face just had this natural tendency to scowl; and usually, that was enough for people to stay out of her way. Yelena had only wanted to talk to Blair, at this moment; but considering that there were too many nosy chairmen around, Yelena was waiting with good reason. 

She didn’t want to draw any more attention onto Blair; as she certainly was on everyone's radar, after that meeting. Privacy was definitely needed for the two, as Yelena didn’t want any more rumors to circulate; as she could only assume that some were circulating now.

Maybe Yelena was paranoid; but she saw all the pointed glances and whispers thrown at Blair’s way. She was still at the front of the room; gathering her stuff, as she appeared to be timing her escape.

Blair wanted to leave, and Yelena could see that desperation on her face; trying to make herself seem preoccupied for those looking her way. Anyone actually paying attention, could tell that she was just shuffling papers around; waiting for the crowd to disperse, as Blair didn’t want the humiliation of being ogled by her higher-ups.

It lasted like this for a while— the two of them stalling for their different reasons.Today being Friday, had worked in their favor; as it was past five, and most people wouldn’t stick around without obligation. The number of chairmen dwindled; and Yelena was watching the last few stragglers, as they trickled out of the room.

Yelena was waiting for this moment for a while now; and you think she’d been up and out of her seat, the second the room became private to them. But she still hadn't prepared herself for how she was going to approach Blair; as it had to be done carefully, of course.

She wanted to express empathy, without coming across as too condescending. And then she had that habit, where her words would often come out way harsher than intended— and Yelena definitely didn’t want that happening, when Blair was already so upset.

Their friendship had just begun; and she wasn’t too keen on ruining this so quickly.

As pathetic as it sounds, Yelena needed to build up her courage. Her hands braced the armrests of her chair; ready to pull herself up at any moment now…

But there was something in her peripheral that stopped her— a man in a suit; pushing past the glass door of the board room, as he was clearly heading inside.

Yelena could hardly act nonchalant, with the way she threw herself back into her chair— naturally thinking that it was one of the shareholders, who had forgotten a folder or something. 

On instinct, Yelena turned towards the door; face full of contempt, as she was definitely mad at whoever was ruining her only chance at talking to Blair. And to her absolute delight, she could feel her anger rising exponentially, once she saw the actual person who was standing at the door.

John fucking Hessonite. 

They had only made eye contact for a few seconds, before John scurried into the room; whistling like a cartoon character, moments before they were about to do something suspicious.

Was that supposed to lower Yelena’s guard? Because she still had questions, regardless— not having enough time to find the answers; but Yelena was keeping an eye on him.

He had no business being here; his presence setting off alarm bells in Yelena’s mind. There was no chance that he could ever be invited to such a meeting, let alone the aftermath of it; as John had no good reason to be lingering here post-office hours.

Yelena also had an inquiry on how he got up here; as with the influx of people heading down to the main floor, it was quite the hassle to go up a floor—considering the traffic, and availability of the elevator. She, unfortunately, doesn’t have the time to ponder on that idea for too long; as John was approaching Blair— his one true motivation for coming here.

It’s no surprise that Blair doesn’t notice him. She’s been lost in thought for a while now; her back turned away from the door, busy throwing all the extra copies of her proposal into the garbage can. 

That quite obviously, messed with his ego; not the big hot shot John had thought himself to be, as he couldn’t walk into the room and just magically grab Blair’s attention. Instead, John had to tap Blair on the shoulder; and as jumpy as she already was, her reaction to say the least— wasn’t the greatest.

Blair tore away from his touch; her body already on the defense, as she spun around to face the culprit. She was upset from the meeting; emotions heightened, and was hardly in the mood to be professional enough for a conversation.

And then she realized that it was John she was confronting; and her whole fight-or-flight reflex had paused from there. Blair froze like deer in headlights; taking a step back in precaution, as John had leaned further into her personal space. 

He placed his hand against the wall; looming over Blair like it was something casual to do— though Yelena would rather consider this a power move, as John wanted Blair to stay right where she was standing.

“Oh, um… hi John.” Blair greeted; her hands quick to wipe at her teary eyes, trying to force a smile.

But Yelena wasn’t as stupid John was— she saw Blair’s lips straining into that overly-sweet grin; how her eyes weren’t being as honest, when it came to hiding her aversion.

Yes, the doors to the board room were glass; though they were quite useless, considering that Blair and John were standing far, far away, in an incredibly spacious room. John, metaphorically, had backed her into a corner; and to Blair’s understanding, they were trapped all alone in this room. 

The worst part of it all, was that John didn’t seem to care if Blair was comfortable. He was forcing the beginning of small talk; all while Blair was just searching for a way out. She was uncomfortable, and Blair was forced to take another step back; searching the room for any small sign of an excuse.

“You know, I spoke to Robert earlier, and he said he saw a peek of your report. He was bragging to the team about how good you are at writing all of our (Italic) ideas down.” 

Her blue eyes searched towards the left— to the door, the only exit in the room; as all that was unfortunately blocked by John. Blair drew in a breath, having no choice but to turn right; needing to do this fast, so she could avoid looking suspicious.

From there, that’s where she found her; Yelena sitting still in her chair, watching them down like a hawk. Usually in any other situation, Yelena wouldn’t make her eavesdropping this obvious; but there was no way she was going to leave Blair alone, not when John was this dumb enough to act like in front of her. 

Blair let that smiling facade go, for a second; a wave of relief washing across her face, finally able to breathe again. She could relax knowing that she wasn’t alone; but that still wasn’t enough to let down her guard.

John was done rambling with his whatever’s; and Blair had no choice but to engage with him. In Yelena’ eyes, she was being too polite; but she understood why she was doing this. They worked with each other; and Blair didn’t want to be seen as hostile.

“Really?!” was Blair’s enthusiastic response; laughing because of her nerves more than anything, though John clearly didn’t see it that way. 

He wasn’t smart at all, if he thought that was genuine— or anything even related to flirting. Blair was quite terrible at faking; probably because she was somewhat scared and exhausted.

“I’m sure everyone just loved your presentation.” John continued. “How did it go?”

Yelena could see Blair tense again; that nervous smile stretched across her lips, as she was stalling for an answer.

“It was… good.” Blair replied after a moment; her voice slightly high-pitched on the last syllable. 

She was terrible at lying; as Yelena figured that she didn’t want to. But this was John they were talking about— a grown man who gossiped like a teenager; as whatever Blair would say to him, would certainly be relayed back to their marketing team.

“Good enough to celebrate?” John suggested; as Yelena couldn’t see his face, but could definitely hear the smirk in his voice.

There was no way that he was doing this. 

“I— I’m not really in the mood to celebrate…” Blair found herself protesting; hardly able to get the sentence out before John was interrupting her.

“Oh come on! It’s Friday, and you have no responsibilities to deal with…” John persuaded. “There’s this bar, me and the boys go to after work sometimes. It’s called The Dive, and they have the best Molotov cocktails. Have you ever had a Molotov cocktail?”

Blair shook her head; and really, she didn’t even have time to get in a word for herself. John had moved in closer; his free hand that wasn’t propped against the wall, gravitating towards a lock of Blair’s hair.

He was just seconds away from touching her; his intention to tuck the chestnut wave behind her ear. But Blair intervened on her own behalf; thankfully, before Yelena had the chance too; as she would have torn him a new one for the inappropriate contact.

“We should invite Yelena!” Blair shouted; the thought clearly spoken on impulse, as it was enough to startle John.

John immediately retracted his hand— both of them, in fact; as he set out to distance himself from Blair. He was reluctant to turn around, but there was no escaping the elephant in the room; as Yelena was seated right where she was before, watching all this time.

How stupid he was to assume that Yelena would leave. Like the meeting room would go desolate, in his presence.  

“Sure,” Yelena agreed as she stood from her seat; briefcase in hand, as she was absolutely ready to leave with them.

She wasn’t letting Blair out her site. Not with this creep. 

“Well, okay then.” John resumed, trying to save face; though Yelena could just tell that he was displeased. “We better get going, if we want to avoid traffic.”

He put up his best manners, by letting Blair exit before him. John had guided her to the door like a gentleman; guiding her through the threshold with the sweep of his hand— all while he refused to give Yelena those same types of manners.

John merely acted as if Yelena wasn’t there all; following after Blair, and coaxing her towards to the elevator. But if John thought he could lose Yelena in the crowd, he had to think again. The amount of people in the waiting room had thinned out; and Yelena was trailing behind him easily.

During her four years in high school, Yelena ran track for fun; not even doing so competitively, as she did it mostly just to blow off some steam. Anger was her fuel; and there was nothing in her way that could stop her. 

Until Yelena had passed a small group of people— a hand reaching out, to grab her attention. 

Whoever it was, Yelena wasn’t happy with them grabbing her shoulder; jerking away from the touch, as she hadn’t no patience to confront them politely.

“What!” She snapped; finding herself at the hand of Andrew Hastings, who seemed a little more than shocked to see Yelena so angry; especially when she had prompted him for a conversation earlier. 

“Uh… Bianca is looking for you.” Andrew informed; nervous to be talking to Yelena when she was this livid.

As COO, Andrew was friendly with both Yelena and Bianca; the three of them working together when it came to company affairs. But that privilege unfortunately, didn’t come with the free pass of avoiding both of their tempers; Bianca’s more Yelena’s; as really, Yelena didn’t want to yell at him without good reason.

And she had a damn good reason now, as Andrew was getting on her nerves for talking so slow and quiet; honestly having a good reason to, as there were still investors around.

But Yelena wasn’t being rational— only half paying attention, as she kept her eyes on the duo; continuing on their way, without her.

“She told me that there was a delay in our manufacturing department,” He revealed within a hushed tone. “…And that you might know more about it?” 

At this moment, both Blair and John had reached the elevator; still in her sights thankfully, as they were standing amongst a small group of shareholders, waiting to go down as well.

She didn’t have time to deal with this mess— and Yelena was making that more than clear. 

“Look, I’m busy, and I can’t deal with this right now. There’s something important I need to do.”

Technically, she wasn’t lying; glancing over to the elevator, and finding the two standing right where they were before. She had time to catch up; but Andrew still wasn’t leaving her alone.

He sighed; looking rather annoyed at Yelena, for leaving this all on him. “I’ll tell her, but I can’t promise that she won’t call or bother you at all. If you stick around your office, she might come down and…”

Yelena wasn’t paying attention anymore, as the elevator had chimed with a familiar sound; one Yelena has heard with years of working in this apartment building. She knew what meant; her head moving in slow motion, as Yelena had glanced over into the direction.

The metal doors had parted open; the crowd squeezing inside, as that also included John and Blair.

She could have ran; fought tooth and nail to get into that elevator, but her feet were frozen to the ground. All she could do was watch; dread pooling in stomach, as the doors retreated and closed; pulling the group down.

“Yelena?” Andrew questioned; quite concerned to see his coworker go quiet all of a sudden. 

As Yelena turned back into Andrew, that dread in her stomach ignited into fire.  

“Fucking hell, Andrew!” Yelena retorted; as it really wasn’t her intention to scream so loudly. 

But she did, and all the eyes in the room fell on her; as Yelena was too damn pissed to even care. She couldn’t even feel bad for taking this out on Andrew; as she only had one priority in mind. 

She had to make her way back to Blair. 

Her feet had pulled her towards the elevator; fingers meeting the adjunct wall, as she slammed down on the button that prompted the elevator to come back to this floor. Yelena was well aware of the fact that it was heading downwards; though in her anger, she wasn’t quite thinking straight. 

No matter how many times she pressed, the doors still wouldn’t open for her; only aggravating Yelena further, as time wasn’t something she could afford to waste. 

She couldn’t help but waste more of it now; abusing the poor plastic button, as she pushed down on it for the thousandth time. Quite unlucky for her, as there was nothing Yelena could do but wait— unless she was willing to run down twenty-something flights of stairs; topping that with the reminder that she still needed her coat and things.

That was all in her office; adding more time. 

Frustrated, Yelena punched the button for the final time; as she couldn’t stand here and wait around any longer. She was moving without thinking; pushing past groups of stockholders who willingly moved out her way; as Yelena had found herself at the door that led to the mostly-forgotten stairwell.

It wasn’t used often; as the door was a little sticky, upon Yelena opening it. The weighted door slammed behind her, and Yelena quickly tore down the first flight of stairs; stopping at the next door she saw, labeled twenty-four.

With the forcible push on the door handle, Yelena had bolted into the Diamond office space; complete and utterly empty, compared to the waiting room upstairs. 

Though, Yelena did pass a janitor cleaning up the one of communal trash cans; hardly giving him the time of day, as she was too busy running towards her office.

She unlocked the door with her key; not before cursing at herself for locking the room earlier— a habit she developed, as she didn’t want anything snooping through her confidentials. Regardless, Yelena was in a rush, as she moved across her office; gathering her coat and some paperwork she had wanted to take for the weekend.

The adrenaline flowing through her body was causing her to move non-stop; but Yelena paused to throw on her coat, as the temperature outside was close to below freezing. 

And somehow, that topic brought her mind back to Blair— as considering the weather, she would certainly stop by her office to grab her coat. Meaning, that she should be here on this floor with John; even though Yelena hadn't seen another sign of a person, besides the janitor.

Her stomach turned at the realization; and Yelena found herself running out of her office— not before locking the door, of course. 

Yelena zoomed past rows of endless cubicles, her mind set on Blair’s office; though there wasn’t much hope, as from a distance, Yelena could see that her office lights were off. 

Surely, that wasn’t a good sign; the fear only confirmed, as Yelena approached the office, peering through the glass walls. She spotted a blue coat draped amongst an empty office chair. 

There was the smallest bit of hope, that she would be here; that Yelena could put a stop to this before it could evolve into something dangerous. Blair was alone with him; and Yelena can’t help but think about how touchy he was with her earlier. 

She doesn’t want to jump to that conclusion, but Yelena had fought her way through the academic and business world; and by now, she could call it gut instinct. 

Concern floods her brain, and Yelena can’t help but react with anger; her fingers curling into fists, turning away from any inanimate objects; as she had to fight her primal instinct to punch something.

Instead, Yelena stormed over to the elevator; again, taking her anger out on the plastic embossed button.

Staying rational was the only thing she could do at the moment; as Yelena needed to calm herself down, and craft herself a plan. She took in a deep breath— something she hadn’t done in a while, with all this running around. 

If the two hadn't stopped here, John must have taken Blair to the ground floor— maybe even the parking garage. Yelena was assuming the former, because Blair doesn’t drive; though she also wasn’t ruling out the second option entirely. John seemed like the type of person to force her in his car.

Either way, Yelena was doubting that she would be able to catch up with them; her chances to slim to none, as she was at least grateful to know the name of the bar they were headed to. 

The Dive, Yelena recalled; as the elevator doors had opened to reveal a fully packed elevator. There was just room to spare, and Yelena had forced her way in; regardless of it being rude or not.

No one said anything to her; which was good, as Yelena was too busy thinking to speak. The Dive sounded familiar, though Yelena was certain that she had never been before. Bianca took her to much fancier places, on insistence; as it was a rare occasion for Yelena to even go out and drink, in the first place.

But it takes her a second or two, to remember why it sounded so familiar; because Yelena was certain that she passed this place on her commute to work. It was three, maybe four, blocks away from their job; which made sense if John were to head there in the evenings with his work buddies.

As the elevator ticked down the remaining floors, Yelena was done formulating her plan. She skipped the first floor, and continued the ride down to the parking garage; she wasn’t going to waste anymore time by checking there.

But the second the elevator arrived at the parking garage; Yelena was out and running. 

She remembered where her car was parked, so thankfully she didn’t have to fuss with that; opening her car and throwing herself into the driver's seat.

Her briefcase was tossed to the back, seat belt strapped on; as Yelena started the car and pulled out of her parking space. She stepped on the gas, and couldn’t care less about speeding; venturing out of the garage, and into the city streets. 

In this case, she thinks speeding will bring her there faster— an eight to ten minute drive, if she was estimating correctly. Usually, Yelena was a tame driver, compared to most in the city; staying within the limits, unlike those transplants that come in from Jersey.

Yelena was giving herself the excuse to do this once. Just this one time, and she’ll never do it again. But naively enough, she completely forgot about it being rush hour; no way she could speed, unless she torpedoed some cars in the process. 

A groan escaped from her lips, as she entered into the congested roadway; her patience growing thinner, as traffic was moving inches at a time.

If anything, she should at least be grateful that it was moving; not a complete standstill, that kept her on this road for hours. But it gave her enough time to think about Blair and John; the various scenarios that her brain couldn’t escape, as Yelena doesn’t want to imagine them alone together — what could possibly happen if she arrived too late.

It only fueled her impatience— she was practically tailing the car behind her; nearing the traffic light that was causing all this hold up. The light turned green, then yellow; staying on red for an entire millennium, as the process repeated and repeated. 

Her car inched closer; and she always thought she was close enough to making it, until the signal turned red again. Yelena had never realized how aggravating this light was; usually because she left work later than most people. By the time she was finished pulling her overtime, it was closer to seven than anything; the commute typically calm by then. 

Yelena was certain that she could make it past this time; as she was close enough to see where the road intersected within another. Her hazel eyes were trained on that light like a hawk; as when the color changed, Yelena’s foot had carefully pressed on the glass; gradually increasing speed.

Six cars were up in front of her; and Yelena was watching as they crossed the intersection. They all headed forward with relative speed— except for the red toyota in front of her; taking the slowest right turn in history, as Yelena had a small suspicion they were doing so in spite.

Maybe she deserved it after tailing them for the entire time; as Yelena was only willing to forget, because she had more important things to worry about. Her anger was more targeted towards the goddamn traffic light; flashing yellow above her, as the odds couldn’t be more stacked against her.

She gritted her teeth; confronted with another split second decision, she had mere milliseconds to act on. She hesitated before, and had lost Blair to the elevator; leading her to this exact moment.

There was no way Yelena could risk it again; pressing her foot on gas, and accelerating her speed.

The yellow light was only a suggestion to slow down; And if Yelena had learnt anything from driving in this city, she certainly wasn’t the only asshole to do this. 

At least she was careful about it, hardly stifling traffic; even if she more or less ate the red light, by the time she reached the other side of the road.

No harm, no foul, she figured; as a great weight was lifted from her chest, as she exhaled. She would be there soon enough; and this nightmare would be soon over for the both of them.

While the roads were slightly congested, the next two blocks of travel weren't as terrible as the first. Yelena remained calm and focused; keeping track of her surroundings for any sign of that bar. 

With another left turn, she followed the same path of her daily commute— eyes again, searching; though this time she did spot something that caught her attention. It was a big neon sign of a cowboy boot, with bright green lettering written underneath. 

The Dive. 

Yelena eased on the gas; as she scanned both sides of the road for any available parking. To her right, there was an open spot; a miracle in just a couple feet, as Yelena had never pressed on her turn signal faster. 

Her heart was beating wildly; pumped with adrenaline, as she began to parallel park. It was a tight spot, accompanied by a dirty snow bank; mostly slush and ice, from the fact that it snowed last week. 

But Yelena was hardly concerned with that; as really, she hadn’t had a plan of what she was going to do, now that she had gotten here. The first thing to do, was to probably head to the bar— the second, was to avoid screaming at John. 

And with that somewhat established, Yelena was justified in leaving in her car; reaching to unbuckle her seatbelt. She glanced out the window as she did so; the bar about a meter away from where she was parked. 

The door from the business opened and closed, as small groups swarmed the entrance; nothing unusual, as it was happy hour. But Yelena couldn’t be more grateful that she looked up in that moment; as through the line of people, she saw a small glimpse of blue stumbling out the bar. 

It was quick; as Yelena almost convinced herself that she was seeing things. Her gut, however, told her a different story— that she needed to get up from her car, and start investigating.

So Yelena listened, and she was out on the street within seconds; jumping over the slushy snow embankment, as she started full-on sprinting across the city sidewalk.

Those people waiting outside the bar, immediately cleared out her way; spotting her running from a distance, and clearly knowing better not to get in between. 

Ultimately, that worked in Yelena’s favor; as she now had a clear view of the sidewalk in front of her. Her gut instinct was right; (Italic) and Yelena was so glad she had listened to that feeling.

Because a few feet ahead of her, was Blair and John. She again spotted that blue power suit Blair was wearing; the first clue that had brought her here.

But unfortunately, her victory of finding Blair was short-lived; as there were thousand other details that Yelena was quick to notice— all raising alarms. 

There was the fact that Blair was stumbling; John supporting her with a hand on her back, as she was simply lagging behind him. Her high heels were more like stilts, as she teetered and tottered; strange enough, considering that Blair was a pro with those things. 

That didn’t disguise her from the fact that John was taking Blair to a second location; a place in which Yelena had no idea of. 

It was definitely a cause of concern; especially when Yelena saw how strange Blair was acting. Something was wrong; and Yelena was now forcing her body to run faster. 

This time, she wouldn’t let them escape.

Quickly and carefully, Yelena weaved her way past some walking bystanders; her eyes locked on blue— the only thing she could focus on, as her legs pulled her forward. 

Closer and closer, she pushed; as suddenly, Yelena herself was so close that she could almost reach out and touch Blair. 

Her hand immediately made contact with the padded shoulder of Blair’s blazer— as she wasn’t trying to be rough by doing so. But in her vigor, her mere desperation to get to Blair; Yelena had more or less, yanked her; and Blair unfortunately, folded like a rag doll.

She was lucky to have two pairs of hands to catch her, but Blair could hardly be steady at all. She was arm-in-arm with two people ready to confront each other.

Yelena was wasting no time to make a scene. Frankly, she couldn’t care if the whole entire world knew how much of a pig he was. 

“What are you doing, John?! Where the hell are you taking her?!

As Yelena screamed, she stepped forward; tightening her hold on Blair’s arm; as she didn't want John to pull anything funny.

But surprisingly, John shrunk away. He immediately backed up from Blair, because he was a coward; someone who didn’t want to take accountability for his actions, even though he had the audacity to drag an intoxicated Blair through the streets.

Yelena could smell the scent of alcohol on her; as Blair was leaning into Yelena now, that John had let her go. She seemed too disoriented to stand by herself; her eyes were heavy-lidded, as her face was flushed and sweaty. 

Blair was too lethargic to know what was going; as it was quite obvious she couldn't have consented to this. Yelena didn’t know what he did to her; but John better have an explanation for why she was this drunk, in such a short amount of time.

“I’m— I was just trying to take her home!” John defended; holding his hands up in surrender. 

“Oh, of course you were!” Yelena scoffed; as she couldn’t hear anything more ridiculous. “I bet you know exactly where she lives!”

John paused, as he considered his next words quite carefully. He was a terrible liar; and Yelena couldn’t believe one bit of this ‘innocent’ act. 

“Woah, woah, woah. I don’t even know what you're saying.” 

He wasn't even looking at Yelena, as he spoke; more at the crowd standing out of the bar, as people were definitely staring. 

If only he cared about making his reputation seem good to the one person who truly mattered. 

“Oh, I know exactly what you are doing.” Yelena snarled; wanting to step forward and talk to him face to face, though it was Blair who had unintentionally stopped her.

Again, Blair couldn’t stand on her own; as on top of that, she was groaning, cupping her head in agony. 

“You better leave.” Yelena warned. “You’ll be lucky if I don’t see your ass in HR.”

This time, it was John’s turn to snap; as the facade couldn’t even last for a minute. 

“Yeah right!” He retorted, walking away before Yelena could have the chance to retaliate; as of course, he was too much of a wimp to ever say so directly. 

Yelena was angry, but she decided to let him go. She’ll let him have that last word; only because she had a far greater concern for Blair and her well-being.

And now that he was out her hair, Yelena should by all means be relaxing; Blair was safe, and appeared uninjured. But god knows what happened, during that gap she was gone; as Blair was clearly in no state to remember anything.

“What happened?!” Yelena badgered; even if she was certain that she wouldn't get an answer. “Are you hurt?!”

She loosened her grip on Blair, just a little; as she appeared to be in pain. Her brown eyebrows were grimaced; and overall, Blair was fighting the temptation to close her eyes

“My head…” Blair slurred.

“Your head?” Yelena repeated. “That’s probably because of the alcohol.”

Blair nodded; but Yelena had no clue if she was truly coherent enough to even understand. She didn’t know what Blair had to drink; as even then, she shouldn’t be this sleepy with just a couple of glasses.

Yelena has been hammered before. She knew sleepiness was a side effect, but usually it came after the initial buzz of drinking. There was momentum needed to get this drunk; especially when she remembered how hesitant Blair was to drink in the first place.

It had taken Yelena a while to get here; and surely, Blair had to be at the bar for about half of that time. Unless she was extremely lightweight, it seemed almost impossible for Blair to get drunk this quickly; as Yelena had a certain suspicion about this. 

All the evidence was laid out before her; but Yelena didn’t want to jump to any conclusions. Her denial was based on her own fear; as she knew John was despicable— and there was no denying that. 

This was a statistic; a story you’d hear on the news, and could never imagine that it could ever happen to you. Yelena was aware— she has always been aware, as a single woman living in the city. But the fact that it could happen to Blair, was a whole nother gut-punch. 

It made her physically sick; though she doubted her feelings were half as bad as being drugged.

Blair couldn’t be alone; and there was no way Yelena could just drop Blair off at her apartment. First off, Yelena didn’t know where she lived, and Blair was clearly in no state to give directions; as it was better off to monitor her for the night, just in case there were any complications.

“Come on,” Yelena encouraged; prompting Blair to walk. “I’m going to take you to my apartment.”

Slowly, as they started down the sidewalk, Yelena kept one hand wrapped around Blair’s torso; as she was still stable enough to move her feet, but was more or less leaning Yelena like a crutch.

Her shoes made things more difficult, but Yelena didn’t want her walking barefoot on the dirty city sidewalk; instead, coaxing her slowly to her car. 

It took them a minute or two; and Yelena got a little too confident, as she figured that Blair could climb into the car by herself. She opened the passenger door up for Blair; not really considering the small mountain of snow and ice as a huge hurdle. 

Yelena had walked over it easily; but then again, she was sober. Blair on the other hand, had taken the tiniest step before falling; as it was a good thing she was still partially attached to Yelena, as she was somewhat able to catch her.

Her knees hit the ice— hardly an injury to praise; though it was quite a close call of Blair falling face-first into the car itself. That fall was painful, and there was no denying that, as Blair cried out; Yelena jumping to her assistance, as she immediately helped her into the car. 

She felt guilty, of course; but Yelena was quick to assess the damage— and thankfully, there was nothing besides a small rip in Blair’s pantyhose.

“I’m sorry.” Yelena apologized; even if Blair seemed indifferent. She could assume that Blair was too intoxicated to hold any grudges; but that would hardly make herself feel any better.

With a sigh, Yelena strapped Blair into her seatbelt; closing the door, as she headed over to the driver’s side. If Blair could forget anything from tonight, Yelena hoped that it would be this moment; even if that was quite selfish for her to wish for.

Yelena settled into the driver seat; and before she could drive, she checked to make sure that Blair was comfortable as well. She was quiet and not otherwise complaining; though Yelena wasn’t sure if that was natural, or a side effect from being roofied.

As much as that pissed her off, Yelena had to clear her mind for the road— it was now her duty to drive Blair safely. She continued the commute back to her apartment, as normal; sneaking glances as Blair whenever she could, as she wanted to see how Blair was holding up. 

For the first half of the drive, things went smoothly enough; the small occasional patch of traffic, a pensively awkward ride. It reminded her of the other moment they shared in this car; only roles reversed— though Yelena would take the circumstances of that day over this one. 

Minus the kissing, she noted; stealing another at glimpse Blair, as they were caught behind a stop light. 

Just as Yelena had seen her before, Blair was still slumped in her seat; elbow resting on the window, as she was holding her head up. She was uncomfortable, and there wasn’t much Yelena could do to remedy the situation— they would be stuck in this car for about fifteen more minutes.

Since the car was stuck behind the light, her eyes were not necessarily tied to the road; as Yelena had the opportunity to watch her a little closer. She squinted past the brown waves of hair that blocked Blair’s face, and noticed that Blair was looking paler than normal; appearing even whiter than she did at the meeting.

Maybe Yelena was a little paranoid— she didn’t know if this was a side effect, or a warning sign that something was wrong; as Blair’s breathing was a little shallow, and was way too quiet for Yelena’s liking.

Yelena dug her index finger into the side of Blair’s arm; her reaction delayed by a few seconds.

And to put it simply, Blair looked miserable. Her features all echoed in pain, as she couldn’t even pull it in her to speak; just groaning in response.

It took everything in Yelena not to panic. She was the one behind the wheel; and frankly, it would be a disservice to Blair to freak out as well. 

So instead, she took a deep breath and assessed the problem; as on top of that, the cars in front of her were starting to move again; as Yelena was going to have to multitask.

“What’s wrong?” Yelena blurted; her eyes moving back and forth between the road and Blair.

Blair took a second to answer; as she immediately started sobbing to Yelena’s surprise— which definitely told that she wasn’t feeling good. 

*

“I don’t wanna throw up!” Blair whimpered; completely distraught over the idea. “But I feel sick!”

“Oh god.” Yelena muttered. Blair was about to puke all over her car, and there was nothing she could do, since she was driving. 

*

Yelena’s hands gripped the steering wheel; almost tempted to pull over. She wasn’t trying to be grotesque, but Blair wasn’t actively gagging; as maybe she was just nauseous and scared.

But crying hysterically wasn’t going to help Blair either; as that might make her more sicker, even if Yelena understood her reason for panicking. 

“Blair, it’s okay. Just try to calm down, if you can.” Yelena reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder; trying to be soft.

She didn’t have much experience with consoling people; though Blair did seem to understand, as she gave a weak nod.

Her hand, of course, didn’t linger for long; as she needed one hand to be on the wheel, if she wanted to crack open the window. She figured that some fresh air in the car would help; as it wasn’t all her nerves, that was causing Yelena to pull away.

But in her peripheral vision, she could see Blair sniffing and wiping her tears; as Yelena felt terrible for making this more awkward than needed to be.

Blair was only her friend; but certainly, Yelena was showing more empathy to her, than she did to the average acquaintance.

“We’re almost home,” Yelena assured. “And when we get there, you can lay down and have some water.” 
 
They arrived at her apartment building, no more than ten minutes later; as Yelena wasn’t trying to drive wildly, with a nauseated Blair in her car. 

She made it through the ride without incident; though Yelena couldn’t really tell if she was feeling any better. Blair’s breathing was shallow and paced; eyes closed as if she was bracing herself, which definitely didn’t seem like a good sign.

As soon as they were parked, Yelena had gotten her out of the car; as she learned her lesson, and didn’t assume Blair could be coordinated.

Her arms, again, settled on both sides of Blair’s stomach; as Yelena wanted them to walk fast as Blair could possibly manage.

With some stumbling, they entered into the lobby of the apartment building; beelining for the elevator, as Yelena was more like dragging Blair, to make it in time.

It was just their luck, to have someone already entering the elevator; an old lady, who looked no ways inclined to hold the metal doors for them open, as she was watching from inside. 

The points of Blair’s heels dragged against the linoleum floor, as Yelena carried her; more or less roughhousing her, though they didn’t make the elevator in time.

Yelena even had to press the button to her floor; the old lady glaring at her, rather than helping.

Those pointed looks only continued throughout the ride; especially as Blair further melted into Yelena, leaning her head on her shoulder.

Of course, Yelena started sweating. She couldn’t imagine what kind of thoughts were running through this lady’s head; how obvious this had seemed.

This woman was a stranger, and the probability of ever running into her again was slim to none; but Yelena found herself panicking just thinking of her opinion. 

It felt like she had a sign hovering overhead, pointing out the undeniable; as Yelena didn’t have time to unpack all of this. She’ll save that exenstail crisis for later; because as of right now, Blair was gagging. 

*

In a split second, Yelena had turned to Blair; whose hands were now covering her mouth. She was trying to pull away from Yelena; her body tense, as Blair was desperately trying to keep it together.

Both of them were panicking. The elevator was the worst possible place Blair could throw up at; as there was no way this wouldn’t turn out messy. They had this other lady stuck with them, to make matters worse; though Yelena wasn’t completely sympathetic, with how condescending she was being.

Thankfully, the elevator doors had opened up, the old lady was quick to escort herself away from this disaster; not before she sneered at them in disgust.

Blair, at least, was saved from the humiliation. Yelena could tolerate that judgment from earlier, since it was targeted towards her; but if worse came to worse, and something had been said about Blair; Yelena wouldn’t have kept her mouth shut.

The elevator continued up three more floors; an entire enterny between then and now, as there wasn't anything Yelena could do to help.

But as soon as those doors arrived onto the thirteenth floor, the two were out of the elevator within an heartbeat; as there real and sudden urgency to get Blair inside her apartment.

Yelena was as gentle as she could be; leading Blair across the hallway, as she wasn’t trying to aggravate her sickness any further.

She felt horrible for rushing Blair around; but as graphic as the subject could be, Yelena would rather her throw up in the apartment, than smack dab in the middle of the hallway. 

With reaching the apartment; it was a balancing act of keeping Blair upright, whilst opening the door. Blair was situated within her left arm, and Yelena was twisting her lock and keys with a non-dominant hand; fumbling quite a bit, as she was trying to work fast.

Her focus was the door, even if she could feel Blair heaving— added anxiety, as she was trying to fight the inevitable. Once she did open the lock, she took a glance at Blair; tears streaming down her face, her cheeks were puffed up.

They had to move; a blur of adrenaline, as the two tore in the apartment. Yelena was helping Blair with her shoes, and with the whole urgency of the situation, Blair had suddenly found strength to walk; Yelena steering her straight to the bathroom.

Both of them clawed and pushed at the door, but it was Yelena who turned on the light; letting Blair stumbling towards the toilet.

Blair didn’t even have time to lift up the toilet seat. Yelena couldn't be mad at her, when she was holding that in for so long.

Instead, Yelena rushed to her side. She immediately lifted the toilet seat for Blair; guiding her to the ground, as she clearly wasn’t done throwing up. 

Yelena held her hair back. She tried her best to console Blair; distraught, as she was crying between her gagging.

It was hard to watch; but Yelena stayed even if her stomach turned. Blair didn’t deserve to be alone at this moment; especially when Yelena heard her wailing in pure agony.

Vomiting wasn’t fun; no less after you drank alcohol, as the burn was a thousand times worse. 

She was just holding her hair, but it escalated to Yelena patting her back; the smallest, most minuscule thing she could do, to help relieve some of Blair’s pain.

Together, they sat there kneeling on the floor; as eventually, Blair’s full-on sobs had depleted into whimpers. It was no surprise that she had wasted every last bit of energy in her body; as Yelena had to help her move away from the toilet.

Blair was seated against the bathtub; giving her a moment to recuperate, while Yelena had the opportunity to clean up the bathroom. That was definitely her first priority to tackle; as quite obviously, it was unsanitary to have vomit on your floors.

On first examination, the mess didn’t seem too complicated for her to clean; as Blair had thrown up more on herself than she did on the floor. She clearly needed a new pair of clothes, which Yelena promised to get after Blair had taken a moment to settle; figuring it was best not to stir Blair after she’d been so sick. 

And currently, Blair was disheveled to say the least; tears still streaming down her face, weeping silently, as she was crawled into a ball. Yelena had stood up, and offered her a wad of toilet paper to wipe her face and mouth; telling her that she would be back in a minute.

The cleaning supplies were in the hallway closet, right across from the bathroom; as Yelena wasn’t leaving Blair alone for too long. She brought the mop, disinfecting spray, and a pair of gloves; as she knew cleaning this up wasn’t going to be fun.

But, she was doing this for Blair. None of this was ever intentionally her fault.

After a couple minutes of mopping and scrubbing, the bathroom was clean again; but the floors were wet, and now a considerable hazard for anyone not sober, to walk on. 

As much as killed Yelena to see Blair in those dirty clothes, she had more of a concern that Blair could hurt herself further; as it better to wait until the floor was dry.

Yelena flicked off her cleaning gloves, before placing them into the bathroom room trash can; reaching for some tissues, to give to Blair. She could hear Blair sniffling; as Yelena looked over, there were black smudges of mascara around her eyes; probably from rubbing her face.

Avoiding any of the wet spots, Yelena had sat on the floor across from Blair; about to hand over the toilet paper, when she noticed that there was some puke stuck in Blair’s hair. Thankfully, it was only on the short strands that framed the sides of her face; as that could have a greater mess.

*

She, of course, couldn’t leave her like that; especially when she wanted Blair to take the bed for the night, leaving Yelena to the couch.

So Yelena had scooted a little closer to Blair; not sure how she wanted to broach this. 

“Sorry,” Yelena apologized; making this more difficult than it needed to be. “But there’s, um… something in your hair…”

Blair didn’t respond to her, peering up at her like an injured deer. Someone who was entirely helpless— which didn’t make Yelena any better.

“I’m just gonna…” Her voice faltered; and rather than explaining, her hand had reached for Blair; carefully picking up that lock of hair.

It certainly felt taboo; even if Yelena was just wiping down her hair. She didn’t even mean to be the tenser one; though she certainly felt some pressure, with Blair watching her.

But Blair didn’t seem to be uncomfortable; as Yelena was acting quickly just to be cordial. If anything, that statement had applied to Yelena; as she was the one who was embarrassed.

Somehow, this elicited some awkward feelings; battles she's faced, plenty of times before. When she’s shopping in the men’s section for suits, and people would stare at her strangely. When she was around one of Bianca’s fancy friends, all who would air kiss her, hello and goodbye.

The way she panicked, when the lady in the elevator judged her.

It made her feel there was something wrong with her; even more now, that Blair was in such a vulnerable state. So Yelena pulled away fast, and excused herself to quickly go wash her hands.

She couldn’t be more grateful that floor tiles didn’t take long to dry; as Yelena grabbed her cleaning supplies and was out of there. She took her time putting all the stuff back into the  closet; avoiding the bathroom, and heading to her room instead.

You’re a terrible, terrible person. Yelena scolded; shaking her head as she pressed on the light switch.

With her room now illuminated, Yelena passed by her bed, duvet still undone; as she made her way towards her dresser. She opened one of the bottom drawers; sorting through her assortment of pajamas, as she pulled out an old pair of sweatpants, and a t-shirt.

There was a part of her that wanted to stay here and stall for a little bit longer; to avoid this predicament for the second time today. But Yelena couldn’t be selfish; as surely, she was reminding herself that she experienced so much more embarrassing moments in life.

Her concern for Blair was far greater; as Yelena had no choice but to collect herself, and reenter the bathroom.

And poor Blair was still huddled on the floor, just like Yelena had last seen her— which only solidified that Yelena needed to get her shit together, and stop acting so self-conscious.

Yelena placed the clothes onto the sink’s countertop; thinking that it was better to move Blair over to the toilet seat, as she could imagine that it would be a slightly better improvement. 

She offered a hand to Blair; who had more or less blinked at her, in confusion. It took Blair a second, but Yelena was surprisingly patient; as when she had taken her hand, Yelena made sure to support the rest of Blair’s body; as slowly, but steady, Blair made it on her two feet.

The bathroom was small, as in two steps they were back to the toilet; though this time, Yelena was sitting her down on the closed lid.

“I'm going to leave, so you can get changed.” Yelena explained; pointing Blair to the folded pile of clothes. “I’ll be waiting for you in the hallway. When you're done, just call for me.”

Blair’s nod was delayed by a second; but regardless, that was Yelena’s cue to leave. 

On her way out this time, Yelena had closed the door behind her— though she didn’t shut it completely. She left it a just smidge (Italic) open; her way to supervise Blair without being in the same room.

It wasn't like her to worry, but Yelena would rather air on the side of precaution; as Blair had already fallen once today.

And considering how flustered she had gotten for simply touching Blair’s hair; Yelena would rather not think about what would happen in that scenario. 

A couple minutes had passed, and Yelena was leaning on the adjacent wall to the bathroom; as it was pretty quiet for a while there. She couldn’t help but be a little worried, until she had heard the sink turn on; a sign that Blair was okay in there.

Frankly, with all this running around she did; exhaustion had finally caught up to Yelena. She’ll take this one singular moment to relax, before her focus would turn back to Blair; as under her watch, Yelena wanted her to be safe and cared for. 

The bathroom door swung open— of course, at the moment when Yelena wasn’t waiting restlessly. Yelena had quickly jumped in surprise, her body whipping towards the door, as Blair was standing behind; dressed, and balancing her weight on the sink.

Naturally, Yelena was a little confused why Blair didn’t call for her help; as she certainly made that offer clear enough for her. But Yelena couldn’t blame her, if she didn’t completely understand— she was intoxicated after all.

Yelena had joined Blair’s side; looping an arm around her torso, as she noticed the front of her t-shirt was wet, and backwards— the grey fabric was stained dark.

Her chin was wet too; Blair wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, as she stepped in the hallway.

“Do you need some water?” Yelena offered as she guided Blair over to the bedroom; figuring that it would be best for her to sleep away her symptoms. 

She was so obviously exhausted; as it took Blair everything just to shake her head. Her thoughts were even more disjointed, as she said them out loud— like if it was another challenge for Blair just to think straight.

“I just…” She slurred; merely a whisper, as she couldn’t even project her voice. “I needa lay down.”

Blair grabbed at her forehead, her eyes pinching shut; as Yelena wasn’t going to exert her by walking any faster than she could go. This time, there was no rush; slow and steady, as they entered the bedroom; with Yelena leading her straight to the bed. 
 
Before she could lie down, Yelena pushed the comforter out the way; straightening a pillow for Blair, who practically had climbed into bed by herself. Blair melted into the mattress, and Yelena had to nudge her before she had gotten too comfortable; better for her to sleep on her side, even if Blair had gotten everything out of her system.

All Blair could do was groan in protest; complying with Yelena as she sprawled onto her right side. In turn, Yelena had to help her with the blanket; as gingerly, she tucked Blair in.

It felt strange to care for someone— not necessarily a bad thing, minius the circumstances; though Yelena wasn’t really ready to unpack those sentiments. No one has ever really been in her apartment before; let alone needed her help for anything other than work.

Again, Yelena shrugged off the thought; as it was better for her just to leave. 

But Yelena needed the other pillow she had on the bed; along with another blanket, as she would be sleeping on the couch. She walked over to the other side of the bed, and grabbed the pillow; having to tip-toe past Blair again, as she ventured towards her closet.

She glanced at Blair, and saw that her eyes were closed. So quietly, Yelena had continued forward. 

Her closet was on the other side of the room by her dresser; the extra storage definitely needed, considering her bedroom was somewhat cramped to begin with. And Yelena always had extra blankets lying around, whenever her heaters were acting iffy; as her apartment building was nice enough to have its own laundromat and gym, but not consistent heating.

Slowly, Yelena opened up the door to the closet, the old wood and hinges creaking; as Yelena hitched her breath in annoyance. 

Naturally, she wasn’t expecting Blair to be completely asleep yet; but it wasn’t her intention to make a whole lot of noise, either. 

Yelena gritted her teeth, as she reached for one of the blankets on the top shelf. She could hear Blair rustling behind her; and now Yelena had to check if she turned onto her back.

She nudged the door shut with her foot; turning to Blair, who was sitting up in bed. Her hair was static; and Yelena had assumed Blair was just scratching her back, until she pulled her bra out from underneath her shirt.

Blair had simply tossed it to the floor, and flopped back onto her side; grumbling about something, as it wasn’t really hard to guess what she was complaining about.

If anything, Yelena had taken that as a hint to leave; flicking the light off, and closing the door about halfway.

In the living room, she checked the clock to see that it was mid-evening; the sun already set on a particularly gloomy day. 

Yelena hadn't time for dinner; and when she remembers that Blair’s clothes were still lying around in the bathroom, she loses her appetite a bit further. 

She dealt with too much vomit today; and at least this would be the last time. Yelena brought a plastic bag with her into the bathroom; stuffing Blair’s clothes in there, and quickly washing her hands; as she left the bag in the corner, near the bathtub. 

After that, Yelena finally had some time for herself; so she settled on the couch like she always did; losing her mind in some television programs, as she found herself too tired to do anything.

Sometimes, she liked to read in the evenings; to catch up with the latest scientific news and papers—  but only if her brain wasn’t completely fried from the work day.

And certainly, today was a long one; as Yelena would rather brood in the dark for a few hours, and clear her mind.

The news was perfectly mind-numbing; as eventually, the channel flicked into some other nightly programming— and Yelena’s mind was straying towards the kitchen. 

Apparently, she wasn’t that put off with food; as Yelena was in the search of leftovers; not in the mood to make something for herself, as cooking wasn't something she particularly enjoyed.

But there was nothing in her fridge that piqued her interest, so Yelena settled for a can of soup; warming it on the stove, and sitting down with a bowl at the kitchen table.

As she was eating, Yelena leaned back into her seat; uncomfortable in her stiff work clothes, as she was ready to unwind for the night.

In her desperation to get out of the room earlier, Yelena had forgotten to get a pair of pajamas for herself; as she would now have to go back to get some. By now, almost half an hour later, Yelena was safe to assume that Blair was fast asleep; as also, she could use the opportunity just to check on her briefly.

Yelena was mostly concerned about Blair turning onto her back; knowing that wasn’t the safest position to sleep when intoxicated— especially to Blair’s extent. 

While she was certain that Blair had gotten everything out of her system earlier; Yelena couldn’t be too sure. During her senior year in college, a girl on campus had died by choking on her own vomit; left alone to ‘sleep off’ the alcohol, as no one had bothered to check on her. 

Clearly, the memory was still fresh in Yelena’s mind; even if she hadn’t met the poor girl. She tossed her bowl in the sink; her legs pulling her straight to the bedroom, as Yelena found herself opening up the door.

Her eyes needed a second to adjust; closing the door behind her, as she didn’t want the light to disturb Blair; though Yelena was completely submerged in pitch black.

But even in the dark, Yelena knew the layout of her room; from the early mornings she would wake up from work, too lazy to flick on her lampshade, or open up the curtains. She tip-toed across squeaky floors; old floorboards bending underneath her weight.

Magically, she knew where to stop— just a foot away from the bedframe. The bed in front of her was an indistinguishable mass, until Yelena squinted into the dark; a grayscale of blurs and shapes.

Another moment of focusing was required; but eventually, her brain did make out where Blair was lying on the bed. Sprawled towards the middle; but a relief to Yelena that she was still turned onto her side. 

All the weight was lifted from her chest— the confirmation she needed to walk away; though surprisingly, Yelena found herself staying put. 

It was strange, and she knew how creepy it sounded— but Yelena just wanted to see Blair breathing— only so she could put this bout of paranoia to rest.

She wants to believe she did her best to take care of Blair; to swallow down all those feelings of guilt. Certainly, it was hard for Yelena to think that she did; considering she dragged Blair around, even letting her into John clutches. 

So she’ll consider it a victory that Blair made it out unscathed; that Yelena was at least able to comfort her, when it was needed. 

There was a quite human aspect to taking care of someone; and before today, Yelena might never have realized it. And maybe, it was human in the way that people breathed; steadfast in the way that Blair’s chest rose up and down, as once it started, it never really stopped.

 _____

Yelena was stupid not think of this before; but tall people shouldn’t really be sleeping on small couches. 

Her apartment was tiny to begin with; the couch no different, as she’s been living with the same fucking furniture for almost four years now. 

But of course, in her sleep-deprived state, she doesn’t remember why she did this; as the first thought in her waking mind was regret. She’s too tired to recall Blair— as her sleep throughout the night was fitful at best. 

She’s been five-eight for a good chunk of her life now; as Yelena had no problem with being taller than average. (Maybe in early middle school, she did; as Yelena felt an oversized china doll, with the frilly dresses her mother used to make her wear.)

This couch, clearly, wasn’t meant for her lengthwise; as her feet and ankles were hung off the side of the sofa. It was either that, or her head; an easy choice, when Yelena already suffered with neck and back pain from her dayjob.

In the end, it hardly seemed like the decision mattered. Her body ached regardless, as there was no comfortable position to sleep in at all. 

And if Yelena wanted to regain some feeling back into her legs; it was probably better for her to get up now. 

Groggily, Yelena had sat up; stretching out stiff limbs, as she had forced her eyes to open. Her eyelids felt heavy, squinting at her surroundings; as they weren’t quite convinced of waking up just yet.

The weather wasn’t helping her either; gloomy, and perfectly dark enough to lure somebody back to sleep— even if it was only eight-thirty.

It’s no surprise that she overslept; as usually, Yelena liked to start her weekends off early, wanting to cram in some time in the gym. But as you could imagine, her body wasn’t in any state to work out— she was already sore from just sleeping.

Yelena rubbed the sleep from her eyes; mulling over the reason of, why she would torture herself in this way. 

Again, as Yelena was still tired; it took her a second or two to remember all the events of yesterday. That Blair was sleeping in her bed, and it wasn’t just some strange dream— the heels laying haphazardly by her door, serving as proof. 

Her attitude did change, as she ruminated; just a sacrifice she made for Blair's own comfort. So she kept grumbling to herself, as she hitched up her tank-top; pulling herself up from the couch.

She held in her complaints, as she stumbled into the kitchen; her legs aching with every step, though Yelena would rather focus on making herself breakfast. As she doesn’t have any energy for anything fancy, she decided on oatmeal; quickly preparing some for herself, as she popped a bowl into the microwave.

During the wait, Yelena had opened her blinds— even if that hardly made a difference in lighting up the room. It was cloudy, as expected; raindrops pricking on the window sill and fire escape.

After Yelena grabbed her oatmeal, (a couple seconds before the timer went off) she picked a banana from the counter; sitting back down on the couch with her breakfast.

Right now, she doesn’t want to think of the uncomfortable chairs of her kitchen table; as her body needed movement— not confinement.

Yes, she was still at odds with the sofa; but at least, Yelena could sit there cross-legged; balancing the bowl of oatmeal on her leg, between bites of her banana.

Her breakfast was eaten in relative silence; as she didn’t want to turn on the TV. She knows there won’t be much on, besides cartoons; just letting her mind wander instead.

The topic of Blair, of course, came up; as Yelena hadn't thought about how this would play out, until now. It’s still early, and Yelena figured that she would need a couple more hours to sober up; as Yelena didn’t even know if it was still appropriate to check on her.

Last time she’d checked, she had every reason to; as now, there wasn’t much of an excuse. But Yelena figured that she might pop in there quickly; just so she could get another pair of clothes that weren’t pajamas. 

With that thought, Yelena had finished the last of her breakfast; chewing on her last piece of banana, as she stood up from the couch. Her lower back pain had quickly stopped her in her tracks; as of course, that suddenly had to kick in too.

The way she had been sitting definitely didn’t help; her body only facing the natural consequences. 

This time around, Yelena couldn’t help her complaints; muttering under her breath, as she plopped her banana peel into her empty bowl.

Her free hand had pressed against the small of her back; torso twisting to the left, as her joints had all cracked in continuous harmony. 

Yelena groaned in relief. It was the only remedy that had mostly worked on her back.

Next, she turned to the right; repeating the same steps. She pulled at the muscles in her back, but Yelena was hardly able to replicate the same feeling. Her head turned towards the hallway; practically jumping out of her own skin, as she spotted a person at the end of her hallway.

Naturally, Yelena had expected Blair to be asleep; so of course, it came as a surprise, to see her standing there. 

Yelena was too prideful to admit that it had genuinely scared her; quick to act nonchalant, even if the bowl had almost flown out from her hand. 

But saving-face turned out to be unnecessary, when Blair was just as shocked to see her. She had clearly stumbled out of bed, a few seconds ago; her hair all disheveled, and clothes rumpled from sleeping.

The bra she had thrown the floor last night, was tossed over her shoulder like a sash; as overall, Blair had this frantic look to her. 

Yelena could only guess that she was still lethargic; trying to place the puzzle pieces together, as she made out her surroundings. Even her reaction to seeing Yelena was delayed; the two in an awkward state of just staring at each other, until Blair’s face lit up in recognition.

Her eyes immediately went wide; as if Yelena was the last person on earth, she could ever imagine herself running into. 

It was clearly written on Blair’s face— and Yelena couldn’t blame her, as she practically felt the same.

They were cordial at best. Friendly, but definitely not close enough to be stuck in this particular situation.

But Blair was now sober enough to share the awkwardness; as it was oddly intimate, to be a complete mess in front of someone you know so casually. Especially, when they were coworkers of sorts.

That statement had applied to Yelena, as well— caught off guard, with a serious case of bed-head; as she could feel her hair sticking lazily to the side of forehead. 

Realization hit both of them at once; Blair beelining straight into the bathroom, while Yelena turned away. The bathroom door had closed with a definite emphasis, as Yelena had found herself wandering into the kitchen; hiding as well, even if she hardly had a reason to.

She felt absolutely ridiculous, but there was this certain panic for Yelena to pull appearance together; placing her bowl in the sink, as her hands immediately began to fuss with her hair.

There wasn’t an opportunity for Yelena to brush her teeth; so in a panic, she scoured her kitchen for anything minty; eventually landing on some peppermints hidden inside of her junk drawer. 

With spending so much time between that, and her hair; Yelena was otherwise stuck in her pajamas— the bathroom door opening, much sooner than she expected. She panicked, of course; even though she could be wearing much worse than a tank-top and flannel pants.

It took Blair a second to enter the living room— no complaints from Yelena, as she needed a moment to act nonchalant; sitting herself down at the kitchen table.

But when she did walk in, Blair was… stand-offish; lingering at the edge of the hallway, right behind the couch. Clearly, she hadn’t had any plans to come closer; eyeing the doorway, as Blair was carrying a plastic bag in her hand.

The one where Yelena had put Blair’s dirty clothes in— though, it was quite obvious that Blair had figured that out on her own.

Certainly, there was a lot of explaining that needed to be done; as it was a matter of who was brave enough to talk first. The air was quite tense; a million miles between them, rather than a few feet. 

Somehow, even through this layer of hesitation; Blair had found it necessary to apologize; much to Yelena’s confusion; as the first words out her mouth were: “I’m sorry.”

“I should be leaving, I already caused you enough trouble.” Blair frowned; blurting all of this, before she started towards the door.

On her way, she did stop to tell Yelena something else; gesturing down to the clothes Yelena had given her, as Blair didn’t dare to make eye contact.

“I’ll promise to return these! I’ll even wash them for you!” 

Blair was talking fast;moving around even faster, as she was in a frantic search for her heels; finding them quite quickly, as they hadn’t been touched since last night.

And really, it wasn’t Yelena’s intention to gawk at Blair; but her mind couldn’t seem to wrap itself around the situation. 

She thought that this was pretty obvious; that Blair didn’t need to apologize to her— or to anyone else, in fact. But Blair was tip-toeing around, as if she were in trouble; as Yelena wasn’t expecting her to be all chatty and friendly— but not wanting her to walk around in eggshells, either.

If Yelena could put in a guess, she assumed that Blair didn't recognize this herself; as it was imperative that she knew right away. Between her brain trying to grasp at the right words, and Blair’s desperation to leave; Yelena needed to act quickly. 

Both of her shoes were on; and Blair was practically seconds away from leaving, when Yelena jumped up from her seat; her wooden chair screeching against the tiled floor.

“Blair— wait!” Yelena shouted; almost choking on her peppermint in the process. “At least let me call you a taxi!” 

That was not all what she wanted to say; as the goal was to keep Blair, rather than letting her go. Though, that certainly did capture Blair’s attention; even if it seemed like she was ready to deny the proposition.

But there was no way, Yelena was going to let her. 

“You didn’t bring a bag with you.” Yelena pointed out, trying to be polite with the way she phrased this. “I just want you to make it home safely.”

Understandably, Blair didn’t want to bum off another ride from her; but without money or a metro card, Blair wouldn’t make it far on her own. And considering what happened to her yesterday; Yelena didn’t want to play around with the idea of her safety.

“Oh.” Blair blinked. Her cheeks had flushed red; quickly noticing that Yelena was right, and really having no choice but to accept.

It clearly pushed on her pride; giving a sheepish nod, that Yelena took for as a yes. She stood sort of awkwardly by the door, as Yelena made her way to the telephone; the distance between them much shorter, as Blair was just inches away now.

Yelena didn’t dwell on the subject for much longer; definitely knowing a thing or two about pride, as she wanted Blair to relax a bit.

“Do you want breakfast? Coffee?” Yelena offered as she picked the phone’s ear-piece; dialing the number for the taxi company. 

Despite the circumstances, Yelena still wanted to be a cordial host— to prove that Blair sticking around wasn't going to be a bother to her. And in her desperation, Yelena was probably biting off more than she could chew; as her cooking was subpar, to put it nicely. 

She didn’t even know if she had the right groceries for breakfast; but of course, Yelena didn’t think about that before suggesting so.  

“Thank you,” Blair appreciated. “But I think I’ll take some water instead.

Yelena breathed a sigh of relief; as that was the better answer, than the two given to Blair. 

“Yeah, go ahead. You can use any of the glasses by the sink, and there’s a gallon of water in the fridge.”

Blair, polite as ever, nodded and slipped off her shoes. She headed towards the kitchen, while Yelena turned back into the telephone; letting the phone ring out, until someone picked up on the other side.

She ordered a taxi to her apartment building; offering to pay in advance, as Yelena didn’t have any cash to give Blair for the fair. Quickly, Yelena placed herself on hold to get her wallet and cards; finding so on the coffee table, on top of all the paper clutter she had on there. 

After that was settled, and Yelena was done paying; she hung up the phone call, tossing her wallet on the couch. She joined Blair over at the kitchen; who was already seated at the table, half-empty glass of water set out in front of her.

“The taxi should be in here in about twenty minutes.” Yelena declared; pulling the only other seat out from underneath the table.

As she sat down, Blair nodded again; pretty much avoiding eye-contact, as she peered down at her drink. 

This was the closest that they’ve been today; merely inches apart, as the table was small around round— quite the terrible place to avoid someone else.

And in a quick glance, Yelena couldn't be sure if that was Blair's case; as she was probably more exhausted and embarrassed, than intentionally rude and dismissive.

Now that they were up close, and rather personal, Yelena could see the dark circles under her eyes; so prominent that they looked almost blueish-purple. 

Yelena had never seen her without makeup before— not that it mattered, as Blair wore it so lightly— but exhaustion definitely showed itself on her face. 

“You okay?” Yelena questioned; Blair’s eyes flicking upwards, as she was clearly caught off guard.

“Yes.” She answered a little bit too quickly; straightening herself in her seat.

Maybe it was a nervous habit— or a sign that she was quite terrible at lying— but Blair grabbed at the collar of her shirt and tugged at it; as if it were too tight, or uncomfortable.

Her shirt was in the right orientation now; v-neck facing forward, as Blair must have fixed herself in the bathroom. 

“I’m… I’m just hungover.” Blair admitted. Her eyes were trying to deflect again, trying not to make this the big deal that Yelena knew it was. 

But Yelena was still raising an eyebrow— impossible not to treat this like some work inquiry; where she could slowly squeeze out information from the other person. 

It worked somewhat already; as all she needed was Blair to keep on talking.

“Yeah,” Yelena continued. “So about that—”

“I’m fine.” 

Blair’s hands had tightened around her glass; her tone darkening. Still, Yelena wasn’t going to quit it.

“You’re not fine. You were so sick last night, and I was worried about you!” 

“Please! Can we just pretend that this didn’t happen!” Blair snapped. “I don’t want to remember how terrible my presentation was! I don’t want to think about how I threw up all over your bathroom! I just—”  

Suddenly, Blair threw a fist down a table; knocking her glass in the process— though, it wasn't intentionally done out of anger. Blair was sobbing; hands flying up to her face, to hide her sadness. 

“I just want to forget!” Blair wailed. “Please let me forget!”

For a second, all Yelena could do was watch the water spill out the glass; pooling on the wooden surface of the table.

*

“He touched you.” 

All she felt was unbridled rage; but Yelena had no other choice but to be calm. The words as she said them, felt eerie; a whole plethora of emotions swirling in her brain, that came off in her voice as deadpan. 

It was the easier emotion to feel at the moment; tipping the scales, as Yelena could no longer keep things rational. She was throwing away the idea of business, inquiries, and all the other bullshit— because Blair was her fucking friend. 

None of that mattered in the moment. Blair didn’t deserve to go through this alone.

Yelena pulled her chair closer to Blair’s; resting a hand on her arm.

“I’ll kill him for you.” 

“No!” Blair shrieked; as she knew Yelena wasn’t serious— just apprehensive herself. “I-It’s not what you think! He didn’t touch me anywhere… bad!”

Said out loud, it hardly seemed like there was a difference; Blair having to convince herself, as Yelena saw it wrong either way. 

“He’s handsy…” Blair described. “Always touching my legs and my thighs…”

She sniffed; tears relentless, even with her eyes squeezed shut. It doesn’t escape Yelena, how she mentioned it all in the plural; meaning multiple instances. 

Yelena shouldn’t be able to name two of those experiences off the top of her head. New Year's Eve, how he brushed up against her; yesterday, how he coerced her. 

The expression on Blair’s face told her there were many more times— through closed office doors, where there wouldn’t be any witnesses; as Yelena was just sick thinking about the details.

This was happening to her, while Yelena was only working a few feet away. Oblivious; as before, Yelena was quite certain that she knew everything about the company. From the innermost workings of production, to the petty drama that ran throughout HR.

Yet, this slipped through the cracks.

They were close enough to be friends too.

“You have to report him.” Yelena informed; as she’d be there to vouch for Blair one-hundred percent.

Even before Blair worked here, she had this feeling towards John— one Yelena never acted on, as a suspicion was hardly enough to warrant anything. She’d seen him be openly flirty to other women before; a pattern resembling Blair’s, as there was no doubt that he hadn’t done this before.

But Blair was shaking her head; the idea making her more distraught.

“No! I can’t do that!” She panicked. “My life at work is already miserable, and that’ll just make things worse!” 

Out of all of the things Yelena heard today, this was the one that genuinely surprised her. This was the first time  she was hearing this; and yet, they’ve spent their lunch breaks together for weeks. 

“All the guys on my team respect him, Yelena! They follow his every move!” Blair cried; the volume in her voice rising. “No one would ever believe me! He’ll spread rumors, and try to twist this on me! I’m pretty sure he already has!” 

“They know about this?!” Yelena interjected; scoffing as she couldn’t believe her marketing would be so complacent. “I’ll report their asses too!”

“I…I don’t know!” Blair stammered. “It’s not like John did stuff to me in front of them, but… he makes jokes and… innuendos… about me.”

Blair tried to choke back a sob; her hands moving angrily with emphasis. “They probably only see me as a pair of walking boobs!”

*

Yelena gritted her teeth; sucking in a breath, to calm the fire of rage pooling throughout her chest. Hearing this had only made her more livid, but she was trying to approach Blair in a composed, sensible manner.

She couldn’t afford to scare away Blair; not in this situation.

“That’s still harassment.” Yelena countered. “I can get them fired for that.” 

Yes, it was direct; Yelena had a responsibility to discipline, as co-founder and CFO. But then again, she still cared about Blair and her well-being, besides the work aspect of it— but that was said in her head, not aloud for Blair to hear; as of course, she took it differently.

“You don’t understand!” Blair argued with some bite in her tone; as if she was rather annoyed at Yelena for suggesting this again. “I worked so hard, and now my reputation could be destroyed!” 

She peered up at Yelena with watery eyes; so sad and frustrated, that Yelena couldn't be mad at her for snapping. 

In reality, she could see where Blair was from coming. Yelena was stubborn, and maybe she came off in a way that wasn’t understanding; even if she could actually relate.

There was the matter of coming off harsher than intended— maybe too business-like; as that was all Yelena knew and did. 

It wasn’t all on purpose; as Yelena had to build that shell to protect herself. And probably, it was for the same reason why Blair was adamant about not telling anyone about. 

To be taken seriously, and not as hysterical. To be respected as a person; not be belittled by gender.

“It doesn't seem like it, but I think I do understand.” Yelena suggested. 

She was staring down at her hands; and subconsciously, she found herself already cracking at her knuckles. Never has she dived in something so personal; as Blair was the first, and definitely the last, person she would tell this to.

“When I was freshman in college, I wanted to be a scientist.” Yelena revealed, feeling quite awkward as she admitted so; as looking back on it now, her career choice seemed so stupid. 

Anxiously, Yelena was checking for her reaction— nothing out of the ordinary, as Blair did calm down a bit on her crying. Yelena took in a huge sigh of relief; for that, and not being ridiculed. 

“I had an interest in chemistry, so naturally, I enrolled into a bunch of classes. Some that required lab practice, as well.” Yelena explained in short.

“So it’s the first day of the lab, and it’s no surprise that I’m the only girl there. The professor is going through the safety rules as usual— what to do in case you splash chemicals on yourself.”

Already, Yelena was scoffing at memory; trying to stop her anger from peeking through. 

“But he’s looking at me instead of talking to the entire class. Smirking at me, when he says that he is legally allowed to strip us naked, and put us under the emergency shower.”

Yelena doesn’t mention how the whole class roared with laughter. How she left the end of the class red-faced, and determined to prove them all wrong. 

“That was my first sign that they would never take me seriously.” Yelena recounted with an eye roll. “I had to fight constantly. I had to cut my hair short for the first time, because they were on my ass about the safety rules, even if I was following them to T.”

More like harassing her, as her fellow classmates constantly made comments about her hair; how it was too ‘pretty’ to be in close contact with bunsen burners and such. Ironic, considering some of these guys ended up with burns and singed arm hairs by the end of the semester; while Yelena had made it out unscathed. 

Looking back at it now, Yelena still held onto those grudges; impossible for Blair not to notice, despite knowing none of the details. 

“I’m sorry.” Blair sympathized; frown on her face, as after hearing that story, she certainly wasn’t feeling any better.

Yelena had shared that to relate with her; but now, she was doubting if that was the right call. It was hard to tell, but Blair seemed to be hesitating. Like there was more that she wanted to say.

An entire minute passed by where it was silent; the whole world still, until Blair suddenly spoke. 

“Did you tell anyone?” She wondered; quite the bold thing for her to say, as her eyes flicked around nervously. 

Truly, it’s a combination of words and reaction that left Yelena speechless. Her mouth opened to say something— the truth, of course— through pride had caused her vocal cords to freeze; leaving her there gaping.

She didn’t, because she couldn’t. And it all clicked her head from there.

Their circumstances matched almost perfectly.  A fresh face in a new environment; with no back-up plan, no second choice. There is no other option but to suffer, when you’re already in too deep. Money was spent to get you here; so you have to stick with it and stay strong. 

You down-play the situation to yourself; you make your situation unknown to others. A universal feeling between the two of them— yet, Yelena was acting like it wasn’t difficult. 

“No,” She answered upon clearing her throat; as there was almost this instinct to defend herself. Maybe in part, her early college experience made her feel this need to always be defensive.

As much she wanted to give her reason; said out loud, it would probably sound like an excuse. That dropping the majority of those classes during her second semester, was the sole reason; how it would almost be like rubbing it, that Yelena had Bianca as her crutch. 

That wasn’t fair to Blair at all; as Yelena hadn’t thought of it that way before. She was lucky to have someone under wing; as Yelena could try to be the same for Blair, though considering John’s power in office, she couldn’t guarantee it would be all welcoming to Blair.

In her anger, she was blind. As incredibly hard as it was to hear those things about Blair; she wanted her to safe too. 

It was only right for her to apologize.

“I know it’s not easy…” Yelena sighed. “And I shouldn't be pushing you to do something, when I couldn’t even do it myself.”

There was a slight chance she wasn’t going to make sense at all. She didn’t even know if she had the right words to describe this. 

“My concern is you getting really hurt.” She admitted; as she was honestly too concerned, to be any bit flustered. “I just want this to stop for you. You don’t deserve any of this.”

It wasn't like her to be this… mushy; as clearly, it came as a shock to Blair too. Right now, Yelena was trying to spare eye-contact; as she was already embarrassed enough.

“I do too.” Blair agreed after a moment. “I want to enjoy working again.”

“If he knows what’s good for him, John should back off.” Yelena huffed. “He should be terrified that I caught him.” 

Blair gave a weak smile, as she was trying to be appreciative. But there was that fear— this doubt that he would never go away.

“I really hope so… but it’s not like he cared before…”

As much as Yelena could intimidate him from afar, Blair was right; John was too comfortable being flirty, no matter who was around. And it wasn’t like Yelena could keep track of his every move; especially when she had work to do herself.

She had a solution in mind— one Yelena was a little hesitant to suggest; as she didn’t want to pressure Blair into anything. It wouldn’t be as extreme as putting in a report to HR, as Yelena wasn’t going back on her promise— instead, working around an aspect that was a little less… official.

“I can talk to him.” Yelena insisted; taking her time to explain every detail, as she wanted this to be done with Blair’s wishes in mind. “Privately. Just the two of us, so I can tell him that I know everything.”

“It’ll be a complete empty threat. I’ll scare him with the idea of involving the company, something he can’t retaliate against.” Yelena further clarified. “You don’t have to be apart of this. And if you hate the idea, we could just drop it, right now.” 

Intimidation was the nice way she wanted to put it; as threat was more of an unintended Freudian slip. Yelena knew it was quite the proposition to throw out there; and considering what kind of power she held at the company as well, this wouldn’t be exactly done by the way of the book.

At least, Blair wasn’t looking at her as if she were insane; actually taking a moment to consider it, rather than dismissing Yelena right away.

There was a lot for her to consider; Yelena could tell from the way Blair was biting down her lip. If she could only pick her brain at a moment, Yelena could imagine that Blair was thinking about this from an ethical standpoint— assuming that Blair was a sucker for rules.

Yelena was too; but she’s been working around Bianca long enough to know that some situations needed more of a drastic measure. It was just a matter of whether Blair could accept that, or not.

Blair sighed; the tears on her face long gone, but not the person who caused them.

“I trust you.” She nodded; looking directly at Yelena as said so. Completely confident with her decision.

That certainty came from exhaustion; the weight of carrying this all alone, as Blair wasn't going to burden herself with this anymore. She had someone there to help her: Yelena, her friend in need.

“I’ll be professional,” Yelena promised; assuring Blair that this wouldn’t be too difficult. “As professional as I can be.”

For the first time today, Blair let out a laugh. Small, and just for a second; but Yelena didn’t realize how she missed that sound.

Someone like her, didn’t deserve to be this upset.

“Thank you again, but I should really be heading out.” Blair remembered. “I don’t want to miss my taxi.” 

As she stood, she politely tucked her chair underneath the table; frowning as she saw the spilt glass and water, still lying on the surface.

“You‘ve been so nice to me, and I’m leaving you with a mess.” She fretted.

“No, no, no. It’s fine.” Yelena asserted; a little too enthusiastic as she jumped from the chair.

She tried to play it nonchalant by patting the table. It was an old piece of furniture anyways; second-hand and scratched up when she first got it.

“It’s just water.” She assured.

Like music to her ears, Blair was chuckling again; as Yelena’s awkward jab at small talk, was good for something. 

There was a smile on Blair's lips, as she headed towards the door— and like a magnet, Yelena was following her. The two had stopped by the doorframe, where Blair had last left her shoes and plastic bag of clothes; Yelena polite as ever, as she offered to open up the door. 

Blair didn’t have much with her; only taking to get to second to get ready, as Yelena realized that she didn’t even have a coat. It was mid January, and Blair was wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt— there was no way Yelena was going to let her leave without an extra layer.

Already, Yelena had found herself reaching towards her coat rack—just a few feet away from the door itself. She had a denim jacket hanging beside her winter coat; grabbing that, and handing it over to Blair.

“Here.” She announced; more or less shoving the jacket into Blair’s hands.

Yelena had a feeling that Blair would try to refuse; guessing correctly, as Blair did open her mouth to protest.

But what stopped her was the time— the fact that they’ve been talking for a while, as missing the taxi seemed like a real possibility. 

With a sigh, Blair gave into defeat; pulling the jacket onto her body. It was really all for show, as Blair still had that small smile; quite terrible at playing it stubborn.

“I’ll return these, as soon as I can.” Blair recalled as Yelena opened the door for her; stepping out into the hallway, while Yelena had leaned against the doorframe.

She threw up a small wave— one Yelena returned; as her response of telling Blair to take her time, dissipated on her tongue. 

Their goodbye was quiet; a return to awkwardness that often accompanied their interactions— though this time, it was much more comfortable.

There wasn’t that rush to leave; no urge to get away as fast as possible. Blair lingered for another moment longer, before she started down the hallway; Yelena continuing to watch until she made it onto the elevator.

Hopefully, Blair didn’t think that was too weird of her; as of course, Yelena only considered it now that it was too late. 

She turned back into her apartment, this hyper feeling buzzing around in her chest; as more than ever, she really cared about what Blair thought of her.

It seemed like a habit for Blair to leave her at this very spot; right at the entrance of her apartment, starting at the door while she questioned everything. 

Yelena wasn’t in trouble this time, but considering what she felt and how that played to the circumstances; she knew she was in too deep.

_____

To be frank, the coffee they had at the company break room was terrible. Usually, she liked her coffee black; but no amount of sugar or cream could save Yelena’s cup.

Office coffee wasn’t her first choice; Yelena could have saved herself the labor by going to a coffee shop instead. But that wasn’t on her itinerary for today— needing a valid excuse to be here; as Yelena would rarely ever visit the break room.

Certainly, it was a cause for suspicion— not that anyone would be so bold enough to point it out. But Yelena was here for a reason; as she didn’t wake up at the ass-crack of dawn for nothing.

She was the first person to arrive this morning; just as the sun began to rise. Her plan as followed, was to wait it out here, rather than hiding in her office; as brewing the pot of coffee was just a way to pass the time.

The office was relatively empty until about eight-twenty; the flood of employees coming in as usual, as some even stopped by into the break room to drop off their lunches.

In her head, she had this all planned out; even taking the possibility of bystanders into consideration. She would wait as long as it was necessary; as tackling this, was of the utmost importance. 

Time ticked over to eight-forty, and Yelena was sitting at one of the lunch tables; rationing her last few sips of coffee. Employees continued to trickle in and out; moving with a little more urgency, as it was near time to be clocking in.

Her patience started to trickle thin with each passing face— not who she wanted to see at all. She finished the last of her coffee, before crunching the paper cup into a ball; squeezing it in the meantime, as she waited begrudgingly.

Out of all days, John just had to come in late. It made Yelena wonder if he would even show at all.

After what he did to Blair, Yelena didn’t want him here at all; as today would be the only time in history that Yelena would be somewhat joyed to see him. 

Because as soon as she did, Yelena just knew that she was going to destroy him.

Not physically, of course, as they were in a professional work environment— though Yelena couldn’t be certain that she’d keep it polite conversation-wise.

For Blair’s sake she’ll try; as this was her life, over Yelena’s own personal vendetta. But waiting around for this long, certainly wasn’t to help John’s case.

It was eight-fifty-two exactly, when John entered the room; so much in a rush, that he didn’t even notice Yelena at first— beelining straight towards the communal fridge.

He swung open the refrigerator door, before throwing his own bagged lunch inside; doing so in a careless manner, as Yelena could hear him grumbling under his breath.

Whatever it was, John didn’t walk in with the greatest mood; as his day was only about to get worse from here. 

Yelena didn’t say anything as she watched; working the paper cup in her hand, until John turned into her direction— a deer caught in headlights, as he wasn’t expecting Yelena at all.

But that fear— a satisfying reaction, in Yelena opinion— only lasted for a second; as John was back to being a smug piece of shit.

“Oh, hey there, Yelena.” John smirked; his greeting more than disingenuous. “Since when do you hang around here?” 

“That’s Ms. Davidson to you.” Yelena snapped; not having the time to deal with this small talk bullshit. 

She was feeding into him— and yet Yelena couldn’t help it; as John knew exactly how to lure people in. He was the one to stay nonchalant, while he drove people crazy in anger; always feigning innocence, of course, even if he was the one to cause all of it.

John was trying to poke holes in her temper; especially when Yelena had a reputation around for being reactive. 

So he started laughing at her; shrugging his shoulders to add on to the disrespect.

“My bad.” He chuckled.

Already, Yelena was seething; only giving him more fuel, by not disproving that rumor off the gate. But if John wanted to play with fire, Yelena was willing to light the first match; as she could throw all civility out the window. 

Yelena could stoop down to his level if she wanted to. 

“You know, it’s been a while since I’ve seen Janice at HR,” Yelena mentioned. She tossed her crunched up coffee cup into her other hand; letting John see. “I wonder how her kids are doing…” 

“I don’t know, Yelena. It doesn't make any sense for me to go in there when I've done nothing wrong.”

There he was getting defensive; his own admission of guilt, as Yelena was yet to mention anything about Blair. 
And suddenly, John had turned all secretive too; not as loud and boisterous as he once was.

“Last time I checked, reporting someone for harassment was worth the trip.” Yelena remarked. “I had a talk with Blair, and I’m sure that she’s considering it.”

“She’s bluffing!” John denied; as by all accounts, he was (Italic) right— though it was Yelena’s duty to convince him otherwise.

For Blair’s sake, John couldn’t know that she had cold feet; as he could easily use that fact to intimidate her— the goal here, to get him to back off. 

So now was not the time for Yelena to falter. This lie was more important than ever. 

“If you have a problem with her so-called ‘lying’, you can go to HR yourself.” Yelena encouraged quite blatantly— already knowing that he wouldn’t have the guts.

“But considering what you’ve done, I don’t think it’s a smart idea.”

Yelena stood from her seat. She was tired of dealing with this garbage— both the coffee cup, and John.

Calmly, she strolled over the trash can; lessing the five foot gap between her and John. 

He stood just inches away from her now; taller than her by an inch or so, though that didn’t stop Yelena from glowering at him.

“The easier option is to leave Blair alone. I would strongly suggest that you do so.” 

For her own sake, Yelena was the first to walk away; tossing the coffee cup on her way out. Behind her, she could feel John glaring; (Italic) as if looks could kill, Yelena would definitely have many bullet holes in her head.

But she  was coming out of this as the bigger person; as nothing right now could stop her from this high. 

It was Yelena’s turn to be the cocky little shit.

“If you keep standing there, you’ll be late.” Yelena pointed out: glancing back, so he could see the smirk on her face. “That too, is a fireable offense.” 

To see him fuming again was all the reaction she needed; marching back into the office, knowing that today would be a great day.

Chapter Text

In a living room as grand as the Diamonds, it was impossible for Pearl not to feel forgotten— the plushy grey couch practically swallowing her whole; as she was so small, and the sofa was anything but. 

Her sisters told her to sit here while they’d finished some work up in the kitchen; leaving the TV on as entertainment, as no toys or coloring utensils were allowed on the couch. But eventually, the game show that first garnered Pearl’s attention, ended and was followed by a soap opera— allowing her mind to stray of course, as she didn’t find it that interesting.

Pearl would always find herself a little stir-crazy when it came to being alone in rooms like this; obvious places of importance to the Diamonds— made to be kept pristine and untouched, as if no one lived here at all.

Unlike Pink, Pearl was trusted to be left alone in places like these; even though it made her anxious to be surrounded by such priceless things. Even if she was bored, Pearl had no choice but to stay put. She was too scared just to move, in general. 

As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t cling to her sisters today; busy putting the house together, for a party the Diamonds were throwing tonight. While they did the majority of work last night: mopping, cleaning, and sweeping every square inch; there were still plenty of tasks left for them to complete.

It was only mid-afternoon, but both of her sisters had been working fervently since this morning. Poor Pearl, sensing their stress, tried to help them by setting up the dining table; though her sisters were too prideful to let her help out for long. 

So Pearl ended up here, assuming that it would be a while before any one would acknowledge her presence, again; as Yasmin and Bec were both busy with their separate chores.

She gave an inpatient sigh; slumping into the couch cushions. Even if adults prided Pearl on being an obedient kid, she was still a five-year old, after all.

Her heart just had to settle on the TV.

But Pearl was begging for any other distraction, really; as soap operas reminded her of Whitney, and thinking of Whitney always made her sad.

When she was alone like this, it was so easy  for her mind to focus on these things. So Pearl closed her eyes and pleaded; wishing for something— anything  to distract herself from this feeling. 

Maybe it’s just coincidence; but like an answer to her prayers, Pearl heard footsteps clambering down the stairs. They were fast, quick-paced; as Pearl already knew who they belonged to, before she could open her eyes.

“Pink, please be careful!” Bec’s voice had echoed into the living room; as Pearl turned around at that moment, to set the scene.

Pink was already at the bottom of the staircase; only slowing on Bec’s instructions, as she bunny-hopped down the last few remaining steps.

Her sister, at the top of the staircase, wasn’t impressed with Pink’s behavior at all; picking up her own in pace, in fear of Pink injuring herself.

“Don’t mess around on the stairs.” Bec scolded, as she grabbed Pink's hand; making her go down the last three steps normally. “You can’t attend your parents' party, if you're at the emergency room.” 

“Then I won’t be able to eat cake!” Pink exclaimed; the only natural consequence she could think of in the moment.

“Nope.” Bec replied with the shake of her head. 

Pearl watched the two, as they continued across the foyer; seeming like they were heading straight for the living room— which was definitely a relief. 

With Pink around, she wouldn’t feel alone; though she would surely have to keep an eye out on her, if Bec couldn't stick around for long, Today was not the day for Pink to get in trouble; considering that there was cake on the line.

And on the topic of trouble, if Pearl wanted to avoid so herself, she should probably stop digging her knees into the sofa. She had forgotten how expensive the couch was, in the midst of her spying; quick to fix up her posture, as she sat normal again.

They were still holding hands, by the time they met Pearl at the sofa; as certainly, Bec was only doing so to prevent Pink from running off again. It made Pearl’s stomach twinge for some reason; hardly having the time to figure out why, before Pink plopped down right next to her.

Up close, Pink reminded her of a ballerina— her outfit completely encompassed in the tulle of her skirt; with equally large puff sleeves, and a bodice made of silk. She wore pristine white stockings, and sleek new mary-janes— contradicting the current state of her hair, which remained unbrushed and untamed. 

“We made a compromise,” Bec reminded; pulling a fine-tooth comb from her back pocket. “You get to sit here with Pearl, while I comb your hair. But you have to be nice and still, when I do so.”

Pink was nodding along; even if it was quite obvious that her mind was straying. She was focusing on Pearl, rather than Bec; as hairbrushing wasn’t as exciting as her friend.

“Hi!” She quickly whispered; turning back to Bec as if she was paying attention all along. 

It was quite clear that Pink had forgotten about their agreement already; recoiling, as Bec suddenly pushed the comb through her hair. As her curls fought in resistance, Pink was anything but still; arms twitching, as if she wanted to swat Bec away.

She wouldn’t push it past Pink, as she could be a little rough at times; lucky to be dealing with Bec, out of all people.

Pearl understood her sister as someone who didn’t like to discipline; usually looking for the source of the problem, that caused the big feelings.

“Owww!”

Gritting her teeth, Pink clutched the sides of her face in pain; whimpering, as Bec brushed through some particularly stubborn knots.

“I’m sorry.” Bec apologized; genuinely upset that she was causing her pain. “I swear, I’m almost done. I just have to finish up your bangs…”

Her words trailed off mid-sentence; biting down on her lip, as she dealt with Pink’s hair with more consideration— sweeping hairs into place, rather than taming; as all the knots were finally gone.

Bec was extra gentle with her; making Pearl think back on all of the times her sister had brushed her own hair. She has memories of sitting down on Bec’s lap; taking all the time in the world, to brush through neat strawberry blonde locks.

The reminder brought smiles to her face, at first— until Pearl realized that none of those memories were recent. Nowadays, both of her sisters would rush through the baths and hairbrushing. They had chores to do; refusing to blow off more time, when the Diamonds were gracious enough to give an evening break.

To Pearl, the difference was quite obvious. Pink got the most dedication; and she got whatever was left.

The comb ran through Pink’s hair plenty, and Bec just kept continuing . She only pulled away, when she saw that Pink was getting antsy again— not before fussing with Pink’s hair for a final time.

“There you go!” Bec pulled away and placed her hands on her hips; admiring her work, even if it was a non-traditional canvas.

Pink was just happy that it was over; free to be as jittery as she wanted. Her legs bounced up and down in excitement; ready to talk up a storm.

“You know, me and you have the same hair!” 

“Yes, we’re brunettes.” Bec nodded; already familiar with how to deal with her talkative behavior. 

It was her job to entertain her, after all; as the Diamonds were too busy, at the moment.

“But your hair is so much prettier than mine.” Bec was grinning at her; attentive enough to notice that her bangs were straying out of place, as she was quick to fix them again. “You have beautiful curls…” 

Hearing her sister say that, unleashed a tidal wave of emotion; Pearl’s stomach flooded with that familiar feeling— jealousy, but more sad than she was bitter. 

Either way, she hated feeling this way towards Pink. She was her friend, of course; and Pearl wanted (Italic) to see her smile, after receiving a compliment. But was it selfish to say that she wanted Bec’s attention, as well?

She could feel her eyes starting to sting; her vision blurring, as blinked back her tears. Really, there was no reason for her to hold back; as if she did start crying, no one would surely notice. 

Pearl wasn’t sure if she wanted to test that theory out— thankfully, not having the opportunity to; as the sound of the doorbell rang through the living room.

All three of them had turned into the direction of the foyer; her sister paleing, as she glanced out one of the giant windows. From Pearl’s point of view, there wasn’t much she could see; but whatever Bec was concerned about was enough of a good distraction. 

The comb was placed back into her pocket, as Bec started towards the door; hands smoothing down imaginary wrinkles in her outfit— prim and proper, just like the Diamonds wanted her to be.

Normally, they didn’t care about clothing and such; but for their party, the Pearl sisters needed to look like professional waiting staff.

“Please don’t let it be the catering company….” Bec prayed under her breath; her tone in contradiction to the smile she forced across her lips.

Whoever was behind that door— catering company, or not— was going to be met with cordiality. But as Bec unlocked and open up the door, she wasn’t met with any distinguishable face; but a big bouquet of flowers that covered most of the person, standing behind.

For a second, Bec was caught off guard; as Pearl could tell from the look on her face, that flowers wasn’t something she was expecting. But in Pearl’s opinion, at least, flowers seemed like the perfect decoration for a party— as she flipped through plenty of fashion magazines with Whitney, to develop some taste.

“I couldn’t reach my keys.” The voice behind the bouquet explained— definitely belonging to Yelena Diamond; as Pearl could see her signature short hair, peeking above the flower arrangement.

She stepped inside the house; juggling the expensive looking vase, along with a paper bag of goodies.

“…Oh! Ms. Diamond! D-do you need any help?!” Bec was quick to offer; her hands outstretched and ready to take anything.

“No.” Yelena huffed, as she took another step forward; the flowers swaying along with her.

While Bec immediately took that as a sign to back off; there was someone else, who couldn’t quite take a hint. A girl dressed in a big pom-pom of tulle; jumping right off the couch, as she ran straight towards Yelena. 

“Mama!” Pink came screeching to halt in front of her; bouncing on the balls of her feet, as she was dying to catch a glimpse of the flowers up close.

“Lemme see! Lemme—”

“ Shhh .” Yelena silenced. “It’s a surprise for mommy.”

“Oh, yeah,” Pink nodded, meeting her back with a whisper. “We have to be quiet, if we want it to be a surprise!”   

With a chuckle, Yelena knelt down to daughter's height; the vase perfectly balanced in hand, while Pink quietly admired all the petals and leaves. 

 “Ooh, it’s so pretty!” Pink gushed.

“Why don’t you be my little helper, and get your mother to come downstairs?” Yelena suggested; head gesturing towards the staircase.

Immediately, Pink squealed in excitement; running to the staircase, without any hesitation at all. 

This time around, she wasn’t yelled at for going up fast; as Bec would obviously hold her tongue around Yelena, unless the situation was dire enough.

Her sister turned a blind eye; instead, making herself purposeful, as she closed the door and secured the lock. She had no reason to stick around— not even to check up on Pearl.

Again, Pearl’s stomach lurched, as she watched her sister scurry over to the dining room; passing the couch on her way too, as she avoided the path of Yelena Diamond.

Speaking of, the businesswoman was back on her feet; as Pearl was focusing on her, rather than dealing with own emotions.

Yelena groaned; probably from the strain of carrying so much, even if she insisted on doing so by herself, in the first place. But whatever complaints she had in private weren't extended to her family; standing tall again, as two voices could be heard chattering from upstairs.

And eventually, they appeared at the top of the stairwell; Pink and Blair Diamond, hand in hand, as they started towards the first floor. 

By no means was she dressed for the party yet, Blair still in her silk bathrobe and slippers; but was convinced by her daughter to come downstairs, despite it. 

“Oh Yellow,” Blair gasped; placing a hand on her chest. “You got me flowers?!”

“Of course,” Yelena grinned. “After that acquisition you pulled off, you at least deserve something .” 

She held the flower arrangement in the air, to show off its full glory; even if Blair was already flattered by just the gesture itself.

Really, it was Pink who was most impatient; wanting her mother to see up close, as she tugged on her hand to move along faster. This gift wasn’t even for her; but she was just as enthusiastic as Blair was. 

The second they stepped into the foyer, Blair accepted the bouquet into her open arms; cradling the glass vase in her hand, as she oohed and awed over the selection.

“You spoil me too much!” Blair laughed. “You got me my favorites!”

Carefully, her finger brushed over purple petals; embedded between smaller blue flowers— light like the color of the sky. “Violets and forget-me-nots.”

“I know Sappho didn’t write about those, but I wanted the blue flowers to complement.” Yelena noted.

“They’re perfect.” Blair assured; leaning into her partner for a kiss. “Thank you.”

Their lips met for a few seconds; just as sappy as the soap opera playing on tv, though Pearl didn’t really cringe as she usually would. By now, she was used to this— they were an affectionate couple, as kissing and grand gestures were nothing out of the usual.

If anything, it brought a new perspective to Pearl— that normal  for families to be a little different. 

But the shared moment between the couple wouldn't last so long around her daughter. Pink wanted to be included as well; wrapping her arms around Yelena’s leg, looking up at her with puppy eyes.

“Don’t think that I forgot about you,” Yelena chuckled; digging through the paper bag she still carried— gone unnoticed, as Blair’s flower arrangement was big enough to steal the show.

Yelena pulled out a small bouquet of pink roses— about six or seven, wrapped in cellophane and ribbon.

“When I saw these, I knew I had to get them for you.” Yelena shared whilst handing them to her daughter.

Pink inhaled; rendered speechless for once— though that didn't stop her from grabbing that bouquet. She was absolutely enamored  by her flowers; special just for her, as she continued to admire in silence until she found the right words. 

“I love them!” She announced; as her reaction of course, brought smiles to both of her parents' faces.

They took each and every opportunity to dote upon her.

“How lovely,” Blair cooed. “We should get them into a vase, and then you can put them wherever you want!” 

Pink nodded, already making plans in her head. “I’m gonna put them in my room!” 

Off to the kitchen she went running; as it was clear she wasn’t waiting around for her parents. If left alone, Pink was brave enough to try anything; as surely, she would make a mess of those flowers, if someone wasn’t there to intervene.

Yelena and Blair had no choice but to follow; side by side, as they were close walking much slower than their daughter.

“Where are you going to put your  flowers?” Yelena  questioned playfully.

“On the dining room table,” Blair chimed. “Everyone at our party needs to see how beautiful they are.”

They laughed, and that was the last glimpse of their conversation Pearl caught before they moved too far away. It was a big house, after all.

The noise had gone elsewhere, and Pearl was forgotten in the silence. Only left with her thoughts; an envy more stronger than she remembered.

She doesn’t miss her old life, as much as she misses her sisters; the way they used to be, before being split up and worn to absolute exhaustion.

As much as she appreciated Pink as a friend, Pearl realized that she had it much easier than her— that her family was together under one roof; complete, despite  being different.

At first, it felt like a relief to see their family dynamic. For the longest time before this, Pearl has seen the typical family as one thing: a mom and a dad. None which she had, growing a suspicion that it was an abnormal thing; seen everywhere from picture books to the TV. 

So to see Pink without a dad felt cathartic; especially with the knowledge that all three of Pearl’s sisters had fathers of their own. But days like today, only amplified a feeling she could not describe; that Pink was so lucky to have mothers, (two of them!) while that position in Pearl’s life fell vacant.

How could not feel terrible, at times, was the real question. What real family she had left, was now devoted to serving others— only cementing a fear Pearl had recently grown.

That they would never be together again; that the promise was just empty to begin with. Her sisters were the closest things she had to parents in life; and the thought of losing any one of them felt catastrophic . 

Pearl was too young to grieve before. But unfortunately, she understood now; even if she didn’t have the right words in her vocabulary to describe.

_____

Back and forth, Yasmin paced around the guest house; a lot on her mind at once, as made sure to remind Pearl of every single house rule.

As she pulled the curtains on the windows, she warned Pearl not to touch the stove— as if Pearl didn’t know that already.

It’s a fact she’s known for a while— quite obvious since she was a toddler —  though she doesn’t make that kind of remark to her sister. To the best of her ability, she was trying to understand Yasmin’s stress; that it was the first time Pearl would be left alone in the house without any supervision.

Both of her siblings would be a quick five minutes away at the Diamonds house; no different to what they did at night time, just that Pearl would be awake.

The idea made Yasmin nervous, but what other option did she have with the party happening in three hours? There was no time to negotiate, when she still had work left to accomplish. 

But if anything, her worrying was probably a good thing for Pearl to hear; as all the talk of the hazards in the house was making her  nervous. Fear was something that only amplified her obedience; even if Yasmin already trusted her not to set the house on fire, in her absence.

“Under no circumstances, are you allowed to leave this house.” Yasmin instructed for what seemed like the one-thousandth time; circling back over to the living room, as she closed the curtains on the final window.

“Except for emergencies,” She added. “But you're smart enough to know that.” 

Her sister walked over to the couch where Pearl was sitting; toys and various activities already spread amongst the cushions, there to occupy Pearl while she was gone.

“There’s snacks and water in the fridge, if you get hungry, but one of us should pop in to bring you some dinner…” 

Yasmin paused for a second; pressing her lips, as she glanced at the analog clock. 

“Maybe around six or seven. Definitely sometime before you go to bed.” 

Pearl nodded at her; though it hardly seemed like Yasmin noticed— her mind busy racking through instructions Pearl probably knew of already, as it was either that, or party preparations.

Usually, she was never this spacey— always organized and put-together; so it was a bit unusual for Pearl to see her like this. 

“I have to go now.” She sighed; reaching for the lanyard around her neck. “Please be good while we’re gone.”

Quickly, she leaned over and planted a kiss onto Pearl’s forehead— a second of her time purely devoted to her ; as Pearl, of course, was ecstatic.

“I love you.” Pearl responded; as she could feel a big smile forming across her cheeks.

She knew that she wasn’t completely  invisible; but it still felt like a relief to be noticed, and not just talked too— that her sister could still remember to fawn over her sometimes. 

“Love you more.” Yasmin sang out; straightening up again, as she turned back over to the lanyard in hand.

As she walked, she sorted through the assortment of keys attached to the end; taking her a second to find the one she was looking for, as after that, Yasmin was out the door.

Pearl’s eyes still lingered at the entrance; even as the door was promptly shut. She could hear the sound of the lock twisting shut; the metal screeching, as it wasn’t that often that they would even lock the door to begin with.

They lived on private property; far away from the road, or any other neighbors; as the only thing they really cared about was the deer who grazed around, from time to time. And they, quite obviously, couldn’t open up doors.

Since Pearl would be alone in the house, she understood why her sister would take this precaution— for the peace of mind for both of them.

Naively enough, Pearl doesn’t think about the strangers that soon arrive at the party; but rather the fact that it would get dark out soon— as whatever hiding in the woods would soon come creeping out. 

That’s what scared her the most about staying home alone; the idea again, plaguing her mind now that Yasmin was gone. But at least, she could find solace in the fact that all the windows in the house were closed; as in her mind, nothing could hurt her, if they didn’t see her. 

With deep breath, Pearl tried to calm those thoughts; thinking it was best to drastic herself with her toys. In the quiet of the house, it felt a little eerie; no sound beside herself to fill up the silence.

She picked up one of the few dolls she owned; plastic hair disheveled, as Pearl smoothed it down with her fingers. She always made sure to keep care of her toys; as she wasn’t so fortunate to have an overabundance, like Pink did. 

Carefully, Pearl stood the barbie doll up from its fixed position; thinking of scenarios she could act out by herself, and with three dolls in possession. If she had the resources, and another person to bounce ideas off; she could create plots just as grand as the ones on television shows. 

As Pearl had the whole house available to herself, she could play as loud as she wanted. Of course, she wouldn’t attempt anything like screaming or the such; but it was still exciting to have the freedom to talk loudly without being scolded. 

Pearl smiled down at her doll; taking in a breath, as she was about to reveal the name she was going to give her toy for today. But before she could have the chance to even utter the word, a loud thud at the door startled her; a squeak escaping from voice, as her entire body flinched and then seized up in fear.

Her precious barbie doll flew from her hands, and hit the coffee table; but Pearl was too scared right now, to check for any damage. The sound thundered again, and it was quite clear that someone was knocking.

Yasmin hadn’t prepared her for this scenario; Pearl’s heart sinking to the bottom of her stomach, as she wasn’t sure what to do on her own.

There were another round of knocks that banged across the door; leaving Pearl with no choice but to get up and investigate, as this was the third time already . 

Tiptoeing towards the entrance, Pearl held her breath; trying to be silent as possible, just in case she did  have to retreat. To where, she wasn’t sure; as Pearl knew it was a dangerous thing to be opening up the door to a potential stranger.

The odds were low, but the thought still nagged in the back of her mind— so she made a quick detour towards the window. Pearl lifted up the curtain; peeking outside, though she could see much at all.

Her height was working against her, as she stretched and craned her neck as far as possibly could; finally catching a glance, as the person behind the door wasn’t that tall.

They stood with a full head of curls that Pearl could recognize from miles away. With that clue alone, she had no worries about who that was; stepping towards the entryway, she unlocked and opened up the door.

It was Pink Diamond— a familiar face, and friend; as definitely a relief to see her, instead of a stranger. And while Pearl had her question as to why she was here in the first place— knowing well that neither her sisters or the Diamonds wouldn’t let her out without supervision— she found herself ignoring that, for now. 

“Guess what I have!” Pink proclaimed.

On the front stairs to the guest house, Pink edged a bit closer; both of palms cupped together, as Pearl had to lean out of the house to actually see.

In her left hand, was a garden snail; teetering closer to the edge, as it began to wrap around Pink’s thumb. Though before it could inch any further, Pink grabbed it by the shell; gentle, as she plopped it back into the center of her hand.

Pearl vaguely remembers her talking about the snails, how Pink planned to show her them the next time they could play outside. That time being now; as for the last couple of weeks, the weather had been too rainy to play out in the yard.

“Look what happens when you touch it’s eye!” Pink declared; peering down at the snail, and carefully poking at one of its eye stalks.

Almost immediately, the elongated eye began to retract into its body; shrinking slowly, before taking an equal amount of to rise back up. 

“Woah,” Pearl giggled.

“Do you wanna hold him?” Pink suggested; holding her palms forward. 

As harmless as that garden snail was, Pearl wasn't a fan of creepy crawlies. She would rather look from afar; as he looked a bit slimy in her opinion.

Pearl could feel her lips curling in disgust; backing into the house a bit. “No thank you.” 

“Aww, it's not that  bad.” Pink assured. “I found this little guy on the side of my house! There’s a whole bunch of them who live there, including little babies!” 

“Really?” Pearl mumbled a bit halfheartedly; as by now, the charm of their discussion had worn off. 

The mere mention of the house was like a slap back to reality; this feeling sinking in her stomach, as Pearl knew  that shouldn’t be here. 

More and more, as she thought about; it became quite clear that Pink didn’t have the permission to be out here. There was no way that her parents would ever let play with bugs, when she was all dolled up for a party. 

And Pearl too, was technically breaking the rules; as she already did step out of the house— on top opening the door when she wasn’t supposed to.

By being around Pink, and asking her to engage in this conversation, she was risking the chance of both of them getting into trouble. Someone in the house was bound to notice that she was missing, sooner than later; but yet, it didn’t even seem like Pink was even nervous about that.

“…and that’s why you can touch the babies. Also, one time I stepped on a snail and squashed him, so you have to be worried about that too.” 

Pearl blinked; as certainly, she had missed a lot of that conversation. But either way, she knew it was better to end it right there. 

“Sorry Pink, but I have to go back inside.” She explained, as she tentatively reached for the door knob. “Yasmin told me I could get in trouble if I left the house.” 

Of course, that wasn’t the answer Pink wanted to hear from her— but the look of disappointment on her face was truly something else . 

She was gaping  at Pearl; completely flabbergasted that Pearl was going to leave her. 

“But I didn’t even get to show you the cool thing, yet!” Pink protested. “That’s the reason I came here!”

“What cool thing?” Pearl asked; her interest re-piqued. 

It’s like Pink knew exactly  how to rope her back in— but by no means, would she let her in on the secret so easily. 

Pink huffed, turning her head away. “I can’t tell you, if you won’t go with me!” 

“Can you please  tell,” Pearl pleaded; cupping her hands in a prayer. “I would go if I could— I just don’t want to get in trouble!”

“You won’t!” Pink insisted. “It’s just a quick trip to the woods and back!” 

“The- the woods?”

The words as she said them, stuck to Pearl's throat like peanut butter; only a whisper she could force out, as chills ran across her spine.

And it wasn’t because of the early November wind.

She had a strong rescerial reaction— almost every part of her body screaming no; though Pink was certainly louder than her conscious.

Pearl hadn’t told anybody about this irrational fear— about what kind of creatures could be hiding behind those oak trees— as it would be embarrassing  to explain that to someone as fearless as Pink was. 

But with nothing said outwardly, Pink only continued to persuade her; as she certainly wasn’t the type of person to guess this kind of thing. She was pulling out all the stops; peering up at her with those puppy eyes and eyelashes— even reaching for her hand. 

Their fingers briefly brushed together; as Pink of course, didn't use the hand with the snail on it— taking great caution and care for that little creature.

“No one would even notice.”

For a second, Pearl couldn’t respond; mouth wide open, as her eyes flicked back from their hands, to Pink’s face. Her vocal chords were frozen— working against her favor, really; as Pink wasn’t a big fan of waiting.

All she needed was a moment; though that was too much to ask of Pink— so impatient, that she would rather guess what Pearl was thinking, rather than letting her speak.

“I knew you would say yes!” Pink exclaimed; obviously coming as a surprise to poor Pearl.

Still, Pearl hasn’t made up her mind; even if she told Pink earlier, that she was planning to go back in the house. It was the safest option she could lean too; feeling some hesitancy in telling Pink that— as in her eyes, Pearl would be backtracking, even if she never agreed to begin with—

“Let me put this snail back, and then we can go!” 

Pink left her no time to negotiate, (not that Pearl was really considering it) as suddenly, she turned around and ran down the porch steps. All Pearl could do was watch— Pink actually taking her time to walk for once; careful not to drop her snail friend.

Slowly, Pink grew farther into the distance; and in her absence, Pearl found herself brave enough to reach for the door knob again. Though instead of moving backwards, her feet pulled her forward onto the porch steps.

It was expected of her to always say yes ; so much so that ‘no’ felt like a bad word— an illegal part of her vocabulary. She can’t say no to her sisters, because Pearl doesn’t want to make their life any harder. She couldn’t say no to the Diamonds either, in the rare chance they asked of her for something; as they so graciously  invited her family into their home. 

And Pink— gosh, it was impossible  to argue with her, as she would only take no as an answer when she was threatened with punishment. Even then, sometimes she still didn’t care; as in a situation like this, she would definitely hold a grudge against Pearl.

Quite obviously, she didn’t want Pink to hold any grudges; as she was the only person Pearl had left to play with. The idea of feeling more lonely than as is, was more terrifying than what could lie in the only woods— one hypothetical, while the other was very real. 

With a deep breath, Pearl gathered the courage to close the door behind her. If she doesn’t think about the consequences, or any of the stuff that scared her, they could get through this faster. But lucky for Pearl, she doesn’t have to stand here waiting for much longer; as Pink was running right to back her.

Her tulle skirt floated with her, like a puffy pink cloud; the brightest thing you could see in miles, as the actual clouds in the sky were all grey and gloomy. Somehow, she trampled through wet grass with no problem at all; arriving to stop at the beginning of the stairs, her mary-janes were wet with dewdrops.

She was out of breath; motioning for Pearl to come down. 

To the best of her ability, Pearl found herself putting on a brave face, as she met up with her on the pavement. Strangely enough, it wasn’t a hard thing to pretend— her fake smiles coming quite easily, from practicing them quite often. 

Most people usually don’t notice— Pink included, as she took her hand and started the walk without any questions. Her mind doesn’t pry over the fact that Pearl didn’t want to do this— only preoccupied on the adventure. 

But for a blissful few seconds, Pearl was at least distracted by the feeling of both their hands feeling clammy.  Snail slime, sweat, or maybe even both— as for certain, Pearl was nervous, as they ventured near those woods.

Just as it did from afar, the trees up close looked even more ominous; grey and gloomy, as sun was hidden behind a thick layer of clouds. The wind seemed to be stronger too— the sound picking up, as it rustled through bare branches; yanking whatever dead leaves they still had left.

Yet, Pink walked towards it without any fear. She was one step ahead of Pearl, guiding her along; as only she knew how to get to where they were going.

Pearl had her hesitations at first; as the forest could be a tricky place to navigate, especially when it was that bright out to begin with. But towards the center of the property line, between two of the bigger oak trees, there was a small dirt path; littered with dead and decaying leaves, that crunched under their feet.

All they had to do was follow that trail back home— a relief to Pearl, who was definitely worried about getting lost. So as they marched on, Pearl found herself a little less nervous about that  aspect— though her guard wasn’t turned off completely.

It was loud and quiet, all at the same time; her senses on overload, as she was trying to distinguish every bit of noise. There was the wind, and the birds chirping—yet, if you stepped on a twig, it suddenly became the loudest sound around.

The ground was soggy, on top of everything; as Pearl also had to pay attention to how she was walking, not wanting to dirty her shoes. 

Between that, and trying to keep an eye out on all her surroundings, it was no surprise that Pearl was walking slowly— her poor arm practically being dragged by Pink, who of course, wanted to walk faster than Pearl was allowing. 

There was no way that Pearl would let go of her hand— especially when Pink had a tendency to stray off on her own. She was holding on for dear life; as it was a grueling few minutes being dragged along. 

Truly, this walk went on forever and ever, until Pink finally  pulled her to a stop. The two of them stood side by side, and Pearl felt somewhat safe enough to let go of her hand— both looking forward at a small clearing ahead.

It was all dirt; a whole acre of trees bulldozed, for what seemed like a project of some sort— something that never came into fruition. There was an irrigation ditch on sight— a line dug into the dirt that wasn’t more than a couple inches deep; as Pearl didn’t need to know the proper name for it, to be unimpressed.

Surely, this  couldn’t be the exciting thing. She turned to Pink, in her confusion; giving her a glance, as she was waiting for her to say that this wasn’t it.

Unfortunately, the smile on Pink’s face told her otherwise.

“Tada!” She cheered; running forward and pointing out the ditch to Pearl. “It’s a river!” 

Pearl couldn’t be fooled; as obviously, that wasn’t a river she was looking at, but rather something man-made, with rain water collected inside of it. And Pink had  to know the difference as well; as the small town they lived in was situated right next to the Empire State river.

But Pink had a far greater imagination than she did; as maybe her mind, she saw this place as more interesting than it actually was. That it was a secret place in the woods— just like you would hear about in fairy tales.

Even if everything was a little over exaggerated, Pearl did have to admit that this was a cool thing to stumble upon. There was a story here; the mark of humans left all over nature. 

So despite how negatively she thought about this place before, Pearl nodded along with Pink enthusiastically. Since Pink had discovered the place previously, and knew it better than she did; Pearl wanted to hear what she had to share about it— the little nuances that made her want to show this place.

“I wonder if there's any frogs here?” Pink asked; placed her hands on her hips, as she walked forward.

That… wasn’t what she was expecting her to say; as Pearl wanted a background story— something to make her see this in the way that Pink did.

She shrugged; definitely not knowing that answer, but having no choice but to follow after Pink. It’s not the first time she’s seen Pink be so spacey . 

Trudging through the clearing, the ground here was much more slippery and softer; the loose dirt on the ground melted into mud, as it had been quite rainy as of late.

It squished and squelched under Pearl’s feet; caking on the sides of shoes, even if she was walking as carefully as she could. Her eyes had no choice but to fix on the ground ahead of her— not on Pink— as there were some particular areas that were full-on puddles. 

Stepping on one would certainly splash dirty water all over her jeans; as to hide that from her sisters would be even harder than to deal with. In her mind, she was already concocting a plan on how she was going to get rid of this mud— needing to hide the evidence about her leaving the house. 

Possibly, Pearl could hose them with water; though, that left her with the question of how she could dry her sneakers, as they were not only rubber, but fabric. Her mind was just trying to find any  sort of solution; too busy to see the scene happening in front of her.

Pink was running, definitely not paying attention to the ground below her; as when Pearl looked up, all she could see was Pink falling backwards. 

It happened before her eyes in slow motion— watching Pink as her arms flailed in vain; shoes sliding forward in the mud, as gravity, unfortunately, pulled her butt to ground. She landed with a splash; dirty water from the puddle drenching her almost completely . 

And Pearl couldn’t run to her, of course; as she didn’t want to end up the same. She widened her steps, walking like the man on the moon; trying to come over as fast as possible.

“Are you okay?!” She shrieked; truly concerned that Pink could be hurt.

But by the time Pearl had reached her, Pink had picked her own-self up from the ground; definitely in shock of what just happened— her brown eyes wide. 

“We’re going to get in so much trouble.” 

_____

Pearl should have trusted her gut; knowing all along that something  would happen— that she would get roped in alongside it.

Their trip back through the woods gave Pink enough time to devise a plan; how they were going to get back inside with getting caught.

“Mommy should be in her room getting ready, and last time I checked, Mama was in her office,” Pink explained. “We’ll sneak in through the screen door. I’ll go upstairs and get changed, and you clean up after me.”

We , as in Pearl had to help her pull off this scheme. If she hadn’t a choice before, she definitely didn’t have a choice now; as she was fully  involved.

What Pink was describing to her seemed almost impossible— incredibly risky; but Pearl kept her mouth shut in fear of being a ‘coward’.

Truly, she was terrified; as walking back to Diamonds felt like a death sentence. They weren’t in a rush to get home, at all; though this time, it certainly felt the walk was much shorter than before. 

In no time, they were back on the family property— their dirty shoes journeying through the grass; as Pearl pointed out how much of a mess they would make, if they kept them on inside the house.

On the patio, they both paused to slip off their shoes. While Pearl would at least be covering her tracks, she couldn’t be sure about Pink. Her whole backside was drenched; her skirt sogged— pristine white stockings now coated in brown. It even splattered onto the back of her neck and hair. 

As Pink’s hands were dirty, as well; Pearl had no choice but to open up the sliding door, slowly pushing at the glass, trying not to make much noise. 

She was also the first one to enter inside; the coast so far clear, as she ushered Pink inside. 

The house was eerily quiet; and Pearl was yet to determine if that was a good or a bad thing. While Pearl wanted to wait here for a few more seconds, Pink started to move forward across the dining room— none of this discussed out loud; as talking about this now, might give them away.

They should have elaborated more on the plan, while they were still outside.

In a frenzy, Pearl doesn’t really know what to do— forgetting her role completely, as she scurried after Pink instead. Her heart was beating too quickly; enough to forget that screen door was open behind them. 

Together, they successfully sneak past the kitchen— squeaking right by, without even glancing  into the room. All Pearl could do was follow Pink’s lead; putting her invisibility to good use. 

Now a few steps away from the living room, the two stopped again to scope out the area, again; checking the hallway to the left of them— the perfect area to be ambushed by someone.

Pink peered around the corner first; and Pearl was right behind her. To both their surprise and relief, the hallway was empty; pushing their luck again, though it felt like a glimmer of hope.

However, there was an entire living room ahead of them, before they could truly pull this off— and at least both of them had the sense to investigate it, before moving forward. 

Because the sound, first coming from the foyer, was hardly noticeable. The sound of footsteps— heels , grew louder and louder; quite clear they were going to cross paths soon enough.

It could only be one of two people: Yelena or Blair— neither of which, who would react well to this chaos. 

So panic ensued; Pink spinning around in circles, as she was quickly trying to come up with plan b, while Pearl— Pearl had simply froze in place, immediately accepting their defeat.

There was no other way to put it; but they were dead . Either you could die fighting, or give in peacefully. 

Quite clearly, as Pearl closed her eyes; she was ready to accept any of the consequences thrown her way. But it was Pink who wasn’t done resisting— as suddenly, Pearl could feel Pink’s hands hitting her shoulders. 

“Hide!” She whisper-shouted; shoving Pearl again, as this time, it was enough of a jolt to get her feet moving.

Pearl bolted ; as for someone who was about to give up beforehand, her little legs ran as fast as they could take her. The only place she could go to was the kitchen; adrenaline pumping through her veins, and blurring her vision. 

Thankfully, she knew this part of the house like the back of her hand; finding the entrance with no problem, but immediately coming to a halt as she collided into something— 

A person. 

Gasping, Pearl stepped away; as suddenly, her surroundings became quite clear to her.

It was no other than Yasmin, as Pearl could probably recognize her from her touch alone— though this time, her sister grabbed her arm more rougher than normal.

She was angry; Pearl could tell from the look on her face— how her lips thinned into a little line.

And this was without the knowledge of the woods, or what the two had gotten themselves into; as poor Pearl only could how much worse her scolding could get, when she found out.

Again, she was bracing herself for punishment— words that would never come, as a different voice besides her sister rang out entirely.

“Oh, Pink! Where are you?!” Blair called out in a sing-song manner; echoing in from quite a distance, as she was still yet to stumble upon her daughter. 

Almost immediately, Yasmin pulled Pearl further into the kitchen; a finger brought to her lips, warning Pearl to stay silent. 

Nothing had to be explained to her, but it was like she already knew that Pink was bound for trouble— instinctual  for Yasmin. And while Pearl thought she was oblivious, Yasmin could guess that her sister was wrapped into this somehow—her first priority to protect her.  

Everything was quiet. No high-heeled footsteps; no indication of what Pink could be doing. 

Just for a second.

Then came a scream— a cry of bloody murder. Pearl doesn’t have to see anything to know that it was Blair Diamond.

Even if Pearl was already hiding, she couldn’t help but close her eyes. All in vain, really; as her mind couldn’t help but be noisy, and picture the situation.

“Ohmygoodness, Pink! What-whatdidyou— Ugch !” 

Blair was hardly intelligible; but Pearl could imagine the mix of emotions that came from that sentence. Shock, lots and lots of it, and pure disgust; as already, Blair was in constant worry about the mess and germs her daughter could catch from outside. 

She had to be absolutely losing it, (right now. Her screams definitely sounded more scary without any context; as it was no surprise that the rest of the house would soon come running towards her. 

Including Yasmin, who was trying to cover Pearl’s involvement in this. 

Letting go of her arm, Yasmin stared  at her; shooting daggers to warn Pearl about messing this up for the both of them.

After all the rules she had broken today, Pearl had no choice but to listen. She was terrified about the consequences she racked up already, not needing any more added onto her plate. 

Her sister hurried out of the kitchen; rounding the corner into the dining room, as she stopped in her tracks. 

“Oh god.” She groaned; obviously spotting Pink.

But Yasmin’s reaction was quickly overshadowed by another round of footsteps— a voice booming from no other than Yelena Diamond.

“What happened?!” She demanded— not completely accusatory, but definitely laced with concern— as of course, she had every right to worry about Blair’s well-being, when she was wailing  like that. 

“Look at her!” Blair answered exhaustedly. “Look at our floors!” 

Pearl recoiled  at her tone— yet, she was the lucky one to have the chance to escape; as Pink wasn’t so fortunate.

She had sacrificed her own getaway plan for Pearl; now standing there in front of the Diamonds alone, taking this punishment for the two of them. 

On top of that, Yelena Diamond was now scoffing  at her; as Pearl became even more scared on her behalf.

“Explain yourself.”

It was quiet for a few seconds; Yelena's sharp tone left lingering in the air, as Pink was using this time to pick her words quite carefully.

“Umm…” 

“Today, Pink.”

Out of all people, Yelena did not have the patience to deal with this; as she was straight up excepting her daughter to lie to her.

And she was right— Pink did have to lie in order to exonerate Pearl; as for once, she wasn't just doing so to save herself from punishment.

Certainly, if Pearl was in her position, she would have crumbled under the pressure. She was a coward, compared to Pink; all the reason to feel more guilty, as Pink didn’t have to do this for her.

“There was a puddle in the backyard,” Pink began. “And I jumped over it…” 

She trailed off, and silence was only left to elaborate for her. No mention of the woods, the secret place, or Pearl.

Seconds ticked by; time only suffocating Pearl, as she was unable to see anyone's reactions— whether the Diamonds had actually bought it or not.

Until she knew the verdict, Pearl couldn’t breathe; waiting on Pink’s fate, as if it were own.

“Outside?!” Blair shouted, “No one told you were allowed to go outside! You could have gotten seriously hurt, and we wouldn't have even noticed!” 

A wave relief washes over her; taking a breath of sweet, sweet oxygen. But obviously, Pearl doesn’t celebrate.

“I just wanted to play…” Pink defended weakly.

“You have a billion toys in the house! Why would you play outside?!” Blair begged. “Especially, in such a pretty dress… oh, look at that pretty dress…” 

“Forget the dress,” Yelena countered; anger opposite to Blair’s lamenting. “You disobeyed our rules, and no we have no choice but to punish you.” 

“No!” Pink cried. “I’m-I’m sorry!” 

“It’s too late now to apologize!” Yelena snapped. “You have lost your privileges to be at our party, and to eat dinner at the table tonight!” 

Pink was full on sobbing; as the distinguishable sound of her blubbering, was loud enough to echo into the kitchen. If she did say something in response, it was certainly hard for Pearl to tell; as Pink was more loud then she was coherent.

“Well, you should have thought of that, before  you went outside!” Yelena reprimanded; somehow able to understand her babbling. “This rule is not new, and when we have an eighteen-foot pool in our backyard, we have every right to be angry!”

Her yelling only made Pink more  distraught— only deeping Pearl’s guilt.

“Mommy!” Pink pleaded; a futile attempt to get somebody on her side.

But Blair stayed quiet for a moment; making it quite clear that she agreed with her partner. 

“Pink, you're a big girl now. You have to be better than this.”

It was really no surprise; but this again, made Pink cry even harder than before— her sobs more like screams, grating on everyone's ears, which was nothing out of the ordinary for one of her tantrums.

Under normal circumstances, the Diamonds would have handled their daughter more swiftly; but the mud, the party, were all  added stressors that couldn’t be rationalized under the noise. 

“This entire room is filthy, and the catering company is going to arrive at any minute!” Yelena exploded; reaching her boiling point, as she ranted to no one in particular.

She made it seem bad ; though Pearl has seen the worst of it herself, knew it was just globs of dirt on the hardwood.

And Yasmin, with her cleaning expertise, seemed to think similarly; as she was quick to mediate with Yelena.

“Don’t worry, Ms. Diamond. Bec and I, can clean up the floor in no—”

“Where is she, then?! Why is she not already here?!” Yelena demanded. “I don’t know what’s with you two today, but you’ve both been slacking!” 

“Um, I’m right here, Ms. Diamond.” Bec interrupted quite awkwardly; having no choice but to announce herself. “I’ve been here since I heard all the… commotion.” 

In the chaos of it all, it wasn’t a surprise that her sister stayed to the sidelines; as Pearl didn’t know she was there either. But at least, Pearl had the excuse of not being able to see; while Yelena was just being plain rude.

“ Oh .” was all Yelena retorted; still too prideful to admit her wrong doing. 

“Can we please get a move on?” Blair insisted; defending her spouse by changing the subject. “Pink needs to be cleaned up, as well.”

The room fell silent of all conversation— except for Pink’s crying; still persistent, though her voice was a little worn from her all screeching.

While her sisters were made to attend Pink; Pearl could imagine that the Diamonds were standing back— seemingly too busy (2.Italic) to deal with their own daughter. 

“I need to get away from this.” Blair complained. “I have a headache that only wine can fix.”

“You want me to crack open a bottle?” Yelena replied.

From that, Pearl assumed that they were leaving from the immediate area; though, it was hard to tell from just sound alone, with Pink bawling as loud as she did.

She waited a few seconds before she crept over to the kitchen's entryway; poking her head out from beneath the crown molding.

To relief, there were no Diamonds— just her sisters, and Pink; the two of them trying to handle the situation of her muddy clothing, without making more of a mess.

They all turned into her direction, as Pearl wasn’t as quiet as she thought she was; the wall creaking as she placed on the trim. 

Bec met with her confusion, the only person who wasn’t aware; while Yasmin on the other hand, was seeing red. She stepped forward; as on top of everything, she still had to deal with this. 

“I’ll explain later.” Yasmin deadpanned; glancing back at Bec, who already had the question sprung upon on her lips. 

Getting the memo, Bec said nothing and turned back to Pink; who seemed more distraught at realization that Pearl was going to be punished, as well.

“It was all my fault!” She croaked; her poor vocal cords straining as shouted. “She didn’t do anything wrong!” 

The effort was noble, but Yasmin wasn’t listening; Pearl unable to appreciate it either, as her sister marched right up to her, and grabbed onto her wrist.

She gasped as Yasmin’s fingertips dug into her skin— not that it was particularly painful, or even aggressive; as her sister was never  the type of person discipline in that way. 

It was the manner that bothered Pearl; her touch cold, with no sense of affection— Yasmin barely even glancing at her, as she pulled Pearl towards the sliding door.

That feeling was even worse than getting in trouble; as if Pearl’s heart was being hammered into a billion tiny pieces— her one and true fear coming true. 

Pearl was holding it together, as Yasmin was too; saving the scolding for when they were back at their house, while Pearl was just trying to keep in her tears.

As they exited outside, Yasmin closed the screen with a loud bang; as Pearl was too scared to mention that she had put on her shoes. Next to Pink’s, her sneakers were still on the back patio— not that her sister even noticed that she was just walking around in socks. 

So they continued down the pathway; paving stones, ice cold under Pearl feet; concrete feeling the same, as they walked up the front steps to the guest house.

Once inside, Yasmin quickly seated her on the couch; as Pearl gave no restraint, hanging her head in shame. She was too scared to make eye contact; knowing that she immediately burst into tears if she saw Yasmin’s face.

By nature, Pearl was just an emotional creature; but she doesn’t want to go about this like Pink did. No screaming, or crying; nothing of the sorts, to worm her way out of this.

“I can't believe you would do this!” Yasmin began.

In her peripheral vision, Pearl could see her throwing her hands in the air; frustrated, of course.

“What if the Diamonds had caught you?! I wouldn’t have even known what to do myself!”

Her eyes were starting to well; trying to push the emotion away, as Pearl sniffed and directed her attention to her blue jeans. 

“I don’t know what’s with you, June! You’re supposed to be the good one!” 

Yasmin’s words merely poked at her defense, but it was enough to break through her flood gates; pressure that had builded up for way too long, the feelings she was too scared to admit.

So Pearl poured out; trying her best to speak, though she was sure it was nothing but jumbled nonsense and hiccups. She apologized; mourning for her old life and Whitney, all at one.

She doesn’t have a clue if her sister understands; but either way, Yasmin was beside Pearl, comforting her as she cried. And that was all Pearl needed from her— to have her full-attention and care. 

“Aww, sweetie.” Yasmin consoled; stroking Pearl’s shoulder, squeezing her in a tight embrace. “I know everything has been so different, but we never realized that it would be hard on you.”

Her words felt like a hug; long overdue, like the weight Pearl’s been carrying in her chest for too long. For the first time in a while, she could breathe   in Yasmin’s arms; not just in the physical sense, but in a mental way, as well.

They would hug each and every night; a rushed goodnight, before her sister would head back to Diamond. But at this moment, Yasmin didn’t seem to care about anyone, besides  Pearl— a feeling she missed and craved.

Pearl was the baby of the family; and to put words to her feelings, she yearned for the times where she was doted upon as such. 

“All of us love you.” Yasmin revealed; placing a kiss on her head. “Me, Whitney, and Bec. Everything we do is for you.”

Finally, it felt like Pearl could gather her strength; definitely exhausted from releasing all this emotional baggage. And while she still enjoyed all this time with her sister; she still had one question to ask.

“Am I still in trouble?”

“Oof, great question.” Yasmin noted; taking a few seconds to contemplate. “I mean, I think you learned your lesson…”

“I did,” Pearl nodded. “But I wish Pink didn't have to get in trouble…” 

The frown on her face was definitely noticeable; as Yasmin gave a gentle squeeze to her shoulder.

“Don’t worry, the Diamonds will forget in no time.” Her sister chuckled. “They always  forget.”

Pearl was appalled that she couldn’t laugh at this; as how could she forget the most cruel part of Pink punishment?

“But she’s not allowed to eat dinner!” Pearl blurted.

Yasmin made a face; her facial features scrunching in confusion. “What?!” 

“Yelena Diamond said—”

“Oh, no no, June. Pink is allowed to eat dinner, just not at the dinner table, with all the guests.” She clarified. “Trust me, as long as I’m working at that house, nothing like that will happen.”

In the pure stress of the situation, Pearl must have heard wrong; now able to relax in the fact that Pink was going to be okay. 

“Speaking of, I should be heading back.” Yasmin sighed; prying herself from Pearl, as she reluctantly stood from the couch. “Bec is probably mad that I’m taking forever, but she’ll understand.”

This time, Pearl understood as well— better than she ever before. Of course, she doesn’t want all the work to fall on poor Bec; so Pearl willingly waved Yasmin goodbye— after her sister sternly reminded her to stay in the house.

Obviously, Pearl wasn’t going to do that again, but she promised Yasmin anyway; not offended, as she knew that her sister did so out of concern. Out of love . 

Everything they did was for her , and Pearl could see that now. Every yes they said to Diamonds; the strenuous labor thrown amongst their backs.

Before, she did not know this; that their love was hardworking and selfless— placing their food on Pearl’s plate, instead of their own. She almost wished that she learned this sooner; convinced that her sisters were ignoring her, when they were in fact, providing  for her.

If she had known, she would have done so, too; to reciprocate her love beyond just hugs and kiss— to help unload groceries, fold laundry, and dry up dishes.

But now, Pearl had the knowledge. And now Pearl could make her family whole. 

Chapter Text

Before Yelena even had the chance to step into the office, the start of her morning had been quite  eventful. Running out of coffee had been her first mistake; forced to stop at a cafe she came across during her commute— as caffeine was a non-negotiable for a Monday.

Her schedule was usually lenient enough to make little stops like this, if necessary; but Yelena was not expecting to sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic for the better part of an hour, because of a car accident.

And of course, this caused a ripple effect on the roadways; drivers losing their ability to navigate calmly and rationally, as Yelena would be left with a migraine that no amount of coffee could fix. 

Her car pulled into the parking garage, at around eight-thirty— a time where she was considered early, but would still have to deal with the rush of people trying to come into the building.

Already, there was a crowd waiting by the elevator; Yelena managing to squeeze herself inside when the doors had opened— shoulder to shoulder with the plethora of bodies dressed in winter jackets or blazers.

The collective body heat would prove to be too much; even if it was the end of February, and freezing cold outside.

She would have to sit through twenty-four more floors of this; the elevator pulling up to the ground floor, as the doors opened again. Obviously, there was no room for more people to enter; though a lady had forced her way in, regardless— smiling towards Yelena and the crowd, as if that was supposed to make things better.

Yelena huffed as she pulled her briefcase and coffee closer into her body. She hadn’t even arrived at the office, and this day was already proving to be something . 

As the elevator ticked up the building, the amount of people slowly began to thin with each occasional stop— not hindering Yelena’s impatience, as she was one of the first people to fly out of the elevator, when it arrived onto her office floor. 

Starting down the main aisle of the floorplan, Yelena was trying to reach for the keys in her buttoned coat pocket, when someone to her right had approached her— not thinking much of it at first, as she was trying to juggle everything she had in her hands.

In her eyes, she didn’t see it as anything besides an employee in a rush to get their cubicle; following promptly behind her— albeit, a little too  close for her comfort.

That was the first sign that caused Yelena to raise an eyebrow; her attention definitely captured, when the mystery employee began to speak. 

“Excuse me?” The unknown woman asked. “Have you seen my husband around?”

It was such a stupid question that Yelena stopped in her tracks and scoffed.

“Like I  know who your husband is.” 

There were hundreds of employees that worked in the office— if not, hundreds more that were stationed workers in their factories— as how was Yelena to remember everyone, if they didn't hold some sort of importance? If it wasn’t Blair, Andrew, or Bianca; Yelena really  didn’t time.

Yelena turned around, about to shoo her away; when she found something quite familiar about this woman— as if she’s seen her somewhere around this office before— or another place work-related. It was the brown curly hair; but most importantly her eyes— this agonized , doe-eyed look to them— like a hurt puppy you might come across on the streets. 

“I’m sorry,” The woman apologized; quick to clarify herself. “My husband is John Hessonite, and I haven’t seen him in…”

She didn’t have to hear the rest. Now that she knew who this was, Yelena was done talking to her; refusing to be thrusted into the marital problems of someone who she wanted to rot in hell. 

It took her a lot not to explode; holding onto what seemed like a paper-thin composure, as the incident between John and Blair only filled her with an obscene amount of rage— even if it had happened weeks ago. 

“You’re asking the wrong person.” Yelena spat; quite clear that she couldn’t even pretend  to be cordial, as was best for her to leave, before things could escalate. 

Placing her coffee cup down in the cubicle divider closest to her, Yelena unbuttoned her coat pocket and pulled out her keys; storming over to her office. 

As she tore her way into the room, Yelena threw off her jacket; slamming her briefcase on the surface of the desk. She couldn’t even think  about working; finding herself pacing around instead.

All she could see was red— the sheer audacity  for Joanna to come into this office, when she didn’t even work here. 

If the situation had been more dire, Yelena would have understood any other spouse’s need to rush in here; but Joanna's desire to snoop around for her husband’s whereabouts— that was just pathetic. 

Her hand grabbed for her office telephone; the number for security on her brain, as Yelena pressed in the first few numbers onto the keypad.

She only paused to glance out of her office; Joanna now waiting aimlessly by the elevator, blending herself into the environment. If she hadn’t approached Yelena, Joanna could have continued the disguise without anyone noticing at all; dressed as if she was ready to work— maybe even missing out on her own job to locate her husband.

Frowning, the phone in her hand blared with the invalid extension number; prompting Yelena to remember what she was doing in the first place. Instead of retyping in the number, she just started at the sleek black design of the handpiece. 

Was her hate for John really going to extend to his wife? Because looking at her now, Yelena almost felt sorry for Joanna.

There was this desperation to her, that Yelena was way too familiar with— a place that no person in a healthy marriage would go to. It soured her stomach to think that Joanna was another victim to his game; as Yelena was definitely too harsh with her before.

But Joanna still couldn’t stay here and loiter.

Against her better judgment, Yelena placed the phone back down. She’ll give her to nine— five more minutes left on the clock. But after that, she couldn’t be so lenient.

With a sigh, Yelena sat down in her office chair; clicking open her briefcase, as there was plenty of work inside to sort through. Already, she felt as if she was slacking behind; not the way she wanted to start her workweek.

Her first priority was to start with anything time-sensitive; having an analytics report, that Bianca wanted in by Wednesday. 

From there, she started to gather all the documents she needed; a few from her filing drawer, along with the ones already in her briefcase. Yelena leaned over her desk to reach for one of her pens; catching a glimpse of the elevator, at the exact moment it opened.

This was Joanna’s one chance to leave on her own free will; yet, Yelena wasn’t sure if she was going to take it. It was quite hard to tell, as Joanna didn’t even flinch as the last few straggling employees came rushing out of the elevator— only a sight for Yelena’s sore eyes.

Diamond employees needed to be efficient ; though Yelena found herself biting her tongue, as she saw the last person to walk out. 

Genuinely, it was a surprise to see Blair arriving this late— likely from all the traffic on roadways— as from being around her so often, Yelena knew that she took every aspect of this job seriously. 

Even if Blair was far away, her body language showed that she wasn’t nonchalant about being late. Her hair was windswept; as her stockinged legs peeking out from her pea-coat, carried her faster than normal.

She headed towards the right, eyes fixated on her desistantion of the break room, as Blair wasn’t expecting at all to be ambushed. She was mere seconds away from colliding into Joanna; who was quick to jump in front of her, and barrage Blair with the same question. 

Through closed glass doors, Yelena didn’t have to hear anything to make that assumption— so confident, that she could bet her job, and all that she was worth for. 

Now that Yelena was a witness to this, she couldn’t turn back to her work and pretend like she saw nothing.

When it involved Blair, she couldn’t help herself; knowing that Blair would keep it polite and cordial to her own detriment— as it was really Joanna she was keeping an eye out on.

As Blair was talking to her, she had her hand on her hips, nodding along to her every word. But considering that Blair was running late, and the subject matter wasn’t favorable, this little exchange didn’t last for long.

Somehow, Blair managed to excuse herself with a smile; pointing over the break room, with her  in hand. 

Yelena was in awe of Blair; as she herself couldn't withhold enough strength and grace, for a conversation so  ridiculous. Blair was so much more than what met the average eye; hard to believe that a person like her could ever be underestimated. 

Ever since they’d first met, Yelena had always known that she was intelligent; but getting to know her better, had only put Blair more onto a pedestal. Time had only made them closer; as initially, Yelena thought that situation with John would put an awkward wedge between them.

But Blair was all too appreciative; brave enough to let Yelena know her feelings— which was unlike any friend she had ever had before. And truly, Yelena wasn’t scared to say that they were friends now; as the bond they both reciprocated, felt more than just coworkers.

Finally, Yelena found herself able to relax herself around Blair— though, she still had the occasional flustered moment. Like the moment where Blair had entered the communal bathroom unexpectedly; catching Yelena so off guard that she almost crashed into a paper towel machine.

Yet, another embarrassing moment she could add to the roster of things she wanted to forget.

On to a much lighter subject, Blair was unlike any person she had been close with before. Work conversations could be more than just stressful exchanges. She was happy to have the small talk, the little glimpses of knowledge into her life— like how recently she learned that Blair grew up in the state of New England; the farthest away she had been away from home since college. 

Though as much as Yelena enjoyed what they had; it often felt like a double-edged sword. Because all she did  was think about Blair— a selfish indulgence, swirling in the back of her head. 

She was doing it right now; letting her mind stray from her important work. And often, this left her feeling terrible; because if it ever came to light, Blair would definitely turn away from her, again.

Her fall back to reality was hard; uncapping her pen, as she tried to push down these emotions— ones originally meant for late nights where she could openly grovel about her sin. 

There was no other choice but to push it down; occupy herself with the one thing she knew how to do best. 

Work. 

As she grazed over numbers and stats, pulling these facts into sentences; she could slowly forget that Joanna was even here— nowhere to be seen around the office, by the time Yelena had regained her senses.

For the time being, she could push that to the back of her mind; as if it needed to be addressed later, she didn’t have to fuss over it now. Yelena had better things to attend to— percentages to calculate off the top of her head; formatting her thoughts into proper sentences.

Years and years of this type of work, made reports like this something she could do in her sleep; the same easy math she has been working with since middle school. Still, Yelena doesn’t overshoot her confidence— having plans to double-check the numbers later; as she wanted her first draft to be somewhat complete, before lunch. 

She’ll have an assistant type it all out for her; as she could then look back at tomorrow with fresh eyes— always revising her work for a second time, as Yelena strived for perfectionism. 

But besides this one task, she had plenty of others still left on today’s itinerary: a scheduled phone call with the company’s bank; documents she needed to fax to several of their factories across the country. 

When Yelena was deep in the rhythm of working, time could often fly right by her— quite annoying whenever she was handling time-sensitive manners, as this never happened when matters were dull. Either way, she was determined to get this draft done; compensating for her later start than usual.

The sound of gentle knocking on her door wasn't completely unexpected; as occasionally, it was normal for an employee or colleague to come with questions or concerns— though, it took the action needing to be repeated again, for Yelena to actually  snap out of her trance. 

Whatever it was, Yelena knew that didn’t have the patience; the state of her morning still bleeding into her current temper, as she didn’t want her productivity to be slowed down again. 

The person behind the door was met with a glare— a hint to make this interaction worth her time; as Yelena didn’t really check to see who it was at first.

But as her eyes focused on the silhouette for a bit longer, Yelena was quick to take it all back; her stomach dropping, as she met with familiar blue eyes.

Almost immediately, she waved for Blair to come in; straightening out her appearance and clearing her throat, as Blair was the only person she was willing to make an exception for.

And considering how Joanna played an integral part of both of their mornings, Yelena couldn’t turn her away— even if the timing for this wasn't all that convenient. It was ten fifty-seven, almost an hour to their lunch break; as Blair wouldn’t just stroll into her office this early, unless the matter was dire  enough.

From both her face and actions, Blair was hesitant; slow to open the door, as she only poked her head in. Surely, Yelena’s initial reaction to her arrival, couldn’t have made her feel any better; as it was just like Yelena to make things awkward.

“Are you busy?” Blair asked; hand waiting on the doorknob, ready to pull back if Yelena told her to.

Somehow, that only made Yelena feel even more worse. 

“No!” Yelena coughed; scrambling to clear her throat, and explain herself.

She didn’t want Blair to think that she was bothered by her— as that could never  be the case. But to put that into words, wasn’t something Yelena wasn’t ready for; as a statement like that, could only scare Blair away. 

So she settled for an excuse; gathering her composure, as well as capping her pen in hand.

“I thought you were someone else.” 

Blair nodded as she stepped into the office, closing the door behind her; as nervously, her hands swept down the sides of her black pencil. 

“Sorry,” She began with an apology. “I know this is a weird question to ask of you…”

Blair glanced over at the office behind her. “But I don’t know anyone well enough to ask, besides  you…” 

Now, Yelena had no clue what this was going to be about; seeing that Blair was stalling— a faint blush on her cheeks that wasn’t from her makeup. It couldn’t be about Joanna, like she originally thought; as Blair was too nonchalant. 

“Do you have a tampon I can borrow?”

Yelena blinked; taking a second to process, as Blair blurted it out so quickly. All the build-up to this was a little unnecessary; but Yelena understood that Blair could be a bit shy at times.

“Yeah,” Yelena nodded. “Of course.”

She reached for her briefcase leaning on the side of her desk; moving it there some time ago, to make more room. Propping the bag onto her leg, Yelena unzipped the pocket stitched into the bag's front facing; as in the corner of eye, Blair came in closer to her desk.

“The machine in the bathroom was empty.” Blair mentioned; attempting to make some small talk.

Her hands were fidgeting; and it was quite clear that Yelena wasn’t the only one who could be a bit awkward. It was a breath of fresh air to breathe in; as way too often, Yelena had felt as if she was making a fool of herself.

Blair was so often composed and perfectly corporate, that Yelena liked this part of her— as strange as it was to say. But to see that bit of vulnerability in her, made it feel like they were genuinely  close friends; as Yelena could only reciprocate how great that made her feel.

“That thing hasn’t been refilled in years.”Yelena remarked, as she pulled out two tampons from her pocket; as why not give Blair an extra one.

She wasn’t trying to be funny, but Blair was laughing  anyways; as Yelena couldn’t help but beam in the victory, as she extended her hand out towards Blair.

“Thanks,” Blair chuckled; her fingertips brushing against Yelena’s, as she took hold of the tampons. “I guess I owe you one again.”

“No,” Yelena was quick to disagree— quick to pull away her hand, as well.

The skin where Blair touched was hot— like electricity buzzing on Yelena’s fingertips. She watched as Blair tucked the tampons into the sleeve of her navy blue blouse; the room left with a silence Yelena was eager to fill for all the right reasons.

Selfishly, she wanted Blair to stick around for a second longer.

“I’ll see you during lunch?” Yelena concluded. 

It was stupid question that she already knew the answer too. 

But that doesn’t stop the dopamine in her brain from wanting it answered. 

“Mm-hm.” Blair giggled; a hint of playfulness on her lips, as she threw a small wave. 

Even if that probably meant nothing, her reaction was enough to short-circuit Yelena’s brain for a minute; watching Blair strut out of her office, in silence. Her heart was beating so fast, she couldn’t rule out the possibility of cardiac arrest. 

Yelena told herself the same thing every time; but her body was betraying her own mind. She knew that this wouldn't be good in the long run; how a crush like this would be only detrimental— as getting her hopes up, would only lead into disappointment in herself. 

Blair wasn’t bad  like she was.

The amount of denial she had was worrisome; Yelena picking up her pen and going back to her work, just so she could shove that thought of her mind. To live in ignorant bliss, until these emotions would bubble again; to repeat the cycle again, and hope her relation with Blair won’t boil over like a kettle. 

She had a newfound drive to finish this draft; pulling numbers out of the back of her mind, as the clock ticked closer and closer to her lunch break. Perfectionism couldn’t be rushed; but the sentences, the structure of her report came to her easier— as her sudden uptake in mood was certainly helping her. 

Despite a less than stellar start, it all fell into place; as Yelena could glide through the rest of her day without problem, once she wrapped up all the finishing details. She had a couple more things left to tweak, though that left her in a revisionist’s stupor; copying her thoughts more neatly on a second sheet of paper— which was definitely chiseling into her lunch break.

An hour flew right by, and Yelena knew because her stomach was starting to rumble; as Blair had successfully Pavlov-dogged her into eating lunch every day.

As she was expecting Blair to arrive at any minute, Yelena continued to copy down the last paragraph of her report. But what she thought would take five minutes, suddenly grew into ten; done with her rewrite, but still no sign of Blair.

Her left hand had cramped up on her; Yelena cracking her knuckles, as she squinted up at the clock. It was twelve-thirty, more time than she originally thought had passed; finding it strange, as when Blair usually ran late, it was only by a couple minutes. 

And earlier, Blair gave her quite the obvious confirmation that she would be here; so it wasn’t like she was going to stand her up, all of a sudden. 

Unless she was busy— or sick. Maybe sick , Yelena thought. Because she had just gotten her period.  

Still, that was just speculation; as all she could do right now, was speculate. And as you can imagine, Yelena definitely wasn’t a fan of that— especially when it came to Blair of all people. 

For now, Yelena was going to ignore how concern was made out of something more than platonic; sinking her teeth into her bottom lip, as she pushed herself back into her office chair. She had scanned her workplace for what seemed like the umpteenth time today; though nothing on her first glance seemed out of the usual.

Normal wasn’t the answer she was going to settle on. If everything was normal, Blair would be here with her.

Yelena clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth; annoyed, as there was only so much she could do just sitting around here. She figured that it wouldn’t hurt to take a trip around the place, and investigate herself— just for her own piece of mind; as she had the excuse of her report, on top of that. 

So with that paper in hand, Yelena headed out of her office; not planning to stay out for long, as she didn’t lock up after herself.

She started strolling her way down the aisle; walking a bit slower, despite knowing where she was going— searching the crowd for any glimpse of blue.

There was none, besides the corporate shades of brown and blacks; the blonde of the tops of people's heads, as they had their noses buried deep into their work, as Yelena passed by. 

Finding Blair was like finding a needle in a haystack. Yelena didn’t want to wander around in circles, looking like an idiot; especially since she had enough eyes on her, already.

Swiftly, Yelena pivoted towards the left side of the room; locating one of the temps typing away on their computer— as she approached one of their cubicles, and slapped her report on their desk.

Her actions came out more aggressive than intended; nearly scaring the young assistant to death, as he flinched. But Yelena wouldn’t have time to make amends— or to tell him the proper font size and format; as her line of sight caught that coveted flash of navy, rounding the corner from the break room.

The words froze on her tongue, as Yelena found herself turning towards that direction. Even from miles away she could certainly recognize that person as Blair Dorsey.

But not the happy, smiling version that Yelena was so used to seeing

From her walk alone, Blair appeared frantic— the features of her face etched with an all too familiar sadness; as Yelena would pay all the money, if she could ever stop Blair from feeling that way again.

“Have this typed and delivered to my office by the end of the day.” Yelena instructed; hardly waiting for the temp to agree, as she immediately took off after Blair.

In a few quick strides, she was able to catch up with Blair; calling to grab her attention, as Blair didn’t seem to notice that anyone was following her.

“Hey!” 

At the sound of her voice, Blair slowed to a stop; meeting Yelena with teary eyes. Something was wrong and she couldn’t hide it.

Of course, the second that Yelena saw this, she had wanted to know everything; only restraining herself, as they were standing in front of the entire office.

In the absence of privacy, Yelena found herself proceeding very carefully; stepping in front of Blair, and trying to shield her from any wandering eyes— as she really did  seem on the precipice of crying. 

“Are you okay?” Yelena questioned; lowering her voice to a whisper. Something that couldn’t be heard through the tapping of the keyboard— though the ringing of telephones.

Blair opened her mouth to respond, but her lips only quivered— not the most reassuring thing Yelena could say in hindsight, as she was so clearly not  okay. 

There was no choice but to change their surroundings, or this otherwise would end in disaster; Yelena grabbing Blair's shoulder, and leading her towards the small corridor that led to the break room.

They stopped about halfway; past the door to the mens bathroom, as Yelena wasn’t going to risk anyone  listening in.

But even then, it took Blair a few seconds to regain her composure; blinking rapidly, as she took in a couple deep breaths.

“I’m, like, fine…” Blair insisted despite her shaking voice. “I mean, nothing has happened to me, if that’s what you’re thinking…”  

She paused, peering up at Yelena sheepishly; though Yelena only nodded at her, encouraging her to continue.

“I just got upset for a really stupid reason. Like, I know I shouldn’t be freaking out about this…”

Right now, Yelena couldn’t say for certain that she could stop worrying. For Blair’s sake. she could be patient; but without a better explanation, she had no clue what was going on.

“At the start of my lunch, I went into the break room to get my food,” Blair recalled; pointing towards the end of the hallway.

“But my lunch box wasn’t in the fridge, so I checked everywhere around the room, ‘cause I don’t want to think anyone would steal it. And then I was going to check my office to see if it was there, even though I know for a fact I put it in the refrigerator this morning!”

“Okay,” Yelena acknowledged; able to sigh in relief, now that she knew that nothing harmful   happened to her— though this situation was obviously affecting Blair as such.

“I understand why you're panicking. Nobody should be touching your stuff.”

Blair took in a much needed breath; appearing much more at ease, as Yelena understood her point of view.

“So you think someone stole your food?” Yelena prompted. Blair had been talking so fast, that she wanted to make sure that she heard everything right. 

“I… I don’t think so.” Blair shrugged. “It's not like I bring in an entire meal. I’m not sure why anyone would just want to steal snacks.”

Yelena furrowed her eyebrows in thought; as Blair did  have a valid point. But also, an argument could be made that someone had stolen it just to be petty; as Yelena already  had a main suspect, off of the top of her head.

“Do you think someone could have hidden it on purpose?” Blair suggested; almost reading her mind exactly.

“Possibly.” Yelena agreed. “It would be a smarter thing to do besides steal. We have cameras all over this place for a reason.

At the mere mention of that, Blair winced; a quick, split of the moment thing, Yelena could have easily missed. 

Against her better judgment, Yelena doesn’t comment on it— as Blair was finally starting to calm down. 

“I know you said you looked all over, but it might be helpful if we just check again.” Yelena offered. “It doesn’t hurt to have another set of eyes…. 

It was clear that Blair was hesitant— even if she was first to head straight for the break room. 

Her hope seemed futile, but Yelena was a lot more stubborn than Blair could ever imagine. She would tear this room apart brick by brick, if that meant finding her lunch box.

As the two entered into the empty room, Yelena beelined to the refrigerator; not expecting to find it there— though it was a start. Inside, there various bags of all sizes and shapes— reusable, plastic, and the typical paper brown bags— none which belonged to Blair.

“I would look in the places you might have skimmed over before.” Yelena advised; hearing the clacks of Blair’s high-heeled footsteps, as she paced across the linoleum floors. 

Carefully, Yelena rearranged the contents of the fridge; pushing items aside, as she looked behind some of the bigger bags and tupperware. 

Behind her, Blair’s footsteps came to a halt. 

“You know, now that you mentioned that, I don’t think I checked the cabinets underneath the sink!”

She could hear Blair’s voice perk up a little but; as the flicker of hope wasn’t completely gone.

“Definitely check there.” Yelena replied as she checked behind a carton of lactose-free milk.

As there was no sign of her lunch box in the refrigerator, Yelena wasn’t going to press her luck with the freezer either; opening up the top compartment, even if this held nothing but a box of frozen fish sticks.

Yelena had even checked on top  of the fridge; standing on her tippy-toes, as this was a place Blair might not notice with their differences in height. 

But again, empty— as next, she peered behind the machines that dispensed plastic utensils; the space ultimately too small and narrow to fit an entire lunch box, though in Yelena’s opinion, it was still worth taking a look. 

Her search wasn’t going to stop, until she scoured every nook and cranny; moving onto the row of plywood cabinets located on the other side of the room— where Blair was currently checking under the sink.

For a second, Yelena had stopped to glance at her; Blair still crouched, as she carefully searched through the cabinet of cleaning supplies. Clearly, this was her last glimmer of hope; refusing to leave any stone left unturned, until she was certain. 

“Any luck?” Yelena inquired; placing her hands on her hips.

Blair only sighed in response; something telling enough. 

Grabbing onto the counter above her, Blair attempted to stand to her full height, again; wobbling a bit, as Yelena found herself rushing over to help.

Surprisingly, Blair managed to gain her balance back by herself; Yelena diverting away at the last minute, hiding her already outstretched hands. 

They were close now— just inches between them; as Blair’s eyes peering up at her, made them feel a lot closer. She hated that sad expression in them— that sullen look, in stormy blue irises; telling Yelena without words, that she was done searching.

“I’m at a loss,” Blair frowned as she wiped the dust bunnies from her hands. “At this point, I think we should give up.”

Blair turned to the sink to clean her hand further; convinced that she exhausted all of her options, when it couldn’t be more from the truth. But Yelena on the other hand, refused to let this end so terribly for her; blurting out her suggestion— even it came off as a little forceful. 

“We should ask around the office. If no one speaks up, we can check the cameras.”

Blair was scrubbing soap into her hands like a surgeon. “And get HR involved? No!” 

“I’m sure we can narrow this down to one person.” Yelena continued. She knew it was John Hessonite; already having a few choice words for him already. 

“He didn’t show up today.” Blair snapped; the mention of him  certainly touchy. “His wife was here in the office. She stopped to question me.”

“I saw.” Yelena concurred. “I mean, I saw her .” 

She cleared her throat, figuring that she made a smooth enough recovery; as Blair’s face remained unchanged as she continued rinsing her hands.

Silently, Blair turned off the water and reached for a paper towel; Yelena staring as she balled up the paper in her hands.

Did she make her more upset?  As much as Yelena was trying to be helpful, she could understand if Blair saw her actions as pushy; willing to apologize for that.

Her concern— especially when she was incredibly passionate about something— could often come off as aggressive; and that was worth explaining to Blair. At the end of the day, Yelena never wanted to make her uncomfortable.

“Hey,” Yelena started; watching as Blair walked over to the garbage can in the middle of the room, tossing the paper towel inside. 

But instead of continuing her apology as planned, Yelena was instantly distracted— as out of nowhere, Blair was shoving her hands into the garbage.

In her confusion, Yelena couldn’t help but recoil. “What are you doing ?!” 

The second the words left her mouth, Blair had plucked out her lunch box; the light blue fabric stained brown— as if someone had purposefully  poured coffee on it.

Purposefully, because there was no way that Blair's lunch could end in a trash can by accident.

While Yelena’s blood was boiling, Blair’s eyes had welled up with tears— a small defeated sob escaping from her throat; coming to the same conclusion as Yelena.

She slammed her lunchbox back into the garbage can; the shock wearing off, and replaced with a flash of anger— the sound echoing across the room, as Blair had darted passed Yelena, to go back to the sink.

Yelena followed after her, of course; tears streaming down Blair’s cheeks, as she turned on the faucet and began to soap up her hands again. 

There wasn’t a right thing to say, at the moment. Sorry was just a band-aid that would help the situation; and trying to speculate about who else could have done this, would only be like rubbing salt into her wounds.

But it was impossible for Yelena just to stand there and do nothing. She brought her hand to Blair’s shoulder; not even second-guessing the action. 

“…Blair?” 

“I’m sorry.” Blair croaked; tilting her head away, ashamed to let Yelena see that she was crying.

This situation was hardly her fault, yet, she was the one who was apologizing; as Yelena wasn’t going to let her do that.

“You don’t need to do that. You didn’t even do anything that was worth apologizing for!” 

Blair sniffed; washing the last bits of soap from her hands. 

“I was being rude. You were giving suggestions, and I was dismissing you.”

“You call that rude?” Yelena scoffed. “I think you and I have two different definitions.”

For a split second, Blair chuckled; the smallest hint of a smile on her lips, before fading all too quickly. She could turn off the sink, but the water continued falling from her eyes. 

One little joke couldn’t take away her sadness; but to Yelena, this was a start. She handed Blair and paper towel; passing her second tissue, when she noticed Blair trying to dry her eyes and face.

“Thank you,” Blair appreciated; taking the paper again, and wiping her nose. “Clearly, I’m not having the best of days…”

It was obvious that she wanted someone to listen. So Yelena lended her ear.

“I was late to work, my period arrived three days early, and now I’m crying in front of you like a baby…” She emphasized. “Again.” 

Yelena was quick to assure her that it was fine. “Don’t even worry about that.”

“But I'm mostly devastated about my food going to waste,” Blair confided. “I even packed a surprise for you, today… because I know you like your apples with peanut butter…”

Now it was Yelena’s turn to feel like she had been sucker- punched. It was just their luck, really; as Yelena couldn’t even begin to comprehend  what kind of that sentiment that was. 

“But all I ended up doing was wasting your lunch break.” Blair frowned; glancing over at the clock in the room. 

It was five minutes till one; meaning that they should start heading back to their separate offices— though, Yelena wasn’t quite ready to leave her just yet.

“Don’t worry about that.” Yelena countered.

Her report was completed way before she found Blair; as even if it wasn’t, Yelena would have pushed that work aside for her. Blair, out of all people, didn’t deserve to deal with these emotions alone.

There weren't the right words in her vocabulary to express that to Blair; as Yelena settled with a common formality instead.

“You’re going to be alright?” 

 “…Yeah,” Blair nodded. She wasn’t crying anymore, as talking had definitely helped; her eyes still red-rimmed and glassy, as Blair dabbed at her face again.

“Do I look okay? I don’t want to walk into the office, if my makeup’s all a mess…”

Now it was Yelena’s turn to get nervous; as when she had an actual excuse to stare at Blair, it was hard not to feel self-conscious. She doesn’t want Blair to think that she's weird— or worse, enjoying  this. 

Because Yelena was approaching this as pragmatic as possible; trying to avoid eye contact— though it was very hard. She scanned Blair’s face— her nose and cheeks a little  red, as Yelena was certain that would fade with time. 

But under her eyes, she had the smallest smudges of mascara, making the whole avoiding eye contact thing impossible; as suddenly, Yelena found herself hard-pressed for words, as well.

Blair was always beautiful, as Yelena couldn’t imagine a time where she wouldn’t be; though obviously, she couldn’t say that sort of thing out loud to her.

It was hard to string the sentence along, as Yelena doesn’t want to over-compliment, or come off as too negative either. To say it quite simply, she just wanted to speak to Blair like a normal human being.

“You’re fine,” Yelena decided on. “You just have the tiniest bit of mascara under your eyes— you hardly can notice it, at all.”

She finished off her sentence, by loudly clearing her throat; pretending as if she wasn’t having another existential crisis. 

“I could probably fix that in my office.” Blair stated; as it was unanimously decided by the two, that they should be heading out.

Together, they ventured back out into the workfloor; Yelena holding her breath, as they were walking side-by-side— not that people had even noticed that they had been gone at all 

No one here would think it was otherwise than business— which was good for Blair, as she didn’t want anyone to know that she had been panicking; though for Yelena, it felt like she had a sign plastered above her.

A certain five letter word that made her shudder.

She sauntered all straight and tall on the outside; but inside, her psyche was more tormenting than a tornado, dizzying her with the swirling thoughts of Blair— the cool air, to cause this all chaos.

But Yelena followed her anyway, as the other choice was to leave Blair rather rudely; something she obviously didn’t want to do. 

Like she would to a colleague of her standing, Yelena had walked Blair all the way to her office; the two coming to stop in front of the glass door, bidding their public farewell. 

“Thank you,” Blair whispered and grinned; her hand finding the doorknob, as she didn’t take her eyes off Yelena.

Her words only a secret Yelena could hear; her smile enough to clear the clouds fogging Yelena’s brain— the sun finally shining, and her skies perfectly blue . 

“If you need me, you know where to find me.” Yelena asserted as her response; spinning on her heel and speeding away, as she was too awkward to be dealing with this. 

The sound of her heartbeat was loud enough to fill her ears; walking the only thing she knew how to do at the moment, as Yelena flew back into her office.

Once she was inside, Yelena was finally able to catch her breath; sitting down in her chair, and processing everything— finding herself caught in the trance of Blair.

Every fiber of her being hated seeing Blair so upset; as what angered her the most was how there was no real resolution to the situation. Blair was punished so cruelly; and there was nothing Yelena could have done or said to prevent that. 

Yelena couldn’t sit here and live with herself, if she didn’t  do anything about it. She refused to let this day end so horribly for Blair.

So Yelena had concocted up a plan.

As she started with the rest of her work as usual, she ruminated over the details; creating a plan b, on top of what she had thought of already— having plenty of time throughout the day to hound out the finer details. 

She was allowing herself to multitask; even if it was an important part of her plan, to work as efficiently through her assignments. If Yelena wanted this to work. she couldn’t allowed herself to lose track of time 

With an eye locked on the clock, the workday began to drag; as five more hours on a Monday seemed like the longest stretch of time ever. All the work she had was enough to fill the stretch this time; yet, it was impossible for Yelena not to feel impatient like a kid.

The feeling had grown as the time trickled; and it was half past four, and this nagging feeling was starting to grow in Yelena's stomach— anxious to get out there, even if she had to distract herself for a few more minutes.

At four forty-seven, she couldn’t take anymore; filing away any important paperwork, and packing her things into her briefcase— including the freshly printed analytics report, that was handed to her almost an hour ago. 

Securing the gold buckles of her briefcase, Yelena had reached for her coat. She buttoned the fabric up slowly, as if that could make the time she had to spare go quicker.

Yelena was not the type of employee to pack up early; as if anything, she was more keen on staying overtime— especially on a day like today, where she would come in later than normal. 

Her plan was directing her otherwise; as once the little hand on the clock pointed to five, Yelena was up and out of her seat; locking up her office on the way out.

Immediately, she knew where she was going— ignoring the bustling energy in the office’s atmosphere; as Yelena wasn’t the only person desperate to pack up their things and leave.

Down the aisle, Yelena headed right; a surge of confidence, as she found herself standing in front of Blair’s private office— catching a glimpse of her inside, as Blair stood in front of her desk packing her work materials.

She planned this all out to a T; trying not to second guess herself, as she tapped her knuckles against the glass.

And at the sound, Blair had flinched— eyes flicking to the door; as this to visit her, definitely came as unexpected. The end of the work day wasn't the normal time for any impromptu business . 

But once she saw it was Yelena, Blair looked relieved ; quick to usher her in with a smile and little wave— the plan so far, going exactly as Yelena wanted.

Of course, when Yelena rehearsed this in her head, she didn’t imagine herself getting so nervous— at least, not this quickly. The second she had opened the door and entered into Blair's office, Yelena lost all train of thought; a certain lipstick pink smile stuck in her brain, instead.

“Hey,” Blair greeted whilst zipping up her navy blue work bag. “You scared me, for a second!”

Yelena swallowed, forcing down the newly formed lump in her throat; as her confidence compared to earlier, had dwindled a bit— her grandiose plan more easier said done, 

There was no turning back, as she was already in front of Blair; not trying to make herself look any weirder, as Yelena had embarrassed herself in front of Blair plenty.

Taking a deep breath, Yelena went and ripped off the bandage. 

“Are you doing anything after work?

Cutting to the chase here, Yelena was skipping the formalities altogether; as certainly, she could have found a better way to bring this up more casually— Blair looking confused  as she suggested so. 

“Um…” Blair stalled; reached for the jacket draped across her office chair. “No, not really…?” 

The ‘why do you ask ?’ was strongly implied in her voice; not saying the words out loud, as instead, Blair slipped on her coat.

Yelena felt as if her brain was about to explode. 

“I want to take you somewhere—” She blurted; again, not thinking, as Yelena was left to panic over the implication of her words— trying to make herself sound more nonchalant. “I’ll drive and everything.” 

Obviously, Yelena would be the one to drive, because she was the only one with a license; but here she was, jumping way ahead herself, when she hadn’t properly explained everything to Blair.

According to the plan in her head, Yelena was supposed to come here and ask Blair; wait for her to answer (assuming that she said yes,)  and then offer her a ride, if she was comfortable. 

But of course, her nerves had to come in and jumble everything up— screwing so much up in such a short amount of time.

And to make things worse, Blair was giggling  at her; as Yelena stood horrified in the few seconds it took for Blair to gather her composure and start talking.

“ Somewhere ? Is the place you’re taking me a secret?!” Blair was joking with her; grabbing her work bag and tossing it over shoulder, as her grin only grew more excited.

This meant that Blair actually  wanted to come with her. 

Yelena doesn’t know what she did to convince her. She was a vague, horrible mess at explaining; and yet, Blair was still willing to go.

“It… It can be a surprise, if you want it to be a surprise.” Yelena shrugged; quick to make her recovery.

If Blair was mistaking her behavior for confidence, Yelena wouldn’t correct her. At least, she wasn’t making fun of her, like Yelena initially thought— something wildly out of Blair's character to begin with, though Yelena was just being self-conscious. 

She wanted nothing more than to impress Blair— and Yelena was usually a person who didn’t care about what others thought of her. 

“I trust you,” Blair admired as she stepped closer. “Just let me lock up, before we head out.” 

As Blair had everything she needed already on her, she escorted Yelena out of the room with the polite sweep of her hand— Yelena standing awkwardly by her side, as Blair proceeded to secure the to her office.

By now, it was no surprise to see employees lining up by the elevators. It was Monday, after all; people were tired, and desperate to beat the evening traffic. 

The two were able to join the elevator, the second time it arrived onto the Diamond floor; silent as they rode down some several stories, as from the looks of the others on board, this wasn’t the place to have any loud conversation.

With the nature of the time, the elevator made several frequent stops; becoming more and more crowded, as two or more people would squeeze their way in. Both Blair and Yelena were unfortunately stationed towards the middle of the crowd; their personal space dwindling down to nothing. 

It was her intention to stay close to Blair through all of this— not wanting a repeat of last time— though, Yelena wasn’t expecting them to be this  close to each other. Blair had no choice but to lean into her personal space, as the man behind her started coughing with his mouth open; something considerably rude when you were in a confined space with others.

Thankfully, the majority of people would leave, once the elevator reached the ground floor; making the trip down to the garage a lot more comfortable for both of them. 

Once they were out, they headed across the parking lot to Yelena’s car; quick to enter her Honda Civic. 

“I’m not exactly sure where you’re going to take me,” Blair began as she settled in the passenger seat. “But have my guesses.”

“Really?” Yelena doubted; swiftly pulling the car out from its parking space. “I hardly gave you any hints.” 

“I’m following off of gut instinct.” Blair boasted with a giggle. “But if I’m right, we might have to stop at an ATM. I don’t have any cash on me.” 

“Don’t worry about that.” Yelena responded; willing to take care of all of it. 

Their destination wasn’t too far away from the office building; not stuck in too much of a traffic jam, as they drove down a few blocks before making a right turn.

In the corner of her eye, she could see Blair scanning their surroundings excitedly; waiting on the edge of her seat, to confirm or deny her suspicions.

She had a hint that they were nearing closer, as Yelena was slowing the speed of her driving; closely scanning the side of the road for a parking spot.

If Blair wanted the suspense, she could give it to her; inching closer and closer to the secret location, as Yelena was somewhat lucky to find a space available, right in front of the building. 

Quite the convenient way to reveal so, though Yelena continued to hold her tongue until she had finished parallel parking.

Turning off the car, Yelena then pulled the keys from the ignition. “We’re here.” 

“Here?” Blair smiled as she pointed out the window. “At the department store?!” 

Yelena nodded; her eyes following Blair’s finger to the neon sign plastered on the building— the department store occupying the first floor of the typical Empire State skyscraper. 

“You’re going to need a new lunch box for tomorrow.” Yelena explained.

For a moment, Blair was genuinely speechless; jutting out her bottom lip, as she blinked through watery eyes.

“Yelena!” She gasped. “That’s so sweet of you!”

It was  sweet of her— something Yelena was too embarrassed to admit herself, as she cleared her throat and tried to deflect from the situation.

“It’s the least I could do.” Yelena shrugged; turning to unbuckle her seatbelt, as she could feel herself starting to sweat.

If she couldn’t play it cool, she needed to get out of here; as at least in the store, they had the distraction of people and merchandise.

So it was no shock that Yelena was the first one out of the car— Blair following right after; as together, the two walked through the automatic sliding doors of the building. 

Inside, the store was brightly lit, with its shiny linoleum floors; as on first glance, it seemed to be mostly empty beside the sales associates— considering the time of day.

She spotted the first non-employee, as they started to pass the women’s section: a middle-aged lady messing up a display of blouses— Yelena speeding by, as she was trying to follow Blair’s lead.

The signs hanging from the ceiling, pointed to the homewear being further back; continuing by another section of women's clothing, before coming across the shoes. She noticed how Blair’s gaze lingered on display of designer heels: a pair of suede pumps, in a light powder blue shade.

After Yelena had seen the price tag for herself; she had no choice but to look away, as well— finding the cost to be ridiculous ; especially when it was something that she wouldn't wear. 

But putting herself into Blair’s shoes, she understood that longing; as there were plenty of times where Yelena wanted something that seemed too frivolous for her budget. 

As they rounded the corner past the footwear, they had finally made their way out of the clothing department; both slowing their paces, as the various displays of kitchenware proved that they were heading in the right direction.

It was just a matter of where the lunch boxes were located; as this part of the store was just as massive as the first half.

Peering down the aisles, Blair directed their attention to the section of tupperware, as Yelena was mistakenly about to search through the area where the glass and cutlery would be. Her guess was the better place to check, after all; as Yelena had put too much faith on the confusing signage.

Yelena had only been to this store only a handful of times— never to shop for anything home related; as from now on, she was going to trust Blair’s instinct. 

The first set of shelves held the usual variety of food containers; though this gradually transitioned to stuff like thermos, canteens, and reusable ice packs— leading to a selection of lunch boxes at the end of that aisle.

Blair had a good amount of options to choose from; Yelena giving her the space and time to make a decision— as of course, she doesn’t want to hover. 

To pass the time herself, Yelena found herself looking at the tupperware— the sturdy kind, with the heavy duty glass. She might have been gifted a set like this— either for a past birthday, or Christmas— as to this today, it still sat in her kitchen virtually unused; a tell-tale sign to how amateur she was at cooking.

“I think I’m going to get this one,” Blair announced; waiting for Yelena to come back over, so she could show off the black bag she had in hand. 

It almost felt like Blair wanted her opinion. 

“It's supposed to keep your food cold for a couple of hours.” She shared; pointing to the tags attached, promising the state of art insulation.

When Yelena thought about it again, it sounded ridiculous ; shaking the idea from her head, as Yelena instead focused on what Blair was saying to her.

“You can keep the bag with you in your office now.” 

“That’s what I was thinking.” Blair concurred; glancing back to the shelf where she found that style of lunchboxes. “But I think I might swap out black color for the blue…” 

There were an array of different colors, but the navy blue was eye-catching enough to cause a tangent— Blair the living embodiment of the color blue, with her jacket, blouse,  and now her lunchbox in hand.

Yelena couldn’t help but laugh. The universe must have known that blue would be her color; blessing her with those eyes.

“What’s so funny?!” Blair huffed; crossing her arms.

She was pouting; but with that, and the tone she was accusing Yelena with, Blair was only pretending  to be annoyed. The corners of her eyes were crinkled; smiling back at Yelena.

“Your nickname should be blue,” Yelena resumed. “A blue lunch box for Blue.”

Blair couldn’t hide her smile anymore; escaping onto her lips, as she scoffed. 

“What if my favorite color is purple?”

“You’re lying.” 

Sauntering her way past Yelena, Blair was giggling as she made her way out the aisle; knowing that Yelena was following just a step behind her.

“Okay, I am lying,” She admitted a second later; turning around to glance at Yelena. “But if you’re going to call me that, it’s only fair that I give you a nickname.”

“Go ahead,” Yelena grinned; eagerly waiting to see what Blair could come up with on the fly. 

“At least give me a second!” Blair laughed as the two were heading out of the kitchen department. They’re looping back up to the front; cutting through the men’s clothing.

So Yelena gave her a second— a literal  second; as for some reason, she can’t help but push onto Blair’s nerves a little bit. 

“Blueee,” She found herself calling. “Oops, I meant to say Blair .” 

“You’re teasing me!” Blair exclaimed; as Yelena could practically feel her rolling her eyes. 

“It was a Freudian slip.” 

Suddenly, Blair spun on her heel; facing Yelena again— the two stopping in the middle of the store’s linoleum pathway. 

“I have an idea, but I just have to figure out your color…” Blair was squinting; her hands placed on the tops of her hips. 

“My color?” Yelena snorted.

She doesn't even have time to be self-conscious about that sound; as Blair only continued.

“…Yellow,” Blair stated. “Like your hair, and your eyes. They're brown now, but when you look at the light, they turn gold.” 

As much as it was an instinct to refute that— to play it modest like she always did; Yelena was rendered speechless. Surely, that was the nicest compliment she had ever received in her twenty-five years of existence.

And it meant a lot more coming from Blair.

Once the words were said, they couldn’t be taken back; this awkward, universal feeling shared between the both of them. They were realizing what they were doing ; what secret this banter was uncovering. 

Denial was the best way Yelena could deflect; because for some reason, she can’t let Blair know that she was genuinely flattered  by that. It was better off to hide; no way that Yelena could be reading the room right.

“Ahem,” Yelena cleared her throat; itchy with embarrassment. “Do you need anything else…? ”

Blair shook her head; enough of a response for the two of them to start heading toward the checkout— acting as if nothing happened at all. 

Thankfully, there wasn't much of a line when they arrived at the cash registers; only one employee working behind the counter, finishing the transaction of the person standing in front of them.

All things considered; it was good that they didn’t have to wait too long, as no more tense moments were needed.

As they were promptly called over, Blair greeted the cashier before handing her the lunch box; searching her work bag for her wallet, as the item was scanned and bagged. 

Now, all she had to do was pay, but Blair was still digging past all the folders and paperwork; Yelena having a suspicion that this would take a while.

So, she took matters into her own hands; reaching into her pocket and pulling out her wallet. Blair would remain oblivious for a few more seconds; finally pulling out her wallet, though it was too late to do or say anything, as Yelena was swiping her card in the machine.

It was obvious that Blair wasn’t happy to be paid for; frowning at Yelena for now, as she didn’t want to make a scene in front of the cashier. Though as soon as they stepped outside, Blair came to a halt in front of the department store; scanning the receipt that was stuffed into her shopping bag. 

“Yelena!” She pouted; singing her name into two distinct syllables. 

“What? It wasn’t that expensive.” Yelena shrugged; having no choice but to stop as well.

She wouldn’t say that they were bickering— more that they were having a difference of an opinion. 

“That’s not the point,” Blair fretted. “You have already done so much for me.”

“I told you not to worry,” Yelena reminded; shoving her hands into her coat pocket, as she was reaching for her car keys.

In the corner of her eye, the illuminated sign of a bagel shop caught her attention from across the street. She felt like it was a perfect opportunity to talk Blair down; as if they were to hop into the car now, she knew that Blair would be begging to repay her the entire ride.

So Yelena pointed her finger to the restaurant’s storefront. “You want to grab something to eat?” 

“You’re changing the conversation! Blair scoffed; laughter escaping with her words, even if she wanted to act annoyed. 

“I am.” Yelena quipped in response.

She started strolling down the street; unable to contain the smirk on her face, as she knew Blair would follow after her.

They were doing this again; even if just moments ago, Yelena was set on pretending that this was nothing.

“You’re impossible!” Blair chuckled; catching up to Yelena within a moment, walking towards the crosswalk together.

As many times as she heard that before; Yelena was going to take it as a compliment.

Arriving at the bagel shop, Yelena held open the door for Blair before entering herself; the store not completely empty, but not entirely busy either— having a decent amount of customers inside.

Despite advertising bagels, the place had plenty of other items on their menu, as well; Blair ordering a chicken caesar wrap, while Yelena asked for a BLT and a small coffee.

Of course, she insisted on Blair also getting a drink; planning to pay for this meal, though it would surely get her in trouble again.

So when Blair asked her to grab a green tea from the drink refrigerators, Yelena didn’t even hesitate; grabbing a bottle from the top shelf, as when Yelena turned back to her, Blair was already paying for the meal with her credit card.

Any here was Yelena thinking that Blair couldn’t be as stubborn; holding her laughter and comments until they found a table, as they were told that they could sit anytime 

“Well played,” Yelena acknowledged as the two of them sat down; sitting across from Blair. “But now we can call it even.”

Blair grinned as she screwed off the cap of her ice tea; definitely proud herself. 

“Deal.” She agreed; taking a small sip of her drink.

Picking up her styrofoam coffee cup, Yelena does the same; holding the gesture out for a few seconds, as she isn’t sure how to carry out the rest of this conversation.

To be nervous right now was unnecessary; as Yelena had spent so much time with Blair already, that all she had to do was keep it casual— talk about their lives, and maybe not so much about work; considering that Blair didn’t have the best of days.

She was searching her brain for questions— something you typically ask someone, when you wanted to know them better. But before Yelena could decide anything, Blair was starting the discussion for her. 

“I worked here for a while now, but I’ve never looked around this area before.” Blair noticed. “I never realized how big Empire City was, until I moved here.”

“I understand. It’s hectic until you get used to it.” Yelena related; placing down her coffee.

Like Blair, she grew up in the suburbs— though that’s not a topic she wanted to dive into at the moment; instead, figuring that it best to touch on her own city experience. 

“Navigating around work culture is a learned experience. And I didn’t know anything socially, until Bianca started dragging me around places.” She recalled. “Rooftop bars, fancy restaurants. Those are the places where she likes to make her connections.” 

When Yelena said that she was dragged, she really meant it; as she wouldn’t go to places on her own volition— usually for marketing purposes, and on Bianca’s inability to take her no as an answer.

 Because Yelena had boundaries when it came to her extrovertism, she could only take so much for the sake of work; not willing to do any of it, on her own free time.

Blair nodded as she listened; messing with the cuticles on her fingers. “I’ve only ever been to touristy places…”

That was another thought that made Yelena roll her eyes.

“My rule of thumb is to avoid parades and any places where there’s too many people.” Yelena advised.

“God, I wish I would’ve known that years ago,” Blair explained. “I went to Times Square when I was in college, and I almost got lost from my friends. 

At that moment, a waiter arrived at the table with their food; their conversation coming to a halt for the time being, while they ate. 

It might have been strange to say that silence was comfortable, compared to all the other times before. To Yelena, this felt like relief; as she could sit like this forever, with this picture of Blair framed in her mind— her silhouette against the background of the bagel shop.

And when Blair talks again, it is not because they want to distract themselves from the quiet. She genuinely  wanted to share more of herself with Yelena. 

“One place I always want to go is Carnegie Hall. I know it’s one of those generic places you go when sightseeing, but the inside is so beautiful to look at.”

While Yelena couldn’t respond right away, with her mouth full of sandwich; she was happy to see Blair beaming  about this— even if just some historic building Yelena had heard brief mentionings of, beforehand.

But the way she talked about it, made it sound so dreamy— like it was worth reaching out to one of Bianca’s contacts, and asking for tickets. 

“I just think it’ll be interesting to look at in person.” Blair gushed. “I’d be happy to get a small peak of the inside, even if I couldn’t stay for an actual show. Surely, with how famous that place is, the concerts have  to be expensive…”

“I don’t know.” Yelena announced after swallowing her food. “But I hope you get to see it one day.”

It doesn’t take much longer for them to finish dinner; gathering up their trays and throwing away any garbage. By now, it was starting to get a big dark outside; probably best for them to start heading out. 

The weather was noticeably colder, as well; the wind chill especially, as it froze Yelena’s face and hands once they were back onto the street. 

Both of them had lingered in front of the shop; quite obvious that they were stalling to make their departure, as it meant that this would finally be over. This outing was a spur of the moment thing, to begin with; yet, they couldn’t let it end that way.

For some reason, it felt rude to walk away with just their goodbyes; even if that was the way they had done it plenty of times before. 

“You know, I had fun doing these things with you,” Blair admitted; her words a cloud in air, as it was cold enough for her breath to condensate.

Yelena was glad she could see that; because really, this was starting to feel good to be true.

“I’m glad,” Yelena noted; her breath catching her chest. “I mean— I did too.” 

“We should do this again.” Blair suggested much to Yelena’s surprise. 

She almost had to brace herself against the facade of the building; Yelena gathering her composure, of course— though it shouldn’t have come as much of a shock as she anticipated. 

Blair was enjoying herself; contradicting the mere thought that Yelena having feelings for her, would be disastrous. 

It was all too much process, right now; rendering Yelena speechless, on top of this big moment where Blair was waiting  her enthusiasm. 

 “… Are you free this Saturday?” Blair asked; nervously trying to fill up the silence, as she rambled. “I know I don’t know much about the city, but maybe we could go out to a club and be um… social together? But if you don’t—”

This time, it was Blair’s turn to feel like how Yelena did; as one step forward, led to them stumbling two steps back. The two of them were just naive by nature; this dance new to them. 

“Yes,” Yelena chuckled as she found her voice. “That’s fine.”

Really, she was willing to go anywhere with Blair; even if it was to the end of the earth. 

 “Great!” Blair sighed out in relief. “We can figure out some of the details later, but I’ll give you my number, as well. Just so we could talk to each other in the future.”

Reaching into her work bag for a pen, Blair grabbed the receipt from the department store, and tore it in half; carefully printing down her number with neat handwriting. 

Next, Yelena was handed the utensil and the other half of the paper; making sure the numbers she jotted down were just as legible, as her writing tended to get on the sloppy side when she was rushing. 

They then exchanged papers with one another; Yelena folding hers and tucking it into the safety of her buttoned coat pocket; as there, she had no chance of losing it until she got home. There, she could copy it into her address book; just to keep the information in a reliable place, as her backup.

“Whenever you decide to call, don’t do it too late!” Blair asserted with a laugh. “I’m a responsible adult who needs to be showered and in bed by nine thirty!

“What? You’re expecting me to call you tonight?” Yelena teased.

“ Noooo ,” 

Blair's cheeks were red, but it could have been from the cold; playfully walking backwards from Yelena, as if she wanted to run away from the question.

“Where are you going?!” Yelena demanded; her cheeks starting to hurt from smiling so much. “You’re walking away from the car!”

Giggling, Blair only continued in that direction; 

“I’m taking a taxi home!” She explained. “I live out of your way, and don’t want to make you drive any more!”

Yelena rolled eyes at Blair. “It’s fine .” 

“But oh, look! There’s a taxi right there!” Blair gasped, as she faced forward. “I’m going to call it over!”

“It’s not going to stop for you.”

But Yelena’s skepticism didn’t stop her trying; as while Yelena had zero faith, Blair’s optimism was still fresh since she was new to the city. She wasn’t just some character in a movie that could stop the first taxi she spotted.

Both of their eyes were glued to the taxi moving down the street; Blair stretching her arm as high as could, as Yelena stood beside her with a smug smile— hands on her hips, as she was waiting to be right.

Maybe she had been cocky too quickly; as clearly, the universe did not want her to drive Blair home tonight— the taxi actually  pulling over her for.

She wasn’t religious; but whatever deity up there just shoved a giant middle finger right in Yelena’s face.

Blair was, of course, happy to be right; the smile on her was definitely worth being flipped off, as Yelena stuck around to make sure that she got into the car safely.

They waved each other goodbye, before Blair closed the back door to the yellow taxi; Yelena lingered there for a second, after the cab took off. 

She patted her coat pocket, Blair’s number hidden inside; as there was one thing that was certain. Yelena was falling hard ;and there would be no soft landing for her at the end. 

_____

Here, in the dark hallway, Yelena was aware that she was dreaming; a groggy thought that nothing she was doing now was reality— just the pictures in her brain directing this story of her walking down an endless narrow corridor.

Somehow, this place was her apartment; but in typical dream logic, everything was warped and completely different to how it was and real life. Yelena wanted to get out of the hallway— she had a place to be; but every step she took was comically slow, dragging on for an eternity.

At the end of the hallway was her destination; and to her right, a door left slightly ajar. It flooded warm light into the dark; a light source that the other could not provide— even if that wasn’t the chosen path. 

The light was so tempting; as when she thought about it, she inched closer and closer. Much faster, compared to when she thought about the chosen path; so grim, so sad… but safe . 

There was warmth in the light, and Yelena was tired of being cold… and alone. If she chooses the other, Yelena was certain it would leave her; and she doesn’t know if she could live like that again. 

So she was left with a decision. And frankly, it wasn’t a difficult choice to make. 

It wasn’t her first option when she started down this path; but this room was the right way; her hand reaching for the featherlight door, pushing it wide open with a single touch.

Her eyesight in the dream blurred; needing to adjust to the light of the bathroom, as she stepped forward. In her ears, she heard laughter softer than the sensation of raindrops— fresh from the sky, as they tease your skin. 

The sound of a siren drew her forward; walking towards her blindly, as Yelena regained her vision to find Blair sitting in her bathtub. Wet, her brown hair clung to the sides of her face; arching her back in a way that lit up a fire.

As Yelena came to a pause in her dream, her mind— the conscious part that controlled her thoughts when awake— hesitated. It wanted to argue with the dream side of things, because she knew this indulgence was wrong . 

Blair was at least clothed in the bathtub; but Yelena only harbored guilt— her heart starting to beat rapidly.

She had to get out of this dream . 

Adrenaline coursed through her veins, the defense mechanism to wake herself up; though the nightmare doesn’t end there.

It only continued — Blair noticing and motioning Yelena to come towards her; Yelena legs moving against their own will, like strings attached to a puppet. 

In milliseconds, Yelena was there by the side of the bathtub; Blair grabbing her hand, and pulling her into the water— their laps colliding before it’s way too much for Yelena, as she jerked herself awake.

Her limbs flailed underneath the covers; trying to push off the blanket that was trapping her in like a sauna. The loudest thing in the room was her tousling and heavy breath; as the city that never sleeps was, for once, too quiet for liking.

Once Yelena had wrestled the duvet off her body, the cold winter felt like a relief; able to lie still now, as she stared up at the ceiling with burning lungs. 

But there was no solace in the pitch black of night. 

There wasn't a chance that she could fall back asleep— Yelena was sure of it; as all she could do now was sit through the wee hours of the morning with her thoughts.

She was screwed, torn, and guilty.

How could she betray Blair’s trust with a dream like that? Obviously, Yelena would never say a word of this to anyone; but her subconscious was already weighing on her — having to face Blair in the morning. 

If there was a way to recover from this, Yelena didn’t think that it was possible for her. Of course, that seemed like an overstatement; but how could she ever look Blair in the eyes again? 

She felt like a terrible human-being ; and in the moment, it was truly easy to believe what she was taught since little.

That she was going to burn in hell for this. 

Chapter Text

Her alarm sounded off at five, per usual; Pearl bleary eyed as she reached for the alarm clock, the dark of her room trying to lure her back to sleep.

She gave herself a second, sitting up on her bed; as the weight of her reality flooded back to her. There was school to worry about, and Diamonds to wait on— all these thoughts coming together, and forcing Pearl to get up for the day

Across the hallway, Pearl had entered the bathroom and changed her pajamas for her school uniform; brushing teeth and styling her hair, as she cleaned up her appearance.

Even if she didn’t have the luxury to be frivolous, Pearl still put pride into being neat; especially when it came to the matter of attending Prince Academy. But at fifteen, it seemed like she had developed permanent dark circles under her eyes; probably from sleepless nights of studying— her job working for the Diamonds, also an added factor.

Since she was nine, Pearl had been helping around like an hired employee; though the Diamonds only had started paying her, when she officially became a teen— avoiding any child labor laws.

Surely, they still had to be violating some sort of rule; as Pearl would be working by the time the sun would rise, resuming right after she came home from school. 

On that same technicality, she had no breaks or days off either; but if Pearl had learnt one from working with the Diamonds, it was that rich people could get away with anything. All they needed was a good lawyer— someone who could write a threatening enough cease and desist.

But with her morning routine now finished, Pearl met with her sisters in the living room; up, awake and chatting— somehow more used to this than Pearl could ever be. They didn’t stay around lounging for long; waiting for Pearl to grab her backpack and jacket, before starting the trek over to the Diamonds house.

April mornings were still freezing; Pearl noting this as she zipped up the hoodie of her school branded jacket— their breaths leaving small puffs of smoke in the air. 

The three of them quickly entered inside, starting the routine as normal; flicking on the lights of the kitchen and surrounding areas, breakfast needing to be ready and served by six o’clock. 

Pearl specifically dealt with the chore of packing the Diamonds lunch boxes; her sisters letting her go easy with the chores in the morning, as they didn’t want her to go to school more exhausted than necessary. 

As she had done this routine almost everyday for the last couple years, Pearl could practically do this in her sleep— good, considering that she had stayed up late last night completing her trigonometry homework. She packed yogurt for Blair, an orange for Yelena; each into their individual, monogrammed lunch bags.

Pink’s lunch out of all of them, was far more complicated; preferring an actual meal, as Pearl slathered a fair amount of peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat bread. Most days, it was assumed that they would trade; Pink preferring the school lunches that Pearl was given money for.

Obviously, Pearl didn’t mind that much, as she was picking out snacks that she preferred to eat: some cashews, and a granola bar— deciding to be nice, and throwing in a pack of fruit snacks for Pink.

As per Blair Diamond, sugary foods were usually banned in the house; but if Pearl tagged along with her sisters for the grocery shopping, she would usually smuggle in something small for Pink.  

Continuing to pull from the pantry, Pearl added a few more snacks into the Diamonds bags; along with napkins and plastic utensils. She was finished when she zipped up all three bags; as since it was still early, Pearl decided to spend the rest of her time studying for a chemistry test she had later on today— at least until the Diamonds came down for breakfast.

It couldn’t hurt to review the material one last time, spreading her chem notes and binder on the kitchen counter, in the far corner; away from her sisters and the commotion of cooking. 

Despite the noise— eggs sizzling in a pan, bread popping out of the toaster, Pearl reviewed her notes on half-lives and isotopes with no distraction; only turning her attention, when Yasmin had placed a plate of food beside her.

She paused to eat, of course; peering out in the dining room to see the two Diamonds sitting at the table, eating breakfast as well. They must have arrived sometime while Pearl was lost in her notes; though what really caught her eye was the third plate set out beside them, growing colder by the second.

This was a surprise to no one, as Pink had a habit of being chronically late. More times than not, she would arrive downstairs with just seconds to spare; needing to be out of the house, and leaving her breakfast untouched.

“We need to nip this in the bud.” Yelena announced with the clink of her fork.

Pearl had turned to her own meal, as she was eavesdropping. But it couldn’t be more clear that they were talking about Pink.

“She must have forgotten to set her alarm again.” Blair sighed.

Yelena let out a scoff that was loud enough to be heard from the kitchen. “She’s almost an adult, and yet she still acts like a child.” 

That was a statement Pearl couldn’t help but roll her eyes at; scooping up a forkful of scrambled eggs. 

And who’s fault was that? The Diamonds had spoiled their daughter endlessly, and still complained about it in the same breath; as if they really cared to get this habit in check, they would have checked on her before going downstairs themselves.

“Yelena, she’s only sixteen.” 

If Blair was trying to be the voice of reason, it more or less sounded like she was making excuses.

“Not until next week.” Yelena remarked; seeming to be counting down the days until Pink’s grand birthday party.

Shoving the last piece of her toast in her mouth, Pearl was mostly done with her breakfast as placed her plate into the sink; time a luxury she couldn’t afford, as she rather be early waiting for the ride to school, than to be forgotten. 

As she gathered her binder and papers back into her bag, Yasmin handed her a ten; Pearl tucking that inside as well, as her sister wished for her to have a nice day.

Pearl smiled; telling Yasmin the same answer she always did, as she placed her backpack onto her shoulders. Her “I will” wasn’t alway promised, but she rather tell her sisters that, than worry them with the truth. 

On her way out of the kitchen, she grabbed all three of the Diamonds lunchboxes with her— the last part of her chore was to deliver them, even though the Diamonds were quite capable themselves. 

She was quiet as she made her way towards the dining room table, the Diamonds barely even glancing at her as approached; as they could be discussing plans to murder someone, without a care in the world that Pearl was listening.

But more normally, as they weren’t complete psychopaths, the Diamonds were going over some details about Pink’s sweet sixteen.

“I know that the Pyropes said it would take a while, but I thought it would be here by now.” Blair fretted, her voice a little lowered than normal.

She doesn’t thank Pearl, as her lunch box was placed in front of her; busy staring at her significant other, who was quick to assure.

“We’ll see them at today’s meeting, we can ask them then.” Yelena understood. “I trust them, they’ll get Pink’s gift in time.”

The conversation ends right there, the two of them becoming tight-lipped, as thunderous steps could be heard echoing down the stairs; only belonging to one person.

As Pearl handed the lunch box to Yelena, Pink came running into the room; her appearance surprisingly not disheveled, as instead, her curls were styled and topped with a headband. It became clear to Pearl that she didn’t oversleep, noticing the sparkly gloss on her lips; taking all this time to focus on her appearance.

Wearing makeup was against school code, but of course, Pink was one of few people who could get away with this; smart enough not to pile it on, and wear it more subtly.

“Look who decided to show up.” Yelena scolded as Pink arrived at the table. 

Pink doesn’t sit down; rather, continuing to stand up as she grabbed cold scrambled eggs with her fork. Either she doesn’t realize that her mom is mad at her, or just had chosen to ignore otherwise. 

And Pearl had her suspicions that it was the latter. Pink smiled at Yelena specifically, whilst greeting her parents.

“‘Morning,”

She shoveled the eggs into her mouth; grabbing some more, and eating them as well, before she was even finished chewing. Blair gasped in disapproval, and Pearl decided it was time to leave; best to escape before getting caught in the crossfire of a family argument.

But of course, she had to give Pink her lunch; Pearl heading over to the other side of the table with her head down.

“Pink! You’ll choke if you eat like that!” Blair frowned.

This time, it was a little more obvious that Pink was ignoring them on purpose; turning her sights elsewhere— to Pearl specifically.

“Thank you.” Pink nodded; making a grand show of thanking Pearl, as she was given her lunch bag— the only one to acknowledge her, so far.

And while Pearl was appreciative, she wasn’t going to be involved in this; turning around, and making an exit to the foyer. 

Even after traveling halfway across the house, she wasn’t deaf to their conversation; Yelena’s voice unmistakably loud this early in the morning, as she chided Pink about her behavior and school. These days, one topic couldn’t be accompanied without the other; giving Pearl a headache, even if she wasn’t the one being yelled at.

Pearl has seen Yelena’s wrath plenty of times; luckily, never being her direct target. She doesn’t know how Pink could tolerate it, how she could take it with a brave face; because if that were Pearl, she’d certainly be in tears.

Waiting by the front door, Pearl was just counting down the minutes until their rides arrived; staring out the window when two black cars rolled up the driveway— on time, as it was a few minutes before six-thirty.

While Pearl was more than ready to get in the car and leave, she was waiting for the Diamonds; as she usually found it awkward when she was left to wait alone with their security guards. It felt rude to ignore them like the Diamonds did, but she could never be sociable like Pink; who was always polite and made conversation, no matter how unfamiliar the person was to her. 

Unprompted, the Diamonds made their way to the foyer as a unit; Yelena still carrying out her conversation, as Pink rolled her eyes and dragged her feet behind her. 

“You should be getting your math test back soon,” Yelena recalled; not even looking at Pink, as she charged forward towards the coat closet. “I don’t want to see any grade lower than an eighty. Think about that when you take your chemistry test today.”

Yelena had only opened the closet to grab her briefcase; at least taking the consideration to leave the door open for Blair. But she didn't wait for either of them, as she headed outside.

As Blair slipped on the woolen fabric of her pea coat, Pink pulled her backpack out of the closet and onto her shoulders; her posture drooping with the weight, as she fidgeted— swaying back and forth.

She was moping; doing so quite openly in front of her mother, as she was hoping to be noticed.

“You’re not wearing a jacket?” Blair questioned as she strung her work bag across her shoulder; pointing to the short sleeves of Pink’s uniform. “It’s quite cold outside.”

Pink shrugged her shoulders, kicking a foot up.

Blair took a step forward; reaching out to comfort her daughter.  “You know your mother’s tough, because she loves you.”

Her hand has caressed over the top of her daughter's curls; smiling at her fondly. It seemed like affection was the way to cheer her up— at least until Pink heard her words of encouragement.

“I just know that you got your GPA up. I have faith in you.” 

Pearl saw a flash of panic in her eyes, as Pink faked a smile and nodded; too scared to otherwise admit the truth. She still struggled with trig, and she probably struggled even harder on that math test; the only reason her chemistry grades were even staying afloat, was because Pink had now resorted to cheating.

This was the same girl Pearl had to explain what GPA’s were for; as there was not one, but multiple conversations where Pearl had laid it all out to her nice and simple— and she still didn’t get the jist of it.

It wasn’t like she was dumb (Pearl wouldn’t say that about anybody), but it was more like Pink was better versed in subjects that weren’t so book smart. She knew everything about art, and all the language surrounding it; but what Pearl considered her best at was people. 

In some strange, alternative universe, maybe she could become a politician— not just some heiress to a technology company.

Pink had a way of wrapping people around her fingers; like that one quote about Marilyn Monroe turning her persona on, and capturing all this attention. Like her, Pink knew had draw in her peers; as most, if not bigoted, wanted to be her friend. But these days, Pink was selective; no longer caring for a huge party like most people. 

“Let’s go outside before your mother gets grumpy.” Blair joked, giving her daughter a nudge; as this was enough of a wake up call to get Pearl moving as well.

She followed the mother daughter duo outside, as they ventured down the front steps; Yelena waiting in front of one of the cars with her arms crossed, the expression on her face annoyed that they weren’t sticking to schedule.

Despite this, Blair still took a moment to press a kiss to her daughter’s forehead— Pink unreceptive, as she pulled away all too quickly.

The two went their separate ways, towards their separate rides; Pearl trailing after Pink, of course, though her stare can’t help but linger on the Diamonds for a few seconds longer.

As Blair approached her partner, she noticed how Yelena’s face immediately softened; pressing a hand to the small of Blair’s waist, as she opened the back door for her— gently guiding her inside.

It seemed like Yelena only had compassion for only one person in this world. 

Sighing through her nose, Pearl had turned back to Pink; busy being chauffeured into the back of the car by her security guard, addressing her formally by last name.

So Pearl hurried over to the driver's side; not wanting to be forgotten, as that has happened before. She had to open her own door; as Pearl wasn’t important to be catered to by their security.

Inside, she sat in the spacious seat next to Pink; only relaxing once her seatbelt was on, and the security guard was in the front seat. He would start the car a few minutes later, following the Diamonds out of the driveway and onto the main roads; their car eventually turning south towards the city, while the girls headed a couple miles east to the Prince Academy campus.

Their commute was about twenty minutes tops; Pearl staring out the window in the meantime, watching the sky turn orange to blue. The route was rather scenic, passing the budding foliage of trees, and the occasional glimpse of the Empire River; the frequented roadway leading them to the next town over.

Because they went to a private school, the boundaries on where you had to live were a bit looser; as Pearl knew of some students that had far longer commutes than they did. 

Off the main road, they passed through some neighborhoods before arriving at the large, neat field that consisted of their campus; arriving a little past seven— thirty more minutes before classes would officially start.

As they were way earlier than the school buses, the driver was pulling up to the front of the high school; passing the elementary building on the way. The lights were off, and the blinds shuddered on most windows; as of course, school for elementary students would start much later. 

Pearl looked away, as she didn’t have too many fond memories of that place. She only found herself glancing back towards the passenger side again, as Pink was unbuckling her seat belt— heading out of the car the second it was parked.

“I’m so screwed.” Pink mumbled as she pushed open the door— Pearl not completely sure if those were the exact words she said, as usually Pink made her complaining more loud and widespread. 

She had morning dread for school like Pearl did; even if her days were considerably easy. She had friends, and didn’t have to worry about being bulldozed in the hallway; but Pink liked to complain about her first world problems to someone— and that someone was almost always Pearl.

In these situations, Pearl would nod and occasionally throw in some words of encouragement, if applicable. Nine times out of ten, Pearl couldn’t relate to her; as she couldn’t beg for a car on her sixteenth birthday, or cry over sold out tickets to a boy band concert. 

But she did understand that Pink just wanted someone to listen; as most would just dismiss her—or laugh it off if they considered her gripes to be ridiculous.

To be frank, some of her rants weren’t worth crying over, but Pearl really felt for Pink in this situation. Her grades throughout the years had always been consistent; though somehow, they managed to tank completely during the previous semester. The Diamonds, furious, had grounded her for three months straight; as it was just recently that she was dismissed from all punishment. 

As much as Pearl wanted to say something, she clearly didn’t have the time. All she did was blink, and suddenly Pink was halfway across the courtyard.

By the time Pearl got herself out of the car, it was like Pink had disappeared completely; a needle in a haystack, as a couple of crowds formed out in the courtyard— every girl essentially dressed the same.

And Pearl definitely wasn’t going to poke around in any friend groups to find her; as really, anyone could have pulled her. Pearl decided that if Pink truly wanted her ear, she would have spoken up louder in the first place. This wasn’t worth getting worried over, as Pearl should just continue her day as normal. 

Which meant keeping her head down; trying not freak out as a group of freshmen laughed, as she passed by their spot at the flagpole. As much as they were told by faculty, not to sit on the surrounding brick podium; the majority of students still did so anyway.

They could be laughing about anything, but this was enough to activate Pearl’s fight or flight response; picking up her pace, as she walked straight into the school without looking back.

Inside, the heat was blasting inside the hobby (all thanks to the aid of the rude receptionist ladies); Pearl feeling the difference in temperature in her cheeks, continuing towards the main staircase. She hiked up the flight of stairs, and entered the history wing; locating her locker toward the center of the hallway, as she placed her sweater and chemistry textbook inside.

Her first class of the day, global studies, was just two doors down; waiting outside of the room until her history teacher Mr. Schaeffer arrived with a coffee in his hand. He let Pearl in early, as usual; sitting in her assigned seat and keeping to herself, while he started to set up today’s lesson— which didn’t seem much at all, as he was messing with the school’s donated TV’s.

She was the only student in the classroom, until the warning bell sounded off; the rest of her classmates slowly trickling in, though there were a few stragglers that managed to sneak in during the morning announcements and pledge of allegiance.

Afterwards, Mr. Schaeffer popped in the VHS tape, and cut the lights in the classroom; starting a documentary about the Vietnam War— as of course, the best way to start the morning was to watch people dying.

Pearl doesn’t know how, but the acoustics of gunfire and grenades was the perfect background noise to lure a bunch of sleepy teenagers back to sleep.

Forty-five minutes later, the bell rang again; Pearl heading back downstairs to the english wing, and navigating her way through the crowded hallway.

Not to exaggerate, but her tenth grade english class was like entering a real-life war zone; a tragedy for introverts everywhere, as a guidance counselor had placed almost every popular student in their grade into one single classroom. 

And then they stuck Pearl into this unfortunate mess.

Surely, she wasn’t the only ‘normal’ kid in that class; but clearly, there wasn’t enough to make the class tolerable.

At eight forty-five in the morning, the classroom was already rowdy; bracing herself for a headache, as Pearl entered inside. The majority of students were inside, but weren’t seated— the first voice heard jeering from the crowd was Pink’s.

“Stooop,” Pink giggled; sitting on top of a desk, as she kicked a foot up at Conner Samuels— all up in her personal space. 

They were playing footsies like kindergartners, and Pearl wanted to throw up. 

Conner, of course, ignored her and made another attempt to lean in closer; placing his hand on the desk bedside her.

Again, Pink giggled. This time, there was no attempt to kick him away.

In a huff, Pearl marched over to the other side of the room; sitting in her designated seat by the teacher’s desk, even if there was technically no assigned seating. She always stuck towards the front and away from the trouble; as worse offenses tended to be committed in the back, and away from the eyes of their teacher.

But normally, bad behavior tended to be conducted in front of Ms. Cantwell; this class driving her to the point of tears— three times across the span of this school year.

She currently sat at her desk, rubbing at her temples; having the sunken face of a hostage, rather than someone who willingly chose a career in education. Even as the bell rang, Ms. Cantwell made no move to quiet down the class; needing another moment, as she seemed steps away from another mental breakdown.

Pearl had gathered her english materials in the meantime; placing them onto the corner of her desk, as she waited for further instructions. She wasn’t the only one sitting patiently in her seat; as there was a group of theater kids a couple rows down from her, who took Shakespeare seriously. 

There was a reason why they all stuck to the left side of the room; the kids on the right ignoring the fact that the bell went off, as a group had formed around the desk Pink and Conner were sitting at. 

They lounged in the center; the main focal point of everyone’s attention. Conner had the meathead boys of his baseball team; while Pink had her best friend and sidekick, Elliana De Jesus. There were several other girls who clung to Pink, as well; not knowing her well personally, but still wanting to be a part of her exclusive friend group— as the Diamond last name was obviously associated with affluence.

Unfortunately, it made every bit of sense why Pink wanted to be with Conner; as the whole social hierarchy of high school revolved around him— seeming like attention was all Pink wanted these days. 

As a Diamond, she basked in the glory of the world orbiting around her; dictating the conversation, the girls scrambling to agree with what she had to say.

“Hey Pink!” One of the baseball jocks began, calling her attention. “It’s a shame you didn’t invite us to your birthday party. I’ve always wanted to see how lesbians go at it!” 

The crowd of jocks and blonde-highlighted lackeys roared with laughter; as Conner managed to get in a few whoops as well, before Pink’s face turned brighter than the color of her namesake.

Pearl knew that she wouldn’t say quiet; she couldn’t when it came to her family.

“Fuck you!” Pink spat as she jumped down from the desk; charging straight at the boy who insulted her, even if he was almost six-foot, and Pink barely stood at five-five.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” The jock backed away with his hands held up, a smirk on his face as he wasn’t taking her seriously; the peanut gallery only heckling him to push her buttons some more.

It was this moment that Ms. Cantwell jumped up from her desk to end this; not wanting another situation where she had to call in Mr. Hyde from across the hallway, for backup.

“Okay, okay! Class, it’s time to settle down!”

Ms. Cantwell started towards the group in an attempt to break it up; but Pink shot one last glare at the jock, storming away before their teacher could intervene.

She only continued to make a scene, as she whizzed by Ms. Cantwell; her footfalls heavy on the floor, as she stomped across the room. 

And out of the entire group, Elliana was the only one to follow her— in aid to comfort Pink, as she obviously didn’t find the joke funny. She refused to laugh with all of the others; proving the testament as to why she was one of Pink’s closest friends. 

While Ms. Cantwell continued to shoo at the crowd, as if they were a pack of wild geese; Pink plopped down in the seat next to Pearl, sulking in her anger. Elliana joined them, taking an available desk behind the two, as she tried to calm Pink down with her advice.
 
“Don’t listen to them.” Elliana encouraged. “Those boys are all assholes.” 

Even though Pearl had kept her mouth shut, she had known that fact for longer— practically since kindergarten, when Conner had pushed her down that slide. But somehow, Pink stayed ignorant when it came to that side of Conner, as maybe it was partly because of denial.

“Quiet please! Quiet!” Ms. Cantwell could be heard pleading from across the room; getting most of her students to be seated, though she had to deal with them laughing at her.

Of course, they found it hysterical whenever she would freak out like this. As they ignored her even further, her words picking up crescendo with every demand; to point to where she flat out screaming bloody murder. 

“I said, be quiet!” 

Her voice cracked with exasperation, as the room suddenly decided to go silent at this moment; her scream the only thing to echo across the walls— surely loud enough to be heard from the hallway.

Ms. Cantwell turned red— either from frustration, embarrassment— as her reaction wasn’t helped by a few students snickering at her.

“For today’s lesson,” She croaked; her volume back to normal. “…just continue reading act two of Macbeth.” 

Defeated, she trudged back to her desk; letting the class erupt with noise again.

Desks were starting to be moved around, screeching loudly across the floors; as the majority of her classmates wanted to be in groups. Pearl ignored this as picked up her lended copy of the book; flipping through the yellowed pages, when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She knew it was Pink, before she could even turn to look at her. As much as she preferred to work alone, she couldn’t say no when she saw the convincing smile on Pink’s face; pulling her desk into a reading circle with both Pink and Elliana.

The three of them had picked their respective roles, as they settled down; reading the last few scenes out loud from the translated modern text— which was technically cheating since they were supposed to be reading the plays in its original Elizabethan English.

Pearl didn’t say anything, as she had already finished act two ahead of time; using the opportunity to refresh herself on the plot, especially when the language wasn’t always easy to understand.

At least they were able to read a bit faster this way, finishing the material with about fifteen minutes left in the period; their group quickly disassembling, as Pink was tired of sitting around. 

And since Pink had no one to bother— currently mad at all her peers— she had turned to Ms. Cantwell; hanging around her desk and making conversation.

“I don’t understand Shakespeare,” Pink ranted as she helped staple papers. “Why would he name two of his characters Macbeth and Macduff? That’s so stupid!”

Watching from the corner of eye, Pearl wasn’t trying to distract herself; but it soon became clear that she couldn’t continue reading on to act three, when Pink was speaking so loudly. 

Maybe Pearl would focus on her a little too much at times; but certainly, she couldn’t be the only one.

With a couple minutes left before class ended, Pearl began to pack up her things; glancing over to Elliana in the process. She had stayed put in favor working on her act two study guide— something that was due by the end of the week.

As much as Elliana De Jesus was one of Pink’s kinder friends— one that treated her like an actual human being, and not just as help— the two didn’t interact much at all, if Pink wasn’t there as a buffer.

She just quietly kept to herself until the bell rang; more than desperate to get out of there, even if the sense of relief didn’t last for long. Her next class was gym; Pearl journeying all the way to the other side of the school, with seconds to spare before the bell went off again.

Gym wasn’t that bad, but it definitely could be better; as despite it being morning, with the right game and people, she truly didn’t mind the class. Pearl considered herself a decent team player, but she didn’t like being heckled; as they were some boys (you can imagine to which group they’d belonged to) who took everything too seriously. 

Again, this was high school, and not the tryouts for the Olympics. Verbal assault wasn't going to improve anything.

Thankfully, as Pearl stepped foot into the gym, there were several volleyball nets set up across the large space; meaning that could play in several teams, instead of the class as a whole. 

Now she had one less thing to stress about; heading over to the right, where the girls locker room was. Pearl pushed past the two sets of heavy doors; the changing room busy and crowded as always, as they had only had five minutes to switch their clothes after the bell rang. 

She kept head down until she arrived at her locker; twisting open the combination, and pulling out her set of gym uniform— a t-shirt and pair of sweatpants with the official Prince Academy emblem. 

First, she pulled her pants up; keeping her skirt in the process, until she was fully covered. From a quick glance, her surroundings were mostly clear; the attention not obviously on her, though Pearl can’t help but worry.

Some girls could change in front of their friends, but Pearl couldn’t; her heart racing as she rushed to take off her top, even if she was mostly alone in this remote section of the room. 

Unlike changing into her bottoms, there was no modest way to cover herself. There was the bathroom, of course, but the line to get into a stall usually took forever, as Pearl didn’t want to risk accumulating any late demerits. 

For just a split second, she was exposed in the open with her bra and bare stomach; tossing her gym shirt on as fast as possible— though naturally in her nervousness, Pearl found herself fumbling.

Especially when out of nowhere, she heard her name being called. 

“Hey Pearl!”

It was Pink approaching; spotting Elliana in her peripheral vision as well, as both of their lockers were right next to Pearl’s.

But this had only made her panic even more; now struggling to put her arms through her sleeves, as Pearl was desperate to be clothed again. 

At least the two didn’t seem like they were paying much attention to her; continuing on with some previous conversation— something obviously more interesting. 

“But yeah,” Pink resumed as she twisted in the digits of her locker combination. “Try to come early if you can, I don’t want to be left alone with my parents' friends.”

“You’re so lucky to be having a sweet sixteen.” Elliana gushed; reaching into her backpack for her change of clothes. “My father wouldn’t let me have one since I’d already had my Quince.” 

So this was a conversation about first world problems, Pearl remarked to herself; listening in a bit closer, as she reached into her locker for her gym shoes.

Though she wasn’t staring, she could see them changing from the corner of her eye; desperately trying to ignore so, as Pearl sat down on the bench and exchanged her loafers for sneakers.

“At least you had a fun party! My parents are throwing me the most boring sweet sixteen ever!” Pink whined.

She was putting on a pair of uniform gym shorts; tugging her skirt up in the process. But Pearl was preoccupied with tying up her shoelaces.

“No dancing, no music— and you were the only friend I was allowed to invite!”

“Aww,” Elliana sympathized as Pearl started with her second shoe. “But if I were you, I would focus on all the nice presents you’ll be getting.”

With a drawn out sigh, Pink began taking her shirt off; and all of a sudden Pearl had forgotten how to tie a shoe. Flustered, she could feel her face turning hot; as she knew it was time to get out of here.

So Pearl sprung to her feet, shoving everything into her locker; not even caring if her clothing got wrinkled. She hobbled her way into the gymnasium, as her left shoe remained united; quick to fix that, as she took a seat on the bleachers— where attendance was usually taken.

Of course, some students had migrated towards the volleyball nets; but Pearl wasn’t all that eager to get the class started, like they were.

She had found a spot in the third row of bleachers, right next to Nisa Newman; someone Pearl would occasionally pair up in their various classes, as their social standing was practically the same.

Nisa was a lot like her; quiet and invisible to most— though she was lucky to have the footing of a wealthy family. In most cases that mattered, but as she was relatively new to Prince Academy— transferring just last year— she was unfortunately, thrusted into a situation where cliques and friend groups had already been formed for years.

It’s been the same group of one hundred and fifty-something kids since kindergarten; as everyone knew everyone. Still, it left a bitter taste in Pearl’s mouth, that Nisa had been here for a year and still hadn't found her group; especially when she thought that Nisa would fit into thespians well, currently engrossed in the copy of Les Misérables she was reading to pass time.

But there was the typical divide between old and new money; because of course, some rich people had to classify themselves higher, because their great-great granddaddy made millions inventing the cotton swab. In Pearl’s eyes, it was just another way to look down at people; as she heard people whispering about Nisa, since her parents were ‘just’ doctors.

Sometimes, they wanted to find any reason to hate you; to push themselves up more on a pedestal, and fuel that superiority. Even if they already won the lottery with wealth, and perfect looking genetics, it was like they needed to chew heads off as a source of fulfillment— a certain type of pomp and circumstance they couldn’t quite buy with their money.

Pearl looked across the room, and spotted Chester Jefferson by the volleyball nets; the perfect victim for this type of target, as he was short and scrawny, and didn’t quite understand social interaction.

The popular boys had befriended him for the sole reason of making fun of him; but it wasn’t the usual kind of bullying, where they would push him around and call him names. Instead, it was a wolf and sheep clothing situation; making fun of him in subtle ways, as they encouraged him to be weird and talk about his niche interests— like he was their court jester, of sorts. 

And really, the most sad part about it, was that Chester was naive enough to believe that these people were his actual friends. Pearl truly felt bad for him, as he was a genuinely nice kid, despite being a little out-there; understanding this dilemma personally, as surely there were people who were nice to her face, only to make fun of her later.

She was lucky to have Pink; as most people didn’t dare to be that blasé when she was around. But since Pink’s shield came with terms and conditions, Pearl had to have something of her own— and she chose invisibility.

In her opinion, she thought it was better to be ignored by her peers than to be made fun of by them; even though it was a double-edged sword of being lonely in a crowded room. But Pearl had no other choice but to protect herself; as she had enough on her plate at home.

So as much as she was confused on why Nisa didn’t have her place here; Pearl could take a guess and assume that she was doing the same. Her life had to be just as vast and complicated, even if Pearl just knew her on the surface level; the two of them having each other's backs in that way— unspoken, but understood. 

And if Pearl wanted to take something positive from this, she might learn a trick or two, and start bringing books to school like Nisa did; something better to pass the time, than just staring at nothing.

Her habit had always been watching and listening; as she couldn’t but be drawn to Pink, as she and Elliana came out from the locker room— just in the nick of time, as Coach Cobb came out of his office to take attendance.

The two were busy talking, as always; nearing Pearl and Nisa, as they climbed up the bleachers. Naturally, Pearl assumed that they weren’t going to be noticed at all; but Pink was nearing dangerously close, her foot narrowly missing Nisa’s outstretched hand on the bleachers.

“Ahh! I’m so sorry!” Pink panicked; stopping to see if she was okay. 

“Oh, I’m fine.” Nisa assured. She flexed all her fingers, as she held up her hand. 

Pink nodded, her soft features settling with relief; though her eyes had focused elsewhere on Nisa’s appearance. 

 “You’re hair!” She exclaimed. “I love that new style on you!”

As Elliana hummed in agreement, Nisa had shyly reached up and touched one of her box braids. Usually, she kept her hair natural and coily.

“Oh. T-thanks!”  

From her complexion, you couldn’t tell that she was blushing; but from her smile, Pearl could just tell that she was flattered.

That was the magic of Pink Diamond; she was liked by everyone. 

Attendance was promptly taken after that, the class splitting into teams; as Pearl had found herself in a group with Nisa, and a few other girls she vaguely knew of. She was fine with this— even fine with the other team, though it was quite clear that they had the better players.

Friends tended to stick together; as with Pink on that team, there were other girls similar in status to her— mostly athletic, as popular girls tended to be athletes. 

But the game stayed rather casual; as no one really kept track of the score, or stuck to the rules too harshly. Pearl still made sure to touch the ball several times; trying to get those participation points, as she even managed to bump the ball successfully over the net.

While some girls were just here because they needed a good gym to graduate, Pink was definitely enjoying herself; hogging the ball a bit, as she was showing off her spiking skills.

By the end of class, she had Coach Cobb begging her again, to please join one of the sports teams; Pink declining in favor of her parents, who didn’t want her joining in any extracurriculars.

Not with the way her grades were currently standing.

After Pearl had changed back into her uniform, she arrived at her fourth period lunch; the cafeteria buzzing with activity, as the lunch line was already decently long.

She didn't join quite yet, as it all depended on what Pink wanted; instead, heading over to their table by the windows— a coveted spot they had managed to snag this year, as it was in the main focal point of the room.

As per usual, Pearl was the first person seated; typical for Pink to be late for most classes— usually pulled aside in the hallways by their peers. 

But it was no surprise to Pearl she wasn’t late for lunch today; as on Tuesday’s they served chicken nuggets, and as someone who was deprived of fast food as a kid, Pink wouldn’t miss this day for the world.

So when Pink had slid in the seat next to her, Pearl had handed over her lunch money without a word; Pink returning the favor and she slid over her lunchbox.

As she and Elliana then joined the lunch line; Pearl had pulled out the sandwich she had made earlier, along with the bag of cashews. She alternated between bites of each; saving the granola bar for last, since it had chocolate— the closest thing she could have to a desert. 

The fruit snacks she had packed for Pink were already gone; as of course, Pink wouldn’t have handed her this lunch without taking them.

Pearl continued to eat alone and in silence; about halfway through her Pb and J, when she was joined by Pink’s two other friends— the duo she liked to refer as the Sarah’s, as they were both rich, blonde, and named Sarah.

They had no distinguishable personalities, besides those three things— as Pearl wasn’t saying that to be misogynistic, as it really seemed like they had no opinions, other than liking and agreeing to whatever Pink did and said.

She wasn’t the only one to group them together, either; as even Pink did so as well. Seeing them like conjoined twins was probably easier for her to handle; as Pink had no problem weeding out friends who had wronged her in the past.

Mackenzie Fitchburg was the most recent person she had ousted; as two Christmases ago she complained the designer charm bracelet she was given wasn’t a ‘good enough’ present— the intention quite clear that she wanted something a little more expensive. 

As brave as she was to tell that to Pink’s face, Mackenzie was not strong enough to survive Pink telling her off; crying so hard during the middle of geometry, that she had to be sent to one of the school therapists.

In comparison, the Sarahs were rightfully inoffensive; but that didn’t mean Pearl liked or trusted them— barely acknowledging them as they took the seats opposite to her. It wasn’t worth greeting them, when they would hardly treat her as human; as whenever Pink wasn’t around, their discontent for Pearl was extremely palpable. 

They laughed and whispered in a way that made Pearl feel like they were talking about her— like she didn’t deserve to be here. 

Pearl picked up her pace with eating her meal; as once she was done, she could finally escape to the library. There she could bury herself into her english homework, and pretend like none of this mattered. 
 
Finishing the last of her cashews, Pearl began opening the wrapper of her granola bar, just as Pink and Elliana returned back with their lunches; taking the two last seats of the circular table.

“Hey,” Pink declared; plopping her plastic lunch tray onto the table. “Someone needs to tell me how the chem test was.”

“It was okay.” One of the Sarah’s piped up.

“There was lots of multiple choice.” The other one insisted.

“Good,” Pink shook up a ketchup packet before tearing it open, squirting it into one of the tray compartments. “Because I completely forgot about it until this morning.”

“Well, it’s not like you have much to worry about. You at least have Chester Jefferson to cheat off of.” Elliana began; joining the conversation, as she prodded at the salad bowl she had bought from the lunch line.

Her fork picked up plain lettuce; as her salad had no dressing, no croutons, or no cheese. Just sliced pieces of chicken, and baby tomatoes.

Pink shrugged, popping a ketchup dipped chicken nugget into her mouth.

“He’s so paranoid.” She commented after she finished chewing. “But like, if our teacher didn’t want us to cheat, she would separate all of our desks on test days.” 

“So lame.” The Sarah on the right remarked; the Sarah on the left snickering in agreement.

Silently, Pearl began gathering her garbage as she finished the last piece of her snack. She didn’t want to stick around when they were talking about this, as it wasn’t Pink being flat out rude or mean— though the situation in general made her uncomfortable.

While Pearl could somewhat recognize the feeling, she didn’t really have the vocabulary to explain why this bothered her. Pink didn’t make fun of Chester like the others, as really, she acted the total opposite— sweet talking him with her signature sweet smiles, and the flutter of her eyelashes; getting him to give her answers off of homework, labs and tests.

And like most people, Chester was like pure putty in her hands. 

“I mean, I would call him that,” Pink chuckled.

Her flirting was merely transactional; only discovering his existence halfway through the school year, when her grades started slipping.

Biting down on her lip, Pearl decided to make her escape at this moment; about to grab her backpack, when Pink reached out and grabbed her wrist. 

“Wait! Don’t leave yet! I need to copy last night's math homework!”

She pleaded at Pearl with those big brown eyes, and Pearl had no choice to sit down again; taking out her math notebook. 

Pink did the same, flipping to a fresh page in her own water damaged notebook; by now the subject of the lunch table changing, as of course, they didn’t want to linger on boys that they didn’t find cute. 

“Are you excited for your birthday this weekend?” Left Sarah had asked. 

Scribbling down her name and proper header on the top of her page, Pink hummed with meger enthusiasm; already seeming to struggle with multitasking, even if she was just writing down her name and the date.

“Mm-hm.”

“It’s a shame we couldn’t be invited,” The Right Sarah pouted, making a whole deal about being sad. “But I bet your party is going to be so much fun.”

“Yeah,” The other Sarah agreed; quite clear to Pearl that they were both being noisy— as Pink wasn’t being blind to this fact either.

“Sorry,” Pink apologized half-heartedly; not diving into the qualms she had previously discussed with Elliana. “My parents are keeping a strict guest list.”

Unlike them, Elliana wasn’t a gossip; only proving this point by taking a huge sip from her water, so they couldn’t badger her instead.

From Pearl’s perspective at least, the Sarah’s shouldn’t be hurt or surprised by the fact that they weren’t invited; as the last couple of years Pink’s birthdays have been quite the controversy— some girls straight up denying invitations to her house, because Pink’s parents were lesbians. 

Surprisingly, Pink had taken those rejections like a champ; and in return, ended all of those friendships, in what Pearl liked to call The Mass Exodus of Spring 1997.

The Sarahs had survived then; but if they continued to get on Pink’s nerves and be nosy, they surely wouldn’t make it past her scythe.

“What do you think you’re going to get as gifts? Right Sarah had continued to pry.

This time, Pink seemed receptive to this question; half-way through copying down the first equation, when she paused and tapped her pencil to her lips.

“A car hopefully.”

“That’s like the classic sweet sixteen gift,” Elliana assured. “I’m sure you’ll get one.”

“But my mom wants to get my permit first.” Pink sighed. “I tried reading that book study manual thing, and it's like… a completely different language.”

Bringing her pencil back to her paper, Pink continued copying, as her friends responded.

“My parents gave me a car without a permit.” Right Sarah bragged.

“I’ve had my car for months and I still haven’t taken the test yet!” Elliana admitted with a laugh.

Of course, this was music to Pink ears; launching her into a daydream about what type of car she had wanted— everyone listening except Pearl, who was pleading to Pink telepathically to hurry copying her math homework. 

Her library time was dwindling, waiting for Pink to finish these equations; as this was the only time throughout the day where Pearl could complete any homework without any distraction, usually having to squeeze it in between all of her chores for the Diamonds.

And this wasn't something that Pink would obviously consider; as she would take twenty minutes to copy down all four questions— equations she didn’t even have to solve herself. 

But Pearl didn’t complain when she finished; just gathering her stuff, and hurrying over to her one and only safe haven.

The school library was right next to the main lobby, and inside through the rows and rows of bookshelves, you could catch glimpses of the faculty parking lot. The angular room was cramped and rather quiet; clear that Pearl was one of few people inside— passing the school librarian and one of their teaching assistants, as they worked to set up the recently donated Diamond computers. 

There were multiple study tables scattered about the room; Pearl taking her usual spot by the historical fiction section— towards the far back where there were less likely to be people. 

Without any more distraction, Pearl was going to use this remaining time to her advantage; spreading her english materials across the surface of the desk, before taking out her mostly completed study guide. All she had left with was an essay question about the theming of act two; as Pearl began flipping through Macbeth again, to find all contextual evidence she needed.

She was almost finished writing her intro paragraph, when the bell rang as scheduled; quickly packing up her stuff again, as she ventured upstairs to the math wing— her mind already worrying about having the free time to finish all her homework.

It was no surprise to Pearl that she was one of the first people to arrive in Ms. Radcliffe’s classroom; taking her seat in the fourth row, third seat back, as all seating was determined by alphabetical order.

Tonight’s homework was neatly printed on the chalkboard; six questions that Pearl carefully copied into her notebook, as more and more began of her classmates filing into the classroom.

As she tore out last night's homework against the perforated line in her notebook, the room filled with a normal amount of conversation; placing this on the corner of her desk, as she patiently waited for class to start.

Almost all the seats in the classroom were filled, except for two in the back of the first row; as Ms. Radcliffe had a strict rule about no mingling before class. 

Though right as the warning bell sounded, in ran Pink and Elliana; breathless, but with big smiles— clearly from the adrenaline of almost being late.
 
This was much to Ms. Radcliffe’s displeasure, of course; calling out the two, as she met them by the door.

“You’re late, Miss. Diamond.”  

With her hands on her hips, Radcliffe had only scolded Pink, as per usual.

“I’m in the classroom.” Pink argued; a smile still on her face. By now, she was used to teachers disliking her for one reason or another. 

Compared to Pink’s younger years, Ms. Radcliffe was dealing with a far tamer version of her student; though the teacher hadn’t seemed to mesh well with Pink ever since the first week of school, right after Pink had told her: “Ms. Radcliffe, you must rad!” 

A stickler for rules, Ms. Radcliffe didn't like the idea of being called a nickname; not understanding Pink’s terrible pun at all. But quickly, she found other reasons not to like her; condemning the way Pink would doodle in the margins of her notes, or how she would sit criss-cross applesauce in her seat, and would write her homework with a pen.

“You’re not in your seat.” Radcliffe countered.

“I'm heading there right now!” Pink replied as she started walking; the class giggling, as she made a show of her and Elliana returning to their seats.

The two sat right next to each other; luck based on the alphabet, and against Radcliffe’s favor.

“Settle down!” Radcliffe thundered as she arrived at her podium in the front of the class. “Before we begin today’s lesson, I have last week's unit test to hand back.”

It was almost instinctual for Pearl to search out Pink’s reaction; her eyes going wide, as she paled a bit— even if she was reminded about it this morning. To Pearl, it seemed she had already forgotten.

“Some you did well, but others…” Radcliffe had paused to scoff. “They definitely need to study more.” 

Chatter began to swirl around the room again, as Ms. Radcliffe began up and down the rows handing back tests. As Pearl had no one to talk to, herself; she was just listening to the orchestra of honor students sighing and grumbling about their scores being in the low nineties— one of their  politer complaints to have. 

The test wasn’t the easiest, and Pearl was holding her breath, as Ms. Radcliffe approached with her test; silently dropping off the papers and taking her homework in return.

She waited for her to leave, before flipping her test over; revealing an eighty-four written and circled in red ink. Pearl could relax in her seat again, as this was a good enough grade for her; her sisters thankfully, not as strict as some other parents, as they didn't really care about A pluses and one-hundreds— just happy that Pearl was doing well.

But her sense of relief wouldn’t last for too long; watching as Ms. Radcliffe crept over to Pink and Elliana’s row— stopping in front of their desks, first and foremost. 

“Miss. De Jesus.” Ms. Radcliffe acknowledged as she pulled out Elliana’s test from the dwindling pile.

Handing over her homework, Elliana rolled her eyes at the pronunciation of her last name; Ms. Radcliffe pronouncing Jesus within an English dialect— not ‘hay-zues’. 

Ms. Radcliffe— none the wiser— licked her finger, as she reached in the pile for Pink’s test. With an all too neutral face, she placed onto her test; giving her student a quizzical look.

“Miss. Diamond?” She questioned. 

“What?!”

Pink was on edge; coming off as too aggressive. Pearl could never talk to a teacher like that; as certainly she couldn’t get away with it like Pink could. 

Their teacher raised a sparse eyebrow. “Your homework?”

“Ohhh,” Pink drawed out in realization. “Yeah, I have that.”

Immediately, Pink pulled out her notebook from her backpack; frantically flipping through the pages, before coming across her homework. She tore it out; the edges of her paper scraggly, as she shoved it towards Ms. Radcliffe— taking her assignment without a word.

After she left, Pink couldn’t help but wait a minute or two before she could even touch the test on her desk; only doing so when Elliana was distracted by her own grade.

Slowly, she lifted up the paper; catching the quickest glance of her grade, before slamming it back down. Pink groaned, burying her head in her hands; keeping her shame rather quiet, until Elliana had turned around and had asked her what was wrong.

All she had to say to that was: “I’m so screwed”; no need for her to elaborate, as Pink’s sentence had already spoken a thousand words.

The rest of class went seamlessly without another distraction or a hitch from Pink; this behavior bleeding into their next period, chemistry— as the duration of that class was naturally silent because of testing.

Between answering questions of multiple choice, Pearl would occasionally catch the glance of Pink peering over Chester Jefferson’s shoulder; leaning on him quite heavily today, as her trig grade was obviously weighing on her mind.

After this, the rest of Pearl’s day would go by much faster; her last two classes for the day were woodshop and french— both without Pink Diamond.

Her woodshop class was small— about fifteen students, with Pearl being the only girl— which in most situations would raise some concerns. Though thankfully, most of the boys consisted of the more nerdier or shyer type— similar to what her social standing was. 

It was one of the few classes Pearl could relax in— not completely, as she was working with heavy duty machinery; though she wore the proper safety equipment, and always paid attention to what she was doing.

But Pearl was confident in this type of thing; she enjoyed building and creating, and it was something that almost came natural to her— as maybe it was even worth pursuing in future.

French was less interesting; the entire time filled with her teacher going over new vocabulary words, and then assigning a hefty amount of homework to drill in the information. This in combination with english and trig, meant that she was probably going to have to stay up late to complete all of this.

So as soon as her last class was dismissed for the day, Pearl grabbed everything she needed from her locker, before making her downstairs and outside. She didn’t go far out into the courtyard; sticking by the main entrance, as she was waiting for Pink— hoping to grab her before someone else could.

The sun was out and shining; proving to be a perfect spring day that Pearl couldn’t quite enjoy at the moment. Plenty of students waited around the courtyard for their private cars; others stretching out the time before they had to hop onto the school bus— in no rush to leave, as they weren’t forced with any real responsibilities.

She searched all of their faces in pursuit of Pink; eyeing every student that walked out from the building. Of course, Pink would take her sweet time, but that didn’t stop Pearl from wanting her to hurry. While she was desperate to get out here, she could imagine that Pink was desperate to stay.

It didn’t help that Pink had her last period with a senior boy she had a crush on; often lingering around the art hall to get his attention, liking how he was into drawing, painting, and creating like she was.

Conner wasn’t her only, as there was never just one; having her art boy, in the form of Pierson Ng— having her unattainable, unrequited love boy, in the form of the cashier from her favorite art store. 

The last one was obviously ridiculous; but Pearl did not like Pierson Ng as her other option one bit. He was rather known as Pierce to the general school population; the stoner kid who came high to his classes, and was suspended once after he was caught with cigarettes. And yes, maybe he could hold an intellectual conversation about fine art; but to Pearl, that did not make him worthy boyfriend material.

As much as she was trained to keep her lips shut, Pearl couldn't help but huff and puff, as she saw the two walking out of the school building together. 

Pierce flipped his long shaggy hair from his face; and Pink giggled, clinging to his side. She was so much in a trance, that she didn't even notice Pearl, as she passed right by her.

Offended, Pearl had hurried after them; as after all, she was taking the same ride home as Pink. But now there was no choice but for Pearl to fume in silence, as she was one step behind them; her anger increasing even more, as she started listening into their conversation. 

“I have a car, you know.” Pierce mentioned. “Maybe sometime soon we can go down to the riverfront and smoke a joint. It might help you come up with an idea for your art assignment.”

Pink twirled a short curly lock of her hair; flattered, as she shrugged her shoulders. 

“Maybe.”  She teased in her signature flirty voice.

At the pace they were walking at, they were about to reach the edge of the courtyard; their designated car waiting by the facility parking lot, while Pierce had to head the opposite way towards to the senior parking.

“I’ll see you around.” Pierce nodded, again tossing his slicked hair away from eyes. 

It was every time that he did that stupid hair thing, did Pink get all giddy and school-girlish; launching her hand in the air, as she waved him goodbye— something he barely acknowledged.

As much as Pearl didn’t want to meddle, her friend was in some lovesick trance that could lead to something dangerous— like her taking illegal substances someplace where she could be caught. In her mind, at least, it was justified to pry into this. 

“Are you really going to do that… stuff?” Pearl fretted; lowering her voice to a whisper despite there being no else around.

“No silly!” Pink laughed as she began leading her to their ride. “What’s wrong with making him like me?!”

She wasn't sure if this question was rhetorical; Pearl hesitating, even if she wouldn’t get to answer it regardless— arriving at the car faster than expected

The conversation obviously had to end right there; Pink entering the car and Pearl following her inside— the ride home silent, as she had to watch Pink smiling in her stupor. 

But as they neared closer and closer to the Diamond estate, she could tell that the weight of reality was starting to dawn on Pink; that she again was going to have to tread on some thin ice when she showed her parents the math test. 

The atmosphere of the backseat felt noticeably heavier, as they arrived into their neighborhood; Pink pressed against the glass of the window, as the car rounded up the driveway.

As callous as it seemed, Pearl didn’t have time to comfort her; swallowing her guilt, as inside of the house the two had to go their separate ways. 

There was an entire list of chores waiting for her; though firstly, Pearl slipped into one of the guest bathrooms to change out her uniform. She had plans to wash this along with her gym clothes, as she couldn’t afford to have a fresh set every day.

Today was laundry day in the Diamond house; planning to kill two birds with one stone, by washing those four items with theirs. But before she could carry along with that, Pearl heard some commotion in the kitchen; quickly checking in there to find her sisters making dinner.

At the earliest, the three of them would usually start cooking a four or five; Pearl’s suspicions definitely raised— but only confirmed, as they told her Diamonds were coming home early. 

Her first natural instinct was to think of Pink; lingering in the back of her mind, as her sister asked about her day— telling them the same answer of ‘fine’ with the addition of her grade from her math test.

They were all smiles, as they were proud of her; though their conversation was short lived, as they were both busy making meatloaf.

So Pearl had left them to that; continuing with her plans of laundry, as made her way over to the grand staircase. Once upstairs, Pearl decided to get the baskets from the Diamonds room first; hearing the vibrations of music coming from Pink’s bedroom— a sign that she should wait some more before intruding.

Carefully, she pushed open the door to the Diamonds bedroom— no need to knock as they weren’t there. But always, Pearl aired with a side of caution when it came to handling their stuff; as even being around it, made her nervous sometimes.

Their room was massive enough to where you could walk around blindly and still not bump into anything; to the left their California king bed and accompanying night stands, as to the right, there was a short hallway that lead to the master bathroom and walk-in closets— if you could even call them closets. 

Both of them were entirely bigger than the room Pearl had slept in; decked top to bottom with built-in shelving for their designer clothing— Blair Diamond even having a wall solely dedicated to shoes. 

The only thing she would touch besides the laundry baskets, were the light switches; navigating around their expensive cologne, and perfumes, passing their safes of precious jewelry— surely worth more than anything Pearl could ever amount to her lifetime.

Of course, Pearl felt much more comfortable once she’d hauled their dirty laundry into the hallway; as growing up around such an exorbitant wealth, didn’t make it any less intimidating to touch and clean.

She then turned to Pink’s door across the hall; giving a few firm knocks, and waiting patiently for any response. Pearl stood there for a while, until she decided enough time had passed to try again; her fist tapping against the wood much harder. 

This time, Pink was able to hear her through the music. 

“Come in!”

Pearl did as she was told and entered her room; far less intimidating than the Diamonds, as in her opinion, this was the typical kind of bedroom any teenager would have.

There were posters of boy bands hanging on her bubblegum walls; her vanity cluttered with shimmery lip gloss and glitter eyeshadow. She had a fluffy rug in the center of her room with burgundy nail polish stains; signs that this room was actually loved and lived in.

Sometimes, Pearl would be even invited here as her guest; though it was quite clear at the moment, she was just here for work purposes. 

Beside a quick glance, Pink hadn’t paid much attention to her— Pearl not offended by this at all, seeing how Pink was sitting at her work desk, huddled over her beloved sketchbook. She had her watercolors out; clearly in the art zone, as she was swirling together blue and green paint.

With that in mind, she wasn’t going to stick around long and bother her; silent as she traveled to Pink’s walk-in closet— smaller than her parents, but just as impressive in Pearl’s eyes. 

After taking the laundry basket into her arms, she made her way right back to the hallway; taking the extra time to close Pink’s doors behind. It would then take three trips up and down the stairs, to bring all of their clothing into the laundry room; more like six trips in total, considering there was another set of stairs leading down the basement.

Here, she started the tedious process of separating whites from darks; something that would seem like drag to most, though Pearl mostly found the process of laundry relaxing. For a couple minutes, she could lose her mind in the rhythm; as this was something she had been doing since little.

As Pearl then started her first load in the washing machine, she was now left with a large amount of time where she was essentially left to do whatever— using this to jump back in her essay from earlier. There was a small table used for folding that she could lean on; carefully and concisely writing her thoughts onto her paper.

If she had learnt anything from experience, essays were the first piece of homework that Pearl always completed; as there was nothing more torturous than trying to write intellectually at one o’clock in the morning.

At her peak energy and focus, Pearl had wrapped up her Macbeth essay in thirty minutes top— before the first wash was even done. She was moving onto her french homework, taking out her sheet of new vocabulary words when she heard the ceiling above her creaking; someone walking across the floor above her.

It was something she didn’t pay attention to, at first; quite used to the sound, until she noticed it nearing closer to the basement entrance. Pearl paused, listening for footsteps on creaking basement steps, as she naturally thought that this was one of her sisters. 

Her eyes waited on the door to the laundry room; pushing open a second later, though Pearl was surprised to see a slightly taller silhouette— both Yasmin and Bec the same height as she was.

The person shyly crept into the room; revealing herself to be Pink in such an unusual way, as she was always the type of person to announce herself before entering a room— usually wanting all the attention.

“Hey,” She greeted awkwardly; running a hand through her brown curls.

Pearl hadn’t noticed this earlier, but Pink changed out her uniform as well; now in a pair of comfy gray sweatpants, a short-sleeved shirt trimmed with scalloped lace. Simple, but nicer than the plain shirt and pants Pearl was wearing.

But besides that, there was something about Pink’s expression that she couldn’t quite understand; concerning her in a way. 

Are you okay? Pearl wanted to ask; even though Pink had beat her to the chase of talking.

“Is that our french homework?” Pink pointed to the paper Pearl was currently holding in hand. The two didn’t share the same class, but they did share the same teacher. 

Surely, homework was the last thing in her mind at the moment; though Pearl was trying to play it cool and make some small talk.

“Yeah… do you need the answers?”

It was something that left her mouth automatically, as she was so used to Pink needing her help all the time.

“Oh no,” Pink gave a laugh as she declined. “I’m actually okay with french.”

She was trying to make light of a situation that was clearly bothering her; Pearl having a suspicion that she needed to talk about it..

“But on the topic…” 

Pearl knew from just those buzzwords. With the motion of her hand, she invited Pink to close the distance; the two now standing together as Pink began her tangent.

“So you know how Ms. Radcliffe has a pencil only policy on her tests?” She began; prompting Pearl with quite the strange question. “Well, I was thinking since I failed my test, and only you're okay with it…”

She dragged a socked foot back and forth across the hardwood floor; the only hint of nervousness she was showing, as she was still able to look Pearl in the face

“Maybe I can borrow your test to show to my parents? I’ll return it back if you want, but I just need them to get off of my back.” Pink explained in one breath. “It’ll be embarrassing if they cancel my party.”

As much as she had complained about her sweet sixteen, it was still something Pink still wanted to celebrate, regardless of the amount of friends, or spectacle. And knowing the Diamonds, a failing grade would definitely cause them to uninvite everyone; as they may even go as far as not to even acknowledge Pink’s birthday, at all.

It was the day she was born, for god sake; and Pearl wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt if she was grounded for another entirety— or left alone, crying on her birthday.

The first time Pink had been grounded was enough torture; remembering they way she would mope around the house,  all sad. Unlike the other times, Pink hadn’t done anything bad physically; Pearl remembering the way she cried her eyes out when her report card came home during winter break. How she pleaded with parents; on her hands and knees, begging for them to understand. 

So when Pearl thought about it; it didn’t take that long for her to agree.

“Just erase my name.” Pearl instructed; reaching into her backpack for the math folder. 

She didn’t want to be tied to this in any way; taking out her test, and sliding it across the folding table towards Pink.

“You're a lifesaver!” Pink cheered as she picked up a pencil. “What on earth would I do without you?!”

In an instant, it was like Pink had perked back normal self; shooting a gigantic smile at Pearl, as she began erasing the top of the paper, adding her own name instead.

And Pearl was trying her best not to act flattered— she should be worried as she was now involved in one of Pink’s schemes; but her heart had a mind of its own, beating wildly. 

Her face was burning, as well; and as fair as Pearl was, she could imagine that her face was starting to turn red— Pink thankfully not noticing, as she was still ogling her 'get out of jail’ card.

“An eighty-four,” Pink admired; holding the prized test up in the air. “Perfect.”

So far, everything had fallen right into place for her— at the right timing too, as the rumbling of car tires could be heard pulling into the driveway; the vibration felt from the basement. 

“They’re here?!” Pink gasped. “Why are they home so early?!”

Even if she was covered by the test, she still couldn’t help but panic a bit; not aware like Pearl was— which did make more sense, as Pink had gone straight to room after school.

Just as Pearl was about to open her mouth and confirm this to her, Pink took off from the room, and started up the basement steps; as obviously she could be seen here in the basement with Pearl.

For some reason, Pearl decided to follow her; only realizing what she was doing once she was halfway up the basement steps, stopping as Pink continued upstairs by herself.

She was off to sell this on her own, Pearl having to wait on the sidelines for her; left to worry about the things that she didn’t quite think through, before agreeing to this. Yes, her name was scrubbed out of this completely, but it was the smaller matters that worried her; like if Diamonds noticed that Pink’s handwriting was different.

These thoughts kept her paralyzed to the steps; no way she could go back into the laundry room and continue like nothing was happening in the background. 

Her body tensed up, as she heard the front door opening; the clear sound of someone fiddling with the lock. Here in the dark basement, she couldn’t see where Pink was, or what she was doing— something that was going to drive Pearl crazy. 

So slowly, Pearl crept up the last few remaining stairs; stopping on the last one. In front of her, the door that led to the main floor was left slightly ajar; not much she could see from this angle. 

But her opinion, it was at least better to hear than to be completely left out in the dark.

There was the sound of the front door slamming open; high heels, and Blair apologizing with an “oops”. It’s all she can make out before Pink started squealing with excitement; jumping as well, as Pearl co

“You got my dress?!” Pink exclaimed. “Lemme see! Lemme see!”

“Ah-ah-ah!” Yelena voiced; quickly warning her daughter. “That’s your mother’s dress. I’m holding yours.”

“Well, open it and let me seee!” 

She wasn’t sure if Pink had stomped, or if the door was closed at the moment; indistinguishable through Pink’s whining. Either way, she would again, be silenced by her mother. 

“What are you holding?” 

“Oh, this?” Pink inquired with a fake innocence. “This is my trig test. We just got them back today.”

Pink didn’t stutter; as she didn't need time, or even a script, to perfectly execute this plan. She has lied straight to their faces plenty of times; as it almost felt stupid for Pearl to even worry about her in the first place. 

“Sit down.”

Yelena directed her daughter with a certain sternness in her voice; Pearl imagining her pointing Pink over to the couches with little enthusiasm.

It became quiet in the aspect that no one was talking; clearly a tense moment for everyone, including Pearl— trying to decipher their movements from just the sense of hearing.

The crack in the door, at least gave her the smallest glimpse of them heading into the living room; catching a peak of Blair Diamond still dressed in her pea coat, carrying a giant dress box that was half her size.

A thud hit the ground, as Pearl assumed Blair had placed that on the ground, before joining her family. 

More silence followed, as Pearl’s brain was left with no choice but to fill in the blanks herself; guessing the order they sat on the couch, how Blair’s face would grow from anxious to relieved once she saw the test grade. Pink with a big smile on her face, as she was waiting for Yelena to validate her.

But as another minute passed, Pearl was starting to grow a little concerned; as surely, the test had to be in Yelena’s hands by now— her lack of reaction definitely unusual.

It wasn’t until she heard Blair speaking, did she finally understand what was going on.

“Love, your glasses are right there in your blazer.” 

“I know.” Yelena noted; almost replying in a way that told that she didn’t know— leaving Blair to chuckle at her endearingly. 

“Can you see now?!” Pink lilted, joining in on the teasing.

But this was received differently, as Yelena now had twenty-twenty vision.

“I can see that you lost points.” She retorted. 

Not at all congratulating her for a passing grade; not even starting on a positive note. 

“Here, here, and here.” Yelena could be heard flipping to the next page of the test; the paper crackling, as she pointed out mistakes. “These silly little rounding errors cost you two whole questions.” 

Pearl made a face; her head drawing back as she scowled. In the privacy of the basement hallway, she didn’t have to show any restraint; as complaining about two questions was ridiculous. 

Especially when this was her test they were talking about. 

“But at least I passed…” Pink bargained; as it was clear that she wasn’t expecting the barrage of comments either.

“Havard wants A’s and not B’s.” Yelena reminded.
 
In her eyes, Ivy League colleges were the only option; a plan predetermined since elementary school, as it was now more than ever that her grades mattered. Even if Pink had another two years to round out her GPA, it was clear that both Diamonds wanted her bad habits to die now.

“It’s a start.” Blair concurred; her tone of voice honeyed and sweet— meant to encourage Pink, though her intention was quite the same as Yelena’s.

She had impeccably high standards when it came to her daughters schooling; though in situations like these, she worded herself differently, whereas Yelena was harsh. One aspect of her job was working with public relations; as surely because of that, she could sugarcoat a hard truth and make it more palpable for you to digest. 

But Pink had a knack for tasting the bitter; like mother, like daughter, as more than physicality could be shared.

“Yeah, okay.” Pink deadpanned; practically a step away from scoffing, though she held some restraint— not wanting to step on anyone's toes, and lose what she had in sight. “Can I see my dress now?”

Undoubtedly, Pearl had presumed that it was a bargaining chip held over her head; released to Pink now, as Yelena was heard humming in confirmation. 

The next few seconds Pink would be all sunshine and rainbows, as she fawned over what her parents had bought her— though Pearl wasn’t distracted by anything, to forget what just happened.

Unlike earlier, she doesn’t have to stick around to hear Pink oohing and awing— walking back to the laundry room. Pearl could drown herself into the list of French verbs and nouns; but there was a feeling inside she couldn’t quite articulate— no one to articulate to.

Whether she was offended for Pink, or felt plain old sympathy; it was a cycle that Pearl couldn’t stop Pink from repeating. The lying and cheating; pretending her problems didn’t exist until she needed someone. 

It was always going to happen this way; just the matter of fate and circumstances. Even if they raised her in their likeness, it was clear that Diamonds still could crack under pressure. 

Chapter Text

Yelena was overdressed for the club. She was certain of this, as she left her apartment a half hour ago; living in business casual, as there wasn’t much she could do to change her wardrobe at the last minute.

Usually, she wasn’t one to make a huge fuss about clothes and such; as long as she was presentable, she didn’t really didn’t care. But Yelena found herself more worrying than usual, as she was going out with Blair; actually stressing over the details of her appearance today.

For brevity’s sake, she chose a light yellow button-up, and plain black slacks, after tearing the better half of her closet apart. It was similar to what she would typically wear, as Yelena didn’t want to waste anymore time, and leave Blair waiting over something ridiculous.

Punctuality was something important to her, so with the city traffic in mind, Yelena left in a taxi around six-twenty for their seven-o-clock meeting. As she wasn’t expecting the nightclub to be so close to where she lived, Yelena arrived much earlier than anticipated; waiting for Blair outside in the meantime— eyeing every yellow taxi that zoomed past her.

Of course, plenty of them stopped in front of the brick building of the nightclub; though for now, the venue remained relatively vacant, as there was hardly a line out front.

It was still pretty early into the evening; as that would probably change in a few hours, give or take. Yelena was just hoping that Blair would come sooner than later; cold outside as it was still winter, and her shirt was pretty thin in its material.

No one in their right mind would bring a coat to the club, as Yelena was already worried enough about what she was wearing; watching others as they were entering the club, and nothing that she was definitely too formal.

So she cuffed her sleeves in an attempt to look more relaxed— not obviously the best thing for her bare forearms, in this kind of weather.

But throughout this, Yelena had been keeping track of the time; ten minutes turning to fifteen, as by twenty, her jaw was chattering— the wind chill brutal. 

Her hands were in her pockets, trying to beat the cold; walking back and forth across the length of the building next door, when she noticed another taxi pulling over to the side of the street.

Yelena slowed her pace; keeping watch of the cab, even if she couldn’t see much inside from the tinted windows. The back door would open a second later; legs popping out onto the city sidewalk, as Yelena was ashamed to recognize Blair from that alone.

They spent a lot of time together; and she knew that Blair Dorsey had an aficionado for a good pair of heels— like the strappy stilettos she had on today. 

Surely, that was something Yelena shouldn’t have paid much attention to, as they were friends; though she doesn’t have the time to chastise herself, before the rest of Blair exited the taxi.

Holding a small clutch to her chest, Blair carefully stood from the car, and smoothed down her outfit with her other hand; her eyes searched around for Yelena— immediately lighting up into a smile, as she spotted her a distance away. 

Blair threw up a wave, and Yelena was able to catch the first full glimpse of her outfit: a black, sleeveless minidress, perfectly sculpted to the shape of her body— featuring a low neckline, plunging deep into her chest.

For a second, Yelena’s breath got caught into her throat; her lungs forgetting how to complete the function.

But once Blair came near, and she saw that smile up close; Yelena couldn’t help but chuckle— just so goofy, in comparison, that it was impossible for Yelena not to grin back at her.

“Hey Blue,”

She played it casual; leaning into the wall of the building beside her. By now, it was obvious that Yelena had been staring at her for a while; playing into it— as it wasn’t like Blair minded, at all.

“Oh, so we’re still calling each other that?” Blair laughed; hands situated on her hips. 

Her blue eyes look Yelena up and down. Now it was her  turn to stare.

Of course, the nerves in Yelena’s stomach have to pang at this moment; even if Blair had nothing to say but nice words. 

“You look nice!” 

Definitely more than the average compliment; as at work, they were more targeted towards impersonal stuff like her clothing or handwriting. 

“You too,” Yelena nodded back; not hesitating at all, to return the favor.

Maybe she was reading too much into things. 

“Thank you,” Blair appreciated; smiling down at her outfit, and smoothing the fabric once more.

Her cheeks were starting to turn pink from the cold; probably best for them to start heading inside.

“But I have to ask you for a quick favor and help me with the back of my dress,” Blair admitted candidly. “You were the only person I was comfortable with asking…”

Flipping her waved hair over her shoulder, she turned around and gestured to her back; Yelena’s attention brought to the small and tear-dropped shaped zipper, partly undone about half-way.

Helping Blair was a no-brainer; her hand reaching to pull up the zip, though it was one of those zippers that gave some resistance; having to rest her hand against the side of Blair’s back.

Now it glided up smoothly; her heart pounding, as she could feel the warmth of Blair skin, on her fingertips— her hand certainly having to be cold in comparison.

But it didn’t seem to bother Blair, as she was chatting away in the meantime.

“It was enough of a struggle getting the first half of this zipper up. I guess that's just the terrible part of living alone…”

Yelena hummed; adding the finishing detail of the hook and eye clasp that further secured the dress— similar to what you see on a bra. 

She was trying so hard to focus on that alone; but it popped into her mind that this was the most intimate way she has ever touched Blair. 

It was impossible for her not to freak out a little; her face was growing hot. 

And to make matters worse, Blair had glanced back at her once she was done, and remarked:

“We should get inside. You look cold.”

Nodding, Yelena mumbled something adjacent to an agreement, before starting towards the entrance; the two of them starting up the ramp, and joining the line— which wasn’t much of a wait as it only consisted of six people. 

One by one, the bouncers were letting everyone in; just taking time to keep track of the amount of visitors, and checking IDs. Yelena pulled hers out in the meantime, as Blair did the same; both of them prepared by the time they reached the front of the line. 

As their cards were then checked and handed back to them; they were able to enter the actual nightclub; immediately hit with a wave of hot, stuffy air— not like the heat from a radiator, but more from the mass of bodies being stuck in a room together.

While this wasn't the biggest nightclub Yelena has seen— or the fanciest; the place consisted of two floors, with the uppermost having a private section overlooking the busy dance floor. Most people have taken to dancing, or to the bar’s general downstairs seating; the club definitely on the more crowded side, than what she was originally expecting for this time. 

And the speakers were blasting synth-pop so loud, Yelena couldn’t make out what Blair was saying; practically screaming out to Yelena, as she was naturally so soft spoken.

“The bar!” Blair repeated for the second time. “Do you want to go to the bar?!”

As Yelena had yell back her “yes!”, the environment was starting to grind on her gears, as she wasn’t a party type of person in general. Even when Bianca dragged her out to elite and much quieter places, Yelena usually found herself just miserable; as today, she was only doing this for Blair’s sake.

Beggars couldn’t really be choosers; as Yelena would have agreed to go just about anywhere, if that meant spending more alone time with Blair. 

At least at the bar, they were able to hear each other better; able to snag some seats, as the two of them settled down, and huddled over a sticky laminated menu.

Squinting, Yelena was still scanning through all their alcohol options, when Blair exclaimed: 

“Let’s take a shot!” 

She couldn’t help but look at her skeptically, as already knew Blair to be picky, and presumably a lightweight; shots usually consisting of strong and just straight liquor, which didn’t seem like something she would enjoy much at all.

“Are you sure about that?” Yelena furrowed her eyebrows.

“Yes!” Blair insisted as she waved over a bartender; the person closest to them, coming to her demand. “Excuse me, can we please get two shots of, um…”

Her finger pointed back down to the menu; landing on the first liquor she spotted, presumably.

“…Fireball?” 

Even if Yelena noticed the uncertainty in her voice, the bartender didn’t seem to care; just continuing on with his job, as he placed two empty shot glasses in front of them— pouring out the amber-colored liquor.

Unknowingly, Blair had ordered them shots of whiskey; definitely not knowing what she was getting into, until she saw the label on the bottle— her eyes going wide in realization.

Despite her hesitancy, she thanked the bartender as he started their tab; waiting for him to leave, before holding the glass between her thumb and forefingers. 

Blair swirled her liquor around; watching as Yelena picked up her own shot.

“You go first,” She pushed.

Of course, Yelena wouldn’t mind taking the lead, as didn’t want Blair to face any pressure; she could be the taste tester to see if she would like the liquor or not. Bringing the glass to her lips, the thought of Blair staring at her was on her mind, before the taste of acrid, but spicy alcohol shocked her taste buds. 

It burned the way down her throat; Yelena sputtering a cough, and trying to control the way her face grimaced around Blair.

There was no other choice but to warn her; as she just knew Blair wouldn't be able to handle this. 

But in the time that it took for Yelena to recover, Blair had dived right into her shot; too late to stop her, as it happened all in slow motion. Blair immediately spat out the alcohol, in a visceral reaction; aiming for the glass, though her uncontrollable cough pushed it mostly onto the bar-top in front of her.

And once she started, Blair could not  stop coughing; Yelena bringing a hand to her back in concern, as she waved over the bartender.

“She needs a chaser!” 

The bartender— quick to take in the scene, and come to their aid— was motivated to pour soda water even faster by Yelena giving him a glare.

Out of all the people in the world, Blair was the last person she ever wanted to see in pain; Yelena bringing the drink her way, once it was placed onto the table— even if it was clear that she needed another moment to recover. 

“Ouch,” Blair croaked; her hand clutching at her throat. 

Yelena was hardly thinking at all, as she gave Blair a few comforting pats; more or less preoccupied with handing Blair a napkin, from the pile that bartender had left for them— using the rest to mop up the spilled alcohol.

In the meantime, Blair wiped her face, and took a small sip of her drink; not staying still for long, as her cough faded— wanting to help clean.

 Even if Yelena didn’t mind her relaxing, and taking some time to recover; it was almost obvious that Blair was a bit embarrassed; attempting to brush it off with a joke.

“This is what I get for trying to impress you.” She mumbled; wiping soggy napkins across the bar. They were the cheap kind that couldn’t hold up to liquid well.

Narrowing her eyes, Yelena didn’t know what she meant by that; pulling her arm away from Blair, now aware of how touchy  they were being.

“You don’t have to do that. You can drink whatever you want, and I won’t care.”

Blair looked taken aback, for some reason. Maybe she had worded that too harshly.

“I mean, I do  care about you. I just…” Yelena tossed the wad of sodden napkins onto the bar; landing with a splat . “Just… lemme help you find something you like.”

Sighing, she picked up the menu to distract Blair; not wanting her to focus too much on the things she had just said. If Blair was worried about making a fool of herself, she had nothing to fear; as Yelena had just proved that she was far more of an awkward mess than she ever was.

“Cocktails,” Yelena had pointed Blair’s attention back to the menu; listing off some drinks to change the conversation. “Bloody mary, martini, sex on the beach… Have you had any of those before?”

“A bloody mary,” Blair answered with a grimace. “It was too tomatoey for my liking, but then again, it was homemade.”

“Then maybe you’ll prefer something sweeter.”

“I don’t know, I really don’t like sweet wines…”

“That’s completely different.” Yelena shook her head and laughed. “I really have to take you wine tasting to explain all the technicalities about that.”

“That sounds like a great idea!” Blair cheered; locking eyes with Yelena at this moment. 

The two of them were quite close, because of the packed bar seating; but even more so, now that they leaned in to read the menu between them. If Yelena did the math, they had to be an inch apart— maybe even centimeters . 

This was probably the closest they have faced each other, since they kissed.

“Let’s order something,” Yelena suggested a bit too loudly; attempting to force the idea out of her brain. “How about a daiquiri? You can try a sip, and I’ll take it if you don’t like it.”

“Um,” Blair held the word out as she was thinking. “I think I’m fine with the alcohol tonight. My throat is still a little scratchy.”

“That's fine, no pressure.” Yelena encouraged as she was playing it nonchalant; even if she found herself quite stressed, on the contrary. 

Her heart had no reason to be pumping this fast; nervous for no reason, besides the fact that Blair was very pretty. Really, she thought she had moved past this; as every time they took one step forward, it was like Yelena would take two steps back.

Glancing across the bar, the bartender that served them earlier, was busy making drinks for other party-goers; Yelena taking that as a sign not to drink, as she was going to have to be brave about this. 

If she wanted to be close with Blair, this was a fight she would have to put up with regardless; as suppressing this would definitely come back to bite her in the ass. 

In her hand, Yelena fiddled with the menu, as another silent minute passed between them; Blair not seeming to mind, as she took sips from her club soda. Yelena could make conversation out of that, just until it felt natural again; as there was probably never going to be a time where Yelena didn’t feel awkward.

She herself allowed a moment to gather the courage; clearing her throat, and fixing her posture. Though, Yelena wasn’t expecting Blair to suddenly reach out and grab her hand; shocked, while Blair on the other hand, had lit up with excitement— jumping out of her seat. 

“I love this song! You have to come dance with me!”

As she was being pulled by her wrist, both of Yelena’s feet met the floor again, by no choice of her own. She didn’t dance— more like didn’t really know how to; but there was Blair, dragging her out to the dance floor.

The song wasn’t one Yelena recognized off the top of her head; poppy, the tempo definitely something you could dance to, as Blair was already singing along to the lyrics. She couldn’t hear her over the music, of course; but Blair’s lips were moving along with her hips, as Yelena pretty  much froze on the dance floor.

Blair was tugging at her to move; her fingers wrapping around to Yelena’s left hand, before lifting up both of their arms— wanting to be twirled by Yelena. She spun mostly by her own volition, as Yelena was still unable to move; her long hair whipping by Yelena’s face, leaving a scent of powdery lavender, in its wake. 

This only paralyzed her further; Blair pulling away and laughing, as she continued to dance seamlessly to the beat.

“Come on Yelena, dance!” Blair shouted over the music; still oblivious to the fact that she was freaking out. “You don’t have to be afraid to touch me!”

Leaning in again, Blair was swaying; her hand swerving towards Yelena's shoulder— as immediately, for reasons she could not explain, Yelena found herself jerking away from her touch.

There were too many people around them; yet Blair wanted to dance on her, like nobody was watching.

As she jumped backwards, Yelena had bumped into somebody behind her, turning around to apologize, though all the person did was glare.

So she had no choice but to move forward again; meeting back to a concerned Blair, who had stopped her dancing to shout:

“What’s wrong?!”

Even through the ear-pounding music, she still could hear the worry in her voice; her expression matching with a deep frown.

Yelena shrugged; glancing down for a split second, as needed to gather her thoughts— too much happening for her brain to process all at once. She swore the intention was innocent, but her goddamn peripheral vision was betraying her. 

All that dancing must have moved the neckline of Blair’s dress; revealing a bit too much. Even if it wasn’t entirely everything, it was obvious that Yelena had to tell her— panic overriding, as she blurted:

“Your boob.”

Out of all the words in the English language; her brain just had  to settle on that. She didn't want it to seem like she was staring there to begin with; but it was too late now to explain herself— or bring the subject up more delicately.

Blair’s eyes went wide with panic; even more so, as she looked down to see that Yelena was right.

Jumping into action, she pushed her long hair over her chest, like a curtain; Yelena looking away, as she was cursing her ability to see so clearly— burning all images inside head.

The timing for this situation would be poor, all around; as at this second as well, a huge group of people started moving across the dance floor; Blair hiding into herself. 

There wasn’t much time for Yelena to think; almost instinctual to step in front of Blair, and cover her from their view— even if it was likely that Blair wanted nothing to do with her.

At least, that’s what Yelena was thinking; accustomed to assuming the worst, as she refused to look at Blair, until she’d felt a tap to her shoulder.

“Let’s leave.” Blair prompted; practically confirming Yelena’s fear, as she wanted to be done with this.

Both of them were more than desperate to leave the dance floor; making their way over to the bar to get their tab closed. Blair offered to pay with the cash she had brought, as she was the only one to even order drinks; though Yelena, being extremely guilt-stricken, couldn’t help but pay for everything with the swipe of her card.

In her mind, it was a good way to say ‘i’m sorry for seeing your boob’, without actually saying the words; not expecting Blair to be happy with her paying again, though Yelena wasn’t expecting her to turn completely sour on her, as they headed towards the exit.

“I don’t understand you!” Blair huffed as they traveled down their block of steps leading to outside; passing the two bouncers that had let them earlier— now waiting on an entire line of people.

Her breath left a puff of smoke, in the air; the temperature difference night and day, as Yelena didn’t realize how much she was sweating before, until she was out in the cold.

“You don’t want to dance with me, but you pay for my drinks?!” Blair questioned; the two of them walking down the street towards nowhere, as they didn’t have a destination in mind— or a clue, as to what they were doing now.

“I don’t know, Yelena! I just don’t understand why you’re so hot and cold!” 

Blair stopped by the edge of the sidewalk, and crossed her arms over her body. For someone so frustrated, she was still so soft in her anger.

Yelena didn’t know what she should say to that; because admitting the obvious didn’t seem like the brightest idea, in general.

“We need to talk about this.” Blair continued; hardly giving Yelena the time to process this statement— as with the wave of her hand, she would abruptly stop a taxi hurrying down their side of the street. 

Surely, Blair had to be magic if she could do this twice now— leaving Yelena in awe, even though she should be scared shitless.

She has lived on this earth long enough to know that nothing great has ever come out of the statement: ‘we need to talk’. And as Blair wouldn’t elaborate, Yelena was just left to guess that she was done with her; just sick and tired of dealing with Yelena, as Blair would break it to her as gently and politely as someone in marketing could. 

Which would be brutal  in subtext.

But it was a fate Yelena had walked into willingly, as she joined Blair inside the taxi; telling the driver up front, the address to her place, as Yelena rather this conversation be done in privacy of her own home.

Her ego probably wouldn’t take the blow any easier, regardless.

The ride was silent, to no surprise, Yelena just doing her best to prepare herself mentally; as if she practiced being nonchalant now, she could put up the front better when the actual conversation came.

Nervousness was a sentiment shared by the both of them; palpable in the air, as it wouldn’t be a surprise if the taxi driver knew something was up. Strangely enough, it was Blair who was the most fidgety between them; her hands refusing to stay still— worrying against the fabric of her dress.

And as much as Yelena wanted to ignore Blair for the duration of the ride; the swishing noise of her hands only 

made Yelena more curious— wanting to jump inside of Blair’s brain. 

Was she worried about Yelena’s reaction? The security of her job? Because Yelena could handle this maturely, and still work with Blair in the aftermath; as she wasn’t some toddler who wanted to destroy Blair’s career out of rejection.

That was something to assure Blair of later; as Yelena’s would be stupid to let her go over something so ridiculous— her intellect something the company needed.

Though with that said, Yelena would miss their daily lunch meetings; actually making her frown when she thought about it. Thankfully, the cab would pull up to her apartment building, and distract her temporarily; preoccupied with paying the fee, before heading outside.

It was a small moment of bliss that, notably, wouldn’t last forever; entering the building the biggest reminder of what was to come, as Yelena felt like she was leading her own funeral procession— still playing the gracious host, as she led Blair into the elevator.

Once they had arrived on the floor of her apartment, Yelena paused to pull out her keys; Blair walking ahead of her, as she remembered exactly which number her apartment was— a surprise considering she’s only been here a handful of times.

If it weren’t for the fact that they were about to have such an intense conversation, Yelena would have been impressed; opening the door, and flicking on the lights— as instead, she told Blair to make herself at home

With a nod, Blair headed her way to the couch; Yelena closed the door behind them— locking it as usual, as in the city you could never be too safe.

She joined Blair a second later; sitting on the side of the couch opposite to her, as Yelena threw her keys onto the coffee table in front of them. They landed onto the pile of clutter and books she had towered there; not staying put there for long, as gravity pulled them down to the old hardwood. 

Great , Yelena thought as she reached over the floor to pick them up. How smooth of you.  

Again, she placed them onto the table; staying this time, as Yelena turned to Blair and crossed her arms. There would be no small talk, as she wanted Blair to get straight to the point— the sooner they could get over this, the better.

As eager as Blair was earlier, her demeanor was now shy, and almost… apprehensive . She played with the closure of her clutch, refusing to meet Yelena’s eye; her body sitting ridgid, with her legs perfectly perched together. 

“Well, I wasn’t planning on telling this to you today,” Blair sighed after a moment; her fingers still snapping at the bag's hardware. “I just wanted to have another nice night with you. I like getting to know you, and I thought you did the same…”

It stung; Yelena biting down hard on her lip, as she felt the same, and it would now be over.

Maybe if she felt more deserving, she would plead with Blair; but Yelena had already proved herself as too much of a liability.

“I guess… I’m just confused. It made me nervous when you pulled away on the dance floor…” Blair shared; finally daring to look up a little. “But at the bar, I saw the way you were looking at me, and you know… I’m thinking like, wow! Nobody has ever looked at me that way before!”

Blair’s cheeks were turning pink; and Yelena couldn’t help but glare at her in confusion.

“Oh gosh, it’s just hard for me to explain.” Blair mumbled; her fingers flying up to touch her lips. “I just thought that we had something going on, but I could’ve misread things. You can be so open with me at times, and I don’t know… I should just ask instead of beating around the bush.”

Bracing herself, Blair took in a deep breath; as if anything, Yelena should have taken that as a sign to the same— having no clue as to what was coming.

In her mind, she thought this was the weirdest way to be rejected by someone.

“Yelena, I like you.”

But the words coming out of Blair's mouth were an exact contradiction; Yelena lagging behind a few seconds, while Blair just continued to ramble. 

“I’ve been flirting with you for the better part of these last few weeks, and I’ve just been dying  to know if you knew! I don’t know if I’ve been too subtle, or if I need to be more direct… I mean, I think you like subtle, but I can be incorrect.”

Her words started ringing in Yelena’s ears; mouth agape, as her eyes narrowed in on Blair— her brain working to connect the dots, like fitting in the first two pieces of a puzzle.

All the signs were right there in front of her, but she didn’t think that they’d fit together; the two first glimpses of a grand picture.

Blair liked her, yet Yelena couldn’t celebrate. There were more parts to this puzzle; some that weren’t going to be easy for them to handle— that would be a hard truth to bear. 

A relationship like this is wrong to begin with; and Yelena couldn’t be selfish. If she flew too close to the sun and got burned, she’d be fine with that; but Blair…

If Blair, on the other hand, lost everything; Yelena wouldn’t be able to live with herself. With a good head on her shoulders, a college degree; Blair couldn’t risk her job at Diamond Corp, or the industry in general. She might have family and friends who’d look at her differently; scrutiny she didn’t deserve. 

Even if these were the thoughts at the forefront of Yelena’s mind, she wasn’t completely selfless. There was a tiny, clawing  part of her that still wanted Blair. A flame she smothered time and time again; as even now, it was too stubborn to die. 

Fueled on hope and a dream.

When she was younger she had a dream that someone would want her. Her five-year-old self could weep right now; that the world and her mother wasn’t as cruel as she thought they were.

Though now that Yelena had this, there was no choice but to deny it.

By the time she came to her decision, Blair was quiet. Yelena can’t look Blair in the eye, as the words leave her lips.

“No.” was something she had to force out; stern, and thick on her tongue— like something she could choke on. A single syllable that made its way into the silence; not followed by anything, as Yelena had yet found the courage to share her reasons why.

Saying it was hard enough; but without explanation it wasn’t like Blair would understand.

“I’m… I’m sorry.” Blair found her voice a few seconds later; trembling throughout the sentence, like the mere act of speaking was painful. 

As Yelena looked up, the blue eyes in front of her were red-rimmed and glassy; tears on the verge of spilling.

There was this desperation in Blair, to act strong— especially now that Yelena was staring at her. She swallowed and tried to blink away her tears; but it was clear Yelena’s rejection had proved to be too much.

“Maybe I should go,” Blair muttered; turning away to wipe her eyes. “Just forget I said anything.”

This wasn’t what Yelena wanted ; even if she didn’t want Blair to get hurt. She said she was doing to protect Blair; yet was the one who was breaking her heart— shattering her confidence into a million tiny pieces.

And now Yelena was watching her break down and cry. No way was she could certain about this anymore.

It all happened within a second; Blair jumping up from the couch, at the same time Yelena was hit with a big wave of realization— acting quickly to stop her, with only one thought in mind.

Letting Blair go would be a mistake. She didn't have to think about it twice; it needed no rationing, at all. Yelena stood to feet and launched herself in front of Blair, before she could take another step forward; grabbing her hand— a little rough in the heat of the moment, though she would instantly loosen up her grip.

“I’m scared .” Yelena confessed. 

Even if stood a little taller than Blair, she felt tiny; a kid again, forced to face these emotions she’d forced down like bitter pills— the aftertaste still lingering today.

As pathetic as that felt, she didn’t even care. There was no choice but to be honest with Blair.

“I think I like you too much, to let this world destroy you.” Yelena urged. “Because it will. I’ve seen and heard it happened, and I don’t want you to carry that burden like I have.”

Her own eyes were stinging as she stared into Blair’s; who’s waterfall of tears fell freely down her face.

“I can’t stand here and tell you all of that, without feeling selfish.” Yelena squeezed her eyes shut; she wasn’t sure if she could say this looking at Blair. “You’re capable of your own decisions, but I want it to be worth it for you. I’m not sure if I’m deserving…”

Here she was acknowledging that she hasn't always been perfect; something Yelena couldn’t ignore in good conscience, when she had kissed Blair drunkenly. It was something that still bothered Yelena to this day— and considering all the other hardships Blair faced, it made her wonder what Blair even saw in her. 

For a second longer, Yelena wanted to hide from her reaction; her brain thinking the worst— that Blair would change her mind, and reject her this time. But she wasn’t expecting Blair to start sobbing either; prying her eyelids open in confusion, her sight taking to second to adjust, as Blair was crying even harder than before.

Concerned, Yelena came to her aid; Blair’s fingers squeezing around Yelena’s hand, before blubbering: 

“Don’t say that about yourself!”

This definitely caught Yelena off guard; relieved that the mention of her shortcomings didn’t make Blair more upset, though Yelena was just as embarrassed by this reason.

This wasn’t something she never wanted to tell Blair; wanting to lead with her best foot forward, and not with her insecurities.

Only for Blair, could she put her pride aside; placing her hand on Blair’s shoulder, as she guided her back down to the couch. And despite her waterworks, Blair could still put her thoughts together and lead into a conversation; quite obvious that there was plenty to talk about.

“You are deserving!” Blair proclaimed through her sniffles. “You’re the only person who has ever treated me this nicely!” 

It was a nice compliment to hear from Blair, especially with the context that she liked her; though it was the matter of Yelena actually taking  the compliment, that wouldn’t be so easy for her. 

“In the entire world?” Yelena doubted; not intending to come off as so self-deprecating— but it was hardly as witty and clever, as she wanted it to sound.

Really, she was having a hard time believing this, even when she was face first with the facts; like it too early to celebrate, just in case it was taken from her.

“Romantically,” Blair clarified; giving Yelena’s hand another squeeze. “Either way you shouldn’t doubt my hyperbole.”

All this time, they were still holding hands; neither of them had let go since Yelena had first reached out. Secretly, she had always wondered what this would be like; a thought that crossed her mind and was scarcely indulged, until now.

Blair’s fingers were soft and gentle; they’re thinner and smaller than Yelena’s. Her fingernails were painted a cool navy blue; the pearl ring on her finger warm to touch.

It didn’t feel strange— oddly enough, rather familiar; as if their hands were meant to be like this together. 

And if it was wrong, why  did it feel right? 

“I just can’t believe you really like me,” Yelena found herself thinking out loud. 

The signs were all there; looking back at everything from a fresh perspective. The fact that she was blind was literally insane ; denial really doing a number on her.

“Mm-hm.” Blair nodded; confirming again it for her sake.

Which Yelena truly appreciated; as it felt like a dream she could wake up from at any moment.

“…How do you feel about me?” Blair brought up gently.

“Oh shit,” Yelena recoiled. “I’m so sorry.” 

Considering that Yelena had said no to her straight up, and then contradicted herself later on; it made sense why Blair needed some assurance as well. Yelena had to give her props for being so patient. 

“I do like you,” She disclosed. “The only thing I’m worried about is how we proceed with this.”

“Well, we both like each other….” Blair wasn’t being subtle with what she was suggesting. “So maybe we should be together.”

“That makes sense,” Yelena resumed with a nod. “But safety is something I’m worried about, and then there’s how this could work logically in the real world.”

As much as she didn’t want to be negative, she wasn’t going to ignore the analytical part of her brain that wanted answers to everything.

“We also have some personal matters to discuss. We didn’t start off our friendship on the right foot, and to ignore that would be a disjustice to the beginning of our relationship.”

“Then let’s talk about it.” Blair agreed; her thumb strumming against the length of Yelena's hand.

By now her tears were long in the past; but considering the subject matter, Yelena didn’t know if they were a possibility again.

“I did the obvious,” Yelena grimaced as she recalled the memory. “I kissed you that night when I was drunk.”

“And you apologized for that.” 

“But still I…” She took a moment to sigh, to properly articulate her feelings. “I guess, I get nervous around you sometimes…”

When she looked down at their hands, it felt easier for Yelena to say the things that made her feel vulnerable. She was doing it for Blair; who didn’t deserve to be stuck in the dark any longer.

“I imagine that I hurt you. I never want you to feel hurt that way again, by anyone or myself.”

What John had done to her, had weighed in Yelena’s mind; even if what she did was hardly comparable. The guilt however, could still trick her mind at mind times— that her sexuality made her inherently bad.

“The way I reacted in the club was a symptom of that. In my mind, I was trying to be respectful… I didn’t want you to think that I was hitting on you…”

Now that she knew that Blair liked her, it sounded ridiculous. But it was common for Yelena when interacting with women— even ones she had no attraction too— to worry about the way she came off; refusing to linger on side hugs too long, and not even participating in those fancy air-cheek kisses— as she never wanted to gave the impression she was gay.

So in the aftermath of her kiss with Blair, Yelena made sure to be extra careful when it came to being around her— not to further herself into that stigma, when Blair had already been so forgiving.

She doesn’t say all of this thought-process out loud to Blair; though it doesn’t take Blair much at all to understand what she had meant by this.

“Oh Yellow,” Blair cooed. “We should have talked about this sooner.”

She gave their fingers a squeeze; pulling Yelena’s attention back over to her face— as she meant this with the utmost seriousness.

“I never saw you as disrespectful, even when you first kissed me. When you made that mistake, you owned up to it; and from then on, you’ve always shown me through your actions that you genuinely care for me.”

Blair was hardly going to stop there; but that was enough for Yelena to breathe a little lighter.

“You actively went out of your way to take care of me, when it could have been easier to turn the other way. You’re witty, and intelligent, and you encourage me whenever I'm doubting myself.” 

For the first time without hesitation, Yelena could see that Blair truly  had a crush on her. It was the way that she lit up, gushing about Yelena; blushing as she couldn’t play it coy.

Someone who she saw quite fondly, thought of her as the same. To Yelena, it felt like she was still dreaming. 

“And that’s how I grew to like you,” Blair resumed. “Honestly, it was a struggle for me, as well. Up and until recently I had no idea I could even be attracted to women.”

Looking at Blair, you couldn’t really tell, unlike Yelena; who unfortunately wore hers at her sleeve, because she appeared a bit different to the average women— hair cropped, and living in mens tailored suits. 

She wondered if it was different; harder for Blair since she hadn’t a clue a people like this existed— easier because there was no pressure, no one to shove fear down her throat. Either way, it was a double edged sword; a process that was hard for them regardless of how and when and how they discovered this, as they were abnormal by society standards.

It was something that was worth discussing between the two of them; likely that they were the only other person that they come across by pure chance and circumstance, to even feel like this.

“Coming to that conclusion isn’t always that easy,” Yelena acknowledged. “I know from experience.”

Throughout the years she had gone back and forth, struggling and struggling— suffering even more as of recently, as here she was today, at arms with a realization she had wrestled with for years. It wasn't a battle fully conquered, but for now she was fine with the armistice.

“I mean, all my life I've always seen and thought one thing, and then meeting you just… changed my perspective.” Blair explained. “To say it this simply, feels like an understatement, when it was so monumental.”

Yelena understood; for years she couldn’t quantify it into words, as she at least had to give Blair her props for being able to communicate herself. If it was vice versa, Yelena would have made a complete mess of herself.

“I have to say that you're handling this with a good amount of grace.”

“Thank you,” Blair smiled and flipped her hair over shoulders, brushing against Yelena’s arm in the process.

Subconsciously, they had both leaned close into one another; their hands still embraced.

“You made it much easier for me to realize, you know.” Blair revealed. “Before I could never imagine myself with a guy… kissing, and you know…” 

The breath caught in Yelena’s throat; her entire face flaring up with heat. 

“But when I think of you,” Blair chimed. “All I want to do is kiss you.”

The suggestion felt clear as day, but Yelena had a doubt that it was rhetorical; words trying to form in her throat, though they clammed up at thought.

That kissing Blair could be something real again; something they could both enjoy. 

She was surprised it hadn’t already, but Yelena's brain was going to malfunction . 

“Earth to Yelena?!” Blair lilted; leaning into Yelena, as she found it funny that she was getting flustered.

There was no hiding anymore; even if Yelena cleared her throat, and tried to play it cool.

“Yeah?” She answered; as in her mind, she only had one of two options: flirt back at her— as it was obvious Blair wanted to be engaged in this manner— or otherwise risk the moment by being awkward.

Her heart was racing as she wanted  to take a risk; a grin meeting her lips, as she raised an eyebrow— definitely a little worried about looking stupid, until she saw how Blair lit up in excitement. 

Blue eyes lingered on Yelena, in a way that she couldn’t classify; yet, she only encouraged this behavior, pulling her hand from Blair. The way she did this was unmistakably flirty; retreating her hand back into her personal space, as Blair’s fingers followed across the fabric of the sofa, pulling her body even closer— likened to just a few inches of free space between the two of them.

Blair blinked up at her through her lashes. “You never answered my question.”

Yelena couldn’t help but grin even harder. Blair had smudges of mascara underneath her eyes.

“A question? I don’t remember that being a question.”

It almost seemed like Blair wanted to roll her eyes at Yelena for being a smart ass about this.

“Oh, so you want me to repeat that again, don’t you?” 

Besides the fact of sarcasm sounding good on Blair’s accent; yes; Yelena did  want her to say it again for a second time, as this time it should certainly feel more real.

Even if she was prepared, holding her breath in anticipation; she was untethered to reality, as she was happily alive— a  thought floating in cloud nine, as she could wistfully forget her name and who she was. Ironically, it already seemed like she had forgotten the fact that she almost denied herself from all of this. 

“Do you want to kiss me, Yelena?” 

It’s all a whisper with how naturally soft her voice was; yet Blair was strong with this being a demand rather than a request— she was confident, and there was no doubt about what she wanted.

In a heartbeat, Yelena practically rushed out her answer; a streak of noise in the adrenaline, as she honed in on Blair’s face like she had done a hundreds of times before. 

Unlike all those other times, she doesn’t turn away; she wasn't afraid to be caught admiring Blair in the way that she deserved to be. And to take a step further, Yelena’s hand had connected with the side of Blair’s stomach; ready to support her, even if Yelena was unsure if that was something typical that came with kisses.

To say that she was inexperienced was an understatement; as she didn't want to dwell too much on the fact that this was the real deal— the two other kisses she had before this were incomparable.

She tried to shove all the racing thoughts out of her mind, wanting to live in the moment, as she moved into Blair; instinct surprisingly taking over, as Yelena proceeded to lead with whatever that felt natural to her.

Her eyes closed, tilting her head; as in a split second, her lips met with Blair’s— who was just as eager as well, as she would be the one to quickly close the gap in between them.

The earth around them stopped and slowed; a momtemual shift in everything and anything that ever was, even if there lips had merely just pressed together— a little awkward as Blair would pull away and come again to deepen the kiss, though they surely found the hang of it, by the end.

Yelena couldn’t fathom that the entire world as she knew it was the same; hers changed, was destroyed and rebuilt all in the span of an hour— and the fact that it couldn’t be shouted from the rooftops was criminal . 

They only part for the fact that they need air; inhaling as much as they can, giggling as they are only human and high off the euphoria. 

“Let’s do that again!” Blair gasped; grabbing onto the part of Yelena’s shirt around her shoulders, before kissing her— not just pressing her lips, but her pressing legs against Yelena’s, as apparently close wasn't close enough.

For Yelena, it wasn’t either; a second hand coming to the width of Blair’s back to support her, lying atop the smooth silky fabric of her dress.

Their lips quickly get the hanging of moving amongst each other; drawing the kiss long, if not a bit a sloppy. It’s not like it matters in the heat of it, as this was becoming equivalent to oxygen— pulling away still an option, but not the desired one.

Again, and again, and again, they kiss till they're almost delirious. It’s clear that they've both been holding back for a painful amount of time; as at the first opportunity, there was no other choice but to jump each other’s bones. 

To them, the time they only had was now; too good to stop and discuss the logistics of tomorrow— something that Yelena wanted in the first place, but could care less about now.

There wasn’t a single thought in her head besides Blair’s lips, as Yelena was otherwise hooked on how intoxicating  this felt; focused on Blair especially, as she had mentioned there was no guy  to ever make her feel like this way— and knowing her dating history, this meant that Yelena was the first person to do this with her ever . 

It was an honor and a duty she was bequeathed with; and she was going to do her best to fulfill this. Blair only deserved the best, and if Yelena would be so lucky to have her; she promised that she would go above and beyond to make her happy. 

As of right now, that wasn’t so hard. Blair had been the bold one to confess and initiate; but was even more, so as she dragged this kiss into another intensity . For someone, who appeared on the more timid side; the same did not apply to her personal relationships. 

Her hands have a mind of their own; gripping Yelena’s shirt so hard, she practically untucked it from the waist of her pants. And somehow, Blair had managed to wrap her legs around Yelena’s torso; as when Yelena had a chance to open her eyes and glance down, they were there.

It’s not that Yelena’s complaining, but for the sake of Blair not passing out, it was obvious they need a break— gasping a bit heavy. As she began to move away, it was clear that Blair wasn’t happy about her stopping— even if she was panting harder than she should be.

“Please, Yelena… please .”  Blair whimpered. “Don’t stop…”

On Blair’s accord, Yelena was willing to keep on going; though for the sake of her safety, Yelena was showing some restraint— kissing her in a bit of a different way, so Blair could still be happy, and be able to gather her breath.

She pressed a chaste kiss to the side of Blair’s jaw; looking up at her once she was donec to get the feel of how Blair received that. Of course, if she was uncomfortable, Yelena would stop right there; though Blair’s reaction couldn’t be more than the opposite— melting like putty in Yelena’s fingertips.

“ Yes ,” Blair encouraged; begging breathlessly, as she practically guided Yelena back into place to repeat the action. 

From there, Yelena only does as directed; repeating the exact same kiss, before peppering more across the length of her jawline— only leaning downwards, as there were no more places on her chin left to kiss.

Naturally, she approached Blair’s neck with some caution; even if Blue’s hands only urged her to. She let out a breath to brace herself; a reminder that Blair was okay with this, as Yelena dived in— her lips embracing the crook of Blair’s neck. 

Even though Yelena was quite slow with this, her intention wasn’t to be any sort of methodical; Blair certainly not reading it this as she shivered, her hands clenching a bit harder on Yelena, as she let out a moan.

It was unmistakable in the quiet of the living room; but most importantly, Yelena felt the impact of it— Blair’s back arching into her hands, her chest puffing outwards and brushing against Yelena’s.

Witnessing this, something inside of her twinged ; a second before Yelena had snapped back into the reality of the situation— Blair doing the same, as she pulled away and slapped a hand to her mouth; blushing harder than Yelena had ever seen her. 

“Ohmygosh, I'm so sorry!” Blair panicked; words muffled all together, as she couldn’t look more than disheveled from the incident: parts of her long hair swept she out of place— the bottom of her dress riding up the tops of her thighs 

She became even more flustered, as she moved to adjust herself; embarrassed to meet Yelena’s eye, as there was no way they could go without acknowledging what just happened. 

While this was topic that hadn’t even crossed Yelena’s mind until now, it was the obvious elephant in the room; a conversation she wasn’t expecting to have this early— or by the standards of a couple of hours ago— even at all.

“Don’t apologize,” Yelena assured, as she did want Blair to feel ashamed.

They were both adults here, and really they shouldn’t be so prudish over a simple discussion.

But with that first sentence, Yelena wasn’t sure how she was going to lead into this; as it was obvious that she wasn’t the best at articulating herself around Blair. There was doubt in her head that she misread the situation; even though the obvious was out in the open— Blair’s moan was a moan . 

“…Are you okay?” 

Yelena had to ask for Blair’s sake; willing to push her pride aside and welcome being a bit awkward, if it meant ensuring Blair’s comfortability. 

Twirling a stand of her hair around her index finger; Blair answered back with a nod— eyes flicking up at Yelena, for only a few seconds at a time. 

This type of thing could be intimidating, and Yelena wanted to make it very clear that Blair had nothing to be ashamed of.

“I just wanted to make sure,” Yelena noted. “I know we’re so new to this, and we hardly touched on the subject of boundaries.”

Really, they hadnt talked much at all before they were consumed by kissing.

“As much as I’m… glad  you enjoyed that, I think it’s important we have this conversation before we continue again— if that’s what you want.”

On the outside, she was praying that she was holding it together better than she was on the inside— Yelena, a mix bag of emotions, as she didn’t know how to feel herself, without knowing what Blair was thinking.

“Sex?” Blair was finally bold enough to say it; as Yelena was skirting around the word. 

“Yes,” Yelena confirmed as she cleared her throat. “Sex.” 

She wanted to handle this maturely; but her thought process ranged from: this should probably take a back seat , to holy shit sex with Blair — opposite ends of a coin, when Yelena desperately  wanted to stay neutral.

“I didn’t think we’d lead into this so quickly,” Blair chuckled; slightly nervous from the tone of it, as she wasn’t sure how to proceed with this conversation either. 

But there was a smile on face; pink lipstick smudged around the corners of her mouth, as Yelena couldn’t help but grin at the sight. 

Blair was okay; and that was enough to remind her that this didn’t have to be so incredibly serious. They could have fun with this, like they were doing already; just taking this quick pause to get some verbal permission.

“You were making me feel so good, I couldn’t help myself.” Blair confided. “At that moment I wasn’t just thinking about you kissing me… I was thinking about other things.”

The flush on her face deepened, but her eyes— the way she lingered on Yelena— only signified her want; this enthralling look to those blue irises, deep, vast and tempting like the ocean.

Yelena wanted to get lost in her, and Blair was holding open the invitation like a daydream— one Yelena had never let herself indulge, because of the guilt of it; though now, there was nothing to worry about.

“Obviously we don’t have to do anything if you’re uncomfortable…” Blair backtracked, as Yelena was taking quite a while to respond.

Though she couldn’t be more on the same page as she was; just taking a moment to process— to open up a part of herself she had shamed into hiding.

“I was just going to say the same thing.” Yelena acknowledged. “My priority is making sure that you're comfortable as well, but if you're okay with it…”

By now, she had reiterated that same message plenty; so preoccupied on getting Blair’s permission, that she left her own answer hanging in the air. 

“Yelena Davidson, why are you so terrible at saying yes?” 

Blair had broken out of flirting, to pout at her; and Yelena couldn’t help but playfully roll her eyes at her— as she was  right. 

“Then this is me saying yes directly.” 

She would admit her fault because it was Blair; the only person to see Yelena’s vulnerability beyond her usual hardened facade. 

Giggling, Blair would scoot across the couch again, and crawl right back onto Yelena’s lap— her hands settling on the tops of Yelena’s shoulders, as she placed herself into the same position as before.

“Stubborn,” She teased; so close that their noses were practically touching. 

And while Yelena could easily dive back into what they were doing before, there was something else she wanted to let Blair know beforehand.

“Tell me what you want, and I will do it for you. But if at any time, it becomes too much— or if you’d prefer me to do something differently, just tell me.” Yelena promised. 

While it necessarily wasn’t the most flirtiest thing she could say in the moment; it certainly meant a lot to Blair, who gave her a small, appreciative peck on the cheek.

“My sweet Yellow,” She sighed, making her admiration for her quite clear. “Let’s take it from the top, shall we?”

—NSFW— 

It was obvious that she wanted kisses; though Yelena was waiting for Blair’s instructions.

“I want you to kiss me like that again,” Blair lowered her voice, eyes pleading at Yelena seductively. “Starting at my lips, and then you’re going to go across my chin, and then to my neck…”

She pointed to the spot Yelena had lingered at; the spot that made her squeal. 

“You’re going to stay here for a while, and then you going to go down,”

Her finger dragged across the length of her décolleté.

“And down… and down…”

The pad of her finger met the hemline of her dress. Yelena got the picture.

“Dress stays on?” Yelena asked just to clarify.

Blair shrugged, making a show of herself, as she tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Depends on how I feel. I’ll let you know.”

This version of Blair was going to drive Yelena insane . If she felt this way already, she wasn’t sure how she was going to feel when the time for the actual touching began.

Taking Blair from just above her hips, Yelena knew exactly what she was doing this time; confident as she met Blair lips, and drew out the kiss slowly and steady— deepening this to the desired effect, as they were recreating the exact same thing as before. 

Once Blair was left breathless— not just gasping for air but, from pleasure— Yelena trickled downwards to her jaw, quickening up her pace, which left Blair whimpering; only to slow down again, as she reached the sensitive crook of Blair’s neck.

This time, Yelena would blow her breath there on purpose; tickling her with cold air, as Blair would shiver— goosebumps pricking her skin, as Yelena pursued her lips. 

Here she was not afraid to suckle; putting a little teeth into it, as Blair only cheered her on— whimpers growing to the occasional moans, as she gripped onto Yelena’s shoulders for dear life, forcing to stay until she was satisfied.

And here Yelena could stay hours, if it just meant hearing the beautiful pitch of those sounds; even though it soon became obvious that more stimulation was needed for Blair— proceeding down, pecking kisses down to the base of her neck. 

Beneath Yelena’s chin, where her lips cradled the skin of Blair’s décolleté, she felt the outline of her breast; excitement of her own pulsing between her legs, as Yelena was only human. For now, she was trying her best to mind the sensation, as she wanted it to grow gradually in time, for her turn.

Her focus deserved to be on Blair, entirely; Yelena dedicating her time and energy into the temple that was Blair’s body, as she more than anyone, deserved to be to be pleased. 

The smell of lavender, but beyond that, the essence of Blair, would fill Yelena's nose, as she traveled downwards; intoxicating and tempting like the slope of Blair’s chest— which Yelena hovered over, as she wanted to give Blair a heads up about what she was going to do. 

She was acting on the more cautious side when it came to Blair’s boundaries; though in reality, Blair couldn't be more eager for Yelena to start touching— grabbing her tightly, like she might combust in her impatience.

“Go ahead,” Blair pleaded, whining out her request. 

So with that simple and direct okay, Yelena met back with the warmth of her skin; starting from the top of her left breast, as she kissed all of the way down to the part of Blair that was covered by her dress. 

The most sensitive part of Blair, laid just underneath her sweetheart neckline; and Yelena wouldn’t have time to gawk. She made an educated guess where her nipple was behind that, pressing mouth there, though Yelena was unfortunately met with padding from the built-in bustier of the garment.

This was just as disappointing for Blair, as well; letting out a groan, as she was going to take matters into her own hands. With one giant tug, Blair would completely pull the top part of her dress down; revealing the paler skin of chest, her pink nipples immediately hardening in the cold air.

As pragmatic as Yelena wanted to be, there were boobs in front of her; real and plenty, and available to her— as for a moment she couldn’t help but gawk . 

She just had to admire the beauty in front of her; as Blair's body was all soft curves, from the shapely contours of her hips and thighs, up to the fullness of her chest. Every dip and curve in between, was just stunning, perfect in their own imperfect way. 

If Yelena were to die right now, certainly she could be revived by the mere sight of Blair.

Now it was Yelena’s turn to be impatient; the heat growing between her legs, as she placed her mouth onto Blair— lips wrapping around the sensitive bud, as she tried to take as much of Blair as she could. But Blair was so blessed; swirling her tongue around as much of the surface area as possible, before focusing on her nipple entirely— Blair writhing and singing with pleasure. 

It was a melody to Yelena’s ears, as she licked and sucked; not forgetting about her right breast either, as Yelena had reached and grabbed for the soft of Blair’s skin— her thumb and forefinger circling and pinching, at similar rhythm to what she was doing to her tongue. 

All of this together was becoming to much for Blair; her meals and moans increasing, as now Blair was buckling her hips against Yelena’s torso— a sign that she was growing frustrated and possibly needed Yelena’s touch elsewhere. 

Grinding on top of Yelena wasn't cutting it, as Blair’s pace became more desperate; the center between her legs hardly making contact with anything, as her dress became a scrunched up belt across her hips. 

Yelena had to help her; planning to pull away for just a second— which of course left Blair whining and complaining. She didn’t need to undo the zipper of the dress; gently pulling it down across the curves of Blair’s hips, revealing the nude lace thong Blair had on underneath— a patch of the fabric slightly transparent from being so saturated.