Work Text:
June
“No running!” Karma shouts, rolling her eyes at the pair of kids running past her lifeguard stand. She eyes the clock. Just a few more minutes left in her shift.
Lately, Karma has been spending most of her time working, crying, and sleeping. She barely eats anymore, she’s so sick with guilt and anger and sadness. This will undoubtedly go down as her worst summer ever. On top of everything, she’s stuck working with Shane, her nemesis, who gives her dirty looks whenever he can.
On the bright side, she’s always wanted to be a lifeguard and the sun beating down on her in her bathing suit every day is giving her a great tan. So she doesn’t mind work, besides Shane. The other lifeguards are nice, too, though she prefers to spend her time watching movies from her childhood alone in the juice truck (and probably crying) than hanging out with them.
“So,” she says, standing over Shane as he crouches down to check the chlorine levels in the pool. “Have you heard from Amy?”
“I’m not at liberty to discuss that,” he responds, straightening up. He seems pleased with the levels. At Karma’s sad face, he rolls his eyes. “Stop acting so pathetic, Karma. You’re not the only one whose best friend abandoned them for the summer.”
She frowns, “What does that mean?”
“Liam left with Zita to look for his dad,” Shane explains.
“Of course,” Karma rolls her eyes. She knew something was going on between them.
“Don’t even, I don’t want to hear it,” Shane says. “Besides, isn’t your shift over?”
She glances at the clock. Sure enough, it ended two minutes ago. Karma walks away, quickly clocking out before climbing onto her bicycle and making her way home, her mind reeling with thoughts. She tries to be happy for Liam. She knows he’s wanted to find his dad for so long and if Zita is the one he takes with him for that, well, Karma can’t blame him. Things between them weren’t exactly good. Besides, all that matters to Karma is that Amy is gone. Everyone else could disappear too and all she would notice was that Amy was gone, she’s sure. And all she wants is Amy back.
-
The tears come the moment the door to the juice truck closes. It isn’t always like this, but after a day like today, she needed a good cry.
She tugs her phone out and finds no texts or calls. She opens her messages with Amy anyway and types out yet another 'I miss you please come home I’m sorry' message, hitting send without much thought before she changes into her PJ’s and puts the Lion King on the small tv in the juice truck.
She’s ready to let it all out.
-
The next day, she cuts her hair. She needs a change.
-
She’s on break at work when she gets a text. She’s shocked, she didn’t expect to hear from Amy, but she opens it immediately, without even thinking because it’s Amy.
'I want you to know that I miss you too. So much. But this is what I need right now and I NEED you to understand that Karma. I need space and time to get over you. That’s why I’ve been ignoring your texts- texting you isn’t exactly space is it? I need the summer apart. But know that I love you and I always will. Have a good summer. I’ll talk to you when I get back.'
Karma blinks and re-reads the message. Thank god she’s on break because the tears come then and she runs to the storage closet, hiding away as the wall breaks and the tears pour. She’s such a fucking mess, such a disaster, and Amy hates her, and everything is falling apart and-
The door opens then and of fucking course it’s Shane standing there, surprised and then confused when he sees Karma.
“Karma?” he says softly. “Um…what are you doing in here?”
“Nothing,” she snaps, wiping her face in an attempt to hide the tears.
His face softens when he realizes she’s crying. “What’s wrong?” he asks, his tone making it clear that he knows exactly what’s wrong.
She chokes the answer out anyway, “Amy hates me.” With that, she’s full on ugly crying, letting out sobs and revealing everything to the last person she thought she’d go to in a time of need. “I’m still fucking homeless, living in a juice truck, my ex-boyfriend is probably having an amazing summer with a rich, stunningly beautiful girl, and my best friend in the entire world hates me. She means everything to me, Shane, and she’s spending her summer getting over me.”
“Karma,” he sighs, slipping into the closet and shutting the door behind him for privacy’s sake. “She’s getting over being in love with you so you can keep being best friends,” he tells her, throwing an arm around her and rubbing her shoulder in an attempt to offer comfort. “And so what if Liam’s having a great time with Zita? You two just aren’t meant for each other, at least right now, that’s why you’re not together.”
Karma sniffles, “You really think Amy will want to continue being best friends with me?”
“Of course I do,” Shane laughs. “She’s as obsessed with you as you are with her. Trust me.”
“Has she talked to you?” Karma asks, giving him pleading eyes.
He rolls his own eyes but nods. “She’s having a nice time but she misses home. She misses you. She wants to talk to you, but she knows she shouldn’t, not if she wants to get over you. Which she does, only for the sake of your friendship.”
“Right,” Karma nods, wiping her nose. “Our friendship.”
“Listen, why don’t you come out tonight with me and the rest of the lifeguards? It sounds like you’ve been cooped up missing Amy for way too long,” Shane says.
“Ok,” Karma agrees. “That sounds fun.”
“Good,” Shane grins, “We’ll have a great time.”
-
They go bowling that night, Karma really getting to know her fellow lifeguards finally and even earning her own lifeguard nickname- Starfish- and for a little while, Karma doesn’t even miss Amy.
-
July
At the beginning of the month, Karma’s mother’s soaps make it to Trader Joe’s and they’re able to afford to move back into their home. Things feel like they’re finally coming together for Karma. She’s not crying all the time, she’s happier, she’s making friends at work, and she’s even becoming friends with Shane.
She still misses Amy, still checks her phone a bit too much, waiting for a text or a call that never comes, but she’s happy. She’s happy.
-
“Are you going to Max’s party tonight?” Shane asks. He and Karma are seated next to the pool early in the morning, blowing up the various blow-up toys and floatation devices the pool has to offer.
“Yeah,” Karma replies. “It should be fun.” Max is one of their fellow lifeguards and he’s throwing a party featuring not only all of their coworkers, but his classmates as well.
“Cool, want a ride?” Shane offers. Karma smiles and nods in agreement.
That evening, Shane picks Karma up at her house and the pair drives to Max’s house, climbing out of Shane’s car when they arrive and making their way inside. They spot their fellow lifeguards quickly and once they’ve greeted them, Karma heads to the kitchen to grab she and Shane drinks, accidentally bumping into a blonde on her way.
“Oh! I’m so sorry!” she cries.
“It’s ok,” the blonde laughs. “It’s crowded in here.”
The blonde is beautiful, Karma decides, and familiar in a comforting way. Karma offers her a smile, “I’m Karma.”
The blonde smiles back, “Leah. Do you…go to our school? You don’t look familiar.”
Karma shakes her head, “I work with Max.”
“Lifeguard, huh?” Leah smirks.
“That’s me, here to guard your life,” Karma jokes. “Want to come to the kitchen with me? I promised my friend I’d grab him a drink.”
“Sure,” Leah agrees, following the shorter girl into the kitchen. “So, Karma, that’s a beautiful name.”
“Thanks,” Karma responds. “My parents are complete hippies.”
“That’s awesome,” Leah laughs, watching Karma sift through the cooler in search of a couple of beers.
“My brother’s name is Zen,” Karma adds, to show just how hippie her parents really are. “And we were raised vegan.”
“Wow, hippie to the extreme,” Leah says.
“Oh yeah, they even got arrested for selling pot,” Karma goes on.
“No way,” Leah exclaims, her eyes twinkling. “You’ve got to tell me that story.”
So Karma does and before she knows it, she and Leah are sitting in the backyard, laying together on the hammock, talking, telling each other about their lives.
“Um hello? Karma?” a voice cries suddenly, interrupting Leah’s story about her ex (a girl, Karma can’t help but note).
Karma sits up in the hammock. “Shit, Shane, sorry I totally lost track of time.”
“What are you doing?” Shane demands to know, but then smirks when Leah sits up too. “And who is this?”
“Leah, she goes to school with Max,” Karma explains. “We were just talking.”
“For two hours?” Shane raises his eyebrows.
“It’s been two hours?” Karma cries. “I didn’t even realize…”
“Me neither,” Leah adds.
“Well far be it for me to stop you, carry on ladies, I’ll just get my own drink,” Shane says, putting his hands up and backing away.
“No, no, I should come spend some time with you and everybody,” Karma argues.
“Nonsense, you spend time with us every day at work,” Shane insists. “Stay here with Leah.”
“Yeah, Karma, hang with me,” Leah gently touches Karma’s shoulder, the auburn-haired girl leaning into the touch.
“Ok,” Karma agrees. “Sure, yeah, Shane, let me know when you’re leaving?”
Shane grins, “Will do, Starfish.”
Karma rolls her eyes at the nickname, but lays back on the hammock with Leah. “Ok,” she says, “go on.”
-
Time seems to fly by with Leah. They talk for a long time until Leah surprises Karma by pulling her into a kiss, one she doesn’t fight. She closes her eyes and breathes in Leah’s scent. She likes it. It’s not like kissing Amy or Liam. With Amy, it was easy, comfortable. With Liam, it was exhilarating. With Leah, it’s an interesting combination of both.
They talk some more until Shane comes to get Karma to leave and then they kiss goodbye after exchanging numbers. Shane quirks a suspicious eyebrow at her but she promptly ignores him the entire drive home.
-
“Are we going to talk about that kiss?” Shane demands the next day at work. Karma’s in the middle of leading a group of elderly people in water exercises and they all gasp and look at Karma, whose face heats up.
“Uh, Shane, can we talk about this later?” Karma says through clenched teeth.
“You kissed Shane?” one of the elderly people cries.
“No, no, Mrs. Stein, I didn’t kiss Shane,” Karma responds. “And Shane and I can discuss this later, in private.” Karma continues with the lesson.
“You’re in love with Amy,” Shane says.
“What?” Karma cries, instantly stopping the lesson. “Ok, we’re going to take a little break everybody.” She swims over to the edge of the pool and climbs out, taking Shane by the arm and leading him to stand by the storage closet. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“You kissed a girl who looks just like Amy last night,” Shane smirks victoriously.
Karma’s eyes widen and she opens her mouth to argue, but then it all comes rushing back. The familiarity, the blonde hair, the soft lips, the twinkling eyes…she may have been kissing Leah, but she was thinking of Amy. Even talking to her reminded Karma so much of talking with Amy, how easy it was, how casual it was, Leah’s sarcasm…and, “Oh, fuck.”
“Yeah.”
“Shane,” Karma cries, “I’m in love with Amy.”
-
August
“I can’t believe summer’s almost over,” Shane complains, popping a strawberry into his mouth. He, Karma, and a few other lifeguards are at the park, having a picnic.
“I know, man, I so don’t want to go back to school,” Max agrees.
“But on the bright side,” Karma says quietly to just Shane, “Amy comes home.”
“And you’ll tell her you’re in love with her?” Shane asks.
“I don’t know,” Karma sighs. “I’m just not sure. She’s spending the summer getting over me and…what if it’s worked?”
“Please, Amy would come running back to you in a second if you said you felt the same way,” Shane waves her worries off.
“I don’t know,” Karma frowns. She’s been in a weird place ever since Shane confronted her about being in love with Amy at the pool. She thought maybe he was wrong, even went on a date with Leah, but all she could think about was Amy. Reflecting on her life from the time she and Amy first kissed, Karma’s realized she’s been in denial about her feelings for a long time. She’s in love with her best friend, and she’s been both ecstatic and miserable about it.
“Trust me,” Shane insists. “Amy still loves you, I’m sure of it.”
-
That night, Karma lies in bed, considering her options, all while drinking and staring at pictures of Amy.
She pulls her phone out and opens her messages with Amy, the last one from June.
'Amy,' she starts, but then quickly erases that. She starts over. 'So, a lot has happened these past couple of months and I realized I’ve been in love with you and that’s why'… She stops. That’s why, what? Why she was so jealous when she saw Amy kiss that Brazilian girl? Why she hated Reagan so much? She sighs and erases that again.
Instead, she types out, 'I lied, that kiss did mean something,' and hits send.
-
Karma wakes up to her phone vibrating loudly in her ear. She’s not sure when she fell asleep, especially since she was up half the night anxious about sending that text, but it’s early now, and…oh fuck, Amy’s calling.
Karma clears her throat and, with trembling hands, answers. “Hello?”
“Karma,” Amy breathes out. “I…What the hell?” She doesn’t sound mad, is the thing. She just sounds confused.
Karma pushes herself out of bed because no way she’s going to do this lying down. “Amy Raudenfeld, I’m in love with you. And I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it, but I am. And if you’re over me, that’s fine, but don’t expect me to get over you anytime soon.”
On the other end, there’s a long pause, long enough that all the confidence leaves Karma’s body and she squeaks out, “Amy?”
“I’m coming home.” And then she hangs up.
-
Karma doesn’t tell Shane that Amy’s coming home. She’s not sure how their reunion is going to go and she thinks either way, it’s best just the two of them. Luckily, Amy seems to have had the same idea, since Farrah and Lauren are nowhere to be seen at the bus station.
Karma’s got flowers and balloons that say ‘Welcome Home Amy!’ on them and fuck, she’s so in love with this girl.
When she finally sees Amy, her heart stops and tears spring to her eyes. Amy stops when she sees Karma, her shoulders drooping in relief, and breaks into a smile before her and Karma approach each other. Karma can see that Amy is crying too when they get closer together and Amy surprises her when she pulls her into a hug.
“Took you long enough,” she says. Karma practically melts, pulling Amy into a kiss and it’s so natural for them, so perfect and easy.
“I’m so sorry Amy, for everything I put you through,” Karma chokes out.
“It’s ok, Karma, it doesn’t even matter anymore,” Amy waves her apology off and offers her a grin. “The only thing you need to apologize for is not getting me chocolates.”
Karma smiles back at her and takes Amy’s hand in her own, walking to the car Karma borrowed from her mother.
“So,” Amy says once they get on the highway, “we should talk.”
“Yeah,” Karma agrees cautiously.
“What made you change your mind?” Amy asks. “About me, I mean?”
“I didn’t…change my mind, exactly,” Karma starts carefully. “I just…realized. I was at this party with my coworkers and there was this girl, Leah, and, well, she looked a lot like you and acted like you and we kissed and even went on a date but all I could think about was you and believe it or not it was Shane who pointed it all out to me.” Karma glances over at Amy, who’s wearing a look of focus, taking it all in. “I’m sorry,” Karma says. “That I went on a date with another girl.”
“It’s ok,” Amy replies. “It was part of your journey.”
“So…you’re not over me?”
“I was trying to be,” Amy replies honestly. “But no. I mean, I thought I was, but then I got that text and…well, I clearly wasn’t. There were other girls for me this summer too, you should know.”
“I don’t care,” Karma replies instantly. “As long as you’re all mine now.”
Amy grins but after a moment, she falters. “So, what are we then? Are we…girlfriends?”
Karma smiles, “I’m in if you’re in.”
Amy looks over at her, her eyes twinkling in a way Leah’s never could. It’s beautiful, Amy is beautiful, Karma thinks. “I’m in.”
-
“I talked to Felix,” Amy tells Karma, flopping onto her girlfriend’s bed and stealing Karma’s hand to hold in her own.
“And?” Karma asks, looking over at the blonde.
“He’s good, he said he needed rehab and it helped, and he’s happy for us,” Amy informs her.
“Good, I missed him,” Karma says.
“I told Shane too, I hope you don’t mind, I know you two are besties now,” Amy says.
Karma laughs, “It’s fine, babe. And besties may be a bit extreme.”
“Babe,” Amy repeats, closing her eyes and taking the moment in. “Do you know how long I’ve waited for this? For us to be this way? I mean, in private and in public. For real.”
“I’m sorry I made you wait so long,” Karma whispers.
“It’s ok,” Amy says before leaning over and pressing her lips to Karma’s. They still have a ways to go- telling their parents, dealing with the school finding out, Karma facing Liam, but they’ll have each other through it all, just like always.