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Lena plucked the thickest string on the guitar and let the note ring out before pressing her head against the curve of the body of the guitar with a heavy sigh and groaned. Fareeha grinned and placed an encouraging hand on Lena’s shoulder.
“C’mon, it’s not as intimidating as it seems once you get into the...The swing of things!” the Egyptian woman said with a small smile. Had it not been for her frustration for learning the instrument, Lena would’ve laughed.
The brit had been giving the Amari’s guitar shop frequent visits recently, and it was just last week Lena begged Ana for lessons, waving around a jar filled to the brim with spare change while the old woman was tidying up the store.
“Ana! Please!” Lena had begged. “Fareeha serenades Angela all the time and it makes her gayer! I wanna learnnn…”
And every time, Ana would sighed and kick her out of her shop, but Lena would always come back the next day. The old woman finally gave up and told the the brunette to go find her daughter. Ana reasoned that she was ‘getting too old to teach’. In other words: ‘Fareeha, I’m tired and busy, you teach.’
“You make it look so easy.” Lena pouted, trying to press her fingers against the fret. As she plucked the string, the note came out muffled. She pressed down harder but it produced the same sound.
Fareeha wagged her brow,”Well, I do often use these fingers for other purposes.”
Lena stuck her tongue out in disgust then leaned back onto the instrument,”I have no idea how I’m gonna get this all down within a month in time for our anniversary.”
The taller woman suddenly looked offended and asked incredulously,”You were hoping to learn within a month?!”
Lena nodded slowly, looking up curiously and a little bit shamefully. The Egyptian teen sighed and scrunched her brows together.
“I’m gonna cut the crap; there is no way you can learn within a month-”, Lena opened her mouth to retort but Fareeha stopped her,”But! If you practice everyday, consistently, with me or on your own, I guarantee you’ll learn at least one song by then.”
Lena sighed and pressed her sore fingertips against the frets of the guitar and looked at Fareeha for further instructions. Fareeha smiled and held her own guitar so Lena can look at her fingers.
“Alright, the trick is...”
---
About a month later and Fareeha was proud of herself, and especially proud of Lena. The brit was learning quickly and hadn’t lost her determination since day one. She practiced the song everyday and would always ask Fareeha to critique. But there’s no doubt that Ana was a major help; though her critiques were ruthless and sobering, Lena had improved tenfold thanks to the older woman.
“Dieu réunit ceux qui s'aiment.” Lena finished softly, letting the last note ring then she looked down at the steel strings, waiting for the Amari’s and Angela’s response. She could’ve sworn Ana sniffled but when she looked up, she was grinning widely behind her cup of tea. Fareeha reached out and placed a large hand on her shoulder.
“You’re so ready.” she encouraged. Lena looked eagerly towards the blonde, wanting her input. Angela clasped her hands together and nodded happily.
“I was thinking of taking her out to the countryside, y’know? In the fields with some Chinese takeout or something. For stargazing and all that.” she said excitedly. “You think she’s into that sort of thing?”
“She's gonna love it.” Angela grinned and Ana hummed her approval.
---
It was Saturday morning and Angela rolled over in her bed tiredly; she pulled an all-nighter writing up college applications and answering demanding emails. The consequences of doing so were now taking its toll as Angela felt her back crack as she sat up in bed. She sighed and thought of any chores or dates but nothing came to mind. She was going to fall back asleep, but the urgent alarm of her phone beckoned her to rise. The blonde scooted towards her desk to pull her phone off the charger and squinted at the screen. Amelie has sent you a text.
Amelie: Angela, are you free today @ 10? I need to talk to you.
Angela glanced at the clock on her desk, next to a little photo of herself and Fareeha. The numbers ‘9:30’ glared back at her and Angela threw herself off the bed and into the shower.
---
Amelie waited for Angela, her fingers tightening around the handle of her mug as her leg bounced impatiently under the table, causing the saucer and spoon on the table to clink together softly.
The two had been friends since Amelie transferred to their high school freshman year. At the time, Amelié had barely learned English and still had trouble speaking to her peers and teacher. But Angela, bless her heart, was fluent in French and would aid in translating and the rest is history. They've been friend's since and were now going to graduate together come spring.
The weather was fair, neither cold nor too warm. As she sat outside the café, people passed by, some in large groups, a few alone, and several holding hands; those several Amelie couldn't help but roll her eyes at. She would have shuffled inside had it not been so crowded inside with bearded men sporting beanies and tattooed women with colorfully dyed hair. As much as she loved that small coffeehouse, the people it attracted were somewhat unbearable for her with their ‘kale’ and ‘tumblr’.
She checked her phone for the umpteenth time and as she did spotted the blonde making her way towards her. They smiled at eachother as Angela took her seat and rested her head on her hands.
“So, you sounded kind of urgent over text.” she commented, nibbling the cookie Amelie had gotten her.
“What makes you say that?”
Angela showed her the texts,”You usually end with ‘xoxo’, or some emoji.”
Amelie smiled weakly,”Guess they don't call you a prodigy for no reason.”
To that Angela snorted at the sarcastic quip and put away her phone. She observed her friend and her brows furrowed in worry when she found nothing but confusion and frustration behind honey golden eyes. Amelie sighed and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and looked up at Angela a little helplessly.
“It's about Lena, and I… We haven't been talking- at least not as much as we had before and I'm just worried she's gonna… Do something.”Amelie finished hesitantly. It was uncharacteristic that Lena would go on for weeks let alone hours without talking to her girlfriend for at least 5 hours or until Amelie got sick of her. They didn't even have that playful banter with each other recently and frankly Amelié was frustrated and missed her brunette brit. But they respected each other’s space and Amelie chose not to say anything about it out of respect.
But the lack of conversation and banter went for a few days. Then a week into weeks. And it's almost been a whole month. Amelie had asked her on in a date a few times but Lena had blown them off, saying, ”I really wish I could, love, but Fareeha and I've got this thing later. Rain check?”
Angela laid a hand on her friend’s hand and Amelie almost aggressively pulled her hand away but she was so tired of not knowing and the loneliness.
“Angela I wanted to ask you...Do you know about Lena and Fareeha?”
Angela cocked her head to the side like a confused puppy, ”What do you mean?”
“Mon dieu, haven't you noticed that they've been spending time together? Literally everyday and I trust Lena but I cannot help to wonder.” Amelie cried.
Angela processed the words Amelie relayed to her so quickly, but it clicked and she burst into a fit of giggles. If Amelie had had a sniper rifle she would have shot her face right then and there.
“Merde Angela, this is serious! Should I confront her and end it before she confesses to me or-”
“Amelie, Schatz, it's not what you think.”
Amelie blushed in embarrassment and glared at the blonde, ”I'm sorry, was I supposed to assume that her blowing off dates and being with Fareeha that they're not fucking each other?!”
Angela wiped away a tear and placed her hand upon Amelie’s again, smiling at her with genuine endearment and understanding.
“Amelie, Lena loves you so much; you have no idea how much she idolizes you and looks up to you. It's beautiful and adorable to just watch and listen to her talk about you.”
Amelie sighed and squeezed Angela’s hand, trying to believe what the blonde was saying.
“And believe me, she's definitely hanging with Fareeha but not for the reason you'd accuse her of. She's actually been taking lessons from her.”
Amelie leaned back, taking her mug back in her hands to take a sip, ”What sorta lessons?”
“Music. Not so much theory, Lena complained that she only needed a song, not composing one herself.”
She hummed behind the cup as Angela finished the rest of her cookie with a soft, satisfied sigh. The blonde looked up again and instead of hurt in Amelie’s face, she found a little understanding and some regained trust. Yet she held that furrow between her brows; worry and anxiety. Either that, or her coffee had gotten cold to the point where it was no longer enjoyable to drink.
As they said they goodbyes and shared embraces, Angela settled for the latter emotion and prayed to whatever God that tonight would go smoothly for the couple.
--
Lena <3: hey lov im outside ur house rn, I got something I wanna show u/take u iut
Lena <3: out*
Amelie rolled onto her back on her bed and stared at the ceiling of her bedroom with eyes that she could barely will to open. She crept out of her house, grabbing a coat before heading out into the cool night. And as promised, Lena was waiting outside, leaning against the door of her dad’s old truck.
“Lena. What the fuck.”
But before she could complain any further, Lena rose a finger to silence her girlfriend and pointed at the car.
“I know it's a school night and I know it's almost midnight, but I really can't wait anymore to do this for you.” the brunette explained, but as she spoke, her voice faltered when Amelie looked down as if weighing her options.
“Y’know, actually, I can wait. The weekend’s not that far off.” Lena sighed and climbed into the driver’s seat of the vehicle but as she started the car the passenger door shut. She looked up to find Amelie sitting next to her and leaning against the car door, her coat thrown across her shoulders like a blanket.
“I'm already here, may as well get on with it.” she said and Lena grinned, stepping on the gas pedal.
They drove in comfortable silence. Lena cruised down the empty, dark highway humming softly along to the radio. Amelie watched at the buildings become more and more infrequent and giving way to trees and open fields.
“You're not planning my murder, are you cherie?” she asked humorously. Lena scoffed, mock offended.
“Moi? How rude of you to accuse me of such.” Amelie smiled softly and sat up straight, stretching her arms and back tiredly.
Finally, Lena exited the highway, taking a few back roads before parking on the side of the dirt road before a grassy open field. She helped Amelie out of the car and followed her girlfriend into the field, carrying a few things on her shoulders. The french teen watched her throw a blanket over the grass and settle down the bags and baskets she brought then patting the spot next to her. Amelie took her seat and let Lena set everything up, she brought out boxes unfold a blanket that settled slowly onto the ground. Lena set down the bags and baskets then patting the spot next to her eagerly.
“The sky’s perfect around this time.” Lena commented and looked up at the dark sky. Amelie watched the twinkle of wonder and curiosity in the brunette’s eyes before letting herself watch the sky. Stars twinkled among the sky alongside the shining moon. Lena was right; she’s never seen anything like it before.
When she first moved, she hated the town and the people, but Amelie met people like Gabriel and Angela, who welcomed her like a long time friend. She pulled her coat tighter around herself and thought of Lena.
They met for the first time in their freshman year, in Pre-Calculus. Neither liked the sight nor vibe of each other despite being strangers. But Lena had tried to make an effort to know the foreigner, holding her hand out with a small grin.
“Lena Oxton.” she had said. “I enjoy racing of all sorts: lanes, cars, running, you name it. And you?”
“Amelie. French. I like…” Amelie had forgotten the English word for chiens and patinage sur glace and instead softly said,”...parrots?”
To that, Lena had giggled infectiously and from then on they would share something they likde to each other as a way to learn about each other. One day, Lena invited her to a drag race downtown that evening and Amelie promised to attend if Gabriel was to come as well. The illegal event lasted about two hours until someone called the cops and the teens were immediately rounded up and arrested. As the two were sitting at the police station waiting for their parents, Amelie was panicking over her now marred record. Lena had said, ”Don’t worry about it, alright love? But I’m awfully sorry we got in-car-cerated.”
Amelie smiled, then laughed softly as Lena giggled at her own pun. As she laughed, Amelie couldn’t help but stare and note every little detail of the brit. Her countless freckles, messy brown locks, hazel eyes. Amelie learned two things that night: chiens in English is dogs, and she is very, very, very gay.
Amelie was brought back to the present by soft hums of a guitar. She whipped her head towards Lena and watched the brit pluck the instrument slowly. Then she began to sing softly, at least that’s what Amelie hoped it to be. But as Lena sang in her horrid French, Amelie began recognizing the song and she whimpered softly.
Lena immediately stopped and looked at her lover with wide eyes. Amelie wiped her cheeks with a small laugh.
“Keep going, you idiot.” she said, and Lena did, picking up where she left off.
“Si un jour la vie t’arrache à moi.” she sang with her and the brunette smiled as she continued playing with Amelie’s singing.
As the two sang to Lena’s beautiful playing Amelie swore she fell in love all over again. She smiled to herself and looked back at the sky.
Here she was, sitting in the middle of nowhere with Chinese takeout and listening and singing along to a song Lena learned within a month in a language she barely knew all in an effort to woo her girl. Amelie brushed away another tear and listened to Lena slowly end the song. The brunette kept her head bowed then looked up slowly, waiting for some sort of response. The girl pulled her into an embrace and pressed a kiss against her lips. As she pulled away with mussed hair, Lena grinned.
“Hope I didn’t make you go deaf.” she remarked. Amelie wouldn’t help but let out a watery chuckle.
“Lena, no one has ever been that kind to me before.” she confessed. “It was...Beautiful.”
Lena laid the instrument down, wrapped an arm around her waist, and buried her face in the crook of her neck and shoulder.
“Y’know who else is beautiful?”
Amelie blushed, ”Who?”
There was a pause. Amelie softly flicked her ear and threatened,”If you say the moon or the guitar or anything, I will leave.”
Lena laughed and kissed her cheek,”Aw love, if you wanted me to compliment you, all you had to do was ask.”
Amelie chuckled and leaned against her, feeling a little cold. As she dozed off, Lena pressed another kiss to her head and began to pack away the food and guitar. She carried her to the car and packed away the things in the back before driving off towards home. Lena held her breath as they drove under a lit bridge that casted artificial light onto Lena’s face.
Amelie counted 32 freckles across the bridge of her nose and all over her puffed cheeks before finally falling asleep, wondering what life with the exuberant Brit would be would be like after graduation. As she wondered and dreamt, she couldn't think of a more perfect girl to spend her life with.