Chapter Text
Vanessa:
OMG your insta pic!! So. Fucking. Cute.
Madelaine:
Thank u B!! When do you land in LA?? In need of a catchup and the fans want a Choni Q&A!!
Vanessa:
Catching the 4am flight in the morning so should be with you at about 10am?? Got some news I need to tell you :)
Madelaine:
OMG tell me now!!
Vanessa:
So impatient!!! ;)
Madelaine:
Don’t be annoying TELL ME!!!
Vanessa:
I’m literally seeing you in less than 12 hours just be patient!!
Vanessa:
I’d also rather tell you in person but dw it’s no biggie!
Madelaine:
Well now I’m worried
Madelaine:
Give me 5 and we can FaceTime and you can tell me??
Vanessa:
Mads, chill it’s all good
Vanessa:
Promise. Can’t wait to see you!
Madelaine:
Ok fine
Madelaine:
See you soon my love!!!!
***
Dressed in her black ripped jeans, a red cropped hoodie and a black baseball cap, Vanessa eagerly made her way through the airport whilst scanning the crowd for a redhead. She felt her phone begin to buzz in the back pocket of her jeans. “Crap,” She muttered under her breath as she came to a halt, keeping grip of the handle of her suitcase in one hand and fumbling for her phone with the other.
Madelaine Petsch is calling.
The brunette’s face lit up at the image of her favourite person on her phone screen as her thumb swiped across. “Hey, are you here?”
“Yep! I’m parked out front.” Mads responded in a happy tone. “How was the flight?”
“It was fine,” Vanessa muttered casually, starting to head towards the exit doors. “How are things with you?” She smiled at a security guard that she passed as she made her way outside.
“Things are — I see you!” She yelled in excitement, throwing up an arm and waving aggressively as she jumped up and down with all her might.
Vanessa’s gaze set upon the tall redhead and both girls broke out in face-captivating beams. Madelaine ended the call and jogged to meet the other woman halfway, colliding their bodies in an embrace. Vanessa was on her tip-toes, her face pressed into the pale skin of the other girls’ neck, still covered in a smile. A warm wave of contentment travelled through her body, as if she was finally home.
“How are you?” Madelaine said, running her hands up and down the brunette’s back before pulling out of the embrace.
“Tired and hungry.” Vanessa sighed with a light chuckle as the two women started to walk side by side back to the car.
“Oh my God, same.” Mads agreed nonchalantly. “Want to stop off at Veggie Grill on the way home?”
“Fuck, yeah!”
***
After being stopped by some fans for selfies in the street, the pair made their way into Veggie Grill and chose to sit opposite on a table beside the window. As always, Madelaine ordered the same Ginger Iced Tea and Vanessa got the newest drink on the menu.
“How are things with Travis?” Vanessa asked, placing her phone on the table and locking eyes with the female opposite her, trying to hide all signs of jealousy by raising the corners of her lips and forming a smile.
The redhead blushed and rested her chin on her palm. “Amazing.” Dimples appeared on her cheeks from her smile. “He’s amazing.” Madelaine paused before continuing. “What about you? Any one new on the cards?”
Should I tell her? I need to tell her. She’ll only reject you, Vanessa. What’s the point? She loves Travis —
Her train of thoughts were interrupted by a waitress delivering their flavoured teas. Both females thanked the worker and pulled their straws to their lips, allowing Vanessa’s thoughts to thrive again.
Oh my God, she is angelic. Shut up, you idiot, she doesn’t like you like that. She’ll never —
“So? Any lucky lady or gentleman on the scene?” Mads repeated with a mischievous smirk that made Vanessa’s heart skip.
Now or never, kid.
“Well, that’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about…” She responded at long last, gaining a gasp of excitement from the redhead.
Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.
“Oh my God! You have met someone! Why didn’t you tell me?!” Mads reached her hand out to Vanessa’s and squeezed it in excitement, sending electricity through the brunette’s body.
“It’s different — I don’t know — It’s complicated…”
What are you doing? Tell her, you idiot!
“Are they male or female?” Mads continued to interrogate eagerly, a beaming grin plastered over her face causing her to literally glow.
“Female.” Vanessa mumbled as her foot began to tap against the floor anxiously.
“Did you meet them out in Paradise when you were filming Shanananara Chronicles?” The pale woman smirked and gained a laugh from Vanessa. She had never been able to pronounce the name of that show and it made the pair laugh each time they spoke of it.
It was adorable. She’s adorable.
“I’ve actually — “ The shorter girl began but before she could continue, Madelaine’s phone began buzzing with an image of Travis lighting up the screen. Mads went to end the call, but was urged by the other female to take it and that it wasn’t a problem.
“Hey, baby!” She began speaking with her mobile to her ear. Vanessa sighed silently and sipped on her straw, her gaze wandering out of the window, wishing that it was her that Madelaine called baby. She wanted to be the one beside the stunning redhead on the red carpets, walking hand in hand together and locking lips for whole world to see. She wanted to take her home and hold each other in bed, whilst she would place kisses on the pale skin of Madelaine’s neck, leaving bruises of love.
“Where are you right now?”
Vanessa’s attention shot back to the woman opposite.
“Vanessa and I are at Veggie Grill. You can come join if you — Yeah, of course, Sweetest! — See you soon, baby. — I love you, too.”
Typical. Fucking Typical.
Vanessa had nothing against Travis. She knew that he treated Madelaine like a princess and was a really great fucking guy, which only inflamed her envy of him more. As much as she hated herself for it, she sometimes wished he wasn’t so good to her so that Madelaine wouldn’t adore him as much as she does.
Acting as if she wasn’t listening, Vanessa turned her head back in the redhead’s direction and forced as smile. “Everything good?” She sipped her drink again.
“Travis is close by so he’s going to drop in and say hi.” Mads announced happily, drinking her tea. “That’s okay, right?”
“Yes! Yeah, of course!” The other girl lied impressively, smiling back and picking up her phone in an attempt to avoid answering Mads’ last question. “Let me take a boomerang of you for my Instagram story.” She changed the subject, clicking on to the app and swiping across to the camera.
Madelaine smiled and lifted her glass, using her free hand to hold the straw. “Tell me when.”
“Okay.. 3, 2, 1, go!”
On cue, the redhead closed her eyes and scrunched up her face into the cutest fucking smile Vanessa had ever seen, tilting her head to the side and back with a sight shrug of the shoulders.
“Perfect.” Vanessa muttered sincerely. She turned her phone around and got Mads’ approval to upload it for her followers to see, ensuring that she saved it to her Camera Roll first.
“Your turn!” Madelaine announced. For her boomerang, Vanessa sipped her drink and raised an eyebrow, like a detective, as Mads had said. Immediately, they were being tagged in screenshots of their stories on Instagram and Twitter with the captions talking about ‘Choni’ and how they were ‘the captains of their own ship’.
“Anyways,” Mads clicked off of Twitter, “What were we saying?” She glanced up at Vanessa and was distracted by the sight of Travis by the entrance of the restaurant. His gaze met hers, he smiled and walked over to the pair.
“Hey, beautiful.” He greeted Mads with a peck on the lips before turning to Vanessa. “Eyyy! Morgan!” He raised his voice and leant down, placing a friendly kiss on her cheek. “Long time, no see!”
Vanessa nodded and smiled. “I know, right! Is that a new tattoo I spy there on your neck?” Her gaze set on a rose leading up behind his ear.
“Yeah, got a few more last month.” He replied with a joyous nod.
“Cool! That’s cool!” Vanessa said overeagerly before the trio fell into a silence.
“So, who is this person that you met in Paradise?” Madelaine asked after a few seconds.
Fuck, she remembered. I can’t declare my love for her in front of her boyfriend. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“I — uh — I met this girl. We went on a few dates. Things didn’t really work out though. You know; timezones, lifestyles…” She invented smoothly, giving herself an internal pat on the back. “As I said via text, it’s no biggie.”
“Ah, man! Such an anticlimax!” Travis joked, getting a playful nudge in response from his girlfriend. “What?” He smirked. “I definitely thought we were going to have a Shakespearean love story on our hands.”
“Oh my god.” Madelaine smiled that god damn smile again, but at Travis, not Vanessa. She couldn’t take it anymore. She couldn’t watch the person that she’s been in love with for the best part of 2 years give heart eyes to someone else.
“Oh, crap!” Vanessa looked down at her wrist watch. “I promised Jordan and Drew I’d meet them for coffee at 12. I’m beyond late, oh fuck.” She laughed.
“Oh, that’s okay! What about our food? It hasn’t even come yet.” Mads responded, trying to find the waiter.
“It’s fine. I’m sure Travis will eat my tacos.” She smiled and stood, grabbing her bag. “I’ll see you on set tomorrow though, right?” She turned her attention to the gorgeous female.
“Of course. Bright and early as always.” Madelaine grinned and stood to hug her friend. “See you in the morning.” She murmured as Vanessa broke them embrace. She said farewell to Travis and turned on her heels, heading straight for the doors.
Oh, God. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.
As soon as she was out of sight from the restaurant window and safely down a little alley beside a book shop, the brunette lifted her face to the sky and gasped for air repeatedly. The brittle breeze caused her cheeks to tingle in the mild October day and she didn’t even realise she was crying until she tasted her own salty tears falling down on to her lips, as if they were trying to escape the misery inside. She had well and truly fallen for her best friend, who has no romantic interest in her whatsoever. Tomorrow at work, they had to pretend to be lovers; something that was a task for Madelaine but came naturally to Vanessa.
Oh, God. Oh, God. You stupid fucking idiot. What are you gonna do now?