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“Can I ask,” Carol starts as she readjusts the black tie around her neck, loosening it just a bit as she walks, “whose idea this was again?” She and the rest of her band stand in an almost perfect line across the entrance of the latest art gallery installment. Before them are a sea of people all dressed in their best attire, chatting up peers or taking their shots at those in higher positions. It's a night of schmoozing disguised as an opportunity to appreciate modern art. Carol’s already exhausted by it.
“What if I told you it was Val’s idea?” Tony asks and gets immediately nudged with the elbow of the person he’s trying to accuse.
“Then I’d say it’s brilliant and let’s have fun and make the most of it,” Carol says with a smile at Val while offering her arm. “You always come up with such fun and innovative ways for the band to get out.” They start walking forward and Tony and Sam fall into step beside them.
“Great!” Tony exclaims. “So, take that, and apply it to me-” Carol groans and throws her head back. “Please, Danvers, spare me the dramatics. This will be a good night! Besides, the gallerist is my friend. Or an acquaintance. I know the guy-”
“Why are we here, Tony?”
“Because people are here. And it’s good for us to show up to things like this.”
“I don’t know,” Sam says from Carol’s right. “Don’t get me wrong, I love a good stroll through the wonders of art and its many windows of interpretation,” Sam looks around the scene and scrunches his nose up in dissatisfaction, “but goddamn. Did the focus have to be on obscure military settings?” Sam stops and gestures with both hands to a display in front of him. “Like, come on now. Come on! What is this?” The piece in question looks mostly like random streaks of grays and browns. Maybe a depiction of a battlefield? Small, far off black dots could represent soldiers. Perhaps. And then, to the right almost tucked into the corner is a rectangular mess of red, white, and blue. An American flag fluttering in the winds of bullets and bombs? Perchance?
“It is a mess,” Val agrees with a sigh and leans her head on Carol’s shoulder. “Oh no, wait!” She raises her head and then rests it back down. “Yeah, wow, this difference of perspective makes it even worse.”
Tony sounds like he sighs out the winds of the world with how hard the air comes out and rolls his eyes. “Uncultured. All of you.”
“Or introspective,” an unfamiliar voice says from behind them. When they turn, they’re attacked by an alarmingly bright display of blonde hair and even more striking blue eyes. Carol actually squints from the light bouncing off of the dude’s head and blinks before looking away. “Tony,” the guy says and steps forward to wrap Tony in a hug that he halfheartedly returns. When the guy pulls back he holds Tony at arms length. “So glad to see you.”
“Pleasure’s all,” Tony shrugs out of the man’s grasp, “mine. Uhm, have you met the band?” Tony gestures to the rest of them “The band, Steve. Steve, the band.”
He beams at them so hard Carol feels threatened.
“Welcome. Such an honor to have Dark Matter at tonight’s event. I have to give a speech in about twenty minutes, don’t get shy on me if I call you up for a guest performance.” He points at them and grins and Sam’s the only one who seems to fully enjoy the joke. He laughs and points back, wagging his finger just a little at Steve’s behavior. Steve proudly sighs and places his hands on his hips. “Great stuff.” He claps his hands together suddenly and Carol actually jumps. “Okay! Please, continue to meet and mingle. Drinks are being served, we have food lined up on that far table and,” he shrugs, “you know. Have fun.” The band smiles at him and he grins back. Just as he starts to walk away he stops with a snap of his fingers and turns back.
“Oh, Jesus,” Carol mumbles under her breath and Val snickers against her.
“Almost forgot! If you guys do need a jumping off point of where to get started with the crowd, I saw some members of Jetstream over there,” he points. “They’re scattered by now I’m sure but I figured those are your people! Okay, okay, have a good time!” And he’s gone. Just like that. Like he knew he had just personally ruined Carol’s night and wanted to dart from the scene as quickly as possible.
Carol turns to Tony who is pointedly not looking back at her. “Jetstream?” Tony clears his throat and finally looks back at her with guilt strung all across his face. “Jetstream?!”
“How could I have known-”
“I don’t know! But you clearly did because you have that freaking look on your face like some-some stupid guilty moron!” Her voice raises and Sam raises his hands and shushes her for added effect. “What the hell, Tony? No warning?!” she hisses in a lower register.
“If I warned you you wouldn’t have come!”
“Exactly!”
“Alright,” Sam verbally juts in this time. “Can everyone relax and breathe and wonder why Tony would knowingly set us up to have a confrontation that absolutely no one wants tonight, I mean really man, what the hell?” Sam swats him with the back of his hand. “Why in the hell would you not at least tell me I have ways to prepare for this shit.”
“And those ways are?” Val asks out of curiosity.
“Putting Carol in a shock collar.”
Val chuckles and Carol throws her arm up.
“We’re here. They’re here. Suck it up. Look at some art, drink some champagne, and, for the love of God,” Tony turns to Carol, “don’t embarrass me. Hi!” The last part of his sentence bleeds into his greeting and Carol looks up to see James Rhodes of Jetstream looking back at them. They’re really here. Great.
“Hi,” James replies to the band and then focuses on Tony. “Couldn’t help but notice you getting a beating over here,” he smiles at Sam and Sam takes on a guilty look.
“Would you believe me if I told you he deserved it?”
James laughs and nods. “Absolutely.” Tony, surprisingly, doesn’t look offended and steps forward to grab James’ attention. He wraps an arm around his shoulders and turns him away from the group.
“Have you gotten a good look around this place? It screams for someone to consider a redecoration.”
He walks away and Carol watches him go about the gallery like he has an exact destination in mind. Of course Tony’s more than comfortable in this strange environment with enemies lurking around every corner. How does nothing faze him?
Val looks between her bandmates, “And then there were three.”
“I can’t believe this!” Carol throws up both of her arms, effectively dislodging Val’s from being wrapped around it. “He’s so- Oooh !”
“Carol?” Sam asks.
“What?!”
“Relax.”
“Ughhh!” She crosses her arms and closes her eyes, takes a deep breath in and lets a long one out. She does this again and when she opens her eyes, Val’s holding out a glass of champagne which she gladly accepts. “Okay.” She breathes in again and exhales while spreading her hands out. “I’m calm. I’m good.”
“You’re good,” Val reaffirms and Carol smiles as she takes a sip of her drink.
Sam smiles and clinks their glasses together. “Wonderful. Now, let’s enjoy the gallery. If you’re too busy looking at art you won’t have time to see her.” Carol grinds her teeth together but nods and joins the remaining members of her band in a slow tour around the galley.
The her in question is Maria Rambeau. Grammy award winning, chart topping, frontman for Jetstream Maria Rambeau. Maria oh-so-perfect-and-special-and-pretty Rambeau. She shook Carol to her very core. In an angry, fiery way. Their long standing beef wasn’t one sided either. Maria was probably working just as hard to avoid an interaction with Carol and it’s with that thought in mind that Carol can ease up a little bit. She knows for a fact that if she stands at point A Maria would be all the way on the other side of the room at point Z.
She finishes off her first glass of champagne and swipes another off of the tray of a passing waiter.
“You guys are the real artists of the night,” she says and the waiter chuckles.
“High praise coming from an internationally known artist.”
Carol smiles, “I’m never averse to spreading love!”
“Ooh, I must’ve missed out on that part of your character.”
The waiter’s eyes flicker to someone behind Carol and then quickly away as she turns and, rather quickly, continues throughout the gallery floor.
Carol’s skin feels very suddenly hot. Her stomach coils up and turns over and she’s more than aware of how delicate the glass in her hand is out of fear that she might suddenly crush it. She turns slowly, her eyes scanning the surrounding area as she goes for any sign of one of her bandmates but she comes up empty handed. Of course. Of. Course.
When she’s finally facing Maria, Maria’s not looking at her and Carol actually has to move the glass of champagne to her non-dominant hand.
Maria continues to stare at the art in front of her. Some dreary sketch of a soldier holding onto spilled guts and the flag of America. (Okay, seriously, what was this gallery?) Maria takes a careful sip from her own glass of champagne and once she’s done, darts a tongue out over her lips to catch any lingering droplets. Carol’s stomach twists over even more and she accuses the rage for her heart’s sudden increase in speed. When Maria’s done observing the painting she turns towards Carol.
She holds her eye contact then lets her own gaze drop down and then back up. Carol still watches her. “You know it’s rude to stare, don’t know if you were ever taught that.”
“I wasn’t.”
“Glad I could educate you then-”
“I meant I wasn’t staring. Obviously.” Maria shrugs and brushes past Carol, their shoulders bumping together as she passes and it’s that contact that pushes Carol into turning and following after her. “What were you doing butting in on my conversation, huh? Did anyone ever teach you it’s not okay to eavesdrop?”
“Danvers, it’s hard to miss a conversation when you’re flirting that loudly.”
Carol scoffs. “I was not - I do not flirt. Ever!”
Maria faces another piece of art and pulls a face of understanding. “Not secure in your abilities.”
“I- What? Okay,” Carol laughs, “I could get anyone I wanted, for the record. If I did flirt. By the way, actually.” She holds her hands up as if what she’s saying is supposed to be impressive but Maria still doesn’t look her way. Carol drops her hands and works her jaw. “I can flirt, Rambeau. You wanna see?”
Maria finishes a sip of her champagne and voices a “No” while giving Carol a tight smile and walking away. Carol scoffs and then huffs and crosses her arms. Some of the champagne from her glass spills over the edge and she sucks her teeth as she brushes the liquid off, all the while watching Maria walk away clearly showing off in her open backed dress with soft skin and hard muscles on full display. Whatever.
Carol swipes her hand over her sleeve one more time and then downs the rest of her champagne. Not secure in her flirting abilities? Please. Please ! Carol could easily prove her point. And will. Maria’s not getting off that easily.
Carol readjusts her tie again, tightening it up to look more presentable. She finishes off her glass and drops it on the nearest tray to replace it with a full one. Easily, she glides across the gallery floor over to where Maria stands studying another piece of art. Her eyes trace carefully over the canvas and her lips part just slightly as she takes it in.
This’ll be easy, Carol thinks. She’s going to be so easy to flirt with…. Not like that.
She shakes off her thoughts, gets into game mode, and slides up next to Maria, who, of course, doesn’t acknowledge her presence.
Carol’s silent for a minute, studying the work herself and it catches her off guard. This piece actually tugs at her a bit. Two figures, human for sure but the gender of both appears ambiguous, intertwined on a backdrop of more browns and grays. But the figures wear different colors. Opposing teams. Whether they’re fighting or embracing is another mystery of the piece.
Carol opens her mouth to speak but Maria’s words are heard first as she says, “Do you know Steve personally? I saw you talking to him earlier.”
Carol gapes and then closes her mouth. The question catches her off guard but she shakes it off. She has a plan to stick to. “So you were watching me?” she says with a cocky grin and tilt of her head. Maria remains indifferent. Carol clears her throat. “No. Tony does.”
“I wonder how much this piece is going for. If it is at all,” she mutters as an afterthought.
“You like it?”
“I like it.”
Carol studies the piece a little more. “Yeah. Okay.”
“What?”
“I like it too.”
Maria looks away from the piece and over at Carol. “Don’t tell me you’re going to want to go into a bidding war for this. Not to be childish but I saw it first.”
Carol chuckles and shakes her head. “No. I want you to have it.”
“You want me to have something I like and deserve? What wall of personal growth did you happen to walk into this time?”
Carol bites down a smart remark knowing very well that Maria’s making a jab at the time she actually did see Carol walk into a wall at some party or gala or something. Carol had left immediately after and she was only there for fifteen minutes prior to that. She couldn’t stand to be around Maria with all the smugness rolling off of her.
“No wall,” Carol says with a forced smile. “I just think maybe you could learn from this painting. You know, love and care for thine enemy,” Carol says and grumbles, “all that bullshit,” under her breath.
“Are you saying you want me to love and care for you?”
“Are you saying I’m your enemy?”
Maria turns to Carol fully and regards her. “No. That would be giving you too much credit.”
“Hm,” Carol says with a smile. “Probably a good move on your end.”
“Is it?”
“Oh, yeah. You don’t want me as your enemy.”
“Oh, I don’t?”
“Not at all, Rambeau, not at all. Coming across me on the other side of the battlefield? The things I would do would make the art here look like a tea party.” Maria chuckles and Carol feels a buzz start at the back of her head.
“You’re confident in your war abilities.”
“Ever so slightly.”
Maria smiles at her and the buzz grows. “You think if you were my enemy though, we’d end up like that?” Maria nods towards the painting and Carol looks over at it again. It looks more like an embrace now that she’s really looking at it.
“Kissing?”
Maria laughs and Carol looks back to see a shocked expression over her face. Oh. Oh, that was the wrong answer. Carol’s face gets hot and Maria’s laughter quiets down. “You think they’re kissing?”
“I-”
“That’s not a bad take.” Maria looks back at the painting with a faint smile on her lips. “I thought, and this is just me, you know? Not saying you’re wrong but…. I thought the fighting, assuming it had gone on for years, finally wore the two of them out. They’re the last two standing, the world’s been destroyed. Then, weapons drawn, they collapsed into each other, both killing the other and themselves. Battle’s over but without a winner. Without a purpose to it all.” Carol frowns at the painting and Maria lets out a sigh.
“No offense, Rambeau,” she says and they meet each other’s eyes, “but I like my version better.”
Surprisingly, to literally everyone in the room, Carol and Maria stick by each other’s sides for the rest of the night. Maria walks from art piece to art piece and Carol follows along dutifully listening to everything Maria has to say and challenging aspects of it while agreeing on others. Maria has a vast knowledge of art that Carol had never been exposed to before and listening to hear talk about strokes and intentions so effortlessly makes Carol feel special. Lucky enough to be in the same area and able to get insights she otherwise would’ve missed.
At each stop in the gallery Maria stands a little closer to Carol. She turns her head a little more when she talks and keeps eye contact a little longer. She smiles more and lets herself laugh when Carol tells an awful awful joke that somehow sounds clever coming from her mouth. Maria indulges in how good it feels to have her undivided attention in a positive way and acknowledges briefly how easy it feels to be happy with Carol.
When they walk to the next exhibit their fingers brush against one another’s and Maria hears Carol gulp down her next drink of champagne. But neither of them pull their hands away. And when their fingers brush again maybe Carol lets her fingers linger. Maybe Maria hooks a pinky around Carol’s. Maybe they both blush as they pull away and then smile when it happens all over again.
What’s happening? Maria’s head asks.
What the hell is this?! Carol’s head screams.
They stop in front of a sculpture and Carol fights the urge to slide an arm around Maria’s waist. To pull her against her chest and kiss her full and hard in front of this ever growing crowd.
What’s in the champagne?
“Ah, I see you two have found the real gem of this exhibit?” That annoyingly unfamiliar voice says again and Carol looks to her left to see Steve Rogers stepping up beside her. “Without delving too much into the history of this piece, I’d love to give you some behind the scenes knowledge on its background.”
“So…its history,” Carol clarifies and hears Maria chuckle behind her.
“Ahh. Caught me trying to be sneaky.”
“Trying for sure.”
“The artist who did this,” Steve starts without permission, “actually had sixty-seven other attempts at getting it right. If you can believe it. Sixty seven! And, believe me, I’ve seen the other tries and every single one is better than anything I could’ve ever come up with.”
“Are you a sculptor?”
“No!” Steve exclaims, seemingly shocked at his own answer.
“Well, there ya go I guess.” Steve laughs. Hard. And Carol uses his joy as a chance to glance over at Maria who seems more than confused on what exactly Steve is going through. “Uh, but thank you, Steve, this all sounds super interesting but I was actually just about to head out to…. Get some fresh air. Maybe Rambeau would love to stay and listen though.”
“Oh! No, nooo. We- I thought we were getting that fresh air together.”
“Oh, we are?” Carol asks with a smirk.
Maria raises her eyebrow. “If you’d be so kind as to have me join you outside.”
“Of course. I’d love to take you out.”
Maria fights back a smile but lets Carol take her hand and lead her away from Steve without another word. She finds a staircase towards the back of the building and they climb up to the roof giggling and joking with each other the whole way up.
They get to the top and Carol sets a loose brick between the door and the frame to prop it open then takes Maria’s hand again and pulls her closer to the edge of the roof. They both stare out across the city, totally silent from this high up, and take in the beauty of the manmade night sky. Carol leans against the ledge and lets out a happy sigh. “Wow.”
“Yeah.”
“Can you believe we walk down there? We’re the tiny things to something else’s bird’s eye view.”
“Gives you some perspective,” Maria says and wraps her arms around herself. “I don’t mean to get existential…” Maria trails off per Carol’s joking groan and they both laugh. “I don’t see it as a bad thing! Being small can get you places. Makes you evasive and hard to kill.”
“You say that like you have experience.”
“I do.”
Carol turns in her position to look at Maria. “You don’t strike me as a person who has ever wanted to be small in her life.”
“Didn’t want to be,” Maria confirms and then sighs. She stares out at the city. “Had to be.”
Carol’s smile falters a little. “Yeah.” That she can understand.
Maria takes in a breath and moves her hands up and down her arms. Carol stands up immediately and shrugs off her jacket. “Here.”
“Oh no-”
“I don’t need it. I tend to run hot.” She wraps the jacket around Maria’s shoulders.
“You? With a temper like yours? Noooo.”
Carol chuckles and pulls the jacket snugly around Maria’s shoulders. When she looks up, Maria’s looking back at her. They’re quiet and Carol’s heart flutters when she looks at Maria’s mouth.
“Not where I expected the night to go,” Maria whispers. “I didn’t know you could be so chivalrous, Danvers.”
Carol smiles. “I told you I knew how to flirt.”
“Is that what this is all about?”
Carol shrugs. “Maybe.” Maria smiles but Carol sees it’s not full. Shit. “Maybe it started out that way but,” she continues, “I’ve had a really great night with you, Rambeau. Not what I expected either, I’ll admit but…great nonetheless.” Maria’s smile grows and Carol feels proud at her answer. “Maybe…. Maybe we could continue the night some other time? I could get you a coffee or,” Carol looks Maria up and down, “an entire plant of coffee beans if you want it.”
Maria laughs and Carol steps closer. She wraps an arm around Maria’s waist.
“Ahh, Danvers,” Maria says at the tail end of her laughter and it comes out in a sigh. “I’d love to have you treat me to the world and more.” Carol grins and leans in. “But,” But? Carol stops and her smile starts to fall even as Maria’s stays on her face, “I can’t. I can’t,” she says with a hand on Carol’s chest. “We’re leaving soon, me and the band for a tour.” I’ll go with you. “It’s going to be, like, a year long and all over the place,” So? I’ll meet you in different cities, I’ll fly to whatever country you’re staying in. “And I can’t- Committing right now is tough.” Oh. Carol drops her arm and pulls away from Maria. Oh, she doesn’t want me. “But when I get back maybe-”
Carol huffs out a laugh. “Oh, is that right? When you get back. So I’m supposed to, what? Wait around for you? Wait a whole year for you to-to get back and not want me anymore?”
Maria’s smile finally starts to falter. “Excuse me?”
“Not that I-” Carol closes her eyes and shakes her head. “Not that I care. I don’t. I-” She laughs and turns her head away from Maria. “I really don’t care if you like me or want me but I’m not waiting a year for you to find out.”
Anger takes over Maria’s features. “What are you talking about?”
“I was just flirting with you, Rambeau, I don’t care.” Carol feels her own face contorting into a look of anger. “In fact,” she laughs again, this one harsher, “this is perfect actually. I’m not someone who wants to be tied down and- I have other people interested.”
“Is that right?” Maria snaps.
“Yup! Got a whole crowd downstairs I can choose from! Other people who want me, who want to stay with me. You just happened to occupy my time for a little bit.” Carol digs her nails into her palm and her teeth into her cheek. She’s not going to cry. She’s not going to be seen as disposable and weak all in one go.
Maria shrugs out of Carol’s jacket and balls it up before chucking it at her chest. “You are a fucking child .” Maria’s voice shakes and Carol can’t tell if it’s out of anger or sadness and she fights against the guilt rising in her when she realizes it could be both.
I don’t mean it, I don’t mean it.
“Honestly,” Maria starts to walk away from her, “don’t know why the hell anyone would waste their time on you.”
“What?” Carol barks.
Maria rounds on her. “Didn’t catch that? Need me to slow it down? Say it in a way you understand?” Carol breathes hard. “Go fuck yourself. And I mean that literally because I can’t think of a single person who would do it for you.”
“Awesome.”
Maria flicks her off, turns, and leaves the roof.
Carol relaxes her fists, stops biting down on her cheek. She begs her legs to move or her mouth to scream after her but her pride puts her on her ass and forces her mouth shut.
. . .
“What happened?”
Carol makes her way back into the center of the gallery and is immediately confronted by Tony. “What?”
“Maria appeared out of nowhere, rounded up her band, and they dipped! In seconds.”
“Okay, what does that have to do with me?” She steps around Tony and finds a waiter with a tray of champagne.
“Both of you conveniently go missing and when Maria shows up again she’s pissed, on the verge of crying,” Fuck, “and I’m supposed to think you had nothing to do with that?”
“Wherever Rambeau was, I wasn’t. I have better things to do than worry about her.”
“Carol, that’s literally all you do!”
Of course it’s all she does! What other person or feeling or memories are supposed to occupy her attention? Maria Rambeau has been Carol’s number one interest since she’s learned her name and while originally her feelings were hard and angry they had softened over time. Had softened when she saw Maria’s smile in person and had heard her laugh. Her feelings had melted into liquid when she heard Maria sing and when she locked eyes with her for the first time. When she saw Maria concentrate, when she listened to Maria think out loud, when she watched her play with her earlobe during an interview because she couldn’t think of where else to put her hands. Of course it’s Maria she’s always worrying about. It’s Maria.
And she’ll never let something she loves that much get close enough for her to damage with her own insecurities and fears and issues ever again.
Tony tries to catch her eyes and she quickly blinks back the wetness that had invaded them. Tony frowns. “Hold on-”
“Yo,” Carol and Tony turn to see Sam waving them over. Val’s standing with him as is Steve ( Godddddd ) and another fourth person Carol can’t recognize. “Come here.”
“No,” Carol calls back and Sam drops his hand and gives her an exasperated look.
“Don’t make me ‘Jingle Bells’ you in public.”
Carol throws her arms up and starts walking over. “And now you just did it while threatening to do it!”
Sam grins at his job well done. “Oh, my bad, Sleigh Ride-”
“Stop it!” Carol stands next to him and Val comes around to stand by her. Carol slides an arm around her waist and grimaces to herself. It’s a different feeling.
“So glad I could catch you all again,” Steve starts and Carol glares up at him. He misses it though since his eyes are all over Sam and Tony. They really shouldn’t have come to this thing. “I wanted to introduce you to one of my associates, she’s a huge fan of the band and has, honestly, saved my life with this whole gallery so many times,” he laughs with a hand over his chest and a gleam in his eye. Carol thinks he’s hopped up on endorphins or something. “Oh my goodness. Anyway, Dark Matter, this is Minerva Chan. Minerva, Dark Matter. Finally! So glad you two are- Well, I guess five right? Five people individually…” Steve continues talking as Carol’s eyes go to the woman standing next to him. She’s strikingly gorgeous. Dark hair pulled back to reveal sharp cheekbones, full lips coated in a dark red lipstick, dress hugging a petite yet firm frame and there’s a slit in it that reveals a long expanse of leg that has Carol gripping the fabric of her pants from inside her pocket.
Minerva’s eyes slink over Carol and do a careful scan of her body. Carol feels exposed.
Whenever Maria would do something similar Carol would feel seen.
No. She can’t think about Maria right now. Or ever again maybe. She burned that bridge so quickly she wondered if construction on it had ever really finished.
“It’s Carol right?” Minerva’s voice snaps her out of that train of thought. Steve still rambles on to Sam, Tony, and Val so Carol’s happy to put her attention somewhere else.
“When people are feeling friendly.”
Minerva smirks. “What is it other times?”
Carol pretends to think. “It varies. Know me long enough and I’m sure you’d come up with a few of your own.”
Minerva seems flattered and holds a delicate hand over her chest. “Carol Danvers, are you inviting me to get to know you well enough I end up hating you?” Carol laughs and removes her arm from around Val’s waist and feels Val’s own grip tighten slightly but Carol eventually pulls herself out of that hold.
“Don’t get too flattered, Minerva. This is the usual track for everyone I let into my life.”
“Ohh, I see, I see.” Carol stands fully in front of her and reaches up to loosen her tie a bit. “Then, I have to ask, what deal can I get to make me stand out?”
Carol smirks and lets her eyes drop to Minerva’s exposed leg. She shrugs. “You can come over tonight and maybe we can think up a few.”
Minerva’s face slowly splits into a grin and Carol knows she’s won.
There she is, Carol’s mind sighs. Your ‘someone else.’
Carol’s skin feels cold and her hands feel clammy. Her stomach drops in a sickening way and her heart doesn’t pound or express any kind of excitement. It’s just someone else. It’s always someone else .
At this point she expects it… She keeps screwing up with the someone she wants.