Chapter Text
Liking women wasn't new to her.
Like, her best friend when she was 7.
She was tall and had hair that went down to her waist. Though she usually had it tied back because she was sporty and tomboyish. Her laugh, on the other hand, was soft and faint. She used to joke that it was the most feminine thing about her. Personally, Eleanor didn’t agree, she always thought it was her eyes. They were a deep shade of brown, and she had always found them pretty.
Eleanor didn’t understand why she liked being around her so much, she was always covered in dirt and smelled of the sun. Yet despite that, she always stayed close, standing so close in fact that their arms would brush against one another, leaving goosebumps in their wake.
They fell out of touch when she had to move houses for her mother’s work.
Then there was her rival turned best friend at 13, and first kiss at 16.
She was around her height and had a bob cut. She had pearly whites and an accompanying award-winning smile. She always wore light colors that came with a matching headband. A contrast to the muted colors that Eleanor contantsly wore at the time. She and Eleanor were rivals when it came to academics, fighting to be at the top of the class. They both had near-perfect grades, never being lower that a 97. They made every project, test, and assignment a competition. It had been a routine to them, contantly trying to outdo each other.
It was nice. She turned into a constant in Eleanor’s high school years. And eventually, they turned into close friends. Eleanor found she really liked having her around, even when they competed with one another.
Though one night, they were studying in a library for so long that the sun had set. Barely anyone was there, but they found the silence more calming than ominous. They ended up sidetracked into conversation. At some point, their the topic shifted to their relationships. Eleanor had barely any experience then, due to her focus on her academics, so she found herself awkward when talking about it.
She ended up telling Eleanor she had never kissed anyone yet, and Eleanor said the same. Unexpectedly, she asked if she could kiss her. Eleanor was stunned and when she asked why, she said she wanted her first kiss would be to someone who wasn’t a gross boy. It made Eleanor laugh, and she decided to say yes.
It was soft and awkward, their lips pressed together then parted. Short and sweet. They couldn’t look each other in the eyes and didn’t say another word to each other until the next day.
They never talked about it after that, going on to date some boys in their batch and having them believe that they were their first kiss. Their relationships never did last long though, their ambition driving any boy away. But, they always had each other’s back, remaining each other’s constant for the rest of the semester.
They fell out of touch when they went to study in different colleges.
And finally, her then-boyfriend now husband's best friend, Jacqueline Ling.
Eleanor had first bumped into the two of them walking to class. To be fair, they were the ones unaware of where they were going. Though, both of them were nice enough to help her with the bag that had fallen to the ground and spilled her things. Before she could go, Phillip told her he recognized her, saying they had the same course and that he had seen her at some og his classes. He called her cute and asked her out. She furrowed her brow, muttered a thank you, but no thank you, and walked away.
The next day Eleanor bumped into them again. Phillip had been playing football with his friends with Jacqueline watching on the sidelines, a textbook in hand. The football had landed by her feet as she was walking and Phillip ran up to her. He greeted her warmly and invited her to watch them play. She didn’t have class until another hour, and she couldn't see a reason not to, so she nodded and walked over to sit next to Jacqueline.
Jacqueline smiled at her, her smile just as warm as Philip's hello.
Eleanor had wondered if they were siblings. When she unknowingly wondered aloud, Jacqueline laughed. She explained how they’d been friends since they were kids, and how it wasn’t her first time getting that comment. She also mentioned how ironic it is since their parents kept trying to set them up. She paused then as if the idea made her uncomfortable. When Eleanor asked what she had meant, Jacqueline told her their families wanted them married to merge their companies. Then she found out their last names and internally degraded herself for not recognizing them sooner.
Her focus turned to Phillip. She knew she could put her siblings through college if she married rich.
Jacqueline was quick to grab her attention back, and as if reading her mind, joked about potentially having her as competition. Eleanor chuckled nervously and looked back at her. When Jacqueline suddenly asked to know more about her, she realized she hadn’t even introduced herself yet.
She kept it short and simple, with her name and major. Though Jacqueline insisted she tells her more, saying that someone as pretty and smart as her probably has some shady backstory. Eleanor's cheeks tinted pink as she went on about her background, her family, what got her into law, etc.
She and Jacqueline spoke with each other for a while, barely noticing the passing of time. So when she checked her watch she quickly got up and said her rushed goodbye.
For the first time in her life, Eleanor was 5 minutes late to class.
And in a while, Eleanor grew to really like their company. Philip, she learned, was much more of a gentleman than she thought. He was also terrible at hiding his crush on her, which she found endearing. But she found herself more drawn to Jacqueline.
There was something about her that was so remarkable. Maybe it was the way she looked. Like an Asian Catherine Deneuve. Always wearing the trendiest clothing and jewelry. Looking like a runaway model. Or the way she was such a people person, a social butterfly. Making friends and acquaintances left and right.
Or maybe it was the way she spoke to Eleanor with such sincerity in her voice. The way she pulls Eleanor out of reality into their own little bubble whenever they talk. The way she takes Eleanor along with her when she goes out, making sure she doesn't drown herself in work. The way she brought her food during an exam week, knowing Eleanor didn't have time to make or buy any of her own.
Every time she made Eleanor smile, Eleanor despised her more. Every time she tries to set her up with Philip, Eleanor falls for her a little more. Every time she's helped Eleanor prepare for a date with Philip, they find their eyes locked on one another in the mirror. Every time another part of Eleanor fell for Philip, another part of her died.
Next thing you know, Eleanor and Philip have been dating for 3 years and he’s down on one knee and proposing to her despite his mother’s wishes.