Chapter Text
You’re terrible at math. You don’t know why you decided to take an advanced math but the consoler said you were going to need another credit to finish high school. Really, they put you in advanced math, they could of easily put you in an honors lit or honors history. Even science. Nope, they put you in an advanced math. The one class you were bound to fail.
You started rereading Shakespeare at the beginning of the school year, you had a bet with some nerd that you couldn’t read all of his plays in a year. So one fifty dollar, five pound book later, you’re halfway through Romeo and Juliet. It’s your least favorite because it reminds you of someone but you really wanna win this bet and get the fifty dollars back.
You’re at act two, part five, when the girl behind you nudges you, “Um, the teacher told us to pair up.”
You sigh and turn around, she’s cute, she had blonde hair and the way the light hit her eyes made them look golden. She smiled when you made eye contact. A little to happiness and rainbows for you.
“What are we doing, cutie?”
She furrows her brow, “Did you not listen?”
“Sorry, cupcake, I was in the middle of Juliet worrying about every little thing.” You sigh, you really should be listening.
“My name is Laura. And we’re suppose to answer these questions.” Laura held up a slip of paper, it had a list of icebreaker questions that you could really care less about.
You turn around and there’s a copy of the syllabus and the worksheet tucked under you book.
“What’s your favorite color?”
“Black,” You answer blandly, “And you?”
“Yellow.”
You ask the next question, “Who is your favorite character?”
Laura looks like she’s about to have a panic attack, “Oh god, um, Buffy or Veronica Mars.”
“A vampire slayer and journalist?”
Laura shrugs, “I always need a mix. Who’s yours?”
“Dallas,”
“From?” She scribbles down her answer.
“The Outsiders.”
You get through a couple more questions before the bell rings, you scribble your name on top of the paper and give it to Laura.
“Turn that in for me would you?”
“Okay, Carmilla?”
You roll your eyes, “That’s my name.”
While you’re walking out of the classroom, she shouts about how she’s seen you preform at a party.
It really didn’t matter to you anymore.
~~~~
It’s a couple weeks later when you have your first problems with math. The first month had been a review of what you learned last year and you read through most of the teacher’s dull lectures. He likes to do projects and harder things in pairs and last week he announced that you would have a long-term partner. Of course you’re paired you with Laura.
She really was all sunshine and rainbows and hated when you rained on her parade. She was always nudging you to pay attention in class and was always asking questions. She always walked in with the tall ginger from the track team. All it was was disgusting heart eyes and really awkward compliments. You gagged when Xena announced that they would be a great team, she found you at end of the day and asked what was wrong with you in math.
Laura always bothered you with questions when you worked together. Like it was the first day of school. She knew Lafontaine, the nerd that placed the bet, and said that she thought they were right about the whole thing. You rolled your eyes and said you already finished Hamlet and started on his Sonnets.
Today you had a test that you didn’t bother to study for, which was going to kill you later. Everyone was turning the first page while you were still on the first problem. You basically bullshitted your way through it all. When everyone was turning it in and discussing answers, you shrugged and made Laura make that bunched up face when she gets annoyed. Two days later, you had a D- written in bold red letters at the top of your sheet and a note that said you had to talk after class because what you said was Unacceptable and inappropriate for the classroom.
Laura beamed when she got her grade back, a nice A and a a scribble that said Perfect score. You heard her talking about it to the girl who was always paranoid about dates and homework in the front. The girl congratulated her before they were out of earshot.
“I’ll give you a passing grade this semester if you join study group,” Your teacher said while shuffling through papers, “I need a note from your mother saying you are going too.”
You groaned, “C’mon, can’t I just do extra credit?”
“You are, and you’re failing that.”
He gave you a slip for your mother o sign and sent you to lunch. You left after Laura’s friend called you Carmsexy and tried to ask you out to homecoming, you heard will snicker in the background when you flicked his table off and slapped the giant puppy in the back of the head. Big red and Laura were walking back into the building while you walked out, the ginger yelled that you only had ten minutes to get to where you were going and back.
Once again, you could really care less.
~~~
The next day, you were exhausted. Maman yelled at you when you showed her the letter and asked why you couldn’t be like William. You argued about how you could really care less about what she wants to do with your life. She said you had potential but messed up in sophomore year when you met that girl. After getting lectured about that and fought back until Mattie showed up to pull you out of the room and started to ask what really happened before taking you to Sonic to get dinner and ice cream.
You complained about Laura and Xena, math, and you don’t have enough money to replace a part on your truck. You talk about why you miss when Mattie was around all the time and she confesses that she’s worried every time she gets a text from Will and when she drops you back off. You eat way to many tater tots and ask if you can stay at her house tonight. She smiles sadly and gives you some money, she has a business meeting in Washington tomorrow.
“Please, stay safe, kitten. You’ve got one year before you can move out. Try not to argue with Mother.” Mattie says when she hugs you. You nod and get out of the car and she waves when you turn back around right before you walk into the house. You watch her drive off until you can’t see the red sports car anymore.
After hearing Maman’s apology and telling her you were wrong, she signs the form and sends you to bed. She asks you to do better next time. You hear her on the phone when she starts to talk about your father. That she misses him and that she misses when you didn’t argue.
All the sudden these walls are too thin.
~~~
You get transfered into Honors Lit when your teacher tells you you’re to advanced for her class. You were happy until you walk into the class late and all of dimwit squad is huddled in a corner. Laura glances up from whatever game they were playing and smiles at you. You grin but glare when Agent Orange starts to talk about your truck. You hear her laughing about how beat up and you put headphones in and sit in the desk in the back corner of the room and read, hoping Aristotle’s theory of art wouldn’t fail you now.
You hope it always isn’t like this.
~~~
You get paired up with Laura in Literature too. She actually is the only student in the class that is brave enough to ask you for help when you went over old literature. Even though you guys piss each other off, you’re happy someone actually talks to you. You have to do a presentation on what you value most, which is stupid when it comes to a lit class but your teacher says it’ll help you in someway.
You talk about your truck. How it was your dad’s and was left to you when he died. You talk about how even when you couldn’t drive it you took care of it and all the road trips you’ve taken in it over the past summers. You talk about how you and your dad would take drives and you would play guitar in the passenger side and he would sing. You mention that it was his when he was in college and you plan to keep it working till something big happens.
Danny apologizes about what she said after class.
~~~
You’re in math again and practically pulling out your bangs while working on the homework. Laura notices, as always.
“You know you can just ask for help?” She says, looking over your shoulder.
You roll your eyes, “Mr. Voldenburg hates me, cutie, I think he would tell me the wrong things to make me fail.”
“He isn’t that bad,”
“He is when your most of family has been in his class at least once and messed up his system.”
Laura laughs, “You could always just ask me.”
“I’m not that good at math, but I don’t need that much help, creampuff.”
She mutters something about you being broody before getting back to her work. You almost ask her a for a couple problems but decide not to. Voldenburg asks how your studying is going when you turn in the paper. You shrug and he tells you you’re still failing if you don’t improve anytime soon. Which leads to another letter home and another argument. Mattie isn’t there to save you when Maman starts to yell about all the money she’s put into you.
You feel like you’re just another project to her.
~~~
Laura pulls you away from the door after literature one day, she starts to whisper about how Voldenburg asked her to tutor you. He’s figured out that your mom didn’t read the letters he sent home and knew you weren’t in a study group. He’s going to fail you if you don’t let Laura help.
You give Laura your number,
“Only because I have too.”
She squeals and gives you hug, in which you stand stiffly while she mumbles, “I knew you would,” into your chest.
A couple days later you’re bombarded with texts asking what you needed help on and when was the best time for you. She didn’t catch on to your one worded replies so you were stuck reading her texts most of the night.
You think about if she really cares or if she’s just doing it for pride.
~~~
You plan on Tuesdays and Thursdays to study at the coffee shop in town. She always orders a hot chocolate with two marshmallows and orders you a black coffee. She’s always there early too, and has a dopey grin on her face when you sit across from her. She starts off with a review of whatever lesson you did that day and then she goes over the homework. You always try to squeeze answers out of her. She still can’t stand you, she complains when you leave a ring on a piece of paper or when you read instead of listening to her.
One Thursday you show up early, Xena is sitting across from Laura in your usual spot. You figured out by now that she obviously sees her before you show up, you wouldn’t give her heart eyes like Clifford can. You walk up to the counter and order your usual black coffee and croissant. All the sudden Danny is standing up and shouting, she looks at you and you hold your hands up as she storms across the room. Laura asks her to come back to the table.
“You,” She grumbles, “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Hold up, Big Red, this is a public property,”
She looks back at Laura, “It sure seems like you’re following her,”
“Cupcake,” Laura looks at you with a blush, “Have you not told your girlfriend here you’re tutoring me?”
Laura flusters when you call Danny her girlfriend, Danny looks like she’s about to cry when Laura tells you Danny’s not her girlfriend.
Danny’s voiced cracked, “You’re tutoring her? I thought I told you to stay away from her,”
“I don’t need you to tell me what to do, Danny. I’ve got my dad for that. Plus it’s only for a couple hours, it’s not like we’re going out anywhere.”
“You shouldn’t. She’s trouble.”
“What the hell did I do?” You sneer, “Do you think I’m going to take Laura from you or something?”
Danny rubbed her temple, “Laura, she’s gonna hurt you I me-”
Laura stood up and pulled you both back to the table. You didn’t notice the scene you were creating in the middle of the coffee shop, people kept glancing at you once you sat back down. You glared back while Laura explained that she knows what she’s doing and doesn’t need help. Danny just glares at you when she leaves. She tells Laura not to call her and tells you she’ll come back if you hurt Laura.
Laura groaned and put her head on the table.
“I’m sorry, Carm.”
You shrug, “It’s not your fault Xena’s overprotective.”
Laura just keeps her head down for a couple minutes while you try to look at anything but her. She’s pretty upset. Sure, you don’t like Laura’s and Danny’s heart eyes but you never meant to mess it up between them. You get up and get Laura another hot chocolate, coming back you nudge her shoulder and ask her to grab her stuff and follow you. You see Danny while driving, she doesn’t realize it was you who honked and it sends Laura into a fit of giggles when she looks around. You take her somewhere that makes you happy, hoping it’ll do the same for her.
You don’t know why, but Laura trusts you.
~~~
After studying for an hour every Thursday, you find yourself driving somewhere new. The day her and the Ginger broke up, you took her to one of the beaches just out of town. Granted it was almost December but she enjoyed it. That night you find out she has a Polaroid camera and takes photos of what she really wants to remember. You find this out when your leaning against one of the changing buildings, smoking and you’re suddenly blinded by a flash of light and you hear Laura’s giggles. She shows you the photos she took of the sunset and of you just walking on the beach.
“You really want to keep these as your first break up?” You ask, the one of you smoking reminds you of your father. You never noticed that you so much like him. Laura stays quiet, she puts the photos in her bag.
You never really noticed how quiet she can be till now.
~~~
Laura invites you to a party a couple weeks later. You were smoking again. This time you decide to just drive and see where you end up. You were standing on the top of a parking tower two cities over. She tells you the party is Saturday and that you don’t have to bring anything. It’s Kirsch’s, he’s throwing it for the football team.
“So will you come?”
You sigh, “Maybe, Cupcake.”
~~~
You show up to the party late. You parked your truck two blocks back because you don’t want any drunk dimwits messing with it. When you walk in there’s some pop song playing through out the house and football payers everywhere. Will was here too, he left before you, you figured he had to set up or something. A couple boys wolf whistle when you walk through the living room. You see Laura, Lafontaine, and Perry outside. They’re talking to some guy who looks like he came from the 1860’s. You walk out and Laura immediately runs up to you and gives you a hug. She smells like honey and cheap beer, but you never noticed how sincere her hugs were. If that makes since.
“Hey, sundance,” You smirk.
She starts to laugh, “Sundance is new.”
“I started to think outside pastries.”
Lafontaine introduces you to J.P. He’s formal and talks like is actually is from the 1860’s. You tell him that and he asks if you just stepped out of the 1970’s. You roll your eyes and Laura laughs. At some point, someone handed you another beer, and another, and another. You weren’t as light as Laura but you were starting to get a buzz. You stepped out on the front porch without noticing Laura following you and jump when she asks how your night’s been, almost dropping your cigarette.
You laugh and she starts small talk with you. Somehow it turns from small talk to talking for an hour or so. About family and what happened, about annoying parents, and traveling and dreams. She smiled at you when you talked about books and she became so animated while trying to drunkenly explain Doctor Who.
Kirsch came out and offered the last beers, it was getting late and you didn’t want to push drinking anymore if you planned on driving home. Laura took one and thanked him. He glanced at you and you just shook your head. Laura asked if she could spend the night at your house, she didn’t want her dad to catch her drunk like this. You agree and she pulls the cigarette from your lips and takes a drag.
“Those things kill, you know?” You tell her when she gives it back.
She laughs, “You look fine to me.”
You hum and look at the sky, you never thought the stars could’ve shone brighter.