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"Taylor, Courtney, I have something that I need to tell you."
Usually, Victoria isn't one for all this suspenseful shit drama, but, today, she is telling her best friends about her relationship with a girl - and not just any girl, but Maxine Caulfield. She's nervous, she'll admit – not aloud, of course, but to herself, and the constricting nerves in her chest.
She keeps her head high, her hands still, her pose elegant, and makes sure her voice hits the perfect level of authority.
"Oh, yeah, Victoria?" Taylor says. "Is this, like, big big? Or just, like, that the top Courtney is wearing makes her look fat?"
"-What the fuck, Taylor?" Courtney says, but Victoria just waves her hand in dismissal.
"Oh, Courtney, who are you kidding?" she says, before looking back to Taylor. "And it's – well, it's the sort of thing you'll want to tell everybody. And the sort of thing that if you do tell everyone, I'll replace your nail varnish with glue."
Taylor takes a breath out. "Wow, shit. I thought you were going to say you'd kill me or something – but that's even worse."
Victoria nods. "Exactly. So don't mess this shit up, okay?"
She gets two eager nods, and momentarily wonders how having sticky fingers is worse than dying. She doesn't ponder.
"I'm dating Max Caulfield."
Victoria waits a beat – one, two, three – and holds her breath when they say nothing. Is that better or worse, she wonders, will they freak out or be chill?
"Wait, wait, wait, wait" Courtney says. "Max Caulfield? The polaroid freak with the tatty messenger bag and creepy geek stalker?"
Taylor looks at her with a gaping mouth, squinting eyes, and furrowed eyebrows, but it is Victoria that speaks.
"Shut the fuck up, Courtney. I tell you I'm dating Max Caulfield and the first fucking thing you do is make fun of her? What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Courtney shrugs but obediently curls into herself, shutting up.
Victoria waits for Taylor to speak first. This could make or break their friendship – she knows that Courtney didn't mean ill, but she has this problem where she doesn't fucking think before she speaks because she's so desperate to act mean to stay in the Vortex Club. It's ridiculous. But Taylor – Taylor isn't like that. If Taylor doesn't agree – this could actually become a problem. She hopes Taylor doesn't realise her own influence because although Victoria has far more influence, dating Max will hurt that, and she'll need Taylor's support. If all she has is Courtney –
Then she's fucking screwed.
"Max is kinda cute…" Taylor says, but Victoria doesn't relax; she waits for the ball to drop. "in a geeky, socially-awkward way but that's totally in at the moment. And she can be pretty funny, and is clearly into you if she still hasn't gone after that Warren guy lapping at her feet. I approve, I guess."
Victoria smiles at Taylor, who is smiling right back. This is the best she had expected, and she hadn't expected it to go this well. "I'm glad you approve." She says, grabbing Taylor's hand.
"I approve, too!" says Courtney, quickly, waving her hand in the air and throwing it back and forth.
"Great, Courtney." Victoria says, actually acknowledging her. "Now, you wanna go out? I'm thinking Two Whales."
"And I have been craving pancakes." Taylor replies. "Lead the way, newly-found lesbian."
Victoria turns around, unamused. "None of that." She said, pointing a finger at her.
Taylor laughs. "Sorry."
Courtney turns around to grab her bag but when she turns back, the door is shut and they are gone. She didn't even hear the door close. "Guys..." she says, sighing. She is so used to this. That didn't mean it doesn't hurt. "I want pancakes."
The door opens. "Are you coming, Courtney, or do I have to drag you out by you dried-out roots?"
Courtney smiles. "Coming, Vic." She says, running to catch up.
Sometimes everything turns out okay.