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“Saturday. Are you busy?”
Rio blinks up at her roommate, mouth full of cereal, confusion swirling around in her mind. It certainly isn’t the first time Agatha’s ever skipped smalltalk and gotten straight to what she wanted as soon as she gets home, but somehow it still manages to take her by surprise. She swallows her food and then shifts in her spot on the couch. “Um, what?”
Agatha sighs heavily, dropping her bag on the floor. “Are you busy this Saturday?”
“Uh, not that I’m aware of. Why?”
“I need your help.”
“With what?”
“Being my date.”
Rio chokes on air, eyes going wide. “Sorry. You need me to do what?” she asks, leaning forward to set her bowl on the coffee table. She doesn’t want to risk spilling it in case Agatha has any other bombshells to drop on her.
“Be my date.”
“For what?”
“My high school reunion.”
“Yeah, I’m still failing to see how my involvement is necessary.”
Agatha groans quietly, pushing a hand through her hair and moving closer. “You didn’t know me back then, Rio. I was…not who I am now.”
“Clearly.”
Agatha levels her with a look. “I’m serious, Rio. I was still very much under my mother’s thumb back then and made it everyone’s problem. I had zero friends which I was fine with at the time because I wasn’t about to subject anyone else to my mother’s cruelty if I could help it.”
“That was noble of you.”
Agatha scoffs. “Sure.” She takes a deep breath. “Anyways, I already committed to going so I can’t back out now, but I don’t want to show up with nothing to my name.”
“What about your job?” Rio asks, trying to figure out exactly where Agatha’s going with all of this.
Agatha waves her off. “That’s hardly revolutionary. I need something to show everyone that I’m not the heartless witch they all thought I was. Which is where you come in. I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend so these chumps think I’ve actually achieved something meaningful and worthwhile with my life.”
Rio nods slowly, absorbing the information. “Right. And you need a fake girlfriend to do that? You can’t just find a real one?”
Agatha rolls her eyes. “I don’t have nearly enough time to find someone I might be even remotely interested in and then decide if I’d actually want to be her girlfriend. And on top of that, how many people want to go to a high school reunion as a second or third date?”
“So a fake girlfriend was your next best option?”
“The more you say it the more ridiculous it sounds,” Agatha grumbles. She sighs heavily, pushing a hand through her hair again. “Just forget I said anything. I’ll just let them all keep thinking I’m incapable of love.”
Rio tilts her head, a slight frown tugging at her lips. “You’re not incapable of love, Agatha. You may not have a ton of people that you’re close with, but the ones you are, you love them fiercely. You don’t say it in words, but in how you are with them.”
The faintest of smiles tugs at Agatha’s lips. “As sweet of a sentiment as that is, I don’t think it’ll exactly achieve what I’m hoping for.”
“Which is?”
“To show everyone I went to school with that I didn’t let my mother keep her claws in me, that I got out and bettered myself and found someone who loves me for me. Or well, in theory, of course, because you and I are just friends. But they do say that friendship is the best basis for a relationship, so hopefully that’ll be enough to convince my former classmates that we’re a couple.”
Rio ignores the deep pang in her chest at Agatha’s words, that unfortunate reminder of her deep, unrequited romantic feelings for her best friend resurfacing. She’s been doing great at repressing them for the last few years, but every so often Agatha will do or say something that reminds Rio of her feelings, and then she gets lost in them again for a while. Until she manages to push them back down.
And agreeing to be Agatha’s pretend girlfriend for a night might just be her undoing.
Rio swallows thickly. “Um, you’re sure it won’t be…awkward? Pretending to be a couple?”
Agatha shrugs. “I don’t see why it would be. Like I said, we’re already friends. If we tell people our relationship is still in the early stages, it’s the perfect excuse for why we aren’t too nauseating.”
“Right. And telling them that you don’t have a partner because you’re focused on work and yourself just…never occurred to you?”
Agatha pauses, blinking. “I mean…I suppose I could do that. But that kind of defeats the purpose of me trying to prove to them that I’m doing way better than they thought I would. A relationship is the key to that.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Now are you going to help me or not?”
Rio sighs heavily, knowing deep down that there’s truly only one way this is going to go. She can try to fight it all she wants, but Agatha’s incredibly stubborn when she wants to be and Rio has had a hard time denying her anything pretty much from the day they met. This situation is no exception.
She’s definitely going to regret it by the end of the weekend.
.
.
.
Rio isn’t entirely sure what she expected Agatha’s high school reunion to be like, considering the woman doesn’t speak much about what her life was like before they met. And if she does talk about it, it’s not always fondly. All Rio really knows is that Agatha’s adolescent years were tougher than they should have been because of her mother who is thankfully now six feet under ground.
For her part, Agatha did give Rio a bit of a crash course of the most important things for her to know going into the reunion, details that a longtime-friend-turned-girlfriend would know. She’d also told Rio to stick as close to the truth as possible whenever someone asks about their relationship, and if she doesn't know how to answer something, to just keep it vague so she doesn’t blow the whole thing.
Rio could only scoff at that, offended that Agatha has zero faith in her ability to pull this off. She might fall even more in love with her best friend by the end of the night, but at least she’ll be convincing.
But now, as they’re walking into the event hall that’s hosting the reunion, Rio is already starting to regret agreeing. Actually, she’d started regretting it the moment Agatha walked out of her bedroom in a deep purple suit that hugs her body perfectly and a sharp set of heels that Rio really wouldn’t mind being pinned under for the rest of her life.
Unfortunately for her, she’d chosen a dark green dress with an incredibly low back, not even thinking about the fact that Agatha would place her hand there to guide Rio into the building. She’d muttered that it was all part of the act, but Rio swears Agatha is doing it because she secretly knows how Rio feels and wants to torture her. Either way, she’s both hating and loving the situation.
“Well if it isn’t Agatha Harkness. Didn’t think we’d be seeing you here.”
Rio shifts her gaze in time to catch the pinched expression on Agatha’s face, her hackles rising already at the tone of voice the woman behind the table had used. Agatha wasn’t kidding, then.
Agatha’s face relaxes a moment later, though there’s still some tension in it. “I’m an alumni, aren’t I?”
“As I recall, you just barely managed to graduate.”
“Still did it. Not surprised to see you here, though. Tell me, CC, did you start planning this the minutes after graduation? Or did you wait at least six months before settling on a theme?”
The woman behind the table–CC–scowls.
Agatha chuckles quietly, reaching forward to grab a name badge off the table, clipping it to the lapel of her jacket. “Oh, forgive me for being rude, I haven’t introduced you to my plus one.” Agatha snakes an arm around her waist and pulls their bodies flush. “This is my girlfriend, Rio. Say hi, darling.”
Rio swallows thickly at the heat emanating from Agatha’s hand on her hip. She smiles politely at the woman and gives her a small wave. “Hi.”
CC raises a brow. “You’re dating Agatha?”
“Sure am. I’m the luckiest woman alive.”
“Uh-huh,” CC says, clearly unconvinced.
Agatha’s hand tightens slightly. “Well, we should really be getting inside. It was great seeing you,” she says, her voice dripping with false sweetness. Not many would be able to catch it, but Rio’s known Agatha long enough by now to be able to.
“I take it that wasn't a friend of yours?” Rio questions even though she already knows the answer.
Agatha snorts as she guides Rio further into the space. “Hardly. That was Cecilia, aka CC, the ringleader of the little pack that tormented me the most growing up. Never physically, just threw insults at me every chance they could and did what they could to make my life at school hell. And because their mothers ran in the same culty circle that mine did, I was somehow always in the wrong.”
Rio’s heart breaks at her best friend’s words. “I wish I’d known you back then. I would have been your friend.”
“You’d have been the only one.”
Rio shrugs. “Don’t they say sometimes all you need in life is just one really good friend?”
Agatha cracks a smile. “I suppose.” She takes a deep breath, removing her arm from Rio’s waist to grip her hand instead, tugging her across the floor. “Let’s hope they at least have decent alcohol in this place.”
Rio follows willingly, though she isn’t sure she’ll be able to control herself around Agatha if she gets any alcohol in her system. Her mind is already going a little fuzzy from the handholding. Granted, it’s probably left over from when Agatha’s arm was wrapped around her, but still, she’s not exactly in a perfect state of mind. She doesn’t know how much longer she’s going to last.
Once they’ve gotten their drinks that Agatha is mildly pleased with, they begin wandering around the floor. Naturally, Rio sticks close to Agatha’s side, doing her best not to react whenever Agatha’s hand brushes her lower back or grabs her hand to pull her closer in order to whisper some old rumor or tidbit about a former classmate. It’s certainly interesting to meet so many people who knew Agatha long before Rio did, but it also makes Rio want to stab each of them repeatedly with the way they look and talk about Agatha.
“Why do you look like you want to murder someone?” Agatha asks her, taking a long sip of her drink once the latest person to insult Agatha walks away.
Rio’s grip tightens around her own cup. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You forget how well I know you,” Agatha reminds her, turning fully to face her. “Out with it.”
Rio fixes her gaze on the liquid in her cup. “I just don’t like the way they were talking to and about you. They weren’t even trying to be subtle.”
Agatha sighs. “Please don’t let this eat at you, okay? I’m not the least bit surprised this is how they’re all acting. I expected it, honestly. I dealt with it for eighteen years, I didn't think it was going to magically change after ten years of not seeing them.”
Rio’s throat tightens. “That just makes it worse.” She spins toward Agatha. “I hate that you had to deal with that for any amount of time, it isn’t right. None of them ever bothered to get to know you. And I know you’ve said that you never gave anyone the chance because of your mother, but they could have tried. I would have.”
Agatha smiles softly. “You did. Second day of orientation.”
“Would have been day one but I needed to psych myself up to actually talk to you. But I knew you’d be one of the best things to happen to me if I did. And I’m very glad I was right.” She can’t help the wide smile that pulls at her lips, her heart pounding in her chest at the double meaning behind her words. Agatha may just see her as a friend, but for Rio, Agatha is her greatest love, even if nothing ever happens between them.
“Well well well, as we live and breathe. Agatha Harkness.”
Rio’s smile drops, immediately clocking how tense Agatha’s body has become, her hand holding her glass with a vice-like grip.
The brunette downs the last of her drink and then turns slowly toward the half dozen women who are standing in front of them. “Ladies. How are you? Have you learned how to have your own thoughts by now? Or are you still acquiescing to everything your mothers tell you?”
The woman at the front–Camille, from the looks of her name badge–narrows her eyes. “Our mothers are good women.”
Agatha smiles. “Still a bit of a shared mind type of thing, then, got it. I suppose it’s nice to know some things haven’t changed.”
“CC said you had a girlfriend now, we had to see it for ourselves. How much are you paying her to be here?”
Rio’s resolve finally snaps at the insinuation. “For your information, I’m here completely willingly. Agatha asked, I said yes. No transaction.”
Camille eyes her up and down, scoffing. “As if we believe that. There’s no way Harkness pulled you.”
“Well, she did,” Rio continues. “Not that it’s really any of your business, but we’re very happy together. It may still be early on in the relationship, but I honestly can’t see myself ever being with another woman. Agatha’s amazing.”
One of the other women snorts. “Yeah, she’s definitely being paid.”
Rio throws her hands up in exasperation. “I don’t know why I'm even bothering. Agatha told me it was highly likely that none of you would change your opinion on her, even though it was probably influenced by your mothers and hers, and you never bothered to actually try and get to know her. Apparently everyone who went to this school hates my girlfriend, but I bet none of you can give me a legitimate reason as to why. Me, on the other hand? I can give you a dozen reasons right now why Agatha is the greatest person to walk this planet. But none of you deserve to know that. Because you don’t deserve to know her, not with the way you treated her back then or even tonight. Newsflash, you’re not in high school anymore, grow up.”
Without another word, she turns, grabs Agatha’s hand, and pulls her across the floor to the exit. Her heart is pounding and her breathing is heavy, she’s sure her face is red from fuming. But she’s not sorry. She’d do it all again in a heartbeat.
A gentle tug on her hand makes her pause. She glances back with furrowed brows. “Agatha? Come on, we’re getting out of here. Those people don’t deserve to be in your presence.”
Something flashes across Agatha’s face and her grip on Rio’s hand tightens.
Rio’s anger slowly starts to dissipate as she moves closer to Agatha. Her heart clenches at the obvious tears in the other woman’s eyes. She reaches up with her free hand to brush a few stray ones away. “Hey,” she says softly. “You okay?”
Agatha swallows. “You…What you said back there…”
Rio winces, pulling her hand away. “Was it too much? Did I lean too far into the fake girlfriend persona? I promise it wasn’t my intention to make a scene, but then they didn’t even try to hide the fact that they think the only way you could get a date is by hiring someone and I just…I couldn’t let them get away with it.”
The corners of Agatha’s lips twitch. “Believe it or not, I’ve never had anyone defend me like that.”
Rio shrugs. “I choose not to think about it. It makes me sad.”
Agatha chuckles lightly. “Well, thank you. It was…sweet of you to do that. You really went above and beyond tonight. I think they’ll all believe we’re together now.”
Rio sucks in a sharp breath at the reminder. She pulls her lips in tight and drops Agatha’s hand. “Right. So uh, I guess my job is done then, huh?” She immediately winces at her choice of words. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it to come out like that. I just…I think I’m kinda tired after going off on those women. They clearly can’t think for themselves and the fact they’re still treating you like that after ten years is disgusting.”
Agatha shrugs. “I don’t let it get to me.”
“Well, you should. I mean…I don’t get why you don’t stand up for yourself to them. If I hadn’t stepped in, would you have let them keep talking about you the way that they were?”
“Probably.”
Rio throws her hands up. “Okay. So that’s exactly why I had to say something. I know that this”—she gestures between their bodies—“was completely fake for you tonight and doesn’t go beyond friendship, but how I feel about you is completely real. And I couldn’t just stand by silently while some probably-peaked-in-high-school freaks berated the woman I lo—my best friend.” Her heart thuds loudly in her chest and she prays that Agatha didn’t notice her almost slip-up. “You may not care what insults they throw your way, but I do, okay?”
Agatha nods slowly, her voice barely above a whisper as she says, “Okay.”
Rio’s breathing is heavy and she swallows thickly. “Good. So can we please go now?” She turns and starts making her way toward the door again, only to be stopped by a hand around her wrist. She glances over her shoulder, brows furrowing at the almost pained look on Agatha’s face. She turns fully. “Agatha?”
“What were you going to say? You cut yourself off and then called me your best friend. But what were you going to say instead?”
“I…I don’t…”
Agatha steps closer. “Rio. What were you going to say?”
Rio swallows thickly. “I was going to say…that you’re…the woman I…love.”
Agatha nods. “I see.”
Rio closes her eyes, fighting back tears. She should have kept her mouth shut, she should have lied, she should have walked away and taken a cab home. She’s completely ruined their friendship by confessing her feelings and now Agatha’s going to hate her and want to move out and never talk to her again because she—
A gentle hand is on her cheek, the thumb rubbing softly against her skin. She hesitates for only a moment, scared of what she’ll find, and then opens her eyes.
Agatha is watching her, but there’s no anger or annoyance on her face. She’s simply smiling. “You’re spiraling, sweetheart.”
Rio opens and closes her mouth a few times. “Wha…”
Agatha chuckles quietly. “You're forgetting that for as well as you know me, I know you that well too.”
“Sorry. I just…I don’t want my feelings to complicate things or ruin our friendship.”
Agatha’s brows furrow. “Why would it ruin things?”
Rio’s eyes go wide. “Uh…maybe because I just admitted to being in love with you which I know is completely one-sided.”
The corners of Agatha’s lips twitch. “Are you so sure about that?”
Rio’s heart pounds in her chest. She prays this isn’t just some cruel dream she’s going to wake up from. Again.
“So you’ve dreamed about me? More than once?”
Rio wants to bury herself in a large hole and never come back to the surface. This is too mortifying. She closes her eyes again. “Please tell me I didn’t admit that out loud.”
“Would if I could.”
Rio sighs. “No, you wouldn’t.”
Agatha laughs. “You're right. I wouldn’t.”
Rio groans. “Please just forget I said anything, okay? We can go back in there if you want and continue to pretend for the rest of the night even though it’ll actually be torture for me but I thi—”
“I don’t want to forget.”
Rio’s eyes snap open. “You don't?”
Agatha shakes her head. “No.” She takes a deep breath. “Because I…I have feelings for you too.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I didn’t…I wasn’t sure how to tell you.”
Rio’s gaze narrows slightly, a few pieces of a puzzle she didn’t know she was building finally falling into place. “Hang on, you knew that bringing a date to this thing wouldn’t change their opinions of you.”
Agatha shifts. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Rio shakes her head, her lips pulling into a smile. “No, don’t do that. You’ve already said you have feelings for me.”
“Yes.”
“And instead of asking me out like a normal person, you convince me to go to your high school reunion with you. Why?”
Agatha’s lips purse. “Seems like you’re doing a great job of putting it together. Why don’t you go ahead and finish it?”
“No, I wanna hear you say it.”
“I wanted…I wanted…”
Rio takes a tiny step closer. “Yes?”
Agatha huffs. “You drive me crazy, Rio.”
“Great start.”
“Let me finish.” She takes a deep breath. “You drive me crazy, because I can’t stop thinking about you. And not just in the normal best friend and roommate kind of way. In a ‘I want to push you up against the nearest surface and kiss you senseless everytime you’re in the same room as me and wake up with you in my arms every morning’ kind of way. It’s…I didn’t know how to tell you without making things weird, especially if you didn’t feel the same way, but I wanted to know what it’d be like, even just for one night. So I asked you to be my date to my high school reunion under the guise that I wanted to show everyone here that I’d made something of myself even though I really don’t care what any of them thinks. I only care what you think.” She lets out a small breath. “So please, say something before I go crazier than I already am.”
Rio shakes her head and steps even closer to Agatha until there’s barely an inch of space between them. “You’re not crazy,” she tells the other woman, her voice barely above a whisper. Her hands shake slightly as she reaches for Agatha’s face, cradling it reverently. With one quick tug she connects their lips, a spark igniting and shooting through her body, lighting it on fire in the best way possible. Hands land on her hips, squeezing, their bodies pressing together. “You’re so not crazy,” she mumbles, each one of her senses consumed by Agatha.
When the need for air is too great, Rio pulls back reluctantly but stays close, resting her forehead against her love’s. Her thumbs stroke slowly against the skin of Agatha’s cheeks. “I have been wanting to do that for so long,” she whispers, a small smile on her lips.
“This changes things now, doesn’t it?”
Rio laughs quietly. “Baby, this changes everything. I’ve got you now, I'm not letting you go.”
Agatha leans back, raising one eyebrow though there’s a smile on her face. “Oh you’ve got me now, do you?”
Rio just grins and nods. “Yeah. But you’ve got me too.” She leans in for another quick kiss. “I’m all yours. For the rest of my life.”
“Mm. That’s a pretty long time. I suppose I can make that work. Now let’s get out of here. I’m thinking….Chinese or Thai?”
Rio’s smile softens at the suggestion. Late night takeout with Agatha has been one of her favorite activities since they met in college. Rio has only ever missed it when she’s been painfully ill. Which thankfully doesn’t happen often. Now the tradition feels so much more sacred.
“Chinese.”
Agatha smiles a little brighter. “Perfect. You're buying.”
Rio scoffs lightly as they both begin moving toward the door. “Oh, am I?”
Agatha nods. “Yes. I paid last time.”
Rio opens her mouth to refute, before the exact memory resurfaces. Agatha did indeed pay last time. She sighs again. “Fine. I’ll pay. Consider it our first date.”
Agatha smiles, grabbing her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. “Sounds perfect.”