Chapter Text
Lovely Helen Sharp is laying on her stomach, on a picnic blanket under a tree, reading her battered copy of The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (her favourite), when Madeline finds her. Madeline has never read it, but she realises it must be a good book if Helen had read it almost thirteen times by the age of twenty-one.
Thick framed sunglasses in a delicate cat eye shape rest atop her nose, much more elegant and pretty than the usual pair of glasses she wears. A wide brimmed sun hat atop her head. The splattering of freckles down her arms are more noticeable in her tea dress with short capped sleeves. She is beautiful.
There is something about the way the natural evening light hits her strawberry blonde hair, glowing softly like the sun setting in the sky behind her.
It’s impossible to keep your eyes off of her. Helen is ethereal. Everyone on campus may make fun of her for how classic and neutral she dresses for her age, Madeline sometimes included in an attempt to keep face. But away from peer pressure, Helen is the most beautiful creature Madeline has ever set her eyes on.
The closer Madeline gets, she can feel her heart beating wildly in her chest. Hel only notices her when she is a few steps away from her. Madeline’s shadow is blocking the sun above her whilst her nose is stuck in her book.
“Oh, hey Mad!” She says, almost immediately.
The redhead looks up from her book. That shy, but still utterly radiant, smile never fails to render her to mush. It’s so wholesome, precious even, that Madeline feels actual butterflies in her stomach.
Her small hand pats the space beside her, inviting the blonde to join her on the blanket.
“How did the audition go?”
Madeline scoots closer to her best friend, laying on her back, looking up at the clouds. With no words, Helen understands. Helen always understands.
She carefully bookmarks her page, a black and white photo booth strip of the two of them from their first year of university, gently discards her book and joins Madeline by laying beside her.
Like a moth to a flame, Madeline curls into Helen’s side. Arms immediately wrap around her as she feels Hel press a soft, but shy kiss to the top of her head.
They lay there in silence. A conversation without words. Mad closes her eyes as she feels Hel’s nails gently graze along her spine whilst she plays with her hair with her other hand. Inhaling the scent that is so obviously Helen mixed with her sweet vanilla perfume.
The calm consistent beat of Helen’s heart against her ear helps ground her from the disappointment she had recently faced.
“It’ll be okay, Mads. There will be other opportunities.” Hel wraps her arm around her a little tighter, pulling her close as she murmurs in her ear. “Maybe this one wasn’t meant to be. Maybe they aren’t ready for the star that you are going to be just yet.”
Sweet, lovely Hel. Sweet, lovely Hel who always tries her best to cheer the blonde up. Who will wait as long as it takes to pull her bestest friend out of her insecurities. Who will always hold her hand when she cries.
“But when will it be my turn?” Madeline tries to keep her voice steady, tries not to pout, but fails when she clocks the earnest adoration in Hel’s eyes.
Helen has a way of understanding her without pitying her. She’s grateful for it. Her pride is grateful for it. Instead she gives her a sad smile and reaches for her hand. Pinky fingers tangle as Helen runs her free hand through Madeline’s bleached blonde curls again.
“I don’t know.” The redhead responds, eventually. “I don’t know, Mads. But I do know that when it is your turn, it will be perfect. You’ll have all the adoring fans, the impressively beautiful high notes and the most handsome scene partner…”
Madeline’s heart pangs slightly at the suggestion of a male love interest, but can’t bring herself to dwell on it for too long when she sees the light in Helen’s eyes as she gets excited.
“…I’ll be there to start the standing ovations and the reviews will say ‘Madeline Ashton, a stunning delight in an otherwise disappointing franchise’. You’re going to have more Oscars than Meryl Streep!”
The pair fall into a fit of giggles over Helen’s hyperbole. She needed to laugh and she always managed to do so when Hel was around. Helen never failed to cheer her up.
The way Helen’s face lights up when she’s experiencing genuine joy. How her laugh is much more of a cackle when something has truly tickled her. The way her nose crinkles as she allows herself to laugh unfiltered. Madeline is certain there is nothing more adorable or lovelier.
They eventually fall quiet again. The sound of the trees swishing above them and the calm pitter patter of Helen’s heartbeat against Madeline’s cheek.
“I’m being serious though, Mad.” She murmurs against blonde hair. It causes Madeline to look up and look into sparkling green eyes.
“Hmm?” She takes her turn to caress Helen’s face, causing the redhead beneath her’s lips to twitch up.
“Our time will come. And I cannot wait to be there by your side in a pretty dress when you win your Tony Award and have you by mine when I publish my first book.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Madeline smiles back at her.
And with that she presses her lips to the ginger girl’s underneath her. Nothing crazy. Just lips gently pecking at one another. Helen sighs and her arms immediately wrap around Madeline’s neck. Her lips are soft and she can taste Helen’s toothpaste mixed with whatever flaky pastry dessert she had eaten with her lunch. Helen is delicious; she always was.
Madeline begrudgingly pulls away, finishing with an affectionate kiss to Helen’s nose.
“I love you, Helen Sharp.”
The girl in question blushes shyly.
“I love you too, Maddie.”
Suddenly, she finds it hard to feel disappointed about yet another failed audition because she has those bright green eyes staring up at her like she has hung the stars and the moon, from the girl who happens to give the greatest hugs she’s sure she will ever experience. Helen Sharp is lovely, but she was also all Madeline’s. Forever, and always, and true.