Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Down with the queen!” Pinterest yelled jokingly, still mixing her words in a buttery smooth tint and shaking the table with her fist. The cafeteria was noisy and unorganized, with kids shuffling from one place to another. Pinterest was fresh out of seventh grade ; immature yet charming, while Tumblr was repeating the grade — all because of a stupid test!

“H-Hell yeah!” Tumblr exclaimed back, sketching in her notebook. A small composition book with loose leaf paper was her only sketchbook other than scraps, and then their parents could scavenge around and see her less than ideal fantasies and drawings.

“So, what are you drawing over there, Tumblr?” Pinterest tapped on the page with her pointer finger.

“Oh— nothing, really! Just some sketches.” They said, lifting the book so Pinterest could see. “I was practicing poses— that’s why I drew you,” they lied.

“That’s cool! I love how you drew me— it’s so creative.”

“Oh— oh my god— t-thank you!” Tumblr stammered back, a tiny blush forming on their face.

“So like— what are you up to, this weekend?” The taller girl asked. “I’m going to be at home, so you could visit if you would like.”

“Oh— my parents are kind of strict,” Tumblr responded, “since they don’t know you, they’ll probably say no.”

“Dang. Maybe you could sneak out? I’ve done that a few times.” Pinterest twirled a stray strand of hair with her hand, seemingly staring off into the distant walls of the bustling lunch room.

“That would be cool! But if my mom catches me, I’m fucked.”

“But like— couldn’t you just say it’s for a project?”

“It’s too early in the year, they won’t believe me.”

“Well, dang,” Pinterest began, “Meet me outside my window at 6 o’ clock. I’ll text you my address!”

“O-okay! Will do!” Tumblr’s voice became more high pitched on the last word, almost saying it like a question. Tumblr always did that.

Tumblr threw their trash away after they got up, and headed to their next class.

And their next.

And their next.

And their next.

The cycle kept repeating, like a merry-go-round that never stopped.

As soon as Tumblr knew it, they were packing a small purse for their small trip.

And as soon as she jumped out the window, they knew it
wouldn’t be the last time.

Just the first.

But when Tumblr grabbed the small slip of paper with Pinterest’s address on it, they knew something was off.

The back was smudged but legible. Something was written there, but Tumblr could barely make it out.

“ There’s a nice beach we could go to on a day trip. Wouldn’t that be cool? Sneak out and do stuff. Or my mother might take us— she’d love to do that, she wants me to go and do more shit. — Pinterest !! :) “

Chapter Text

Life was clockwork, a never-ending cycle of time. Class after class, another locker Tumblr had to walk by. It wasn’t even September yet, and they already had a fifty-percent average on a test and a pile of missing assignments in their room.

But Tumblr wasn’t going to complete them.

They weren’t going to try.

They knew all they could do was lay in bed and scroll through endless photos and posts, or the blazing fire inside their head would devour them alive.

So they sat in their room, staring at other’s memories they’d never have. Dark eye bags formed on their face as the blue light shined on them instead of the midnight stars.

It’s all they thought they could do.

Anything else was a chore, the impossible achievement they would never be able to accomplish.

Until the phone rang.

“Hello, Tumblr! I hope you are doing better after yesterday— I knew you weren’t in the greatest mood.” Again, the same voice that resembled the smooth tune of a scrapped poem glided through the speaker.

“Oh— hi! Sorry about that— I was just kind of— burnt out, you know?”

“I understand. You needed some rest, and that’s always okay. I’m always here if you need to talk.”

“Thanks, Pinterest. You’re always here for me, I’m glad we met that time.”

“Aw, really? I’m glad too— you looked really beautiful under that cherry blossom tree.”

Oh.

Oh.

Tumblr’s face reddened up to her ears.

She said I was beautiful! She said I was beautiful?! Me?!

So like clockwork, life was a never-ending cycle of time, but the repetitive motions like low and high tides kept the one memory Tumblr knew they would hold deeply for the rest of eternity.

Sure! I’d love to go! I could sneak to your house and beg your mother to take us to some place like Jacksonville. I’ll bring snacks and stuff, and say it’s for a project (if they believe me.) We’ll have so much fun! Hopefully it is nice weather, if it’s not I would be pretty disappointed. I bet you’ll look cute.
— xx, Tumbly :)

Just as Pinterest looked in her bookbag to work on an assignment, she noticed the note packed underneath her textbooks. A small slip of paper, about the size of her palm.

That’ll be a fun trip.

One time won’t forget.

Like clockwork, Pinterest knew that she was bound to falling in love.

Chapter Text

Pinterest desired to move to a brand new city, one where she could disguise herself and wear a new name, unrecognizable from the person that she once played as. 

A horrible, self-centered, jerk she was, putting down others so she felt valued, so she felt higher than she really was. 

But no first place trophy, no student-of-the-year award was worth how much one simple act tore her reputation down like a stack of dominos collapsing onto one another.

The stench of rose perfume invaded her senses, her hands gripping her hair as if it was her lifeline. 

She destroyed everything, just because of a stupid drawing that she claimed as her own. A sketch that would be easier to throw away in the dumpster, denying its very existence. 

She didn’t do anything terrible, really! It was just some stupid traditional art of herself and Tumblr.

Yeah, Tumblr. The one person Pinterest swore to never forget, was now quieter than she was before they even began to talk.

And all she could do was wait for Tumblr to call, to text, to anything. Her body was held down by an imaginary weight— a cord kept tight to balance the bridge connecting two small islands.

Yet, the bridge collapsed. Rubble and debris clouded the sea below, with no vehicles able to cross. 

There was no money nor effort to rebuild the mess. 

And Pinterest was unable to find the energy herself.

Pinterest collapsed back onto the quilted bed, holding her phone above her head. Her social media was flooded with likes and comments, all unaware of the masterpieces being stolen, like they were grabbed from an art museum without being caught by security or police.

It was all a bad idea. 

The art theft, the sneaking out, even possibly the exact moment Tumblr and Pinterest locked eyes. 

But Pinterest couldn’t move to a brand new city, nor did she have the might to recreate broken machinery for a friendship she would forever miss.

She was supposed to be worth something, to have the undeniable fame of a popstar or celebrity. 

All she owned was a participation award and an unshakable longing for someone she could no longer know. 

A grasp on a rock that was about to tumble forward, leaving her plummeting to the rainforest below.