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You leave your window open for her every night now. You're not entirely sure when you started expecting her, but it's comforting to have something to look forward to. Gosh, do you look forward to her.
every night for the past two months Powder Lanes (who after three weeks of talking very sheepishly told you she preferred to be called Jinx) has been stumbling through your window, almost breaking her face every time. If it weren't for the glowing blush that covered her face every time she fell you'd think she did it on purpose; if only just to make giggle. It's a nice thought, you had to admit. Someone doing something just to make laugh.
You and Jinx were…different. In every sense of the word. You come from a wealthy family. Walking around your room feels like she's on the set of a multi-million budget movie. (You're the star, obviously) At school, you're "friends" with people wouldn't even look her way if not to laugh. You walk through the halls with this ethereal glow, drawing everyone in like desperate little moths to an open flame.
You and Jinx met purely by a lucky coincidence.
The two of you had AP History together. She noticed you immediately, obviously. Everyone did. Your presence demanded attention like that of royalty. The teacher, who was new with no understanding of the social hierarchy, innocently partnered the two of you up.
At first, she was horrified.
A shy nerdy loser being partnered with the beautiful popular perfect girl felt like ultimate humiliation ritual. It opened the door to so much potential scrutiny that not even Vi would be able to fight off all the assholes. (Though, she had no doubt she would try.)
You really surprised her.
The second the condescending comments and jeers started, you shut it down immediately. Shooting side-eyed glares at your peers and sharply telling them how rude they were being before smiling at her in a way that made her stomach twist with nerves. The two of you worked excellently together. You pulled your fair share of the project, you valued her opinion and feedback, and it never felt like you were being demeaning when you expressed your excitement to be her partner. It was a breath of fresh air. After the project was over, you just…kept talking to her. Sitting with her at lunch, asking her to study together, and of course, insisting she come over after your parents went asleep.
Just like all the other nights before, Jinx ungracefully stumbles through your window, catching herself before she fell completely to the floor this time. You giggle from your bed as you toss away the magazine you'd been skimming. "You're getting better at that." Jinx flushes at the compliment; stuttering a quiet "hardly" before face-planting on your sheets. You tilt your head as you carefully slip your fingers through her hair.
"Your roots are growing in," You tease. "Didn't know you had brown hair."
Jinx flushes before flipping around to face you. "Yeah…d-didn't notice." She murmurs as her eyes locked on your face. Without meaning to, she eyes you from head to toe. From your hair tied back with your silk scarf to your pink satin nightgown that stops at the middle of your thighs. Her heart drops to her stomach as she locks eyes with you again. Your quiet smirk tells her that you caught her looking, but she knows you won't embarrass her by calling her on it. You're too nice for that. (She thanks god.)
"We've been doing this for so long and you're still so quiet…" You trail off as a pout fixes itself on your lips subtly. It's innocent in a way that toes the line of deceit. At this point she can feel the heat crawling up her neck as she averts her eyes to the wall behind you. Suddenly she finds mundane pop stars very interesting.
"…I make you nervous, don't I Jinxie?"
Her heart was going to burst out of her chest if you kept this up. She picks at a loose thread on your sheet as she quickly tries deny your assumption. "N-No! You're just—I never—"
"Never what?" you murmur distractedly as two of your fingers come up to trace the side of her jaw. Her entire body jolts as she sits upright and presses her reddening face into her hands. Your fingers freeze mid-air before slowly falling beside you on the bed. A frown takes over your face. "Are you okay?"
Jinx, breathless and still red, nods into her hands shakily. You tilt your head and hesitantly scoot closer. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Her head shoots up; her eyes wide. She's still flustered, but she's not about to let herself mess this up.
"Y-You didn't! Sorry, I'm being weird. You're just—you're you."
"…Yes? Should I be someone else?"
"No! Th-That's not what I meant!"
"You're confusing me."
She takes a deep breath, avoiding your gaze. "You're just…gorgeous. But I'm sure you already knew that. People tell you all the time." She says it shyly, like she shouldn't even be allowed to see you that way, but it makes warmth blossom in your chest. You'd heard it many times before, but never as awestruck as she said it. Never with such care and attention to your comfort.
"…it's better when you say it."