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It was a warm, hot, sunny day when Red's plane landed. It landed just a few minutes ago, and Chloe was waiting at the gate. People flooded off the plane, but none of them had red hair.
She frowned when the last person came off and Red was nowhere to be seen. So she took out her phone and called the redhead.
It rung twice before Red answered in a groggy voice, "Hello?"
Chloe huffed in annoyance, "Where are you Red? Your plane just landed."
There was silence on the other line, then a loud, "Shit! Fuck Chloe; I'm so sorry! I just woke up. My alarm didn't go off."
The blue-haired girl sighed, but she wasn't mad anymore. "It's okay, Red. Get ready, and I'll find you another flight."
Her girlfriend thanked her and Chloe sat down in one of the seats while she searched for a flight. She sent Red the details then left the airport.
Hours later, Red finally landed in New York. She apologizes a bunch more times before Chloe tells her to stop and explains she's not mad.
Rain pours down on them as they leave the airport and they bolt to subway, giggling. They ride the train to the area of Chloe's apartment and bolt through the rain.
Both girls are soaked by the time they make it and they strip off their clothes as soon as they get inside.
Mind over matter
Does it matter to any of us?
Don't change the subject
I'm heavy on your love
I missed that train
New York City, it rains
Fly to East L.A. in big jet planes
You know you're on my mind?
The air grows colder, and leaves start to fall off the trees, signaling fall. Chloe pulls her suitcase through the city, walking to the train station.
Today, she's flying to Los Angeles, and Red is picking her up from the airport. She bounces on her feet with excitement, eager to see her girlfriend after two months apart.
Chloe takes the train and makes it to the airport on time. 7 hours later, she lands in LA, but Red is nowhere to be seen.
Chloe sighs and calls her, "Hey Red I'm at the airport."
The redhead curses and apologizes while rushing to get out of the house. She picks up Chloe in the uber spot so she doesn't have to pay for parking.
"Hey love," Red says with a soft smile as Chloe gets in the car. She pecks her lips then starts the car and drives to her house.
Chloe is quiet next to her, which is unusual. Red frowns, "Is something wrong, love?"
The blue-haired girl huffs, "You're always late, Red. You missed your flight, and you were late to get me."
Red nods, ashamed, "I'm sorry, Chloe. I forgot what time I was getting you and it turns out... I forgot to set my alarm.
Chloe sighs, "Will you just try to better? And actually set your alarm next time?"
Red nods and holds out her pinky, "I pinky promise I'll try my best and hardest to be better just for you, my love."
Chloe giggles and flushes, then intertwines her pinky with Red's, "Good, you dork."
And if the world don't break
I'll be shaking it
'Cause I'm a young man after all
And when the seasons change
Will you stand by me?
'Cause I'm a young man built to fall
Chloe's been in LA for a week now. She is going home tomorrow but tonight she's going out to dinner with Red and her family.
The girl is once again excited, she missed Red's family. Especially Pink, who always got so excited to see Chloe.
Chloe had wanted to visit some old friends, but Red wanted to stay home and continue working on her art. They had kissed goodbye, and the redhead promised she'd be to dinner on time.
As always, the blue haired girl showed up early. She wanted to make sure she could walk in right on time.
6:00 rolled around and she walked to the entrance where Pink and Bridget were already standing. They greeted Chloe with hugs and smiles. Pink hugged her super tightly and told her she wished she lived closer.
They wait outside for a few minutes before deciding to go in. Once they're seated, Chloe texts Red but gets no response.
The waitress comes by to take their orders. They get drinks but hold off until food until Red gets there.
Finally 15 minutes later she enters the restaurant. She scans the seats then walks over to them when she spots them.
Red sits down casually like she wasn't 20 minutes late to a dinner with her own family, "Hey guys. Did you get food yet?"
Chloe clenches her jaw, "Why are you so late, Red?"
She turns to Chloe a guilty frown on her face, "I'm sorry my love I got too lost in my art. I'll be on time next time I promise."
Chloe wanted to point out how she says that every time and nothing ever changes, but she doesn't want to start a fight in front of Red's family. So instead she keeps her mouth shut until they get home that night.
"Red I really think you need to find a way to get better about time management. You keep promising me you'll change but you never do," Chloe said as she kicked off her shoes.
Red paused as she went to hang up her coat and frowned, "I'm sorry, Chloe. I'm just not good at keeping track of time."
The blue haired girl took a deep breath to calm herself down, "Yes I get that but you could set alarms. Did you set one today?"
Red bit her lip, "Uh... no. I thought I could just paint for a bit then get ready but I ended up doing it way longer than I thought. Then I looked at my phone at it was 5:50 already."
Chloe nods, "So you're basically doing nothing to try and improve."
Red scoffed, "I'm trying to check the time more often. And when I missed my plane it wasn't my fault I forgot! It just slipped my mind!"
"And I told you I wasn't mad about that! But you promised me for weeks you'd pick me up from the airport on time and guess what? I had to call you to come get me!" Chloe yelled, her fists clenching as each word made her more angry.
"I was working on a painting! Time just passes by too quickly sometimes, I'm sorry." Red said, looking down.
Chloe turned around, "Red sometimes it feels like you care more about painting than our relationship. I need you to either get better at being on time or we're over."
She blinked back tears and went to Red's bedroom. She shoved all her things into her suitcase then walked to the door, "I'll be staying somewhere else tonight. Goodbye, Red."
The redhead didn't say anything as the love of her life walked out the door. Instead she curled up into a ball on the couch and cried. Her whole body shook with sobs as Chloe's words echoed through her mind.
Mind over matter
I'm in tatters thinking 'bout her
Taste my disaster
It's heavy on my tongue
All the lights aglow
Tokyo snows
Go to watch the show
Curtain's closed
I'm watching you this time
The air is bitter and cold when Red lands in New York City. It's way colder than the LA winters that she's use to. Even with her big puffy jacket on, she still shivers as the cold air whips against her face.
Her hands feel like ice cubes as she pulls her suitcase to her hotel. Usually, she'd just stay with Chloe, but she wasn't even sure if the blue-haired girl would forgive her. She didn't want to trap them in that situation when Chloe doesn't even know she's in New York yet.
So here she was, alone in the city, ready to make the apology of a life time. She wanted to fly here immediately but she didn't want to let down Chloe another time.
For these past weeks, she's been improving her time management; setting timers, adding a clock in her art studio, checking her phone more often, etc.
She hadn't been late to anything in a week. That felt like enough improvement to try again. This time, she'd never be late to another thing with Chloe if she can help it.
First she drops off her bags then heads to the shops to buy Chloe gifts she very much deserved. Almost $500 later, Red had gotten the proper apology gifts.
There was a bear almost the size of her, which she was struggling to carry but Chloe's worth it. She also got her favorite flowers, candy, and an expensive promise ring.
Engraved inside the ring was 'R+C' with the words "To never being late again" next to it.
And if the world don't break
I'll be shaking it
'Cause I'm a young man after all
And when the seasons change
Will you stand by me?
'Cause I'm a young man built to fall
Red struggles to ring the doorbell with the giant teddy bear in her hands. The blue fur kept poking her in the eye, but if she held it any other way, she feared she'd drop it.
The snow is fall lightly, sticking to Red's hair and the bears fur. The bear was keeping Red warmer but she still shivered when the icy wind blowed.
She rang the doorbell again, hoping Chloe is home. There's no answer for a few minutes so she rings it again.
After that she gives up and collapses onto the bench beside Chloe's door. It's cold and wet with snow but her jacket shields her pants from getting wet.
She sniffles in the cold, trying not to have a runny nose when Chloe returns home. 10 minutes pass and Red's shivering, the cold biting into her skin.
The bear wasn't doing much anymore and her hands felt completely frozen. She stood up and rang the doorbell once more.
After a minute of nothing, she finally gave up, beginning to walk back towards her hotel.
But then the door finally creaks up. Red whips around and suddenly the coldness no longer matters.
She rushes back to the door, "Chloe I'm so sorry. I've been a terrible girlfriend. And I know I haven't reached out and that it's been awhile but... I've been trying to better myself. I haven't been late in a week so I felt like it was finally time to make up. And I got you these gifts as my promise to never be late again."
Chloe stares at her with wide eyes, her curls wet like she'd just gotten out of the shower. She didn't say anything for a moment, studying Red.
The redhead took this as Chloe not accepting, so she handed her the bear and bag with the rest of her presents. Then she shoved her hands into her pockets and blinked back tears as she turned around.
Chloe's throws the stuff on the ground behind her, then grabs Red's face and pulls her into a kiss. The redhead feels warmth run through her as warm lips touch hers.
They break apart and Chloe gently grabs Red's face, "Jesus, you're freezing! How long have you been out here?"
Red bit her lip, "15 minutes..."
Chloe frowned, "Red! You're going to catch a cold! Come inside now."
Red listened and let Chloe tug her to the living room where she took off her coat, and wrapped her in a warm blanket. But she still hadn't said anything about the apology, making Red's stomach churn with worry even though they kissed.
Chloe soothed that worry when she gently stroked Red's face and began to speak, "Sorry for not saying anything, I was just surprised. I accept your apology as long as you promise to continue not being late to everything. Once in a while I get it, it happens. But other than that, promise to at least try and be on time?"
Red rested their foreheads together, "I pinky promise, Charming. I will do my absolute best to not be late."
New York City, it rains
(Fly to East L.A.)
In big jet planes
You know you're on my mind?
(All the lights aglow)
Tokyo snows
(Go to watch the show)
Curtain's closed
I'm watching you this time
Chloe ends up absolutely loving the ring, it now having a permanent spot on one of her fingers.
They spent the rest of the week together after Red retrieved her stuff from the hotel. But then she had to go home.
At the airport, Chloe stayed with her as long as possible. When her boarding was called, she had to blink back tears as she gripped Chloe's hand tightly.
"I'll see you in the spring?" Red questioned, knowing they both can't just up and go across the country anytime they wanted.
Chloe nodded with watery eyes. She pressed a long kiss to Red's lips, "Go before you miss your flight."
Red holds onto Chloe as long as possible, their hands being forced apart by distance as she walked towards her gate.
They both watched each other with teary eyes, doing their best not to break out in tears. Once Chloe was no longer in sight, a few tears slipped from Reds eyes.
She wiped them quickly, trying to blink back the others threatening to fall. She sat down in her assigned seat and buckled her seatbelt.
Outside the window, she could see another plane taking off. But farther, in the window of the airport, she could see familiar blue hair.
Chloe's eyes were searching, looking for her. Red waited, hoping she'd spot her. Finally they made eye contact and Chloe smiled and waved.
Red waved back, her hand then falling to rest on the window. The plane started to pull out and she waved once more, a final goodbye for the time being.
Once her blue hair was fully out of sight with no chance of being spotted, her tears fell rapidly.
She cried silently, her face turned towards the window. Luckily there was no one beside her so her sobbing went unnoticed.
Mind over matter
Mind over matter
You know you're on my mind?
Two weeks later, Red had a big thing to ask Chloe.
Her family had recently moved to LA, meaning Chloe was the only one in NYC. Red chewed her nails to nothing as she rung her girlfriend.
The call answered and Chloe’s voice came through the speaker, “Hey my love. How’s it going?”
“Do you wanna move in with me?” Red blurted out, too impatient for small talk.
Chloe was caught off guard, her face turning a deep shade of red, “Uh- I uh… yes. I’ll move in with you, Red.”
The redhead brightened and immediately started planning.
And if the world don't break
I'll be shaking it
'Cause I'm a young man after all
One month later, the snow melts and flowers start to blossom. Chloe is pulling her luggage through the city one last time.
She says her goodbye to New York as she flies over it. Her smile hadn’t left her face, she was excited to see Red and finally never have to fly across the country to see her again.
When her plane lands, Red is waiting at the gate. They reunite with a hug and kiss, letting there foreheads rest together after.
“I love you so much, Chloe.”
“I love you even more, Red.”
And when the seasons change
Will you stand by me
(Fly to East L.A.)
'Cause I'm a young man built to fall
And if the world don't break
Tokyo snows
Go to watch the show; curtain's closed
The sun shines down on the lawn chair. Red and Chloe sit cuddled up together on the chair.
Chloe nuzzles her sweaty head into Red, but the other girl didn’t care. It was too hot for human contact but they ignored the heat.
That was until Chloe stood up, “I’m too hot.”
Red flipped over on her back, “Yeah I know, babe. I get the fortune of looking at you everyday.”
Chloe rolled her eyes, “That’s not what I meant, sap. Come in the pool with me.”
Red groaned and protested but didn’t stop Chloe from pulling her off the chair. The shorter girl smiled successfully and they jumped into the pool holding hands.
As Red held Chloe in the water, she knew in that moment that this was the woman she’d be with for the rest of her life.
And when the seasons change
Will you stand by me?
'Cause I'm a young man built to fall