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One day, Pip and Rooney were hanging out together in the former’s room. They had started out watching some movies and eating some snacks together, but the most recent movie in their marathon had ended. Now they were caught in a moment of conversation.
“This is nice,” Pip commented.
“Sure is, Pipsqueak.” Rooney grinned over at her.
“Don't call me that, Roo.” Pip squinted up at the taller girl, but there was no heat to it.
Rooney just chuckled and grabbed another cookie from the tray between the two girls.
Pip did the same, relaxing as the sweet flavor coated her taste buds.
A moment of silence fell over the two of them, each lost in their own thoughts.
After a minute, Pip glanced over to see that Rooney had gone unusually quiet.
That was strange. Usually, the taller girl could go hours talking about anything and everything. Sometimes Pip didn't even have to talk around her.
“What are you thinking about?” Pip asked, curious.
Rooney, still caught up in her thoughts, didn't hear the shorter girl's question at first.
She had found herself slipping into memories, not all of them pleasant.
She thought back to the relationship between her and her ex-boyfriend and how bad it had turned out to be. Sometimes she wished she could go back in time and tell her fourteen-year-old self to never get involved with this guy, that it wasn't worth it, that all that would happen is she wouldn't get treated right, that she would end up becoming too afraid to fall in love again and instead stick to casually sleeping with people but never pursuing anything more for the longest time.
She thought back to last year when she had first met Pip, how it had taken her a while to discover and admit her feelings to herself, how the two of them had a rocky start before slowly warming up to each other, how Rooney had gradually overcome her fear of intimacy, how they had ultimately become girlfriends, something that Rooney never could've imagined even in her wildest dreams.
But it had.
And while she knew she still wasn't completely okay and maybe she never would be after everything she had gone through in her younger years, she had become so much happier after not just meeting and getting with Pip, but also meeting someone who had become one of her best friends.
Georgia.
When Rooney had started university last year, she never would've thought that she'd make such good friends, start a relationship with someone new after the disaster that had been her first relationship, or start up the Shakespeare Society where she and her friends had the time of their lives putting on plays.
In other words, she had experienced so many new things in just the span of one year. She'd had so many new opportunities.
“Roo?” Pip’s voice cut into Rooney’s reverie, and the latter looked over at her.
“Sorry, what?” Rooney asked.
“I was just wondering what you were thinking about,” Pip explained.
Slipping into her default response, Rooney gave a smirk. “You.”
Pip averted her gaze, heat blooming in her face.
Rooney chuckled.
“Stop teasing me.” Pip gently shoved Rooney’s arm.
Rooney laughed a bit more before Pip found herself joining in on the laughter.
Rooney looked over at Pip. “Jokes aside, I really was thinking about you. But I was also thinking of a few other things.”
Pip tilted her head, curious.
Rooney laid flat on her back and gazed up at the ceiling as she began to open up a bit (another thing she had sworn off doing for the longest time until that fateful and eventful year she'd experienced). “I was just thinking about how my life used to be and how much it's changed since I met you, Georgia, and everyone else.”
Pip laid down beside her, listening.
Rooney glanced over at her girlfriend for a minute before returning her gaze to the ceiling. “I…well, you know. I spent so long being afraid to fall in love again because of past experiences.”
Pip reached over and held her hand, a silent show of sympathy.
Rooney smiled a little and squeezed her hand, appreciating the gesture. “But I'm glad I moved past that. I didn't want to stay scared forever. And I have you to thank for a lot of that.”
Pip blinked, giving Rooney a questioning look.
Rooney glanced over, making eye contact this time. “I know we didn't exactly get off on the right foot at first, but I'm glad you still wanted to give me a chance even after everything.”
“Of course I did. I really like you,” Pip replied.
Rooney’s face heated up, and she looked away. “I know, and I really like you too. But I struggled to believe you liked me at first.”
Pip nodded understandingly.
“So…everything that happened last year, including us being together, has felt like such a nice new opportunity,” Rooney continued.
Pip smiled up at her. “It's felt that way for me too, actually.”
“Yeah?” Rooney looked down at her.
Pip nodded in confirmation. “I'd never been with anyone before I met you. Well, you know. I told you about this before, but I have a few less than good experiences of my own, and I spent a long time not even trying to put myself out there because I never thought I'd find someone.”
Rooney nodded, listening.
“But I did,” Pip continued, turning and smiling up at her girlfriend again.
“You sure did,” Rooney agreed, returning the grin.
They scooted in closer and shared a kiss before pulling apart again.
Another moment of silence settled over them, and with it came peace.
The two of them both didn't have the best track record with relationships prior to meeting each other, but they were glad to have found a new opportunity and another chance at love in each other. They hoped to stay together for as long as they could.