AJ was not accustomed to walking in heels, but she managed to climb four flights of stairs wearing stilettos and her gown. Her legs felt unsteady for a number of reasons, but she persisted. It had started raining heavily, but this couldn’t wait. She had been running around for the better part of an evening trying to find her way here.
She approached a door and noticed a welcome mat that had 'Go Away' printed on it. This was definitely the right place. She knocked hesitantly. A woman with thick, round spectacles and a flowy dress answered.
“Hi, can I help you?” she asked.
“Uh, yes. I mean, I hope so. I’m looking for Vanessa Mable. Does she reside here?”
“Yeah, she…” Daisy’s eyes suddenly went wide with recognition. “Oh my God- you’re Angel, aren’t you?!”
“Angel? I mean, I, umm, I…” she stuttered.
The women’s look of shock was quickly replaced by anger. “I’ll take that as a yes. Vanessa doesn’t need you here,” she spat. “You’ve already said enough to her today. Do you know how many times I’ve seen Vanessa cry? Until today, never! She’s never been this upset!”
AJ felt a pang of guilt shoot through her chest at the thought of Vanessa crying. “You’ll have to trust me when I say that it was never my intention to hurt her.” AJ did her best to peak around the tall woman and called out, “Vanessa! Vanessa! Vanessa, are you here?”
AJ heard some far off stomping grow louder as someone approached the door, and saw a pale, long fingered hand curl around the edge of the frame, yanking it open.
“What’s going on? Who the bloody hell comes round this time of night--” The words died in her throat as she realized who had come to visit her.
--
Holy shit holy shit holy shit. AJ had tracked her down, and she was wearing a ball gown! She was completely soaked, and her white blonde curls were plastered to her forehead. Her face was ruddy from exertion, and likely some nerves. Cast in the faint light of the doorway, Vanessa immediately upgraded her from angel to goddess.
AJ looked like she had stepped out of a fairytale, and of course Vanessa was wearing fucking sweatpants covered in cheetohs dust. She attempted to brush the crumbs off her clothing. “How-- how did you find me here?” she breathed.
“I went down to the brothel and Debra gave me your address.” She tugged on her bare earlobes. “All it cost me was my earrings,” AJ said with a laugh that did nothing to lighten the mood.
“Why are you here?” Vanessa asked, trying not to sound as breathless as she felt.
AJ was fidgeting with the bow on her dress, the one that was accentuating her delicious curves. It took everything in Vanessa’s power to hold eye contact and not let her eyes wander up and down her voluptuous body. “I was hoping I could take you up on that offer, if it still stands.”
“My offer?” Vanessa asked, confusedly. “What are you talking about?”
The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. To run away together
Vanessa had been bawling a majority of the day, thinking she had lost her best friend forever. The rejection had painfully branded her heart, leaving it scarred and aching. Her thrill at the prospect of being together was outweighed by the hurt she’d experience earlier.
Vanessa had borne her soul when she had asked AJ to run away. She had held her heart in her hands, offering it to AJ, who promptly smacked it aside. She could feel her heart contort inside her ribs, afraid to be ripped out again.
“How can I trust that you won’t change your mind? What gives you the right to--”
“I love you,” AJ said quickly, cutting her off.
“What?” Vanessa gasped. She backed away from the door, completely sure she could be knocked down from the slightest breeze.
AJ’s eyes were earnest and pleading as she stepped forward. “Vanessa Mable, you have invaded my thoughts almost every moment since we met. I can hardly concentrate on anything anymore because all I can think about is how much I want to be with you. I even dream about you at night.” AJ was fidgeting with her hands, debating whether or not she should reach out. “I know that I can be fussy and indecisive, but there is nothing indecisive about the way I love you because loving you was never a decision. I’ve hoped and prayed my feelings would stop because you terrify me Vanessa, but I’ve realized it’s impossible. Everything inside of me screams out to you. Every part of me wants to be with you.”
AJ’s eyes were shining with unshed tears as she persisted. “I am terrified of how much you mean to me. I’ve been terrified that you wouldn’t reciprocate, that I was alone in this. At the same time, I’ve also been terrified that you would feel the same way because it would give me a glimpse of something I could never have.”
AJ took another step towards the door, she sounded desperate. “You asked me what I wanted. Well, I want you! I want the smiles, the sarcasm, the lazy mornings, the sprawling gardens. I want it all with you because nothing feels right when you’re not beside me.”
Vanessa’s head was spinning at the unexpected admission, her lithe body felt tense and flushed, and her eyes prickled with tears. “I bore everything to you this morning,” she croaked. “I begged you on my knees. Why couldn’t you say all this then? How can I know that you won’t leave again? Watching you walk away, thinking you had permanently ended things... it broke me, AJ.”
AJ moved down on her own knees, dirtying her expensive golden gown. “I know you have every reason to be hesitant but... doubt thou the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar….”
“...But never doubt I love,” Vanessa finished.
“I swear in my heart that I love you, Vanessa. Please, let me show you how courageous I can be.”
“What about your family?” Vanessa asked shakily.
AJ pulled her long hand towards her, pressing it against her wet, cool cheek.
“Vanessa, before you came to me all of the love in my life had been conditional. You have given me a lightness in my soul that I have never experienced before. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, even all the money in the world. I do have a little bit of money in a private bank account from my years at the library. It’s no fortune, but it’s something to live off of. My aunt told me tonight that she has a vaction home in Dover. She said we could stay there. Vanessa, we could have it all! Everything you said you wanted; everything I’ve ever wanted! Please, let me spend the rest of my life working towards being worthy of your love.”
In lieu of an answer, Vanessa pulled AJ up from the ground and into a fireman’s carry, and took her to her bedroom.
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