0.14

fingers drumming on the counter, gwendolyn nervously fiddled with the sleeves of her shirt.

after yesterday when karla had fallen asleep on top of her chest, she decided today would be the perfect day for them to be together.

it was just the matter of actually telling her that gwen was nervous about.

she came out of her trance once the door opened, revealing madeline dressed in sweats.

"awh, look at you all cute." madeline greeted gwen. "what are you dressed up for?"

gwendolyn wore a lace tank top under a light blue, gingham pattern button-up. white jeans and converse finished the look along with a touch of madeline's makeup she'd let her borrow.

"i think i'm gonna do it today," gwendolyn stated.

"do what? clean this place for the 10th time this week?"

"good guess, but no." gwen tugged on madeline's hoodie sleeve. "c'mon, guess!"

"fine, okay, okay." madeline paused. "you're finally asking ms. valetin out on your little date?"

"bingo! how'd you know?"

"you're a very predictable person. plus your face lights up every time you talk about her." madeline pointed out.

gwendolyn twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. "i really like her, and she's amazing and— you get the point. i have everything in mind, but i just don't know how to ask her."

madeline hummed. "just walk up to her office and ask. she'd buy you the moon if she could. i mean, she has the money to."

"you know maddy since you're one of the best people on this planet..."

"go ahead and say it."

"can you come with me when i ask her? please?" gwen begged, clasping her hands together.

"uh, no." madeline declined. "i'm not here to get in the middle of your love story. but i'll be your mortal support, if that makes you feel any better."

gwen set her head onto the counter. "ugh, what do you think she'll say? what if—"

"don't even start with that," madeline assured. "you never know if you don't try, so just go and ask her. if she even thinks about rejecting you, she's crazy."

"are you sure she won't?" gwen uttered.

"100 percent. now stop bugging me and actually do it," declared madeline, shoving gwen out the door and into the hallway.

as soon as she heard the click of the door, gwendolyn knew she couldn't turn back. fiddling with her sleeves, she remembered the first time she had walked down this hallway. it had seemed so long ago, when everything was uncertain.

"je vous l'ai dit, je n'en ai aucune idée! laissez-moi faire ce que je dois faire." ezra sneered, walking down the hallway with a phone pressed to his ear." (i told you, i have no fucking clue! let me do what i need to do.)

the moment he saw gwendolyn, ezra turned off his phone. "je dois y aller. parle-moi quand tu voudras bien m'écouter, d'accord?" he enveloped her in a hug. "gwen! the best and my favorite person ever!" (got to go. talk to me when you'll actually listen, okay?

"hi, ezra," she giggled. "you don't need to exaggerate when you see me."

he ruffled gwen's hair. "who said i was? you're the most sane person here. anyways, what are you up to?"

"uh, well..." she rubbed the back of her neck. "i'm going to see karla."

"oh, really? and do what?" teased ezra.

gwendolyn shook her head as her face slowly turned red. "what— no! nothing like that! i just wanted to ask her out on a date..."

"look at you taking the first move!" ezra cheered. "go in there at your own risk though, it's a complete mess. but she needs someone who isn't me to get her outta there. you got this though!"

"wait, can you—" gwen watched as he left. "i guess not."

guess i'll have to do it myself.

two light knocks were heard on the door, and she knew it could only be one of two things:

her food delivery, or another thick stack of files. she had a feeling it was the latter.

"entrez." she groaned, her head pressed against the table. (come in.)

when the door unlocked, karla didn't bother to look and pointed at the chair. "sit down and say what you need. i'll see what i can do."

"well, i... wanted to—"

"gwendolyn?" karla exclaimed, heart racing from hearing her voice. "mon cher, i apologize. i didn't mean to be so dismissive."

the said girl fiddled with her hands laid on her lap. "oh, no, it's fine, really! i get the feeling."

feeling slightly embarrassed by the mess of her office that gwendolyn had to witness, she propped her head on top of her hands. "so why have you come to see me, dear? missed me already?"

gwen blushed. "yeah... that's why i wanted to ask if you want to hang out with me."

"hang out?" karla grinned. "are you asking me out on a date?"

"y-yeah. i mean, you don't have to say yes. it's nothing special like you've done for me, but i really planned it out myself and everything!"

karla stood up from her desk and sauntered behind gwendolyn, hugging her tightly. "really? just for me?"

"yes, really! i know you've been working a lot, so maybe you can take this time to just relax, with me of course." she paused. "only if you want to," gwen added.

"of course i would. i'd be crazy to say no to you, darling." karla kissed gwen's cheek. "what do you have planned?"

gwen perked up happily. "well, it might be a little bit childish..."

▢▢▢

and it was.

"see, look! it's so cute!" gwen cheered.

the date turned out to be in gwendolyn's room with the TV playing in the background as they built a pillow fort. gwen was shocked at the fact that karla had never built one, so she decided to create one with her.

sure, it was silly, but karla truly didn't mind— there was something so serene about laughing and giggling with gwen that made every single second worth it.

in karla's mind, it was like living out childhood moments that she never had the chance to.

she liked— no, loved that feeling. the feeling that gwendolyn gave her every time she was around. in all honestly, karla knew she liked gwen, and she was certain she liked her too.

so why can't i just—

"ohmygosh, the fairy lights make it so much cuter! see karla, look at it!" raved gwen, looking back at karla.

"it is," agreed karla. "honestly, i didn't believe that you could make a fort with just chairs and blankets, but i greatly underestimated you."

gwen laughed. "it's even better when you lay down inside! it puts all the hard work to use, and it's really comfy."

she wriggled in first, being able to comfortably lay onto the blankets below her. karla then followed behind her, although her legs were sticking out of the blanket.

"my legs are too long." karla remarked, a faint chuckle escaping her lips.

"oh gosh," gwen uttered. "should i go get another blanket? you don't have to—"

karla drew gwendolyn up to her face, their bodies fitting together like puzzle pieces. "stay. you're warm."

the lights above them illuminated every freckle on the girl's face as karla looked down at her. an idle thumb slid over her cheek gently.

just the two of them.

soft words followed after, easy conversation drifting off their tongues.

"karla?" sounded gwen, voice barely audible.

"mhm?"

"why do you like me?"

a swift silence followed after, karla processing the question in her mind.

"actually, nevermind. forget i even asked you that!" gwendolyn fretted after hearing her quietness.

karla took hold of her freckled cheeks. "why wouldn't i like you darling?" she gazed over to gwen's kissable cheeks, begging for kisses to be pressed on them.

so she did.

"the way you're so helpful to others."

kiss.

"how happy you look when talking about the things you love."

kiss.

"how you make me feel when i'm around you."

kiss.

"the way you're willing to listen to others."

kiss.

"and every single last freckle on that beautiful body of yours."

her last words were punctuated with a final kiss, leaving gwendolyn completely red-faced.

"you're perfect to me. every single inch of you. would you like me to say more?" karla teasingly shot a smile at her.

gwendolyn turned away under karla's stare. "n-no," she stammered. "i just... wasn't really sure..."

"i want to know you better, spend more time with you, and see where things will go. so, there's only one more way i can express it."

"be my girlfriend, gwendolyn westbrook."

a soft gasp left gwendolyn's mouth. "yes, i'd love too!" she threw her arms around karla, engulfing her into a heartfelt kiss.

both of their heartbeats were in sync at that very moment. their warm lips moving slowly against another, pouring their blossoming love into another.

gwendolyn nervously pulled away from the kiss and looked karla in the eye. "are you sure about this? i'm new to everything and—"

"i am." karla connected her forehead to gwen's. "i'll take things at whatever pace you want."

like usual, gwendolyn felt shy under karla's stare. her cheeks heated up, so she plopped her head in the crook of karla's neck.

"also, one last thing," recalled karla. "you see, there's a ball coming up soon. since you're my girlfriend, would you like to be my date?"

an affectionate smile spread across gwen's face. "yes, of course!" she laid her back against karla's arm. "what's the dress-code like? can i wear any dress i want to? oh, but what about my hair?"

karla enveloped her arms behind and around gwen's waist and toyed with her hair. "i'll take us out one day where we can figure that all out, alright?"

in all their glory: two women lying in each others presence, not a care in the world.

how do we always find ourselves in each other's arms? karla thought.

┈┈┈┈․°🌹°․┈┈┈┈

aaah they're official!

honestly this might be one of my favorite chapters i've written ever omg

what do you guys think? was it worth the wait?

thank you for reading, make sure to comment + vote ^^