Chapter 8
When Laura got back to her room, she half expected the emotional overload to exhaust her and put her right into a deep sleep. But of course, she was up tossing and turning, thinking over the day’s events.
Of course Laura liked Carmilla, there was a thin line between love and hate, and while she wasn’t saying she was in love with the girl, there had definitely been a heavy infatuation since their bickering in college. But Laura had a front row seat to Carmilla’s cavalcade of study buddies throughout the years and knew better than to get mixed up in this.
But this felt different, Carmilla didn’t cuddle or give unexpected sweet kissed while tickle wrestling. Laura took pride in being the only one that witness cuddly sleep Carm, but she couldn’t help but start to cave into the insecure nagging in the back of her head that told her she was reading too much into Carmilla’s actions.
Sleep was overtaking her body and her eye lids felt heavy as she finally decided what to say to the broody girl down the hall.
Carmilla woke slowly and reached to her left, groping the cold sheets searching for Laura’s body to warm her up. The sheets were empty and disheveled though and she groaned inwardly when she realized she was alone.
She bit her lip to keep herself from smiling thinking about Laura’s very Laura-like exit and promise to talk about things today. The feeling made her stomach bubble in a pleasant way but her nerves felt on fire.
Tonight was dinner for her siblings and mother, and tomorrow would be for the extended family. She planned on dropping the gay ball on her mother tonight with girlfriend announcement, and maybe if she was lucky, it wouldn’t be a lie like they had originally intended. The sheer amount of gross pining that Carmilla felt for Laura was nauseating but she welcomed it with open arms if it meant getting to call Laura hers after all these years.
Carmilla rolled out of bed with a grunt and padded across the room to the door to make her way to Laura’s room. She gasped quietly when she opened the door, met with a wide-eyed sleepy looking Laura with her hand raised ready to knock.
“Hey,” Laura started awkwardly.
“Hey,” Carmilla chuckled at her and opened the door wider to let her in.
Carmilla sat on the edge of the bed and watched Laura pace back and forth across the soft carpet in front of her. The silence was getting to her.
“About last night-“
“Look last night was-“
They both started talking at the same time. Laura grimaced and Carmilla smiled softly.
“You go first,” Carmilla offered gently.
Laura gulped. “So you kissed me last night-”
“I did.” Carmilla nodded. Laura glared at the interruption and waited for silence before continuing.
“You kissed me last night and I just want to say I get it.” She stopped pacing and stared down at her toes curling and uncurling in the plush carpet.
“Look, you were worked up over Elle and your emotions were running high.”
Carmilla felt her stomach drop. “Laura, that’s not why I-“
“Do you think you’re the first person to kiss me to make themselves feel better?” she chuckled humorlessly. “It’s okay Carmilla, really I get it. We agreed to not let things get weird and I’ll stick to my promise. You’re my best friend and so I’ll do anything you need to make you feel better in this awful place. So, friends?” She stuck out her hand to shake.
Carmilla swallowed hard and looked at the tiny hand outstretched towards her. Laura didn’t feel the same way, she was just looking out for her feelings. Typical Laura.
“Friends,” she agreed quietly and dropped her limp hand back in her lap immediately.
Dinner was…awkward to say the least. The five sat in silence at pick at the perfectly prepared food until finally Lilita spoke up.
“So Laura dear, tell us about yourself.”
Laura looked like a deer caught in the headlights with a mouth full of gnocchi. She swallowed and tried not to make a face at the large bite before speaking.
“Um I’m an only child, just me and Daddio. I went to Silas with Carm, obviously, and now I…you know I’m really not that interesting!” she tried to pull the attention away from herself.
Mattie rolled her eyes. “Oh yes, young rising late night show host putting bad business folks in the spot light must be dreadfully boring.” She chided. Lilita’s eyes flashed as the mention of the show.
Laura’s phone felt heavy in her pocket now with the unread texts from JP she received right before dinner.
“Yes, why don’t you tell us about that,” Lilita pushed, her eyes dangerous.
“There’s not much to tell really,” she tried to brush off the request.
“Oh I doubt that.”
Laura’s head whipped over to Carmilla for help, but she was just pushing her untouched food around her plate. She had been quiet ever since this morning. Laura reached over and placed her hand on her thigh to grab her attention but Carmilla jumped at the touch and shifted away as if the contact burned her. Laura tried to not to be hurt by the reaction.
“Mother, please don’t give my girlfriend the third degree here,” she said lazily, still stirring the pasta around her plate. Laura let out a squeak at the declaration of their pseudo relationship and the sound yanked Carmilla back to reality of what she had just said.
Her head jerked up and met her mother’s stare with wide eyes. Will cough awkwardly and sipped from her glass and Mattie pulled out her phone and began typing away to distance herself from the conversation.
“I’m sorry Mircalla, I seem to have heard something incorrectly. I believe I just heard you call this little moppet your girlfriend?”