Augustine didn't remember Betty till last year. Last year when she became captain of the basketball team and she finally saw her- the now short blonde curls and brown eyes.
That's when she remembered her, the girl- the once nameless- faceless girl who'd play with her- who'd braid her hair. Who wasn't there to say goodbye when she moved to the other side of town.
She'd been younger, unimportant in her eyes after all. But she couldn't get her out of her head now, or for the past year. Then she'd seen her with James. Betty and James. The perfect couple. Something had hurt then, but Augustine couldn't make out if it was James or Betty. Nor did she realise how she obsessed over them all year. James and Betty. Betty and James.
James headed to her side, exhaustion evident in his eyes, but he smiled weakly. "You good here?" he asked.
"Yeah," she whispered. "Just- thank you. It means a lot," she said, meaning it. He nodded, still smiling, and headed back to his beanbag. Augustine couldn't sleep that night- she just watched that sad, sad boy drift off.
She'd noticed things about Jame's 'room', just like she'd trained herself to notice the smaller things. Escapes, points to focus on, places to run away. It wasn't new to her. Jame's room was the perfect example of a dad who couldn't care less. James had clearly not been there for years, Augustine assumed he'd been around fourteen the last time. He was definitely going through an emo band stage at that point, worn out and dust covered posters still on the wall.
She sighed, the sun shining through the open window. James however, being a vampire was still perfectly curled up and asleep. She scribbled a note, and slid out of the large window, in search of a café.
Augustine stared at the coffee table. If she was to stay there- in Lake Centennial, all summer, she was going to need a cover story. Jame's father may have been stupid, but he definitely was going to notice an extra person living in his cabin.
She pulled out her big sketchbook, her orange pencil, and just- drew. She wasn't very good at it, but it calmed her. To have control over a big blank sheet. She wished life was like that. You get a plain blank sheet and you get to decide how you make it work. But it doesn't work that way. Everyone else- they're pages are merged with yours. And there's a point when your blank page has been so filled with someone else- someone else who made you hurt that- you can't. You can't draw your own life on it anymore. You're living their consequences.
She yawned, taking a big gulp from her coffee. Then she noticed the shadow over her. "That's amazing," he murmured, his fingers brushing over her sketch.
"You slept in half the day," she responded, lightly but happy.
"Sleep is a haven. Hard to get there, but truly perfect once you've reached." He said, pulling up a chair.
"So I've been thinking," she started abruptly, getting to the point.He leaned further, staring at her.
She bit her lip. "I'm probably going to need a place for this summer, like, just till I can afford my own apartment, and I'm obviously going to have to find a place in Lake Centennial because well, now that I think about it, your dad, and like, it's weird-," she'd started rambling, but James, stopped her, he put his hand over hers- just for a split second.
"No, uh, you- you don't need to do that. You can stay here. My dad prolly won't mind either. We just need-,"
"A cover story" she finished, more relieved than she'd been in a long time. "Thank you," she said a moment later, causing James to look up.
That evening, Augustine knocked on the cabin door. A tired looking man, with Jame's dark hair opened it. His dad. She gulped, knowing this was going to change something- something big and she wasn't sure she was ready for it.
"Yes?" the man asked, his voice gruff. She smiled at him, that perfect smile that had gotten her by those past few years, and this man, just like all the other, melted.
"I'm Augustine, I'm here to surprise James. I was told it'll be fine if I stay with him. I am in the right place, aren't I?" she asked, carefully.
The man blinked, still not letting her in. Augustine stood frozen, the calm smile still plastered on her face.
"I- wasn't made aware of this," he said slowly. "However, I suppose it's alright we only have one room though-," he said. Augustine yelped up in feigned joy and ran past him screaming thank you. She met James in the hallway, just like they'd planned, she ran to him and hugged him.
His dad was still standing in the hallway, but he had a small smile on his face. He almost looked human. It was hard to believe he'd left James like that. Masks were strange things.
She planted a kiss on his cheek, just to make sure they'd managed it. "I owe you, Wood;" she murmured.
He simply grinned, that sweet grin. Augustine couldn't help but wonder if that was what Betty liked the most about him. Or was it his ever changing blue eyes? What did James like about Betty? Was it her crooked smile? Was it her curls, or her smooth brown skin? Her scars from all the matches she'd played? Her resilience?
James curled up on the beanbag that night, and she noticed him texting. There was a ghost of a smile on his face, that night as he slept, and well- all she could think of- was all she could ever think of. Betty and James. James and Betty.
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hi there! completely forgot wednesday existed so uh here's chapter three
i think we know this but my brain (and probably yours too) is a big sparkly mess and we're all just kinda floating in there
stay safe, ily
x, rajita
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dropped your hand while dancing
Fanfiction- a folklorian love triangle - She'd hugged him then as she hugged him now, only this time she leaned on the willow instead of climbing it, this time they weren't just holding hands in silence, her hand was under his sweatshirt, and she lifted her...
