dropped your hand while dancing

-vii-

Betty'd been spending a lot more time with Malcolm. They'd interact a bit, leading the basketball team, strategies, practising- but never just getting to know him. She didn't beat herself up about this, James had been a primary- or even sole reason Betty and Malcolm weren't friends. She didn't blame James.When fourteen year old Malcolm, the star of the city's football team, came to their small town, well, they were wary of him. Betty had just about started leading the team, and his presence unsettled her. Especially the way he looked at James. They worked together, but there had always been a mutual coldness in it. He'd almost punched James the first time he met him.

Now, however, Malcolm was regularly knocking at their door, and calling Betty to practice with him. Some days, Kate would see her speeding past the living room to meet him, and she'd raise her eyebrows in that all knowing big sister way.

This time, she called out. "It's not what you think it is!" My eyebrows furrowed, but I ignored her. For all I knew, she was screaming at the steamy novel she had in her lap. Kate was weird- loveable, but weird.

"I like your shoelaces," Malcolm said, looming over her porch, grinning at her neon orange shoelaces. She huffed. "Another word about those, and they're going to be stuffed in your mouth." He merely stuck his tongue out and paced ahead. She ran after him.

"You're tall." she stated, halfway through their walk.

"Gee, you noticed. Thank you." He said, a grin on his face. Betty groaned, and repeated, "Like, I wasn't paying attention before. But like, very few people are taller than me, and you're one of them."

"And this helps me how?" He asked, his voice bland.

"Oh, it doesn't. Unless y'know, I start giving out prizes for the fearless morons who are taller than me," she said laughing. This time, he snorted.

"No wonder James is obsessed with you," he said, a few minutes later. Her ears perked up.

"What?" she asked.

"You heard me," he said, not meeting her eyes. She wondered why. It was Malcolm. "James Wood would kill someone and dump their body in a river for you," he murmured.

"Malcolm, I just want you to know that there are several TV shows that use that plot line. I'm sure James would be more creative than that."

He snorted. "But hey, no body, no crime."

"Cheers to that." she agreed, grinning. "Damn, we sound like serial killers here." she commented. She could see him laughing, and then they played. they practised.

And she had one of the best days with him, just jumping around, snickering, laughing, running, losing a basketball. They were all sweaty by the time they were done. And the sun was setting. It wasn't too different from the day James left, with the purple sky and the sunlight still gently spilling over the town.

"Did y'all talk?" he asked, abruptly.

"What, me and James?" she said, knowing the answer.

"Yeah," he said, fiddling with his gym bag.

"Oh, uh I mean, not in the past week, but I think I texted him last week." she said, lightly. It had been bothering her, but the distance was making it weird. There never had been a day they hadn't physically spoken, and the big change, even for a few months- things were changing between them. She didn't say that to Malcolm though.

And it was probably the spur of the moment, or the fun they had that day, or the sky, or just missing James- just missing someone to hug and kiss, missing someone to vent, to joke around with, but she grabbed Malcolm's hand, and pulled him further into the woods, the familiar woods, the woods that she and James would walk through every day and she put her lips close to Malcolm's. They didn't touch. She wasn't sure what she was doing, but there was some part of her that stopped her from getting any closer. She blamed it on James' cute pouty faces.

It was Malcolm who stopped her from doing anything stupid. She had her hand on his deep brown skin and his eyes widened to the point where there was more white than smokey brown iris.

He didn't push her away, just awkwardly moved back. Betty was flustered, she didn't know what she was doing- or what she was thinking. But when he moved back, she swore to pray to him for doing so.

"Uh," he breathed, and she stood staring awkwardly at her laces, which she was beginning to hate even more.

"I'm sorry," they both blurted out together. At this point, she wanted to dig a hole in the ground and bury herself. Malcolm didn't look awkward, he looked scared. That got her attention, and she asked him, "You okay?"

"I need to tell you something," he said, rapidly.

Her frown deepened, but she gave him an encouraging smile. Making people open up was one of her top priorities as a captain.

"I have a crush on James, I've had one since the day I met him. I tried to hate him, I tried to ignore him, I tried to see you the way I saw him, it didn't work. The resistance didn't work. Now I just blatantly but secretly crush on him," he said, slowly.

I tried to see you the way I saw him. Betty pressed her eyes. That was ridiculously stupid of her. There were hints everywhere. She just- she didn't see them.

He was observing her, but he stood perfectly still. Then she squeezed him, a bone crushing hug. She could feel him relax, his chin on her head.

"Thanks for telling me, Malcolm." she said, quietly.

He nodded, and when she reached her front door, she thought about what Kate had said.

It's not the way you think it is. She was right. She knew? How did she know? Kate wasn't the most intuitive person, she'd often walk into walls, she barely cared about how others felt. So how did she know?

She knocked on Kate's room door. She heard shuffling, and her clear voice yelling, "Who is it?"

"Me!" Betty hollered back.

"Yeah come in," Kate said. Her bed was a mess, like it usually was. There were books all over the floor.

"You were right," she blurted.

Kate frowned, "I'm right about a lot of things, you're going to have to specify, Betty."

"Malcolm." She said, not giving anything away in case she had been talking to her book.

Kate laughed, "Ah, I see he told you. Took him long enough. I asked him that day he came to call you," she added.

She stared at her.

"Oh by the way, Betty. There's someone I want you to meet."

She nodded, "Mmhm?" as she picked up some books and started piling them.

"You can come out now Bonbon," she said to her closet.

A girl walked out, with a purple sweatshirt and cropped pink hair, and she finally got it.

Before Kate could say anything, this Bonbon, opened her mouth. "Nice to meet you Betty. I'm Kate's girlfriend- Bonnie." 

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hello you scones (yes i've been ordered to call ya'll desserts however dehumanising that is, i'll have you know i have more respect for desserts than i have for myself lmao)

and that's chapter seven, thoughts? *slurps coffee*

x, rajita

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