Dying to Breathe

6.4: georgia peach

A/N: What a romantic song shuffle came up with ~

Chapter 6, Part 4: Georgia Peach

"I talked to my boss," Coraline spoke up, pushing her blonde hair behind her shoulder with a dainty manicured hand as she took the seat at the desk beside the now squeaky-clean Penelope, "She's more than happy to interview you—she said she'd squeeze you in directly after five."

Penelope breathed out in relief, "Thank you, Coraline." She smiled, turning towards her as the English class filled with students.

The blonde smiled, her hazel-blue eyes lighting up, "No, thank you! It's not the most entertaining job, so to have you there will be wonderful." She spoke, a sprinkle of an accent colouring her words.

"Is that a southern accent?" Penelope widened her eyes in surprise—although, she should have guessed. Coraline reeked of southern beauty and manners. Even in her style there was a hint of 'Georgia Peach'.

Coraline blushed, biting her bottom lip, "I'm sorry. Sometimes it slips out when I'm excited." Her voice was quiet, almost something like a mumble if not for the perfectly annunciated words.

Penelope tilted her head, looking at the pink covering Coraline's perfect sun-kissed complexion, "Why are you apologizing?" She shook her head, watching as her blush deepened. "In fact, why are you hiding it? It's a cute accent."

Coraline's lips quirked upwards before she pressed them tightly together. The light blue in her eyes twinkled against the deep brown as she looked at Penelope in thought. "My grandmother doesn't like it very much—it reminds her of my mother. I guess I'm just used to hiding it by now."

Penelope nodded slowly, trying to understand her family dynamic.

Coraline continued, as if starved to tell someone about her home life, "I lived with my mama and four half-siblings before my father's mother made me come live with her." She hummed, reminiscing with a slight frown, "She didn't want any of my siblings since they weren't related to my dad, and my mother thought the opportunity for me would be good." With a sigh, she shrugged, "It was hard at first, but my grandmother put me in many classes. I'm now considered to be a perfect high-class citizen." Rolling her eyes, she laughed.

Penelope could hear the loneliness in her voice, despite the flawless giggle she released. Maybe she wasn't the only one who struggled with family issues and secrets.

"Where's your dad?" She mumbled, watching her closely.

Coraline shrugged, shaking her head lightly as if to say she didn't know. He was missing—just like Millie.

"I haven't really told anyone else that." She spoke timidly as the teacher finally began the lecture at the bell. "Even Poppy and Juliet don't know that much." Musing, she peeked up at Penelope; her hazel-blue eyes shy. Coraline watched her carefully, as if worried she had said too much.

Penelope felt her face warm, something inside of her squeezing. Thoughts invaded her mind as she rolled her lips into her mouth, inexplicably feeling coy. She blushed—was it just her, or was Coraline... stinking adorable? Like the kind of adorable that made one question their self for a minute?

Snickering through the strange bubbling nerves under her flushed skin, Penelope smiled awkwardly, "I'm glad you feel like you can talk to me."

Coraline smiled brighter at that, "Me too. I hope its mutual." She hummed, an amused smile flickering along her lips, "...especially this suddenly awkward tension."

Penelope coughed out a laugh, "Um, yeah. I'm almost certain I now have a girl-crush on you."

It was Coraline's turn to spit-take as she covered her loud snort, "Oh, I already know I have a crush on you, Elly."

They both erupted into a fit of giggles as the tension flickered out just as fast as it arrived. Their smiles embarrassed as they laughed at one another's reddened face—trying and failing to not attract the teacher's attention as he snapped at them.

It just made them laugh harder.

End of part 4

A/N: wholesome crush moments. I know a few of you picked up on the signals I was putting down (even though I tried to be subtle). Coraline is the cutest and I approve so hard. Gabriel who?

I'm technically bi/pan, so my preference isn't so strict but I remember before realizing that, I had the biggest crush on Arianna Grande lmao. I mean... who doesn't. But yeah, she was definitely my girl crush *swoon*. Anyone have an innocent story of a crush? :)

The next part thoooo. 

Thanks for reading!