Strawberry Island (girlxgirl)

To Diffuse a Bomb

Clara froze, cussing profanities in her head at the performance. All she could do was pretend as if nothing had happened. 

 Florence barged through the back door of Winterberry, Gwendolyn acted as if she hadn't even registered Florence's uninvited presence. However, Evangeline did. "No! No, She can't be here. Get out Florence!"

"Christ, this isn't about Florence, Evangeline. You're the one acting out. Take responsibility for Gods sake. Now say goodbye to your Rolls and any spring break plans you thought you had, humiliating the family like this over a boy!?." Gwendolyn practically strained her neck, veins popping out so furiously, Florence was sure that they might explode. 

"Oh I'm humiliating the family?! When Florence is the one having a lesbian relationship with my best friend?!" The words flew from Evangeline's mouth like it was a reflex, however it was clear that she instantly regretted it, biting her tongue to shut up. 

That sentence attracted Gwendolyn's gaze towards Florence, her eyes pierced every inch of the brunette. Florence wanted to throw up, evaporate, run away, disappear, fall off the face of the Earth but she stood there, motionless. Her face reddened out of embarrassment but not before the rest of the Ainsworth adults trickled into the war zone and most unfortunately so did Clara. 

"Do you want to repeat yourself for the rest of the family to hear? Evangeline or Florence, or maybe even Clara?" She fixated her sights on the confused and startled blonde who stood in the corner. 

All three girls were too stunned and embarrassed to speak. 

"What the hell is going on?" Malcolm's voice boomed which made Indigo flinch, this made Florence crack the smallest of smirks.

A dead and uncomfortable silence fell over the room, everyone waiting for someone else to speak up first. Yet Florence and Clara hoped the world would remain silent forever, they couldn't bare any confrontation.

"Does anyone want to explain what just went down in front of everyone? The whole drenching water on that Cadwell boy?"Santino surprisingly spoke up. 

"Fine I'll be the one to say it, it was just revealed to me that Florence and Clara are fooling around or dating, whatever you want to call it." Gwendolyn cleared her throat and spoke expecting an uproar as a reaction. 

"I couldn't care less who she's dating, at least that was kept under wraps unlike that little show Evangeline just put on in the garden." Ophelia countered, not breaking eye contact with Gwendolyn who's expression made it seem as though she had just been struck by lightning. 

Florence felt the gaze of Clara on her, she returned the exchange but the blonde adverted her eyes. 

"Ridiculous, fucking ridiculous. Malcolm, is this what the Ainsworth's stand for? Would father stand for this?" Gwendolyn barked at the eldest Ainsworth who looked to be pondering the question, in deep thought before providing an answer.

 "Nunzio, Jasper, Emilia, Evangeline, Elizabeth, Florence, Clara, all of you: out. Back to the party, behave accordingly. The adults need to converse." Malcolm sent them out the door. 

A wave of relief fell over Florence and Clara but not enough to soothe their nerves. They all awkwardly returned to what they were doing before the incident. Except this time the two girls sat next to each other at a table, their hands interlocked under the white cloth.

The adults exchanged heated words, after fifteen minutes, the back doors swung open and they did their best to hide their emotions of anger as they returned to the garden party. The tone of the party shifted just enough to be noticed by a few guests who opted to leave early, presenting their excuses on a silver platter for the stressed hosts.