Someone's Daughter

29. i would die for you in secret

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a fun holiday week!

Thank you to beatofyourheart22 for answering questions as always. For this chapter: no beta, we die like Men.

I hope you all enjoy the unofficial official Part Two of this book, which is going to span from chapter 27 on to the writing of Willow. There will be two more parts after that for evermore (the little sister album will not be forgotten, i promise.)

Lovelovelove - r

May 1st, 2020.

Caroline was right that compromise could turn a hassle into a thrill. In a suit found only god knows where, Kennedy became the dapper young Gatsby to Caroline's Daisy. Her cuff links matched the girl's dress; Joe had picked through his closet for her and later helped slick back her hair. Caroline did their makeup, chiseling a boxy square out of an unusual amount of muscle for a young girl's face.

Taylor had helped Caroline with her costume, clamping the too-big dress in place and pinning her hair up. Even if she didn't help with makeup, she sat with Caroline while the girl applied layer after layer of things Kennedy thought all looked the same. She wondered if Taylor felt validated watching her use the same products she'd mentioned off-hand in the past ten years. It was endearing to watch Caroline, idolization the way any younger sister might do, stealing off the bathroom counter whatever crumbs the family goddess left behind. The thought held no bitterness. Taylor watched her with enough pride that it made no difference.

For the presentation, they shared the burden as best they could, and neither of them was too much a fan of being the center of attention. They spoke so seamlessly together that when one stumbled, the other picked up what they'd dropped. They had two hours of classes afterward. That was when it got unusual.

Kennedy had a hard time keeping her eyes off of the blonde. No amount of note-taking or textbook scanning could pull her attention away from every breath the blonde took. She felt like a live wire, and she had no idea when it had started.

That was a lie. During the presentation, Caroline had taken her hand under the table, rubbing her thumb in short passes over the back. The blonde did it to vent her nervous energy, and Kennedy was more than willing. But she'd stilled herself to become a shield between Caroline and the world, and she had yet to turn back into a human. Caroline never let go.

Kennedy could barely think long enough to find the source of her haziness. Two hours of classes, and twice she'd thought she might fight the curtains for falling too close to her sunlight.

They closed their laptops, and Caroline leaned back, running her hand along the middle seam of Kennedy's suit jacket. Kennedy felt the same prickling in her cheeks as she had in the lunch room, glancing around to see who might question the action.

"You'll leave your costume on for a little while for me, won't you?"

Nobody was there to see it; Caroline's was the only heartbeat she could hear racing under her shirt.

"Are you trying to guilt trip me right now?" Kennedy leaned into the caress and glared at her, penciled eyebrows sharp as a knife.

"I was just asking!" She giggled. "Jesus, woman."

Three layers of fabric muffled the feel of Caroline's hand, but even so, it was a burning hot branding iron.

Kennedy shook her head, turning towards the beige throw pillow so Caroline couldn't see her go soft. "You get one hour."

"That's just enough for a photo shoot!" Caroline squealed. "Joe! Where's Joe?"

Caroline disappeared. She frantically ran through the first floor of the place until she found them both in the library watching The Last Dance, sitting side by side like a couple of otters in a stream.