Sea Glass (WAYHAUGHT)

Swim

Waverly's hand shook as she placed her mug back on the table. Nicole was flirting, she could tell, which set her mind off on a chase to catch up with her heart. This was it, this was what she wanted. But, she's married. Okay, not actually married, still with someone, which was kinda the same thing, even if they weren't together right at this moment. So wrong. So, why did it feel right? Breathe. Breathe.

"So..." she squeaked in response.

Soft eyes remained locked on Waverly's lips. "So..."

"So...how many have eaten you? It...it. How many had your ice cream?"

Nicole held up two fingers.

"Two."

Nicole pointed one finger in her direction.

"Oh."

"You and me. Wasn't sure if you were. I mean, I thought you were dating Champ, so I figured you probably weren't."

Nicole's words became muffled by the drumming in her ears.

"It's only lately I started getting vibes from you. You know, which made me think you might be. You're hard to read sometimes. I could be wrong here."

Before she could stop herself, Waverly's legs carried her towards the door. They kept going until she reached the bottom of the wooden stairs, the rain coming down hard. She forced herself to stop, to take a few breaths, to allow her heart to slow, to consider what to do next. Why the hell was she outside, when what she wanted was back there?

She turned. Nicole was looking down from the balcony, Ward's bright yellow rain mac in her hand. "You forgot this."

"Thanks. I'm a bit wet."

"You're not the only one."

Waverly mounted the stairs. "I'm...I'm not," she replied, grabbing the coat. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. At least we both know where we stand." Nicole began walking towards the door.

"Wait."

She glanced over her shoulder.

"Can we be..." Waverly inched nearer. "We're still friends, aren't we?"

Nicole closed the door.

She stared at the flat's exterior. That was it. Over before it had begun. Her one shot at a relationship with Nicole, and she'd thrown it away before she could say what needed to be said. She'd encouraged her, got Nicole to reveal her interest, only to mess it up by being too scared to start something. Really start something, not simply dream about what it might be like to kiss those soft lips.

Her trainers squelched as she journeyed to the lighthouse. What a truly miserable day. Chrissy's taunt played on loop inside her head, as it had years after she stopped, after Wynonna smacked her one. Gayverly, Gayverly, Gayverly. A chorus of stupid schoolgirls joining in. Gayverly, Gayverly, Gayverly.

The day she came home crying, the day she finally told her sister what the others were calling her, all because she admitted she fancied Britney Spears. She did. What she'd meant to say was she liked the singer. Liked, not fancied. Duh. Chrissy told the others, Waverly defending her slip as nothing more than a joke, that she didn't even like Britney. Chrissy knew that was a lie, assuming the taunt would be taken in good spirit by Waverly, assuming everyone would stop saying it when it got boring.

Only, they didn't stop. Everyone could see it upset Waverly, which made it all the more fun to chant in the dining hall, whisper behind her back in class, write on notes which were placed inside her books. Chrissy stopped joining in after the second week, ready to defend her best friend. Had Wynonna not walloped her in front of everyone, they would have remained friends. After that, there was no going back. Ever.