Sea Glass (WAYHAUGHT)

See Ya

The door to Nicole's flat was ajar. Waverly pushed on it, ready to give Nicole a piece of her mind, for no other reason than she should have realised she meant the flat above. The TV mumbled to itself, no sounds from the bathroom, or the kitchen. She turned to find Nicole standing in the doorway.

"No bags?" Nicole observed, arms folded.

"I've changed my mind."

"I see. So, you don't want to come live with me."

Waverly mirrored Nicole's defensive body posture. "You made it perfectly clear I wasn't welcome." She spotted Nicole's mouth suppressing a laugh. "Clearly I'm not wanted."

"Who said you're not wanted?"

"You."

The hint of a smirk lingered on Nicole's face. "So me clearing out the bedroom upstairs was a waste of time."

"Generous of you." She winced at her own petulance.

Nicole unfolded her arms, shoving her hands into the front pockets of her black jeans. "I owe you an apology for earlier."

You absolutely do. Waverly shrugged.

"You are more than welcome to use the flat upstairs whenever you need it. Robin's incredibly tidy, hardly there most nights, so you'll have the place pretty much to yourself."

Arms folded, Waverly held her position. "Thanks."

"Isn't that what you wanted?"

It was. She'd admitted that much. Only, this gesture now felt token at best, insulting at worst, as though Nicole didn't want to say outright she didn't want her there, offering them both an easy way out of an awkward situation. Even if she was the one who had forced the situation in the first place. But then, who worries about facts when you're arguing your position.

"I'll think about it," she replied. She went to leave. "Robin's on his own in the kitchen."

"What have I done wrong?" Nicole said, remaining in the doorway.

"I need to check the glasses are clean."

Nicole blocked her escape. "I've upset you, I can tell."

"You haven't," Waverly replied, sucking in her anger. "It's a nice gesture. The room."

"Talk to me."

Without pushing Nicole out of the way, or making a daring leap for the window, she was forced to confront her inquisitor. She refused to meet the eyes of the one she assumed would have understood why she'd suggested moving in. "Today...at the gardens, you changed."

"Okay," Nicole said. "Changed in what way? Was it something I did?"

Waverly stepped back into a safer space. "I watched you walk away."

"You wanted me to stay. I thought you needed some time with your sister."

"No, no, it's not that. I saw you. I really saw you."

Nicole's face crinkled. "Saw me doing what?"

Waverly took another step back. "Have you ever looked at someone, and just known, like you really see who they..." Words tumbled out in a desperate attempt to explain the truth in her heart.

The creases on Nicole's face smoothed, replaced by a look of recognition. "Yes."

"That somehow you hadn't really seen them before. But then, you do see them. And, they're different, and you don't know why they're different, they just are."