Dark Red | Tara Carpenter

03

Sofia pulled a necklace out of her pocket with a shy smile, the heart-shaped pendant swinging slightly as she handed it to Tara. "It's for you."

The Latina felt her heart swell in her chest, her eyes softening at the sight of it. "For me ?"

She nodded in response before grabbing Tara's wrist with her other hand. She opened it for her before placing the necklace in her palm, raising her eyes to observe Tara's expression. She was surprised to see that her brown eyes were already locked on hers and her smile widened warmly.

"Do you like it ?" Sofia asked.

Tara didn't even have the words for everything she was feeling at that moment. Euphoria ? Joy ? Love ? Everything seemed like an understatement when she thought of Sofia.

"Yes." She mumbled, feeling the heat rising to her cheeks and noses, her face now as red as the Benson girl's. 

Sofia chuckled, feeling the nervousness leave her body, as she was finally able to relax her shoulders. She had thought about buying the necklace weeks before, and still had this doubt in her mind about whether Tara would like it or not. Not knowing that Tara would accept and love all of her, Tara was amazed by her so whatever she would give her she didn't care as long as she had her.

"Cool." She nodded again, letting go of her wrist. "I was a little nervous that you didn’t like it-"

"I love it." Tara cut her off, her lips twisting into a grin. "Thank you Sofia."

Sofia was about to replied to her when suddenly a horn sounded, making the both jump.

"Probably my brothers and sisters." She rolled her eyes playfully. "I should go before they all kill each other. Bye, Tara."

"Bye, Sofia." Tara said in almost a whisper as she watched the girl leave.

She heard the door close, and took a few steps towards the window to see Sofia crossing her driveway. She smiled bigger as she watched her walking away, clutching the necklace even tighter, in her hand which she placed on her chest.

10/26/2016
8th grade

"Tara." Sofia chose, glancing at Coach. "I want Tara on my team."

Chad growled and nudged his friend for attention. "Why her ? Kali is better at sports."

The man took off his cap and stroked his bald head. "Sofia is team captain Chad. So she’s the one who chooses."

"Yeah, and I choose Tara." She nodded, very sure of herself.

The P.E teacher smiled proudly as he turned to the other childrens. "Tara you’re on the red jersey team."

Tara approached quickly before positioning herself behind Sofia with red cheeks. "You didn’t have to do that."

"Do what ?" Sofia asked with a fake innocent look.

"Choosing me, you didn't have to choose me." She replied, brushing her hand with hers. "No one likes being on Tara's team."

The Benson girl frowned and snapped her head in Tara's direction to meet her eyes. "That is not true. I'm on your side and it doesn't bother me, in fact very I'm glad I am."

"It's because you're good at sports." Tara said in response. "You don't mind being with me, because you already have all the necessary skills for it."

"I wasn't talking about sports." Sofia smiled sheepishly as she grabbed Tara's hand in hers.

Finally the teams were finished being assembled and the games could begin.

And despite the fact that the rain started to fall, the coach didn't stop even under Mindy's complaints.

Tara, who over the years had learned to manage her asthma better, managed to keep up the pace. But what also kept her most involved in the field was another reason.

"What are you looking at like that ?" Mindy questioned as she stopped running, noticing Tara who had slowed her pace while looking into the distance.

Sofia, who was the goalkeeper, was laughing with Chad while watching the others play at the other end of the field.

"Rain..." Tara muttered as she stared even more at Sofia's features dazzling by the raindrops falling on her.

Chad made another comment and Sofia giggled.

Tara felt her stomach fill with millions of butterflies at the sound, her smile growing in spite of herself. She took the pendant of the necklace that Sofia had given her in her hand and squeezed it, biting her lower lip, her eyes still fixed on her.

"Are you two like...A thing ?" Mindy asked, crossing her arms, suspicious of Tara's behavior.

"No." Tara responded immediately as if burned by the question, her gaze reluctantly moving away from this angelic vision of Sofia to turn towards Mindy.

"Then why are you looking at her like that ?-"

Mindy's question was cut off by the ball heading straight towards them at a maddening speed. Immediately the Martin-Meeks girl protected herself and grabbed Tara by the shoulders so she could take the ball for her.

The brunette was hit violently in the face by the ball. Then it bounced further away and some children continued to play as if nothing had happened, while others rushed to Tara to see if she was okay.

Sofia arrived first, giving Mindy a glare before taking Tara by her forearm. "Are you okay Tara ?"

"Y-yeah-" She stammered, her eyes shooting stars all over the place.

"Oh my god she's bleeding !" Shouted a girl, making Tara winced at the noise too loud for her state of shock.

"Shut up Kali." Amber growled, looking her up and down with a judgmental look.

Sofia ran her thumb over the blood that had flowed from Tara's forehead and wiped it away as gently as possible. "I'm going to take her to the infirmary, Chad, you're the goalie now."

"Cool !-" He was cut off by Sofia pushing her gloves into his chest, taking Tara with her off the field.

"Are you feeling better now ?" Sofia asked, running her hand through Tara's hair again to take another look at the small bandage on her forehead.

Tara offered her a reassuring smile. "Yes, I'm better, thanks for staying with me."

The Benson girl placed her hand on Tara's knee and trailed the tip of her thumb over her bare wet skin with a warm smile. "I was really worried about you, that's all."

"Well now that I'm better, you can return to the field if you want." She replied simply, trying to ignore the pounding of her heart in her chest.

"I prefer to stay with you." Sofia admitted in a soft voice as she moved closer to Tara, her eyes dropping to her lips and quickly moving back up to her eyes.

Tara blushed furiously, but decided to have guts for once and was the one to close the space between them, placing a kiss on the corner of Sofia's lips.

When she pulled back, she watched anxiously the Benson girl's reaction.

Sofia was completely red, and her eyes were wide open.

Then she blinked. And blinked again.

"Can you do that again ?"