Fencing The Line ( A Glassheart Short Story)

Push Over

"You're going to have to learn to cover these yourself eventually," Bridget sighs, dabbing concealer onto the fading purple mark on Chloe's neck.

Chloe wasn't one for makeup. When her whole life is centered around fencing, she never found much reason to learn a simple routine that wasn't centred around it. Bridget was the complete opposite. After all the months the two had spent as roommates, Bridget was always the one to continuously beg Chloe to let her do her makeup. Little did she know agreeing to it meant she was always, often on hickey clean-up duty. But it's the thought that counts.

"Why? I have you, don't I?" Chloe giggles. The comment would have been enough to make Bridget contemplate continuing but she was already too far gone not to finish.

"I wouldn't speak so soon, the retreat is coming up. You better pray your secret lover doesn't get any ideas before then," Bridget comments. The mentions of Chloe's so-called 'secret lover' would raise some rebuttal but there was another question on her mind.

Chloe furrows her eyebrows, "How do you know about the retreat?"

"Your fencing team aren't the only ones that made it to the championship finals. Maybe if you weren't getting eaten alive every night you'd see the trophy on my nightstand," Bridget's voice is laced with malice. Chloe hadn't even noticed the trophy when she had come last night but the light that showered in through their curtains did make it more obvious to the golden statue hidden in plain sight.

"Oh, I thought you won that at like a clown pageant or something," Chloe jokes, but is quickly shoved by Bridget, "Put some respect on my name, Chloe. I'll be baking sweet treats while you're doing pushups in the mud."

"So you're seriously coming on the retreat with us?" Chloe questions. She tries her hardest not to let her voice reveal how weary she is. But it was hard nonetheless.

"Yeah, well, me and the twenty other baking club members. Let's just hope we're roommates at least...Cause it seems like you need me 24/7 now." Bridget remarks but continues further, digging into Chloe's skin with the makeup sponge. "How does the vampire feel about you going on the retreat? Unless they're going on it with us..?" Bridget's grin is wide and Chloe can't help but roll her eyes. Turns out she was serious about not dropping the topic after all.

"They're not a vampire, for the last time." Chloe sighed, closing her eyes to avoid Bridget's all-knowing gaze but it was hard when she could feel it through her soul as well. Like a haunting pink shadow.

Bridget squeals. "So that means they're coming on the trip with us!" Chloe wants to rebuttal but Bridget is far too gone into her own theories to listen to anything around her. "Ah! No way, that just narrows down my options by like 50%."

"Don't go around asking people stupid questions." Chloe huffs. Bridget is quick to finish this time around, a record almost. Chloe finally opens her eyes to examine the work done in the mirror, almost as if the mark wasn't there at all.

Bridget smiles from behind Chloe, placing her hands on her shoulders and leaning in, ever so slightly. "Oh, I won't. But I'll be keeping an eye on you, Chloe. Just you see."

And Chloe sighs once more.

~ - ~

Today's practice felt different the moment Red walked into the gymnasium, five minutes late as usual. She expected the usual sarcastic eye-roll from Coach Jay or a snarky comment from Chloe, but instead, she was met with silence and a whiteboard covered in plays that screamed desperation. Today was serious.

"Glad to see you could finally join us, Star Player," Chloe quipped as Red sat down with the rest of the team. Red opened her mouth to fire back, but Coach Jay cut her off with a sharp look that said, " Not today". Red clenched her jaw, biting back the retort.