Masterpiece [h.s]

twelve

Carter walks into the shop incredibly early the next morning. She's far too excited about the news to wait and come in on time to tell Pandora. Her expression is pretty neutral for the time that she's there, waiting for Pandora to come in for her shift. She wants it to be a surprise and smiling like an idiot will give it away fairly quickly.

It feels like a century passes before Pandora shows up and Carter's practically bubbling with excitement as she walks through the front door. She gives her a moment to set her things down before she prepares to tell her the news.

"Pandora, a word in the back, please?"

The woman who's long since become her best friend gives her a curious look and nods before following her back into their little 'conference' room.

"Is everything al-"

Carter doesn't let her finish, an excited squeal passing her lips as she throws her arms around her best friend.

"I made it! I got a spot!"

Pandora's eyes widen and her smile blossoms. She hasn't seen Carter so alive in years and the change alone is something to be happy for.

"Holy shit! That's amazing! When do you leave?"

Carter pulls away and fixes her shirt where it wrinkled, which makes Pandora laugh. "Next week. But you can't tell anyone until Wednesday. I need you to keep things up and running while I'm away. No screwing the clients, alright? Unless it's that Mark guy that you see often."

Pandora nods and salutes her. A loud laugh passes Carter's lips and rings throughout the shop. "I'm glad to know that you take me seriously."

Pandora grins, "Always! So, does your little boy toy know that you're leaving yet?"

Carter blushes and lies through her teeth because she knows that it will hurt Pandora's feelings if she knows that she wasn't the first one to hear the news. "No, I haven't told him yet."

Pandora lifts a hand to tilt Carter's chin up so that her face isn't hidden from the lights. "Is that blush I see?"

Carter turns her head quickly and puts on her usual façade, "Of course not, don't be stupid."

Pandora shrugs it off because Carter's always like this, off and then suddenly on, only to turn herself off again.

"Must be the lighting. I'm so happy for you, though! Even if you don't win, you're going to kick some major ass!"

Carter smiles at the encouragement, "I'd like to win, but yes, hopefully you're right."

Pandora's silent for a moment, her hand gripping the cool metal of the doorknob as a thought hits her. She turns around to face Carter again, "Can I ask you one of those personal questions that only I can ask you?"

Carter shifts rather uncomfortably. She has a good idea about the topic of the question, but Pandora's her friend and that means she'll at least consider the answer. "I suppose so."

"Why don't you give him a chance?"

She's thought about that exact question on more than one occasion, but the answer has always been the same. She wants to focus on her career and she doesn't want to risk her heart, so she'd rather just keep him at his present distance.

"Focus is elsewhere and I don't want to go through what happened the last time again."

Pandora looks at her with sad eyes and a slight frown. She deserves to have someone just as much as the next person, maybe even a little more, and it isn't good for her to be so cold to almost everyone around her.