Gossip Column (Carmilla Fanfic)

Chapter 1

Laura Hollis was a journalist fresh out of college. Today she was celebrating her first job by having dinner with her closest friends. As this was a special day, she allowed herself the luxury of dining in of of the best Italian restaurants in the city; a place that she certainly couldn't afford to eat at frequently. The night was perfect. She talked and laughed with her friends while they ate heavenly food and drank superb wine.

LaFontaine and their partner, Perry, and Danny and her boyfriend Kirsch, were Laura's friends since her freshman year at Silas University. They were a group of people completely different from each other, but they worked well together and their friendship was real. They always had each others back no matter what; for better or worse, they were together.

As they went their separate ways at the end of the night, Laura realized she had forgotten her jacket in the restaurant when the cold night air made her shiver. She walked back to the restaurant and ran right into someone coming out at the same time she was trying to get in. They stumbled together and held on to each other in an attempt to avoid the fall. They managed to steady themselves with Laura holding on to the other person's shoulder while they had their hands around her waist. When she looked up, Laura gasped, she had run into the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She had mesmerizing black eyes, jaws that seemed to have been sculpted in marble and very kissable lips. Her hair was black, long, with beautiful curls.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" The woman said in a raspy, low voice that sent a new wave of shivers down Laura's spine.

"Huh, yeah, I'm fine" she answered "what about you? Did you get hurt? I'm so sorry that I ran into you like this. It's just that I was leaving and I realized that I'd forgotten my jacket inside, because it's cold and I came back for it and I didn't see you coming out of the restaurant..."

"Breathe, Cupcake." The other woman said with a chuckle. "I'm fine, don't worry about it."

"Right, yeah" Laura said. Realizing she was still holding the other woman, she quickly let go and took a step back, the stranger's hands falling away from her waist. "Ok, so, I'll just, hum, go."

She quickly turned around to enter the restaurant before she could embarrass herself more. She heard the other woman's quiet laugh as she finally stepped in the restaurant.

When she was back home, comfortable on her bed, Laura's thoughts were full of the beautiful stranger she had run into earlier. She wondered who she was and if she would ever see her again.

The buzzing of her cell phone woke Laura up the next day earlier than she would have liked. She groaned and reached for her phone on her nightstand. She sighed quietly when she saw it was LaFontaine. It's only 7:30 in the morning, what on earth does Laf want with me?

She unlocked her phone and started to read the many texts she had gotten from her best friend.

Laf: You sneaky thing! How come you didn't tell me anything about it?

Laf: Seriously Laura, why didn't you say anything?

Laf: Why didn't she join us last night? She clearly met you there after we left, so, what's with the secrecy?

Laf: We are meeting for coffee and you'll spill the beans. Wake up already!!

Laura was extremely confused by the stream of texts. She didn't understand what LaFontaine was talking about. Her sleepy brain wasn't helping much. She texted her friend back:

Laura: Laf...... it's too early, why did you wake me up??

Laura: I don't have any idea what you're babbling about. Who is this she you're talking about? I didn't meet anyone beside you guys last night.

Since she was already awake, Laura decided to get up and start her day. She went to the kitchen to make herself some hot cocoa. When she sat down at the table to drink it, Laf answered her text.

Laf: Come on Laur, no need to keep up the pretence, it's out now. Everybody knows and I mean everybody.

Laura: I still don't know what you're talking about. Sorry?

Laf: Today's paper. Gossip column.

Laura: You know I don't read that shit. And whatever new celebrity scandal has been uncovered I'm not interested.

Laf: For someone who hates the gossip column so much you found a sure way to be constantly featured in it.

Laura: WHAT??

Laf: Oh my god, just freaking check the paper so that you can start telling me the juicy details so that I can forgive you for letting me find out about this from the PAPER.

Feeling extremely confused Laura got up and went to get her copy of the paper on her mailbox. Back at her kitchen she opened the paper in the dreaded and usually ignored gossip column. It was a good thing that she was sitting down, or she might have actually fallen. Taking up three quarters of the page was a photograph of herself and the woman from the previous night in what, without context, looked like a lover's embrace. Her eyes quickly moved to read what the piece said:

"The elusive punk star Carmilla Karnstein is out of the market

By Sarah Jane

Ladies, it is my job to bring heartbreak to you today. Carmilla Karnstein, the adored punk star that all the ladies dream about dating is out of the market. That's correct. Karnstein was photographed embracing her lady love last night as they left a famous italian restaurant after a romantic dinner. We talked exclusively with a few people who were at the restaurant at the same time that our newly discovered couple and they said the two girls spent a cozy night eating pasta, drinking wine and laughing together. One person who sat at the table next to them said that they were constantly holding hands over the table and sharing heart-eyes with each other. We don't know the identity of Karnstein's mystery lady yet, but we'll let you know as soon as we find out.

To keep up to date with all about Karnstein's new love follow me on Twitter."

Laura's eyes were wide with shock. She looked again at the photograph that she didn't even realized was being taken the previous night. Only one word came out of the mouth: "Shit!"