s h e

chapter twenty-five

It's ten at night and you're sitting with your ex-girlfriend in a booth at Minnie's.

"Red, what is going on?" Red keeps twisting her hands and looking down at her lap, so out of sheer annoyance, you reach over and grab her face with two hands, turning her towards you. She jumps slightly, so you pull away. "Sorry," you say, but Red just shakes her head.

"It's fine. Pepper's usually the only one who does that to me," she gives a forced giggle to ease the tension, and you cock your head to the side.

"Pepper is your...?"

"Girlfriend. She's my girlfriend. She went all super overprotective on me after we broke up, and it just kind of happened. We were watching sad movies, and she kissed the tears off my cheeks until suddenly, she was kissing me." She has this dreamy, far-off look on her face, and it forces you to realize just how much has changed.

"I'm happy for you, Red," and it's sincere, because Serena really does deserve someone special, and Pepper seems to make her feel special.

"Thank you, Mels." You smile warmly at the blushing girl across from you.

"Of course."

Red shakes her head, as if to clear her thoughts. "Now, down to business. Link tells me there's been a huge misunderstanding between you and the girl of your dreams."

Ah. That. You stab your salad, suddenly not hungry. "There's no misunderstanding, Red. She hates me. I screwed up, okay? I screwed up and fell in love with her, and now she hates my guts. I shouldn't have said anything. I should've kept my mouth shut."

Red purses her lips and stares at you for a while, saying nothing.

She stands.

"Come with me."

You follow without a second thought.

_____________________

"Red, where are we?" You've had a blindfold on for hours and you're way past impatient.

"Ta-da!" She pulls the cloth off your face to reveal your location.

High school.

"We're going on a tour, Mels. A tour of all the most important locations where you and darling Winnie shared sweet moments."

"Red, I wanna go home, it's three in the goddamn morning-"

"Shhhh! Hush, child, and remember."

So you do. You remember dances and sleepovers and seeing movies at the theater where Milo worked. You remember discussions about Gonzo's status as a Disney princess and the formation of the dream team. You remember meeting Red, but before that you remember a question.

"Why are you sitting all alone?" It had been asked by a gangly honey blonde with seawater eyes and a puppy dog smile.

And of course, how could you forget the most important memory of all?

"Stay with me?" She'd asked, her gentle features glowing in the pale moonlight.

"Always, Winnie," you'd answered, an instinctive response.

From the very first day you'd met, it was you and her against the world.

What happens now?

"Where to, Red?"

She smiles softly to herself. "You'll know when we get there."