The States

on con-artist girlfriends

They're at the mall when it happens.

Flora really wished they had stayed in the store with the multicolored floppy sun hats that she kept putting on Scarlett (and Scarlett kept insisting offended her delicate southern belle sensibility with their garish neon colors), but instead they'd went to go find the ice cream place, and that's when the date went to hell.

Because when they passed the pet store, Scarlett had mentioned getting dog treats or something for Tally and Savannah before they left, and Flora can't help but grin and grip Scarlett's hand tighter and lean over to quickly kiss the top of her head.

It isn't quick enough.

A woman sneers and Flora hears the words that make her feel sick.

She doesn't hear what the woman says after "Y'all are going to hell."

She doesn't need to. All the speeches always have the same message.

Scarlett has stiffened beside her.

Flora can feel her girlfriend getting furious, about to go off on this woman, and that can't happen because she has seen Scarlett angry.

Flora steels herself, ready to step in front of her girlfriend and stop her from throwing herself at this woman, and Scarlett's hand relaxes in hers.

Flora just looks at Scarlett, who's looking at the woman.

For a single moment, there was only the noise of the woman ranting at them.

And then Scarlett let out a wail, and began crying.

And people start staring.

See, Scarlett looks like the definition of Southern belle. Like the girl in high school who was popular and nice and beautiful and managed to win valedictorian while being an athlete and prom queen and student body president and everyone wished was their best friend.

So here she is, in all her floral skirt-white blouse-baby pink rain boots-pearl studs glory, hand clutching the strap of her monogrammed crossbody purse, wailing in the middle of a mall.

It isn't pretty. Mascara and eyeliner run down Scarlett's face, and her cheeks are turning red.

The hateful old woman is staring, looking a little frantic at the sight of a crowd gathering.

What the hell? Flora wonders.

Scarlett sniffles. "How could you be so- so mean?!"

Flora winces at the shrill, loud, distressed tone.

An elderly woman comes over, bizarrely reminding Flora of Betty White.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?"

Scarlett sniffs, lip wobbling.

She looks like Bambi with her eyes so wide.

Like Bambi who just saw his mother shot.

Flora can see mall cops moving towards them.

A man in a blue polo and slacks pushes his way through the crowd. "Excuse me, Ma'ams, what seems to be the problem-"

"She said- she said I was going to hell!" Scarlett wails, sobs beginning again. The Betty White look-alike tuts, shooting the hateful woman a glare as she pets Scarlett's hair. "There, there, dear, it's alright."

At that moment, Flora realizes she is dating a con artist.

The mall manager gestures to the mall police, and a short moment later, the hateful woman is escorted out, the Betty White look-alike produces napkins out of her purse for Scarlett's mascara, which has streaked down her face, and the mall manager profusely apologizes and gives them a gift card to the food court.

Flora wants to disappear.

Scarlett sniffles and accepts the gift card and clutches Flora's upper arm like a debutante.

Aside from the makeup still smeared on her face, Scarlett is perfectly composed by the time they get outside.

Flora starts the car but doesn't shift the gears. She studies Scarlett as Scarlett fishes wet wipes out of the glove compartment box and scrubs at her face.

"What was all that about?"

Scarlett looks over at her, face scrubbed red. "Sometimes, anger doesn't do anything."

"So the wailing-"

"You think I didn't fake cry as a kid to make the boys feel bad? Daniel once put three dozen centipedes in my bed. Alfred said I sobbed so loud that the whole continent could hear. Daniel felt so bad he got them all up and washed all my bed-stuff. Never put them in my bed again."

Flora shoots her an incredulous look. "You- you are such a Slytherin."

Scarlett shrugs. "The boys are too." She smiles, but she still looks tired, the same way she had all those years ago when a man had called them disgusting freaks for the first time.

Back then, Flora had cheered her up by bringing her a stuffed lion and telling her about the animals displaying homosexual tendencies.

Today, she smiles. "We could go get a tub of ice cream and then go home and watch Disney movies." Silently, she plans on pulling out the brown bear stuffed animal she'd been saving for an occasion like this.

"...Rapunzel?"

Flora grins. "Yeah."

"And we can get dog treats from the store?"

"Sure."

———————
Author's Note

This whole thing is the product of Writer's Block and boredom and reading a tumblr story.

Tally and Savannah are pit bulls. Savannah stays with Flora and Tally stays with Scarlett, though they do bring them along on visits. Tally is short for Tallahassee, and Savannah is for the city, of course.

And yes, Scarlett has a collection of gay stuffed animals. Flora gives them to her when people say homophobic things to make her feel better. Her collection currently includes a lion, a penguin, a dolphin, a duck, a swan, an owl, and a panda.