Wasted Youth ( a collection of one-shots)

New Year's Day (Hollstein)

New Year's Day (Hollstein): Alright, this is my first Hollstein one-shot so take it easy. (Also if you haven't noticed yet, I tend to pull people from other series' or other ships into my one-shots so don't complain about that either.)

There's glitter on the floor after the party
Girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby
Candle wax and Polaroids on the hardwood floor
You and me from the night before but

Laura Hollis wasn't a very complex girl. She was cute, a little nerdy, and a very skilled journalist. Carmilla Karnstein was the definition of someone who gives zero fucks. She does what she wants when she wants, and nobody can stop her, mainly because most people are too afraid too.

They were roommates in college and that shortly turned them into best-friends. (Of course, that was after Laura hated Carmilla's guts for a few weeks.) But then they graduated, and Laura moved to New York to pursue her journalism career. And Carmilla, well, nobody really knows where she went. She just travels a lot and has a lot of sex, like a lot, probably too much. The distance between them slowly turned them from best-friends into strangers. Which broke Laura's heart, because she was in love with Carmilla, and way too afraid to say anything.

10:00 PM

It was New Year's Eve. Laura's friend Karlie wanted Laura to come to her girlfriend Taylor's New Year's party. She was skeptical at first. Laura didn't really like parties. Sure, they were fun in college, but she outgrew those days. She's mature now, she's rational now, she's a realist. At least, that's what she tells herself. After Karlie's persistence, which was very annoying to Laura, she gave in and decided to go.

It can't be that bad. Laura thought. Karlie helped Laura pick out an outfit. Taylor requested that all invitees look like a "classy gay" and Karlie was whipped. So, she picked out Laura's outfit that was in fact, classy gay. It was nothing too fancy, a dark blue blouse with white polka-dots and black skinny jeans with black booties. After curling her hair, Laura put her make-up on and shortly after the two were on their way to Taylor's apartment in the city.

Don't read the last page
But I stay when you're lost and I'm scared and you're turning away
I want your midnights
But I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day

10:30 PM

The apartment was packed. Taylor had invited so many people, some people then invited their friends. When Laura and Karlie got there they were immediately hit with the smell of beer.

"Karlie! Laura! I'm glad you're here. There are so many straights, I'm glad my gays are now here," Nicole drunkenly says as she hands both Karlie and Laura red solo cups filled with beer. Laura takes a sip.

"Jesus Nicole, how much did you have? Where's Waverly?" Karlie asks as she puts her hand on Nicole's shoulder to stabilize her.

"I stopped counting after like three. Laura, is that Carmilla over there?" Nicole asks as she points to the raven-haired girl playing beer pong. Laura didn't respond. She chokes on her beer which results in a stifled laugh from Karlie. Holy shit. Laura thinks. She's staring for what feels like hours.

Carmilla felt something. It was like her spidey senses were tingling. And they were. When she looks to her left she sees the one and only Laura Hollis. And she almost shits her pants. Because she hasn't seen Laura in years. That's partly her fault too. She stopped talking to Laura because it was too painful for her to be her friend when she wanted more, when she was in love with her.

Laura is the first to break eye contact, mainly because she's scared shitless. She doesn't know what to do. She hasn't spoken to Carmilla in so long. And just seeing her made her heart swell, like time hasn't passed, like they're still college kids, like she's still in love with her.