The Axis My World Turns On

Fresh Rain

If she weren't so curious about just what Laura was going to do, she wouldn't have stepped out again for at least 24 hours. A hot shower sounded wonderful right now; or a scolding bubble bath under the whisps of eucalyptus incents and her favorite Secret Springs candle. She had to settle for a rushed, hot-as-she-had-time-for shower instead. Her hair was dry and in its naturally curly stature with just enough time for her to get dressed and open the door for Laura. She hadn't rushed, btu 30 minutes was not a long enough shower. Thought she could probably blame the 45-minute nap she'd taken before her shower.

Now she was sitting in the middle of an empty field on a picnic blanket placed outside a cream-colored pitched tent surrounded by a platter of cookies, grapes, sandwiches, and 3 thermoses of hot cocoa with Laura failing miserably to pop a bottle of sparkling cider.

The ride over had been fairly comfortable, silent aside from Laura's random outbursts whenever a song she recognized popped up on what seemed to be a random Spotify playlist. Carmilla had tried to contain the small smirks behind the collar of her leather jacket, but some of them poked through with ease. She kept thinking about how upset she was with Laura, trying to stifle the thoughts of how adorable the blonde was, but it didn't work; so, she succumbed. At least only she would know. Mostly though, she'd just looked out the window at the passing lights; getting more curious the further those lights got. Laura did not try to initiate a conversation even once. In fact, the ride got intensely more silent, it seemed, the closer they got to wherever they were going. Laura got intensely quiet.

She was quiet when the car stopped where road did. Quiet as she motioned for Carmilla to follow her up the small, grassy hill with excitement and fear evident in her eyes. Quiet as she scurried ahead, leaving Carmilla still trudging behind with her hands stuffed in her jacket pockets.

When Carmilla approached the tent, the blanket, the foods, Laura was still silent, already seated, as she patted the spot next to her on the blanket, smoothing the bottom of her dress. Laura was the first to reach for any food, almost as soon as Carmilla sat down. Still, she said nothing.

It wasn't until Carmilla had at least eaten half a sandwich and Laura had consumed a whole one all her own and a few cookies and some cocoa that she finally cleared her throat. She tried and failed to speak several times; hands still gripped around the bottle of cider.

And this is where she was: watching Laura's veins pop in her hands as she murdered a glass bottle full of nonalcoholic champagne. Because what the hell else is cider if not some sort of champagne?

"You look beautiful." Laura mustered through an exasperated breath. A few blonde strands of hair were in disarray, some tattered on her forehead as small beads of sweat began to form.

Carmilla looked down as if she had not been the one to dress herself. She took in the black ripped jeans, gray, long sleeve tee and black boots, unable to see much of her hooded leather jacket without a mirror. She completely contrasts Laura in her dress, as always. They never matched, not in style, nor in personality. It's how they'd always worked. Sometimes their colors matched or complimented, but Carmilla would always pale next to Laura. Laura was just too bright.

"So do you." Carmilla replied, fondling a grape before she put it in her mouth. "I haven't seen that dress in years. It looks lovely still."

"Oh...thank you. It's-. I just...dug it out."

Laura's teeth were gritted. Her focus was barely on Carmilla. The bottle had not yet been defeated. As if it had realized her stubbornness, the cork flew out like a white flag from an opposing army. Carmilla barely had time to dodge it as it came whizzing out without warning, and even less time to avoid the liquid spurting out of the bottle.