CHAPTER 1

If anyone asked Laura what Carmilla liked, the first thing she'd say is, "She loves music!"

And it couldn't be truer. Carmilla listened to music while, eating, driving, sleeping, bathing, reading… She played her instruments in the mornings, on weekdays, holidays… Even at three a.m. on Tuesdays.

Like now.

Some of us have work tomorrow, you know.

Laura squinted at her phone and waited for Carmilla to reply. Minutes passed and the concert in the apartment across from hers continued. She was about to fall asleep again when the music stopped and she got a reply.

Yeah, but not me, cupcake.

A new tune started and Laura refused to wait another six minutes for Carmilla to finish. She put on her slippers and walked out her apartment to the door across the hall. Now that she was closer, she noticed how angry the piano sounded. She waited for the song to end, and when it did, she tapped her knuckles on the door.

"Carmilla, it's me! Open up!"

"It's open."

When she stepped inside the small apartment, a new song started playing, and this time, Laura had to cover her ears. She made her way to Carmilla's bedroom, where she found her pounding furiously on her keyboard. It sounded like five pianos playing at once, and if it weren't giving her a headache, she would have stopped and admired it.

"Alright, that's enough." Laura grabbed Carmilla's wrists and stopped her from playing anymore. She turned Carmilla around in her chair. Carmilla wouldn't look at her, so she asked, "Are you trying to contact Beethoven's spirit?"

Carmilla shook her head and gave a half-smile. Laura's heart skipped a beat.

She finally looked up at Laura. "Just… got the urge to play, is all."

"That's all right and good but," Laura pointed to the wires connected from the keyboard to the amplifiers. "Amps? Really?"

Carmilla shrugged and bent down to pick up a wine glass from the floor. It was filled with orange juice.

Laura watched her sip on the drink with concern. Whenever Carmilla was feeling moodier than usual, she would drink from a wine glass. Laura could never understand why, and Carmilla never said.

"Carm… You okay?"

"Are you okay, cupcake?"

Laura sighed. It was gonna be one of those nights.

She sat on the bed and rolled Carmilla along with the chair. Carmilla went back to avoiding eye contact and watched the contents of her glass swish around. Laura took the glass from her. Carmilla didn't seem to notice. After a few moments, she slowly took the glass back from Laura's hand and Laura shivered.

Even after three years of friendship, Laura wasn't used to Carmilla initiating contact. Whenever Laura was going to touch her, she braced herself – warned every nerve ending of what was to happen, and when contact came, the shock wasn't so bad. But when it was Carmilla touching her, her heart wanted to tear through her chest. The skin that had been touched felt the endless possibilities of surprise kisses and confessions that could change everything.

Carmilla sipped on the juice some more.

"If something's up, you should tell me," said Laura. "I can help you."

"Did you know that the first victim of the Great Fire of London was a maidservant too afraid to jump to escape the fire?"

Laura frowned slightly. "Uh, yeah, I remember hearing something like that."

"Completely devoured… All because she was too cowardly…"

If there was any doubt in Laura's mind of Carmilla's odd mood, it was gone. She stared closer and saw Carmilla's eyes. They were smaller than usual, as if she wanted to close them but couldn't.

She hadn't realized just how hard she was staring until Carmilla looked up and chuckled.

"That bunched up little face you make is hilarious, buttercup."

Laura pulled back with a blush and a mumbled apology. Now, it was her turn to look down and Carmilla's to look at her.

Carmilla moved the glass a bit more. "Do you think the maidservant deserved to die for being so scared?"

"No. Nobody deserves to die, period. Besides, it must have been quite the distance to jump for her to even hesitate with the fire behind her."

"Quite the distance, huh?" Carmilla mumbled.

"Yeah. But I would have taken the jump."

Carmilla's head snapped up.

She breathed out and put the glass on the floor. Edging closer to her, she put a hand on Laura's cheek and rubbed it with her thumb.

There it was again. The dull thump of her heart as it tried to get out of her chest.

She felt drunk as Carmilla leaned in and kissed her. It was softer than she ever expected, but her body hummed all the same.

When Carmilla pulled back and let her hand fall from her face, Laura smiled. She wasn't sure if she should let the moment continue or confess it all to Carmilla right then and there.

"Laura…"

Gravity could not make her fall harder than when Carmilla said her name.

"… See you tomorrow."

Huh?

She couldn't process anything after that. Whether it was because of the kiss or Carmilla's sudden dismissal, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that one second she was on Carmilla's bed, and then the next, a door was slammed in her face.

She looked about the hallway. She felt disoriented and dizzy. Quietly, she made her way back to her apartment, and eventually, her bed. When she reached for her phone to check the time, she saw she got a new message.

Sorry for waking you up, cutie. Sweet dreams.

Laura smiled and fell asleep with the cellphone near her chest.