A/N: idk how i feel about this fic, it kind of jumps around and i'm not exactly thrilled with how i characterized grace and molly in terms of dialogue. i think i should've spent longer on this (and i totally could've but who really wants to do that?) but i kind of just really wanted to post this because this ship needs more love since they're totally girlfriends and all. but yeah, enjoy this. whatever this effing cliché mess is. also i didn't proofread it so you can just let me know if you find any errors and i'll go back and fix them.

i figure this takes place around eighth or ninth grade.

It started with a sleepover, as clichéd as Molly thinks that is. Grace had intertwined their fingers once Kacey and the other Perfs had finally drifted off. Her lips pushed against Molly's earlobe, trying her best to keep her voice quiet. "Moll, can I ask you something?"

An eyeroll, a pair of puppy dog eyes, and one stupid, stupid question later and Molly had Grace's back against the wall in Kacey's kitchen, away from the sleepover. She felt stupid, her face flushed and her heart pounding. This was so cheesy, she felt ridiculous (wasn't this how those pornos her last boyfriend watched started?).

(Two girls, best friends, advice on kissing, then ...) (She feels something twitch and snaps her legs shut tight.)

"Are you okay?" Grace whispers way too loud. Jesus Christ.

"Shut up, close your eyes and no tongue, okay?" She doesn't wait for an answer. Her lips press quickly to Grace's, kissing quickly and chastely. No tingling lips, no passionate making out, no awkward groping. This isn't one of her last boyfriend's pornos.

That doesn't stop Grace from frowning, her back still pinned. "That's not how you kissed Kyle ..."

Molly needs to learn to shut down Grace's puppy dog eyes. Or maybe kissing Grace (for practice) (just so she'd learn to do it before her date) was fine ... it's not like it was real (does she hate that?) (Jesus Christ that's stupid) (she likes boys).

So what that the kissing keeps happening? (And so what that Kacey and the other Perfs would crucify them for it?) (Okay, so maybe that does scare her.) (It doesn't make the kisses mean anything other than Grace needs practice.)

The janitor closet rendezvous all the next week are just more practice. Grace really needs it, especially if she's working her way up to using tongue. Which she is. (Not so Molly can keep kissing her) (she still likes boys) (she thinks) (or maybe she's never liked boys)

But the sneaking off to the Perf bathroom when Kacey is busy with the others? Maybe she can't justify that. She'll just have to pretend that part doesn't happen. And she does. At least, she does for two weeks (the janitor closet kissing stops after Grace's date but they don't stop sneaking off). After two weeks, Grace tries to hold her hand at lunch.

Molly tenses but she doesn't do anything. It's just hand holding. They're best friends and best friends hold hands sometimes. But best friends don't stroke their thumbs over each other's hands. (Best friends also don't teach each other to kiss.)

No.

Hell no.

She can't do this. She just can't. Hand holding is ... No.

Molly doesn't know how many ways she can say it. However many, it isn't enough.

"It's just practice, Gracey. Meaning it's all fake. Hand holding is like ... Romantic. Only real couples do that. If this practice is too confusing for you, then we're stopping." She feels like a bitch (she is one) (she knows that) just saying it. Watching Grace's face fall, her hand slipping away makes her feel like a monster. She can't be a monster, Kacey Simon is a monster. Molly isn't Kacey Simon. But she isn't gay either. (Sure she's not.) It would be crueler to lead Grace on.

Grace drops her head, hands folding, "I'm sorry, Molly. I—I didn't mean it like that ... I just, I thought—"

"You've never been good at thinking."

The look on Grace's face before she runs off makes Molly cringe. Did she seriously just push Grace away for holding her hand? This really isn't one of her last boyfriend's pornos. (That's a good thing.) (It has to be.) It doesn't make what she did any better. Fuck.

(She feels like such a fucking cliché.)

reviews are appreciated! especially since this is a dead fandom