Author's Note: A couple of my ideas threw up on each other and it turned into this piece of crap. My apologies for all the disjointedness in this. I blame it on the fact that I've just been to Santa Carla and had a bad encounter with some vampires.
Violette noticed Kim before Kim noticed her. She was incredibly shy, so that's usually how it went with everyone. She would notice them before they noticed her, and sometimes they wouldn't really notice her at all.
Violette remembers the first time she noticed her too. She was sitting in the back of the kindergarden classroom, on the rug of colorful shapes and numbers, and holding a pad of paper on her lap. She was busy outlining a goldfish in orange wax, when the classroom door opened and a child only just shorter than herself stomped in.
She cupped her small dark hands over her misleadingly loud mouth and called out to everyone, "Helllooooo!"
Violette nearly flinched as the girl's boisterous greeting echoed off of the decorated walls. She found it very strange. This girl charged into the classroom all by herself, with no mommy or daddy holding her hand like the other kids, even though Violette wouldn't have dreamed of having the courage to do such a thing. And not only did she come in by herself, but she vocalized her presence with a flamboyant force.
Violette studied the brave girl in wonder. She had deep brown skin and electric green eyes, black hair so short it was boyish. She wore a light orange t-shirt with an iron-on elephant in the middle, its trunk lifted high in the air as it silently trumpeted. Dark gray shorts matched the elephant and Violette could see a lollypop sticking out of one baggy pocket.
She eyed the candy with slight jealousy as the teacher introduced the girl at the front of the room. Now known as to everyone as Kim, the girl clapped her hands and marched over to play with a group of boys. Violette watched with bemusement. Surely the boys who played with plastic trucks and rubber, man-eating tigers wouldn't allow this girl, who surely played with dolls and stuffed kittens, to join in their rough fun? Why Kim would even want to was beyond Violette.
But the amethyst-topped five year old saw that they didn't have a choice. Kim pushed down the first boy who refused her, and snatched his bright yellow dump truck right out of his hands.
She frightened Violette just a little more than she awed her.
Violette may have noticed Kim first, but Kim was the one to talk to Violette first. About three days after Kim's brazen entrance, she found the taller girl by herself on the playground.
She was no doubt perplexed by the way Violette kept to herself against the school building, a stick of chalk in hand while all the other kids played tag or climbed all over the plastic equipment. Violette remembers a shadow falling over her dusty doodle of a rainbow sunflower. She remembers looking up to see Kim with her hands firmly on her hips, and her twin lime pools bearing down on her. "What are you doing?"
"Um..." Violette gulped nervously. Drawing with chalk, she wanted to say. You can draw with me, she wanted to add. But under the stare of her intimidating classmate, the words died in her throat.
"Cat gotcha tongue?" Kim crouched down and peered at Violette, scrutiny plain on her face which was now just millimeters from Violette's. Violette swallowed and scooted back in retreat, chalk coating the bottom of her overalls.
The ebony-haired girl tipped her head. "Imma take that as a yes. But I guess it's okay if you don't talk. 'Cause I talk a lot, so if you don't I'll just talk for us both." She gave a nod to show she was sure of herself and then looked to the drawings on the blacktop. "I like your flower," she said and pointed to its harlequin petals.
"Thanks," Violette mumbled softly in surprise.
"What'd ya know, you do talk after all." Kim giggled and struck out a hand. "I'm Kim. What's your name?"
The purple-haired kindergartner's apprehension was starting to lift. Kim was being friendly, even if she was really loud. "Violette," she murmured, her gray eyes shifting to Kim's outstretched fingers.
"You shake it, silly." Kim grabbed Violette's hand before she could reply and shook so vigorously that Violette briefly feared her arm was going to pop off.
Violette remembers that Kim was her first real friend. Their friendship was odd, considering how audacious Kim was and how timid Violette was in comparison. But it worked out better that way in the long run.
Violette taught Kim that quiet games, like drawing with chalk or playing Go Fish, could actually be pretty fun. Kim taught Violette that she didn't have to be afraid of playing in the group games that looked equally fun, like Freeze Tag or Hide 'N Seek.
They always shared their snacks with each other. Kim's favorite were the apple slices that you dunk in gooey caramel, while Violette's favorite were frosted animal crackers. The teacher was quite pleased that they shared so well with each other, as opposed to some of her students who would hog every crumb or fly into tantrums if she tried to get them to do otherwise. She didn't approve of them sharing drinks as much, however.
But they did that too. Kim found it humorously fitting that Violette's favorite was grape juice, because it matched her purple hair perfectly. Kim didn't have a favorite juice herself.
She liked anything as long as it wasn't cranberry.
She liked anything-not-cranberry even better when she could share it with Violette.
Violette remembers initially fearing Kim was a bully. It would later turn out that her initial fears were correct.
But Kim was only a bully if someone else was being a bully first.
The first day of first grade was scary enough. Butterflies zipped and zoomed in Violette's belly and she absolutely refused to release her mother's hand until she reached her desk. That was right, she had a desk. No more round table where every student sat and Kim was right by her side. Now there were single desks in rows. Oh yeah, first grade was scary enough.
It got even scarier the moment a blonde terror by the name of Nathaniel decided to stamp on over and yank her amethyst braid. She yelped in pain and surprise, twisting around so fast in her plastic chair that it lost its balance and deposited her on the ground. "Ow," she whimpered, feeling tears sting the corner of her eyes as she got to her knees and looked up to the culprit. "W-Why'd you do that?"
"'Cause I felt like it," he snickered, leering at Violette with a menacing golden gaze that pierced her to the core.
Stiffly, Violette pulled herself up and willed herself to be brave. She picked up her chair again and did her best to ignore the jeering eyes still fixed upon her. But as soon as she went to sit down, the chair was pulled out from under her and her behind hit the floor. A startled cry was torn from her lips and she sniffled, tears inevitably dropping even though she urged them back.
"Hey!" Violette looked up in time to see Kim storming over, rolling up the sleeves of her bright blue shirt. There was a temporary tattoo of a snarling Chinese dragon just above her right elbow.
She stepped in between Violette and Nathaniel, facing him with her lower lip puffed out and a glare just as fierce. "Find someone else to pick on," she demanded, her voice dark with warning.
He scoffed. "Or what?"
She curled up her small, dark fist and punched him square in the nose with all the strength she could muster. There was a little bit of blood and Violette was quite impressed.
Needless to say, the teacher was not happy when he finally returned from the coat room.
But Nathaniel never bothered Violette again.
By second grade they were BFFs and went to each other's homes regularly.
Violette remembers one particularly rainy Saturday where Kim's dad dropped her off and they spent the afternoon watching movies. Fantasies were always Violette's favorite. She loved magical worlds where there were fancy kingdoms and mystic unicorns, and clouds in the sky dusted with sparkling glitter. Kim seemed to quite like them too, except for one thing...
"I don't think it's fair that only the boys get to be princes," she told Violette, bobbing her head in a critical nod.
"What?" Violette dubiously blinked at her.
"Princes are always boys and girls are always princesses. But princes get to do all the cool stuff, you know? Like slaying dragons and saving the day, while princesses just look pretty. I just don't think it's fair that all the girls have to be princesses."
"Well," Violette started after a moment of pondering, "Girls don't always have to be princesses. They can be witches too."
Kim wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, but being a mean ol' witch isn't any better than being a princess. I'd way rather be a prince, and ride on a white horse and swing a big sword around at bad people. Like witches."
"Huh. Maybe when you grow up, you should be a movie maker so you can make a movie with a girl prince."
"That's a good idea. I think I'll do that." Kim grinned at her then, pearly whites flashing brightly.
It made Violette feel very warm.
By fourth grade, Kim was the taller one. She hit a growth spurt and now passed Violette up by a good five or six inches.
But that was about the most notable change.
Most things were still the same. They still stared lunches and went to each other's houses. Only now they were big enough for sleepovers, and that was something pretty dang cool. Violette remembers their first sleepover, where Kim wore an ice cream themed nightgown as pajamas and it was honestly the most feminine thing she'd ever seen her friend don. She remembers herself wearing a baggy t-shirt and shorts with pale green stripes.
That was the first night that Violette watched a zombie movie, per Kim's suggestion of course.
That was another thing that never changed. Kim always liked to push Violette out of her comfort zone and get her to try something exciting, or do something new. Violette was the opposite. She liked to get Kim to relax, or slow down and try something tame. Like sculpting. It was because of Violette that Kim discovered she had a knack for it.
And it was because of Kim that Violette found she was entranced by capoeria.
It was a fair tradeoff.
Most of their friendship was.
Middle school was when they started changing.
Though still quite bold and spunky, Kim had mellowed out considerably. And Violette was no longer the timid near-mute she was, though she was still rather shy. Violette remembers that at this point, they'd found other friends. They still had each other, of course, that was a bond that was never going to die, but it was different.
In the past, Violette had been too scared to befriend anyone other than Kim. And Kim had been to abrasive to attract any friend material aside from Violette. In the past they didn't have any close friends other than each other, but now they did.
Their bodies were changing too. They were starting to grow breasts and hair in more places than just on the head, and it seemed like they were gaining at least a centimeter in height by the day.
School buildings also changed. No more paper animals smiled on the walls and sunshine banners on hallway bulletin boards had been forsaken for plain calendars.
All this change seemed so sudden when it had really been steady, and Violette found it all rather nerve-wreaking and hard to take in. It was a comfort to be able to take Kim's hand and squeeze it, and know she was going through the exact same thing.
More often than not, Kim squeezed back.
It didn't take too long to adjust and enjoy themselves.
There were after-school activities like the art club that they immersed themselves in. Violette had grown to be quite the impressive artist, whose drawings and paintings were constantly praised and marveled at. Natural talent combined with years of practice meant a lot of progress in that department, and she always swelled with pride when her skills were complimented and eyes lingered on the pictures her art teacher found worthy to hang in the hallway.
The school often held art shows in the gymnasium, and never ever was there a show that didn't feature a work of Violette's.
Kim's sculpting had come to be quite admirable as well. That was one thing in the art category that she could one-up the purple-haired preteen in. Clay always seemed to bend under Kim's palms effortlessly and follow the outcome she had in her mind. Her fingers shaped and carved, but it was like the clay was meant to be plied under her touch. Her sculptures always came out neat and proportionate.
Violette remembers getting one such sculpture for her birthday. It was a unicorn, a strapping meter tall and prancing gracefully on its patch of flowered forest. Its twisted horn was glazed in gold, as were its hooves, while its body was pure dove-white and its flowing mane and tail were accented with hints of wisteria. The flowers in the grass under its regal feet were painted in hues of all the colors under the rainbow and it felt like they were blooming just for her magnificent equine.
It was perfect. Violette had never really lost her passion for fantasy.
"This is beautiful," she exclaimed in an amazed whisper, her eyes soft and round as they retraced the gift. "Thank you!" She seized Kim up in a hug.
"I'm glad you like it. Happy Birthday, Vi." She grinned and ruffled Violette's hair.
To this day it still sits on her dresser.
Their first school dance held in winter. Violette remembers it was on February 14th and some genius on the student council actually got away with dubbing it the 'Snow Ball.'
Knowing how packed it was going to be, Violette was a little nervous. But her excitement outweighed her nervousness, and she anticipated her first school dance with a smile on her lips and an incentive to buy a new dress.
"No," Kim grunted when she asked her to come along.
"Why not? You have to get a dress too anyway."
"I don't think I'm going to the dance, Vi. I'm not really into all that dressing up, and dancing around stuff."
"Kim, you have to go," implored Violette. "It's our first school dance, and it's a really big deal! Everyone is going to be there. Besides, I won't have any fun if you're not going." Her ash-gray orbs looked into lime ones pleadingly.
"Meh, fine." Kim shrugged her shoulders. She couldn't really refuse.
They went shopping with Melody and Iris, and even that nosey girl Peggy. Outings like dress shopping were always better in groups, because then you got reliable feedback on what you tried on. And it ensured you didn't buy the same thing as anyone else who shopped with you. That was especially important in this case, considering that the dance had a winter theme and white dresses were most certainly going to be what every girl wore. There were only so many different white dresses.
In the end, they'd hit eight stores before everyone had something to wear. The fashion, the peer critique, the lunch break, and the browsing had actually rolled into something pretty fun for everyone. Even for Kim, who hadn't been thrilled to be pushed into trying on at least five dresses. Violette liked the one she settled on.
It was strapless and tight-knit until the waist, where it blew out slightly and went down to Kim's knees. It suited her body type, which most girls were jealous of, considering her chest had developed rather generously.
Violette liked her own purchase as well, a silky white gown with flecks of glitter in the fabric. It went down to her shins and she bought a shimmery, gauzy shawl that completed it perfectly.
She got a lot of compliments on it that night, even one that got her a slow dance with a friendly green-haired boy.
But she still thought Kim's compliment was the one that really made her night.
Violette remembers realizing she was attracted to Kim.
It was a warm day in eighth grade, reaching near the end of the school year. And Kim's old habit of pushing Violette into things she wasn't comfortable with had never ceased to die hard. The ebony-haired teen dragged her off to play a haphazard game of paintball.
Violette squeaked with terror on the field, running from the flying pellets of red paint that no doubt represented her blood. She darted behind fortresses and ducked behind the other players, only firing her weapon from a distance and only when it was safe enough to flee before retaliation. Kim was the opposite, of course. She was a warrior who charged right into the other team's territory and blasted any opposer in sight.
Their team won, and Violette was certain they had Kim to thank.
"Have fun, Vi?" Kim asked her as they headed into the building to return the rented gear.
"Yeah," Violette answered honestly. "I did, but I'm still never doing this again."
Kim laughed breathlessly and took off her helmet, shaking her hair out. The dying sunlight that peeked in through the window caught her just right. It shone in her radiant eyes and glinted on the droplets of perspiration that rolled down her face. Her lips softly parted as she took in a breath and Violette wanted to kiss them. The heat that simmered in her stomach rose up to her cheeks upon the realization.
"You're staring at me kinda funny." Kim looked to her, completely oblivious. "Do I got something on my face?"
"N-No," she stammered.
Kim rose a brow. "You okay?"
"Just fine," she breathed.
She remembers thinking that wasn't quite right.
Her attraction didn't fade away when high school came around.
If anything, it grew stronger. And it got all the more confusing, because Kim wasn't the only girl Violette found she was attracted to.
The only one she was genuinely interested in, yes, the only girl she most certainly had a crush on. But not the only one she found attractive.
And all that got even more confusing when she started to find some boys attractive too.
It had her head spinning and her stomach churning, and she felt like she was on some kind of never ending carousel, but she kept these feelings to herself. She never mentioned them to Kim, or anyone else for that matter.
Until she had a bona fide crush on a boy. The kind of crush that made her heart squiggle in her chest, her cheeks incinerate with warmth, and her stomach release a swarm of butterflies. But the confession-by-proxy proved it wasn't meant to be, and she later told Kim that much.
"Alexy's gay."
"Bummer," Kim tsked. "But I can't say I'm surprised. I kinda got that vibe from him, you know?"
Do you get that vibe from me too? Violette wanted to ask, but couldn't. Instead she asked; "Does that bother you?"
"No! Not at all," Kim answered ardently. "Why, does it bother you!?"
Violette was surprised. Kim snapped the answer so quickly and defensively. Practically startled. That was so unlike Kim, and totally contrasted her leisure demeanor just a few moments before.
"Of course not," Violette replied.
"Good," Kim muttered, visibly relaxing. "Alexy's not the only gay one around here, you know what I'm saying?"
Wait. What? "Do you mean that you're also-"
"Yup."
A tiny flame of hope kindled in Violette's chest.
"What's that?" Kim asked, approaching Violette near the lockers after aikido club. Her short bob was pulled back into a loose bun and her breath was heavy with effort.
"Iced tea," Violette replied and extended the bottle Kim was eyeing.
"That'll work." Kim swiped it from her grasp and pushed the bottle to her lips, ungraciously chugging.
Sharing drinks was another thing they never stopped doing.
A lot had probably changed.
But all in all, nothing did.
Kim was not a touchy-feely person.
She did not like hugs or snuggling, or anything similar.
But sometimes when it was cold and it was late, and Violette was falling asleep to the movie in the background, she would shift just enough on the couch to allow Violette to cuddle up.
She would let Violette bury her sleepy face in her shoulder or use her stomach as a pillow.
And it was the little things like that that kept the flame of hope in Violette's heart burning.
"Do you ever think we could be more than friends?" Kim asked her softly, in a near-whisper in the courtyard of Sweet Amoris.
Violette remembers her heart thudding in her chest and blissfully burning. And maybe, just maybe, Kim didn't even mean for her to hear. The ebony-haired teen was scarcely ever that quiet, after all.
But Violette did hear.
"I think we could be a lot more than that," she murmured.
Kim stared at her for a long moment, searching for skepticism.
But there wasn't any to find.
She sidled over to Violette and gently cupped the small of her back, leaning down as the shorter girl stretched up on her toes. Though the thought of doing so was daunting, it was somehow very easy for Violette to lift her hands and press them to Kim's cheeks. It was soothing to caress the smooth skin under her fingertips, and electrifying to feel the warmth of Kim's palms through the cotton of her dress.
Her eyelids fluttered closed when they kissed. The meeting of mouths was gentle and tentative at first, but they both gave into the yearning hunger to deepen the kiss. It didn't take long at all for them to be smothering the other's moans with their lips, to be pressing together so close it was like they were trying to merge bodies. It hurt. It hurt, but the pain was lovely.
Violette knows that this was all quite right.