A/N: Another (late) update for you amazing people! Just so this doesn't get confusing, this chapter is different P's.O.V., but it sort of progresses time-wise, instead of repeating the same event. They're a bit short, so my apologies.
Happy reading!
Hornet
"Leave all your loving, your loving behind.
You can't carry it with you if you wanna survive."
-Florence and the Machine, Dog Days Are Over.
Hornet didn't want to do it. Every moment of the exchange made her feel no better than those air-heads that convinced her to spike the poor girl's drink. Because maybe she wasn't. She should have just said 'no'. Why was it that no one could seem to say that to Serafina Capito?
Alexandra and Scip had disappeared into the shrubbery a few minutes ago, and Hornet was trying not to image what was going on out there. She shuddered as she twisted the cap off the bottle the hostess had presented to her with a sly grin.
She thought that everyone must have times when their minds form thoughts that are so extremely uncharacteristic that it's difficult to believe they came from their own cranium. And during those moments, she was experiencing that very phenomenon. Cold, bitter, icy feelings that she was embarrassed to even be conscious of.
She deserves it, and you know it. Little Miss My-Life-Is-So-Hard could use a little humility.
Hornet nearly cringed. This wasn't like her. None of this was. But that girl had her job in her hands. One word from her and she could kiss boarding school good-bye, along with her dreams of being a writer. She didn't have a choice in the matter.
So when Alexandra ambled over to the refreshment table, Hornet didn't waste a moment. "Oh, hey, Alexandra. Here's your water."
"Thanks."
And it took all her will-power to not knock the cup out of her hands and apologize for everything. Say she was sorry everyone was treating her this way. Try to make it right.
And she almost did. Because that's what Hornet had spent all these years doing. She tried to correct every pain and ailment in her little world. But she was learning with every passing day that there were things even she couldn't fix. Couldn't stop. Couldn't heal.
She was just going to have to hope Alexandra knew she was simply a marionette in this operation. But something told her she wouldn't.
She watched the detective's niece's expression go sour. Hornet stomach wrenched as she saw her confusion, then her exasperation. She watched Serafina turn the blame on her. She watched Alexandra glare at her, betrayal and disappointment lining her gaze. She watched herself just stand there, taking it like a statue.
As the victim of her own spinelessness met her eyes one last time, Hornet's heart whispered through the noise, hoping through some miracle they would catch in Alexandra's,
I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry.
Serafina
"I'll stop eating food,
and I'll squeeze into a dress
So I can feel like you
Then I'll see your bitterness."
-Be Like You
Serafina knew she had to do it. It wasn't revenge, necessarily. She liked to think of it as a gentle reminder to New Girl that she would forever and always be the head of things around here. No matter how many boys thought she was pretty, and no matter how many girls thought she was sweet. It was insurance.
And then it had all gone horribly wrong.
Alexandra wasn't supposed to notice. She was supposed to knock the whole thing back and stumble out of there, never to come back! Scip definitely wasn't supposed to follow her!
So Sera pushed through the crowd, ignoring cat calls and various commentary, and climbed the grand staircase until the sounds of the events below her were lowered to a soft melody. She walked all the way down the hall to the last door on the left and went right in.
Her tidy bedroom was engulfed in darkness before she switched on her lights and collapsed on her canopy bed. The soft pillows enveloped her as Serafina took deep breaths, trying to collect herself.
Wow, Sera, you really managed to screw this one up, didn't you?
Stop. Stop right now, she willed herself. It wasn't as easy said as done.
Shame. He was good for you. Handsome, too. Oh, and quite the charmer. Sweetie, he's just about perfect. Unlike you. You stupid little girl, what are you pushing now? One-ten? One-twenty?
115. She'd weighed herself that morning. She hadn't eaten since then. Not a bite.
I take that back. He wasn't good for you, he was too good for you, and you know it's true. You always did. That's why you fought so hard to keep him, because you knew he wasn't going to stay.
And, by the way, you look fat in that dress.
"Stop!" Serafina's own mouth spoke without her consent. She began to take short, gaspy breaths as the tears began. "Please stop..." She whispered into her duvet.
During those minutes, deep in her soul, Sera hoped Alexandra Getz knew she was the luckiest girl in the whole world.
Scipio
"Becuase maybe,
You're gonna be the one who saves me."
Oasis, Wonderwall
Scipio had wanted to do it. He had wanted to take her by the hand and lead her away and make certain she would never have to feel pain again.
Must be a side-effect of falling in love.
If he had, they would never be in this mess, with Alexandra crying and Hornet looking like she was about to do the same and Serafina wandering off to God-knows-where. He knew it was impractical to think he could have predicted this, but Scip still felt as if it was all his fault.
He couldn't stand there any longer. He wrapped an arm around Alexandra and tried to calm her down as he ushered her out of the crowded home. This time, no one objected.
Many steps later, the duo was striding down the narrow streets cutting through Venice. The walk was long, and Scip was thankful for the chance to finally talk things over with Alexandra. "I suppose you know how sorry I am," he said as they rounded a corner.
Alex shrugged, "Of course I do. Why you're sorry, though, I'm not so clear with."
"Becuase I shouldn't have brought you here, when Sera's obviously out for blood."
"I couldn't have cared less about Serafina." She lied. "I'd rather forget about her."
"Couldn't have said it better myself."
Alexandra had since stopped the tears from falling, and managed a faint laugh. Scip looked at her side-ways. If it was true what they say about the first smile after crying is the most beautiful, then it applied perfectly as her lips curled up. "Just remember that I'm not mad at you."
"Just remember that I wouldn't blame you if you were." He countered.
They went back-and-forth, just like always, jumping from topic to topic without a destination in mind. Scipio and Alexandra liked to keep discussion light. They figured both of them had enough heaviness in their lives. Eventually, they were on the front stoop of the Getz Residence, laughing at a comment one of them had made.
Slowly, the humor melted, leaving behind a silence they weren't sure how to fill. Scipio soon remembered that there was some unfinished business he needed to tend to.
Hopefully she believed in second chances. Gathering all his courage, he leaned in and gently tipped Alexandra's head up to meet his lips. His initial nervousness was quickly replaced by an emotion that could only be described as 'finally.' Neither of them was about to pull away, so Scip encircled his arms around Alex's waist. She reciprocated the movement by resting her own on his shoulders.
That kiss was a first for both of them. For Alexandra, the first kiss, period. For Scipio, the first one that felt like it mattered.
A/N: Tah-dah!
I was originally going to wait for another few chapters to write their first kiss, but it felt like that would be dragging it on for too long, and also because I dangled it in front of you guys then pulled it away last chapter and I felt pretty bad about it :P
Please review, they make me write!
Thanks for reading :D
