After their first phone call, Laura and Carmilla started talking on the phone every night before going to sleep. They would text in the morning and during the day, as they had been doing for a month, but at night they exchanged the texts for actual calls. Carmilla was always the one to call Laura when she was finally at the hotel from a concert, or an interview or any event she had to participate.
On Friday night Laura was out with her friends for a much needed winding down after the week's work.
"So, how is it going at the paper Laura?" Perry asked.
"Oh, it's going great Perry. I'm being given more responsibilities now, I think it won't be long until I'm actually writing my own articles." Laura said, almost bouncing in her seat with excitement.
"That's great Little Nerd." Kirsch said, raising his hand for a high-five, causing Danny to roll her eyes beside him.
"Congratulations Laura, we always knew you'd make it big some day." She said.
"Thanks guys." Laura beamed at them.
"So," LaFontaine started "how are things going with Carmilla?"
Laura had told her friends about the text messages and the phone calls with the singer. She was agreeably surprised to see that Danny refrained from making any negative comments about it.
"It's good. She's pretty tired of the tour already. She told me last night that she is ready to come home and hide in her bedroom for a week at least." Laura said laughingly.
"When will she be back?" Danny asked.
"In a week. Her last concert is next Friday and then she flies back home."
"Have you two discussed what you will do when she gets back?" LaFontaine asked.
"No, what do mean, what we'll do?" Lara asked them, confused.
"Well, you two are kind of best friends now, right?" They asked, and Laura nodded.
"So, when she comes back are you two going to see each other? Or is your friendship going to continue through texts and calls only?"
"I haven't thought about that." Laura said, scrunching up her face in thought.
"You should talk to her about it. If you two start meeting in person too the gossip mongers are going to have a field day." They said.
Laura's face fell. She had been really excited for Carmilla's return. She had already made plans of the TV shows she would make her watch, of places she wanted to show her, of making her join her little group of friends in their outings. But she had forgotten about the circumstances that brought her and Carmilla together. Of course, LaFontaine was right. If she and Carmilla started meeting as friends when she got back it would be purposefully misinterpreted by the gossipers and they would never get rid of their fake relationship.
Her friends looked at each other, noticing how Laura had deflated with the idea of having her friendship with the singer hindered by a gossip.
"It'll be okay Laura. You just need to talk to her and figure this out. Remember, communication is key." Perry said, trying to cheer her up again.
"Yeah, you're right. I'll talk to her." She said, but her voice had lost her earlier excitement.
Later, Laura was awake in bed waiting for Carmilla to call her. As she had a concert that night, she would only call late when she got back to the hotel. Laura was too worried about the conversation she needed to have with Carmilla to focus on watching anything on Netflix, so she had given up trying and was now staring at the ceiling thinking of what the singer would say when she brought up the little problem they had in the way of their friendship. She was afraid that she would tell her they couldn't be real friends because she didn't want to feed the fire of the gossip. As much as she disliked Carmilla in the beginning, the idea of not being able to be friends with her now hurt. The more she got to know Carmilla, the more she liked her and she would hate for this friendship to be destroyed by someone's callous gossips. She was startled out of her reverie by the ringing of her phone.
"Hi" she answered the call.
"Can you believe that the idiots of this little town thought it a good idea to have a mosh pit but they didn't know how to properly do it and the whole damn group of them ended up in a mess of entwined bodies on the floor?" Carmilla said, laughing.
Laura gave her a forced laugh, she was too tense to be able to laugh at anything right now.
"I'm sure you enjoyed yourself very much with this." She said.
"What's wrong?" Carmilla said, her laughter stopping abruptly.
"No-nothing's wrong Carm. What makes you think that?"
"I know you Cupcake, something's wrong. Come on, tell me. The damn gossipers are not back at it, are they?"
"No, they aren't. But they will be Carm", she replied with a resigned sigh.
"Why do you say that? They haven't published anything in weeks."
"Yeah, I know. But what will happen when you come back? When someone sees us in that bookshop I promised to take you to? What happens when someone takes pictures of us in your brother's bar? Can't you see it, Carm? We can never be friends. They'll just use it to keep going with this stupid gossip." Laura's voice waivered in the end, her eyes suddenly stinging.
"Hey hey hey, Laura," Carmilla replied, her tone soothing, "if you think I'll let some stupid gossip get in the way of our friendship you're wrong. I know I told you I hate having my personal life displayed for all to see, and I've been doing a lot to avoid being in the gossip column for years. But I'm not willing to give up on our friendship because of it. For the first time in many years, I don't really care what they say about me." She took a deep breath before continuing. "So when I get back next week we'll do all the things we planned, okay? It'll take more than a nosy journalist to stop me from making you take me to this super secret and super amazing bookshop you want to show me, okay?"
"Okay." Laura said, relief flooding through her veins. "So, you think journalists are nosy, is that it?" She said, sounding more like herself.
"Of course you would pick up on that." Carmilla said chuckling.
"So, I'm nosy? And here I thought you liked me."
Carmilla laughed.
"Creampuff, you know I don't put you in the same category as those gossipers."
"Where do you put me then?", she asked.
"I put you in the cute Lois Lane-like tiny cub reporter category." Carmilla replied.
"I'm not sure if I should say 'thank you' or 'screw you'." Said Laura.
Carmilla laughed.
"You're doing that cute bunched up face of yours, aren't you Cupcake? That was a compliment, if I wanted to offend you, you would know."
"Hum, you have a weird way of offering compliments." The journalist answered, still feeling a bit offended, although Carmilla's laugher had gone a long way in changing that.
"That's who I am, Sweetheart! And I know you like it." She chuckled again.
"Can you please tone it down? Your ego is so big it's reaching through the phone and trying to strangle me."
Carmilla's laughter rang on Laura's ear and at that moment, she knew they would be alright. Against all odds, Carmilla Karnstein and Laura Hollis would be friends for life.
It was the Saturday when Carmilla would be back home. Laura sent her a text as soon as she woke up to wish her a safe flight. And for the first time, she didn't put a day count on the message.
08:05 Adorkable Cupcake: Good morning, Carm! Have a safe flight home :D
08:10 Softie Carm: Thanks Cupcake. What are you up to today?
08:11 Softie Carm: Wait, no more day count?
08:13 Adorkable Cupcake: Oh well, it doesn't really make much sense to keep counting, does it? I bet the moment you step out of that airplane a picture of us will make its way into the news.
08:14 Softie Carm: You plan on greeting me at the airport then? Didn't realize you missed me so much ;)
08:16 Adorkable Cupcake: We really need to do something about this ego of yours. :)
08:17 Adorkable Cupcake: I don't plan on being anywhere near that airport, but the way our luck has been going I'll probably be teleported there by some weird ancient magic that wants to offer me as a sacrifice for the Greek Goddess Pheme.
08:19 Softie Carm: hahaha, only you could make me laugh so much this early in the day, Buttercup.
08:20 Adorkable Cupcake: We need to work on your perception of time too Carm. It's not early anymore.
08:21 Softie Carm: Of course it is early. It only stops being early after noon.
08:22 Adorkable Cupcake: You're incorrigible.
08:21 Softie Carm: ;) I'll talk to you later Cupcake, gotta go now.
In the afternoon, Laura had just gotten home after doing groceries when her phone started to ring. She rushed to get it in her purse, thinking it might be Carmilla. They had tentatively agreed to meet later that day, if Carmilla wasn't too tired to go out. She was surprised when she saw that it was actually her boss.
"Hello."
"Hello Laura. How are you?"
"I'm fine Betty. How can I help you?"
"Would you like the chance to write your first article for the newspaper?"
"Yes, of course I would. What do you need me to write?" Laura answered excitedly.
"There's a fundraise event tonight, for a charity foundation that helps orphaned and homeless kids find a good home, and I'd like you to cover it. Natalie was supposed to go, but she called me to say she is sick and I think you're the best person to take her place, if you're interested.'
"Yes, of course I'm interested. I'll do it."
"Great, I knew I could count on you. I want you to try and get an interview with at least one of the board members, this foundation is really big in the city and it wouldn't hurt to give them a bit of a spotlight in our paper. I'll send you the details by email, your name will be on the list of the event."
"Okay, thank you Betty. I won't disappoint you."
"I know you won't, Laura. Good luck tonight."
Laura made a happy dance as soon as she hang up her phone. She was very excited for this chance to prove herself. If she did a good job she was sure she would be getting more articles to write soon. The first person she wanted to share her news with was Carmilla, but when she tried to call it went straight to voicemail, so she texted instead.
14:40 Adorkable Cupcake: Hey Carm. How was your flight? I'm so sorry, but I won't be able to meet tonight. My boss just called me and she wants me to cover an event tonight. I'll write my first ever article Carm! :D
17:02 Softie Carm: Sorry I didn't get your call Cupcake. I was sleeping and, for once, my phone was on silence mode.
17:03 Softie Carm: Congratulations on getting your first article assignment, Creampuff. I'm sure you'll do great. It's a good thing you have this to occupy yourself because I wouldn't be able to see you tonight either.
17:05 Adorkable Cupcake: Hey Carm! Did you sleep all day?
17:07 Softie Carm: If I did, I'm not telling you! ;)
17:08 Adorkable Cupcake: Why wouldn't you be able to meet?
17:08 Softie Carm: My sister is demanding my presence in one of her events tonight. Boring stuff
17:010 Adorkable Cupcake: Well, I'm sorry you got roped into a boring night. Maybe we can meet tomorrow to lift your spirits?
17:15 Softie Carm: Sure thing, Cupcake! I'll talk to you later then, I gotta go get ready. Good luck with your work tonight.
17:20 Adorkable Cupcake: Thanks Carm! Try to be a little less broody and maybe you'll enjoy the night? ;)
17:21 Softie Carm: ughhhhhhhh
Laura laughed at Carmilla's message. She knew that Carmilla liked to pretend she was all tough and disaffected, but she was actually a big softie. She decided to start getting ready for the fundraiser herself, she wanted to be there as soon as it started.
When she arrived at the venue where the fundraiser would be held, Laura walked to the door and gave her name. She noticed a lot of paparazzi in front of the venue taking pictures, but no one bothered her. There were more important people than her to be photographed arriving at the venue.
Once she was inside, she started looking around for any familiar faces, she had googled the board members so that she could recognize them. As she was walking around looking for anyone from the Board of Trustees that she could introduce herself to she saw a familiar black hair from the corner of her eyes. Turning so fast she almost gave herself whiplash Laura started laughing like a lunatic. Standing in the corner, talking to a very important looking woman was none other than Carmilla Karnstein.