July 5, 2017 (summer before senior year)
"Oh my fairy godmother!" Briar squeals as soon as Ashlynn answers the phone. "Ash! I have some super hexciting news!"
Calls like this aren't unusual from Briar. Pretty much everything excites the girl whose enthusiasm is unmatched by anybody Ashlynn knows. Ashlynn laughs, endearment for her friend warming her chest.
"What is it, Briar?"
Briar takes a deep breath.
"Okay! You aren't going to believe this, but Faybelle and I are dating!"
Ashlynn's jaw drops as shock swells through her like a wave. It takes her a moment to find her voice.
"Wow, Briar! That's great!"
Ashlynn doesn't know what to make of the emotions swirling inside her right now. She should be thrilled for her BFFA; but all she feels is shock and confusion. The last time she saw Briar and Faybelle together, they'd tolerated each other, but in no way had they seemed like soon-to-be girlfriends. Briar did tell her that she had feelings for Faybelle, but Ashlynn wasn't sure if that was just the aftereffects of the dream they'd shared, along with the clarity Briar suddenly had with her sexuality.
"Oh my gosh, Ash! She's just so awesome! At summer camp, we just really bonded and got to know each other better! And she's so much deeper than what meets the eye! She's funny and smart and loving in her own unique way! And I just-uh, she's just amazing, Ash! I can't wait for you two to get to know each other better this fall!"
A smile brightens Ashlynn's face at the happiness in Briar's voice. More than anything, she wants her friend to be happy. And if Faybelle makes her this happy, then Ashlynn is all for it.
"I'm really happy for you, Briar!" Ashlynn exclaims. "And I can't wait to see both of you this fall! Also, you and I can finally have double dates like we've always wanted to!"
Briar laughs loudly.
"Oh my gosh! Yes! I can't wait! Anyways, how are you doing?"
Ashlynn grins, content to just be talking with her BFFA again.
"I'm good! Just chilling at home. But uh! I miss you!"
"Me too! I was going crazy at camp, not being able to talk to you!"
"Being roommates has made us even more inseparable than we were as kids!" Ashlynn laughs.
"True!"
They giggle. Ashlynn sighs happily. The bizarrity of Briar and Faybelle dating is an uncomfortable twinge in her gut, but she knows that no matter what, Briar will always be her best friend; and that alone is enough to make her extremely happy.
September 1, 2017
"Uh!" Briar groans as she walks into her and Ashlynn's dorm. "Faybelle, I already told you! No!"
She's talking on the phone, scowling. Ashlynn sits on the bed, watching her with concern. Ashlynn had just unpacked and was scrolling through her phone, waiting for Briar to arrive. She's thrilled to see her, but seeing Briar upset dampens her mood. What in the world are Briar and Faybelle arguing about?
"Faybelle, this is non-negotiable!" Briar exclaims. "I am rooming with Ashlynn, and that's that! We promised that we'd stay roommates since we became ones in sophomore year, and that is not going to change!"
Ashlynn's eyes widen. Her breath stills in her throat. So that's what this is about. Faybelle is actually giving Briar a hard time about not rooming with her? Ashlynn doesn't know what she feels more-guilt for standing between Briar and Faybelle, or anger for Faybelle treating her best friend this way.
"That's it!" Briar snaps. "I'm not going to argue with you over this anymore! Ashlynn is my BFFA, and I would never let her down! Call me when you're ready to have a productive conversation!"
Briar hangs up, slamming her phone down on her desk. She turns to Ashlynn, breathing heavily, her face flushed. Ashlynn thinks she's going to cry for a second before a weak smile replaces the grimace on her face.
"Hey, Ash!"
Ashlynn smiles brightly, the stress from the moment before melting at the sight of her best friend, all pink clothes and exuberance and warm hugs.
"Briar!" she squeals, jumping to her feet and running to her friend.
They hug tightly. Ashlynn breathes in the smell of Briar's rose perfume, smiles at the warmth of the embrace. She doesn't know how long it's been before they pull away. All she knows is that she immediately wants to hug Briar again.
"I missed you!" Briar exclaims. "How was your summer?"
"It was good. I mostly just hung out in the forest by my house. It was lovely to see all my animal friends again! How was yours?"
"That sounds fableous, Ash! Mine was good, too! Other than the trip to Mermaid Cove that I told you about, I just chased after my brothers a lot!" They both laugh. "And you know, summer camp."
Briar blushes, nervously meeting Ashlynn's eyes. Clearly, she doesn't want to talk about Faybelle right now. Ashlynn knows what will distract her.
"Hey, let's find Apple, and we can all go to the Glass Slipper and shop for back to school shoes!"
Briar's face lights up, her eyes widening with excitement.
"Yes! That sounds amazing! Great idea, Ash!"
Ashlynn smiles, glad that she could cheer Briar up.
"Okay then! Let's go!"
XXX
October 6, 2017
Ashlynn groans as she walks to her dorm room. Why does Hunter have to be so dense sometimes?! She can't go to the bookball game tonight because her mother is in town, and they're going to dinner in Book End! It's not that she'd rather do that than watch Hunter play! He needs to stop getting so butthurt over everything! Okay, she reasons–maybe she would rather go out to dinner with her mother than go to Hunter's bookball game. But that's because she hasn't seen her mother in over a month! She's been to so many of his bookball games!
As she approaches her room, she hears "Teenage Dream" by Katy Fairy playing. She's surprised Briar is there and not off, setting up the aftergame party. She shrugs, opening the door.
"Briar," she whines, "you will not believe how stupid of an argument Hunter and I–"
She freezes as she takes in the sight of Briar straddling Faybelle on her bed, her hair tangled, her lipstick smeared. She and Faybelle look over at Ashlynn, their eyes wide.
"Ashlynn!" Briar exclaims. "I'm sorry! I didn't know you'd be back yet!"
Ashlynn's heart pounds, her throat feeling like it's about to close up, like when she accidentally eats food with peanuts.
"I'm sorry!" she squeaks, backing away towards the door. "I'll just go!"
She runs out, quickly shutting the door behind her. She dashes down the hall, her heart crashing in her head. She doesn't stop until she reaches the bathroom. Thankfully, it's empty. She leans against the wall, burying her burning face in her hands.
"Oh God," she groans. "Why, Ashlynn? Why did you do that? You should have knocked, you doofus!"
She turns, lightly hitting her head against the wall.
"Stupid," she mutters. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."
XXX
December 1, 2017
When the day of the double date comes, Ashlynn doesn't know why she's so nervous. Her stomach flutters as she sits at her vanity, applying mascara. Briar is by her closet, pulling out dress after dress.
"Uh!" she groans. "I don't know what to wear! Faybelle says she likes me in blue, but it just clashes so much with my hair!"
Ashlynn suppresses the urge to roll her eyes. If Hunter ever told her he liked her in a certain color, she'd be furious. Who talks to their partner like that?!
"Well, I think you look gorgeous in every color, Briar," Ashlynn says. "You should wear whatever you feel comfortable with."
A moment of silence passes. Ashlynn cringes, wondering if she said the wrong thing when Briar softly speaks.
"Thank you, Ash. That's so sweet."
Ashlynn blushes, looking down at her makeup palette.
"You're welcome, Bri."
As soon as the couples arrive at the restaurant and sit down at the booth, Ashlynn and Hunter on one side and Briar and Faybelle on the other, Faybelle raises her hand up and waves a server over.
"Hey, server! A strawberry milkshake for my girlfriend and I please!"
Briar blushes slightly, clearly uncomfortable with her girlfriend's lack of etiquette.
"We'll have a vanilla shake with soy milk please," Hunter says.
"Okay," says the server. "Coming right up."
An awkward silence ensues as the server walks away.
A moment later, when Ashlynn feels like she's going to crawl out of her skin, Briar speaks up.
"I love this restaurant's breadsticks! We'll have to do a double order!"
"Yes!" Ashlynn enthusiastically agrees, thanking the heavens for Briar's social skills. "And the mozzarella sticks that they can make with soy cheese! Amazing! Honestly, the appetizers are my favorite things here!"
"Yeah," Faybelle says. "You'll have to fatten up for the bookball game this Friday, Hunter! You guys have to win this time to make sure my cheerhexing team looks epic! We've been practicing a ton of new moves, and a loss will dampen the wow factor!"
Faybelle then proceeds to discuss her plans to take her cheerhexing team to the next level for five minutes. Briar smiles pleasantly, but Ashlynn can see a hint of annoyance in her eyes.
"Baby," Briar says, cutting Faybelle off when Hunter begins to look nervous from Faybelle's insistence that the bookball team win, "why don't we talk about the aftergame party we're planning?! It's going to be off the page!"
Faybelle shrugs, taking Briar's hand as the girl begins to enthuse over the new decorations she ordered for the party. Ashlynn looks at the fairy, noticing the softness in her eyes. She really does seem to adore Briar. That thought comforts Ashlynn, but she still can't shake the feeling that something isn't quite right with Faybelle, that she might hurt Briar. Ashlynn knows that she shouldn't be so overprotective, but she can't help it. Briar and her have been BFFAs for as long as she can remember, and she never wants to see her betrayed.
Ashlynn is shaken from her thoughts by the clink of glass on the table as a milkshake is set before her and Hunter. She looks up. Briar and Faybelle are already drinking their milkshake from two straws, their heads touching.
"Thank you," she says quickly.
"Of course," says the waiter. "Now, what can I get for you guys to eat?"
Ashlynn and Hunter order kale salads, Briar orders spaghetti, and Faybelle orders a hamburger. Briar gazes at Faybelle, looking like she wants to say something. She probably wants to tell her to not order meat. Ashlynn and Hunter don't care if people eat meat around them. Briar insists on not eating meat around them, though. That's just how Briar is. Thoughtful, sensitive, caring.
"I can't believe it's almost Christmas!" Hunter enthuses when the server leaves. "I love how merry everything is this time of year! Plus, it'll snow, and we'll get to go sledding and ice skating and–oh, it's just so fun!"
Ashlynn smiles, squeezing her boyfriend's hand. Hunter's childlike wonder is one of the things that she loves about him.
"Totally!" Faybelle exclaims. "You should see me out on the ice! I've got a few tricks up my sleeve, to say the least!"
"So does Ashlynn!" Hunter says excitedly. "She's spellbinding on the ice!"
Faybelle raises her eyebrows challengingly.
"Yes," Briar says, stopping the argument in its tracks. "Faybelle and Ashlynn are both amazing ice skaters, and I can't wait to watch both of them rock the ice this winter!"
Ashlynn smiles, the kindness of Briar's compliment warm and fuzzy in her chest.
When their meals come, Hunter and Faybelle demolish their food, eating like they've been starved. That's always how Hunter eats, and apparently Faybelle is just as uncivilized. Ashlynn and Briar eat slower, glancing at each other every few moments, smiling with the mutual endearment they have for their partners.
The night is chilly as they walk back to the school. Snow crunches under their boots. Hunter's hand in hers is the only warmth that Ashlynn feels as the frigid wind blows past.
"You want to come up to my dorm?" he asks her, his voice low. "Dexter is having a sleepover with Daring and Hopper tonight."
Briar and Faybelle walk together a few feet ahead of them. Ashlynn's stomach tingles with nervous excitement. She and Hunter have spent the night together before, but nothing other than kissing happened. From the smoldering gaze Hunter levels at her, she has a feeling this night may be different.
"Sure," she says, surprised by the sudden seductive lilt in her voice. "I'd love to."
December 8, 2017
Ashlynn paces around her dorm room, her heart pounding. When is Briar going to be back?! It's 12:30! The party at the Goose & Gander Nightclub was over at midnight! She really wishes that Briar would stop going to these crazy adult parties! She's underage for kingdoms sake! Briar would've never done anything like this before she dated Faybelle! That fairy is a terrible influence on her! At least Briar hasn't drank. Ashlynn knows that Faybelle does.
She gasps when there's a knock at the door.
"Briar!" she exclaims, running over.
She throws open the door, sighing with relief at the sight of her best friend.
"Briar! Thank goodness! It's so late! What were you–"
Her voice trails off as she takes in Briar's appearance. She's swaying on her feet, and where are her shoes?!
"Briar!" she exclaims. "Are you okay?! Where are your shoes?!"
"Don't know," Briar slurs. "Lost them somewhere. I–" She lets out a rather unprincessly belch. She covers her mouth, giggling. "Hexcuse me."
Ashlynn gasps as the gears in her brain click into place. Briar is drunk! Briar Beauty, the girl with straight A's, who tutors students in Chemythstry, who video calls her family every night, is drunk!
"Oh my gosh, Briar!" she shrieks. "You're drunk?! Get in here!"
She grabs the girl's hands and pulls her into the room, quickly shutting the door. She keeps a tight grip on her hands as she leads her to her bed and helps her sit.
"Briar! How could you?!" she cries, panic coursing through her. "You know better!"
"Chill, Ash," says Briar, waving her hand dismissively. "I'm fine. Faybelle does it all the time, and she's perfectly okay!"
"I don't know if I'd call her perfectly okay!"
A flash of irritation flickers across Briar's face. Guilt immediately floods Ashlynn.
"Jeez, Ash," Briar says. "Tell me how you really feel."
Ashlynn winces. She sighs, sitting down next to Briar.
"I'm sorry, Briar. Faybelle is perfectly okay."
Briar shrugs.
"It's alright, Ash. Don't sweat it."
Ashlynn sighs in relief.
"Briar, I just don't want you to be peer pressured. I care about you so much, and the thought of you getting hurt. I–"
She squeezes her eyes shut, forcing away the image of Briar drugged in the back of a man's pickup truck; of Briar sprawled on the wet asphalt, too disoriented to have noticed the car barreling towards her; of Briar drowned at the bottom of a lake, her ability to swim stripped away by the poison that is alcohol.
"I won't get hurt," Briar says, her words becoming more slurred by the minute. "You know me! I'm super careful! Careful is my middle name! I'm Briar Careful Beauty!"
Ashlynn shakes her head, unable to suppress a laugh.
"That's it, Ash!" Briar exclaims. "I like to hear that beautiful laugh of yours!"
Ashlynn's face burns, butterflies suddenly fluttering in her stomach.
Briar reaches over, pulling her into a tight embrace. Ashlynn gasps at the sudden impact.
"You are the best, Ash!" Briar slurs, squeezing the girl tight. "I just need you to know how amazing you are and how much I love you!"
Ashlynn giggles, hugging Briar back.
"You're the best, too," she says, her body heating as she runs her fingers through Briar's hair. "And I love you too."
Briar pulls back slightly. Her mauve eyes gaze into hers as she gently cups Ashlynn's cheeks. Ashlynn can feel her face growing hotter by the second.
"Do you know how beautiful you are, Ash?" she asks.
Her warm, stale breath blows in Ashlynn's face, and the girl struggles not to recoil at the smell of alcohol.
"Um, I guess…" Her voice trails off.
Briar giggles.
"Well, you don't have to guess," she says. "Cause you are. You're gorgeous and sweet and caring and loyal and smart and literally everything anybody could ask for in a person!"
Ashlynn's stomach somersaults at Briar's sweet words. A fluttery sensation drapes over her. A sudden thump as Briar jumps off the bed startles Ashlynn. She looks up and immediately bursts into laughter as she watches Briar hopping around the room, waving her arms in the air. Her long, wavy locks fly around her head like a brown tornado as she skips and bounces. After doing a full circle around the dorm, Briar bounds back over to her. She's breathing heavily, her face flushed. Her eyes sparkle as she reaches her arms out towards Ashlynn.
"Come on, Ash!" she exclaims, bouncing on her heels. "Dance with me, girl!"
Ashlynn glances around the room, unable to fight the grin spreading across her face. She giggles at Briar's wide, expectant eyes, her bright, charming smile that never fails to draw Ashlynn in.
"Well," she starts, standing and taking Briar's hands, "with some music, I'm sure I can whip some of my moves out!"
She laughs as she watches Briar's smile expand even more. A red streak of lipstick is smeared across her front teeth. Ashlynn laughs as she takes her Mirrorphone out of her pocket and selects one of her Pandora playlists. She smiles widely as "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons begins to play.
"Yeah!" Briar exclaims. "This is a great dance song!"
She starts doing her signature dance move again, which happens to be jumping up and down, embellished with some arm flapping. Briar reaches her arms out.
"Come on, Ash!"
Excitement zips through her like electricity as she bounds over to Briar. She laughs as Briar grabs her hands and jumps around, pulling Ashlynn with her. Ashlynn laughs harder, bouncing along with Briar. They spin in circles, gripping each other's hands tightly. Briar lets go with one hand and swings Ashlynn under her arm. Ashlynn giggles. They switch hands, and Ashlynn does the same to Briar. Briar laughs boisterously as they dance back to back, shaking their bums. Ashlynn shrieks as Briar lifts her up. She immediately bursts into laughter as Briar spins in a circle, swinging Ashlynn through the air.
"Whoo!" Ashlynn cheers.
She's still laughing when Briar sets her down. Briar wraps her arms around her. Slowly, they sway from side to side. Ashlynn sighs contentedly, resting her cheek on Briar's shoulder.
"I guess we're slow dancing now," Briar laughs.
Ashlynn giggles as Briar pulls her closer. She smells Briar's rose perfume, along with the sweat on her neck. Ashlynn registers that the song "Centuries" by Fallout Boy is playing now.
"Not a very good slow dance song," Briar says, laughing softly.
"Yeah, not really," Ashlynn agrees.
She closes her eyes. She can feel the girl's heart beating. Strands of her hair tickle her face. She doesn't mind, though. All these sensations add to the contentment that she feels, warm and fuzzy in her gut. Briar's arms hold her close, strong and gentle, a combination so perfectly Briar.
"You're beautiful, Ash," Briar mumbles, leaning heavier on Ashlynn. "So beautiful."
Ashlynn's cheeks once again flush.
"Thank you," she murmurs. "You are too."
"And you want to know who else is beautiful?" Briar sleepily drawls.
"Who?" Ashlynn asks, her curiosity piqued.
"Apple," Briar whispers, her breath hot against Ashlynn's neck.
Ashlynn shivers.
"Apple is beautiful," she agrees. "She's the fairest one of all." She chuckles.
"She's so freaking beautiful," Briar murmurs. "I miss when we were little, and I'd play with her hair. Now it would just be weird if I did that."
Ashlynn remembers how obsessed Briar was with Apple's hair when they were kids. She'd run her fingers through it and style it with bows and flowers and tell Apple, over and over again, how much she loves it.
"I thought maybe you did that because she's always felt so insecure about being blonde," Ashlynn muses.
"No," Briar replies, her voice weak as the exhaustion of her night out catches up with her. "I love her hair. And I love her. So much. You know I used to fantasize about us getting married?"
Ashlynn's stomach jolts like she's driving on a bumpy road, and the car just flew over a pothole.
"Yeah," Briar continues. "We'd live in the Snow White Castle together and rule the land together and have tons of kids." She laughs sadly. "But no. Those days are over. I got over it. It was hard. I had to watch her fall in love with Raven and not realize it. Raven! The girl who single-handedly destroyed her destiny! Then forget about me, the person who would literally die for her! And then I had to watch her find out her True Love is Darling. What if it had been me?!"
She pulls back slightly, gazing at Ashlynn with wide eyes.
"I would do anything for her! I would've done CPR on her if I'd known how! And if there happened to be a flash of light and a heart-shaped wisp of smoke she coughed up, would we be together now?!"
Ashlynn has never been more shocked in her life. Briar in love with Apple?! Her insides feel frozen, but still she holds Briar tighter as the girl's voice starts to shake.
"And now it's too late for any of that! She cares more for Raven then me, she's head over heels for Darling, and they're going to get together any day now! There's no room left on the page for me!" She sniffles, burying her face in Ashlynn's shoulder. "And I'm over her! I am! I love Faybelle! But–" her voice breaks, "I still can't help but feel forgotten, you know?"
Ashlynn feels her heart shattering in her chest at the hurt in her friend's voice. Her eyes burn with tears.
"Yeah," she whispers. "I know."
"It's just hard," Briar croaks.
And then the tears come, warm against Ashlynn's shoulder. Briar's body shakes with sobs, and Ashlynn just holds her close, not knowing what else to do.
"I'm sorry, Briar," Ashlynn whispers. "I'm so sorry."
"It hurts, Ashlynn!" Briar sobs, holding on to her with a vice grip.
Ashlynn presses her lips to Briar's head, breathing in the scent of her rose shampoo.
"I know, baby," Ashlynn whispers, slowly rocking side to side. "I know."
She closes her eyes, visualizing a happier place, a meadow of eternal joy with bright green grass, every type of animal in the world, and constant sunshine. A place where they can be with who they love, not bound by the cold shackles of destiny.