Tommy paced back in forth in front of the mirror before she paused, gnawing at her lip before focusing her eyes on her nerve wracked face being reflected right back.
"I….love you?-" Tommy said with a feeble voice to the mirror, the end of the phrase getting caught as she tried to say it, her lip trembling from the sheer nervousness of even uttering the phrase.
"Oh god I cant do this" She sighed out in distress, sinking to ground in front of her mirror, her pets anxiously crowding around her, doing their best to comfort their owner, her face falling and her will waning.
She deserves someone who is more like her, someone who is as talented and gorgeous as she is…she doesn't need me of all people hanging around…..no I've talked myself out of this decision to many times before I have to do it!And I'm going to do it! Today is the day I confess my love to Annika. I-IM GOING TO DO IT!
Tommy sniffed her nose.
I can't even fool myself into believing in this hopeless casue
Tommy was brought back from her thoughts by her pets affectionately giving her nudges of encouragement; somehow bringing a smile to her face despite the all kinds of shitty she was feeling at the moment.
Maybe I can actually do this?
A sharp knock suddenly sounded out from the living room door making the pinkette flinch horribly, her pets scattering off into their hidey holes as loud and a endearingly accented voice calling out from behind said door, a voice she knew all too well...
Any scrap of courage she was managing to muster up vanished within a second flat, her knee's stubbornly weakening right as she tried to get herself to stand up.
I TAKE IT BACK I CANT DO THIS.
"Tommy dear!~ Let me in I need your help!"
"Uh, what do you need Annika..!" Tommy managed to squeak through the door, a nervous look plastered to her face as she looked around for some kind of excuse to send Annika away and buy herself some more time to scrape up some semblance of composure and confidence.
"Tommy darling am I disturbing you?" Came Annika's voice in response after a short pause. Everything Annika did had the theatrics of a Shakespearean play and this time was no different, you could practically hear the exaggerated hurt in her voice.
oH NO THAT'S NOT WHAT I INTENDED
She willed herself up, quickly dusted off her skirt before going to the door and squeezing her eyes shut, taking a deep breath before swinging the door open, Annika's hand hanging in the air mid knock, her look of mild confusion fading into one of adorable contentment.
N-no. I've
"Annika…we need to talk.." The pinkette blurted out, taking a step back as she willed herself not to clasp her hands over her mouth and, against every fiber of her being, take back the words she just said.
"Talk about what?" Annika said, a smile on her face as she brought in a satchel practically overflowing with fabric, pins and other sewing essentials, making her way to the living room and setting up shop before Tommy could get in another word.
"Oh and could you be a dear and stand right here please? Arms outstretched if you don't mind, you're going to be my mannequin for the day, mine was, ahem, shredded to say the least by my 'delicate' Opal. I think she was getting me back for that time I attempted to groom her myself." The fashionista laughed nervously.
"Poor Opal, her fur was thin in all the wrong places! Well I guess that's what I get, better leave the grooming to the professionals" Annika glanced Tommys way and gave her a sly wink before chuckling softly.
"Well come on dear, over here!"
Tommy numbly obeyed, positioning herself as ordered and sticking her arms up, Annika pulling out some of the fabric from the satchel and placing them on the pinkette with surgical precision, pins in mouth as she fretted over loose ends and seam lines.
"Annika…we really do need to talk-"
"Not now Dearie! Not while in the zone" She said in response, holding up a finger and giving her a quick shushing motion before going back to work, her eyes intent with that look of pure concentration that seemed to always be on her face whenever she worked on her dresses.
Tommy held back a sigh and resisted the urge to fidget with the hem of her skirt.
Come on Tommy, just…just tell her already!
"So Annika….you would tell me if you had a crush on someone right?" Tommy tried, a light blush on her cheeks as she focused her attentions on a floating dust particle lazily swirling in front of her instead of the rapid rhythm of her heart.
"I definitely would! Why?" The Fashionista managed to respond through a mouthful of pins.
"B-because I though..well maybe I should do the same for you…..I-" Tommy swallow thickly, blood pulsing loudly in her ears, drowning out the rapid and frantic beating of her heart. "I have a crush on someone."
"Oh that's wonderful!~ Who's the lucky person!" She said excitedly, pausing for a fraction of a second to give Tommy an affectionate shake of the shoulders, that perfect smile in place.
You.
"O-oh well, I cant tell you right now….I…don't think it would matter anyways, they would never fall for someone like me…."
"Oh come on Tommy! You're the most eligible and the most graceful (except me of course~) of all the people I know!Anyone would fall for you!" The Yellow haired girl said with an eyebrow raised and a slight frown on her face as she studied the Pinkette's face.
"Oh but Annika..I-"Stuttered the pinkette, a nervous blush rosying her cheeks as she fidgeted with the edge of one of the fabric strips, shifting her weight under the uncomfortable pressure of the compliments Annika seemed to always toss her way.
Please stop complimenting me, I have no chance with you, please stop giving me hope. Stop making me love you more.
"Plus, I think Annika likes you."
I .What?
"I-I'm sorry I don't think I caught that, did you say, that Pippi likes me?" Tommy stared at Annika in disbelief, the other simply taking a step back and surveying her work, apparently immune to her friends surprise as she put a finger to her lips, thinking hard of what to add onto the almost done outfit next.
"Of course Annika would have a thing for you, surely you must have noticed much sooner! You're the first person she sends out an invitation to when one of her parties rolls around as of late! And plus recently she's been taking to making animal friendly sweets to bring you and your pets, something that obviously out of her way. She likes you! I'd bet my fashion sense on it!" She said matter-o-factly, pulling out a gemstone from nowhere and placing it on Tommy's butterfly hair pin.
"Perfect!"
Annika beamed at her work and pulled Tommy in front of the mirror, the outfit tailored to her slender figure. An outfit that was, of course, perfect.
"Its lovely Annika…" The pinkette tried to say, her voice unexpectedly falling as she choked back the agonizing feeling of failure.
She didn't get it. She wouldn't get it unless she honestly doesn't think or had never thought of me that way. Who am I kidding.
"I'm glad you like it! I want you to wear it on your date with Annika tonight." She said, giving Tommy a sly smile.
?!
"I-I, b-but wait i- Date with Annika?" Tommy sputtered, brows knitted in a look of pure confusion as she searched the others face.
"Yes a date! I came over to tell you I set up a date between you and Annika!" She said infuriatingly smoothly, "I knew she liked you and well, I know you're not one to set up dates, so I went ahead and did it for you! Who's to say you won't hit it off and end up dating, you two will be the most adorable couple around I can just feel it~" She said happily, tightening the last seams.
Tommy almost collapsed on the spot, her face growing red and her eyes burning from the tears forcing themselves out, her heart aching and her temples throbbing with words left unsaid.
This time Annika couldn't help but to notice the rapid change in her friend's demeanor. Surely she's happy about the date right? Why wouldn't she be?
Annika pulled Tommy into a comforting hug, the Pinkette squeezing her eyes as tightly as possible as she let herself be enveloped by the warmth of her hopeless crush's arms.
I want you to know how much I love you, but I'll never get the chance to. I cant tell you now. Now that I know you don't think of me that way
"Now now, Tommy darling, don't you worry, you'll have a grand time with Pippi! Everyone always does…." She pulled away from the Pinkette and lifted her chin with a hand, giving the other a sweet smile before pressing a tender kiss on Tommy's forehead. The sensation of Annika's lips ripping her already breaking heart to shreds.
I don't want to loose you. Even if we're just friends, I don't want to say something and lose you.
"I promise you'll have fun, you look beautiful and everything will go perfectly, don't you worry"
That's not why, I love you, why can't I just tell you, why can't you just understand how much it hurts me for you not to know.
"So will you give Annika a chance? Please? For me?It'll be perfect I promise." Annika said softly, stroking the Pinkette's hair gently, Tommy holding onto the fleeting moment of affection like a life line, opening her mouth to speak before clamping it shut again when nothing came out.
"For you." Tommy managed to say, her voice getting caught in her throat as she hugged her love a little tighter. "Only for you"
