"So this is the languages department," Willow said, gesturing to the rooms around them, "Do you speak any languages?"
"G-German," Tara replied, taking in the information her roommate was giving her.
"Lucky," Willow laughed, as she led down another hallway, "I took Spanish before coming here. Not really much use when you're in Switzerland. I'm never able to speak to anyone if we ever take trips into the towns or anything. Although I hear Swiss-German is like completely different or something. All these different dialects."
"I c-can t-teach you some s-stuff if you want. S-so y-you can get by."
"Yea?" Willow asked, her face lighting up, "I'd really like that. Thanks."
Tara ducked her head and shrugged.
"N-no problem."
"Hey, maybe I could teach you something, too. Like a trade. Um, I know science stuff or computers..."
"C-computers?" Tara asked, her eyes widening, "I d-don't know anything about c-computers. W-we never h-had one at home and my s-school was pretty low-tech."
"Well there we go," Willow smiled, "You get a school laptop here to type all your notes and get homework done and stuff. I think it's just 'cause the teachers don't like trying to read some people's handwriting. But they have all the coursework pre-loaded on them so we don't have to carry books around."
"W-we h-have t-to use them?" Tara asked, paling.
"Don't worry, I'll give you any help you need," Willow replied cheerily and put a hand on the brunette's back, pulling it away when she flinched, "Sorry."
Tara kept her gaze downwards as they continued to walk, internally kicking herself. She hadn't meant to offend the redhead, but she had touched against a fresh bruise she'd gotten by her father before they left the house to get her flight and flinching had become an almost natural instinct. Still, she didn't want her roommate to get the wrong idea so forced herself to raise her head and speak.
"I-I'd really ap-ap-appreciate the computer help."
Willow seemed to perk up again at that and smiled.
"Great. Hey, it's almost dinnertime. We have to change into our uniforms. Normally we can wear our regular clothes once classes are over for the day but they make this big deal about the 'Welcome Back' meals. I only had the one, when everyone came back from Winter break last year, which was like my first day. But the headmistress makes speeches and all that kinda stuff. Really boring, but the food is pretty good."
"Well, look who returned to The Land She Doesn't Belong," a mocking female voice came from behind them, "Never-Ending Willow. Oh and look, she finally got a friend."
Willow turned, scowling and faced the tall, brunette girl who was teasing her, a common occurrence from that particular fellow student, who for whatever reason had taken a disliking to Willow from the start and took every opportunity to make fun of her.
"Just leave us alone, Stacy."
"Ooh, Willow's grown a backbone over the summer," Stacy laughed, quite obviously looking down at the redhead, before her gaze shifted to Tara, "I'd pick my friends carefully if I were you. You're new so you clearly don't know the status quo around here, but let me break it down for you; Willow=big old gay no-no."
"I t-think s-she's nice," Tara replied, feeling defensive about her roommate.
"Oh really?" Stacy sneered, "Y-y-you d-d-do?"
"Hey!" Willow said angrily, stepping in front of Tara protectively, "Just go away!"
Stacy just shook her head mockingly.
"Hey now, that's not very nice. What are the magic words?"
"Oo ee oo ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang," Willow retorted sarcastically, "Why do you hate me so much?"
Stacy sneered again.
"Because you and your little f-f-f-friend here are recluse central. You're supposed to hide in the shadows for a reason. So nobody has to look at you. Get that through your thick h-h-h-heads."
Stacy laughed out loud, casting a particularly derisive look at Tara, which Willow noticed and glared at.
"Shut it, Stacy."
Stacy laughed again and looked at the redhead, amused.
"What, are you gonna make me?"
Willow felt her anger flare and grabbed Stacy's shirt, which made the brunette get a look of horror on her face.
"Get your dykey hands off me, gingernut!"
"W-Willow, d-don't."
Willow's anger dissipated at the sound of the brunette's scared voice and she dropped her hands, taking one of Tara's hands in her own and pulling her towards the staircase up to their room, Stacy yelling after them.
"Yea, walk away and stay away! You'll never be good enough, poser."
Tara absently heard the threatening words being called after them, but was much more focused on the feel of Willow's hand in hers. The redhead was pulling them towards their room and once inside, much to the brunette's displeasure, dropped her hand and went over to her bed, flopping down on her mattress and screaming into her pillow. Tara wasn't sure what to do and was inclined to just retreat into the shadows, as was her custom but instead opted to walk over and sit on the edge of Willow's bed.
"A-are y-you okay?"
Willow raised her head from her pillow and sighed, before offering the brunette a weak smile.
"Yea. Thanks. I just...She's just one of many, you know and they're all so..." Willow trailed off and shook her head, "Hey, um, sorry if I like, scared you back there. I just got really angry when she was teasing you."
"I-it's okay," Tara replied, feeling her heart skip a beat that Willow felt protective of her, then dropped her head, "I j-just don't like v-v-violence."
"Well, that's good," Willow responded, "I mean, an aversion to violence is definitely a good thing. I promise I won't ever react like that again."
Tara nodded, her gaze still cast downward.
"Hey, Tara?" Willow spoke up again a moment later, more hesitant than before, "What, uh...what Stacy was saying...you know, about me? Well, they're true. I just...you should probably know that."
Tara brow crinkled in confusion as she replayed the things that had been said in her mind until she realised what the redhead was talking about and her head shot up, eyes wide.
"Oh..."
She...she's...but she's not dirty or...but she's...
Willow saw the shock on her roommates face and sighed again, dejected.
"Yea, so...listen, you don't have to stick hanging around me or whatever. I won't even speak to you if that's what you want. But I'm gay, Tara, and I'm not ashamed of that. All the other girls here try to make me ashamed, but I'm not, I won't be, so...I get if that's not cool with you."
Tara just stared wide-eyed at her roommate.
She's so open...and she's proud, she's proud that she's...she's so strong.
Willow misunderstood the staring and sighed again, dropping her head into her pillow. She was therefore surprised when a tentative hand came to rest on her shoulder. She lifted her head and saw Tara giving her a small half-smile that made her heart feel like she had just run a marathon.
"I l-liked w-what else she said. About us b-being friends?"
"Really?" Willow asked, her face lighting up, "Tara, you gotta know, that kinda thing is a daily occurrence. It's not gonna like, help your street cred hanging out with me."
"I'm u-u-used to being teased, r-remember?" Tara replied with a small joke in her voice, "B-but I've never had a f-f-friend to deal with it before."
Willow's smile beamed and she scrambled up into a sitting position, pulling Tara into a surprise hug. The brunette stiffened completely at the unexpected contact.
I haven't been hugged in five years.
Willow felt her roommate become rigid and was about to apologise and pull back when she felt uncertain arms cross around her back, closing the embrace. The arms tightened around her, as if Tara was holding on for dear life and Willow hugged back just as strongly until they naturally pulled apart, just slightly and their gazes locked.
Willow felt her breathing quicken as she looked into Tara's eyes, their stares long and lingering as they both, unbeknownst to the other, were thinking the same thing.
I really wanna kiss her.
Tara was the first to look away, ashamed at her thought and stood up, walking over to her bed.
Stop it, Tara. I shouldn't be thinking like that. She may like girls, but she'd never like me. I'm lucky she's even willing to be my friend. I've never had a proper friend before...
Willow stared at Tara's retreating form for a moment, before clearing her throat to get some moisture back in her mouth.
That was...we just had a moment, right? I mean, I'm no expert in things of the moment-y variety, but that, that...that felt like a moment. That was a moment. But what the hell does that mean? She's straight, right? Don't go deluding yourself, Rosenberg, the prettiest girl in the world becomes your roommate, then wants to be your friend, no way is she gonna want more than that. Well, damn it, I'm gonna be the best friend she's ever had...
Willow was pulled from her thoughts as she heard the brunette ask a question.
"U-uniform, right?"
"Um, yea."
Willow nodded, exhaling slowly for a moment before walking over to the wardrobe, taking out her school uniform, a white shirt with a dark green sweater over it and a checkered green and black skirt that fell to her knees. Knee-high white socks and plain black shoes completed the ensemble. Willow brought her clothes back to her bed and kicked off the sneakers she was wearing, before her eyes widened in shock as she caught a glimpse of Tara, who was changing and currently just in her jeans and bra, her back to the redhead.
Willow wasn't shocked by the fact that her roommate was topless, though she would've been if she wasn't focused on the fact that there were two very large, distinctly fist-shaped bruises on the brunette's upper back and a flurry of smaller ones dotted along her spine, all at various stages of healing.
She flinched earlier...I touched her back and she flinched.
Tara seemed to sense eyes on her and looked over her shoulder, blushing bright red when she saw Willow looking at her and quickly gathered her clothes, rushing off to the bathroom – that was in their room, containing two showers and a toilet - in embarrassment. Willow cursed inwardly that she'd caused her friend any humiliation and stomped her foot for a moment before quickly getting into her own uniform.
Tara appeared back in the room, fully dressed and pulling at the end of her skirt, as if she was trying to make it longer. The redhead couldn't help but admire her legs, despite being covered by the socks but her mind was more largely focused on what she'd seen before.
"Tara?" she ventured after a moment and waited for the brunette to turn to her, "Tara, your back..."
Tara looked confused for a split second before a wave of terror crossed over her features and she rushed over to her bed, pretending to fix the pillows.
"I f-f-f-fell w-w-when I w-w-went for a h-hike," she lied easily, though felt awful for doing so, especially to Willow who'd been nothing but kind to her, "On a b-b-b-bunch o-o-of r-r-rocks. W-we s-should b-b-be h-heading downstairs n-n-now, r-right?"
Willow frowned but nodded her head. She hadn't missed the fact that the brunette's stutter was particularly pronounced just then and didn't want to make her friend feel even worse, so changed her frown into smile.
Besides, Tara had no reason to lie to her...right?