1/22 Instance: Knowing

[tears~fall~like~glass]

timeline: day after Right Amount of Wrong


Paige: Paige sat on her pink couch, curled up under her pink blanket, holding her pink mug of tea. She stared off into space, her mind thinking of how she had just broken up with the most perfect guy ever. What was wrong with her?

Rachel: Rachel kicked the bedroom door closed behind her and started for the couch, pausing to dump her sketchbook, ipod, and the contents of her pockets on the coffee table. Then, she noticed Paige and blinked. Right... That was her spot in the middle of the couch because that was the only spot on the couch that was clear. One side contained her clothing, and the other had her pillow and blankets.

Rachel: She shoved the bedding to the floor and took a seat.

Paige: "He already knew." Paige told her gently, still staring into space. "How did everyone know... except me?"

Rachel: She kicked her shoes off before pulling her legs up, shaking her head, "Not everyone knows."

Paige: "You did... Mayday... Phil.. " only now Paige wasn't sure what to do next. "But what happens now?"

Rachel: "I didn't know for sure..." Rachel bit down on her lip at the question, staring off herself as she debated an answer. She came to the conclusion that she had no ideas on what came next either and blew out a breath, "I don't know."

Paige: Paige set her tea aside, resting her head on Rachel's shoulder. "Me either."

Rachel: Hands in her lap, she twisted her ring around, anxiously fidgeting as she rested her head against Paige's. "Are you okay?"

Paige: "I'm... it's confusing... and complicated. And I'm drinking tea. I don't even drink hot tea."

Rachel: "Nobody should. It's gross," Rachel replied. "And, yeah... complicated..."

Paige: "This part makes sense... just being with you. Just none of the rest of it."

Rachel: "What exactly is the rest of it?"

Paige: "Like what happens next."

Rachel: "Then, maybe nothing happens next..." Rachel suggested, righting the ring on her finger and forcing herself to quit playing with it by taking Paige's hand, "We can just... be here. Together."

Paige: Paige swallowed, closing her eyes and nuzzling Rachel. She squeezed her hand and kissed her cheek. "That's enough for me."

Rachel: "Good..." she blew out a sigh, adding quietly, "Because I... I don't know..."

Paige: "Don't know what?" Paige glanced up at her.

Rachel: Rachel knew she was going to have to put the concern out there at some point, though she wasn't quite sure how Paige would take it, especially after breaking up with Phil. She kept her gaze glued to her lap, "I don't... I'm not always, um, sure I can do this... Again."

Paige: "I don't understand, Rachie." Paige studied her face trying to understand.

Rachel: Her brow furrowed, and she spared Paige a glance, gently asking, "Do you ever worry about everything with Eve happening again?"

Paige: "Yes and no... I know he was just scared. But if I keep worrying about it repeating, where will that get me? I don't want to be a crazy cat lady..."

Rachel: Nodding, she took a deep breath and swallowed, "Well, I-I'm... I still worry o-over everything that happened with Josh. I don't want to... end up hurting like this again..." Rachel managed to smirk over at her, "Or in prison."

Paige: "Rachie..." Paige slid her hand to Rachel's cheek, stroking it softly. "We'll just have to take care of each other and make sure that doesn't happen."

Rachel: "Definitely because I hate cats," she managed to joke, covering Paige's hand with her own.

Paige: That earned Rachel a giggle. "I don't really care for cats either," she admitted, leaning in close to Rachel. "I'll do everything I can to make sure you don't get hurt again, Rachie."

Rachel: Rachel rested her forehead against Paige's, mumbling, "I should probably be far more worried about hurting you anyway. I'm not really that great at... this kind of thing..."

Paige: "Unless you plan on leaving me now... that would hurt. Other than that, I'm not sure how you could."

Rachel: "I don't plan on going anywhere," she assured her, "It took enough restraint to leave Phil in one piece... I don't think I could deal with anyone else replacing me."

Paige: Paige blushed nicely, pulling Rachel into a kiss. "I don't want to be replaced either."

Rachel: "I wouldn't worry about that," Rachel returned the kiss, grinning again, "Nobody else is going to want to take on this level of emotional baggage."

Paige: Paige took her other hand, lacing their fingers together. "I'm here for you. Whatever you need."

Rachel: "I know," Rachel gave her hand a squeeze and decided that Paige's lap was far preferable to how she was sitting now, even with the pink blanket. Plus, the middle of the couch was her spot. After making herself comfortable, she asked, "So... Do we tell anybody?"

Paige: While Paige was happy to have Rachel in her lap, she looked terrified at that question. "I uh... I mean..." She nervously wrapped her arms around Rachel's waist to keep her close.

Rachel: Rachel curled up against her, resting her head against her shoulder as she watched Paige's expression shift. Considering Paige was the one that had to endure a break-up earlier, she should probably be the one doing the holding, but... this was nice. "I don't want to," she offered.

Paige: She nuzzled Rachel and got comfortable, playing with her hair. "Ok... yeah I'm ok with that. At least right now." Paige relaxed again, closing her eyes. "Will you stay with me tonight? Now that it's all sorted?"

Rachel: She grinned slightly, "You mean you don't want to stay with me on the couch?"

Paige: "Bit crowded." Paige teased, kissing her again. "What with all these clothes and things. And the bed is soooooft."

Rachel: "I can move the clothes and things to the floor," she jokingly offered, mumbling against Paige's lips. "Though... I do like your bed because it is soft..."

Paige: Paige blushed in the kiss, running her fingers through Rachel's hair. "You are smart and beautiful."

Rachel: "You don't have to keep trying to talk me into bed," Rachel teased with a smirk, pulling away slightly because she wanted to see just how red Paige's face would get.

Paige: It was a beautiful shade of deep red. "I... wasn't... just..." she stammered, trying to form a coherent sentence.

Rachel: Grinning smugly, she decided to spare Paige the pain of trying to speak and leaned in for another kiss.

Paige: Paige pulled her closer, relieved to not have to speak anymore. Her hand trailed down Rachel's neck, stopping above her breasts. Could she touch those?! Did she want to touch those? They were lovely, but did she touch them? She slid her hand to her shoulder instead. Safer there.

Rachel: Rachel was having a similar dilemma when it came to where to put her hands, but she settled for slipping an arm around Paige to press herself closer and moving the other one up to her hair. Definitely safer like this.

Paige: Breaking the kiss was hard to do. Paige rested her forehead against Rachel's, stroking her cheek gently. "Can we have music time again maybe tomorrow?"

Rachel: It wasn't really a question she'd been expecting, but she shrugged as she answered, "If you want to." Then, she moved to get up, offering Paige her hand.

Paige: Taking the hand, Paige got to her feet, smile plastered on her face. "I do... I like to hear you sing."

Rachel: "Then, I'll figure something out," Rachel promised as she pulled Paige toward the bed.

Paige: She went willingly, blushing long before they ever reached the bed despite her smile. She pulled back the covers for them, hesitating a moment.

Rachel: Rachel was more than happy to sink into the bed and claim a pillow, scooting once she realized not laying in the middle of the bed would be a good idea.

Paige: Paige bounced onto her side of the bed with a grin, pulling the covers up over them. "This is so much better than the couch."

Rachel: "Of course it is. You're here."

Paige: She moved closer, pulling Rachel to her for another kiss. "I thought the same thing about you."

Rachel: Rachel slid an arm around Paige as she returned the kiss. "I suppose I do make up for all the pink."

Paige: That caused more giggling. "Maybe I should dye your hair pink again. Then you'll fit in."

Rachel: "Maybe..." she replied after a moment of consideration, kissing her cheek, "If you want to."

Paige: "I just got what I wanted... I got you." Paige reminded her, kissing her tenderly.

Rachel: Rachel smiled into the kiss, running her hand along her side and around to her back to pull her closer, as she returned it. At this rate, they may as well have stayed on the couch because neither of them were sleeping anyway.

Paige: Paige hugged Rachel against her, breaking the kiss only when she had to yawn. "I don't want to sleep..."

Rachel: "You should because you have this horrible thing called a job..."

Paige: "But I have this wonderful Rachel too."

Rachel: "Well, I'll be just as wonderful in the morning..." she made a face, shaking her head, "Except maybe not in the morning."

Paige: There was more giggling as Paige cuddled up for sleep. "No.. not in the morning. But when i am done with class."

Rachel: Rachel pressed a kiss to her forehead as she settled in, closing her eyes, "Hopefully, I'm awake before you're done with classes."

Paige: Paige giggled again, then yawned. "I am exited either way."

Rachel: The smirk returned. "Because either way I'm still in your bed."

Paige: "Just where I like you." Realizing what she said, Paige blushed, glad for the darkness to conceal it.

Rachel: "You should let things like that slip more often..." Rachel mumbled, adding, "Night."