Work Text:
Sunshine
by Pixie Child
Laurie's been by herself for so long that she's shocked that someone grabs her arm in the hallway between classes she's actually shocked.
"Laurie? Hi. Would you like to have lunch?"
"Umm... sure. I'll... wait over there."
She hasn't had anyone on her side for such a long time. It's nice, kind of like sitting in the sun on the most beautiful summer day on the beach and just basking in the rays as they warm her all over. Which is kind of the perfect metaphor for Sofia anyhow.
"I can't believe they gave you that freak as a roommate."
So when Julian says that, she allows herself to fade into the back, expecting Sofia to agree and leave her there. After, Sofia fit in immediately and has the school's most popular and attractive guy wanting to go out dancing with her. Why would she want to give that up to be friends with little Laurie Collins? The wallflower just wishes that Sofia hadn't been so nice to her before. It just made this hurt more. Because she likes Sofia. So she tunes out the rest of their concentration as she retreats back into herself, but apparently hates herself because she watches them out of the corned of her eye as Sofia leans against the wall and flirts with Julian in a very imitate way. But as she touches his hair, her hand brushed his ear and he almost falls over.
"...but you could not keep up with me." She sees the silly, proud look Sofia's got as Julian's friends run over to him and she walks back over to Laurie. She can feel herself gaping at Sofia, but she can't help it. That was... so cool.
"What did you do to him?"
"How do you say..? Compacted air?"
Giddy, Laurie helps her with the word without thinking. "Compressed."
"Ah..." Sofia nods. "He lost his balance. The wind was rattling in his ear."
*Oh my god!* She tries so hard not to laugh at that, not because she thinks it would be inappropriate, but because she's afraid she'd never be able to stop.
The, Sofia links her arm with Laurie's and smiles so brightly, Laurie's reminded of the sun again. "I am starving. Let's eat."
And for the first time since she go here a year ago, Laurie's not eating lunch alone. Instead, she's sitting with her new roommate and friend, Sofia Mantega. They're talking about everything from classes to popular American music and Laurie's trying to think of a way to bring up the school dance that's in a few weeks.
Because she used to like dancing, too. But, maybe she shouldn't have promised Sofia she wouldn't be attracted to her as quickly as she did, because she's afraid that she might have lied.
end