A GOOD GIRLS GUIDE TO MURDER ( oneshots ! )

Summer Love

implied mentions of rape
please be careful reading this if that topic is sensitive to you! stay safe , i love you 🫶

( part 6 of the 'august' oneshot series )

;  𓇼

Back when we were
still changin' for the better

"Max Hastings is happening." Pip said in a sigh, not looking up at any of her friends and burying herself deeper into the warmth of Ravi's arms.

Judging by the look Naomi and Cara shared, they knew exactly what Pip meant.

"Happened, actually. Max Hastings happened. Can't reverse it now." She shrugged, shutting her eyes as to ward off the tears and as to barricade her eyes — she couldn't let a tear fall — her friends would know, that way.

They already knew — Pip knew that they knew — Cara and Naomi, at least — but she didn't want to believe it.

"What do you mean, Max Hastings happened? What're you talking about?"

"Does she have to spell it out for you, Lauren?" Zach huffed, and it was apparent to Pip that Zach had put the pieces together, as well.

"It's fine," Pip sniffled, shaking her head.

She pulled her legs onto the couch, still resting against Ravi, who's arm slithered around her shoulder and rubbed her arm ever-so-gently.

"I went to a college party with Cara and Lauren. I had a Coke. Max put a roofie in my drink —" her back shook, but still, she wouldn't let herself cry. She choked back her tears, she shoved herself into Ravi's side, but she didn't cry. "I think you guys can put the rest together."

Wanting was enough

After a long moment, there was a sharp gasp and anybody who knew Lauren knew that it'd come from her.

"Yeah." Pip whispered, and for some reason or another, that simple word was what broke her. A full conformation that yes, she had been assaulted, and yes, now they all knew.

Cara had, at some point, intertwined her fingers into Pip's, squeezing them tight. That had always been a comfort to Pip, and she especially needed it in that moment.

Pip sobbed against Ravi's shirt, her back shaking and hunched as he held her close, rubbing his fingers through her hair.

"Pip," Lauren whispered, standing from the loveseat she sat in and squeezing in next to she and Cara.

Cara rest her head on Lauren's shoulder, looking up at her with a quivering lip. Clearly, she was trying not to cry, too.

They all were. Zach and Connor glancing at each other anxiously, Naomi fiddling with her fingers and staring at her lap.

Ravi and Pip were the only ones actually letting themselves cry. They'd been through enough in the last year — if anybody deserved to cry, it was those two.

"I'm sorry," Pip cried into Ravi's shirt. "I'm so sorry, guys."

For me, it was enough

"No," Naomi huffed, standing, arms crossed. "No, you do not get to apologize for something that wasn't your fault. I swear to god, if anyone should be apologizing, it should be Max — his sorry ass should be in prison. That's the best apology you can get."

Pip laughed softly, turning her head away from Ravi's chest and nuzzling his chin. "Yeah, I guess it is."

"I mean, next time I see him, I'm going to beat the shit out of him. I can't fucking believe this."

"Yeah, Ravi sort of already did that."

What?! was the response Lauren, Connor, and Cara had hissed. Zach furrowed his brow, blinked once, and after checking with himself to be certain he heard Pip right, he said Come again? Naomi's hand slapping against her mouth was loud and must've hurt, but elicited a few laughs either way.

Ravi had some sense of pride in his heart, because despite the fact that this would probably be one of the hardest moments of Pip's life, her friends were managing to lift the mood, even in the slightest.

"Wait, okay, Ravi beat up Max?"

"At about two in the morning last night, yeah. After Pip told me, I just could not sleep. I had to do something... and I guess I did that."

"I applaud you, Ravi." Zach decided, shrugging and standing, moving to join the group hand holding session that the girls were having. I'm sorry, he mouthed to Pip.

Don't be, she mouthed back.

He squeezed the mess of intertwined fingers, and Lauren's hand under his did the same. Then Cara's, and from the bottom of the group, Pip squeezed back.

After about thirty seconds, Connor, Naomi, and Ravi's fingers joined the stack of hands, and suddenly, Pip's eyes weren't so teary anymore.

"Thank you guys for coming." Pip sniffled. "I'm... I'm glad you guys are here. Thank you for being here."

"Anything for you." Cara said softly, and for the next few hours, that little group stuck together like glue.

To live for the hope of it all

About three and a half minutes after their friends had left, so had Pip and Ravi's ability to keep their hands off each other.

It started on the couch, simple touches to each others arms, soft kisses and gentle giggles; but then came the entwining of fingers and bodies against each other.

Ravi gently laying Pip against the couch, slowly working his way from her lips to her jawline, a beautiful, quite magical feeling seeping through their souls and into their chests.

"Wait, Ravi," she breathed, running her fingers through his hair. "We can't...not on the couch, it's—"

Without another word, Ravi lifted her into his arms and carried her to their bedroom as if it was nothing.

He pressed her gently against the fresh seashell sheets and pressed their lips back together, slipping careful hands under her shirt and holding her close.

"I think..." he started, speaking between kisses. "I love you, Sergeant."

"I love you, too." She said in a heavy breath, eyes shut, back arching up and chest pressed against Ravi's. "I really do."

"Glad we're on the same page about that." He whispered, pulling his lips away from her's.

And as he did, his finger brushed her cheek, her eyes fluttered open, and she knew that they were for life. The ocean waves and the persistent late-summer rain seemed to agree.