[First Draft] Crystals (girlxgirl) (studentxteacher) (lesbian story)

Chapter Fifty-one

Laura

The cold air of late December nipped at the crowds of people who warred with the elements, and their fellow shoppers, over baby dolls so realistic they cried all night and tiny consoles that turned your ceiling into the universe, but would only be lost on Christmas morning. As I surveyed the masses, armed with shopping bags and determination, I began to regret leaving my gift purchasing so late.

"This is the worst time of year to buy anything. You just know every one of those smug bastards have hiked their prices as high as they can. Well, they won't get away with it. I'm not buying a single thing." Courtney was glaring at the colourful array of shopfronts before us with such hatred I worried the glass might begin to crack. "Con artists, the lot of them!"

"Never mind that. Why didn't we go somewhere indoors?" I rubbed my frozen fingers together, wishing I'd brought gloves. Maybe if I put my hands in my pockets?

"I thought it would be fun!" Courtney bounced on the spot excitedly. "Courtney and Laura, ya know," she linked her arm with mine and steered me towards a rapidly filling shop, "like the old days. Before you became a boring, domestic shit-head!" She slapped the back of my head. "Seriously, where the hell have you been hiding?"

"I've just ... been busy." I said feebly.

Courtney rolled her eyes before propelling me into a brightly lit clothing store.

In a matter of seconds she was holding a dress against her body and saying, "this would look great on me! Wouldn't it look amazing?"

"Uh, sure." I agreed, uncomfortably looking around. "Courtney, this isn't really my thing. Is there somewhere else we can go?"

"Not yet," she tapped my nose with a cool finger. "Why don't you try and find something for your cute little girlfriend? Who I'd better meet, by the way."

"Oh, of course. You can meet her today." I said, feeling awful. I appeared to be a kind of shit best friend. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much. I got sort of caught up in everything and in Lilly. But that's not really an excuse. I promise I'll be a better friend. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course, dumb-ass." Courtney was searching for a shirt in her size. "No need for the whole speech thing; if I was annoyed I wouldn't have come out with you. I know what it's like to be in love." She found her size and spun round, gently tapping my nose again. "Especially for the first time." She sauntered by me as though she'd said nothing out of the ordinary.

I followed. While she tried on her hundred different clothes I waited outside.

"I'm not in love with her, you know."

"Sure you are, you just gotta accept it, sweetie." Courtney said.

I leaned against a wall, my head back, staring into space, seeing nothing.

"How can you know?"

There is laughter from inside the changing room, "Laura, I've known you since we were five, I think I can tell. Plus you would never have forgotten the wonderful me for so long, and left me to rot all alone in the dust and-"

"Alright, shut up." I whacked her door. "And hurry up."

"So mean!" Courtney cried, and I rolled my eyes.

"You know I love you, now come on! If you're good I'll let you pick a present for yourself."

"Really?" My best friend's head popped out the door. "No ugly green sweaters with itchy fluff balls."

"That was one time! And they were flowers!"

"If you say so," she disappeared back inside the door, and after a few minutes and a great deal of rustling she emerged again, her mountain of options, somehow, in hand. She passed me, "well, what're you waiting for?" I rolled my eyes, I remembered why I hadn't missed this asshole.