Tied By A Thread-- ~Bella Ramsey Story~

~Our Beginning~

  2 weeks had gone by ever since the party. Bella and I kept talking non-stop. We would never run out of things to say, I had never felt more comfortable with someone in my life like I did with them. Two days ago, a close friend, Emily Carey (Em) called me to say that she'd be visiting LA for about a month. I was aware Bella knew her as well so I was glad we'd have someone else around. Em was on her way, catching a plane from England to LA. Bella and I were meant to meet her at the airport when she arrived, but her plane was delayed up until today. I was on my way to the airport as I spotted the same little red car that took me home 2 weeks ago. I knew Bella was already here. Everytime they came into my mind, my stomach did small flips that would send me into a spiral. I repressed any type of feelings I had in hopes of staying friends. I wasn't ready for anything and I sure as hell knew Bella didn't like me that way.

  I made my way to the terminal Em would be coming out of. In the distance a small brunette was holding a poster sign as they stood on their  tip-toes to look over the crowds of people coming. I chuckled to myself as I couldn't help but notice how cute Bella looked. It was my first time seeing them since the party, I found myself more excited about them than Em. Eventually I got to Bella and hugged them, the embrace tighter than ever. I almost couldn't let go, I honestly wouldn't have if I hadn't heard Em in the distance. We both quickly separated and ran to Emily, greeting her from a long trip.
      __________________________________________
  It had been a week since Emily had arrived, she was staying with an aunt that lived in the city. Bella was still settling into their apartment as they had told me the day prior. I was laying in bed having just woken up. As I was checking my notifications, my phone pinged. It was Bella...

  "Hey, this might sound weird, but...Are you by any chance free. Like right now?" The message read.

My stomach flipped again in excitement, immediately I responded and got dressed to meet Bella. I got a little more ready than usual, I had never wanted to seem more put together than today. Bella sent me their address and I was on my way. The whole time wondering what they were asking for since they never specified, come to think of it I should've asked.

  I arrived at their apartment building. It wasn't a normal apartment as it was a house, just attached to other buildings of the same build. It was nice and big, nothing I would've expected. I knocked on the door anxiously waiting to see Bella once more. As it opened I made eye contact with a very uncomfortable Bella. I scanned their body as I realized their overalls were drenched in white paint. I couldn't help but burst out in laughter as they hurried me inside hoping no one else saw. My abdomen began burning from how hard I was laughing as they stood there annoyed at me. I calmed down just enough to ask what happened with a grin on my face.

  "Well, I opened a can of paint and then ya know, it kind of exploded?" They said embarrassed as they pointed to the floors and their overalls.

  The walls were splattered with paint as were the floors, luckily they were smart enough to lay down a tarp over the wooden floors. We chatted for a bit and came up with a plan, I'd help them paint the walls that were left as long as I got to take pictures of them drenched in paint. After I had my fun with pictures, and a couple more giggles, we began painting the walls. There were moments where I'd catch myself staring at Bella, admiring the way they'd use a stool or ladder to get most of the wall. It didn't hit me until then that it was the first time we'd really spent alone since the party. One moment we were rekindling the friendship and the next we we're opening cans of paint. Funny how life works. By the time we ended it was 6:32 p.m. I finished up the last wall as Bella laid on the clean part of the tarp. I dipped my paintbrush into the can lightly and flung some paint their way.

  "Asshole!" They yelled out as they wiped paint off their face.

I giggled as they ran towards me with a paintbrush flinging paint onto me as well. I got off the ladder I was on and we chased each other around. In a split second we got so close to each other that I held their waist to keep them away. Our faces were merely inches apart as we both stopped giggling, my hands still on their waist. We both realized and stepped away from one another in embarrassment.

  "I um think it's time for me to get going actually, my parents don't want me out this late." I said trying to get out of the awkward moment.

Bella agreed and I got cleaned up in their bathroom as I made my way out.

  "Thanks, for your help Ginny...by the way you looked really nice today so I'm sorry I ruined your outfit." Their fingers fiddled with one another as they spoke.
            ___________________________________
  As I made my way home I couldn't brush the stupid smile off of my face, the moments we had spent together kept replaying in my head from the moment I left to the moment I got home.  For another month we continued to hang out alongside Emily and Macy, it was her first time meeting Em or Bella. I was suddenly surrounded by people who made me feel better than I have ever felt before. I began to recognize that I was enjoying Bella's time more than anyone else's.
__________________________________________________

AN: Omg! Chapter 2 done. This was super fun to write and I couldn't stop cheesing out. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!! (P.S Emily's pronouns are gonna be She/Her for the rest of the story as they use both She/Her and They/Them)

Word count: 1090