ꕤblue waterꕤ

Chapter 8 - I Kissed A Girl

Jessica glanced at the wall of vinyl records, also spotting a small rack also filled with records. Ripley noticed that Jessica noticed, excitedly walking over. “I collect these things too, they aren't practical in the slightest, but they are SUPER fun to play and look at!!” She said, kneeling down to flip through the rack of records. Jessica did so too, looking through them with Ripley. “How long have you been collecting? You have quite a few! Oh! GUTS, that's a good one,”

“Uhh, a while? I don't know, to be honest! My dad got me a record player and a… record, obviously, one year for my birthday! And I've kinda been getting them ever since!” Ripley picked up one, pulling out a particularly pretty looking one. “I usually wait until the artist releases the special variants! They're not much more money AND it's prettier plastic! Blacks too boring, and I like colorful spinning plastic discs.” Jessica nodded, flicking through them still.

“I forgot these things still existed, to be honest! I thought they died off in the 90s or something, like how VHS tapes died when they released DVDs and stuff,” Jessica said. “Nope! I thought it was a little weird too, but people still buy them like crazy!” Jessica looked up at the displayed records. “Are those your favorite?” She asked, making Ripley look up. “Some of them are! I like playing my favorites, so I don't typically like putting them up! But if I get the same exact one, then I will! Most of them are just vinyls that I thought looked cool on a wall,” She said, standing back up.

“Do you have an all-time favorite artist?” Jessica curiously asked, making Ripley think for a brief moment. “I'm not sure, actually! I like quite a few, but I don't know if I have an ALL-time one…” She said, still contemplating a little. “How about you?” Ripley happily asked, sitting down on a small beanbag chair. Jessica paused for a moment, shrugging. “Uhh, Taylor Swift? I don't know. I'm pretty basic when it comes to music, I admit,” She laughed, pulling out her phone. “I listen to the people that gets on the charts and that's about it,” She said, making Ripley laugh a little. “I mean, they ARE popular for a reason! But there are quite a few smaller artists I'd definitely recommend!”

Ripley leaned back in her chair. “I like a mixture of both, but I also have an issue with being seen as too 'generic' so I also like listening to more indie because of it!” Jessica nodded at that, laughing a tiny bit. “People don't really bother me about music, thankfully! It's almost always about my skincare routine, or how I get my hair so clean,” Ripley perked up at that, leaning in. “What IS your daily routine??”

Jessica paused for a brief moment, before shrugging a little. “Not much different than anybody else! I get up, I shower, brush my hair, and that's kinda it! Though I do use a very specific shampoo and conditioner, so maybe that's the trick,” Jessica sat down next to Ripley, the bright pink faux fur rug being a lot more comfy than she had expected.

“What IS it like being, like, internet famous?? Is it worth it?” She paused. “Sorry, am I asking a lot of questions? Sorry,” Jessica thought for a brief minute, smiling happily. “Oh, you're fine! Uhm, it's worth it! The money is, at least.” Jessica awkwardly rubbed the back of her head. “Just dear LORD do not answer the DM's that sent you a single image, it's almost always a dick,” Ripley raised an eyebrow. “Isn't that the normal female experience online?” Jessica nodded, sighing. “Yeah, but it gets ten times worse when you're famous online, if you can believe it,”

Ripley shuddered at that, understandably. “Right, I'd rather stay unpopular, then! Never had a problem with it, anyway!” She said, crossing her legs. “I never understood WHY people were so desperate for popularity when it looks like it sucks! I like being an unnoticeable nerd, it's objectively better… in my opinion.” Jessica fiddled with her hands. “It has its ups and downs, really! Though, yeah, sometimes I wish I wasn't nearly as popular as I am now, not to gloat or anything!!”

Jessica groaned. “People get weird about speculating every little part of your personality, and GOD, the amount of people that started trying to look into my dating life… I actually kinda like pretending to date Lauren, cause then it gets people off my damn back!” Ripley giggled a little, before pausing. “Wait, so, not to pry myself. But DO you like anybody?” She curiously asked, getting a swift head shake from Jessica. “No, actually, I'm Aro/Ace, I don't like anybody in that way!”

Ripley paused upon hearing that, a little shocked. “Oh, really?? I just, that's not bad or anything!! I just didn't really expect that, either,” Jessica didn't seem that surprised by Ripley's reaction, smiling. “Yeah, not many people do! It's kinda weird, actually, but I've also only told like 6 people, so.” Jessica tilted her head, looking back at Ripley. “How about you?” She paused for a second when asked, laughing a little before pointing at the large lesbian pride flag above her bed. “It's not just decoration!” Jessica blinked, taking a second to process that before it clicked in her mind.

“OH, my bad!! I could barely tell with all the other lights! I thought it was just another piece of wall art, sorry!” She awkwardly said, though Ripley wasn't upset in any way. “No, it's alright! I understand! But, yeah, I'm a lady kisser! Always have been,” She said, quite proudly in fact. “Is your dad alright with that?? He seems pretty chill, but with LAUREN… I always have to ask,”

Ripley understood all too well, rolling her eyes before smiling and looking back at Jessica. “Yep, no, I get it! But yeah, he's cool! He's cool like that in a lot of ways! In fact, I'm PRETTY sure my dad's low-key kinda gay too,” Jessica curiously tilted her head at Ripley. “What makes you say that?” She asked, getting a nonchalant shrug from Ripley. “He's had like 4 boyfriends in the past,” Ripley causally said, Jessica very swiftly understanding too. “Oh! Well, yeah! I guess I'd say that is pretty gay!” The two stayed quiet for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company, before Ripley spoke up. “Do you wanna listen to one of the records together?”

Jessica stood up, putting a hand on her hip. “Sure! You have quite a few artists and albums I really like, that, AND I wouldn't mind discovering new artists!” Ripley excitedly hopped up, flicking through the rack of the vinyl records before picking one. “I really like this one, it's called The Family Jewels! It's by Marina and the diamonds,” She explained, setting the vinyl down on the record player. “Oh, I think I've heard of her!! Is she the one that did Bubblegum Bitch and Primadonna?” Ripley stood back up as the record started spinning. “Yeah, that's off her second album! I have that one too, actually!”

The music started coming through the speakers, and the two stayed quiet for a few more minutes before Jessica spoke up, looking over at Ripley. “My families gonna be having a beach day soon, do you think you and your dad would be free to join us?” She asked, giggling at Ripley's weirdly good dancing. “We should, actually! We haven't been out in a little bit, even more so thanks to the rain, so that'd be awesome!” Ripley said, Jessica, happy to hear. “Awesome,” Jessica said, deciding Ripley can't be the only one dancing in this room as she joined in.

chapter 8 - pathetic dorks are the hottest, aren't they, doggy? coming soon