Rooney's stomach hurt as she watched Sandra walking away triumphantly. Her lips started cursing her name. Her blood boiled remembering every word that came out of Sandra's lips. Indeed, tasting your own medicine wasn't quite the best thing one should do. Without realizing, her tears fell.
"You are not Cate's wife at all."
It swirled around Rooney's head and she stood there on the shore, anger took over her whole system. She was so mad at Sandra that the veins in her head could be seen. When she composed herself back, she took a deep sigh before started slapping herself. She slapped herself countless times - hard and thick slaps landed on her cheeks, and after which, she started grabbing her own hair. If she couldn't have Cate, Sandra shouldn't too. When she felt like she already looked like a disaster, she started walking back to the hotel.
"Oh my God! What happened to you?"
Cate's heart flew at the sight of Rooney. Her hair was so messy and her face had been tainted with red handprints. Rooney stood outside her suite's door, her tears falling freely from her eyes and her shoulders were uncontrollably shaking. Her fragility was scattered with the way she was sobbing and Cate startled.
"What happened?" Cate asked once more as she ushered Rooney in.
The young woman gave her a stare. Her eyes - glassy and weary. Cate looked at her back, silently encouraging her to answer her question. She waited for Rooney to utter, and as Rooney tried to speak, her words got lost in her throat, her lips trembled. Without needing her to speak once more, Cate pulled the younger woman into an embrace. She could ask her later, but for that moment, the blonde knew a hug would better Rooney up. Cate hugged her tightly and when Rooney was trapped in between the blonde's frame, she started sobbing. The weight of the younger woman's cries was a burden Cate had to feel deep in her core. She was unsure what happened to Rooney, but she was also unsure of what was worse: Rooney crying or Sandra begging. She dragged Rooney with her as she sat on the bed and Rooney sat on her lap, still clinging to her like a baby, with her head buried on Cate's chest. They had spent quite a few minutes before Rooney stopped.
"What happened?" Cate asked, her voice soft while her hands cupped Rooney's cheeks, subtly wiping down her tears with her thumbs.
"Sandra..."
"What?"
Rooney stood up, and wiped her tears. Cate's eyes never left her as the blonde waited to her to speak again.
"Sandra... she slapped me and grabbed my hair." Rooney started, and as she blurted those lies out, she began sobbing again, "I... I didn't know why. I was just walking along the hallway. I was about to walk back into my own suite, but then she came out of a sudden." She muttered, with her fingers pinched together, "I even greeted her and I smiled, but then she slapped me and dragged me by my hair. She was so mad at me. And I felt so scared. I didn't fight. I didn't wanna fight her. I was so afraid."
Cate rushed up and hugged Rooney again for she felt like the younger woman was so devastated. Her voice breaking as each word came out. The blonde kissed Rooney's forehead as she whispered her things, trying to console her. Cate's heart was torn in half, while Rooney's heart was full as she noticed that the blonde was completely eating her lies.
-----
"Hi. My call is not at the perfect time, but may I know if Sandra Bullock is at the hotel at the moment?" Cate called the front desk, "Yes. I just need to speak to her. Is she in? Oh, thank you. I feel delighted. Suite 198, third floor. Thank you." And with that, she ended the call.
After Rooney had perfectly fabricated what happened, Cate tucked her into her bed. Her heart throbbed painfully with all the happenings. But she had to do the right thing. Sandra needed a talk, to clear things out; that way, she may stop hurting people. The blonde knew Sandra was hurt too, but thinking that she hurt Rooney - a complete innocent woman - was something she could not let pass. She went out of her suite leaving Rooney sleeping on her bed. She didn't care if it was already dawn, she needed to talk some sense on Sandra. Her feet felt light as she walked towards Sandra's suite, yet her heart was kicking at a fast pace. She didn't want to see her yet, but what she did make her want to. When she spotted the brunette's suite, she heaved a deep sigh before she knocked on the door.
It only took three knocks and there they were - standing in front of each other at a mere distance. Sandra was wrapped in a robe, her hair was tight in a bun, her hand was holding a glass, and Cate knew it was tequila. The blonde froze at the sight of her; it made her want to back away and run out of the place, but she couldn't. She didn't know how long she kept her mouth closed, but she was pulled into reality when Sandra sniffed while wiping her nose. It was when she noticed how red the brunette's eyes were. She was crying.
"If you do not have anything to say, I would love to close the door." Sandra mumbled softly, and it crumpled Cate's heart the way her voice sounded hoarse as if she'd been screaming.
"No. This would be quick." Cate replied, "I know you're mad. I just don't understand why you have to drag Rooney over our issue."
"I did what?" Sandra asked, completely shocked.
"Oh come on!" A small laugh escaped from the blonde's lips as she turned her head sideway, "I know what you did." She glared at her.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Cate glared at her even more, "You don't know that you slapped her? Countless times? Drag her by the hair on the hallway? You don't know that?!"
Sandra's eyes widened hearing the accusations coming out from the woman she so dearly loved. She didn't want to cry, but her eyes started welling up and without noticing, her tears fell, one by one, again. The pain of their ending was worse, but hearing accusations coming from the blonde made it the worst. She was so shocked that she just stood there and even if she wanted to dismiss the accusations, her lips stayed still.
"What? You can't speak, because it's true? For the second time, you lied to me, Sandra! That is just..." Cate hissed, her hand flew to her head as she paced back and forth in front of the shocked bruette, "that is just - you're just cruel! Of course, what would I expect from you? You lied to me about your affair and now, you attempted to lie about what you did to Rooney?" Cate moved to her closer, "Guess what, I won't eat your lies anymore."
Sandra smiled at her even if her tears were falling like waterfalls, "That's what she told you? Fine, Catherine. I do not need you to believe me, because God knows what I did."
Cate taunted her by laughing, "God knows what? That you hurt an innocent woman?"
"I fucking didn't hurt her!" Sandra's voice raised, and along with that, her tears fell even more to which she wiped right away, "I was in the shore wanting to forget about you because clearly, you made it clear to me that we are so over. I didn't drag her in the fucking hallway nor did slap her countless times! I was in the fucking shore! I threw your necklace on the sea and she was the one who harassed me, Catherine! She was the one who went up to me."
Cate's mouth hung open, "You did what?" It came out like a whisper, but it was audible.
"You heard me." Sandra wiped her eyes, "Now, I don't care if you don't believe me. Go back. I want to rest." She mumbled softly and tried to close the door, but the blonde was quick to block her body to prevent the door from closing.
"You did it?" Cate softly asked her, "You threw the necklace?"
"I did."
And the moment Sandra blurted those two words, Cate's tears fell.
"Cate, where are you taking me?" Sandra asked, her heels up on her hand, while her other hand clutched the end of her gown.
The most glamorous night of Hollywood stars was up - the Oscars. The whole theatre was full, but they weren't there. Instead, Cate held her hand and pulled her up towards the roof top of the Dolby Theatre. Cate was giggling as she held Sandra's hand who was walking behind her. Away from the glam and glitz, with their hands intertwined, they reached the top. Cate held the brunette steady as she wore her heels back and when she was up, her whole face lit. The whole Hollywood could be seen from above. The city lights were twinkling, above head were the gazillion stars silently watching them, and underneath were the black limo lining up in rows. Sandra turned towards the blonde, her smiles growing at each passing second.
"This is beautiful." She exclaimed, opening her arms before she turned around. "This is so beautiful, baby." She commented once more.
Cate held her waist as she stood closer to the brunette who was still in awe, "Oh Sandra, you are. You are beautiful." She whispered.
"Silly!" The brunette laughed and turned around, "Oh my goodness." She turned back towards the blonde, "You are nominated for an Oscar. You'll win, I know and yet we're here. You're gonna miss it." She held her hands and tugged her, "Let's go back!"
Cate pulled her back, "Shoot. I don't care. It's just a fucking award, and I don't think I'll win." She smiled sweetly at Sandra before she held her right cheek, "But I have the most wonderful award, you."
"Not to cut off your sweetness. But come on!" Sandra stomped her foot, "You are Jasmine French! You are gonna win!"
Cate rolled her eyes. She then dragged Sandra towards the edge of the rooftop, not minding the brunette who was telling her to go back. The blonde grinned at her as she placed Sandra on the small podium, she stood behind, held her waist and it made Sandra want to fly.
"We are not Jack and Rose in Titanic." The brunette cracked a joke.
Cate kissed the back of her neck before she hugged her waist, "Yes, because we're Cate and Sandra." She whispered, "You see those city lights?" She pointed at the city lights adorning the whole city and Sandra nodded, "You shine even brighter than those." And as she spoke that sentiment, she gently clasped a gold necklace around the brunette's neck.
"Oh my God." Sandra exclaimed as she held the pendant, she turned around and came face to face with Cate, "This is beautiful. I..." she laughed, "I don't know what to say."
"Say you love me."
Sandra bit her lip. She then circled her arms on Cate's neck, "Oh, Catherine. My heart beats for your existence." She mumbled softly while staring at Cate's eyes, "My heart beats for your name." She made their foreheads touch, "I love you. I love you. I love you so much. And so long as I am wearing this necklace, I am yours and you are mine. So long as I have this necklace, that means my heart beats for you and you only. I will wear this everyday, sweetheart."
Cate's tongue twirled and melted hearing what Sandra had said. Away from the crowd and under the stars, them - in their gowns, they kissed. They kissed like it would be their last kiss. And when they got back inside the Theatre, it became even more perfect.
"And the Oscar goes to... Cate Blanchett!"
"Oh my God! You win!" Sandra jumped while cupping her face, "You win!"
Cate smiled at her. Her eyes watered. The whole crowd was looking at them. Most of the people inside were so thrilled of their friendship, but the tables turned up when Cate caught her waist, and in front of the thousand people inside, Cate captured Sandra's lips. Everybody gasped. Their first kiss. Their secret was revealed. It was Cate who broke the kiss. The people were sending them giddy cheers. The blonde cried as she stared at Sandra who was staring back at her.
"I feel like this is just a dream, but go get that award, baby."
"Kiss me first."
And with a pull on the waist, Sandra kissed Cate back. The whole theatre roared in awe. The invisible fireworks exploded. It was perfect. They were perfect.
Cate bit her lower lip as she cried, "You threw the necklace?" She asked once more time.
"I did."
***