Requested by: cxirori
AU: High school
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You were probably the clumsiest person Gwen knew. Although she found it endearing, sometimes she would get concerned that you'll hurt yourself.
As you and Gwen were dancing together, you kept bumping into other people and stepping on their feet. Gwen couldn't help but chuckle at your antics, finding your clumsiness both amusing and adorable. She tried her best to guide you through the crowded dance floor, but it seemed like every step you took resulted in a collision.
Just when you thought things couldn't get worse, disaster struck. You stumbled backward and your foot caught on a stray wire, causing you to lose your balance completely. In your attempt to regain your footing, you accidentally tugged on the wire, causing the speakers to fall down and break. The prom went silent, and all eyes turned to you.
"Shit." You muttered, then ran out as fast as you could.
"Y/N!" You heard Gwen call after you as you ran outside, but you couldn't bring yourself to stop. Your heart raced, and you just wanted to disappear.
"Y/N!" Gwen pleaded, hugging you from behind to stop you. You felt your cheeks burn knowing she saw the whole thing. You felt like a total loser.
"Y/N, wait. Let's go home," Gwen said, her voice soft and soothing. She understood how devastated you must be feeling, and she wanted to be there for you.
You glanced at her and nodded weakly. You felt a sense of relief. Gwen had always been there for you, even before you started dating.
The drive back to Gwen's place was quiet, the weight of the embarrassing incident still hanging heavy in the air. You couldn't help but feel like you had ruined what was supposed to be a special night.
Once you arrived at Gwen's house, she led you to the living room and settled you down on the couch, sitting closely beside you.
"I'm sorry, Gwen," You finally spoke, your voice filled with remorse. "I ruined everything. I can't believe I tripped over that wire and destroyed the speakers. I just wanted to disappear."
Gwen gave you a side hug, "Y/N, it's okay. It was an accident, and accidents happen. You don't have to be so hard on yourself. You're not a loser, Y/N. You're just human."
"I know, but it's just...embarrassing," You admitted. "I didn't want everyone to see me like that."
Gwen squeezed your hands gently, "I understand how you feel. It's natural to be embarrassed, but remember, those people at the prom are just strangers. Their opinions don't define you. What matters is how you feel about yourself, and I think you're amazing."
"Really?"
"Really. Now let's forget about tonight and order some pizza."
You nodded in agreement. You hoped that by tomorrow, people would forget everything.
—-
To your horror, the next day you discovered that the incident last night was recorded then posted on social media. In that moment, you knew you never wanted to see another face ever again.
You wished you could change your name, your identity and move to a foreign country or something, but you were in high school so that wasn't possible. So for now, you decided to miss school as much as possible.
Despite knowing you could talk to Gwen, you didn't want to burden her. She already had to deal with your clumsiness a lot and sometimes, you worried she'll lose interest in you.
Gwen had social media, so of course she knew that the video was circulating among your peers. She wasn't happy about it, but she was mostly concerned about you. She noticed you weren't at school that day and you barely missed school.
She knew how embarrassed you must have been and understood your desire to avoid facing everyone. However, she also knew that isolating yourself wouldn't solve the problem. She cared about you deeply and wanted to be there for you, even if it meant dealing with your clumsiness or any other challenges that came your way.
Gwen decided to pay you a visit at your home. She knew you needed someone to lean on during this difficult time, and she wanted to be that person for you. She made her way to your doorstep and rang the doorbell.
After a few moments, you answered the door, looking surprised to see Gwen standing there. Your eyes were still red from crying, and it was evident that you hadn't slept well. Gwen gave you a gentle smile, trying to offer comfort.
"Hey," She said softly. "Can I come in? I'd like to talk to you, if that's okay."
You nodded, opening the door wider and allowing Gwen to step inside. You led her to your room, where you both sat on the bed. Your room was quiet, the weight of the embarrassing incident hanging in the air.
Gwen reached out and gently took your hand in hers, providing a reassuring touch. "I saw the video," she admitted, her voice filled with empathy. "I know it must be really tough for you right now, but running away won't make things better. Trust me, I've been there too."
"Really?"
"Yes, Y/N." Gwen sighed, remembering an incident where Heather read her diary in front of everyone. "Remember when Heather stole my diary and then read it out loud at the talent show?"
You nodded, remembering how Gwen was humiliated and avoided everyone, even you.
Gwen gave you a soft smile. "It was humiliating but I got through it. I didn't let it define me, because I knew that despite what others say, I'm the one who knows myself better than anyone. It was up to me whether or not to let that incident consume or empower me."
You had always admired Gwen's strength and resilience, but you didn't realize she had experienced similar feelings of embarrassment and wanting to escape. It made you feel a little less alone.
"I understand if you don't want to talk about it," Gwen continued, her voice gentle. "But remember, you don't have to face this alone. I care about you, Y/N, and I want to help you through this. We can figure out a way to deal with it together."
You took a deep breath and wiped away your tears, "Thank you, Gwen. I don't know what I'd do without you. I'm still afraid and embarrassed, but I'll try. I don't want this to define me."
"That's the spirit, Y/N," She said, her voice filled with encouragement. "Remember, we all make mistakes, and sometimes things happen that are out of our control. It's how we handle those situations that truly define us."
"Let's start by going back to school," Gwen suggested. "I'll be right there with you every step of the way. We can apologize to the school staff, explain what happened, and see if there's anything we can do to help fix the speakers. If anyone tries to make you feel worse, just remember you have me by your side."
With Gwen's support, you felt stronger and more capable of facing the challenges ahead. Together, you and Gwen made your way back to school, ready to confront the situation head-on.
During the next few weeks, you and Gwen raised a fundraiser to fix the school speakers and many people found inspiration in you and Gwen's efforts, along with your strength. Your classmates saw you both as individuals who chose to grow from an incident rather than letting it define you.
From this incident, you even made new friends: Noah, Cody, Owen, Izzy and Eva, who helped spread you and Gwen's message of hope that mistakes can be opportunities for growth. You all became a group, where you made many more beautiful memories that made that incident in prom feel like a distant memory.
Through it all, you and Gwen stood side by side, proud of the impact you had made. You realized that sometimes, the most challenging moments in life could lead to the most incredible transformations.