"Waves," Nicole called out.
Waverly turned around to look at her, startled. "Nicole? What are you doing here?"
Nicole could see Waverly's beautiful face etched with sadness, eyes were all red and puffy and cheeks were still wet from tears.
"What happened?" Nicole asked, slowly making her way close to the brunette.
Waverly held her hand at Nicole to stop her. "Don't come near me or I'll jump..."
"Waves, we can talk about it-"
"No, we can't. This is not some prank anymore, Nicole.... I... can't... can't-"
"You can, Waves, just tell me what happened," Nicole persistently asked, cautiously stepping her foot forward without the brunette noticing.
"You won't understand it, Nicole... You're just some happy teenager who doesn't wake up regretfully in the morning and see the world as bleak and as sad as it truly is."
Nicole licked her lips. "Well, you don't know me, Waves... Trust me... It's not worth it."
"Just leave, please leave me alone." Waverly tightened her grip on the railing and she glanced at the rushing river below. The brunette's body was all shuddering from the cold.
"Don't make me go all Jack Dawson on you," Nicole said, trying to light up the mood. She needed to distract the brunette.
Waverly looked at her quizzically. "Who's Jack Dawson?"
Nicole let out a soft laugh into the air. "Seriously? You've never seen Titanic?"
Waverly stopped crying and scoffed. "I'm not a big fan of boats..."
Nicole grabbed the railing and climb over it, three feet away from Waverly.
"What are you doing?!" Waverly hissed.
Nicole only looked at her. "You jump, I'll jump... We're in this together."
"What?! Are you mental?!" Waverly was now turning back towards the railing. Nicole looked at the river below and muttered, "Just a reminder, Waves. I don't know how to swim."
"Ugh! You're so infuriating!" Waverly snapped as she climbed over the railing back on the asphalt road.
A smile crept unto the redhead's face as she did the same. "Hey, you know you can always tell me what happened, right? Even though, we're not really friends."
Waverly gulped back a sob as she crossed her arms around her chest. She bit her lower lip as she mumbled, "Today's Willa's death anniversary..."
Without second thoughts, Nicole immediately leaned forward and hugged the brunette, not caring if Waverly didn't reciprocate. "Waves, I know I told you that you can choose to move forward and be happy... but sometimes, it's okay to also feel these things... it's okay to be sad... but, it's not worth ending your life for this..."
Waverly let herself break down as she opened her arms around the redhead, snuggling into Nicole's chest. "I don't know... Everything just feels so out of place... I get now why Willa felt so depressed all the time... The pressure I get for applying to a better college... To be the responsible and mature daughter between me and Wynonna... And my so-called friends, who were supposed to be my friends, made fun of me because I hugged you this morning... It just feels so infuriating and it's driving me insane how I can't just live my life the way I want to..."
Nicole rubbed Waverly's back as the latter went on crying. "Hey, ssshh... Waves, you do know you can, right? You can live your life the way you want... It's yours, Waves. It was given to you and you alone. They don't own you... You're not anyone's property except yourself... Wynonna's probably not thinking about pressuring you... You're just innately brilliant, Waves. With pressure or not, you always like learning things... It's always the way you're supposed to live. And about your friends, well, they're just shitty friends..." This made the brunette stop crying and chuckle into her chest. Nicole went on, tightening her hug against Waverly. "If they don't accept who you really are, then they're not exactly your friends, Waves... You should be free around them, not hiding and especially not forming yourself into someone that pleases them... I'm sure if Willa was around, she'd kick their asses for making fun of you..."
Waverly sniffled and laughed, pulling her head from Nicole's chest and stared at the redhead's eyes. No one knew who closed the gap between them. All Nicole knew was how she was now tasting Waverly in her mouth, both sweet and salty from the tears.
One thing Nicole was sure of from that time forward, if it's possible, was to make sure to make Waverly happy. Because she still can.
~~~
"Nicole? What are you doing here?" Waverly asked, half asleep but beautiful just the same, as she came outside their porch. Nicole was leaning against her father's old Camry that she had convinced to borrow for the day.
"I didn't know you have a car," Waverly teased. "Much less a driver's license."
Nicole laughed. "It's my dad's and I do have a driver's license."
Waverly walked towards the redhead and hesitantly gave her a peck on the cheeks. They still hadn't talked about what happened after last night - their current status. Nicole only knew Waverly was lonely and she needed the redhead to be there.
"I've asked Gus," Nicole said, smiling. "And she agreed that I can take you out today."
Waverly's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What? But it's morning..."
Nicole grinned wider. "I have a whole day planned for you... So... do you want to go with me or not?"
The brunette looked down on her feet and Nicole swore she blushed. "I... Yeah sure, I'll just get ready..."
"Okay."
Nicole really tried to be there for Waverly while she still could.
~~~
"Where are we heading to?" Waverly giddily asked. They were now driving along the highway heading towards the exit sign of Purgatory. Nicole's eyes were on the road as she replied, "Outside of Purgatory."
"I get that," Waverly said with a laugh. "But where to?"
"It's a surprise," Nicole answered. "Do you want to listen to some songs on the radio?"
Waverly smiled wider as she nodded. When Nicole turned on the old stereo in front of them, Spice Girls' song Wannabe came blurting out.
"Oh, I love this song," Nicole cheerily announced as she glanced at the brunette. "I bet you do too, you and Chrissy used to sing this in the 90s themed talent show, right?"
"You remembered that?" Waverly asked, all red and giggling. "How could you remember that?"
"How could I forget?" Nicole turned the stereo louder, which made Waverly laugh more. Then Nicole began to sing the lyrics, swaying her arms and hands as she danced to the song.
"If you wanna get with me, better make it fast"
Waverly only rolled to fits of laughter, slapping Nicole's shoulder. "Come on, Waves, you know the words... sing with me..."
And the redhead's voice sang louder. "Yo I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want
So tell me what you want, what you really, really want"
Waverly then let herself go as she sang and danced with Nicole.
"I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha)
I wanna really, really, really wanna zigazig ah"
And as Nicole stole glances of a happy Waverly beside her, she realized that it felt amazing making the brunette happy.
~~~
"Um, why are we in a thrift store?" Waverly asked, as she walked along with Nicole, passing long aisles of various clothing.
"Because... We need to look formal," Nicole said. Then she stopped and picked out a black tuxedo. "What do you think about this?"
Waverly laughed. "You'd look good on that if you're trying it for your own funeral... How about this?"
Nicole pursed her lips and nodded. "I knew I could count on your taste."
"Where are we going to anyway?"
"Okay... I'm gonna say this now, so you still have time to back out?"
"Back out? Nicole, we're already miles outside of Purgatory and you're my only means of transportation..."
"Well," Nicole said as she went on looking through the clothes. Then she picked out one from the left side. "This dress would really look good on you."
Waverly laughed. "If you're trying to apply for a job in circus... So where are we exactly headed and why do we look so formal?"
Waverly had stopped walking and was now staring at a turquoise no strap flowing dress.
"You should try that on," Nicole suggested.
Waverly shook her head no and went on walking. Nicole hurriedly picked out the dress and gave it to the brunette. "You'll look great in it. You always do in anything."
Waverly's face turned red as she accepted the dress and slowly walked towards the dressing room. Nicole hurriedly changed into hers as well. When Waverly came out sporting the dress they picked, looking all beautiful and gorgeous, Nicole lost her voice.
"Wow," Nicole stuttered. "You're... You're a vision."
"Oh, please, I didn't have time to accessorize," Waverly said, smiling shyly. "Now can you tell me where we are going?"
Nicole shrugged herself and quickly turned to pay the cashier.
"Waves, it's time to break into a wedding," Nicole said, smiling from ear to ear.
~~~
They parked on the side of the road beside a huge Caribbean looking resort. There were a lot of cars and limousines parked around them and a lot of people wearing formal dresses by the entrance.
"Nicole, you're really serious about this?" Waverly asked, now in hesitation.
"Come on, tell me you've never broken in to a wedding before?" Nicole laughed as she pulled the key from the ignition.
When she looked at Waverly, Nicole noticed Waverly was glaring, almost angry. "I haven't, Nicole... That's a crazy and dangerous thing to do, you know that, right?"
Nicole only laughed as she fixed the collar of her shirt.
"Why are you laughing?" Waverly asked, now fuming. "Nicole, if breaking weddings is another part of your pranks, then I'm certainly not totally in for this... Fudgenuggets. I should have insisted asking where you would be taking me in the first place..." Her voice trailed off as she saw a familiar figure heading towards their car. Jeremy.
Nicole laughed louder. "You really thought I was serious about breaking in... Come on, Waves... Jeremy's sister's wedding is about to start..."
~~~
Nicole couldn't stop staring at Waverly who had now grown attached to a five-year old girl, Jeremy's younger sister. The brunette just looked so vibrant. Nicole wondered how just a night ago, Waverly looked so lost and different, and now, she's so happy and everything good.
"You really have it bad, don't you?" Jeremy teased beside Nicole. Nicole only smiled as she replied. "I just... I just want to make her happy while I still can."
Waverly glanced their way and she smiled and waved, her eyes creasing on the sides. It was a breathtaking sight.
~~~
"Can I have this dance?" Nicole asked after the groom, bride and other guests had already gathered on the dance floor.
"Why of course, you may," Waverly answered, her face all red as she took Nicole's hand in hers.
They swayed slowly on the dance floor, Nicole's hands were on Waverly's waist while Waverly's arms were around Nicole's shoulders. After a moment of staring into each other's eyes, Waverly leaned forward and rested her head against the redhead's chest. Nicole burrowed her face into Waverly's hair, taking in everything that is Waverly.
"I owe you this one, you know," Nicole whispered through her ear.
"Hm?"
"This dance," Nicole continued. "I ditched on you last time."
Waverly chuckled softly and looked up at her. "Yes, you do really owe me..."
"And now, I'm paying for it," Nicole answered, smirking.
Waverly smiled from ear to ear. "Have I told you how dashing you look in this tux?"
Nicole's cheeks blushed as she replied, "No, you were so busy commenting how crazy I was breaking into a wedding."
Waverly broke into laughter as she said, "Well, I really thought you were, to be honest."
Silence fell through them as they danced to the slow sweet song. It was a good kind of silence. Nicole's eyes began to water as her feelings towards the brunette intensified the longer she held her. And she knew it was wrong.
"Thank you for this, Nicole...," Waverly's voice brought her back to the present, the one she should focus on. "Thank you for everything."