J's JcJenson pen tapped frantically against her wooden clip board. She clacked an impatient beat, her optics fixated on a peice of light pastel pink paper that was clipped against her board. A tiny red heart was drawn on the top corner of the paper. J tapped her foot to the beat of her pen against the carpeted floor of the Eillott Manor library, her thoughts swelling in her mind. For hours, J had tried tirelessly to write an acceptable letter of endearment to her boss, Tessa for Valentine's Day. But each word, each thought came back as inadequate. At least by J's standards. It was as if the right words she wanted to write to express her emotions didn't exist.
"Efficient? No, that's not right. She's more then that," J muttered to herself, unclipping the paper and crumbling it up into a ball. She tossed it beside herself, next to all the other paper balls of failed letters. Without as much as a word, she clipped a new peice of pastel pink paper against her clip board. She leaned her back against a lone bookshelf, biting her lip in frustration. Once again, she began to write. Her hand writing was graceful, and in perfect cursive. Each stroke of her pen looked like a work of art. If only the words she picked themselves were as graceful and perfect.
J scribbled out Boss, and wrote Tessa above it instead.
"No, no! This looks awful!" J crumbles the paper again, and slammed her head against the clipboard. Anger marks began to glow on her visor, her eyes hallowed, and her teeth clutched. J sighed to herself as she clipped a new peice of paper to her clip board. She took a deep breath, centering herself into a calm state of mind. She started again.
You are an excellent boss, and a true contender for professional praise. You continue to exceed my expectations of what a true boss is. You never seem to fail to amaze me when it comes to your kindness for the other employees. With all that said, would you accept my offer of being my Valentine?
J looked over her handy work, re-reading the letter over and over, fixing any small mistake she could find. Finally satisfied, she let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Relief finally washing over her as she unclipped the paper.
"Hey J!" J screamed as she turned to face N standing there with his normal goofy smile on his face.
"Fourth quarter profits, N! Don't scare me like that!" N scratched the back of his head, embarrassment washing over his thin frame.
"Whoops! Sorry about that, J! Didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to say hi!" J rolled her optics at the butler drone. Couldn't he see she was busy?
"Okay, well, you said hi. Now go away. I'm busy," N frowned and raised a brow to J. He leaned over J's shoulder, curious as to what she was doing.
"What are you doing anyway?" He quizzed.
"None of your business," N just shrugged at J's rudeness and smiled at her. J sighed defeatedly at him.
"If you MUST know, I'm writing a letter of endearment to Tessa," J's visor glowed bright with white blush lines as she turned away from N's gaze. She never did like it when others saw her vulnerable. Especially if that someone was N.
"Awwwww! You're making her a Valentine?"
"That's what I just said,"
"Can I read it? Maybe I can help?" J blushed a deeper white on her visor.
"No way! It's fine as it is! Besides, it's for her eyes only," N frowned, interlocking his jointed fingers. His visor flashing a sad puppy picture with big wet looking eyes. J rolled her optics again at the pathetic display of her co-worker.
"Sweet corporate policy, fine! Just make it quick!" J growled as she passed her letter over to N. N's visor lights up with excitement as he reads through the letter of endearment. However, his excitement soon turns sour as he finishes the letter. He bit his lip as he gave the letter back.
"Uhhhh... wow! That was um..." J smirked with a sly smile in her face.
"I know, it's perfect. I'm positive Tessa will love it," J boosted, her smile unending. N rubbed his long sleeved arm nervously at J.
"I mean, it's great! But maybe you could make it seem less like a company email and more of a love letter?" J's smirk faded from her mouth. Her optics narrow at N.
"What do you mean? That's what I did! I wrote it with the most sincere of emotions,"
"Right! But it just seems more like an email you'd send someone if you were offering a promotion,"
"That's not much of a love letter," J grunted as she gritted her teeth at N.
"I wanted it to be as professional as possible. Tessa is our boss after all, she deserves that layer of respect," N scratched the back of his head again, his optics facing away from J as he tries to choice his next words carefully.
"And I can understand where you're coming from! And it's great you want to show so much respect to Tessa! But, love letters aren't really meant to be professional. They're meant to be emotional. Full of passion for the one you're writing to! And I'm just not getting that vibe from your letter," J crossed her arms at N, her optics staring right into his soul. Though N couldn't see them, he could feel J's eyes on him. Burning into him.
"If you know so much about this stuff, how would you write it then?" N slowly turns back to J, his face lighting up with endearing excitement. J cringes at his enthusiasm.
"Well! What do you like about Tessa? What makes her the one you want to write a letter to?" J's visor flashes bright white blush lines at the question. Her mind swells with thoughts of Tessa. Her smile, her laugh, her hair, her eyes. Everything. J sighed. There was so much she wanted to say, but she didn't know how to say it. No, that's a lie. She did know. It was more of she felt she couldn't say it. A drone in love with a human? How could she express that?
"Well, she's excellent at taking care of us, and doing what she needs to as a boss," N frowned at the response. Such a J answer.
"Okay, but what about her personality? You like that right?" J growled at the stupid question.
"Try writing about that,"
"I did, I said she is very kind!" N sighs in frustration. Taking a breath, he slowly tries again.
"Okay J, now I want you to think about, Tessa. Every little thing you like about her, and I want you to say those things out loud," J rolled her optics at N, but nodded in agreement. She closes her optics and images of Tessa flood her mind once again. J's visor flashes white again.
"You ready?" N quizzed as he picked up J's pen and paper. J just nods, trying to focus on the task at hand.
"I love her eyes, N. The way they shine like two precious emeralds when the light hits them just right," N began to write down everything J said, trying his best to mimic J's handwriting and tone. Careful not to mess anything up. He didn't want to have to rewrite it as pen ink can't be erased. He danced J's pen across the paper, trying his best to make sound as if J was writing it. The last thing N wanted was for Tessa to think someone else felt this way about her. Even if they were all J's words. N listened on to J's thoughts.
"I love her goofy smile, and how she shows the gap between her teeth whenever she's smiling about something she's really excited about. I know she hates it, but I just find it so endearing. And how she snorts when she laughs. It's always just so adorable to me," N's smile only grew as he continued to write down everything J said. He knew J had feelings for Tessa, just never knew they went this deep. But he sat in silence as J went on.
"I love her voice, especially when she sings. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the first time I heard it I thought an angel had broken in. I love how she always seems so excited to sing, too. And how she tinkers with electronics! She always has a look of such excitement when working on them! Sweet corporate, N! I can't stand it!" N finishes the last word on the paper and handed back to J. Her optics hallowed as she read what N wrote.
I come to you with this letter because I felt I needed to share just how amazing you truly are. I love how beautiful your eyes are. They remind me of two emeralds that shine brighter then any peice of jewelry you wear when the light hits them. Your smile is truly a sight to behold. It always brightens my day to see that sweet, goofy smile of yours. I know you hate the gap between your teeth when you smile, but I always found it so endearing. So sweet. So warm. So you. That I can't imagine your smile without it. Your voice is something that haunts my dreams. Your angelic voice always brings tears to my optics whenever I hear you sing. The passion you put into each word you sing is truly something to be admired. Of course, I could not finish this letter without telling you just how much you truly mean to me. You are an amazing, beautiful, kind hearted girl, and I am so thankful to have you as my boss. The day we met, your fascination with electronics always amazed me. You truly are a talented, and bright young girl. I am so lucky to have been found by someone as truly wonderful as you. With all that said, I feel I must ask. Would you be my Valentine?
N poked his two index fingers together as J finished reading the letter. He gulped nervously, waiting for a response.
"How is that? Did I miss anything? Is it good?" J, for the first time ever smiled at N. She pats him on his back, her tone gentler then her normal sharp tongued way of speaking.
"It's perfect. Thank you, N," N's optics fill with tears of pure joy and excitement.
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J held the letter tightly in her hands, beads of digital sweat dripped down her visor as she made her way to Tessa's room. It was well past midnight now, and Tessa was fast asleep. J wanted to wait until morning and give Tessa the letter personally. But despite her normal confident attitude deep down, Tessa made J incredibly shy. Even just having Tessa within J's radius made her core beat so fast she could hardly move. She knew if she tried to give her the letter personally she'd be a sweating, blabbing mess. That thought alone only made J more nervous. J sighed, her stance stood right in front of Tessa's bedroom door. Taking a knee, J slowly started slide the letter under the grand wooden door.
"What are you doing in front of my daughter's room at this hour?!" J stood up quickly to face an enraged Mrs. Eillott. The unfit mother towered over the small drone. She looked down at J's hand, the letter gripped tightly within her jointed fingers.
"And what is this?" Mrs. Eillott snatched the letter from J's grip. Her optics hallowed, white digital sweat beamed down her forehead as Mrs. Eillott read the letter. Her eyes faced the scared maid like sharp spears. They felt as if they were burning holes into J's soul.
"You wrote a love letter for my daughter?!" Mrs. Eillott smacked J across the face with her fan in hand. J stumbles to the ground, holding her cheek where she was struck.
"Listen to me good, dumpster pet! I will not have my daughter entertain this little fantasy of yours you have for her! She will marry a suitable man, and you will not go anywhere near her! You will simply do your job away from her!" J looked up slowly at Mrs. Eillott, pixelated tears filled her optics as Mrs. Elliot went on.
"If I ever catch you trying to seduce my daughter again, I will dismantle and dispose of you myself! Do you understand?" Mrs. Eillott lowered herself to J's face, expecting a "Yes ma'am," from the scared drone.
"DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME YOU BUCKET OF BOLTS?!" J lowered her head to the ground sniffling and softly crying. Afraid to even look up in fear of being hit again. Slowly, she looked up at the lady of the house again and nodded.
"Y-yes Madam... I understand..." Satisfied, Mrs. Eillott stood up and held up the love letter.
"This will not be shared with my daughter, and you will not bring shame into this family!" Without hesitation, Mrs. Eillott ripped and tore apart the letter before J's optics. Her fingers gently cradling what was left of the letter as she remained on the floor.
"I hope this does not happen again, dumpster pet," Without another word, Mrs. Eillott fanned out her fan, and turned away from the sadden maid. Her heels clicked against the wooden floor boards as she walked away. J felt the tears drip down her cheeks, her hands shaking.
"What the bloody Hell is going on out here?" J turned to see Tessa's bedroom door now wide open. A sleepy Tessa in a night shirt stood at the frame of the door. Tessa rubbed her eyes before she saw the crumbled drone on the floor.
"Jaybird? What are you doing here?" She suddenly took notice of J's tears on her visor, and scattered paper around the door frame. Taking a knee, Tessa slowly brushes her hand against J's cheek.
"Are you a'right? What happened here? And why is there paper all over the floor?" J gently pulls away from Tessa's touch, wiping her tears herself. She slowly stood up from her spot, brushing off any loose paper on her maid dress.
"It's nothing, Boss. Just made a tiny mess by mistake. I'll clean it up and leave you to sleep," Tessa raised a brow at the response. Surely a tiny mess wouldn't be the cause of such noise. Would it? Tessa shook her head at her beloved drone.
"J, you know you can tell me anything. What happened?" J only shook her head at her human's worry.
"It's really nothing, Boss. You should head back to bed. It will only take a moment to pick all this up," Tessa leaned down, and went to pick up a peice of the loose paper.
"No, no! I got it! Thank you, but I got it," J interrupted, quickly picking up peices of paper from the door frame. With all the pieces gathered in her palm, J hastily stood up from the floor.
"Apologies for the disturbance, Boss. Have a good evening," With that, J's little feet moved quickly down the corridor, so fast she was unaware she accidentally dropped two peices of paper on her exit. Tessa turned her head to the ground, noticing the peices left behind. Gently, she picked up the peices. The two peices didn't match where they were torn though. Regardless, Tessa began to read what words were written on the pieces.
Would you be my Valentine?
Tessa's cheeks felt hot with red blush. Getting up from the ground, she looked down the hallway where J had run off, almost hoping she'd come back. Tessa held the two peices close to her chest, a sense of sorrow creeping upon her being.
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J slammed her head against the bookshelf of the library, her knees tucked tightly against her chrome chest. White digital tears streamed down her visor cheeks like tiny rivers. Her core burned, her stomach ached, her body felt weak. She had never seen such hatred, such distaste in someone's eyes like Mrs. Eillott's. The way her eyes stared at her was like a lion staring at a zebra, ready to pounce. Her tone was sharp as knives, and her tongue spat venom at the poor drone. She could feel her words slice into her core like a sword that belonged to an evil knight. She held her knees closer to her chest.
"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! How could I ever think I had a chance with her?" J cried, her voice shaking, and lip quivering. She never felt so stupid in all her life. So small. So helpless. So dejected. Quick and tiny foot steps drowned out J's cries. They were coming closer to the crying maid. J lifted her head to the sound of the noise. She turned to see N skipping down the aisle of the library book shelves to where she sat. In his normal cheerful voice, he greeted his fellow colleague.
"Hey J! How did it go? Did you give Tessa the letter? Did she like it?" His questions soon halted when he saw the look of pure sadness on J's face. His cheerful smile faded, and a look of worry took its place.
"What happened? Did she not like it?" N kneeled down to J's level, a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"I didn't even get the chance to give it to her..." J whispered. Her tone firm, but her voice quiet and low. N raised a brow.
"What do you mean? You didn't slide it under her door like we talked about?" J shook her head at the golden retriever boy.
"Mrs. Eillott caught me before I was able to. She took the letter and...." J stopped, her optics visibly filling with digital tears again.
"She tore it up right in front of me...." N's jaw fell to the floor in shock. He knew Mrs. Eillott had a bad temper, but didn't think she'd do something so childish as that. N shook his head to the new information, patting J's back reassuringly.
"Don't worry, J! We can just write a new one! We still got time!" J slapped N's hand away, standing up from her spot on the floor. With hallowed optics, and fangs poking through her lips, she hissed at the boy.
"Why? What's the point? Mrs. Eillott doesn't want me anywhere near, Tessa! She said it herself! If I ever tried to, in her words, "seduce" Tessa again, she'd dismantle me!" N stepped back from the growling maid, a look of horror and shock plastered on his face.
"Face it, N! It's over! I knew from the start I had no chance! Because she's a human, and I'm a drone! Why would a proper young lady like Tessa ever want to be seen with me?" Before N could respond, J had already started to walk away. N reached out to her, but she was already too far away for him to touch. He had never seen a drone as confident and determined as J act so defeated before. It actually scared him to see her so torn apart. It almost made him think that the J he knew was just a mask to hide a more self-conscious, and insecure J. Whether that was true or not was left up in the air, but he just stood there silently. Letting the heaviness of the air surround his being.
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Tessa sat in the fireplace room, legs crossed, and her cheek resting on her hand. A bored expression plastered on her freckled face. A young ginger boy, one of many suitors, hands her a store bought Valentine. She hesitantly opens the Valentine, and reads the letter inside.
You are truly a sight for sore eyes. Your beauty truly has no bonds. You are a lovely flower growing in the most lovely field. Will you be my Valentine?
Tessa rolled her eyes to the letter as she finished reading. Looking up from the note, the boy gives her an unflattering smile, showing his braces. Tessa forces a smile back, and placed the note on her lap.
"Wooooooow.... What a "lovely" letter! Thanks so much for such kind words," Tessa hesitantly spoke. Her voice soft with hints of sarcasm. The boy wiggled his brows at the young girl, his glasses falling down his nose.
"So, what will your answer be?" His voice was nasally, with hints of a lisp hidden under all the snot. Tessa patted her lap, searching for the right words.
"Uhhhhhhh.... well..." Tessa turned her head to the doorway, and like a miracle, she noticed J in the hallway mindlessly sweeping the floor. Tessa's face lights up upon seeing her beloved drone. Her gloomy expression bloomed into a bright smile with light blush on her freckled cheeks.
"Jaybird! Where you've been? I've been looking for ya' all morning!" J turns to her human, a wave of panic swelling in her chest. She only nods before turning away to leave. Tessa's smile disappears seeing her drone just vanish. Tessa quickly gets up from her chair, and made her way to the doorway, completely ignoring her suitor. Tessa turned her head down the hallway, watching J quickly turn the corner.
"Hey, J! Wait up!" J didn't look back, only quickened her pace.
"Don't turn around. Don't turn around. Remember what Miss. Eillott said," J repeated to herself, fighting the urge to face her beloved boss.
"Jaybird! Helloooooo? I know you can hear me!" Tessa called, still J did not reply. Her chest ached and burned with each step she took away from Tessa. She clenched her broom tighter in her hand.
"Don't turn around. Don't look back at her. Remember what Mrs. Eillott said. Don't bring shame to her family," J repeated again. Without warning, J felt a gentle squeeze at her shoulder, making her jump slightly. Finally, she turned around to see the eyes of her human that she grew to adore.
"Jaybird! What's going on with you, mate? Are ya' hearing censors on the fritz? I've been calling you the whole time!" J didn't reply, only stared at her boss. Tessa raised a brow at J, an expression of confusion and concern glued to her face. Still, J did not speak.
"J? What's going on with you? Talk to me," She shook her head.
"I can't," Was all she could manage to say. Tessa's eyes widen.
"What? Why not? What's going on?" J gently pulled away from Tessa grasp. Once again she goes to leave.
"J! Please, mate! Is it about last night? I really don't care about the mess! I make messes all the time! It's nothing to be ashamed of!" J snapped her head around, pixelated tears streamed down her visor, her optics hallowed.
"It's not about that!" Tessa stepped back, her eyes widened at the sudden outburst, still she reminded silent as J went on.
"Last night, I... wanted to give you something I made for you, but...." J hesitated, trying her best to pick her next few words carefully incase there was any prying ears close by.
"I was greeted by your mother... she found out about the thing I wanted to give you. And... she tore it up..." Tessa's shocked expressed was replaced with that of anger, yet she continued to listen to J's words.
"That was the mess you saw last night. She told me if I ever tried to go near you again, she'd get rid of me... Forgive me, Boss. I shouldn't have been so foolish!" J bowed forward, her optics staring at the ground below her. Soon though, she noticed another set of feet in front of her own, making her look up at her boss. Tessa's anger filled expression softened to that of sympathy. She gently placed her hands on her drone's shoulders. Gently squeezing them.
"Was it by chance a Valentine letter you wrote?" J's optics hallowed as Tessa pulled out the last two remaining peices of her heart filled letter. Her visor lit up with white blush lines.
"Forgive me, Boss! I know it was an unprofessional move on my part! I just thought you deserved something made with effort instead of something store bought! But I now see my error! Please, allow me to throw those away," As soon as J reached for the peieces of paper, Tessa took J's hand in hers. The drone looked up again at her human, a gentle smile spread across her freckled cheeks.
"Jaybird, don't ever say that! It was incredible sweet of you to do that for me! No one ever did something so thoughtful for me!" J's visor grew brighter as Tessa went on.
"As for my mother, I'm truly sorry she threatened you like that! But, you could have told me, we could have talked about it," J turned away, hiding her face from her friend.
"I was afraid. I didn't want to bring shame to your family with my silly feelings," Tessa placed her finger under J's chin, forcing her to look up at her.
"They're anything but silly, mate," J looked away from her. She couldn't bare to look at her human in the eyes. Everytime she did her core would skip a beat, and the overwhelming urge to kiss her would consume her thoughts. She took a deep breath, and finally faced Tessa.
"I thought they were because how could they not be? A drone having feelings for a human such as yourself? Ridiculous, right?" Tessa replied to her with a gentle kiss on her cheek. J's core felt as if it was about to short circuit. Her optics flashed in the shape of hearts for a split moment. Tessa pulled away slowly, the warmth of her lips stained J's cheek.
"It's not ridiculous to me," Tessa whispered to her before pulling out a small letter from her dress pocket. The letter was bright pink, and sealed with a crimson red heart sticker. Tessa placed the letter in J's hand. She stared down at the letter, her visor flourishing in bright white blush. Carefully, she tore the letter open, and began to read what it said.
I'm not good with my words, but I feel that I had to tell ya' in some way how I feel. Before we met, I never had a decent friend. Every bugger I ever met only wanted to be around me cause of my social status. But ya' never cared about that sort of tripe. Ya' hung around me simply cause ya' wanted to! I never had someone like ya' in my life before. Someone who was a hard worker, a stable force, a loving, and smart person who actually cared 'bout me. Ya' took the time to actually get to know me, something no other bloke ever tried. And cause of that, I realized that I had started to form feelings for ya'! Not an easy feat you sly bugger! I know ya' think that drones are nothing special, always the same, but not to me. To me, Jaybird, you're one of a kind! So, I had to ask ya', will ya' be my Valentine?
J looked up from the letter, her visor bright with blush lines, her optics hallowed and wide. The grammar of the letter was poor, and the tone was silly. But it was so warm, so sweet, so Tessa, that J couldn't help but smile at it. She held it close to her chest. She smiled at Tessa as she rubbed her arm nervously, her cheeks flushed with pink blush. A shy smile spread across her freckled cheeks.
"So, what do you say, mate? You wanna be my Valentine?" J went to answer, but memories of the night before flooded her mind. Nervous sweat dripped down her forehead, her optics hallowed in fear.
"I... I..." J's hands began to quiver with the letter still in hand. The letter slowly started to crumble in her tightening grip, her lip shaking.
"Jaybird, honey, talk to me! What's wrong?"
"What about your mother? If she finds out..." Tessa gently held J's shaking hands in hers. Her thumb slowly brushing back and forth against the back of J's hand.
"I won't let her hurt you, Jaybird. You let me handle that, a'right?" J's chest pounded, her anxiety not fading or wavering.
"I... I don't want her to hurt you..." Tessa leaned down, her soft lips gently making contact with J's forhead. For a split second, and fear, any worry, and anxiety washed away with that small notion. She slowly pulled her lips away, replacing them with her forehead as she rested against J's forehead. J stares up at her human.
"You let me deal with her. Anything that happens, I will handle," Tessa's voice was soft but firm. A hint of confidence could be heard in each word she spoke. J sighed, her breath blowing Tessa's chestnut locks.
"I don't her to hurt you because of me,"
"You let me worry 'bout that,"
"So am I," J gritted her teeth, mild frustration making her head spin. She wanted to believe Tessa, believe that everything would be okay. That they can be together, and be happy. But J knew better then that. Oh how she knew better.
"I don't want to be the reason you get beat! No matter what, that will always break my heart! Knowing that I put you there! The person I love more then anything!" Tessa pulled her head away from J's. Her eyes widen with hints of hope. J had never seen so much excitement in those giant green pools of loveliness. Bright blush covered Tessa's cheeks.
"Y-you love me?" Tessa's smile grew, the gap between her teeth visible. J slapped her hands over her mouth, realization washing over her.
"Yes?" J turned away again, she wanted to say yes more then anything. But fear still clouded her mind. How could she look her in the eyes, say she loves her, but then say she can't be with her? Yet, she knew what she had to do.
"Yes, Tessa! I admit it! I do! But, I know this could never work! I'm a drone, you're a human! An important one at that! What would people say if they knew?" Tessa cupped J's cheeks in her hands, quickly pulling her in for a well over due kiss on the lips. J's core skipped a beat, like it was jumping for joy. Tessa's lips were alot softer then she had ever hoped for, like they were made of the finest silk money could buy. To Tessa, J's lips were rubber like, but oh so soft. Much softer then she imagined, and well worth the wait. Tessa rested her hands on J's shoulders as she deepened their kiss. J held Tessa's hips gently in her hands, careful not to hurt her. She knew humans were fragile after all. Finally, the two girls separated, their lips quivering and their breaths hitched in their throats.
"I love you too, J! I don't care what others think, and even if it's just for today, I want you by my side," J's optics hallowed and filled with digital tears. Her normal stern expression was replaced with one of hope. Tessa brushed her thumb against J's cheek, wiping away her tears.
"So, what do ya' say, mate? Be mine? Even if it is just for today?" J pulled Tessa closer to her by her hips, placing another kiss on her button nose.
"I'd be honored, but it can only be for today! I don't want you getting in harms way!" Tessa waved her hand in front of her drone's face.
"You'll change your mind, and I'll be soon calling ya' mine everyday!" J bit her lip as Tessa grabbed hold of J's hands, pulling her down the hallway.
"Let's not push our luck, Boss,"
"Still a buzz kill," J rolled her optics at her love's ambition. Though admittedly, it did fill her with a sense of excitement and hope that this could actually go somewhere. J could only pray for such a thing. Happiness wasn't something J came across often, so for it to just willingly offer itself up to her was definitely an unfamiliar feeling. Yet one she partially welcomed with slightly open arms. She still had her doubts, but seeing the joy and excitement on Tessa's face made them almost disappear. Almost.
Not my best work, but let me know what ya'll think!