heaven help the fool

“Aw yeah. I’ll even decorate Bluey for the occasion, those girly fairy lights strung around the back and tin cans tied to the bumper, it’ll be great,” he grinned, getting a bit too much into the image she put in his mind. It was once she subject changed that his focus was one hundred percent on her. “Phe, you didn’t,” he sighed back, the tone of his voice saying more than his words could. “I’m not judging you or anything cause I’m sure you have your reasons, but ouch. Have you talked to him now that you’re back? Cause if you haven’t, don’t do it at the bakery. Some of the old ladies in town like to go there for cinnamon rolls and let me tell ya, if there’s drama in the shop, all eyes will be on you.” He scoffed as if her choices were ridiculous. “Dude, Grant all the way, have you seen the guy? His eyes could melt steel, plus the chick who plays is girlfriend in the show is a babe. That way, you get the best of both words.”

“She’s still running? Huh, I thought she’d give out by now,” Ophelia said, playing like she wasn’t purposely trying to poke one of his few buttons. “Guess she’ll make it to your wedding and have some nice ‘Just Married’ banner on it.” The girl looked away, feeling like she was a toddler that was about to be scolded, or worse, being told she was a disappointment. “He was supposed to go back to New York,” she said quietly, but there was no point in making excuses. She made a mistake and she had to live with it. Which she was at least a little glad Gavin didn’t voice his complete disappointment in her. “I saw him, but I chickened out that first time. Tried again, ended up missing him by a few minutes. Managed to catch up on the side of the road, because that’s where all great reunions should be,” she finished off sarcastically. She didn’t mean for it to get a little aggressive, but truth be told, after seeing Nate again, she was just frustrated with herself. It was just easier to talk about anything other than him. “The Flash in general is just a great show and I need it to have a musical episode now.”

Gabby clicked her tongue and shook her head grimly. The cut did look like it would heal fine on it’s own but she wanted to play along. “No, you won’t die, but unfortunately we might have to amputate.”

“Will a prosthetic be an option for me?” Ophelia continued, glad that Gabby caught on. There was only so much these days to keep her entertained and apparently pretending to be on Grey’s Anatomy was one of them. “Or is a hook an option. I’d make one great Captain Hook, don’t you think?”

Saddened that Frostford would lose business to a larger venue, Franny understood. “No, you’re right. I hope Amazon has it! Good luck.”

“Sorry for the disturbance,” Ophelia apologized. “If you ever get any books by Troy Dodson, you wouldn’t mind holding them for me, right? If I had more time on my break, I’d definitely have more time to browse for something else to read, but I’ve been waiting on that book for a while. I don’t think I could pick up something else.”

On a scale of one to ten how bothered do I seem? Well take that answer and multiply it times six billion because I’m completely dismayed by the fact that people in this town do not know how to tip. If I see one more receipt with a little zero and a line slashed through it or a phone number with “call me for the tip ;)” from the idiots three years out of high school still wearing their lettermens, I swear I don’t know what I’ll do. 

Have you considered spitting in their meals? Wait.. you didn’t spit in my meal, right? Because I will leave a good tip. I mean some people have no decency or no common sense. 

“I can’t remember the last time I ate a vegetable. Which I feel is a huge portion of the reason I feel like I might die at any moment.”

“Ethan Provoust. Death by not eating vegetables. I’ll make sure to put that on your obituary and gravestone.”

“Alright, I’ll do anything if you don’t tell my parents where I’m at.” Hunter pleaded. “Wow– sounds like I’m back in high school again.” He let out a long groan and ordered a beer. 

“To be fair, I can’t be one to judge.” Ophelia took a seat, deciding to forgo ordering for now. “So I’m assuming hiding from your parents isn’t why you’re here.”

“Well, alright then. Thank you.” Her smile widened a little as she spoke. To be honest, Calliope wouldn’t mind staying here a little longer, since she dreaded to see what kind of state her father would be in tonight. Nowadays, she was almost thankful when she got the chance to leave her home. “Ah, it’s fine. An orange dreamsicle milkshake and fries comin’ right up.” As she began to add the ingredients into the blender for the milkshake, she turned back to her friend as she worked. “How’ve you been, anyway? It’s been a while since I last saw ya.”

“Things have been alright,” Ophelia said, not really wanting to elaborate. “I was in New York for a while and now I’m back.” Despite everything, Ophelia did love the city and all that came with it, but there was still a good part of her that missed the place she grew up in. She honestly knew she would never outgrow this little town or its people so she was happy to be back with good company. It was easier to just stay here at an empty diner with Calliope than go back to an empty house. “How have you been? I haven’t heard much from you in so long. That was probably my fault, but fill me in!”

“Well once I find someone who I want to marry, you’ll be the first to know, sweetums…mostly because I’d probably need help choosing a ring. Although if history says anything, my relationship track record isn’t the greatest.” Ophelia had been there to witness his two most substantial relationships, neither ending well, so he was sure she understood where he was coming from. He sighed once she brought the question back up that he was gonna drop. “I was gonna say athough I thought you already had that rom-com type relationship…but I’m going to guess that things might’ve changed in New York?” He placed a hand to his chest in a touched manner once she started describing the coloring book. “You know me too well, hun. Sandra, or Connie Britton…she’s my back-up if things with Sandra don’t work out, plus hello, do you watch Nashville? Major babe status.”

“I feel so honored, you know when the day will come. I’m sure it will. You’ll meet some fine lady and sweep her off her feet because of your extensive knowledge of romantic movies, and you’ll both ride off into the sunset.” Ophelia was damn sure that Gavin was going to land someone one day, and that girl was going to be the luckiest girl in the world. She pressed her lips together when she heard him sigh, realizing she really could have avoided this all together. “It wasn’t remotely rom-com,” she argued. “I may have left without saying anything to him.” Ophelia laughed, enjoying Gavin’s dramatics. “Haven’t really been watching. I’m more of a Flash and Supergirl watcher. I mean, come on. Grant Gustin and Jeremy Jordan.”

Gabby eyed Ophelia’s hand as she unwound the bandage. She tilted her head slightly, taking note that it had at least clotted. Her eyes moved back up to the girls face, moving from medical to personable in a snap. “Might be a decent idea.” Gabby said with a smirk and a shrug of her shoulder.

“So how’s it look, nurse?” Ophelia asked, hoping that she didn’t need to go in for anything bad. The cut on her palm wasn’t so horrible but it was irritating just because it was there. At least the pain had subsided for now. “Am I going to die?” she continued, dramatically.

For a brief moment, Em’s lips pursed in a line of skepticism. She had known Ophelia for most of her life, she knew the girl in and out from every quirk to every freckle. She knew when there was something wrong, but she assumed that their bond was thick enough to garner help when either of them needed it. She wasn’t going to insult the over-a-decade long friendship by pressing the brunette, whenever and if Ophelia ever did need her, there she’d be. Putting that to rest, the blonde nodded her head a fraction [OK][I MISSED YOU][WHAT SCHOOL LIKE] Emerson questioned, eyes growing wide in the hopes of a big town story.

The feeling that Ophelia was experiencing was indescribable. The only way she could even being to try was a mixture of comfort and relief intermixed with this feeling of home and sincere happiness. How would one describe finally seeing their best friend in person again after one year apart? [DO YOU WANT TO COME IN] she asked before even getting into it. [UNLESS YOU BUSY] Ophelia went down to grab the milk, not wanting to impose on her friend’s work time. She wanted the time to talk to her properly as well as not be on her porch. This was a story meant for being inside and Ophelia unpacking all the things she did keep to give to her best friend once she saw her again.

“Actually I could probably eat a donut or twenty.” She replied looking between her friend and the bits of food she’d managed to collect from the kitchens. “Fuck… do you just want to go to Wildflower?”

“Best idea I’ve heard all day.” Ophelia still grabbed one of the apples she took from the kitchen to take back home. Why she picked an apple when she was pretty sure hot sauce and apples should stay far from each other, she couldn’t reason out in her head. “I drive? I’m honestly starving. There’s no food at home and you know I should never attempt to cook.”

“You’re right, you’re right. I forgot for a second there, that’s what happens when you spend time traveling the globe and not sitting around and watching movies. I really need to step up my game. You know what? I one-hundred percent agree with that notion, the quirky BFF role was practically made for me, and I’m gonna be really upset if I don’t get to be part of that, although…eh, actually, never mind.” He thought about bringing up the Nate card, being someone who rooted for them back in the day, but he wasn’t sure where they stood anymore. “But anyways, of course I have. Who doesn’t wanna color all of Paris in different shades of purple and design the Eiffel Tower with tiger stripes? You should try em out if you haven’t, Phe, it’s entertainment for hours.”

“So long as you don’t become the ‘always the bridesmaid, never the bride’ type of BFF, I think we’re okay. Although it would be hilarious to see you in a bridesmaid dress. I hope you get to be a bridesmaid one day.” Ophelia raised an eyebrow and she could have let it go, but she didn’t want to. “Although what?” she asked, wondering where the hell Gavin would have gone with the thought. “Fun story about those color books. I was at a store checking them out and managed to slam my finger into the corner of one when I was trying to grab it. I don’t think coloring books like me, and let’s be honest here. I could make you one. It would be the Gavin Coloring Book, designed just for Gavin Montgomery feating a wedding photo of you and Sandra Bullock.” 

Mostly that this week, the pickle juice and apple juice are staples right now but the hot sauce is just a current thing. [She explained with a sigh before dragging a finger slowly along the desk] Don’t colleges have cafeterias or something to pretend that they care about your diet?

Please tell me when you have cravings for donuts because that’s something I can definitely jump on board with. Well.. they are only open so many hours and sometimes I’d kind of forget to go when they were open because I was busy working. 

“Damn, Phe, and you left all your sexy admirers just so you could come back to lil’ old Frostford? You’re brave. Of course we can, when do I say no to rom-coms? That’s right, never, it would violate my religion. And is that your way of saying that you didn’t find any dreamy hunks while you were there? I expected more from you. No Taylor and no Abercrombie models…such a shame.” He blinked, starring at her as she talked art, every word sounding alien to him. “Ber-who-ni? You know my knowledge of art only goes as far as, like…coloring books.”

“If it was meant to be, they’d follow me here to win my heart. It’s in the rules of the rom-coms, Gav. You were the one who taught me this in the first place. Maybe you need a refresher course, stat. And maybe my rom-com moment has yet to come and it would be wrong if you weren’t there to witness it.” Ophelia looked at the lost look on his eyes before laughing. She really missed him. There was no one else in the world like Gavin, even in the place that had so many unique souls that passed through the city. “I’m guessing you fully embraced the trend of coloring books for adults?”

A year away from this town changed a lot of things, and seeing her friend again was almost like nothing had changed at all. Callie knew that was anything but true, what with her dragging her father back into town as well. But needless to say, she missed her friend dearly, and she felt bad for not keeping touch with Ophelia at all over the last year. “Well, if it ain’t a bother to catch a ride with you, then sure. You don’t need to go out of your way for me though.” She smiled. “Oh, yeah. There’s some fries…and maybe a few slices of pie left. I can even get you a milkshake if you’re hungry. Take your pick, because I don’t think we’ll get anymore customers tonight.”

“I wouldn’t have offered if it was going to be a hassle,” she pointed out, flashing the older girl a smile. Ophelia made her way to one of the stools, hopping up and sitting and taking a minute to mull over her options. Well not so much mull as take in being back in the diner where everything was familiar and it felt like home. “Oh fries and a milkshake please. Orange dreamsicle if it isn’t too hard, but vanilla will do,” she said, a bright smile on her face. Diners in New York reminded her of Star Diner, but it was never the same. And Ophelia was really glad to be back.

[IT OK][BUSY WITH WORK][WORKED ALL SUMMER][WORKED ALL WINTER][WORK ALL SPRING] Emerson’s signs were accompanied by a dramatic face displaying how over the constant work load she was. It wasn’t until her blue eyes had landed back on the features of her friend, that her brows furrowed in concern. It looked as if the shorter girl had forced herself to conceal a trace of tears welling up in her eyes. [YOU OK][WHAT MATTER] Emerson’s hands moved vigorously, as if perhaps she signed with more power, it would reel out what was causing her friend pain.

Ophelia’s eyes went wide when she saw the worried signing of her friend, barely catching what she was saying, and she was quick shake her head. She couldn’t help but force herself to give Emerson a bigger smile than she was supposed to but regardless, Ophelia was happy. [I AM HAPPY][NOT SAD] she signed, the smile on her face falling back to one more calm and genuine. [I MISSED YOU A LOT] There was a lot more that Ophelia wanted to tell Emerson, but it was the best she could do and all she wanted to do at the moment. Just seeing her best friend again just made her feel a lot better. It was that beauty that came with being friends with someone so amazing, just being in her presence of someone that she just unconditionally loved felt like Ophelia’s problems could fade away in an instant.