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“I’ll be right back, gonna make sure this jagweed pays us.”
Anne sat down against the wall, tilting her head backwards against it and watched Sasha disappear around a corner towards the managers office. She turned her head back forwards and closed her eyes, trying to wind down from their most recent energetic concert. She could still hear Marcy’s drums beating in her ears, matching pace with her heart thundering in her chest. Her fingers throbbed along with them, and she clenched her hand in response to try and numb the pain. The sound of heavy boots approaching caught Anne’s attention, and she assumed it was one of the venue employees needing something from her.
“That wall looks comfortable.” Marcy’s voice came instead, making Anne open her eyes. “Room for one more?”
Anne scooted over a bit with a smile, patting the floor next to her. Marcy let out a long sigh of relief as she dropped to the floor, hitting it a little harder than she may have intended.
“Whoof! What a show that was!” She giggled. “The crowd, Sasha’s incredible solos, your vocals - oooooh! It’s such a rush!”
Anne laughed at Marcy’s compliments. “Don’t leave out your own performance, Marce. You were incredible on the drums, as usual.”
“Oh, stop!” Marcy laughed, her face turning red from her blush. She leaned her head back up against the wall just like Anne, letting out another long sigh. “I’m so glad Sasha decided to get the Sharps back together. These last few years have been incredible.”
“They really have been.” Anne sighed, her face still dominated by a giant smile. She interlocked her fingers with Marcy’s, getting a look from the drummer. Anne met Marcy’s eyes, her own face now getting red. “It’s been really great having you around again too, Mars Bar. We really missed you.”
Marcy’s smile grew wider. She gripped Anne’s hand tighter as she laid her head down on Anne’s shoulder. “I missed you guys, too. Not a day went by that I didn’t think about you and Sash.”
Anne could feel her heartbeat wilder and faster as Marcy lay her head on her shoulder. Her face was hot; no longer because of her exhaustion from their show, but now because of Marcy. She’d developed feelings for Marcy ever since she moved back to Los Angeles from Massachusetts for college a few years before, but she’d been way too scared to confess. She hadn’t even told Sasha about it, but she’d figured out Anne’s feelings not long after Marcy’s return. Anne was worried that maybe she’d been too obvious about it, but then again, Sasha always had a knack for figuring that sort of stuff out.
“I gotta admit,” Marcy said after a beat. “This isn’t how I expected college to turn out for me, or any of us really, for that matter.”
“I know what you mean.” Anne laughed back. “Herpetology during the day, rocking crowds by night.”
“Or what about a child psychologist?” Marcy laughed, shaking Anne’s shoulder and chest. Anne laughed along with her, reveling in the happy emotions alongside her friend. Marcy continued to laugh harder and harder, making Anne begin to question if she was alright.
Halfway through another bout of laughter, Marcy let out a hiccup and immediately brought her hands to her mouth, her face flushing in embarrassment. Anne began to laugh harder at that point, and together the two of them sat laughing at her misfortune for a little while longer. Eventually, the pair calmed down, and Marcy sat up straight off of Anne’s shoulder. She let out a long breath in an attempt to calm her breathing down, letting out another hiccup in the process.
“Wow.” Anne sighed. “It’s been a while since I’ve laughed that hard.”
“Same.” Marcy smiled, wiping a tear from her eye. “I think the last time was when Sasha slipped on those stairs at Pride and bounced all the way down!”
Marcy let out some more hearty laughs, and Anne let out a few more as well before she just stared at her friend with a smile. She was so cute when she laughed, her face covered in a genuine smile, one that always radiated an infectious happiness. Marcy calmed down, rubbing her eyes again of the tears. She looked over to Anne as she caught her breath, grinning widely.
“Speaking of which, where is that blonde disaster?” Marcy smiled.
“She went off to make sure we got paid for the show.” Anne looked off to where she’d disappeared. “I’d figured she would be back by now.”
“Ahhh, good ol’ mama Sash. Always looking out for us.” Marcy let out a sigh. “At least we have some time with each other. Between college and work, it’s been a while since we’ve had a chance to spend some alone time together.”
Anne felt her cheeks flush again. “Now that you mention it, yeah, it has been a while with just the two of us.”
Anne gasped as she felt Marcy’s head fall back on her shoulder, and her hand interlock with her own in between them. Anne locked her gaze forward, trying not to let Marcy see she was blushing.
“How has college been going, Anna-Banana?” Marcy looked up to Anne. “You’ve gotta be close to being done by now, right?”
“Oh, uh, yeah.” Anne said nervously. “This next year will be my last year. It’s been going pretty well, though! I got an internship lined up with the Aquarium of the Pacific, so hopefully that’ll end up in a position there when I graduate.”
“I hope so too!”
“What about you, Mars?” Anne looked down to meet Marcy’s gaze. “How’s the webcomic going?”
“Pretty good!” Marcy smiled. “I’m about to round up the story and give it its climactic ending. I’m a little sad that it's ending, though. I’ve been working on it for so long that it's become a big part of my life.”
“I get that.” Anne sighed. “It’s hard to think about ending something so important to you.”
Marcy was quiet after that, turning her attention downwards to her fidgeting hands. Anne wondered if she’d said the wrong thing, and tried to think of something to say to try and lift Marcy back up. Before she could, Marcy spoke up again.
“How’s the old partner situation looking?” Marcy asked. Anne could feel her hand shaking slightly in her grasp. “Have you been…seeing anyone?”
“Ehh, not really.” Anne sighed. Her heart was beating a thousand times a second, and she wondered if Marcy could feel it. “I just…don’t think I’m ready to date anyone right now, y’know? I’ve been focusing on graduating so much I doubt I’d have time to date anyone.”
Anne heard Marcy try to let out a disappointed sigh, making her heart drop. Marcy sat back up from Anne’s shoulder and put her head in one hand, looking back off in a different direction.
“What about you, Marce?” Anne asked cautiously, her heart attempting to beat its way out of her chest. “Have you found anyone?”
“Nah.” Marcy said quietly after a beat. “I thought I did once, but that was…complicated.”
Anne wanted to let go of Marcy’s hand and stand up to get away from the uncomfortable situation and feelings, but found herself unable to. It was almost like she didn’t want to let go of Marcy, to stay attached to her as long as she could. That was what her heart wanted, almost more than anything else. She decided that it was time to finally tell Marcy how she felt, how she’s been feeling for the last few years. It was time to tell Marcy she -
“Anne, I’ve had feelings for you since we came back.” Marcy sniffed suddenly, wiping her eyes with her free arm. She turned back to Anne, bringing their interlocked hands up in between them. “I didn’t want to say anything because…because I was moving away and I didn’t want you to think you had to wait for me, or that you had to - to…look, it’s okay if you don’t feel the same way, Anne. I would be happy just to continue being your friend, a-and I hope this doesn’t change anything between us…but if it does, I’ll understand.”
Marcy turned her head, trying to sniffle away her tears. Anne put her other hand on top of both of theirs and pulled Marcy in close, letting a wide smile across her face as tears welled in her own eyes.
“I’ve had feelings for you too, Marcy.” Anne said quietly. “Ever since you moved back, I finally realized what it was that I had always felt about you. I felt that there was more to our friendship, but I didn’t want to risk ruining our friendship by telling you that I like you.”
“Really?!” Marcy bubbled, laughing through her tears. “Anne, that - I…I’m so happy!”
“Me too, Marcy!” Anne smiled as well, and the two pulled each other in for a close, tight hug. They separated and Anne held Marcy by her shoulders, preparing herself for the words she was about to say. “Marcy Wu, will you be my girlfriend?”
“Yes!” Marcy beamed.
Anne threw her arms around Marcy with a smile to match, hugging her tightly. Anne couldn’t describe the feelings and emotions that were rushing through her mind and heart, only that she felt a happiness that she hadn’t felt in a very long time. The two were together now, and it felt to Anne like it was always meant to be; like they were two pieces of a long lost whole, finally put back together.
“Ugh, god, it is raining sideways out there. C’mon you two, I got the van pulled around - “
Anne and Marcy split from their hug, turning their red faces towards Sasha. She was stood there with a surprised look on her face, but it swiftly melted into a sly smile as she folded her arms in front of her. “Oh, I know that look. Took you two long enough.”
Anne smiled embarrassedly while Marcy giggled at her expense.
“But hurry up. It’s raining and I’m not loading the van up myself.”
Anne and Marcy rose to their feet and ran off to help their friend load up their equipment, a buzz of happiness floating around them unlike anything they’ve ever felt before.