Chapter Text
“Caitlyn! Come to the dining room this instant!”
Cassandra Kiramman was known for her ability to keep a strong front no matter what situation she was in. So, if she was yelling, she must be fuming. And that meant one thing and one thing only, Cait was absolutely fucked. “Coming mother!” Caitlyn stammered around her words as she slipped on her house shoes and rushed downstairs. Approaching the dining room, she took a breath, calming herself before she felt her mother’s wrath. She continued to walk in as if she weren’t shitting bricks and let out a quiet, “You called?”
Her mom slammed her hand down on the table, next to it an envelope colored a stark baby blue and gray. The colors of the fashion school she had secretly applied to months ago.
“Care to explain this?” She picked up the unopened envelope and squinted at the bold writing on the front. “Because last I checked, there’s no medical school named ‘Arcane: School of Fashion and Design’ in all of London.” Her mother raised and eyebrow, standing up straight next to her father, who looked at Caitlyn apologetically.
But what was she supposed to say? That the three months they stayed in the states changed her life forever? That there’s a hot, incredibly kind girl with pink hair and a cute laugh waiting for her to come back to her home so they could be happy and gay together? Absolutely not. Caitlyn thinks she would drop dead before she even spoke of her personal affairs in front of her parents like that. Embarrassing.
Cassandra sighed at Caitlyn’s silence. “Caitlyn, dear. We’ve been over this. I thought you let the whole fashion school nonsense go when you were still a sophomore. We’re giving you a clear path to a comfortable life and you still choose to stray?”
“I uh… I did it on a whim mother.” Caitlyn stuttered, not knowing how to explain herself. She could tell the truth and possibly get disowned, or she could be untruthful to her parents knowing it would haunt her until the truth accidentally came out eventually. She knows she’s just being dramatic and the worse her parents can do is say no, but can she really help herself? She didn’t feel this nervous since her father had caught kissing her classmate in her room that one time. A story for another day. “I really enjoyed the time we spent in Georgia last summer. We don’t even know if I got accepted! Not that I thought I would or anything! But a friend told me I should do it for fun and I did. Please don’t be mad.”
Cassandra’s brow stayed raised at that. “Is this friend the same one you stay up chatting with on that godforsaken computer?” A silence lingered after her sudden question, so she continued. “Ah. I did not know you managed to find you a… plaything in the 3 months we stayed in Georgia. I’m surprised you’re still talking to him to this day. But you do understand you’re going to medical school, right? And not in the states.”
Caitlyn’s face was as red as a strawberry at this point, but the embarrassment easily subsided at her mother’s words. “Mother, I told you and father multiple times that I’m interested in fashion school.” She frowned as her mom waved a dismissive hand at her.
“To do what? A fashion design degree won’t get you far in life. It’s ridiculous that you still think this way after so many years. Again, we are trying to help you make a living by doing something prestigious, Caitlyn. I’m starting to get tired of all this fashion foolishness. And-”
“Dear,” Cassandra’s head snapped to her husband at his interruption. “I think we should hear Caitlyn out on this one. We always want the best for her, no?” Tobias gave a small smile to Caitlyn who was looking at him gratefully.
“I…” Caitlyn folded her hands together, its like she didn’t even know where to start. “I do appreciate you guys for everything you do for me, and yes I do agree that you just want whats best for me but…” She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. Time to bite the bullet. “For most of my life it felt as if I wasn’t in control, like I was just made to follow whatever you guys wanted for me. I admit that my dream to go to fashion school can seem childish but its just something I’ve always wanted to do. So please just let me have this one thing. If it doesn’t work out I’ll come back home and go into medical school.” She looked at her parents with a hopeful look in her eyes as they looked at each other, then back at her.
With a deep sigh, Cassandra slid the envelope over to her daughter with her lips pursed. “Open it.”
“What?” Caitlyn’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. She’d completely been expecting an ‘absolutely not!’ from her mother just now.
“Open it, dear.” Her father smiled softly at her as she gently picked up the envelope. With a deep breath she ripped it open. Glancing at her parents to make sure they don’t suddenly change their minds. When her father gave her a small encouraging nod, she opened the paper and read.
“Oh my god.”
CupCait<3: I have news.
ViforViolence is typing…
Caitlyn sighed, waiting for a response. She sat cross-legged on her bed and leaned into her pillows.
ViforViolence: ya?
CupCait<3: Can you call?
Incoming call from ViforViolence…
“Hey cupcake.” Vi’s gruff voice echos around Caitlyn’s room as she settled on her bed. She squinted at the camera waiting for a response for Caitlyn. “Oh you’re smiling. I’m guessing this is good news?”
Caitlyn grinned even harder and rolled her eyes. She fumbled around for a second before holding up her letter from ASF up to the webcam. “Read it.”
“Uh.. ok? Hold it closer I don’t have my glasses- Dear Caitlyn, We’re excited to tell you that you have been accepted for the next fall semester at Arcane: School of Fashion and Design… Holy shit, cupcake you’re not shitting me right now right?” Vi’s voice booms out of her laptop speakers, making Caitlyn chuckle.
“God why do you speak like that. No I’m not ‘shitting’ you. It took some convincing but my mother is allowing me to go to Georgia for college.” She laughed and propped her laptop up on her lap. “I was so scared because she found the letter before I did, I thought I was dead for sure.”
Vi chuckled fondly. “Maybe Mrs. Kiramman isn’t so insane after all.”
“Oh no, she definitely is.” They laughed together before settling into a comfortable silence. “Did I.. wake you?” Caitlyn asked as she watched Vi stretched with a loud yawn.
“What was that cupcake?”
“What time is it over there?” Caitlyn looked at her clock and did the math. “Jesus Vi 2 o’clock in the morning? Why didn’t you say anything?” She whisper shouted at her screen.
“Mm, here you go.” Vi fondly rolled her eyes. “So what if I value my girl over a little sleep?”
“Violet!” Caitlyn hissed, bringing her hands up to her cheeks to stop the burning. It didn’t help.
“Oh full name, I’m in trouble huh?” Vi laughed and sat up on her bed. “I’m just kidding cupcake, I was already up. You have nothing to worry about.” She ran a hand through her short hair and looked into the distance.
Caitlyn stared at her, waiting for her to say something. “You look like there’s something on your mind.”
Vi hummed in acknowledgment. “Yea, I also have news. I didn’t wanna steal your moment, though.”
Caitlyn raised a brow at that. “Spit it out, Vi.”
Vi smiled and shook her head fondly. “I got my ASE license last week. Vander’s gonna do my apprenticeship so he can show me the ropes around the garage.”
Caitlyn gasped dramatically. “Violet Lane! How could you hold this information from me like this?” She placed a head on her heart and feigned hurt with a pout. “You don’t care about me obviously. Who’s the other woman?”
“Cait, please.” Rolling her eyes again, Vi sat up and adjusted her camera. “You just came up with that in your head. Anybody ever tell you that you can be a little crazy sometimes?” She grinned at Caitlyn’s pout deepening. “Seriously though, was gonna tell you but didn’t know when. I still can’t believe this is happening, Vander told me it wasn’t a hard license to get but I still thought I was gonna fail horribly.”
The frown on Caitlyn’s face quickly turned genuine. “Vi, darling, you need to stop thinking so negatively. I don’t think you realize how incredible you are.”
“Cait,” Vi scratched the back of her head awkwardly. “Stop being such a sap, you know I don’t like that.” With a deep sigh, Vi stretched and continued quietly. “And to be honest with you, I‘m just happy I’m a step closer to giving you the whole world.” She smiled fondly at the thought.
“Look who’s being sappy now,” Caitlyn giggled softly. “Just wait a few more months, then I’m all yours.”
“All mine.” Vi repeated with a soft yawn.
“You should really go to sleep. I can’t believe I just let myself keep you up like this.” Caitlyn said softly.
Vi shook her head and rubbed a hand over her eye. “I’m going, eventually.”
A comfortable silence followed her as they stared into each other’s eyes through the laptop screens. Long distance was tough, but every time Caitlyn looked at Vi like this, it felt like those late summer nights all over again. She shook her head as she watched Vi’s eyes slowly close.
“I’m gonna let you sleep now, Vi. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Vi grunted in acknowledgment, already half asleep after a few minutes of silence.
“…I love you.”. Caitlyn quickly hung up and flopped back onto her bed. God these three months were going to be the longest three months ever. She turned over and hugged her pillow, allowing herself to be transported back to last summer. It was honestly the most fun she’d had in her 19 years of living, all because of an accidental meeting—honestly it felt so unimportant in the moment—that changed her life forever. Loud laughter, the feeling of sand in between her toes, the warmth of the sea and salty kisses filled Caitlyn’s mind, as she drifted into a peaceful sleep.
These three long months were going to be so worth it