Chapter Text
"Uhm, excuse me..."
Rachel paused, looking away from her phone and turning at the unfamiliar voice. People rarely stopped her in the street, after all.
in front of her stood a mousy haired girl, maybe her age. she had a nervous twitch that almost seemed fake with how apparent it was, and eyes that were... breathtaking. and not exactly in a good way.
it was only for the briefest of seconds, her eyes did not match her movements. for a second the stranger's eyes looked hard and icy, tired, like an old army vet, before they returned to their bright, nervous blue. Rachel figured it must have been a trick of the light, and pushed her unease away to give the girl a warm smile.
"Heya. You need something?"
the girl shifted again, glancing behind her. "Well, you see..." Rachel noticed her blush a little. it wasn't hot out.
Rachel's brow furrowed. Was she trying to hit on her? but no, she seemed... scared...
"So, there's kind of this weird guy that's been following me for a couple of hours...?" she whispered quietly, and Rachel's smile fell slightly, a dark understanding taking its place. before she could gather up words to respond with, the girl continued. "So I was just wondering if... I could maybe follow you for a little while? so I don't have to be alone and... but only if it's not a bother!"
the last part of the sentence was rushed and shaky, like she expected Rachel to yell at her or something. it broke her heart a little. she seemed like such a sweet little thing, despite the haunting flicker in her eyes before. poor thing.
she softened her smile, speaking gently as if the girl were a scared animal. hell, she may as well have been, "Of course you can sweetie. let's take a walk, hm?"
the relieved eyes the girl gave her were almost painful, and it made her want to draw the girl into a hug and not let go.
those eyes though, from before, they lingered in her mind.
still, she made a show of sidling over and wrapping an arm around the girl's thin frame as they started to walk, smirking when she yelped.
"If the creep thinks we're close," she explained, "then he'll probably lose interest faster."
The girl was flushing darkly, but nodded all the same. "r-right..."
so maaaybe Rachel wanted to wrap her arm around a cute girl, what of it? You would too if you had the courage.
and she smiled when the other relaxed into her side, a small smile twitching at her face. "You're... something else." she said quietly. she sounded... whimsical. like she'd expected different. like she knew her, or something. that eerie feeling was back, like with the eyes, but then the brunette was smiling at her again and she didn't have the heart to pry.
"I am indeed the queen of all things, it's law I be amazing." she decided to say instead. the brunette giggled, yes, giggled, and it was the cutest thing ever.
the girl shook her head, sighing. "I... have a lot to thank you for." she said, sounding careful. Rachel wasn't having that. "Absolutely not. it would take a true monster to not help you out! You don't have to thank me for that hun."
but the shorter was already shaking her head. "It... will make sense soon, okay? so I'm thanking you. don't forget that I thanked you, okay?"
Rachel blinked in confusion, a little amused, a little worried. the girl sounded a little desperate- like she knew something Rachel didn't. "Do I... know you or something? or uh..." she laughed nervously, "Was this a ruse to walk me into a trap? maybe some thugs are holding your mom captive, and you have to help them capture young girls off the street so you can see her again...?"
she was only half-joking, but the girl laughed, loud and bright. her eyes shined a little. "you... watch too much T.V." she chuckled, "It's almost shockingly the opposite. just, Uhm..." her eyes flickered back and forth, looking for the right words.
eventually, she sighed, apparently giving up. but Rachel wanted answers now, what this girl seemed to think she knew something that Rachel didn't. "We have met before, haven't we?" she asked suspiciously. a snort was her answer.
"You haven't met me before." again, that whimsical tone. it was starting to bug her a little.
"Odd way to say that, but okay..." she cleared her throat. maybe it was just the nerves getting to the girl, she shouldn't judge.
but come to think of it, she seemed way too relaxed right now, considering the fact a man was supposedly following her...
people deal with shock in different ways, she tried to remind herself, no judging.
she was considering doing a casual spin to see if she could see anyone following them when a black car turned the corner in front of them. it drove past them, kicking up enough wind to send Rachel's hair flying into her face. she huffed as she swept it back behind her ear, surprised to see the younger smiling at her brightly. "That was his car." she told her.
Rachel blinked. that... made no sense. the car had come from in front of them, not behind...
"Are you sure?" she asked. the shorter nodded. "Yep! I got his plate. so, uhm..." she shifted again, looking worried. "I guess that... this is where we part then? but if you don't mind..."
Rachel inclined her head. "Yes?" she asked, forgetting her suspicions in favor of her interest.
the blue-eyed cutie bit her lip. "Could I maybe get a picture with you? I wanna remember you. you helped me out a lot..."
Rachel grinned. "Oh, is that all? of course, you adorable little mess! It'd be my pleasure..." she tucked her hair behind her ear again. "This may come as a surprise, but I'm intending to be a model, so I'm not exactly against having my picture taken," she teased, and the other just smiled brightly at her, expressing no tells of this being new information.
"Really now? well, that isn't a surprise at all." she said, voice quiet but with an unusual amount of confidence. Rachel grinned, about to thank her before she continued.
"This may come as a surprise," she teased, "But I'm actually looking to be a photographer, so that's great news."
she blinked in surprise. "Oh really? that's fucking fate by definition!" she gushed, grinning. the shorter flushed. "Heh. maybe. but my style is often more... candid? I like to capture the moment as it happens... but I guess..." her lips twitched, "if I'm gonna be a great photographer, I should aspire to be good in all areas, capturing both natural moments and painted ones."
Rachel couldn't help the delighted laugh that trickled from her throat. "Couldn't have said it better myself! now, take my picture cutie~ and when we're both famous, we'll find each other again and recreate it, deal?"
the shorter flushed darkly, but she was smiling too. "d-deal!" she agreed, voice pleasant.
The brunette reached into her bag to grab what Rachel assumed to be a camera, and Rachel realized she'd never removed her arm from the other's waist. she didn't plan to, either, but it was noted.
it was a surprise, when the other pulled out an old-looking polaroid, but only for a second. it suited her, strangely, and Rachel could never shame that.
instead, she hugged the girl very close, very tightly, grinning as she lifted the camera. she did a peace sign with her free hand, making her new little friend giggle.
the blue-eyed girl smiled, happy and bright, before the flash of the camera blinded them both.
Rachel blinked, a little disoriented as she pulled back, watching the brunette flap the picture gently. "lemme see, lemme see!" she grinned, making grabbing motions towards the photo. the smaller of the two laughed. she had a weird expression on her face, like she was disoriented, but it only lasted a moment.
"okay, okay!" she laughed, holding it up so they could see. Rachel's heart warmed. they both looked happy, hair windswept, eyes bright, with Arcadia's late evening sky in the background. it was a good picture... she smiled. she ignored the wary part of her mind that scrutinized her new friend's face and saw something dark in her eyes, something like a wall. she ignored it, and smiled at the girl. "You're good at this!" she told her. a small smile.
"Thanks, but I'd have to be a really bad photographer to make a picture of you look bad," she admitted, Rachel blinking in surprise. a happy laugh bubbled from her throat. "well aren't you just full of surprises?" she asked, shaking her head. she wouldn't have expected this subtle confidence from the shaking girl she'd met only five, maybe ten minutes earlier.
when the girl stepped back, Rachel was disappointed, missing the subtle scent of vanilla coffee that had been drifting by her their whole walk. seeing a little sadly that this was the end of their meeting, Rachel made an impulsive decision
"Wait, uh..." she stopped, doubting herself suddenly. they were strangers after all, but... now the blue-eyed girl was gazing at her questioningly, curiously, and she couldn't back out now.
"would you like to exchange numbers or something?" seeing her eyes widen in shock, she hurried to continue, "just in case any more creeps try to tail your cute ass again. you'd have a hot as fuck body guard~"
deflect with flattery and humor. it was instinct at this point, and it always worked.
it didn't fail her now either, a surprised laugh catching in the girl's throat as she flushed red again.
she looked torn, but just for a second, and Rachel waited a little nervously for a reply.
the girl's face settled, finally, into a rueful smile. her eyes darkened, like before, just for a second. "We'll see each other again..." her eyes flickered. "sooner than you think."
Rachel's brow furrowed, a small shiver tracing her nerves at the ominous words. "Whaddya mean...?"
she smiled again then, happier now. "I believe in fate. don't you?"
Rachel's lips twitched. "I do." she agreed quietly. blue eyes shimmered oddly. "We'll see each other again. soon."
she sounded so sure, so firm on that fact. like she knew it to be a certainty. her confidence was infectious. Rachel nodded, very slowly. "yeah," she said, then with more confidence, "Yeah, okay."
she watched the girl take a look down at her photo and smile, but it was sad again. "Remember this, alright?" she asked quietly.
Rachel grinned. "Don't worry, I won't be forgetting you for a while."
sensing that she'd better get going soon, and worried she'd be incapable of the words she wanted to say if they stayed looking at each other, Rachel turned away.
"...thanks for making my day cutie. wouldn't mind doing this again, next time."
it was a risk, but what was gayer than talking about fated meetings after only minutes of knowing each other? blue-eyes gave off vibes.
she heard skidding on pavement, like the girl had stumbled, and then laughter. not mocking laughter though. sweet, happy laughter. "...I... might like that..." she sounded hesitant but genuine, and it made a big grin force its way onto Rachel's face.
"thank you too, Rachel. for everything."
her heart beat widely in her chest, elation tingling at the end of every nerve before her heart froze. her smile fell a little, confusion pushing down her happiness.
wait...
she turned, slowly. "hey... how do you know my-..."
but the street was empty. like she was never there. a ghost. now a little frightened as she glanced around hurriedly at the empty street, and wondered if she'd imagined it all.
but no, her side still tingled with warmth where the girl had been pressed against her, and the scent of vanilla coffee remained firmly on the edges of her senses.
despite her apprehension, a smile twitched at her lips. it was an odd thing, being both nervous and excited, and in the back of her mind, she figured that she maybe wouldn't mind feeling that again.
she continued home in silence, her thoughts remaining on the girl she'd just met.
so the girl she'd now affectionately named Blue-eyes in place of a name- she was some kind of magician? maybe she had supernatural powers. maybe that had been why her eyes were so dark some moments. hell, she had entertained with a giggle, maybe she hadn't been human. or perhaps she'd been a ghost!
either way...
Rachel amber smirked, eyes twinkling in the light of the setting sun.
"what a mystery you are, Bue-eyes..." she murmured into the April breeze. quiet and nervous, with sudden dashes of confidence. eyes that knew everything yet said nothing. a smile and a voice as sweet as vanilla coffee, but both held the weight of a secret no one knew...
something sweet, yet something dangerous.
but Rachel Amber had already made up her mind.
"I always have loved mysteries."