Chapter Text
“Noelle” Kris started, but was ultimately left speechless.
Noelle’s arms snaked themselves around Kris’ neck, pulling them into a tight hug.
“Kris, you’re such a sweetheart. I can always count on you for these sorts of things.”
Kris fidgeted in place, unsure of how to respond.
—
Noelle had a terrible habit of expecting people to do things for her. She would set these expectations without offering much in return.
It had been this way since the two were young.
Noelle was always the princess. Kris was always her pet dog.
“Dogs aren’t supposed to talk back!” Noelle would say. “Just bark. Dogs can only bark.”
And, similarly to a dog, Kris did as she had asked.
It was the same way now.
Noelle asks,
Kris does.
This task, however, was a bit more than Kris could handle.
It wouldn’t have been as much of an issue, but the years between them aged their friendship like milk. Ever since what happened to Dess… their relationship grew sour and curdled away into nothing.
And sure, Kris never bothered to reach out after December left.
But it takes two, right?
Noelle hadn’t reached out when Kris’ parents divorced.
The phone rings both ways, after all.
So then…
Why now?
Why now is she asking something like that?
“Kris, can you find a way to bring Susie by my place later today? I want to hang out with her some more… you know… alone?”
Before Kris could get a word in edgewise.
“Thanks, Kris. I knew you’d understand.”
But they didn’t.
Why now?
Susie was the first genuine friend they had made in a long time. They felt at ease around her, like nothing else in the world mattered.
And none of it did.
There were no expectations, no commands.
Susie didn’t view Kris as lesser.
If they were dogs, they’d be dogs together.
They were in this together
Whatever this was.
So why.
Why. Now.
Kris shook their head, pulling away from Noelle’s grasp.
“no… m… ‘m can’t…” they mumbled.
“What? Why not? Is something wrong?”
“n…. just…… project.”
“What? Fahaha! C’mon, Kris. That’s not like you at all!” Noelle laughed, shoving Kris playfully.
They looked up at Noelle, clearly stung by this.
“‘m serious….”
“Oh… is something the matter, Kris? Did I do something wrong?” Noelle asked.
“mmno… s’just… i….-”
“You what , Kris. Gosh- I can’t hear you whenever you’re mumbling!!”
“c’mon, Noelle…. m… jus give me amin…-“
“What is it? Just spit it out, Kris.”
“…we hafta start our project….”
“You expect me to believe that you want to do the project? You don’t even stay awake enough to know what the project is about!!”
“i know, ‘s just that-”
“And now all of a sudden you want to do the project. I want to spend time with Susie and you want to do the project. You don’t need Susie to do that, yanno!”
“but-”
“But what, Kris?”
“She’s my partner.” Kris said with conviction.
“Look, Kris. You can’t gatekeep Susie from me. You realize that, right? She can hang out with whoever she wants to.”
It was that tone. The cadence that signaled to Kris that it was time to shut up.
Do as you’re told.
“Just bark. Dogs can only bark.”
“‘M not a dog, Noelle!!” Kris shouted.
Noelle was taken aback, her hands covering her mouth in shock.
“Kris, I-”
“‘m not a dog…”
“I never said that you were?”
“…you didnt have to-”
“When have I ever said that you were a dog, Kris.”
“you didnt h-”
“Exactly. So for you to say something like that when I’ve done absolutely nothing to you is… really upsetting!!” Noelle’s eyes began to water.
It was something that Kris had gotten accustomed to.
“i’m sorry.” Kris relented. “…shouldn’tve said that…. ‘m sorry.”
“Whatever, Kris.”
“Noelle, I-“
“Just drop it.”
Noelle walked back into her house, leaving Kris on her doorstep with nothing but their thoughts.
It was raining. Pouring.
Maybe Noelle was right.
Susie is her own person, after all.
She can do whatever she wants to.