Gabbie Carter, Lena Paul - |best|

Gabbie laughed, a short, dry sound. "Me? I don't know anything but this. The lights, the music, the way men look at you like you're a dream they can buy." She finally lifted her gaze. "Lena, you never looked at me like that."

Here’s a short story featuring Gabbie Carter and Lena Paul. The Last Night at The Aster

Gabbie’s breath hitched. "Like what?"

The Aster was a dying thing. Its marquee, once a blazing jewel of neon pink, now flickered like a weak heart. For ten years, Gabbie Carter had danced on its sticky stage, her platinum ponytail a comet trail under the dim lights. And for ten years, Lena Paul had counted the money in the back office, her sharp green eyes missing nothing.

It wasn't a stage kiss, flashy and performative. It was soft, unsure, and tasted faintly of salt from tears neither of them had shed yet. Gabbie melted into it, her hand finding the lapel of Lena’s blazer, holding on like the floor was giving way. gabbie carter, lena paul

And for the first time in ten years, Gabbie Carter wasn't afraid of the dark. She had Lena Paul's hand in hers.

"Me neither," Lena agreed. She stood up and offered her hand. "Come on. Let's lock up and never look back." Gabbie laughed, a short, dry sound

"Like a beginning," Lena whispered. And then she kissed her.