“I haven’t really gotten more than a few hours of sleep in months,” Darcy admitted, turning to look at her again. “When I go to sleep these days, I can’t shut my brain down. Everything in my life changed on a dime, and I’m – it’s exactly what I wanted. But it’s also… it’s a lot,” she finished, her voice shifting into something quieter, unexpectedly vulnerable.
It matched the look on her face. Almost like Darcy was silently asking her if she ever felt the same. Like Darcy was waiting for Juliet to open up and share her own anxieties or issues.
And that – that wasexactlythe thing she’d been stuck on this morning, as she’d watched Darcy sleep.
“Have you tried an Ambien?” She asked.
Darcy’s gaze shuttered slightly, before she rolled her eyes. “No. I don’t really like taking most medications unless Ireallyhave to.”
Juliet wrapped her other hand around her warm mug, sharing intently at Darcy. At that honest face and her easy confessions, and…
“Okay, I reallyhaveto ask. Are you – seriously – for real, Darcy?”
Darcy leaned back, frowning at her in obvious confusion. “… in what way?”
“In that you actually were surprised last night when I let you know that people engaged in fake relationships for the public eye. In that you believed we really were going to make peace that day for lunch, even though it was arranged by our management. In that you introduce yourself to new people as ifanyonedoesn’t know who you are. In that you… really do just tell me things.Like coming out to me, or talking about your sleep problems. You genuinelydocarry a book around with you because you love to read, and it’s not just a gimmick. Thisreallyisn’t some very well executed aw-shucks routine?”
At this point, Juliet didn’t even believe it was. She had during their contention several months ago, because…come on. But literally every interaction she had with Darcy begged to prove otherwise.
“I’m not going to hold it against you if it is. It’s not a bad angle,” she tacked on, in case Darcy took offense to what she was saying.
It was clear by the way tension slid through Darcy’s shoulders, making her sit up straight, that shedidtake some sort of offense. “It’s not an angle. The truth is that mostnormalpeople don’t think about their image all of the time.”
Juliet felt her own defensive agitation stir a little bit.
“I’m not insulting you, either,” Darcy stated, holding her hand up. “But, let’s be honest, you haven’t lived a very normal life, Juliet. You have no idea what it’s like trying to work so damn hard to just try to get by. Most normal people don’t have any time or energy to craft some sort of image to live by day by day. Maybe I’m living in a different kind of world now, but I’ve spent most of my life doing exactly what everyone else does. Showing up to work. Doing my best to stick to my word.”
It seemed Darcy was on a roll, now, as she shifted to turn her whole body to completely face Juliet. The passion was etched into her face, as she dropped her hands to her blanket-covered lap with an exasperated exhale.
“I’d obviously heard of fake relationships, but frankly, I thought they were internet conspiracy theories.Who has the time?” She pressed, breathing out a humorless snort. “I thought we were both making a good faith effort at that lunch to make peace because… why wouldn’t we? And yes, I introduce myselfto people even though I guess I don’t always have to. But I don’t ever want to be someone who walks into a room and just expects everyone to know who I am. I’m not that person.”
Those bottle green eyes glinted at her as Darcy set her jaw. But when she spoke again, her voice dropped a little quieter. “I realize that’s something that’s bothered you about me, because you think I’m naïve. But I’mnot,” she insisted, pointedly, as her hand curled into a fist in Juliet’s comforter. “I’m just a person who’s had a very different life than you have.”
Juliet hadn’t expected to feel so… taken in by Darcy’s comments. So rocked by them.
It was that heated emotion, though, that did her in. She could, at least, admit it to herself.
“It did bother me,” she agreed. “And in some respects, I think you are naïve when it comes to yournewplace in the world.” She dropped her head back against the headboard, blinking up at the ceiling. Debating if she would say this part aloud.
But it seemed that being around Darcy rubbed off on her the slightest bit. It was jarring to be around someone who was just sohonest.
“However, I’m finding myself coming around to that part of you,” she admitted, quietly. Thoughtfully. “I find it… appealing that you are who you appear to be.”
Because Darcy hadn’t been wrong last night when she’d called out how fake much of their world was. But it was an industry built on appearance and image and reputation. Talent, skill, and dependability played a big role, but it was all hand-in-hand.
It was now second-nature for Juliet to assume people had their own angle. Because, she’d found, they so often did.
Darcy was quiet long enough that Juliet lifted her head back up to check in on her.
And what she saw was an undeniably pleased smile on Darcy’s lips. “You finding my so-called flaws appealing is a huge improvement for us.”
Juliet shook her head, trying to ward off her own smile. “It’s whatever.”
“You think I’mappealing.”
“I think your honesty is appealing,” she corrected.
“And my body. And face,” Darcy immediately added.
