#also if anyone wants more ficlets in this universe lmk

[bestillmyslashyheart]

in this universe. the Nace stuff will make more sense if you read that first

Bess willed her hands to still. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d been so nervous. Possibly when meeting Aunt Diana for the first time but that was a different kind of nerves. 

As intimidating as that meeting, as Aunt Diana herself, had been, Bess had known she belonged, that she was a Marvin. She’d had the DNA test to prove it and Owen’s support to bolster her. 

Now. Now she had none of that. Around her, people roamed the hallways, loud chatter filling the air as they hurried to their destination before the next bell could chime. 

“Okay,” Nick sighed. “We only have…” he trailed off as his eyes scanned the itinerary printout in his hand.

“Twenty minutes,” Addy filled in patiently. “The principal is giving us half an hour, just before the lunch shifts begin.”

Bess nodded alongside Nick, as if she understood perfectly. In truth, Bess hadn’t stepped foot inside of a school in…she wasn’t actually sure. It had been a long time. Almost certainly since she dropped out. She wondered if the students could sense that about her. If they looked at her and saw ‘dropout’ written across her face.

Her hand started to shake so she grabbed at her wrist to hide it. Her fingers found the charms dangling free and fidgeted with them.

“Hey!” The tension in her shoulders eased at Ace’s cheerful voice. They drooped further when he laid a warm hand on them and squeezed gently. To date, Ace was the only one who knew she’d never finished school. Bess suspected Nancy, at least, had figured it out but Bess had never told her or anyone else.

She heard Nick and Addy exchange pleasantries with Ace around her but Bess tuned them out in favor of meeting Ace’s eyes. Her spine straightened at the look in them. She could do this. Not that she was here to do much, just provide support to Nick and Addy as they pitched the youth center to the students. Nick had worried that it would look bad if they appeared to only have two employees; he didn’t want to give the impression that they couldn’t help any and every kid who needed them and the center. So Bess, Ace, and Nancy had been drafted to come help with the presentation at the schools. 

Bess had managed the elementary and middle school presentations yesterday just fine. There was something about the high school, though, something about the students who weren’t much younger than her and yet had managed to get further than she had. 

She didn’t realize she was pulling at the charms until Ace’s hand settled on top of hers. Her hand stilled. “Hey,” he said quietly. “You got this.”

Bess took a deep breath and slowly pulled her hand away. “I’ve got this,” she repeated.

Ace smiled. “It’s just a bunch of kids. Nothing to worry about.” His eyes darted down to the bracelet she’d been fidgeting with and flicked back up to her only to dart back down immediately. Bess noticed it only absently. “Yeah. Just a bunch of kids. We deal with them all of the time at the center.”

“Exactly,” Ace murmured, his eyes still locked on her wrist, a strange look in his eyes. Bess followed his eyes, “Ace? Is something wrong?”

“Hey,” Nancy rushed in the doors slightly out of breath. She looked a little frazzled. “Am I late?”

“No,” Nick assured her. “We still have a few minutes.”

“Good. Good.” Nancy swallowed as she looked around the building. “Wow. It’s weird being here.”

“Right?” Ace asked. Bess watched them exchange tight smiles.

“You both went here?” Addy asked.

“It’s the only high school for the town,” Nancy told her. “Everyone in Horseshoe Bay went here. Well, for the last fifteen years or so since the other school was closed down for low capacity.” Addy nodded. 

For some reason, that set Bess’ nerves alight again. Most days, she gave her lack of education no thought at all but knowing that everyone she passed on the street once strolled through these hallways…

“Is that my bracelet?” Nancy asked sharply, her eyes trained on where Bess was fidgeting again. Nick and Ace’s quiet chatter ceased at the tone in her voice, everyone’s focus now on Nancy and Bess.

Bess looked down at her wrist, at where her fingers were fiddling with the little graduation cap charm. “Uh, yeah. I found it in your room.” She hadn’t stolen anything in months but she’d wanted something to make herself fit in today. “I’ve never seen you wear it so I didn’t think you’d mind. I’m sorry, I should have asked.” Nancy hadn’t looked away from it, a look in her eyes that Bess didn’t recognize at all. Bess felt her stomach sink. “Is…is it okay if I wear it?” She hadn’t considered it before but what if it had been a gift from Kate?

“Uh,” Nancy stuttered. Her hand reached out in an aborted movement as if she was going to take it right off Bess’ wrist before she made a fist and forcibly put her hand back at her side. “It’s- it’s fine.” She swallowed. “It’s fine,” she said again.

Bess exchanged a look with Addy, neither needing to say a word to know that it wasn’t fine. Behind Addy, Nick looked confused at the whole exchange and next to her Ace’s eyes kept flitting between Bess’s wrist and Nancy. No one said a word. After only a moment’s hesitation, Bess shook the bracelet off of her wrist and handed it to Nancy. Nancy snatched it from her hand but didn’t put it on. “I shouldn’t have taken it. I’m sorry.” 

“It’s fine,” Nancy said again. She was cradling the bracelet in both of her hands, one finger rubbing gently at the little milkshake charm. 

“Mr. Nickerson?” A new voice asked and all of them jumped. Nick whirled around to face the now startled principal. 

“Yes! Hi!” He shook the man’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”

The principal shook his hand before turning and gesturing behind him. “We’re ready for you all.”

“Thank you,” Addy told him as they turned to follow him into the auditorium. Bess reached out and gave her hand a quick squeeze. At the doors, she turned to find Nancy and Ace hadn’t moved, both of them looking at the bracelet still in Nancy’s hands. “Guys?” Nancy hurriedly tucked the bracelet in her pocket and the two turned to follow her without a word. 

Bess wanted to press, wanted to know what was so special about that bracelet but she turned around and came face to face with a room full of hundreds of students and she forgot everything else.