Let the Light in - T.C x FEM!R

Warning(s): Some angst, swearing, mentions of underage drinking, intoxication, dry heaving, gagging & throwing up

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For what felt like the millionth time, three out of four of the "core four" were over at your apartment to hangout with Anika. You, of course, like every time before, were hiding in your room—at least hiding is what Anika called it, but she couldn't outright prove that. It wasn't like you being in your room for hours at a time was out of the ordinary.

Each time they came over, Anika would try to convince you to hangout with them but your answer was always the same. They were just never your crowd, not now nor highschool, and you were fine with that. Anika, on the other hand, cared. She wanted you to get to know these people. They were her girlfriend's friends, and now they're her own—of course she wants you to find some common ground. She was fully aware of your rocky relationship with Tara, but that wasn't going to stop her from trying.

According to Mindy, your hatred for each other began out of the blue in high school. Her girlfriend still remembers when just hearing the faint sound of your voice was enough to put Tara on edge, and it seems it still does.

This was definitely going to take a lot more work than Anika initially thought...

"Chad, I swear, if you don't stop throwing that blue shell at me," Tara said in a threatening voice as she swerved along with her kart.

"It's not my fault your Mario Kart reflexes suck—" Tara threw a pillow at him, "—Hey! No pillow throwing!"

"And.... victory is mine!" Mindy cheered as she raised her arms victoriously. "Take that, losers!" She continued the cheer, bragging away, as the others continued to groan.

"Since we agreed the glorious winner gets to choose where to eat, I say that diner around the corner," she said, a satisfied expression still plastered on her face due to her win.

"Alright, I'm gonna take a leak before we go," Chad sighed, evident defeat in his voice.

A light bulb goes off above Anika's head, a slight smile crossing her face at her thought. It's practically full proof, she thinks to herself. "I'll just be a second," she tells Mindy and Tara before walking down the hall to your bedroom door and knocking.

"Yeah?" she hears you call out from the other side.

"We're going to that diner around the corner, wanna come?" she asked you.

Well, shit. She knew damn well it was your favorite place to eat, its only flaw being it doesn't deliver. Your groaning and shuffling could be heard by Anika, she knew she got you this time. You confirmed it when you swung your door open and said, "Sure, I'll go."

She looked at you—it almost looked like she was analyzing you or something. You weren't wearing anything terrible... right? You were wearing jeans and a Batman t-shirt, but you guess the t-shirt wasn't enough for the chill fall weather in your roommate's eyes.

"Aren't you going to be a bit cold?" she asked. At this, you rolled your eyes as you turned around and grabbed your older brother's letterman jacket that was draped over your chair.

"This should do the trick. Happy, Mom?"

She smiled, rolling her eyes, before saying, "Very. Now come on."

You trailed behind them the entire walk to the restaurant, since it was just around the corner the walk wasn't long. When you all arrived at the restaurant, Anika made sure you sat at the booth with them—but she couldn't stop you from hiding behind your menu, staring at its contents as if you weren't going to just order your usual.