"and if you're ever tired of being known for who you know you know, you'll always know me"

tara's POV

the drive home was a silent symphony of passing cars and the steady hum of the engine, taylor swift playing. ariana drove with a quiet focus, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. I stared out the window, watching the familiar scenery of campus gradually give way to the suburban streets of my neighborhood. the unease from the game, from aubrey's injury, still hung heavy in the air between us.

as we turned onto my street, the knot in my stomach tightened. my parents' fighting had become a constant backdrop in my life, a relentless drumbeat that drowned out everything else. I glanced at ariana, her calm presence a stark contrast to the turmoil I felt inside.

"we're here," she said softly, pulling up in front of my house. she turned to me, her eyes filled with concern. "are you sure you're okay?"

I nodded, forcing a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "yeah, thanks for the ride. I'll see you later?"

"of course," she replied, squeezing my hand reassuringly. "text me if you need anything, okay?"

I nodded again and got out of the car, waving as she drove away. as I approached the front door, the familiar sounds of yelling and screaming reached my ears. my heart sank. I took a deep breath and stepped inside, bracing myself for the inevitable confrontation.

the living room was a battlefield. my parents stood on opposite sides, their faces red with anger, their voices raised in accusation. the air was thick with tension, and I felt like I was suffocating.

"oh you're back. this is all your fault, tara!" my mother screamed, her eyes blazing with fury. "If you hadn't insisted on going to that stupid college, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess!"

my father joined in, his voice just as loud and harsh. "she's right, for once in a life time, tara. you never think about anyone but yourself. we're at our wits' end because of you!"

the words hit me like a physical blow. I felt a surge of anger and hurt. It wasn't fair. I had done nothing but try to stay out of their way, to avoid adding to their problems. but no matter what I did, it was never enough. tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly, my voice trembling. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble." my mother scoffed, throwing her hands up in frustration. "of course you didn't. you never do."

I couldn't take it anymore. the weight of their accusations, their constant fighting—it was too much. I needed to get out, to escape the toxicity that had taken over our home. "I'm going to spend the holidays with ariana," I said suddenly, surprising even myself. "I'll be out of your way."

my parents stared at me in stunned silence for a moment before my father finally spoke. "fine. do whatever you want. just leave us alone." I didn't wait for any further response. I turned on my heel and headed to my room, grabbing a bag and hastily packing my things. I needed to get out before they could change their minds. I texted Ariana, letting her know I was coming over, and within minutes, she replied with a reassuring message.

my dorothea🤞🏻: of course, come on over. my parents will be happy to have you.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I would spend the holidays with Ariana and her family. I didn't know what awaited me there, but it had to be better than this.

ariana's POV

the doorbell rang just as my mom was setting the table for dinner. I rushed to open it, knowing it was tara. she stood on the doorstep, looking weary and worn. I pulled her into a tight hug, feeling her tension melt away slightly as she leaned into me.

"come on in," I said, stepping back to let her enter. "everyone's excited to see you."

we walked into the living room, where my parents were waiting. my parents always loved tara knowing she was my first ever best friend. my mom, a warm and welcoming woman with a perpetual smile, immediately enveloped tara in a hug.

"tara, sweetie, it's so good to see you," she said, her voice full of genuine affection. "you're always welcome here." my dad, a tall man with a kind face and even kinder personality, gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder. "make yourself at home, tara. we're glad to have you."

"hi, tara!" my younger sister said brightly, giving her a quick hug. "It's so cool you're spending the holidays with us!"

"thanks, lily," tara replied, smiling for the first time since she'd arrived. "It's nice to be here."

as we sat down to dinner, the atmosphere was a stark contrast to what tara had just left. My family was lively and engaging, the conversation flowing easily. my mom asked tara about school, and basically everything, interested in her answers.

"so, tara," my mom began, passing her a bowl of mashed potatoes. "how are things at home? I know it can be tough sometimes." tara hesitated, glancing at me for support. I gave her an encouraging nod, and she took a deep breath. "It's been really hard lately. my parents are fighting a lot, and it's... it's just really stressful."

my mom reached across the table, taking tara's hand in hers. "I'm so sorry to hear that, sweetie. just know that you're always welcome here. our home is your home." tara's eyes filled with tears, and she nodded gratefully. "thank you so much. I really appreciate it."

the rest of the meal passed in a blur of laughter and warmth. tara began to relax, her shoulders losing some of their tension. by the time we finished dessert, she was smiling and even laughing at lily's jokes.

after dinner, we all gathered in the living room to watch a movie. tara and I sat on the couch, a cozy blanket draped over us. my parents and lily settled into their usual spots, the familiar routine bringing a sense of comfort.

the movie was a holiday classic, one we watched every year. as the familiar scenes played out on the screen, I glanced at tara. she seemed more at ease, her earlier stress replaced by a tentative happiness. I reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as i laid my head on her shoulder.

"you okay?" I whispered. she nodded, her eyes shining with gratitude. "yeah, I think I am. thank you, ariana. for everything."

I smiled, leaning my head against her shoulder. "always, tara."

as the movie continued, my mom brought out a tray of hot cocoa, the rich aroma filling the room. "who wants marshmallows?" she asked, her voice cheerful.

"me!" Lily and I chorused, raising our hands.

tara laughed, accepting a mug from my mom. "thank your mrs. jennings."

"call me susannah, sweetie," my mom replied, smiling warmly.

we sipped our hot cocoa, the warmth spreading through us. the movie played on, the story a comforting backdrop to the sense of belonging that filled the room. tara leaned into me, her head resting on my shoulder, and I could feel the last of her tension melt away.

the night lights shined through the curtains, casting a gentle light across my room. tara was curled up on the floor beside me, and lily was lounging on my bed with her favorite magazine. I glanced over at tara, who was flipping through a photo album we had pulled out from the closet. It was filled with old snapshots from our childhood, memories of birthday parties, school events, and lazy summer afternoons. tara's eyes softened as she looked at the pictures, a nostalgic smile playing on her lips.

"look at us," tara said, holding up a picture of us dressed up in our halloween costumes from years ago. "I can't believe how much we've changed." I peered at the photo, chuckling. "we were so proud of those costumes. I remember we thought we'd win the neighborhood costume contest."

"yeah, but I think we scared more people than we impressed," tara said with a laugh. "I'm pretty sure I saw one of the neighbors running away from us."

lily, flipping through a magazine, looked up with a curious expression. "so, what was it like growing up with ari? is she just as annoying with you like with me?"

"hey!" i said as i threw a pillow at her. "sometimes" tara admitted as she pulled the other pillow away from me so i can't hit her. me and tara spent the night talking about stories we did as kids and as teenagers now it all felt so distant. lily was listening to us carefully and then sighed.

"i wish i had friends like that. my "friends" are more problematic than james charles. all they do is talk about boys, and gossip, and be rude to people. they usually don't hang out with me so they aren't even my friends." she admitted sadly. my heart aches for her she is such a sweet girl with a kind heart people just don't see it. "i'm really sorry, lils." i was genuinely sorry for her.

the night wore on and lily staretd to get sleepy she looked like she immediately feel asleep.  "tara," I began hesitantly, "can I talk to you about something?" tara looked up from the photo album, her expression immediately attentive. "of course, ari. what's on your mind?" she whispered

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. "It's about aubrey you guys probably have enough of me. I just don't understand why she's been ignoring me. It's like she's avoiding me, and I can't figure out why." tara's expression softened with concern. "have you tried talking to her about it?"

I shook my head no, feeling a lump form in my throat. "I haven't because all she will do is probably ignore me, and when i'm together with the girls she doesn't even talk.It's frustrating because I thought we were becoming good friends."

lily, who now stirred awake, chimed in. "maybe she likes you, ari. like, really likes you." I blinked, taken aback by lily's suggestion. "you think so? but then why would she be avoiding me?" lily shrugged, her youthful wisdom shining through. "maybe she's scared or unsure of how you feel. people do weird things when they have feelings for someone."

tara nodded thoughtfully. "lily might be onto something, ari. sometimes, when we care about someone deeply, we act in ways that don't make sense because we're afraid of getting hurt or rejected." I sighed, feeling the weight of my confusion and frustration. "I just don't know how I feel about her. I mean, I care about her a lot, but I'm not sure if it's more than friendship." 

tara reached out and squeezed my hand. "take your time, ari. you don't have to have all the answers right now. just be honest with yourself and with aubrey when the time feels right." I nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. "thanks, tara. and you too, lily. It helps to talk about this." lily grinned. "anytime, sis. we're here for you."

the conversation shifted again, this time to lighter topics. we spent the rest of the nigh sharing stories, laughing, and enjoying each other's company. when we finally glanced at the clock, it was already 3 a.m. even though it's the holidays, we should still get some sleep. lily went back to her room, and me and tara got comfortable in my bed. tara immdeiately fell asleep. I felt a sense of relief. ppening up to tara and lily had lifted a weight off my shoulders, and I was grateful for their support and understanding.

༊*·˚ jules!: i don'r really like this chapter to be honest but it's good as a filler chapter ig.

i don't know if i should skip to when they are back in college or should i write more chapters when they are still on holiday i really don't know because i don't really have any exiting chapters for these ones unless you guys have some ideas.

when i first started writing this i had an idea where aubrey won't tore her acl but.. i changed my mind halfway through 💀 and i wanted a new year's day confession but maybe it will be a fourth of july because that's also lowkey good. AFTER THE STORM SOMETHING WAS BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY. wait i'll include this song in their playlist.

okay anyways that's it here is some pic of aubrey because i'm insane about her

oh please 😖😖😖😖😖😖😖😖

let me feel them biceps