i've gotta gay... go. { laina & stella } blitz

Laina Keyford is a strange, thorned flower.

Stella holds the girl gently between her fingertips, even knowing that being so close to her might urge Cleo to come in for the attack. She chuckles to herself. Maybe it's cruel of her to toy with both of them, but she has always been a lover of jealousy and distractions.

She thinks of how envious she was of Scarlet.

She thinks about the horrible things she did to distract herself.

That makes her falter, but she always catches herself. It's the grace of a dancer — turning on her heels as the aforementioned actress rushes forward. Stella grins graciously at the warmth, offering a sickly sweet, "And hello to you, too."

Laina's admiration of Stella lights a fire in her chest, igniting every vein until she's practically glowing. She hides her cheek behind a smooth palm, but she's not blushing. None of this is news to her. "You're just precious. Thank you."

Then she giggles, laughing off the request with a wave of her hand. "I didn't take those pictures, don't be silly. I hired a photographer." Not that Parker approved of the professional's work, but still. Stella tilts her head to the side.

"Then again, it's not like you have any shame acting like a fool." Her smirk takes on that trademark sharp edge, remembering how disappointed she had been earlier in the cafeteria. Chaos is one thing, but that food fight had been something else entirely.

And it still displeases her.

"Tell me, what were you going to do if that little game of yours ended up with my clothes getting ruined? Didn't you see Cleo's poor shirt?" She sucks in a breath, looking away dramatically. She doesn't think to ask Laina about how her head is feeling.

"Be more careful. Every choice you make brings you a new enemy."

Her face shifts again, so cheery and bright and sincere.

"And I don't want to be against you. I want to be friends."