holidays

Part 2

"So... I didn't wanna be pushy and put you on the spot before but I know you're upset. So what's going on?" Danielle asked carefully.
"Yeah..." Stefania sighed. "I just miss my family a lot. Especially this time of year.... I usually fly over there and spend Christmas and new year's with my family. And that's something that I'll usually look forward to all year. I don't see them much you know and it just sucks.... This year sucks. All of it" she kept on rambling.
"Yeah, I get that." Danielle sighed and held open her arms which Stefania immediately crawled into. A few seconds later though no matter how much Danielle hated it Stefania pulled back.
"Well and not everything this year sucked. Marina started..." Danielle grinned at her best friend.
"True", Stefania stated "and I met you"
They sat there in silence for a while until Danielle decided they should watch as TV.
"Stefania, baby, you want some tea?" She smiled. Stefania just nodded and reciprocated the blonde's smile.
She felt like Danielle had something she'd wanna talk about as well. But she also knew that she'd do in when she's comfortable and putting pressure on her like that never worked.
Danielle came walking back to the couch with 2 mugs in her hands, carefully putting them down on the table and sitting down next to Stefania. "What do you wanna watch?"
"I have no idea" Stefania said in her gorgeous Italian accent.
"There's this new movie that's been all over my Instagram lately.... What's it called again" Danielle took out her phone. She scrolled through Instagram for quite a while without any success so then she just decided to tweet asking the fans on movie suggestions. She was sure a few people would bring it up and she wasn't wrong.
"Oh that's the one" she immediately lit up once she saw it. "It's called the Prom and a lot of the Marina fandom seems to really love it. I feel like we should watch it for educational purposes alone... You know so we know what they're even talking about" Danielle rambled.
"Yes, totally" Stefania agreed.
They sat on the couch drinking their tea and watching the movie totally captured by it. They both loved it immediately. And it only took 30 minutes for Danielle to start crying. It started out soft but as the film went on her emotions were out of control. She could relate to the character far too well.
Stefania just pulled the blonde beauty into her side and comforted her as much as she could. She knew there was something more to it. As hard as Danielle was sobbing at this point... That wasn't for the characters anymore. They triggered some pain in Danielle that was so so much deeper. And they both knew that at this point they had to talk about it.

They cuddled for a while after the movie finished, neither of them saying anything.
"Danielle?" Stefania asked softly. The bolnde just looked up at her with a questioning look on her face.
"I really didn't wanna push you. It's absolutely not my place but something's up. I know."
Danielle just sighed cuddling into Stefania who just added: "you don't have to share if you're not comfortable you know. I just see that it's eating at you and I absolutely hate that"
" No, I want to. I really do." Danielle immediately answered "it's just that... I don't know how.... You know this movie just made me really emotional because..." She paused, tears rolling down her cheeks. Stefania hugged her even tighter. If that was even possible. "I felt like Emma's girlfriend for such a long time" she let out a big breath she didn't even know she was holding in. "Oh gosh. I'm so sorry Bella" Stefania whispered.
"Only that when I... Well when my dad found out he sent me to conversion therapy"
"Those places are horrible. I'm so sorry you had to go through that."
Danielle just nodded as Stefania stroked her back.
"And I just want you to know that I love you. " It hurt for Danielle to hear that because she knew Stefania didn't reciprocate her feelings but at the same time she felt such relief. "And that you're amazing. And I don't give fuck that you're gay"
That got them both to giggle.
"I just feel so sad that that's something you hid so long. Because you absolutely didn't have to, you know?"
Danielle sighed.
"Hell we play a couple on the show. We've made out. A lot." Stefania continued smiling.
"I know. It just... Somehow it's different when it's not about me, you know..."
"I get that." Stefania said softly.
"By the way.." Danielle started all of a sudden "I texted my mom earlier and you know since you can't fly to Italy for the holidays you could at least come with me to my family. If you want to"
She looked at her crush and saw the spark in her eyes and the huge smile on her face.
"Is that a yes?" Danielle giggled.
"Of course it is, Bella. I'd love to spend Christmas with you and your family. Although... You'll have to deal with me facetiming mine in the middle of the day. Because you know.... Time zones"
"Gladly" Danielle answered. " My mom is gonna be so excited"