TB: Unlikely meeting

// I feel so sorry for Sara, but we know that because she hasn't faced her traumas, she is extremely sensitive and fragile whenever her exes show up or when her family trashes her on TV/ newspapers. 

xxxxx

Exhausted after an intensive day at the studio, the singer dragged her feet to her favorite bar near her home. It was a quiet place, one that wasn't crowded unless it was a Friday night. She usually would stop by and get some beer to unwind from the day. Things seemed to be looking up for her, she was inspired for her new album, one where she would put the focus on love and desire. She kept her fitness regimen and even managed to perform some old choreography for old hits she intended to perform live again. She was in love too, and that feeling kept her warm and fuzzy inside. She was in love with the most wonderful man. A man who wanted her. A man who needed her. A man who welcomed her, as she was, without the need for covering up her freckles and shrinking herself to make him more comfortable. She could feel butterflies in her stomach and was wondering if that was true love, as it never happened to her to give herself to another person to this extent before. 

While lost in her thoughts, she was caught off-guard by the couple who had walked into the bar. Her eyes grew wide and she quickly grabbed her glass to drink just to have something to do with her hands. That woman... that tall woman who walked past her and sat on the table next to her... It couldn't be, could it? She started to shake and refused to turn her head to have a better look at the woman who sat next to her. If it was someone she knew, she would feel even more embarrassed than she was. She couldn't suddenly leave since her glass was still decently full and she had not paid for it just yet. Her heart started to beat fast against her ribcage and the singer kept her lips sealed onto her glass, unable to put it away.  Opposite to that woman was another woman and this time, Sara could look at her without looking suspicious. She was a cute petite blonde woman. Her skin was fair and flawless, her smile was warm and endearing, and she was dressed light for a night that fresh, a short green floral dress with a plain white shirt on top of it but she looked happy, curious even. Sara's heart was pounding so fast against her ribcage that she couldn't hear their conversation in full, just bits and pieces of words. "Oh, so you used to come here?" would ask the blonde. " "Yes..." Then it became difficult to hear... but Sara forced herself to put the glass on the table and tuck her hair behind her ears. 

That voice. She would have recognized it anywhere. She even heard it a couple weeks ago on TV. The world was so vast, why did her ex have to find herself in their former bar? Did she come here on purpose? Did she want Sara to see her with her new girlfriend? Why was it hurting her so badly? Why was she panicking? Sara was slowly spiraling into questions, wondering why someone she didn't want to meet again had just crossed the door of her quiet and favorite place? It shouldn't matter anyway. She was dating the most handsome and most perfect person ever: Homelander. She was happy with him, despite their relationship being rather "young", she felt that she had met the right person at long last. That was certain, what was less certain, however, was the reaction she was having upon meeting her ex at such a late time of the day and at an unexpected place. Perhaps, without make-up and with a rather plain look, she would not be recognized and her ex would leave her alone? Why would Tara Bennett of all people be there??!! Well, this time she wasn't alone so maybe she would leave Sara at peace.  She grabbed her phone and started to text Homelander to calm herself down and was startled when Tara put her hand on her shoulder. 

"You didn't even say hi. How impolite of you, Sara." -Tara sneered before she ran her hand through her hair and offered a sly grin to the woman.- 

"Ta...Ra. I haven't seen you around in years... How... unexpected of you to show up here. I thought you hated the place?" -She tried to keep her composure and put her phone against her chest, which was noticed by the tall woman.-

"Well.... Lina wanted to try this one, who was I to refuse such a cute request?"

Tara had not removed her hand from Sara's shoulder, instead, she squeezed a little harder to establish her dominance in this situation. She was still standing next to Sara, one hand in her pants pocket while the other held Sara in place. She had her where she wanted her and Sara was unable to escape her claws. She wanted to puke, she wanted to stand up and run away from the situation but she couldn't, so she tried hard to fake her way out of this. Her lips trembled but she managed to fake a smile while her eyes set upon the beautiful Tara Bennett. She was a tall and lean Eurasian woman, her mother was Japanese and her father was German which gave Tara unique and beautiful features. Much to Sara's surprise, Tara had cut her hair short and was sporting a gorgeous wolf cut that enhanced her beauty and framed her face perfectly. 

"She is cute indeed." She paused "I'm happy for your Tara." Was all she could muster. Tara lifted a brow. 

"Happy for me? Happy for me and you're not even able to look me in the eyes? Oohhh, Sara. You're still a terrible liar after all these years." She bent a little forward just so she could whisper into Sara's ear. "I bet your heart is beating fast right now. You're heavily breathing." She grinned. "I bet that you've missed me...you're blushing, you're confused... you're year--"

"No!" Sara stood up suddenly. She looked at the table and noticed that Lina was not there, meaning that Tara had waited for her girlfriend to leave for whatever reason so she could be alone and taunt Sara. "You belong to my past and you should stay there!" She then glanced at her shoulder and flicked the arm off of it. "Do not touch me again."

"or what? You're going to cry to your partner?" how did she know? Sara felt her eyes grow wider and she shook her head, perhaps too hastily for her lie to be compelling. "Tssk, you're such a bad liar. So you're seeing someone."

"I do not need someone to come to my rescue. I'm not some fucking damsel in distress, Tara! But since you brought it up, I am happy actually. I am loved and cared for. You left me and while it took me some time to realize that you freed me from you, I now can say that I am grateful you left. Lina seems lovely, perhaps you've molded her to best suit your taste. I found someone who didn't need to change who I was and I can appreciate it thanks to your lesson. now excuse me, but I have places to be and my beer has lost its appeal." She said, turning around and waving at the bartender to catch his attention. Just before she was about to leave, Tara grabbed her wrist again. She wanted to test Sara and see if she would do something about it.  Sara swallowed a lump but didn't move, unable to take one step forward as she felt the hard grip of her former girlfriend on her wrist.  Her eyes were filled with unshed tears but she managed to bite back a pleading sob. 

"That was one hell of a speech, little rabbit. I'll let you hop off the bar and run into your partner's arms. I'm sure we're going to meet again and perhaps this time you would be a much nicer little girl to me." 

Sara couldn't protest, she felt humiliated. She wanted to run away and now that Tara had called her out, she just wanted the floor to crack open so she could escape. Why was she like this? For this asshole? Sara had read to filth so many people, she had the strength inside her to push Tara away and call her out on her behavior, but it was too soon. She hadn't healed enough. She was hurt still...She needed to leave. Tara waited a few seconds that lasted an eternity for Sarra before she released her. "Ahah... Run little Rabbit, Run. You'll see, you'll sing a different tune when we meet again." She got what she wanted, Sara still was impacted by her, still terrified of her and Tara relished in the potential fun she could have with her. It made her grin as she watched Sara pay for her beer and quickly exit the place. 

Sara on the other hand felt miserable. She ran so fast that she didn't pay attention and fell on a middle-aged man who was minding his own business. She fell on him and apologized before he offered to help her stand up. Sara looked at him, heavily breathing before she simply burst into tears and held his hand to stand back up. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She whispered before resuming her run towards her home. She had to take a shower and remove the scent of Tara Bennet from her. She was so upset that she didn't even notice Homelander waiting for her on her balcony. She didn't notice anything, her vision was too blurry. All she needed was to reach her door and lock herself into safety. Why did it have to be today? Why did it have to be Tara? Why did she feel so weak when it came to people from her past? She stopped running once she faced her door and covered her mouth to cry into it. It awoke a deep fear in her heart, the fear of being such a bore or a problem for Homelander that he would decide to break up with her. Tara dumped her after all... Brett did it too... How could she be sure Homelander wouldn't leave her too? That was the fear Tara awoke inside her, a fear that clung to her heart. Fucking Hell!