ten

"Hey, sorry about that. It was Ava," Emma said as she reentered the room, waving the phone in her hand.

"No problem," Olivia shook her head. "What were you guys talking about?" she asked, her green eyes sparkling with curiosity.

You, Emma wanted to say, but forced herself not to.

The brunette cleared her throat. "You know this girl in your Math class, Rebecca Dawson?" she questioned Olivia hesitantly.

"Seems like someone I can recall," the older girl thought out loud. "Why?"

"Then there's this guy Seth, Ava likes..."she trailed off.

"Let me guess," Olivia interjected. "Ava likes Seth, but he's dating Rebecca?"

Emma sighed and nodded.

Olivia looked at her with a concerned look on her face. "Are you okay?"

The younger girl pinched the bridge of her nose and nodded slowly. "Yeah, I am. I just hate the fact that I can't really do anything to help my best friend, you know?"

Olivia nodded her head and scooted over to make room for Emma on the bed.

Emma sat beside her and sighed in content as she laid her head on the older girl's shoulder, letting her worries fade away.

Slowly but surely, she fell asleep.

•••

"Karla," Olivia shook the younger girl gently. "Karla, wake up,"

Emma stirred awake. Unlike her position prior to her nap, she was now lying on the bed with two pillows tucked neatly under her head.

"What time is it?" she asked quietly.

"Almost 7," Olivia confirmed. "I'm staying for dinner, if you don't mind..."

Emma's eyes widened almost instantly.

"Your mum uhh, asked me to. I didn't wanna wake you," she looked timidly at the cheerleader before her.

Emma nodded and smiled. "Don't be so scared around me. Loosen up, will you?"

Olivia sighed deeply. "It's just...I don't understand how cold you are in school, telling me to stay away from you but so nice and even allowing me to stay for dinner now...it's confusing," she admitted, feeling relieved to have gotten all that off her chest.

"Lo, look...I told you, I'm really sorry for what happened in school today. The slapping, the rules, all that. I swear, that wasn't and never will be me. You know with Kate...it's just that..." Emma stopped herself, not trusting herself enough to continue.

"You can trust me,"

"It's not you that I don't trust," the cheerleader chuckled. "It's me. I don't trust myself enough to go on," she told the green-eyed girl sitting beside her, losing herself in the pools of emerald also known as her eyes.

"Girls! Come downstairs please, it's time for dinner!"

Olivia turned to face Emma once again. "Well," she began. "You can tell me whenever you're ready. I won't rush you into telling me things you're not ready to share," she said with a wink before exiting the room, leaving a very stunned Emma sitting on the edge of the bed.

•••

"Mrs. Jensen, this is amazing," Olivia complimented, putting a spoonful of macaroni and cheese in her mouth right after.

"For the last time Olivia, call me Amanda!" the woman smiled.

"Okay Mrs. Cab- I mean, Amanda," Olivia corrected herself and blushed sheepishly.

"Honey, the food tonight is amazing," Alejandro said to his wife.

"Only tonight?" Amanda joked.

Alejandro rolled his eyes playfully as he earned a playful slap on his shoulder. "You know what I mean,"

Emma's mother laughed in response. "Yes I do, thank you honey,"

"Sí mami, this is delicious," Emma followed suit, complimenting her mother after both Olivia and her father had done so.

"Papi, I want some more mashed potatoes!" Sofi whined, looking at her empty plate.

"Patience is a virtue, hija. Wait patiently and you'll get what you want," Alejandro chuckled.

As he was about to give Sofi a scoop of the item in question, Amanda stopped him and turned to her youngest daughter.

"What must you say, hija?"

Sofi bowed her head quickly at the sound of her mother's voice. "Please and thank you, Mami."

Amanda shook her head. "Not to me, dear. To your father," she pointed at her husband.

"Please Papi, can I have some more mashed potatoes?" Alejandro smiled and nodded, placing the scoop of mashed potatoes on his daughter's plate.

"Now what must you say, Sofi?" Emma asked.

"Thank you, Papi." the little girl smiled.

Alejandro nodded and gave Sofi's head loving rub. "You're welcome,"

Olivia smiled at the family's loving interaction and observed the tight bond between all the members of the household.

She wished her family was as close as theirs was.

Ever since Olivia came out to her family, they never looked at her the same.

Sure, they still loved her, cared for her, talked to her — and thankfully — didn't throw her out of the house, but Olivia felt out of place.

Different, almost.

"Lo, finish up and join me in the kitchen, will you?" Emma asked, standing up and taking her empty plate away.

Olivia quickly finished her food and followed suit, not wanting to make the brunette wait any longer and she needed to.

"Excuse me," she said politely before leaving the table.

The green-eyed girl walked into the kitchen and saw Emma doing the dishes.

How does she look so perfect even with huge rubber gloves on and a sponge in her hand?

Olivia raised an eyebrow and questioned her inner conflict regarding the beauty before her.

Emma was absolutely beautiful, there was no denying that.

"Care to join me?" the cheerleader asked from the sink, her brown eyes staring straight into Olivia's emerald ones.

Olivia nodded quickly and walked towards her friend.

Friend.

That felt weird to say, for her at least. It's been a while since she'd been able to say that word.

All because she came out as a lesbian. All because she made out with the hottest girl in school at a party, even though both were completely sober.

— Flashback —

"Hey, there's a party tonight at Josh's place. He said I could bring a plus one. Wanna come along?" Alicia, her best friend — also the most popular (and definitely the hottest) girl in school — asked.

"Yeah, sure. I'll go," Olivia smiled. She never liked letting anyone down. Especially not her best friend.

Forging a close friendship back in kindergarten, the two never grew apart, and Olivia was eternally grateful that they didn't drift even because of Alicia's popularity.

Joining the cheer squad and dating the star quarterback of their high school, Alicia rose to fame pretty quickly.

However, that didn't stop her from hanging out with Olivia; the lousiest, nerdiest, and certainly weirdest kid in school.

"That's great! Come on, let's pick an outfit for you to wear," Alicia clapped her hands together and skipped over to Olivia's closet.

Rummaging through the many articles of clothing in there, the cheerleader finally reentered the room with the perfect outfit.

It was simple, really. A black lace dress and a red cardigan.

"Just top this off with a pair of black or grey high tops and all the guys will be over you at the party," Alicia winked.

'You're the one I want, not them,' Olivia wanted to say.

Ever since she could remember, she'd had a crush on her best friend.

What could she do?

Alicia was the head cheerleader, the most popular, sweetest and caring girl in school. Not to mention, she was the one who'd stuck by Olivia through thick and thin.

How could she not fall for someone like that?