twenty three

"I can't believe we have to go back to school next week," Ava groaned.

"I know, right?" Emma replied, head in her hands.

The girls were having their nighttime call as promised earlier that day, and boy were they enjoying themselves.

"It seems like time really just flew by, huh?" Ally chuckled lightly.

"Hmm," Olivia nodded her head in response, casually draping her arms over her girlfriend's shoulder.

"Let's not talk about that. Are you guys excited for the party tomorrow?" Mia clapped her hands excitedly.

The party was supposed to happen the day they got out of school. Unfortunately for them, Ava's parents ended up not going for their trip, as much as she wanted them to.

They were, however, going to their beach house for the weekend, so Ava could finally host her party.

"Hell yeah," Ava cheered. "I've been waiting way too long for this,"

"Is Austin coming?" Olivia asked nonchalantly.

"Babe!" Emma playfully smacked her on the shoulder. No, she wasn't affected by it.

Olivia thought back to the day she'd punched the guy in the face for calling Ava a dyke. No one should treat a woman that way. Not in her books.

"He can try," Ally shrugged. "We've got you,"

"Me included?" Olivia asked curiously. "What do you mean?"

Mia laughed. "Come on, Laur! Don't you remember what happened on your first day?"

Olivia nodded. Of course she remembered. She was just thinking about it, after all.

"I'm putting you on guard duty," Ava joked. "Dorito boy ain't getting in, no matter how hard he tries,"

"You can count on me," Olivia saluted, earning a slight giggle from Emma. She leaned down and kissed her tenderly.

"Ew, get a room," Ally groaned, using her hands to shield her eyes.

"Oh please, it isn't something we haven't seen before," Mia wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Shut up," Ally muttered, face turning red. The other girls simply laughed at the small girl's predicament.

"What time should we be there tomorrow, Ave?" Emma spoke up once the laughter had died down.

"Well Chancho, party starts at 11pm, so why don't you guys just come over in the afternoon and we can hang for a bit? God knows we won't get much time together once everyone else arrives,"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, that sounds good," Mia said. "Do you need us to get anything for the party?"

"I was thinking of going shopping in the morning. I gotta get some groceries for my folks anyway," Ava replied. "Seth offered to come along,"

Olivia's ears perked up at the mention of his name. "Ooh, are we talking Seth Miller, like, from AP Maths?"

"AP for you, yes, but just regular Maths for us," Mia corrected.

Olivia and Emma only smirked.

"But yes, Seth Miller. He's a pretty sweet guy," Ava said, momentarily losing track of their conversation.

"Hey! Girl!" Ally snapped her fingers to regain Ava's attention.

"Sorry," the girl in question blushed as a response. "I actually really like him, but I just don't know what we are right now,"

"You don't have to," Olivia noted.

"Hmm?" Ava hummed, tilting her head ever so slightly.

"I mean," the green-eyed girl scooted closer to the screen, as if meaning to whisper. "You don't have to," she repeated once more.

"I'm not too sure I follow," Ava replied cautiously.

"Look at it this way. When Emma and I first started uh, hanging out,"

Emma blushed at the statement.

"I didn't know what we were either. You just kind of have to...take it slow and see what it becomes as you go, you know?"

Ava, no, in fact all the girls, began to nod their head in understanding.

"Damn, those are some wise words, Laur," Mia nodded in approval.

"Thank you kindly," Olivia replied, lowering her head slightly.

"I agree," Ava spoke after a moment's silence. "It's pretty fucking confusing though," she groaned. "He offers to pick me up on the way to school, take me home after...not to mention how we're practically partners for most of our projects, just like the two of you," she gestured to Emma and Olivia, who simply interlocked their fingers.

"Okay, he likes you. That much we know for sure," Ally decided.

"Yeah, it's so obvious Ave! It's probably only a matter of time till he asks you out for real,"

"I hope so," Ava replied adoringly. Gosh, she really was falling for Seth, huh?

Olivia wasn't judging. She couldn't. Not when the same had basically happened to her when she first met Emma.

•••

The girls had ended their call about an hour ago. Olivia and Emma were laying in bed, Emma burying her face in Olivia's chest because she couldn't bear to watch the gory scenes unfolding on screen before them.

They were watching The Purge, you see.

Even the slightest bit of blood was enough to send shivers down the younger girl's spine.

"Do you want to stop?" Olivia asked her girlfriend and hugged her tightly.

"Yes please," Emma spoke, her voice barely a whisper.

Olivia chuckled lightly and turned the TV off. They sat in darkness now; to which Olivia was sure Emma wouldn't approve of. Not after what they'd just watched.

She turned the table lamp on.

"Better?"

"Mhmm," Emma hummed in response.

Olivia kissed her forehead and ran her fingers through her girlfriend's hair soothingly.

"I'm going to fall asleep if you keep doing that," Emma said slowly, yawning after.

"I think I'd be alright with that,"

"No," Emma said, sitting up slightly. "I want to make full use of our time together,"

"Baby," Olivia looked her straight in the eye. "It's 2am,"

"So?" Emma scooted closer. Suddenly, she didn't feel too sleepy.

"So," Olivia crossed her arms. "We should probably head to bed if we want to wake up in time for Ava's party,"

"Oh come on, you're being dramatic," Emma laughed and Olivia quirked an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"We're young, Lo! I'm sure we'd be able to stay up till the sun rises and still be awake to enjoy the party,"

"Suit yourself, love," Olivia shrugged. "Let me take a nap, at least," she pleaded.

Emma nodded in agreement and went downstairs to read. She didn't want to disturb her lover.

•••

Emma closed the book and sighed, looking around her. The sun had risen, just as she'd hoped for, she'd been up the entire night.

Olivia descended the stairs, looking sexy as ever.

Emma yawned.

Oh no.

"Good morning," Olivia stretched and laid on the couch beside Emma. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"The book was really interesting," Emma replied, waving her copy of Pride and Prejudice in her girlfriend's face.

"You didn't sleep at all?"

Emma shook her head. "No, but I'll be alright,"

She lied.