Birdgirl

10 - The Dusty Chapter of Our History

March twentieth, the Northward Equinox, three and a half years ago, almost fifteen-year-old Kensi Lancaster was urgently dragging a recently turned fourteen-year-old Lia Casey out to their backyard through the side of their fenced house. Their hands were clasped tightly as the green-eyed girl pushed overgrown plants and shrubs out of the way -leading them both to a quaint picnic she set-up for both of them.

Lia had just gotten to the Victorian home after an urgent call from her friend whom she had known for six months at most. She was still huffing and puffing from running for a good forty to forty five minutes which would have been ten minutes if she had a car. She may be trained to run marathons but the burden in her chest with the thought of Kensi crying in despair or badly injured took her breath away, crippling her stamina.

It was a quarter past eight at night and Kensi was anxiously waiting for her at the front steps where muffled laughter and cheers emanating from their house could be heard. A sudden dose of energy infiltrated the green-eyed girl's being when she made out her friend's silhouette under the faint light of a nearby lamp post. She immediately took hold of Lia's hand without the typical greeting or warning as soon as the younger girl was within reach.

"Where are you dragging me?" Lia asked breathlessly, having difficulty keeping up with her friend. Her heart was hammering forcefully against her chest as her lungs continued to burn. She was feeling increasingly lightheaded as their brisk walk progressed. "I need to breathe for a second or I will pass out any minute now."

"Backyard." Kensi simply retorted as if it were obvious.

"May I know why?"

Kensi let out an exasperated sigh, halting abruptly -Lia slamming her body against Kensi's back with her momentum. The force of the collision caused the younger girl to involuntarily expel the air in her lungs, intensifying her discomfort.

"Ow!" Lia complained, shaking her head while taking deeper breaths. She pressed her hands against her chest tightly. "I can't breathe. Do you want me to die?" She melodramatically queried, doubling over. She set her hands securely onto her knees.

In reality, Lia was almost certain she was going to die from a revved up heart which somehow pumped pressure in her oxygen-deprived head.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" Kensi continually rubbed her friend's back, repeatedly mumbling her apology. Her guilt-ridden consciousness overclouded her haste. She was instead, more focused on getting making Lia feel better. "Are you okay?"

Lia shook her head in response to Kensi's question. She did not have the physical capability to speak at that point. Her rapidly heaving chest was not the only indication of her difficulty to breathe. She was wheezing as if she had asthma and Kensi could feel the younger girl's sped up heart rate on her palm. All the food in Lia's belly seemed to be pushed back up to her throat. She was so close to throwing up.

"I'm sorry, Lia." Kensi remorsefully reiterated, desperate to find relief for her friend. Her own heart had raced with her nerves building up. "Do you need anything?"

The younger girl lifted her index finger, silently asking for a minute to regroup. She was still dreadfully chasing her rapid pulse with her overwhelmed lungs. Considering her fears of Kensi being in trouble were quelled, she found an avenue to breathe and cope with her physiological problems. Slowly but surely, she was able to regain stability.

"Okay." Lia whispered, huffing air out forcefully as she stood back up a couple of minutes later. She closed her eyes and cracked her neck, swiftly throwing her head from side to side while wiggling her hands. Those were just a few things she does when she has completed marathons.

"Get on my back." Kensi commanded and promptly turned her back on Lia before the girl could even react. She bent her knees, anticipating the younger girl's moves.

Lia hesitated, widening her eyes as she observed what was going on before her eyes. "Kensi, are you serious?"

"Very." The green-eyed girl resolutely spoke. "I don't want you dying on me." She jested, using Lia's words against her. She silently worried about the possibility of losing her best friend which was the main reason for her insisting on giving Lia a piggyback ride. She just could not risk it.

"Now, come on! I can't bend like this forever."

Lia stifled a laugh yet amusement was evident on her features. Her pursed lips would have been a very broad grin that would match how her eyes squinted in glee. She relented, setting one leg on Kensi's hand as she steadied herself by holding onto the older girl's shoulders. Lia announced that she would be lifting her other leg to allow Kensi to prepare for her entire weight.

Both giggled when the green-eyed girl lost her balance and uncontrollably trudged forward to regain control. They would have made out with a soft grassy surface if the odds were against them. It would still hurt but was miles and miles better than gravel. Kensi began to leisurely walk towards the designated spot without further difficulty soon after.

"Lay off the bananas, babe." Kensi quipped, knowing the younger girl's love for the fruit. She giggled despite realizing she had just used the intimate word of endearment as if it was nothing. It just seemed a little too natural. "You're getting heavy."

In the little moment of silence before she spoke again, Kensi almost regretted saying the pet name, fearing Lia would find it a little uncomfortable. She has had a hidden liking for the girl since she had seen her during Lia's seventh grade orientation. Being a somewhat diligent student who gets exceptional grades with little effort, Kensi's teacher had asked the green-eyed girl to help with the tour around the school for the newcomers. With little manipulation, her little group of ten included the timid Lia Casey whose eyes were acquainted with the floor and never once met her gaze.

Kensi held her breath as she braced for a disapproving comment from her best friend - she was almost certain it wouldn't end well.

The subtle nickname sparked something in Lia that fluttered her heart to the point of levitating it. She's had suspicions for a really long time but had never been slapped with an epiphany square in the face. She has had crushes here and there but they never translated into nothing but admiration for the boy's wits or kindness, or something in between. At times, she would convince herself it was because she's always had male friends and she's used to their company. The confusion in the young teenager's mind was only exacerbated when she finally lifted her gaze to connect eyes with Kensi the day she returned the older girl's book.

But in that moment, she knew. As much as she tried to find any rational reason behind her fondness for Kensi, she's always arrived at knowing she loves the girl. Lia was just not certain if that love was merely limited to friendship and sisterhood. However, Kensi's choice of nickname gave a glimpse of what could be if she had just come to terms with her feelings. But Lia knew then and that was an important step.

"Shut up!" The younger girl lightheartedly chastised, slapping Kensi's shoulder gently. Lia wrapped her arms loosely around Kensi's neck, resting her chin on her friend's shoulder with their faces side by side. "I think I just used up all the food I had for dinner. You have to feed me again, babe."

Kensi laughed, enjoying their lighthearted banter and was shamelessly enjoying their physical contact. Her heart swelled when the same innocent pet name rolled off Lia's tongue, sending chills to descend down her spine. It was significantly exacerbated by the close proximity of the younger girl's lips to Kensi's ear with Lia's warm breath hitting Kensi's skin.

"How could I forget? But I think I have something to satisfy your discriminating taste." Kensi proclaimed proudly. She released a contented sigh with a sweet smile on her lips. She decided on gambling her luck - pushing it with a question. "It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"It does. I like it." Lia grinned, pensively looking at the pathway ahead. She momentarily pulled her head away from Kensi's face, catching the older girl of guard when she planted a lingering kiss on her cheek. "So, why are we even going to the backyard? Are you suddenly ashamed of me that you didn't want to walk me through the house instead?"

"There's like a hundred people in that house right now." Kensi groused, exaggerating the number. "You know I hate big crowds, especially strangers."

In reality, there were only around thirty to forty people in their home, but Kensi did hate big masses. The people inside were celebrating the family's third born of ten. Kensi is fifth and since she didn't require much upkeep compared to the other siblings, the attention of her parents were least on her which she didn't seem to mind given that she had the most freedom from all of them. The first two were out of state, attending college.

The green-eyed girl isn't as close to her family as Lia is to her parents. Her self-reliance had always been something she took pride in and in turn, drew her away from the Lancaster's. She didn't require much assistance in her quest for maturity which allowed her parents to devote their time towards the other nine. When Kensi felt the genuine love and care her friends had awarded her, which she unknowingly sought from her family, she gravitated towards them and loved them just as much.

Among Kensi's countless of friends, it was Lia she felt a deep connection to.

"I want to get away from them for a bit. It kinda gets overwhelming even when you have nine siblings already." She explained rather casually for Lia's liking but the younger girl understood either way.

Lia had been the recipient of Kensi's countless ramblings about how a family should function and some of her siblings' weird friends. She has always found it adorable when the older girl's face would scrunch up in her irritation. Lia has always had an inexplicable urge to kiss the frown on Kensi's face away but never acted on it. Instead, she always found herself staring at Kensi's full lips, wondering how they feel against hers.

"But they're your family."

"I know. I see them all the time and I don't like the extra company in there." Kensi nonchalantly shrugged, smiling when she saw the blanket she'd laid out beforehand. "I don't exactly find my sister's friends appealing. You're actually invited but we can go in a little later. I just wanted to spend time with you before nine other Lancaster's steal you from me." She softly chuckled.

"You know you're my favorite Lancaster." Lia truthfully proclaimed, earning a timid smile from Kensi who was fighting to suppress the urge to leap in the air.

In such a short amount of time, Kensi's family grew as fond of Lia as the green-eyed girl is. They would whisk her away to their various different interests that the younger girl shares with them. The boys, including William, their father, often challenge her in video games or various sports while the older girls compare fashion and make up secrets, and the younger ones play dollies and playhouses with her. As for Jo, Kensi's mother, she loves Lia due to her respectfulness and diligence with her education. Lia had always offered to help with cooking and aftercare, too.

The green-eyed girl carefully set her friend down - strategically hiding her little surprise. Kensi spun around to face Lia, smoothening her hair lovingly. She was excited for that night and she didn't necessarily feel compelled to join her family in their merriment. Why she wanted a picnic with her best friend? She had no rational reason - she just wanted to.

"Would s'mores be okay?" Kensi bobbed her brows, beaming brightly at Lia as she revealed the small picnic she had set up. On the ground was an old plaid blanket with clear containers of graham crackers, chocolates and marshmallows. To one end is a small portable grill with roasting forks close by.

Lia curiously turned around, gasping as she saw the quaint picnic. Her hands hovered above her gaped mouth. She could not remember being as excited for a friendly date as she was right then and there, and she had been on countless ones with her childhood best friend, Duke. She was all giddy and brimming with joy that she could not even stay still. She threw herself at Kensi, hugging the girl tighter than usual.

There was just something in Kensi that she could not quite understand. The feeling that was still so alien to her that she could not label anything else on it other than love. And at the time, it made sense.

They both sat on the laid out blanket and began roasting the marshmallows soon after. While the Lancaster household was filled with lively laughter, the little village of two sat contentedly next to each other, giggling occasionally with seemingly permanent smiles on their lips. Neither were relenting despite the tenderness on their cheeks. The smiles were just an outward translation of what they were feeling inside and they were perfectly happy with each other.

They had always like spending time alone together. Both had never quite enjoyed their time as much if there were others involved. They had always enjoyed the intimacy they shared. They were almost like territorial, possessive dogs.

"I heard today's what you call an Equinox." Lia mumbled with her full mouth, spraying crumbs of graham with no specific trajectory. Her eyes widened in embarrassment, her free hand instantly shielding Kensi from the graham shower. "I would elaborate more on it but the only thing I understood is that the sun travels across the celestial equator. You know, the imaginary line in the middle of the Earth."

"You're too smart to be in middle school." Kensi proclaimed, enthralled by her younger friend. She tilted her head and her smile could not be any sweeter that her young cheeks grew chubby. She didn't seem to mind the crumbs of graham that landed on her shirt - she merely shrugged them off and lightly chuckled. "Why don't you graduate with me in June? I'd love to walk through the halls of high school with you."

"I actually forget we're not even in the same grade level sometimes." Lia confessed, dusting her hands free of the crackers. She leaned back with her hands supporting her from behind with her gaze set up high to the starry night. Lia sighed contentedly, a soft smile grazing her lips. "Who knew we'd become friends? I faintly remember you being my tour guide." She softly laughed with a contented grin forming on her lips.

Kensi was watching Lia with admiration with the dim lighting that was provided by their house. She had a similar smile on her own lips. She had studied the girl's features numerous times before and had spotted the littlest of scars and the faintest of beauty marks. As Lia marveled at the spheres of energy millions of miles away, Kensi was admiring the brightest one she could find and it was the girl that sat in front of her.

"I did." Kensi declared, beaming with pride which caught Lia's attention.

Their connection had always been inexplicable. They had instantly bonded when Lia returned the older girl's book which "conveniently" had her phone number. Unbeknownst to her was that Kensi had planned everything all along but the green-eyed girl was not willing to come clean just yet.

Lia was overtaken with curiosity. She sat up and shifted so her body was completely facing the older girl. Her brows furrowed as she analyzed what Kensi had just said. More importantly, Lia was wondering why Kensi was staring at her lips. Suddenly, she grew nervous which prompted her heart to race. It didn't beat as hard as when she ran marathons, not even the run she had just survived to get to Kensi's house but was equally as breathtaking, maybe even more.

She had an irrational urge to kiss Kensi and she was not the only one with the desire. Truth be told, Kensi had always wanted to kiss Lia but during that moment, she was trying to figure out how to tell her friend that there was chocolate smeared at the corner of her lips. Kensi boldly thought about grazing her tongue on the surface. She was genuinely and irrevocably flabbergasted when the next thing she felt were Lia's plumps lips.

An electrifying sensation skyrocketed the second their lips touched. It was an innocent kiss that astounded their inexperienced bodies, igniting outlandish feelings and cravings for each other. Their hearts fluttered as their apprehensive stomachs felt an unfamiliar ache that neither of them could explain. The rush quite literally took their breaths away and perked the minute hair behind their necks.

"Kensi? Honey?" William called, stepping out of the threshold with his hands on his hip which forced both girls to pull away. Thankfully, the darkness that cloaked them prevented Kensi's father from seeing them lip-locked. "Is that Lia?"

Both girls found their fingers running the contours of their lips as the tingly sensation prickled the surface. They were scrambling to steady their heaving chests while their eyes could not go any wider. The satisfaction they felt behind the apprehension caused timid smiles to form. Both girls faced one another, happy knowing that they were each other's first kiss.

Saturday, early October as of present times -Lia woke up with a hangover. Groaning, she closed her lids almost immediately after attempting to open them. Her head felt as if her brain was playing a rock concert with the loudest volume, banging at every surface of her head. However, her forehead seemed to have been experiencing the most pressure and felt quite tender.

Lia lifted a shaky hand, blindly feeling her forehead. Her eyes quickly snapped open as she inhaled a sharp breath when she felt a huge bump to the right of her forehead. The sudden movements caused an uproar in her throbbing head, causing her vision to spin. Both her hands were immediately attached to her head, her fingers carefully massaging her scalp while she curled up in a ball, moaning in pain.

Lia was nuzzling her head on the soft pillow to run back to the arms of slumber but suffered another mini heart attack when she realized she was in bed with no recollection of the events that occurred prior to that. The first thought that occurred in her head was the disappointment in Kensi's eyes when she would be compelled to tell the older girl of her possible drunken mistake. Kensi's opinion had always been incredibly important to her. Lia braved the incessant throbbing in her head and lifted the blanket to make sure she still had clothes on - sighing in relief when she confirmed she was clothed. She breathed a sigh of relief, setting her hand in the middle of her chest.

"Calm down. I didn't take advantage of you." The familiar raspy voice declared which sounded too low and too sexy followed by an equally amatory chuckle.

The humor that tickled her was set on Lia's reaction and not necessarily her particularly unkempt appearance. If anything, Kensi found the younger girl's tousled bed hair, slightly parted eyes and grogginess beautiful. She had seen Lia's immediate post-slumber face too many times and yet she found herself admiring the girl even more each time.

A tug at Lia's lips revealed a small pained smile while relaxation crept it on her. Kensi could recite whole boring monologue about the fingernail and Lia knew she would listen to her intently. She slowly shifted to her side, keeping her eyes closed until she was comfortable.

"Good Morning." Kensi muttered the moment Lia's brown eyes revealed themselves. The older girl was on her side, propped up by her elbow with her head supported by her hand. She smiled delicately at Lia as she lifted her hand up to tuck stray strands of hair behind the younger girl's ear.

Lia leaned in to the soothing touch, concealing her eyes as she relished the feeling. "Good Morning yourself." She groaned, feeling pain in her throat while speaking. Every other part of her body was aching, even ones she thought wouldn't. "I think I'm broken."

Kensi softly laughed, finding humor in her friend's disheveled state. She felt a slight tinge of sympathy but figured Lia would have experienced a hangover sooner or later with the excessive drinking. The guilt that pestered her the previous night had been appeased with the fact that Lia was safe and she was with her.

"I got you something." Kensi announced upon propping herself up, pushing up against the mattress.

She assisted Lia, carefully positioning her against the headboard with the younger girl groaning amid her physiological discomfort. She kissed the swollen mound on the younger girl's forehead gently, lightly laughing as she recalled what had transpired. She then retrieved the glass of water and two pills of Advil from the bedside table she secured when she woke up a couple of hours ago.

Lia guzzled the eight ounces of water, swallowing the two pills along with it. She leaned her head back on the headboard, concealing her sleepy eyes and holding tightly on the empty glass.

"Oh, sweet giver of life, thank you for the water." She mumbled with a sigh of relief.

Kensi stifled a laugh and sat next to her friend with their arms barely touching. She clasped her hands together as her gaze was aimlessly plastered across the room. She had an incessant itch to just send the biggest, most important arrows at Lia, and just ask the girl about her drunken confession but decided against it. Lia was battling overwhelming physical pain and she did not want to inflict such ache on a different level.

"I just about freaked out, thinking I hooked up with stranger." Lia mumbled, shaking her head gently.

"I wouldn't let anything happen to you." Kensi confessed truthfully and set her hand on Lia's wrist, brushing her thumb against the younger girl's skin. "Except, I completely didn't expect you to ram into the bathroom door like an enraged bull seeing red." She lightly laughed as the memory replayed in her head. "Sorry about that."

Amusement didn't strike the hung over girl just like it did her friend. She pulled her head from the headboard, twisting ever so slowly to face Kensi with a confused expression on her face.

"Are you being serious?"

Kensi awkwardly smiled, nodded her head in confirmation. "I'm afraid so." She caressed the younger girl's cheek with the back of her fingers, her eyes gleaming with affection. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Lia closed her eyes, reveling Kensi's touch. She parted her lids momentarily and smiled as the older girl's face came into view. She sighed, hoping to free her chest of the awe-inspiring feeling that filled it. "How do you manage to look that beautiful in the morning?" She whispered, trying to downplay the words of flattery she could not contain anymore.

Kensi had only washed her face since waking up hours prior. Her face had been completely bare and free of make-up while her haphazardly cascaded down her shoulders to her torso. Kensi's natural beauty had always amazed Lia. The older girl had been blessed with some magnificent genes that if Lia had not met her, she would not believe such a person exists.

Warmth grazed Kensi's face, giving her cheeks a natural pink tint. She was thanking the heavens that her best friend's eyes were closed, preventing Lia from seeing her flustered state.

"That's because it's one in the afternoon, baby."

"It is?" Lia's eyes shot open, furrowing her brows. The abrupt movement didn't stir her head as harshly as she had awoken. She still experienced pain but it was slightly bearable. "That's why I feel like I haven't eaten in years!"

"I remember you telling me about that hunger last night." Kensi let out a breath in amusement. She recounted while tracing the bridge of the younger girl's nose. "Let's get you something to eat."

"Can we go to a diner? I want some grease in my stomach, like right now."

"Sure. Can you get up?"

"Are you kidding?" Lia groused lightheartedly. She handed the glass to her friend who accepted it graciously and watched Lia intently. "I'm a grown pers-" The younger girl swung her legs down to the ground and attempted to get up but failed in the process. She crashed back down to bed, halting her rather proud words along with her movements. Instead of speaking, she groaned like a grumpy old man.

Kensi found her hand cupping her mouth, quietly giggling. "Apparently, not."

She set the glass safely back on the table and scrambled to her feet. She walked around the bed to Lia's side, helping the younger girl to her feet. Kensi smoothed out Lia's crumpled clothes, brushing her hand on the material before doing the same on hers, too. The younger girl's hands on her shoulders which kept her from tipping over. Both were still wearing their clothes from the day before.

A thought suddenly occurred in Kensi's mind, nostalgia swept through her body. Her heart fluttered as butterflies ran wild in her stomach. A smile tugged at her lips and gently turned her back on Lia.

"Hop on."

"What?" Lia immediately protested, finally catching onto Kensi's command.

"Come on! It'll be like old times." Kensi coaxed, twisting her head enough to see Lia's conflicted expressions. "Except I'm carrying your drunk ass and not just you tripping on your own two feet." She giggled.

"Somebody's forgetting the part where she just stopped walking without caution after dragging me against my will." Lia reminded her when the memory struck her, too. She laughed along with her friend despite the wistfulness that inundated her.

Gently, Lia climbed onto Kensi's back, relaxing as their bodies pressed firmly. The feeling was beyond compare and while Lia was still trying to come to terms with her feelings towards her friend, there was no denying that she was the happiest with Kensi.

"Thank you, baby." She sincerely muttered, planting a soft kiss on Kensi's cheek.

The familiar warmth immediately crawled back to Kensi's face, this time completely masking her entire head that her ears were turning red, as well. Her nervous yet excited heart raced as a bashful smile claimed her lips.

Kensi carried her best friend back to her car. The blinding light that greeted them as soon as they walked out of the front door almost caused Lia to hiss like an apprehensive vampire. She groaned for the umpteenth time that afternoon, nuzzling her face in Kensi's neck in search of a cave like darkness.

Kensi helped Lia climb onto the passenger seat and ran back to the Phillips' home to retrieve their things. They made their way to the diner, adhering to Lia's request. True to her words, the younger girl did order greasy food in the form of fries and a hefty burger, oozing with succulent fat. Kensi was certain she would not have the appetite if she were suffering from a hangover. Then again, she had not had the unfortunate honor of experiencing one.

Soon after, the girls were on their way to the Casey household. A text message to her parents was enough to give Kensi the autonomy of staying with the younger girl to help nurse the hangover. Hours later, Lia was recovering well. The younger girl was sitting on her bed, leaning back on her headboard with her laptop on her lap. She was going through her e-mail, reading through the submissions and updates about the track meet. Kensi was right next to her, writing the draft of the sports article on a notepad that she intended on handing over by Monday. The two girls were dressed in Lia's sweatpants and t-shirts.

Lia took an abrupt break, sitting there with her brown eyes set on her friend. An involuntary smile made its way to her lips as she recalled Kensi's progress since the first day of summer. Looking back, Kensi was never the same since the center-forward's passing -well, until recently. Frowns and pensive blank expressions would usually command her beautiful face. Her genuine grins were rarely exposed which were replaced with toothless, pathetic excuses for smiles.

However, looking at her now, Lia saw change and she could not be happier knowing Kensi was moving past the grief. Lia was a different story though. The girl had been avoiding the subject, pushing the thought aside each time her friends bring it up. It had become a hyper sensitive topic that she would give it her all just to evade it. The outburst with Kensi that one night was the first time she lost it.

"You shouldn't work in bed, babe." Lia pierced through the silence, noticing the tension on Kensi's brows with the creasing on her forehead. "You will associate it with work and not rest."

Kensi lifted her head to face the younger girl, scratching her nose lightly. "I like it. I fall asleep on it anyway."

Lia laughed softly when she noticed the older girl diving back to work almost immediately. "If I hadn't known you, I wouldn't actually believe you put work into your education. You don't seem like the kind who studies. You're just naturally smart."

"I don't?" Kensi looked at her inquisitively, genuinely curious.

"Nope."

The older girl smiled smugly while she played with the pen in her hand. She shrugged casually, pursing her lips. "That's good then. You know, it helps with my careless reputation."

"You don't have a reputation." Lia reminded her, chuckling softly.

"You don't know that."

"Well, do you want to come to the party tonight and show me that 'careless reputation'?" Lia teased, nudging her friend with her elbow.

After her hangover, the younger girl was not as keen to attend another party. She was still not a hundred percent back to her normal health but that was not the reason she wanted to stay in. Kensi had always been her biggest reason for averting anything damaging. She would much rather spend time with her best friend, doing absolutely nothing other than picking up girls she barely know. Lia was just loyal to her friends and the urgency to go out and forget about Duke's passing were the two reasons she went to parties.

Instead of smiling, Kensi's face fell. She looked too serious, maybe stern even. The older girl looked like a mother, reprimanding her child. "I'd rather not and you're not going either. That's final."

The firmness in Kensi's tone didn't faze Lia at all. In fact, she was enjoying it. She loved that the older girl was taking charge which was hardly the case in their friendship. Kensi had always feared she was overstepping boundaries which they have done numerous times with the kissing and intimate hand holding and hugs.

"Okay. Okay. I was just messing with you."

Silence ensued not long after. Kensi enjoyed her victory, smiling to herself while Lia was just happy to be "stuck" with the older girl for another night. They both went back to their work after the highs subsided. Lia was content, sitting there with her tired eyes scanning the numerous e-mails she had received the entire day. There were reminders about school activities and various organizations that the girl was involved in. However, one particular e-mail stood out to her and with her busy schedule, she was reluctant to even consider it.

"Oh, give me a break." Lia groused, slamming her clenched fists on the mattress. "I have so many things to do. I have the track team, the school paper, and the stupid winter play that Mr. Krauss signed me up for without even asking me. f**k me!"

"Come here, then." Kensi challenged lightheartedly, catching Lia off guard.

The younger girl's heart dissipated a chilling storm across her chest as her stomach went on a revolution, churning painfully. The rate at which her pulse was hammering against every area of her body was staggering and she was instantly breathless and as pale as could be. Her entire face gawked.

Kensi smirked rather proudly. Normally, she would have dreaded Lia's reaction and would avert even thinking about the joke to begin with. However, after what she had heard the night before, she was given a significant boost of confidence.

"No, seriously, what's up?"

Lia seemed to snap out of it, breathing deeply as her face contorted back to exude some sort of physical pain.

"Great news, baby! I'm tutoring someone this early in the year!" She sardonically announced, feigned excitement with her uncanny grin. "It's not even halfway through October and some i***t is not paying attention to class."

Lia signed up as a tutor to help students who are having trouble with their lessons. There were after school classes that certain teachers set-up for students who needed the extra time and assistance. However, for some, it was easier to understand when a peer would explain the mindboggling lesson to them. Lia had tutored all four boys in the past which was a huge help for them to keep playing for their specific sports.

Kensi had always admired that about her friend. While a lot of people barely manage their time, Lia was thriving despite her rigid schedule. She was the queen of multitasking but Kensi would have wanted the younger girl to devote her time to her instead.

Kensi laughed at her friend's obvious exasperation. When most people fear the angered Lia, the older girl found it endearing. She took Lia's hands from the keyboard and intertwined their fingers. She beamed at her, nudging their clasped hands.

"You're quite adorable."

A delicate smile formed in Lia's lips. She lifted her hand up and set it against Kensi's cheek, coaxing her friend to face her completely with the little gap that separated them. The older girl's heart swelled upon the contact but never in her wildest dreams would she predict what was about to happen. Lia was struggling to keep her feelings at bay since hearing Kensi's oddly worded profession of love. Her memory was hazy after she watched Kensi walk away from her the second time that night but she recalled one important detail at the end of their long night.

Brimming with untamable love and affection, Lia brought their lips together. It was the first time she initiated the kiss since their first kiss and maybe, just maybe, she felt it was right and justifiable. The feelings that clouded their bodies were familiar yet hit them with the same strong force as the first time, which weakened them into submission. Their overflowing adoration for each other had to be released one way or another. Lia felt reasonably selfish when she realized she was not thinking of Duke when she seized Kensi's lips.

Lia reluctantly pulled away and stared deep into the green pools of Kensi's eyes.

"I meant what I said before I fell asleep."