Birdgirl

8 - For the Days You Need to Be Reminded You're Not Alone

"Trying to prove a point." Kensi simply retorted using the very words as Lia. She felt proud of herself as she inspected the younger girl's reaction.

Lia was left speechless. She wanted to same something equally witty and annoyingly infuriating but she was at a loss for words. Just then, Amber and the rest of the guys were heading out of the sandwich shop. The couple were holding each other's hands while the other two boys were walking right next to them. They were laughing with each other and seemed excited about something.

"Hey!" Ice hailed the pair, waving to them. "We're going to our house. You guys should come."

"Sure." Kensi retorted quickly, reaching for Lia's hand. "Lead the way."

They all climbed into three different cars. While the other two were filled with lighthearted conversations, the confines of Kensi's Dodge Challenger was quite dense and suffocating. The silence was consuming both girls like a whirlpool of discomfort.

Kensi decided to play some music, never caring what kind it was. She was just desperate to fill the deafening silenced that gnawed her brain as she sought the feeling of being in control with her hands grasping the wheel firmly. The older girl focused on her driving as she followed Landon's Cadillac ATS.

Lia glued her eyes on her phone. She was aimlessly flicking through pages of the articles she was supposed to be proofreading but her mind was elsewhere. It was wandering through realms of her brain, leaping from the rational side to the more artsy and creative one. Whichever side or crevice she ran to though, every thought always included Kensi and the kisses they've shared.

They were great at it, ignoring their feelings. Kensi was more worried about riling Lia up more than anything and pushing her away from her. She wasn't willing to take that risk. Lia, however, was in denial, just as she had been in the last four years since meeting Kensi.

-

They soon arrived the Phillips' beachfront luxury home -a predominantly white renovated two-story Spanish house with arches, high ceilings and terracotta shingles on the roofs. The house has nine bedrooms and eight bathrooms with a big, rectangular swimming pool in the spacious backyard that has a manmade fish pond, shrubberies and lots and lots of trees. A fully furnished patio with slate slabs and a built-in grill are there, too.

Despite the rustic looking exterior, the interior is modern.

The other four had already gone in while Lia was still leading Kensi towards the large heavy door. She pushed the door open and allowed Kensi to slip past her before she followed and gently closed the timber structure.

"Hello ladies!" Elizabeth, the Phillips matriarch warmly proclaimed as she descended from the stairs. Her very well-modulated voice and the pitter-patter of her heels resounded in the hollow halls of their huge house. "Welcome back!"

Elizabeth and Daniel Phillips had always been very welcoming, especially to their sons' friends. Her short blonde hair was swept to one side, a wispy feathered style that made her bright blue eyes shine. She donned an elegant black dress with her neck and ears adorned in pearls. She wore stilettos of the same shade as her dress and was holding onto a shimmery clutch. Liz always stood tall and well, classy.

"Hi, Mrs. Phillips! You remember Kensi, right?" Lia greeted, hugging the elegant looking woman who was opening her arms for her.

"Hello, ma'am!" Kensi waved at her, smiling awkwardly.

"Of course! How could I forget?" Liz let go of Lia and moved to hug Kensi. "Hello, Kensi! It's good to see you both after a very long time. And it's Liz for both of you."

The green-eyed girl let out a soft, awkward chuckle as she slowly pulled back. "It's been too long, Liz."

"Were you at the game?" Lia asked as soon as Elizabeth was settled right in front of them.

The older woman sighed heavily in defeat, rolling her eyes which the younger girls found amusing. "We were, but Jaron wanted us to leave right away while Landon didn't want to sit with us. I'm sorry we could not come and say 'hi'." She looked apologetically between the two girls.

"It's no trouble at all." Kensi assured her.

Landon was passing by to retrieve something from his room but was quickly yanked by his mother, smothering him with a tight hug and a couple of kisses to his face. The boy squirmed in his mother's hold, leaning farther from her as he grimaced as if something was hurting him.

"Mother, please let go." He implored, his face reddening in embarrassment.

Liz chuckled softly. The woman had always been very playful with her five sons, three boys before Jaron. Landon being the youngest, would always receive the asphyxiating love. "Not until you give me a kiss and tell me you love me, my little cuddle bear."

"I love you." Landon reluctantly muttered, eyes unenthusiastically darted upwards.

He loves his mother but he never appreciated being embarrassed in front of his friends. Landon would not mind clinging to his mother if there weren't other people around. The bond the youngest son shared with his mother had been why he had such a desire to maintain his skin.

He planted a quick kiss on the woman's cheek who grinned happily. "Happy now?"

As soon as Liz unfastened her hands, he bolted out of there, leaving the three girls giggling.

"Mom!" Landon called out from the top of the stairs and the three girls looked to the direction where the voice emanated from.

"Yes, honey?"

"I love you! Have fun on that business trip!" He continued before continuing his journey to his room.

There was a wide grin infesting Elizabeth's features and the warm sensation in her chest. Landon had always been the sweetest while Jaron had a different way of showing his love. Soon, a loud honk of a car could be heard from outside. It was Liz's cue to leave the house.

"Well, I'll see you some other time, ladies. Dan and I have several auctions to attend to in New York. We will be back by Monday." She told them, giving the girls cheek-to-cheek kisses.

-

A couple of minutes and a lot of food on the coffee table later, they were in the living room seated in brown elegant U-shaped sectional sofa that was facing a built-in television with various abstract paintings hung on the same wall. To their left are very long windows and a pool table to the right. The walls were painted white with hardwood flooring.

Trevor was reaching for the remote after shoving some potato chips in his mouth. He was halted when Landon sternly mumbled, "Did you wash your hands?"

"No?"

"Then you can't touch the remote." Landon retorted stiffly. "Do you know how many germs thrive in remote controls because of that? I assume you would dunk your hand back in the food which would contaminate your food, too." He continued to ramble.

His mouth gaped while Ice furrowed his brows at his brother as he slapped his forehead. Again, the meaningful looks in everybody else's eyes were conspicuous. Kensi made sure to bow her head down, focusing on her black painted nails instead. Lia's lips were quirked up, as she unconsciously rested her forehead on the green-eyed girl's shoulder. Amber, she didn't care, she just flat out giggled.

"Wash your filthy hands, Washington."

The last sentence intensified Amber's laughter which caused a domino effect among the other two girls and the tallest boy who could not help but laugh. Ice was too embarrassed for the laughs to tickle his funny bone.

"Girl, I warned your ass about this." Amber playfully threatened.

"You see what I have to deal with every time?" Ice threw his hands up, shaking his head in disbelief.

Trevor picked up the remote with his clean hand while looking at Landon with brows raised up high with a knowing smirk. Landon gritted his teeth, frustrated by the mockery. Trevor did not turn the television on though. The pool table had pulled his attention since walking into the spacious room.

"Why don't we play pool? One game." He suggested, looking at everyone. When his gaze met Landon's unimpressed ones, he flashed him his winning grin. "We will wash our hands, kid."

The statement caused another string of giggles to erupt which Landon didn't appreciate. If he could, he would dig a burrow and live there until his friends disappeared.

"I like that idea!" Ice chimed in. "I'll take Amber and Casey to level the field. Landon is s**t at pool while I think Trevor is the best, they should be in the same team."

Kensi and Landon's eyes widened in disbelief. The green-eyed girl felt provoked. She could not understand why she was being aggravated. She had never been more annoyed by Ice. The looming commotion in her system that was fueled by his contempt for the boy intensified. If she only knew why, she might even love him.

On the other hand, Landon was offended. Sure, he was bad at the game but hearing it from his brother sounded too deprecating.

"So am I!" Lia butted in, pointing to her chest. She was cagily looking to everyone's eyes looking for some sort of rationality with the established teams.

"Trust me, Casey. You're better." Ice reassured her.

"Well, bring it!" The green-eyed girl stood up, challenging Ice with her green orbs.

Lia could feel how tensed Kensi was and reached for the older girl's hand, squeezing it before pulling herself up. She was quietly asking her to calm down. Kensi sighed heavily, looking at her worried friend. The green-eyed girl offered Lia a small closed-lip smile, setting her free hand against her cheek as her thumb ran its smooth surface.

They decided on playing eight ball. Landon set the right configuration within the triangle-shaped rack, the eight ball situated in the middle. With a flip of a coin, Kensi's team had the first go. They collectively decided to let the green-eyed girl do the honors of breaking the racked balls.

Kensi leaned in rather seductively over the table as her eyes were intently glued onto Lia's brown ones. Lia could feel the earth trembling underneath her feet as the intensity of Kensi's gaze overwhelmed her being. She felt warmth, an abnormally encapsulating one that sent chills down her spine.

The green-eyed girl sent Lia a smirk before forcefully striking the cue ball towards the set of fifteen, creating various clatters as the sixteen-piece set collide into each other. She managed to sink the six ball to the left corner pocket - dropping Ice's jaw in the process. Kensi's two teammates howled for her while Lia smiled subtly by the sidelines, blushing.

Kensi looked too sexy for words and Lia was huffing air out as she fanned herself to cope with the warmth Kensi inflicted upon her.

The green-eyed girl managed to sink the one ball after winking at Lia to the right side pocket before missing her aim on another target, it being the two ball. She had always been systematic and wanted to sink the numbers in consecutive order. There were much easier targets but she was up for a challenge.

Trevor was quick to commend Kensi, giving the girl a high five before they stood to one side as Jaron took his turn. Ice was aiming for the nine ball but accidentally nudged the five ball into a corner pocket.

"I wouldn't want to bash my brother when a girl, no less than Kensi Lancaster, had no problem sinking two consecutively when I can't even sink one." Landon snickered.

His insinuation was understood by his brother which made him smirk. Ice begrudgingly retired the cue stick to Trevor who was softly laughing at the two bitter brothers.

He easily spotted a target, the solid red ball, which was close to a side pocket. A little nudge of the cue ball would send it in the pocket. However, Amber was sabotaging her boyfriend's game.

"Baby, if you send that ball to the pocket - no kisses for a week." She lightheartedly warned, giggling.

Trevor let out a huff in annoyance, clenching his jaw but was unable to contain his smile. Amber sounded cute to him and that was enough to elicit a smile. Landon was practically begging with his eyes while Kensi merely shook her head as she laughed softly. He reluctantly missed his target to which her girlfriend cheered, hugging him tightly.

Lia was next in line and looked like a scared little puppy. She sought help from her best friend who offered her a sympathetic smile. Kensi didn't have to do little tricks, the younger girl sent the cue ball flying off the table on her own. Lia frowned, jutting her lower lip out, retreating to Kensi who was mirroring her expressions but ready to encapsulate her in a hug.

"It's okay, baby girl." She cooed, kissing her head as she stifled a laugh.

The game progressed with Trevor missing his strikes on purpose and Landon miserably attempting to sink a single ball while Kensi picked up their slack. Ice was slowly getting his stride. Lia practically gave the other team redemption with her knocking the balls off the table. Amber could not even concentrate as Trevor gave her a taste of her own medicine.

Laughs resonated through the walls of the large house, momentarily distracting the group of friends from various personal dilemmas and predicaments. Kensi was just happy she got to see Lia having fun. Lots of group hugs, high fives and ridiculous little smack talks later -Kensi became person who managed to pocket the eight ball, winning the game for her team.

Lia looked at the green-eyed girl with pride as Kensi, Trevor and Landon were bouncing in celebration. Amber was giggling at the silly looking display of victory. Ice was not necessarily happy but was not arguing with them. He quietly nodded, leaning on the pool table as he folded his arms.

All the laughter had been ceased when Kensi heard her ringtone go off. She rushed to her phone which was on the coffee table, picking it up to read who the caller was.

"It's dad. I have to take this." She lifted her phone, looking at Lia who mouthed a "go" as she nodded.

Ice was quick to stand by her side, elbowing Lia as they both watch Kensi saunter towards the wide door that lead to the backyard. The other two guys followed suit, knowing how trivial the subject would be.

"Have you pulled the moves on Kensi yet?" Ice asked in a hushed tone.

"No. Duke gave her the world and I think I can only give her bananas." Lia mumbled, running a hand through her hair, ruffling it by the crown as per usual - seeking the little ounce of control she had over the situation. The reality of her insecurities set in her heart, significantly making her feelings miserably heavy. "With him, she made her a duchess just by his name and we all know there's more to him than meets the eye. Any girl who could date him would be lucky an-"

"Hey Kensi!" Ice exclaimed, halting the Kensi and startling Lia into jumping slightly. The younger girl was reaching for his arm but the football player raised his hand, asking Lia to stop and let him.

"Yeah?" Kensi raised her brows with a subtle scowl as soon as she swiveled to face her friends. She did not like that Lia looked uncomfortable, she wanted to just snatch the younger girl from him and hold her. Kensi's phone was still frantically ringing in her hand.

"Do you like bananas?"

The green-eyed girl stitched her brows together in confusion. The question just seemed so ridiculous, even Amber thought so. Amber was engrossed in her phone, seated as far away from the group of friends. Lia held her breath as she expected to be rejected even before she could say anything. She was desperately tensed, dropping her head low.

"As in the fruit? Yeah?"

"Is that a question?" Ice looked at her inquisitively.

Kensi shrugged, nodding her head. "No, yeah, I do."

"One more thing," He beamed at her, elbowing Lia who had lifted her head up with a much brighter look on her features. "Would you want to be a duchess?"

The green-eyed girl curled her lips, shaking her head. "Not really."

Ice smiled contently, throwing his arm over the younger girl. "That's all I wanted to hear."

The green eyed girl continued her journey to the backyard, choosing to ignore Ice's seemingly misplaced arm on Lia's shoulder. The four friends huddled back together and Ice proudly grinned, happy with the results of yet another crass decision.

"What did I tell you?"

Lia pointed at her friend, warning him not to speak further despite the beautifully swelling feeling in her heart. 'You are not going to rub that in our faces, Jaron!"

"Ah!" Trevor wagged his index finger at Lia. He and Landon moved to stand in front of Ice and the brown-eyed girl. "But any guy or girl would be the luckiest with you, Casey."

"Agreed." Landon nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "We could give you a list of things why Kensi's better off with you. We could reach hundreds."

"You wouldn't." Lia anxiously shook her head, knowing full well that if they did count the number of ways the Lia-Kensi tandem would work, she would long for Kensi. The brown-eyed girl would, in turn, be flustered and that would be the absolute worst that would happen to her in front of the guys.

"Is that a dare?" Ice flashed her his mischievous smile, the playful glint in his eyes was rather conspicuous. "I mean, she likes bananas, Casey. You heard her." He lifted a brow up, jerking it.

"No!" The younger girl retorted firmly, hitting Ice on the stomach. "I didn't like the one you pulled at the sandwich parlor."

There was a much deeper reason to Lia's denial -Duke and his recent demise. They were best friends, she could not steal his girl. However, there could no longer be such a thing as stealing when he is not around anymore. Lia was just not past his passing.

-

When Ice suggested a party, everyone but Lia immediately agreed. The party the football team planned on was set on the following day but Ice had a different agenda. He needed Birdgirl.

"Babe?" Lia probed, glancing to different directions, standing by the doorframe that lead to the backyard. She found Kensi making her way to the younger girl with a gentle smile across her face. "They just called people to come over. Do you want to go home? I could take you even though we brought your car."

Lia disappointedly bowed her head down, unwilling to see the smile falter. She was almost sure Kensi would oppose the idea just like every single night she showed up to a party despite the green-eyed girl's requests.

"I'll stay." Kensi offered her a tight-lip smile, her hand caressing Lia's new tattoo soothingly.

The younger girl immediately fell apart with the innocent touch. The new feeling was warmly welcomed. Her eyes retreated behind her lids as she drew a huge gulp of air. Her heart was giving out very easily even with the absent of any blatantly passionate touches or words.

"Are you sure though?" She glanced at the green-eyed girl curiously, struggling to break free from her daze. "I'd understand if you wanted to ditch. You could hide in one of the rooms, too." She sheepishly smiled, rocking her body back and forth.

Kensi huffed in amusement, her heart swelling at the concern in Lia's eyes. She held the younger girl still and lifted Lia's chin up to coax the younger girl to meet her green orbs. "I am."

"No babysitting." Lia playfully warned, lifting her index finger between them with Kensi attempting to bite the outstretched finger.

The younger girl gasped as she frantically withdrew her hand before Kensi could catch it. Kensi giggled, sending her head back. It was a good little immature play that both enjoyed. It was the ideal sanctuary from the harsh world.

"If you behave." The green-eyed brunette broadly grinned, pulling Lia to her for a hug.

"Are you sure you want to be here?" The younger girl asked again, her chin resting on Kensi's shoulder.

Kensi had to calm herself just enough to be able to answer her. She was laughing then, her torso shaking as her laughter resounded in Lia's ear. The feeling in the brown-eyed girl's chest was undeniably light yet packed with irrevocable glee with the resonating sound filled her being.

"Positive. Stop worrying." Kensi blithely chastised the younger girl. "I'd even stay in a place where I'm sure you wouldn't want me to be in."

"And where is that?"

The possibilities were endless. Lia was not necessarily happy in the parties. Of course, she would have fun with the cheerful conversations she shared with the guys but the parties in its core do not appeal to her as much as people assume it would. Lia is just a very loyal person who would be there for others despite her discomfort and Kensi knew that.

"In your heart." Kensi rasped, unable to contain her strong feelings any longer.

She could feel Lia stiffening in her arms. Instead of letting go, both held tighter to each other, even more reluctant to let go. Lia squeezed her eyes shut, coaxing her heart to stop beating wildly. She inhaled deeply, asking the world for the freedom to look past her sacred friendship with her dead friend.

"You've always lived there since I first saw you." Lia shyly admitted but truthfully, which caused an undulation of bliss to roam Kensi's body.

-

By eight thirty in the evening, the Phillips backyard had been filled with teenagers with drinks in their hands. There was another entrance to the backyard which was handy for avoiding having a sea of drunk people trashing their well-maintained house. The three older brothers have all moved out, leaving the house to the two youngest who loved parties. Guests brought drinks in kegs and bottles, and the boys were more than willing to accept them.

Trevor and Amber were dancing with the crowd while Ice was nervously scouring for the girl who had claimed his curiosity. He was relieved when he found a bunch of cheerleaders who assisted him in finding her.

"Birdgirl," He held Lia's wrist as he nodded towards the familiar girl sitting amongst her friends on the pool loungers. "Petite brunette with highlights and a killer smile, your ten o'clock."

Ice and the rest of the squad were sitting on the outdoor couch of the back patio. Kensi was holding onto Lia, her arm behind the younger girl with her hand over her hip. Both girls had not had a sip of drink for the night, sticking with apple juice which looked like alcohol.

"Is that the mystery girl from the bar?" Landon quickly asked, standing up to get a closer inspection.

"No, she's in the cheer squad. She's by far the cheeriest of them all." Ice clarified, dismissing his brother. He shoved him back to the seat, keeping him there. "But I've had my eyes on her since the first day of school."

"Diana?" Kensi asked disbelievingly. "Seriously?"

She never once doubted Diana's beauty. It was just that the prospect of Ice and the cheerleader together was heaven and hell, innocent and malicious, black and white, just too blatantly different. Kensi may or may not be prejudiced against Ice, too.

"Yup. I want to take her out on a date." He confirmed, nodding. The hazel-eyed boy, looked at Lia nervously who was thinking about how she could talk to the target girl. "I personally invited her here tonight. She doesn't come to parties."

"You're ditching the ways of the player?" Landon clarified, titling her head skeptically. "Is that even possible?" He teased.

"Piss off, Landon! You're not helping." Ice sneered through gritted teeth.

The younger boy raised his hands in surrender. "Fine." He settled next to Kensi, leaning closer to the girl's ear. He was excited for Lia to take off, especially with the new tattoo. "You have to see her in action."

"You may be crap at pool, Casey but you're good at this. You're still better than Landon though." Ice mumbled, looking at his brother with a smirk who was evidently aggravated - scowling at him. "You should definitely see Lia in her element, Kensi." He reaffirmed.

Kensi may have been as excited to see Lia in her element, however, she was particularly worried about something. She didn't want to see Lia kissing another person. She was certain she would shed a tear and would want to run out of there just to avoid seeing more of it. Seeing Ice kiss the younger girl was enough for a day, even a year.

"Do a pre-wing!" Lia eagerly suggested, tapping Kensi's leg repeatedly as she adjusted in her seat to face the green-eyed brunette whose face was scrunched up in confusion.

"A what?"

"You talk Ice up to the girl and say all those flattering nonsense that make them weak in the knees, and then I'll reinforce your words." Birdgirl happily retorted, unable to contain her excitement. She could barely keep her lips together as her grin overpowered her will.

Kensi chuckled, sending her head back in her amusement. "How do you know all of these things?"

Lia looked at her like she was crazy - sitting straighter as she drew her head back in scrutiny. She narrowed her eyes at her best friend.

"I'm Birdgirl." She playfully proclaimed with such pride in a much deeper voice, imitating Batman.

The Phillips brothers immediately bellowed in laughter while the green-eyed girl smiled widely as she shook her head. It may have been one of the most beautiful things Lia had seen -Kensi's smile. She almost could not believe she had been blessed to see the various ways Kensi smiles every day of her life since June.

"Cocky." Kensi commented, pursing her lips as she steadied Lia with a grip on the younger girl's shoulder.

"That's impossible! It's preposterous even!" Lia exclaimed, feigning offence. "I don't have a c**k to begin with."

The green-eyed girl's mouth gaped right before she huffed in amusement which led into an adorable laugh. She shook her head at how weird the joke was while the boys just lost it, giving each other a high five.

"Okay. What do I do?"

"Now, we're talking!" Ice celebrated, immediately snapped back to reality. He pulled his brother along with him towards the two girls, yanking him by his collar.

"Okay," Lia began, looking at Kensi and then the two guys crouched down on the floor in front of them. It was their briefing as if they were doing an urgent police operation. "First, we are going to talk to Diana. The win today is an advantage. We could talk about how incredible Ice was in the field and his strategies."

She glanced at the green-eyed girl who was listening intently, curious as to where the conversation would lead to. It was her first time to be a part of it, she had just seen Birdgirl in action from afar.

"You can mention that stuff, say something like he improved since his last year and that scouts will be looking into him by the next game. Most girls would do anything to be with a jock. But I don't think Diana is that kind of girl, so I will come in after that."

Kensi nodded in agreement. She would be lying if she said Lia's words didn't take her aback. The younger girl sure knew how to pick girls up. If she were to pull stunts like that on Kensi, the older girl was certain she would crumble before the first word escapes Lia's mouth.

"I will come and talk to her about something like sensitivity and wanting to help others." The younger girl glanced at Ice who was smiling delicately at her.

At least, Lia knew why he kissed her at the sandwich shop. Thinking back on the years of their friendship, Ice had always been the one who pushed Lia over her limits and explore the world from a different perspective. He had been supportive despite his natural playful stride and Ice is grateful she knew that.

However, Kensi was not as impressed given her lack of knowledge. She rolled eyes in annoyance, thankful that nobody saw her. Her jealousy was taking a hold of her - strangling her neck, choking her.

"You," Lia pointed to Ice, giving him a warning glare. "From what I've heard, she's a very, very sweet girl. She is the epitome of the saying 'would never hurt a fly'. Diana is kind and would personally bless people if she could. I know she and I are not close enough to be friends but I don't want to be a part of her downfall. I don't want you playing any stupid game and hurting her, understood?" She raised her brows at him, maintaining her scowl.

"I know, I know!" Ice protested, knowing full well what he was getting himself into. "Don't you trust me?"

"Nope." The younger girl muttered abruptly leaving Ice dumbfounded. Kensi was irrefutably happy with the response.

Lia groaned when she looked up to locate Diana which made the others follow her line of sight. She stitched her brows, frowning. She saw Melissa, the girl who had seemed to have been attracted to her since the stunt she pulled in Trevor's party.

"Watch out for Melissa." She warned Kensi who was raising her brows incredulously. "Keep a good distance from her if you can. She could kill a fly with her poison breath."

While the two boys scrunched up their features in disgust. Kensi was laughing softly - reaching for Lia's hand. The younger girl immediately parted her fingers so Kensi could slip her fingers through the gaps. It took a hell of a lot of willpower for Ice not to clear his throat and tease Lia to no end. He was happy for her though -very happy.

"We have to extract Diana from the cheer squad after so Ice could be alone with her. They cling to each other like leeches." Lia warned. She spoke from experience - scrunching her nose up.

"Amber and Janiah aren't always with them." Kensi reasoned, tilting her head slightly. "Even Diana."

"Exceptions to the rule, Kensi." The younger girl clarified, nudging their interlaced hands. "Those two are independent women. Throw your hands up at me." Lia was very serious, looking at Kensi with no hint of sarcasm or humor.

While the other boys were left confused, the subtle joke pertaining to the Destiny's Child song made Kensi laugh. It was a connection she shared with Lia that nobody else does. Maybe it was the years they spent together or the first kiss that ignited the bond - no one really knows that much about them.

"Are you up for this?" Lia probed, her features soft and understanding.

"Are you kidding?" Kensi questioned rhetorically, smirking. There was a sense of excitement in her belly bound with nerves. "Let's rock, babe." She winked at the younger girl, causing a disturbance in Lia's supposedly confident temperament.

The Phillips brothers cheered earning Trevor's attention. Trevor had his hands on Amber's hips while her arms were slung over his shoulders. Both of them halted as they waited for answers. Ice flapped his arms, imitating wings as he nodded towards Diana's direction. Trevor smirked at Lia, knowing the girl was about to take flight.

Amber was just as curious as Kensi, dragging her boyfriend to the group with a very wide, playful grin across her lips. She let go of Trevor's hand, eager to sit next to Kensi, finding the green-eyed girl's hand clasped with Lia's. She did what Ice prevented himself from doing and cleared her throat loudly, making Kensi jump in her seat as she clutched her hands onto her chest, letting go of Lia's hand in the process.

Her eyes were gleaming with mischief and Kensi was getting uncomfortable amid her rapidly beating heart.

"You could learn a thing or two about picking girls up from this, Kensi." Amber teased slightly above a whisper, leaning closer to Kensi's ears. "Maybe then you could finally score the girl of your dreams."

Kensi wanted to get back at her friend but could not come up with a smart comeback. She wanted to say something so desperately but Amber could sense her difficulty. Amber giggled, pointing at Kensi's reddening cheeks.

"Ready, Kensi?" Landon asked, giving the girl an encouraging smile.

"You bet your asses I am." Kensi retorted pompously, winking at Amber and Trevor who were both gaping at the new information.

Lia stood up with her, hugging Kensi tightly as if she was sending the girl into battle. The green-eyed girl never complained, she liked hugging Lia. They reluctantly let go of each other with Kensi sauntering towards the group of cheerleaders and brown-eyed girl never moved, watching her friend intently.

"Hey Diana!" Kensi greeted her, sitting in between the small gap that separated the shorter girl from Melissa who was not necessarily pleased. The lounge chair was long enough for three though.

The bold move impressed the boys that were watching from afar. Amber was silently cheering for her friend while Lia could not be more nervous. Birdgirl began biting her nails, furrowing her brows as she tried to get a closer look of what was happening.

The rest of the cheerleaders didn't mind Kensi's presence. Some even offered her a drink. Kensi declined though. The green-eyed girl had always been preceded by Duke and everyone's fear of him. In recent times, they have just been a little nicer to the girlfriend who lost her boyfriend and well, the girl is naturally fierce - nobody wanted to mess with her.

"Hi Kens!" Diana merrily returned the gesture - sporting her incredibly friendly smile. She adjusted to hug the green-eyed girl warmly. "What brings you here? Are you finally going to try cheerleading?" She giggled, knowing Kensi's answer.

"Uh… No." The green-eyed girl shook her head fervently followed by an adorably awkward chuckle.

"I'm just messing with you." The cheerleader set her hand on Kensi's leg, reassuring her as she stifled her giggles. "What is it then?"

"Lia and I were talking." Kensi began, glancing at Diana. A smirk made its way to her plump red lips as she looked at the older girl knowingly. She figured it was best to just dive in and not beat around the bush. "I heard number twenty one personally invited you to come here. I wanted to know if that was true."

Diana's smile disappeared and was replaced with her gaped mouth. She gasped as her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. The older girl was not sure as to why Kensi was suddenly interested in that aspect of her life. She and Kensi are friends but not as close as to reach the point of sharing secrets. Then again, Diana welcomed everyone warmly.

"I remember that same look on the first day of school." Kensi pressed, smirking. She raised her index finger, making circles around Diana's flustered look. "You were cheering for him extra loud at the field today, too. He was good wasn't he? He may be much faster than he was last year. Was he as fast to your heart?" She eyed the cheerleader knowingly who cupped her face, shaking her head in utter discomfiture.

"Kensi," Diana whined, elongating the pronunciation of her name. She pushed the older girl by the arm, sending her Melissa's way who scowled at the two. "Stop it." She implored, sensing the heat prickle the tips of her ears, which were thankfully concealed. “Don’t look at me like that. You look a lot like Lia right now.”

Kensi's smile widened, knowing she was actually doing a better job than she thought. She could be more convincing but she didn't want to try harder given she was flattering a rival. The thought of Ice's lips on Lia's put her on edge, unconsciously balling her fists.

However, she knew she had to focus on the job she was tasked to do and so she took a deep breath and worked her best smile.

"You like him, don't you?" Kensi prodded.

Diana was holding her breath, feeling the pressure get to her skull. She let out the deepest sigh she had ever released, shrugging. "I don't really trust him."

"Why not?"

"You know why, Kens."

And Kensi knew. Being one of the school's players didn't always mean all the girls crawl to you. There would be girls who would throw themselves at such guys but Diana and Kensi, even Lia wouldn't. Kensi was actually praying fervently that Lia wouldn't. It would be the death of her - a relentlessly painful jab that would render her to her nears.

When Kensi looked up, she saw Lia sauntering towards them as promised. Her heart raced a million miles a second. Air was forced out of her lungs as she looked at the younger girl in all her glory. Her gaped mouth dried up as moisture seemed to have evaporated and yet she was sure she was drooling.

Lia looked like a real badass with her tattoos - especially the new one that grazed her left arm. Her long locks flew gracefully against the warm ocean breeze, some sprawled over her bare shoulders that highlighted her prominent collar bones. Her stride was steady and confident, the laces of her boots flailed with every easy step.

"Okay..." Kensi breathlessly whispered, attracting Diana's attention who nudged her. “Oh, god, she will be the death of me.”

Diana was not one to judge. If anything, she found Kensi's blatant ogling adorable as she thought about the green-eyed girl's usually cool personality.

"Hey!" Lia approached the two girls, ignoring the other cheerleaders who were inspecting her new tattoo.

Kensi was infuriated when she found Melissa devouring Lia with those dangerous eyes, while others were staring at the younger girl with a rather devious glint in their darker eyes. She could feel a surge of heart-wrenching and judgment-clouding jealously seeped through her veins and it was going to blind her if she wasn’t careful. Her entire face felt hot while her ears were the most uncomfortably warm.

Sure enough, Melissa bounded over to Lia. The redhead was in her typical skimpy outfit, which was understandable when the Miami heat was brutal. She was getting up quite seductively as she walked in front of Kensi, blocking the older girl's view of her friend. It exacerbated Kensi's anger, unable to maintain her composure any longer.

"Hey Lia!" She said, running her hand up and down Lia's inked upper arm. Melissa was practically moaning the brown-eyed brunette's name much to Kensi's rage.

Lia was already holding her breath the moment she came a foot close to save her stomach the torture. She attempted to breathe through her mouth but was disinclined to catch the possible germs that made the cheerleader's breath stink. Maybe the "germaphobe" friend they call Landon is rubbing off on her.

"I love your new tattoo! It’s so beautiful." Melissa continued, breathing quite heavily and Lia could feel her warm breath hit her lips. She was none the wiser to the grimace on her face and Lia wasn’t sure if she found it more comforting or disturbing. "Wanna do body shots?"

"I will." Kensi practically yanked the girl back down on the chair, the impact harder than anticipated which the green-eyed girl celebrated silently. She was huffing and puffing in her rage but managed to whisper in the redhead's ear. "You can make her jealous."

She was doing really well for her first time, taking the lesser attractive girl away from the target. Of course, making Lia jealous wasn't the green-eyed girl's intention - carrying out the plans to bait Diana isn't either and it wasn't saving Birdgirl from the foul odor of the redhead's mouth. It was just Kensi, preventing Melissa from coming closer to the girl Amber describes as the green-eyed girl's "dream girl."

To Kensi's relief, Melissa agreed instantaneously. Excitement gleamed in her eyes. In her defense, her rational mind had been clouded by the volume of alcohol she had ingested. Kensi winked at Lia before taking her elsewhere, away from the girl of her dreams and into the huge crowd of dancing teens. She let the girl go almost immediately and rushed towards Lia's awaiting group.

Kensi received high fives and commendations along with light pats on the back, any harder and she would have felt her heart swing like a pendulum. It lifted her annoyed spirit but was immediately sent back to wallowing in jealousy when Amber looked at her knowingly.

"Getting a little territorial, are we?" Amber teased, batting her eyes towards Lia who was laughing with Diana. "You don't have to worry, Kensi. You do know she doesn't look at other people the way she looks at you, don't you?"

"What are you talking about?" Kensi feigned innocence, half-listening to Amber as her eyes were glued towards the brown-eyed brunette.

"Girl, I get that you're playing dumb." Amber grabbed the green-eyed girl's shoulder, coaxing Kensi to face her. "But it's time to woman-up and be as bold as the girl they call Birdgirl. I heard she licked salt from a cheerleader at Trevor’s."

The last sentence caught Kensi's attention. Her heart was racing as the feeling of being apprehensive settled in her system. She had never done anything like that before - she has no idea how to win a girl and her subtle advances hadn't really been fruitful. It seemed as if with Lia, the girl needed to be smacked across the face with a confession before she even believed anything.

But it wasn't just any girl though. It was no less than Lia - the girl who singlehandedly reeled ladies in for her friends, the same girl who’d had Kensi’s heart and she was so oblivious about it.

“I don’t want to hear about it.” The coil of jealousy tightened in her belly. She didn’t want to hear the rest of Lia’s so called adventures because as fun as they were to the boys she called friends, it was torture for Kensi.

“So, are you going to tell her?”

“Maybe.”

“You shouldn’t leave this to chance, Kens.” Amber prodded, gesturing towards Lia. “She’s a great girl. Girls like that don’t stay single for so long.”

She nodded in understanding, unsure of what to say. Instead, focusing on Lia and Diana's inaudible conversation.

-

Lia was just setting up the scene, trying to ease Dina into a conversation before she started mentioning Ice. She did it even if Diana knew of her intentions. She began by telling Diana of her problems concerning the redhead, asking her if she sense a problem. Diana simply chuckled, shaking her head. She was comfortable enough with Lia to share her desire to give Melissa a year's worth of toothpaste and mouthwash.

Lia was just intending on seeing how Kensi was doing and saying "hi" to Diana. She wasn’t going to stay long. She just wanted to make sure Kensi was okay. She was sure to mention that it saddened her that Kensi had to leave to save her from Melissa which wasn't a lie.

"Don't look now but Ice is staring at you." Lia eased the subject in, looking elsewhere as she scratched the back of her neck.

Diana's cheeks instantaneously reddened, looking to Ice's direction anyway and confirming Lia's words. Ice slightly waved at her to which she reciprocated with a flustered grin.

"He's been trying to talk to you but couldn't get you away from your friends." Lia confessed, sensing the distrust in Diana’s eyes. “He told me about you standing up for them and he wanted to say thank you.”

"I don't know, Lia." Diana timidly muttered. "I'm sorry but like I told Kensi, I don't exactly trust your friend."

"He's not as bad as he seems though. Trust me, he's not superficial. He's just annoyingly playful." The brown-eyed girl insisted but made sure to not sound too intrusive. It was the better strategy for a sweet girl as Diana. "He's really nice and will be there when you need him. I wouldn't even still be friends with him if he was that bad. He's been trying to help me with my own love life."

Diana became pensive for a moment. She could sense the sincerity in Lia's eyes. If there was anyone with a reliable opinion about the jocks, it would be Lia. However, she knew if Lia was lying, she would be misled albeit not feeling any sort of malicious intent in the brown-eyed brunette.

"Okay." Diana nodded aimlessly, looking at Ice in the corner of her eyes but found Kensi nervously fidgeting her leg. “But didn’t he have a date with Paula?”

“He doesn’t want to talk about it. I think it was a disaster.” Lia said with a small chuckle. “I don’t understand why he wanted a date with her. I think it was just to piss her off. He finds it funny when she’s angry.”

“It is funny when she’s angry.” Diana agreed, laughing along with Lia.

For a moment she was quiet, surrendering to her thoughts. She knew Lia was a good person but they hadn’t had the chance to speak with each other yet and as they conversed, it made sense that the girls she reeled for her friends trusted her. She was nice and attentive, careful of boundaries. She broached instead of forced and she only made a move when it was welcome.

“She stood him up.”

“What?” Lia looked to Diana, seeking for an explanation but then she resigned to shrugging. “He doesn’t want to talk about it but he doesn’t seem broken by it. His ego is still intact and maybe even bigger after that win today.”

“Yeah. She didn’t like how you guys humiliated her in beer pong.” She explained, chuckling.

“She didn’t like him from the beginning anyway.” Lia cackled as if she heard a funny joke but what came out of Diana’s mouth silenced her into gasping.

"So, are you going to make a move on Kensi soon?"

There was no use in denying the little detail from Diana. It was true anyway – Ice was practically the spearheading leader of Lia's love life squad and provoking Kensi earlier might have been going a little too far.

"If I say no will you still give him a chance?" Lia asked with a sigh.

“Kensi looks at you like you’re her entire world, Lia.” Diana said, hesitation making it difficult to enunciate the words. She could tell that the girl was fighting to deny the truth to her words, going as far as shaking her head.

“Please just tell me you’re going to talk to Ice and we can forget we even talked about Kensi.”

“But we did, though.” She insisted despite the uncertainty and the high possibility that Lia could despise her. They weren’t friends after all.

But the girl simply sighed, her chest heaving.

“Kensi is my world, too.” She mumbled, nearly swallowing every word she uttered. Her head was held low as if she was ashamed to admit it but to her, she didn’t admit to anything but a sense of fondness because a friend could be somebody’s entire world. “Please talk to Ice now?”

Diana was frantically nodding in agreement - grinning very widely. Soon, both of them were approaching the small group of friends with Ice and Kensi nervously watching them as they drew closer and closer. Kensi was grinning despite her nerves, there was just an incomparable bliss she feels when they're together.

Ice was first to get up, sticking his hand out to shake Diana's hand with an uncharacteristically shy smile. He showed her a place to sit within the group right after introducing her to them. Kensi was quick to grab Lia and wrap her in her arms. With Trevor and Amber together, Landon was left to feel sorry for himself.

As the night progressed, Diana grew more comfortable around the guys and the other three girls. She was fitting right in with Ice constantly asking her if she wanted anything. His meticulousness to Diana's wellbeing swayed the girl into thinking that it was right to give him a chance.

Amber invited the girls to the make shift dance floor for a dance with Janiah and some cheerleaders. With Lia declining, she pulled Kensi up to her feet, leaving the green-eyed girl no choice but to follow.

"We can help you win, Kensi." Ice mumbled in a hushed voice the instant the group was out of earshot. He huddled close to Lia, the girl steadily tipping away from him, shooting him a glare. "I really think she likes you, L-"

Unfortunately for him, Kensi came back in the hopes of dragging Lia along with them, accidentally hearing Ice's words.

"What do you mean help her win me?" Kensi interjected, her voice daunting, commanding that it raised the hairs on his spine. Her brows were knitted and her intense glare was beamed at Ice and then swept towards the other three pairs of frightened eyes. "She has always had me and she's not even doing anything about it. So, whatever the hell it is you’re planning, you can forget about it."

Lia held her breath, desperate to get a grip on the situation. Where did her calm, imposing stance go? Surely, there had been a lot of difficult situations with being her friends' wingman. However, none of them involved Kensi in all her captivating beauty.

Kensi was a force and her strength was beautiful and if Lia wasn’t so frightened, she’d have marveled at the sight of her, flushed cheeks, intense gaze and straight line of her lips. But as it was, she was rendered barely able to enunciate the simplest one-syllable word.

"W...what?" The brown-eyed girl stammered, reluctantly focusing her gaze on Kensi's green ones. She could feel her skin burn where Kensi was scrutinizing every part of her skin.

Kensi didn't look very happy and Lia was desperate to make her frown disappear. What the green-eyed girl was thinking was alien to Lia but she wanted to know, she needed to know and the uncertainty was killing her. She wanted to get up but and appease Kensi somehow but she didn’t know what to say. She felt bound to her seat, like a weight had been keeping her in her place while her pulse could not be any faster.

"You heard me, babe."

Kensi turned on her heels and started walking away from them without so much as the tiniest speck of a smile for Lia.