Abs looked around bashfully then said, “Well I had gone into his office and said. 'Well Dean Long, I'm here to turn myself in. Samantha Roth was trying to protect me when she admitted to fighting with Nash Santiago.' The man just sighed at me and said 'Not you too Miss Jacobs. A couple dozen others have already been in here saying the same thing. I don't suppose you have a bald man costume in your closet?' It was so hard to keep a straight face.”
She leaned into me a bit, I savored the warmth and was amazed what she had done for me.
June took over and said, “Well it seems that with all the confessions and descriptions of alternate combatants, and the line of others outside of his office and down the hall ready to confess... the Dean didn't think it would be prudent to expel twenty percent of the student population.”
Then she got a wicked grin. “The cherry on top was when they asked Nash again if it was tiny little Sammie Roth or a large bald man that had reduced his face to a pulp. It seems with the choice he was presented, and he was expelled regardless, it was less embarrassing for him to say it was the imaginary man.”
Then she shrugged and chirped out, “The rest, as they say it, is history. Dean Long was forced to rescind Sammie's expulsion.” Then she put that proud look on her face again as she looked at Abbey and finished, “It was legendary!”
I was speechless. She had really done that for me? Mum spoke in a mothering tone, “Abbey, first, we appreciate what you did. I don't know if we should be proud or upset at the deception.” She was fighting a smile I could tell as she looked between us and said, “You girls have to promise never to do something like that again.”
We all looked down. Then she added, “And Abbey. You are so full of passion, you shouldn't let that draw you into physical conflict. You can't save everyone.”
Abbey nodded with her eyes cast downward and said almost in a whisper, “But I can try.”
Mumsy snorted and got a backhand to her shoulder from Mum and a reprimand. “Flower, you aren't helping.”
Which just got a chuckled reply, “Sorry Sky, but I like it. The girl's got moxie.” Which got another playfully admonishing look from Mum. So Mumsy straightened up and tried not to laugh as she said, “Yes, what Skylar said, Abbey.”
This got us all laughing and Mum shaking her head and saying comically, “You are bloody worse than these kids Flower.” Then she jabbed a finger in her ribs to our chuckling.
Then we all started discussing anything but the debacle at the Academy as the night progressed. Mum, as efficient as ever, had already booked six AM tickets on a flight back to New York for the three of us 'kids.' Then she made a call to Mia Jacobs who joined us twenty minutes later, with a tearful hug for her daughter.
I took a moment to listen to the voice mail from the Academy. Just like the girls said, they were rescinding my expulsion if I wished to resume my studies with them.
I finally got the object of my obsession alone outside, on the deck on the second floor. I looked at her with longing and whispered, “I'm sorry. Forgive me? Those pictures were from before I...”
She cut me off with a kiss that I surrendered my soul into. When we finally broke it off, gasping for air, she whispered back, “We can spend the night begging each other for forgiveness in a never ending cycle, or we can kiss. It's up to...” I cut her off this time, with a giggling kiss of my own.
After a satisfying snogging session that left me burning in all the proper places, and wanting so much more, we joined the others before they realized we were gone. June shot us a satisfied wink, the bloody minx.
Then before we knew it was time to turn in since we had to be awake so early to catch the plane. June joined us in my room as we all discussed the future until the three of us fell asleep on my bed.
Chapter 18 – Date Night
The next morning, a grinning Abbey and I pushed a snoring June off of us and onto the floor after my alarm went off. Which got us a blurted, “Hey! You frosh are mean! And to think I helped you two!”
I grinned at her and scrunched my nose. She comically added, “OK fine, I forgive you Hank. But AJ, not so much.”
Abbey squinted at me and said, “Suck up.”
I grinned in triumph with my succinct reply, “Indeed.” Then I suddenly made a run for my bathroom to get ready before the other two even knew what was happening. I heard their protests through the door as I giggled and got ready. “Too slow ladies,” I chimed out to their chuckles.
Once we were all prepped for the day, my parents loaded us into the Jeep and dropped us at the airport. I don't think Abbey let go of my hand the entire time... or was it me that never let go of hers? I smiled at myself, either way it was great.
The plane ride was spent recapping what had gone on at campus and how Abbey had met Zilrita and her death squid hugs. Seriously, nobody could figure out how an emo goth was so happy and huggy all the time. June shrugged like it was no big deal, but we chuckled knowing the senior was a hug junkie.
Once we arrived, June bid us farewell and left the airport with the waiting William. It took us a moment to realize she had abandoned us, most likely on purpose, with no transportation and laughed as we caught a cab.
I was squished by Zil when I walked into the room, and Abbey suffered a similar fate a moment later.
I put Clunky beside my bed and looked at the girls. “Well, I best be off to the bloody admin building.” Then I took a cleansing breath and smiled. “It's good to be home.”
I looked at the time then at Abbey and said, “You still have one class today Abs. I'll be done probably around the same time. If you... want to hang out or something later... I mean...” She stopped me with a barely there kiss. My body was buzzing and I couldn't have dropped my silly grin if you had paid me.
Zil's eyes went wide as she asked, “So you two are like, a thing?” I nodded, and braced myself. This could go one of two ways; I mentally crossed my fingers. Zil struck me as good people. Then she nodded slowly with a soft smile spreading on her lips. “Wow. That's so cool. You look happy together. I've never had any lesbian friends before.” I could see a lot of things going through her head as she absorbed the information, I could tell it wasn't something she was used to, but her smile and words were genuine.
Before I could sigh in relief we were sneak attack squid hugged by the goth, then she grabbed her bag from the multipurpose counter and said, “I got English Lit this afternoon myself. So should I like umm find something to do tonight... or do we have like, a sock on the doorknob signal or sumpin?”
I blushed into the netherworld as Abbey came to the rescue. “We haven't even dated yet Zil. That's Friday.” When as I was getting over my embarrassment, Abbey looped her arm in Zil's and marched out the door with her, shooting a wink over her shoulder to me and added, “But yeah, you two might need a sock signal.”
Oh, bloody hell! I could have died right there. By the time I composed my smiling self and left the room to go to admin, the girls were nowhere to be seen. Abbey was so going to pay for that!
The rest of the day was soooooo boring. There was so much paperwork to fill out pertaining to my reinstatement, mostly because of the scholarship. Then I had to get with my professors, or their aids, to get my assignments that I had missed the past three days.
But it was all worth it when I got back to the dorm and Abbey was sitting on the floor in the hall, with her back to my door, doing her assignments. She shot me a cute grin and I reached over her and opened the door, then stepped over her with a smug grin. I said offhandedly, “It's always open Abs. You don't need to sit out here.”
She stood and shrugged and deadpanned, “But then I wouldn't get to watch you walking down the hallway.” I gleeped at her playfulness and crinkled my nose at her. We had just sat down on my bed so I could sort through all the paperwork and assignments, when Zil came walking in. She waved cutely at us and collapsed on her bed and started working on her own assignments.
Pizza was ordered and we made it a study night. It was nice
to get the time to get to know Zilrita. She looked young because she WAS young. Sixteen and in college, wow. “Seventeen in October!” Her grades weren't stellar, but weren't anything to sneeze at either as they were good enough to get her accepted here.
She had been advanced a grade in elementary school and then again in junior high because she has a bad habit of reading ahead and then getting bored in classes and acting out. The teachers kept advancing her until the coursework was almost too much for her. That brought her hyperactivity down to manageable levels for the instructors.
The goth thing was just an experiment. She was trying to “find herself,” or something like that. But she decided she liked the look even though it was a contradiction to her personality.
My favorite part of the night though was that the entire time, Abbey was at my side. All of her innocent touches were my guilty pleasure, though I'm quite positive they weren't so innocent. I stole a quick kiss or two from her now and then. It was sooo hard to say goodnight to her.
I had a sense that things were how they were meant to be after that. I was so excited by the time Friday rolled around. Abbey had texted that she had a surprise for our date that night. I could barely contain myself during my classes.
Then I almost had a nervous breakdown trying to figure out what to wear back in the dorm room. Zil was absolutely no help, she was just giggling at my antics. Then I knew what to do. I hit speed dial two on my mobile. June answered, “What's up Hank?”
I comically blurted, “Help!”
She was laughing as she said, “I'll be right over. You frosh are so helpless without me.” I blew her a raspberry and hung up.
A few minutes later June walked in. She waved at Zil who grinned at her and rolled her eyes as she nudged her head toward me. I looked at June helplessly and croaked out, “What am I going to wear!?”
June shook her head and hung it in resignation and sighed out, “Oh Hank.” Then went about assembling an outfit for me. She kept checking her mobile as she helped me get ready for Abbey. What was she on about now?
She was finally happy with her Frankenstein monster and turned me to the mirror. “Taa daa. Hank version 1.0, no upgrades necessary.”
It was brill! Wait, it was... me. I smiled at my reflection. She had just dressed me in my yellow sundress, and white calf socks with yellow flats. My hair was down in lazy curls and it cascaded over my shoulders and down my back. She had put a tiny pink bow on my lock of pink hair.
My makeup was done slightly more heavily than I normally do, bringing the focus to my lips and my eyes. I looked at June and then the mirror then back again with a lopsided smile. She nudged my shoulder with hers and said softly, “You're perfect the way you are Sammie.”
I smiled at her again and said, “Thank you.” Then I looked in the mirror again. I think Abbey will like this.
Then June looked at her mobile again and straightened up with a sly grin. “It's seven. Go out to student parking, lot C, your girl is waiting.” Then she got silly. “Don't do anything I wouldn't do.”
I squinted at her and scrunched up my nose. “Thanks JW.”
She nodded as I threw on a white wrap to guard against the cold and grabbed my purse. As I headed out the door, June was comically leaning her head on Zil's shoulder saying, “They grow up so fast.” I started plotting their doom as I walked out and headed toward lot C. That's where June parks, so I was assuming we were borrowing her car for the night.
When I got there I covered my mouth. There was a smiling Abbey looking breathtaking in a little black dress with her wavy hair done up in a bun with a lock draping enticingly down her face. She was leaning against a rugged looking Range Rover with Washington plates.
I hugged her quickly and stretched up on my toes and kissed her cheek, then wiped my lip gloss off her cheek with my thumb. Then I whispered, “You look gorgeous tonight Abs.” It was so sexy how she towered over me.
She blushed and then looked at me. “You're perfect.”
I could feel my cheeks burning. I needed to get the attention off of me so I tilted my head toward the vehicle with a question on my face. She grinned and said. “Now we have wheels. Mom had my car shipped here. The car transporters dropped it off this afternoon.” She dangled the keys from her hand.
I smiled and replied, “That's brill Abs!” I still hadn't even had a chance to look for a vehicle here in New York. She opened the passenger door and helped me into my seat, then ran around to the driver's side and hopped in. She looked me over again with a sparkle in her eyes then brought her beast to life.
We drove through the city, taking in the transformation New York City goes through at night. From a hectic bustling metropolis into an almost magical land of wonder and entertainment. It was a comfortable silence we sat in and I started singing my private version of Snowflakes. I looked around and took everything in, in amazement. As I finished I realized Abbey was paying as much attention to me as the road. I asked shyly, “What?”
She shook her head and said, “Nothing. Do you have any idea how much you sing like your mother. It is almost spooky.” I blushed.
I was saved from my embarrassment when she pulled us into the parking lot beside Alfonso's on Broadway! My eyes bugged out, I had heard that there was at least a three month waiting list to get in here. She was grinning in mischief as she helped me out of the car then I hugged her arm to me as she led me... past Alfonso's? It was quite comical, the look she shot my, most likely confused, face.
We turned the corner and there was a little diner that was made up to look like an old time soda shop. I grinned in amusement at her deception as she held the door open for me. She giggled, “Alfonso's is what you deserve, but this is all I can afford right now.”
I stood on my tiptoes and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “It's bloody brill Abs!” I grinned at the place. A waitress met us at the front and brought us to a back booth and handed us menus. I slid in on the same side as Abbey.
She looked at me sheepishly as we looked at the menus. “Really? It's OK?”
I gave her a Cheshire cat grin as I responded, “It is better than OK, I could seriously go for a double cheese burger and a strawberry shake about now.”
Her eyes lit up and her mouth formed an “oooooo.” We chuckled at each other and ordered our guilty pleasures when the waitress, Mindy, returned. I bit my lower lip as I watched Abbey absently straighten everything up on the table. I don't remember much of my meal, I was lost in Abbey's eyes and her unique scent was enveloping me, making it hard to think.
She cutely shared my strawberry shake, with its two straws in it, with me. I really did prefer this over Alfonso's. It was more... us? The conversation over the meal was more... I don't know, intimate? Than any of our other discussions. I shared my deepest inner secrets and insecurities, and she bared her soul to me. I was so very confused. Why was this so much different than anyone else I had dated? Why could I share so much with her and feel so safe? Why was she so different than anyone I have ever met?
Oh, stop bloody babbling like a git in your head Sammie! There are some glistening lips sitting right in front of you, ripe for the taking! I made a good argument, so I claimed them for my own. The kiss was the most magical thing I had ever experienced. The only thing that existed in my universe at the time was this magnificent woman and the heat in my body. I broke the kiss and blurted out, “Be my girlfriend?” She was simply nodding and grinning. I smiled in embarrassment for blurting it out like that, but was flooded in relief that she agreed. Best date ever!
When we finished, we walked around exploring the area a bit. It was chilly so I hugged her arm to me again, pulling her close as we walked. I spoke wistfully, “So, this has been a hell of a first quarter. But you know, I don't regret a moment of it.”
She tilted her head to rest it on the top of mine then kissed my head before saying, “As odd as it sounds, neither do I. I think it... woke us up?” I pondered on that then just smiled in agreement.
I said, “B
rr...” and she altered our course, angling us back toward the car.
When we got back to the dorms, she walked me to my room. Then we both stood awkwardly at the door. Finally, she chuckled and said, “Oh hell.” Then kissed me so hotly that I surrendered all that I am into it. Then she left me buzzing as she walked off saying, “G'night Sammie.”
I waved into empty air in my happy buzzing fog and squeaked, “G'night Abs.”
I stepped into the room and leaned with my back to the door with a huge smile on my face. Zil looked up and a matching smile bloomed on her face as she asked, “That good huh?”
I nodded rapidly like a git and whispered, “That good...”
I jumped at a sudden incessant knocking at the door. I pushed away from it and opened it just to see a grinning June. She grabbed my hand on the way in and dragged me to Zilrita's bed and said, “So? Spill girl! Don't leave anything out!”
They listened in rapt attention as I told them of the best date I had ever had.
Chapter 19 – Every Day is a Gift
The next morning Abbey was at my place early to drive Zil and me to our traditional June brunch. We were sufficiently teased by the group about our night. I took the time to look around at our inner circle. Little did I know that this would be exactly that.
Our unbreakable inner circle here at the Academy became legend among the students. Later in life I heard that stories were still told of the things we did and the things we accomplished. We were called “June's Eight.”
I looked around the table as we ate, Abbey sitting so close to me our legs were touching under the table, to my extreme guilty pleasure.
June and William, I knew we'd lose them to the real world at the end of the school year, but I took consolation in the fact that she would be just a two hour drive away in Vancouver, after I graduated.
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