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The whistle is blown and the game is over. We have won. Which itself is surprising. Whats even more surprising is by how many points we won by. There was a surprisingly large gap between the points each team has. It's nice to win like that. It feels deserved.
"Hey frenchman", Akarsha stops her shouting to run over and hug me. I freeze at the unexpected attack. This is obviously another one of her tricks. Yet not an unwanted one, I can't seem to pull myself away. It's infinity better than being thrown into a pool. Though she might still throw me into some mud.
"Hello Akarsha", I hum, breaking of from the comfort of her surprisingly strong arms. "You actually did good this game", she quips, "though I should of expected it from you". I've noticed the whole team improving. But it is nice to hear that Akarsha has noticed how much effort I've put in.
"I've been practicing alot, I reply. Akarsha thinks for a moment before speaking. "You probably went home and studied baseball", I dont reply for a second; she's not wrong, but she doesn't need to know that. In my hesitance to reply Akarsha seemed to read my mind.
"Oh, you do", she seems genuinely surprised, taking a moment to continue, "That's my Noelle, always doing the most studying, even when you don't have to", I feel my face heat up at that comment, I must be coming down with something. "Wanna hang out at my place?" I hear myself ask, "my parents aren't home".
*******
I cross the finish line in 1st again, I have now got a 10 win streak in Mario kart.
"Wow Noelle, your horrible at this, cool people come 3rd" Akarsha quips. "I'm not aiming to be cool, I'm aiming to beat you" I reply.
She seems to way up her options "I'll win this one", she says confidently. We choose the next map 'moo moo meadows'. The race starts the same as always as I quickly take the lead. Akarsha resides in 2nd place.
As we approach the last lap nothing had changed, I cross the finish line to start my third lap, Akarsha does the same.
I concentrate on the game not wanting to loose.
All of a sudden I feel my head hit the mattress as Akarsha jumps onto of me. The race finishes. Akarsha 1st. Me 5th
"Told you I would win", Akarsha brags.
Akarsha turns around facing me now not the T.V. I attempt to sit up which I give up doing as its a lot harder to do when someone is sitting on your lap and holding your arms down. Expecially when that person is staring right at you with those brown puppy dog like eyes. Expecially when had deciede to leave their hair down, which is a rare occurrence, and it perfectly frames their face.
Expecially when that person results to pulling you up and keeps their arm around your back. Expecially when -
"Frenchman I've got an idea", Akarsha states. "Ok" as I hum, as Akarsha finally gets of my lap.
"Truth or dare", she proposes. "Fine what will happen if we dont do the challange?"I ask. Akrasha gets up and sits beside me. I rest my head on her shoulder. I'm exhausted and my head seems heavy on my shoulders. She gently positions my head to rest on her lap. I feel my face heat up. I must really be sick. I would move or complain bu lying like this is alot comfier than sitting up. I'm way to tired move anway.
"I guess the person who makes the dare or truth can choose", Akarsha replies, "can I take out your braid", she adds as an after thought. I nod my head. She takes out my hair tye. She tentatively starts undoing my brain she starts running her fingers through my hair.
"OK, I'll ask first", she whispers, she whispers it as if she spoke to loudly I would break. In a way that makes me feel precious. She stops running her fingers through my hair. I miss the feeling, it was nice. I could feel myself being lulled to sleep. Maybe mother was right, I am becoming to comfortable around Akarsha.
"Truth", I answer. "Are you gay?" She ask. I have to think about that.
"Well I used to think I was straight by default", I whisper, "then I thought I was bisexual for a bit. I thought I liked men for a while. Actually that's wrong, I felt like if I didn't like men people would hate me, so I choose men to like. I never knew I liked women until recently. It took me a while to figure out that I liked women not that I wanted to be like them. I felt like I couldn't like them. But now I know my label and that is that I'm a lesbian".
"I'm glad that you found yourself, I'm will pick truth aswell", Akarsha states "also I don't think any of the people in our friend group will hate you for not liking men, since everyone in the group is a lesbian except me who is bi".
"Thanks", I hear myself hum. " I think I'm going to end the game, I'm getting tired"
Akarsha just nods as a reply. She started running her fingers through my hair. I feel myself lean into the touch. Akarsha has become a liability. I'm here lying on her lap using it as a pillow, and I find myself enjoying it. It's comforting and safe. Something I would never feel around my parents.
My parents. Their not coming home for a week. I should be studying, yet I find myself genuinely relaxing for the first time I can rember by my friend.
Well I wish she wasn't my friend, I had wished that for a while. I wish were more, I wish she would hug and comfort me like this more often or I could hold her. I wish we could kiss and hang out more.
I sit up. She looks confused. I look ate her lips she looks at me seemingly noticing what I was implying.
She leans forward and I can feel her lips on mine. The kiss is clumsy neither of us know what we are doing. We eventually pull away.
"So frenchman does that mean you wanna be my girlfriend" Akarsha ask. I just nod my head.
After that moment of excitement I can feel the adrenaline leaving me body.
Akarsha grabs me by my shoulders and drags me up the bed till my head is on the pillow, I turn around to look at her and hide my face in the crook of her neck.
"Can you run your figures through my hair again" I mumble, I don't know why I say this, I really am becoming weak.
I feel Akarsha lips on my forehead, she starts to hum as she runs her fingers through my hair. We stay like this until I fall asleep.