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Annie clambered in through her bedroom window, caught her back foot on the window ledge, and clattered onto the floor in spectacular fashion. She lay there long enough to be sure her mom wasn’t about to charge in and ask what was going on before she got up.
Annie hadn’t really needed to sneak in and out of the window. Her mom wouldn’t have been bothered in the slightest about her being out late. Especially if she knew Annie had been going to make amends with Bebe.
Maybe it was habit; everything seemed more interesting when you were climbing in windows via trees.
Maybe it was because Annie would never have kept the smile from her face if her mom asked how Bebe was. Annie was sure her cheeks would flush and her eyes brighten; even if her mom wasn’t annoyingly perceptive, Annie was certain nothing could hide her happiness under even the slightest scrutiny.
Annie scattered her clothes over her floor — none of her attempts to throw them into the laundry basket succeeded— and changed for bed, though sleep would not be coming anytime soon.
Butterflies in your stomach was such a ridiculous and clichéd description that Annie had always dismissed it. What a horrible description, too. Who wanted flying bugs in their stomach?
Annie had been certain she would never experience such an absurd reaction. Yet kissing Bebe had caused a kaleidoscope of flutters that, while not exactly making her think of butterflies, was close enough for her to begrudgingly admit the description made a lot more sense now.
Sleep did eventually come, bringing warm dreams with it, and Annie slept through until her first alarm went off.
Usually, she only managed to drag herself from bed by the third alarm — which was why she set so many — but now she bounded from bed, eager to see Bebe for their early morning run.
Everything had changed in a single evening and Annie couldn’t wait to see what came next.
—
Bebe had expected one of her parents to hammer on her door once Annie left, having seen her leaving via the window, but no knock ever came.
Bebe dug her headphones out from her schoolbag and put some music on to rid herself of the quiet left behind in Annie’s absence.
It didn't silence the thoughts hammering in her head, though.
It wasn't fair. While Annie had been here, Bebe’s entire body had felt light, aglow with the delight of Annie's lips against her own. Tingles from her fingertips to her tiptoes.
When Annie had whispered her goodbyes against Bebe's lips, the tingle danced across there too, left behind with delicate brushes of each spoken word.
But when Annie left, so did the light buzz of delight that had engulfed them both. And, in its place, a slow growing dread in the pit of Bebe's stomach that left her feeling sick and worn down.
Had it come out of nowhere, this attraction?
Was it real?
Bebe didn't want to believe that Annie was like that, but others had been so vicious that a part of Bebe couldn't help but wonder if this was another lash of harm she would let go.
It wasn't fair she needed to think like that.
Bebe barely slept, even after her music reached the end of the playlist and fell away to silence. She was awake before the sun rose and got ready to meet Annie for their morning run.
Annie looked so pleased to see her that Bebe knew the answer before she even asked it and the weight lifted from Bebe’s stomach.