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"Sleepover!" Taylor screamed. Rochelle, Laurie, and Kai joined in on the screaming as they ran into Taylor's home and bolted upstairs, their footsteps shaking the whole house. Taylor shut the door and waved to her mom, who sat in the kitchen holding a cup of tea.
"Don't be too loud," Her mother warned while Taylor grabbed the box of pizza and set a stack of plates on top.
"We won't, I promise," Taylor took a stack of napkins and added it to the pile. "Thank you, mom!" Her mother shook her head as Taylor joined her friends upstairs. Taylor ushered the girls into her room before taking a short walk down the hall, outside Ira's room. She poked her head inside and saw her younger brother on his Nintendo Switch mashing buttons. "Ira," Ira paused his game and turned his head, immediately lighting up upon seeing Taylor.
"Hey, Taylor!" He exclaimed, waving at her. She smiled and waved back at him as he gasped. "Woah, pizza," He reached his hands out, and Taylor moved the box away.
"Not for you," Ira frowned as she stepped into his room. She continued, "The girls are over. Please do not interrupt us," Ira pouted and sunk his head into his turtleneck sweater. Taylor sighed and put her hands on her hips, raising her eyebrow expectantly. Ira stayed quiet, staring back at Taylor before he threw his hair back and groaned.
"Fine," Taylor puffed out a sigh of relief and grabbed the door handle.
"Thank you, and I'll get you cookies tomorrow, ok?" Ira smiled again and nodded.
"Thank you!" Taylor shut his room door and hurried into her own. Rochelle and Laurie were playing patty cake on the floor while Kai was lying beside them, observing. When Taylor came back, the three of them jumped to their feet.
"Alright, guys, remember, we can't get too loud because my parents are going to sleep soon," Taylor explained while shutting the door with her foot.
"Oh, that won't be a problem," Rochelle answered. She took the plates and napkins off the box. Kai nodded, and Laurie gave her a thumbs-up. Kai took the pizza from Taylor so Taylor went to grab the pillows and blankets from her closet; Rochelle went over to help her. Laurie looked around Taylor's room again while Taylor and Rochelle set their sleeping arrangement on the floor. Kai set the box on Taylor's mini fridge while Laurie fluffed up the pillows.
"I'm so excited! This is my first sleepover with you guys," Laurie gushed, motioning to Kai and Taylor. Rochelle chuckled and added, "Yeah. And, we can all carpool to practice tomorrow."
"That means it's a definite no for skipping practice, guys," Kai said as she flopped onto one of the blankets. "My dad would kill me if I didn't show up tomorrow."
"I'm surprised he even let you come," Rochelle remarked, grabbing a plate and napkin. Taylor opened the box and held it open while Rochelle grabbed a slice.
"Yeah, whenever I try to get my dad to come to school events, he never shows up," The girls all looked at Laurie, concerned. "I-I mean, it's a little different, I guess. Lucky you, though!" Laurie rubbed the back of her neck and chuckled nervously. Kai glanced at Rochelle, who looked back at her.
"Anyways... agreeing that I wouldn't skip practice is how. I also owe him two more runs now," Kai shrugged and kicked her feet up on a pillow. "It's all worth it. I've been wanting to hang with you guys outside of school and practice for a while now."
"Aww, so have we," Kai scoffed, looking away when she began to smile. Laurie grabbed a plate and a slice.
"Yeah yeah, I'm just excited to play Minecraft with you guys, that's all" Laurie plopped beside Kai.
"Fair enough, I love that game. I bet you'd be a natural," Laurie encouraged.
"Laur, it's a sandbox game. You don't have to be a natural when there's no built-in mission," Laurie considered Rochelle's words before her mouth formed an o.
"Yeah you're right..." Taylor snickered.
"You're too cute," Taylor said, patting Laurie's head as she walked past her. She turned on the TV and sat on a blanket. Kai adjusted her position so she was lying on her stomach, facing the TV.
"No pizza?" Rochelle asked. She sat next to Laurie who had started eating already. Kai shook her head.
"Nah, not right now. Later though," Kai said with a finger gun. Rochelle nodded while Taylor scrolled through Max.
"What first ladies? We've got the whole night," Taylor said.
"I'm so pumped! We're gonna stay up all night," Laurie grinned, giggling under her breath. Kai glanced at Laurie and looked back at the screen with a smile on her face.
"Heck yeah, we are! We're going to play games, watch movies, eat-"
"And share secrets," Taylor whispered, and the other girls hummed. Laurie rocked side to side, smiling.
"I'm so stoked!" Laurie announced.
Snoooooooooorrrrreee
Rochelle snickered as Kai leaned the camera closer to Laurie's face.
"Pfft," Taylor snorted and covered her mouth. She started laughing into her hand and turned away.
"Shh! You'll wake her up," Rochelle hissed while Kai made sure the camera caught the inside of Laurie's wide-open mouth.
"She'll catch flies sleeping like that," Kai whispered and Taylor laughed harder. Kai laughed quietly and ended the video before lying beside Rochelle. The TV played Pretty Little Liars in the background while an abandoned game of Go Fish lay by the screen. The pizza box was empty and Taylor's trash can was overloaded with folded plates and crushed juice boxes.
"So, Kai," Rochelle started slowly. Kai turned to her and raised her eyebrows.
"Yeah?" Rochelle took a deep breath before sitting criss-cross and facing Kai.
"What's with you and Laurie?" Kai blinked and her smile slowly fell. She sat up as Taylor joined the two girls on the ground, her eyes wide with interest.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Kai asked, looking down at her fingers. Taylor gasped and shook Rochelle's arm.
"I knew it! Something is going on with you two," Rochelle adjusted her glasses and shot Taylor a quick glare.
"What?! No, we're friends," Rochelle crossed her arms and lifted her eyebrow.
"Not best friends?" Rochelle pushed but Kai shook her head.
"Well, if you're not best friends then what are you?" Taylor asked. Kai shrugged, trying to act nonchalant.
"Good friends."
"But you guys-"
"Hows Yuwen, Taylor?" Kai interrupted. Taylor shut her mouth and looked away as Rochelle snapped her head at Taylor.
"Yuwen?! What's with Yuwen?" Rochelle leaned closer and Kai chuckled under her breath while Taylor scrambled to find an answer. While those two went back and forth, Kai took the time to catch her breath. She watched Laurie snore, unaware of the smile that covered her face. Laurie was so cute, the thought made Kai's heart flip.
"Hey!" Kai snapped her head at Rochelle when she suddenly spoke to her. "I didn't forget about you and Laurie," Kai's jaw slacked and she glared at Taylor who was pretending not to be listening.
"And did you get everything from her about Yuwen?" Kai attempted to deflect but Rochelle scoffed and kept her eyes on Kai.
"Nice try. Now spill, do you like her?" Kai's heart dropped. She tried to think of another way to flip the attention off of her but Rochelle wasn't budging. She eventually sighed and brought her knees to her chest.
"We aren't anything but friends, but..." Rochelle and Taylor leaned closer. Kai glanced at Laurie before groaning. "I like her," Taylor gasped and excitedly grabbed Rochelle's shoulders.
"You have a crush on Laurie?" Rochelle whispered. Kai gulped and nodded while she tried to figure out what emotion Rochelle was feeling right now. Her face was unreadable.
"Omg, we have to set you guys up!" Taylor squealed, scooching over to Kai and hugging her. "You guys would be so cute!" Kai waved it off with a fake disinterested scoff but Taylor kept going. "We'd call you guys Goldielocs!" Rochelle and Kai looked at Taylor, confused.
"Goldilocks? Like the children's book?" Rochelle asked. Taylor groaned and shook her head.
"No no. Goldie because Laurie's blonde and locs because of Kai's hair," At Taylor's explanation, Rochelle hummed and went back to pondering. Kai shook her head, giggling out,
"You are too much sometimes," Taylor shrugged while she stood and went through her mini fridge. She grabbed a juice box and popped the straw into the lid. Kai watched her tilt it over Laurie's mouth and squeeze. Laurie's eyes popped out of her head and she swallowed before letting out a strangled cry and swatting at the air. By that point, Taylor stopped squeezing and was on her knees cackling.
"You could've ruined your sheets if she spit that out," Rochelle muttered, shaking her head, but Taylor kept laughing. Laurie gasped for air and clutched at her heart.
"What happened!? What'd I miss?" Laurie looked around the rooms, more confused than ever at the different facial expressions every had. "I'm so sorry for falling asleep, it was an accident, I promise," She held her hands together in a praying motion in Kai's direction. Kai giggled and waved it off.
"Nah, you're good. You missed a few eps, but we can always rewind," Kai reassured, causing Laurie to sigh in relief. She dropped her hands and wiped the drool off of her chin.
"Oh thank god," Kai smiled a bit before turning to face the TV. Taylor thought for a moment before sitting beside Laurie and whispering, "You'll have to sleep next to Kai, we don't have enough sheets," Laurie looked at Taylor.
"Oh, ok!" Taylor grinned as Laurie crawled her way next to Kai, happily leaning against her. Kai stiffened and snapped her eyes at Laurie. "We have to sleep together tonight. Taylor said we don't have enough sheets," Laurie beamed at the revelation but Kai looked as if she saw a ghost.
"Seriously, Taylor?" She whispered.
But in the morning, Kai awoke with Laurie's arms wrapped loosely around her and her head on Kai's. Kai felt her face burn and she fought every atom in her bottom not to move; not to ruin this blissful moment.
Thank you, Taylor.