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"Bump, and set!" - Mackenzie passed the volleyball to Tabitha, who cartwheeled and dropped the ball on the other side of the net with her feet.
Tampa sat in the grass, looking at two squealing girls as she quietly inhaled on her CPAP machine.
"I don't understand how a person could have that much energy" - Tampa turned to the sudden voice, Mary's lanky figure making herself comfortable beside her.
"Athletes are weird" - Tampa looked over at Tabitha on a headstand, Mackenzie hugging her friends legs - "how does she even do that? i would break an arm or something."
Mary seemed to study her carefully, then her CPAP machine at her feet. "Why do you always breathe in that thing, dont you only need it for sleep anyways?"
Tampa shifted awkwardly - "don't tell anyone i told you this, but this is actually my first sleepover. It... makes me feel safe i guess" - she shrugged, trying to feign nonchalance. "But don't make fun of me for it, or i'll spray you with that one medicine that smells like rotten eggs" - the smaller girl reached for her machine protectively.
Mary studied the other girl for a moment, before stumbling for her frog book she had tucked in her arm. She searched around the book, seemingly knowing every page on top of her head.
"There!" - she loudly slapped the picture of the frog with her index finger, passing the book to startled Tampa. "Titicaca water frog. This is you."
The smaller girl peered down at the picture in her lap with a sceptic expression on her face. "this is literally the ugliest frog ive ever seen in my whole life."
The taller girl rolled her eyes - " It's the worlds largest fully aquatic frog, it uses its skin to breathe, reminds me of you." Mary giggled at Tampas offended expression before quickly turning couple of pages more.
"Here! Nyctibatrachus. This one is me." Mary beamed at the other girl, suddenly proud of herself. "Its also called the night frog. I love them because i like to stay up and night and read "the nightcrawlers" while my parents argue thinking i'm asleep. And don't tell anyone i told you this either, but sometimes, i like pretending im a frog. it's just so much easier. I've assigned everyone else too. Mackenzie is a Goliath frog, because it's the buffest, and Tabitha is poison dart frog, since it's all colorful and pink."
Mary scratched her head, suddenly embarrassed - "i guess what i'm trying to say is that you're not the only weirdo here." the taller girl smiled at Tampa, blush still evident on her face.
Tampa silently studied the girl before carefully tucking her CPAP machine away. "Frogs, huh. Is that the reason why your hair is always so slimy?" She asked with a smirk, complitely diffusing the situation.
"Oh my god, you jerk." Mary snorted, elbowing the other girl harsher than necessary.
The two girls were interrupted by their friends' loud shriek, Tabitha playfully chasing after Mackenzie, volleyball long abandoned.
"At least we're not these guys" Tampa chuckled and loudly called for her two friends - "hey weirdos! You're gonna let all the vanilla ice cream melt!
The four girls all scurried to the front door, playfully shoving and giggling to each other.
"Just asking for a friend," Mary tempted "how do you guys feel about mustard?"