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Zoey had three truly happy places: performing on stage, lazing around on the couch, and cuddling in the arms of her girlfriends.
And soaking in the bath house - so four. But counting, or even thinking, was difficult in the bath house when the hot water immersed her body until her skin softly pruned, while the aromatic steam soothed her senses and lulled her almost to sleep. All her troubles and thoughts slipped away, save for a tune that she had rehearsed non-stop for the past week. She had yet to decide the words that would shape it, but the melody at its core was gradual yet deep, each note heavy with longing and hope - quite unlike her usually energetic rap verses, due to the nature of this song being inspired by Rumi's stellar voice. Zoey spent days practicing to draw more power and sustain out of her voice without straining it or destabilizing the notes, hoping to hit the heights that Rumi could, and the tune had yet to leave her head.
“Hm hm hmm, hmm… hmm, mm hmmm mm hmm…”
In her mind it chimed with perfect clarity. She just had not been able to fully paint it with her voice yet. She continued humming it to herself in the warm haze of the bath, till she felt a tap on her foot under the water. She glanced around - Mira smirked and nodded toward Rumi. Zoey followed and glanced Rumi's way, finding her laid back, eyes closed and oblivious.
Zoey mouthed to Mira: “What?”
“Tell her!”
Zoey shook her head in a panic. “No way! Why would I?”
Mira frowned and arched a brow as if to ask, ‘Really?’ She mouthed: “Seriously? She'll love it.”
“Not yet, it's not finished!”
“It doesn't have to be,” Mira insisted, her intensifying gestures stirring the water. Zoey glanced at Rumi - her eyes were still blissfully closed.
Zoey crossed her hands in an ‘X’ shape and shook her head frantically. “I'm not ready yet.”
“You don't have to be.”
Zoey sighed and sank to her nose in the hot bath, now feeling at odds with herself. Waiting a week to show off to Rumi had been agonizing, but the fear of messing up or disappointing herself paralyzed her. She supposed that Mira did have a point… she didn't have to sing it in the same moment that she revealed it. She just wanted to maximize the shock and the awe factor and totally ‘wow’ Rumi. For now, she reminded herself to chill and relax for as long as they stayed at the bath house and that it was a work in progress. She had a thousand works in progress - what could having one more hurt?
“Hey Rumi?” Mira's voice shattered the serene silence they shared; her sideways glance to Zoey shattered any semblance of trust that they shared.
“Yeah? What's up?”
Zoey gaped at Mira. “What are you doing?”
Mira continued, mercilessly: “That wasn't just me, right? You also heard that tune that Zoey was humming?”
“Yeah, I was wondering about that.” She stretched her arms up and, through a yawn, added: "It sounded so nice that it was actually lulling me to sleep.”
“I know, right?” Mira turned her snarky smile back to Zoey. “Well Zoey? Your fans demand an encore.”
The water splashed as Zoey kicked Mira, who flipped her off in response. She then jabbed her finger at Rumi right as she opened her dreamy eyes and smiled expectantly at Zoey.
“Oh, I mean, I wouldn't call that a demand,” Zoey said sheepishly. “It was more like-”
Rumi raised a hand to interject: “Actually, it was a demand. I'd love to hear it again Zoey.”
Caught in the spotlight of Rumi's smile - her lips - Zoey squirmed, a sudden desire taking over to feel them puckering on her own.
Mira snapped her fingers. “Hello, earth to Zoey?”
Zoey came to with she had a dumb grin stuck to her face and her ears flushing hotly under her towel.
“Yeah, um… okay.” Zoey exhaled through her nose, centered herself, and hummed the song again a little more confidently, channeling more of Rumi's fire: “Hm hm hmm, hmm… hmm, mm hmmm mm hmm…”
Gleefully, Zoey watched a smile blooming across Rumi's face. Her head swayed with each turn of the rhythm, every subtle bend in Zoey's voice. Her lips rounded slightly as she silently improvised her own lyrics, or just syllables, that fit the same flow. Even if it was all nonsensical sounds, the sincere gesture of jamming alongside her lit Zoey's heart up with joy.
“So you like it?”
“Of course I do! It's really smooth and easy-flowing. You think it's going to turn into a full-fledged song?”
“I mean, I hope so… I'm working really hard on it.”
“And you haven’t gotten us involved yet because…?” Rumi leaned forward, grinning as she asked, hoping to hear whatever was making Zoey so bashful about it.
“Well, I kind of wanted- like- I just want- Ugh! Hang on. What are you trying to say Zoey?”
Mira stifled a giggle as the blush in Zoey's face burned.
Zoey exhaled. “I was really, really inspired by the note you hit in ‘Golden’ and your journey to get there, and ever since I just keep wanting to be able to sing as powerfully as you do. Like- I rap, yeah, and I know I can sing, but… you just do it like no one else Rumi.”
Rumi softened at such glowing praise, a huge and bashful smile sprawling across her lips.
“Aww, Zoey! That is genuinely so sweet.” Rumi slid over to sit beside her. Now hip to hip and hand to hand, she thanked Zoey with a strong smooch. “Nothing gives me the confidence that I need more than you guys do.”
Zoey squeezed her hand back. Then, before she knew it, Mira had moved to the other side of her and put her arm around her waist. With her hand she pulled Zoey's chin toward her and kissed her too while Rumi laid another cluster of kisses on her cheek. All of the sudden affection, blazing and soft in the hot bath, yanked Zoey's heart up into her throat.
After giving her a break, Mira smirked. “See Zoey? Now don't you feel better?”
“Y-Yeah, I do actually… lots better,” she giggled with a whirlwind of butterflies in her.
“Well?” Mira turned her cheek and tapped it with her finger. “Do I get a thank you kiss or what?”
“I was gonna!”
“Mhm,” Mira hummed as Zoey craned her head up to reach her cheek and peck it.
Rumi chuckled and leaned into Zoey, head on her shoulder.
“I'm so pumped to hear your voice on that song, Zoey.”
“So am I. I'm really glad you guys like it so far. What little there is so far,” she giggled. “I love you girls.”
“Love you too,” they replied, cozying up to Zoey.
They all laid their arms around each other, then their legs - Rumi's around one of Zoey's and over her lap, then Mira's stretching across both - creating a tangle of limbs all smooth and softened by the water and floating against one another. Zoey melted into a puddle of pure elation between them, a hazy thought lingering through the steam: that she had totally combined two of her happy places and never wanted to leave.