I know, I know, I'm useless:( Sorry for the slow update, I got a bit demotivated after last chapter because people seemed to enjoy it less. I hope this chapter makes up for it!

F i f t e e n : Slumber Party

"Pass me the popcorn."

"Miko," I warn, placing a protective hand over the bowl. "You can't eat it all before they actually arrive. One more piece and I'll send you out to buy more."

"Erika," Miko says, crossing her arms and imitating my nagging tone. "I saw you stuffing your face earlier, on my way back from the restroom. It's not all me."

I glare challengingly at my best friend from the opposite side of the kitchen island.

Between us, splayed across the smooth granite surface, is a large assembly of junk food, films and face masks. Miko suggested nail varnish too but I quickly decided against that. Dad hates the smell. To keep my parents happy and upstairs, out of our way, avoiding harsh odours is necessary. The junk food has been nibbled on, and I haven't told Miko about the other packet of popcorn hidden away in the cupboard. If she knew about it, she'd have no problem finishing the rest of the current bowl.

"No more food," I order, my tone stern. "For either of us. Okay?"

"Fun sponge." She sticks her tongue out at me and stalks out of the kitchen.

"Careful, Miko," I call after her, "You're becoming saltier than the popcorn!"

Riley and Violet are both due to arrive soon for a slumber party. I thought it was about time to organise a gal gathering, and nothing says bonding like practicing skincare while simultaneously demolishing the rest of your organs with junk food. I grab a final piece of popcorn before I follow Miko to the living room.

The last one. Definitely.

Miko is standing by the large bay windows staring out into our driveway. She turns around to face me, scowling and pulling down her pyjama shorts to cover more of her pale legs.

"I forgot to shave," she grumbles. "Do you think they'll notice?"

I squint. "On a scale of small household cactus to King Kong, exactly how hairy are they?"

"Hm," she mutters, peering down and stroking a tentative hand over her knee. "I'd say we're at the fluffy woodland creature level. It's been a while."

"If they notice, just tell them you're insulating for the cold weather."

"Yes," she nods, straightening up. Her Donald Duck pyjamas rise around her legs again. Now that I'm focusing, I can see the tell-tale downy strokes of hair on her skin. "This is why I keep you around."

I snort and collapse onto the couch. "Don't lie, you keep me around because my bedroom has good lighting for your Instagram selfies."

"Don't underestimate yourself! You also help me decide which picture to post."

"Not that you ever listen."

"Yes, but your opinion helps me to realise why I disagree with you."

I roll my eyes but there's a smile on my face. Miko's Instagram profile is one of those flawlessly colour graded, cohesive mood boards that all the social influencers have. She must know that she doesn't really need my help. I think she just wants me to feel included, because my own profile is a shabby mixture of group pictures and bad-quality concert videos.

Just as I'm about to retort, a movement catches my eye. A small black car is pulling onto the gravel driveway in front of my house, just behind the shrubbery. Violet and Riley have arrived. I watch them climb out of the passenger seats and I feel a tingle of anticipation in my stomach. It feels strange to be hanging around Chase's friends without him.

"Come on," I say to Miko, pushing myself up from the couch. "Our guests are here."

She's frowning. "I hope they don't like snacks."

*~*~*

"Peter Kavinsky in the movie is so much nicer than the book version," Violet comments, crossing her feet on the coffee table and squinting at the television. Riley nods- her avocado-coated face bobbing up and down.

"I didn't really like him in the books. I was rooting for John."

"I think they've cut away most of the stuff people didn't like," I say, pointing at the screen. Peter is talking to Genevieve in the restroom, but it's considerably milder than his obsession with his ex in the books. "Like- if a guy is that obsessed with his ex-girlfriend, is he ready to be dating again?"

"Yeah book-Peter needed to take some breathing room before he started looking at other girls," Violet agrees. Her hand drops into the bowl of popcorn on her lap and a few pieces spray out over the couch. "Honestly, someone should throw me into a romance novel. I'd call out all of the petty bullcrap they shouldn't be dealing with."

Riley snorts. "There wouldn't be a romance left at the end of it."

Violet grunts her agreement through a mouthful of salted popcorn. "Teaching girls what they deserve is the ultimate cock-block."

"And the best kind," Miko chimes in, raising her glass of lemonade. She's sitting beside me, wrapped in a Spongebob blanket to hide her hairy legs. She shudders and tugs it more tightly around herself. "I can't even think about dating at the minute. I can barely keep myself happy, let alone an idiotic male."

She glances at me, and I offer her a soft, reassuring smile.

"Is everything okay?" Violet asks. She must have noticed our moment.

"Yeah, yeah," Miko nods her head adamantly, but her gaze has dropped to the floor and she's biting her lip. "I'm fine, just troubles at home.

Riley reaches over for the television remote on the coffee table, turning down the volume on To All the Boys I've Loved Before. It's been playing in the background for a while, but we've been chatting, and nobody has paid much attention to it. I don't know about the other girls, but I've seen it more times than I can count anyway.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Violet asks. Her dark eyes are warm and earnest. "Riley and I are pretty fabulous listeners. We have a lot of experience."

"We do," Riley confirms.

Miko hesitates for a few seconds. She may have a lot of friends, but she trusts only a close few with knowledge about her family life. Finally, she says softly: "I'm just worried about my brother. He's sixteen and he's going through a tough time...we caught him keeping drugs."

Riley's expression creases with concern. "What happened?"

"A lot of shouting," Miko replies. She shrugs, attempting to alleviate the pressure of her situation, but the action is sad and heavy. "He's doing it to lash out or something, I don't know. Okasaan is quite strict on him. She's given him an ultimatum- stop, or its military school."

"I'm sure this isn't going to last long," I say, reaching over to squeeze Miko's knee. I need to remind here that I'm here. "He's going through a rough patch but he's a good kid. You just need to show him that you aren't going to give up on him."

Miko twists her fingers together and she's staring at her feet. "Hopefully."

"Have you thought about a counsellor?" Violet asks. Her voice is tentative and slow, as if the idea is dangerous territory, but I've made the same suggestion a few times now. Violet adjusts her position on the couch to lean towards Miko. "Maybe talking to someone about how he's feeling would help."

"I honestly don't know if he'd open up. He's never had many friends or people to talk to- he's trained himself to deal with things alone."

"All you can do is show him that he's not," Riley says. "And maybe with enough persistence, he'll have the courage to listen to you."

"I'm trying my best." Miko smiles a little. "Thank you."

"What are friends for?" I say, nudging the empty bowl of popcorn with my toe. "We comfort you even though you've eaten far more than your share of the popcorn."

"Feelings make me hungry," Miko protests.

"Everything makes you hungry."

"Speaking of feelings..." Riley turns her head pointedly to face me, a devious smile lighting up her innocent face. "What's going on with you and Chase, Erika?"

Play dumb.

My eyes widen with surprise. "Nothing, why?"

"Don't play with us," Violet accuses, wagging a teasing finger at me. "Literally everyone in the room can sense the connection there. Has anything happened or not?"

My oblivious façade crumbles. "Guys, you're reading too much into it."

"Has he said anything?" Riley leans forward in her seat, elbows rested on her knees. Her blue eyes narrow on me.

"No-"

"Aside from calling you gorgeous constantly, giving you his sweater, kissing your arm when you told him you hated your eczema, and the consistent flirtatious banter." Miko interrupts, emphasising each point by counting on her fingers. "Oh, and that sensational embrace in the rain."

Riley slaps her thighs victoriously and Violet squeaks. I turn to face Miko, unimpressed.

"Exactly," I say dryly. "Nothing. Chase Thatcher does this with everybody- he's checked out every girl in Lindale High as if she were a library book."

Violet grins. "If all girls are library books...you're his pristine, 15-dollar hardback."

"Gah," I groan, collapsing backwards into the couch and pulling a cushion against my face. My voice is muffled under the material. "You're all wrong. We just click, that's all."

Miko leans over from her end of our couch and snatches my protection away, exposing my burning cheeks. Her expression is unimpressed. "You've got to be smarter than this if you want to go to Stanford, Erika Monroe."

The words bring an irritating rush of excitement to my stomach, and I fight to keep a straight face. I don't want to get too carried away in daydreams and theories, because the relationship I have with Chase is complicated enough as it is. If I even think about the possibility of something more, the hurricane of anxiety in my brain grows tenfold. I need to work on proving to Blythe that he deserves to stay, and I can't afford any more distraction.

"Let's stop talking about this," I say, picking at a loose thread on the edge of my safety cushion. "I want to know what happened between Violet and Dylan."

Violet's smug smile disappears instantly, and she flicks her lip ring with her tongue.

"Ooh," Miko enthuses. "Yes! You two went out for what- a month? And then you suddenly ended, but continued being friends? Everyone was so confused."

"They weren't the only ones," Violet says with a small, knowing smile. Riley bumps her shoulder comfortingly, in an exchange oddly similar to Miko and I previously.

"You don't have to tell us if it's too personal," I contribute. "There's no pressure."

"No, no," Violet shakes her head, dark nails tapping on her knee. "I'm happy to talk."

Her gaze falls to her knees and clings there desperately.

"Um...essentially, going out with Dylan...it surfaced a lot of stuff for me. Thoughts and questions that I had about myself, that I'd buried down and didn't want to deal with. It was like-"

She swallows. Riley places a hand on her arm.

Violet's words begin to splurge out, faster and faster, in painful relief. "-it was like, I kissed him...and an alarm was going off in my head, telling me that I have no idea what I really want, who I like, who I am...I started questioning my sexuality more and more, to the point where being with him, being so distracted about who I wanted, or if I was deceiving him...constantly just an anxious mess of emotions and questions...it just felt wrong."

I stare at Violet in silent awe as she struggles for the right words.

"I told him that I thought I might be bisexual, and he was really supportive. He understands that I need to be on my own while I figure this...me, out. I can't be in a relationship with anyone while I'm working on this- it's not fair to him for me to be so distracted, and it's not fair to me either. I want to be comfortable and safe."

She exhales sharply and finally looks up. "So yeah. We broke up, but we're still friends."

"Wow," Miko says softly, leaning forwards in her seat until the blanket is puddled around her waist. "I'm so proud of you. That must have taken so much courage."

"I think you're very brave." My words pour out like liquid, smooth and confident and without the need for a moment's hesitation. I stare into the dark eyes of the gorgeous, vibrant, fearless girl ahead of me. Her features, usually so poised and confident, are trembling with uncertainty. For the first time since I've known her, Violet looks scared. And I need to help.

"I think that whoever you are, whatever colour of the rainbow, you are completely and utterly loved."

Violet's eyes are glossy with tears, and when she smiles, water tumbles down the curve of her cheeks. "Thank you both. So much."

Riley's arm loops around Violet's shoulders and she squeezes tightly, a curtain of curly auburn hair shrouding her vulnerability from view. "We're all here for you. That's what friends do."

"Let's go back to criticising Peter Kavinsky," Violet says, wiping the mascara stains from underneath her eyes and grinning freely. "And then we can watch Twilight and I can list all of the ways that Edward Cullen is an old, creepy, serial-killer whose obsession with Bella is fetishized unhealthily for young girls."

"I like that plan," Miko says, settling back into the couch.

Riley turns the volume of the movie back up, and a warm contentedness with the stinging smell of popcorn settles around us. After a few minutes, my phone vibrates on the arm of the couch, the first interruption to our newfound comfort. I see a name flash up on screen, and instantly reach out for my device to examine my lock-screen.

Squidge: Free tomorrow?

Me: I'm expensive, actually

Just as I'm watching the three dots that indicate he's replying, a cushion hits me squarely in the face. It makes my eyes water a little from the collision with my nose, and my phone falls into my lap.

"Hey," I complain, peeling the cushion away. "What was that for?"

Violet is looking at me smugly: the culprit behind the vicious attack. "That smile you wear while you're messaging him tells me there's a lot more than nothing going on."

I blink in surprise. They knew I was messaging Chase.

Violet cocks her head tauntingly. "Riley, do you smell smoke?"

"I think I do."

"Is it getting a bit hot in here?"

"Aside from my presence, it is pretty hot," Miko chips in.

Violet laughs. "I think that's because someone's pants are on fire."

Then, three cushions are thrown at my face in unison.

*~*~*
A finger prods into my shoulder.

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty." A voice coaxes distantly. Someone shakes my side and I cling to my pillow, twisting in my sheets to escape the distractions. Let me sleep.

"Erika. Wake up."

I ignore again, and the voice sighs. If I had the energy, I'd reach up and hit them around the face for all of this noise that they're making. As far as I know, there isn't a reason I need to be awake right now. Can't they see I'm tired? Let Sleeping Beauty do what she does best.

"Wake up before I pour cold water on your face."

"Piss off mom!" I grumble, curling up into the couch cushions and refusing to open my eyes.

A heavy weight plunges down on the couch beside me, denying me any space or comfort as I'm shoved forcefully into the grey cushions. "I don't know what's more concerning- your language or the fact that you think I'm your mom."

"You're right," I grunt. "Whoever you are, you're way more annoying."

Squinting in the morning light, I move my head the minimal amount possible to get a good view over my shoulder and curse when I see familiar brown eyes staring down at me.

"Do I need to fetch some soap to wash out that foul mouth of yours?" Chase asks, an irritating smirk playing on his lips. He's wearing a blue t-shirt; I can see the collar due to the way his torso is curved over my shoulders. The urge to elbow him in the stomach intensifies. It's a perfect angle.

"No," I huff, turning to face the back of the couch again and closing my eyes. "But maybe put some on the floor so you can slippery-slide the hell out of my face."

There's laughter in his tone. "Wow, you're so grumpy when you wake up."

"Wrong dwarf," I snap, pulling a cushion over my head. "I'm actually Sleepy. Go away."

In one fluid movement, Chase hooks a hand over my shoulder and tugs me down sharply until I'm lying flat on my back on my makeshift bed, glaring up at him. He looks far too put-together and smug for this ungodly hour, and my hand instantly flies upwards to shove him away, only for my wrist to be caught promptly in his fist. He looks down at me with playfulness in his brown eyes, and the scent of his cologne clinging to the air I'm rapidly inhaling.

"Now, now, gorgeous," he murmurs. "Be nice."

"Why are you here?" I groan. "Who do I have to maim for letting you in my house?"

"Your sister actually." He glances towards the living room door quickly. "Violet and Riley are up, now, getting ready. The boys are all waiting in the kitchen. We're going to the beach."

"The beach?" I echo in disbelief. "It's the middle of the night!"

"It's 11am, Erika," Chase chastises, shaking his head until his hair tousles. "Get up."

"Can't you send me a postcard?"

"No."

He releases my wrists and rises up from the couch, continuing to watch me with expectation. Releasing another groan of reluctance for good measure, I slide my bare legs free of the blankets and force my slumbering body into a standing position. Yawning and brushing the messy hair away from my eyes, I return to consciousness just in time to see Chase's eyes lingering on my pyjamas.

"I know, I know," I mumble, rubbing my eyes. "I'll change."

Chase smirks. "I quite like the avocados actually. Can't they stay?"

Too tired to find a retort, I push into his arm and shove him backwards a couple of feet as I storm determinedly to the door. "You're waking up the monster. Good luck with that."

I point a thumb towards Miko, snoring contentedly on the floor mattress, before I leave the room. Just as I'm nearing the stairs, I hear Miko's small scream of horror from the living room. I can't imagine her first thoughts when she opened her eyes to see Chase peering over her as she woke.

"Woah Miko, your legs-"

Then I hear her yell. "No, no, no! Where is the SpongeBob blanket?!"

"You- you're like a tarantula."

"Get out now- right now!"

Despite my morning grouchiness, I surprise myself by laughing.

A:N/ Bit of a different chapter, I wanted to give a bit more attention to the girls <3 I hope you enjoyed, I especially loved delving into Violet's character a bit more!

Next chapter is going to be FAB. Does anyone remember the TBBSMB beach chapter ;)

Cherry x