"Charlie's changing." Tao spoke in the middle of the film.

Loralie leaned her head off his shoulder. "Our Charlie?"

"What do you mean?" Elle looked over as well.

"He's going to one of rich-boy Harry's parties, for Gods sake." Tao looked over at the pair with a sigh. "Last year he would have rather died then go to one of those."

"He's with Nick, though." Loralie pointed out. "We all make sacrifices to hang out with the people we like."

"Exactly." Elle agreed. "I don't think he's there to see Harry, to be honest."

"Nicks stolen him." Tao spoke bitterly.

"I think that's a little bit dramatic." Elle's eyes widened as Loralie held back a laugh.

"It doesn't matter why he's there, he should be here with his actual friends." Tao ignored her as he went on.

"Well, I think Nick is his friend." Elle nodded her head honestly.

"We should have invited Nick." Loralie gave a point. "Problem solved."

"Not problem solved. You two are on his side?" Tao gapped at the pair with a turn of his head.

"I'm quite literally in the middle." Loralie motioned to how she was between him and Elle.

"Tao, there aren't any sides. Let's just stop talking about this." Elle sighed as she looked back at the computer.

"Fine." he announced, Loralies head falling back on his shoulder as they watched the movie. "I just miss how things use to be. With the five of us."

"Yeah." Elle agreed from Loralies shoulder. "Well, sometimes change is a good thing."

"Yeah." Tao sighed slightly. "That's true."

"And Harry's party probably isn't even that bad." she admitted back to him. "Some of our friends said they were going."

"Friends from Higgs?" Tao looked her way.

"Yeah." the curly haired girl nodded.

"You made more friends then Lori?" Tao grinned.

"Yeah, you jealous?" she teased.

"No, no. I'm happy for you." he shrugged. "About time y-"

"Oh my god, I was wondering why she wasn't talking." Elle laughed slightly at Loralie passed out of Taos shoulder. "Not even an hour into the movie."

"Cheer practice is wearing her out." Tao laughed, moving some so she could lay down rather then on his shoulder. "She's kinda adorable when she's asleep."

"Oddly quiet." Elle pointed out as she pulled the blanket around her more. "But, yeah, adorable."

"Loralie, stop stressing." Darcy laughed as she watched the girl nearly bite her entire finger off. "You're going to do amazing."

"I've never been the center flyer." she shook her head. "Always side flyer. Why would they think I was good enough to be center flyer? I'm gonna fly so high I see God!"

"Welcome to the very long chapter in her life where she panics for hours." Elle rubbed her shoulders. "She will either pass out, get a fever, or sob uncontrollably within the next hour."

"Tara, I need to talk to you." Imogen walked over, standing above their table.

"Oh, God." Darcy looked away.

"Hi, Imogene, what's up?" Tara put her best smile on, despite already getting thousands of looks from around the school as well as both their name being in every conversation.

"One minute I hear you and Nick Nelson are a thing, and next I hear you're kissing some girl at Harry's party." Imogen stated the obvious, clearly letting her finish connecting the dots.

"Tara literally kisses her girlfriend at a crowded party, and people are still asking if she's dating a guy she kissed once when she was thirteen?" Darcy spoke with a questionable look.

"So that girl is her girlfriend?" the standing girl went on, looking between the pair.

"That girl? Im right here." Darcy looked offensively at her.

"All right. Fine, I was just asking." Imogen gave a little laugh, messing with her hair.

"Context clues." Loralie mumbled under her breath.

"Just so you know, me and Nick are basically together, so I just needed to check." she went on as Elle and Loralie shared a wide eyed look.

"You and Nick Nelson are together?" Elle repeated as she looked up at her.

"Mm-hmm." Imogen nodded hesitantly. "I mean, pretty much."

"But not actually?" Loralie repeated as she looked up at her.

"Look, we look cute together." she turned her phone to show a photo of the pair, possibly recent, possibly at least six months ago.

"Yeah. Very cute." Elle gave a tight lipped smile.

Imogen glanced at Tara again. "So you and Nick are definitely not-"

"I'm a lesbian." Tara cut her off immediately.

"Okay." her face lit up for a moment.

"Gay rights." Loralie held her thumbs up.

"I'm not like homophobic." Imogen reassured the table with a smile. "I'm an ally."

"Congratulations?" Tara rose her eyebrows.

"We thank you for your service." Darcy mocked. Imogen walked away, leaving the four to share a look.

•

kylie speaks

imogen x male!oc book
in my drafts is looking
mighty fine rn. she's so
cute.