A Side Order of Shrimp

Chapter 1

Amy Raudenfeld lay on her bed, her laptop open in front of her and she was indulging in one of her favourite past times: watching documentaries. She was currently watching Into The Abyss on Netflix and despite only being halfway through she had learned more about the death penalty than she had ever learned at school and had arrived at the conclusion that Werner Herzog was a truly exceptional film maker. She heard a gentle tapping on the window behind her and paused the documentary as a wide smile spread across her face. She knew instantly who it was, Karma always used the front door when she came to see Amy, so that meant that the person tapping the window was none other than…

"Reagan!" Amy exclaimed with delight the minute she had opened the window. The purple haired DJ sprang through the window landing on top of Amy and laughed.

"Hey Shrimp Girl, miss me?" she said with a teasing smile.

"Of course. I always miss you, apart from when you're here, because then you're here so why would I be missing someone who is right here, that would be…" Amy said, her sentence freewheeling out of control and turning into a mess. Reagan laughed and placed a shushing finger on Amy's lips halting the tsunami of words.

"Amy, you're burbling again." She said, with a slight chuckle. Amy's eyes widened and then she smiled back.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm getting better at controlling myself. I haven't been the cause of any awkwardness at Hester this month." She said triumphantly. Reagan sat up and applauded Amy's achievement, biting her lip as she did so. Amy smiled, that lip bite was one of the most adorable things that her girlfriend did and it was all subconsciously. She'd never thought she'd love someone as much as she had loved Karma and yet she found it a lot easier and a lot more enjoyable and rewarding to be in love with someone who was a genuine bona fide lesbian. Karma would always be her best friend, but now her love was reserved for a girl who was never guilty of faking it.

"So, are you doing anything exciting this weekend?" Reagan asked hopefully, a little sparkle in her eye that told Amy that there was a plan brewing in her DJ brain.

"Not at the moment," Amy said truthfully, "do you have any suggestions?"

"As a matter of fact, I do!" Reagan responded with a big smile, climbing off of Amy to give her some wiggle room.

"Do tell."

"Do you remember how we met?"

"You constantly call me Shrimp Girl, I'm hardly likely to forget." Amy laughed, punching Reagan playfully on the arm.

"Well, I've got another waitressing job on Saturday aaaaand I need someone to be my co-waitress or rather I need someone to pretend to be my co-waitress." Reagan said, eyebrows raised hopefully and simultaneously smiling whilst biting her lip.

"Huh?" Amy said, her response causing Reagan to deflate slightly.

"C'mon pleeeease! It'll be romantic, it'll be just like the first time we met except you'll be a sexy waitress and not a sexy Shrimp Girl." Reagan said in an oddly seductive manner, leaning closer to kiss Amy tenderly on the lips.

"Reagan that is," Amy paused for a moment and actually thought about what Reagan was proposing, "actually a really sweet idea. I'm in!" Reagan punched the air in triumphant joy, wrapped her arms around Amy's waist and kissed her in that way that made her feel as if she was far above the Earth – floating among the clouds.

"Mum, can I go out this Saturday?" Amy asked sweetly much to her mother's surprise.

"Amy, you've never asked me for permission to go out before, why are you doing so now?" Farrah asked, looking at her daughter with surprise mixed with a dash of suspicion.

"Because she's clearly up to something." Lauren Cooper said nastily, shooting one of her venomous death glares at her stepsister. Amy glared right back and a staring match was moments away from breaking out when Farrah interrupted.

"Well? Are you up to something?" she asked sounding concerned.

"Yes, if you must know." Amy retorted, the quickness of her response surprising both her mother and her stepsister. Regardless, Lauren still pulled a triumphant "I knew it!" face.

"What is it?" Farrah asked slowly, her voice quiet and scared – hoping it wasn't going to be anything "lesbian-centric".

"I'm being a waitress at a business function." Amy said with a weak smile, hoping that her lie wouldn't be seen through. Farrah's eyes widened and her jaw dropped while Lauren loudly choked on a mouthful of orange juice.

"Oh Amy, that is so responsible!" Farrah said with a smile, hugging her daughter tightly. Amy's eyes bulged as her mother's hug was in danger of rupturing her lungs. She made eye contact with Lauren who glared at her.

"That is such crap! I don't know what you're up to, but I will find out!" Lauren snapped and stormed out of the room. Farrah watched her go looking worried, but she turned back to Amy with a wide beaming smile.

"It's so nice to see you do something worthwhile with your weekends! A waitressing event will help you get your mind of Karma!" Farrah said happily, before leaving the room with a noticeable spring in her step.

"Oh you have no idea." Amy said to herself, her head filled with thoughts of Reagan. She was ready for what was sure to be the best Saturday in a long time.

Amy and Karma sat together, leaning against a tree safe from the blistering heat in the cool shade provided by the canopy. They had been sat against the tree in complete silence, not an awkward silence, but a comfortable silence. No words needed to be said for them to enjoy each other's company. Karma turned to Amy.

"What you thinking about?" she asked with a smile.

"I'm trying to communicate with you telepathically." Amy responded sounding deep in concentration.

"Oh… How's it going?"

"Have you thought about Belgian Waffles in the last ten minutes?"

"No.

"Then it's going terribly." Amy said, pouting and folding her arms in a mock huff. Karma laughed and squeezed Amy's shoulder.

"Give it time, a little bit of practice and you'll be a regular Professor X."

"Thank you." Amy said with a warm smile.

"Anyways, forget about your telepathy, I want to know all about what you and Reagan have got planned for this weekend!"

"What makes you think I'm spending time with Reagan this weekend?" Amy asked, doing her best to sound peeved. Karma thought for a second and then her eyes widened with a thought.

"Do you want to hang out this weekend?"

"I can't." Amy said sounding perplexed.

"That's fine. So, what are you doing with Reagan this weekend?" Karma asked, with a knowing wink. Amy's mouth dropped open.

"So not cool!"

"Clever though, am I right?"

"Yes, very clever." Amy concurred. Karma didn't let the reluctant compliment knock her from her line of questioning.

"So… you and Reagan… spill it." She said, repeatedly poking Amy in the arm. Amy rolled her eyes and smiled. Barely able to contain her excitement, Amy turned to face Karma.

"Well…"

To Be Continued…