"The Breakfast Club, really?"
Max asked with a slight hint of bewilderment as she scanned the faces of the other six girls geared up for dorm movie night.
Each of them nodded in turn, sat around the TV in the common room in their pajamas. They ranged from Kate in bright pink and polkadot fluffy pants with a cute bunny motif shirt, to Chloe in a white tank top and black boyshorts. Victoria and Rachel had voted for something much fancier - silky sleepwear with robes. As for Dana and Steph, they sported a more casual attire, t-shirts and sweatpants. The cheerleader had acquired hers due to her passion, not unlike the hardcore nerd of the group - who wore a black shirt with a joke about dice and the number one. To finish off the set, Max wore a worn in, grey wool hoodie with loose black sweats
The room itself was decked out to the nines with pillows, blankets and stuffed animals each of the girls had collected from their rooms. Electric tea light candles littered every available surface, string lights crossing through the air. Their subtle glow combined, giving the area a soft, almost romantic atmosphere. Couches had been turned to make a C shape, the middle filled with stacked mattresses to create a makeshift bed. Everyone lounged around on it, munching on popcorn as they waited for the group pizza delivery to be placed.
"It's a classic, and it's definitely apt for a rag-tag mismatched gang of high school girls," joked Steph, "you know, like we are!"
Her comment gained a few giggles from the group - and an over exaggerated yet playful eye roll from Victoria - as Max turned to her laptop to find the film in question.
While Max was busy, Rachel shuffled to Chloe's side, and nudged her hard in the shoulder. "So, I have an idea..." she started, instantly gaining a sideways glance from the bluenette, who had previously been studying her friend with interest.
"You know, Rach, the last time you said you had an idea, you got Max so high that she couldn't remember the name of Two Whales..." Chloe chided, rubbing her temples at the memory of chasing Max through Arcadia as she went looking for the diner, an extreme case of the munchies totally overwhelming her mind.
Rachel grinned, her version of the memory being more fond than stressful, "Yeah, but it was so funny watching her try to list every combination of single digit numbers and animals... What was the one that finally got you to laugh? 'Five Aardvarks'?" she rolled onto her back, watching
Chloe's faltering disapproving glare turn to a softer grin, "She couldn't remember how to say Aardvark." Rachel continued, knowing Chloe had eventually had to stop for a moment and just let out the laughter that night, prompting Max to turn around and watch as the bluenette and blonde were doubled over in hysterics.
Towards the back, Kate sat cross-legged. A sketchbook was balanced on her knee, pencil in hand. Totally engrossed, she sketched the scene playing out before her - mapping the room's layout and position of her friends. Just as she was working on drawing Chloe and Rachel - who seemed to be conspiring - she felt the couch dipped beside her.
Trance broken, she squeaked in surprise. Her head swiveled to meet the curious person now examining her doodles. "Victoria!"
The pixie cut blonde's eyes were wide in awe. "Katie, that's definitely the most adorable Chloe has ever looked!" she giggled as she looked at the cute and cheerful cartoon-like versions dancing across the page.
Kate almost instantly turned a bright shade of pink as she quickly went to close the sketchbook. She was a very private person by nature, embarrassed to share her work. With people like Max it was easier; she knew that the brunette wouldn't lie but she also wouldn't give an overly harsh critic. Sometimes, Victoria had a mildly threatening aura about her, perhaps too direct in her speech. At least, that was how it used to be. Now, not so much.
The taller of the pair quickly put a hand gently on Kate's, looking her in the eyes. "I mean it. What you draw, it's honestly so full of life, and so full of passion for what you do. You put in the best of details, the ones that really define a person, so you can always tell who's who in your drawings."
Victoria, so caught up in the breathless whisper of praise, failed to notice her own cheeks flushing in response to the ever growing sweet smile on Kate's lips. Not that she was staring at her lips, of course…
To the left side of the arranged couches, Dana and Steph sat facing each other, talking about movies.
"So, wait, you mean to tell me you've never seen Star Wars?!" Steph gasped, a hand over her mouth in mock horror. "Where would I even start with you? The original? Or the pre... Eww... No... Uh.." she began to ramble, well into something about clones and the Empire striking back, all of which went a little over Dana's head.
Dana giggled softly as she watched her mind run on overdrive. "All I really know is something like 'Luke, I'm your brother..' I think that's the line..." she caught Steph's eye, as the shorter girl began to catch on that she had been tricked.
"You... You would only blaspheme that much if you actually knew what you were talking about!" Steph gave a playful glare to Dana, pondering the thought of tackling her to tickle her, just for that trick.
Dana's only response was a simple smirk, her gaze locked with Steph's.
Crouched over by the TV, Max took the chance to watch her friends deep in their conversations, smiling to herself. Chloe and Rachel were clearly scheming away about something that would, at the very least, be interesting. Most likely involving trouble. Next, she noticed Kate and Victoria, chuckling softly at how absolutely adorable they were acting. As of late, the tall blonde had become a totally different person around - as Rachel put it and nobody denied, aside from Kate in her embarrassment - the dorm's resident cutie; softer, sweeter, though still completely Victoria. Lastly, she caught a glimpse of the two brunettes to her right, whose demeanor definitely left her intrigued.
Deciding to not interrupt anything that might be important, she went and sat down cross-legged in front of the bluenette and blonde troublemakers. They both looked up at her, wide-eyed, as if they'd been caught with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar.
"Hey Max-a-million!" The over cheery response set off a thousand alarm bells from years of personal experience, Max raising an eyebrow suspiciously.
"So, what are the two of you plotting tonight? You both promised to keep the booze and pot away tonight..." Max - ever trying, and sometimes failing to be the one on the right side of the law - hoped the girls hadn't decided to get everyone intoxicated.
Rachel gave Chloe an extremely meaningful 'go ahead, tell her' nudge, before turning to Max and offering the most intense puppy dog eyes she could manage, which was often more than enough to melt Max's steel resolve against mischief.
Chloe finally decided to fess up, being unable to keep much from Max in the first place. She brought the brunette down to her level so she could whisper in her ear, keeping the ideas quiet for the time being, while now both of Max's eyebrows made a quick ascent.
As the first movie came to a close, Rachel glanced down at her phone having just finished putting in their pizza order. According to the app, they had about half an hour to wait. Before returning her attention to the others, she shot Nathan a quick text asking if he could grab the pizza and sneak it up to the common room when it arrived.
Not waiting for a response, she set her phone down. When her eyes caught Chloe's, she nodded and the bluenette passed that signal onto Max. For her part, the brunette sighed slightly, trying to suppress the oncoming grin with limited success.
"So, pizza is on the way. What should we watch next?" she asked, as she pulled up a flash drive of her own collection of movies, often the ones not found on Netflix. "I've got, let's see..." She scrolled through the folder, once it loaded on Max's laptop. "Fifty Shades of Grey, American Pie one through eight, Cube..."
Almost every single person minus Kate, Steph and Chloe audibly gagged at the last one. Steph and Chloe grinned like maniacs, whereas Kate - who'd never seen the horror flick - looked to Victoria and asked why everyone was so disgusted by a movie about a cube, but said nothing about the literal smut.
Victoria's heart melted for just a moment before softly replying, "Uh... It's pretty much gore porn..."
Kate took a moment to understand the meaning, and her face went from genuine curiosity to abject terror in a slow shift as her hand reached up to her necklace. "But... who would like..." She stopped herself as she realized who was grinning. The nerd and the punk were perfect candidates to enjoy such movies.
Rachel, for her part, saw a different opportunity. "What if we chose something else to do for now, so we don't interrupt the movie when the pizza gets here?" she suggested.
Max sighed, knowing the plan, but did her piece and nodded in agreement. The other girls all agreed, without a clue to the real purpose of the break.
"What about truth or dare?" Rachel asked.
The group's outward reactions fell short of enthusiastic, but there was a definite sense of interest if you knew what to look for body language wise. Luckily, that was Rachel's self-described superpower. She could already tell this was going to be an interesting night.
Uncharacteristically inspired to participate, Max was the first one to start the group circle forming process. With just a little hesitation, most of the girls followed her lead. One straggler in particular seemed reluctant to encourage the 'innocent' game, knowing full well that it had the potential to get out of hand considering the participants.
It was Victoria who had to look over at Kate to reassure her. "Katie, I promise that you don't have to do anything you don't want to," she whispered, placing her hand on the shorter girl's shoulder softly, stroking with a thumb to soothe.
"It's... I... It's not that, Victoria... It's..." Kate stammered, the blush she'd managed to calm during the first movie quickly creeping back stronger than before. "It's that, uh..." she showed the briefest moment of hesitation, "Nothing. It's fine..."
In a sudden firming of her resolve, she decided to keep the thoughts of Victoria that had plagued her mind for the last couple of months to herself for now. Incidentally, those thoughts had started around the same time that the lithe blonde had begun to spend more time actually talking to her.
Victoria, slightly shocked at the sudden determination, smiled as the short cutie shuffled her way to the growing circle of people. She had to mentally smack her own hand though as her gaze went lower, and her thoughts went from sweet to most decidedly spicy and inappropriate.
Once they had assembled, the question came of how they would play. This time, Steph was the first one to step in, and spoke up quickly. "So, I'll go first. We'll go clockwise, and the person to the right of us gives us a dare, if that's what's chosen. I'll start easy. Truth." She paused, before taking a deep breath. "I have a massive crush on someone in this room." Her shoulders slumped as she let out a deep breath she'd been holding in, as if a weight had been taken off of them.
Rachel raised an eyebrow subtly, looking at the cheerleader beside the nerd, wondering how that proclamation might play out through the night. "Okay then. We'll save that info for a later time. Dana? I think it's your turn. Truth or Dare?"
Dana had quite honestly frozen in place at the nerd's admission, and shook her head for a moment after Rachel's prodding to break herself from the trance-like state. "Uh, truth..." she mumbled, ignoring the round of groans that came from the rest of the group. "I've always wanted to kiss a girl."
This time, Max was the one to catch Steph's reaction at Dana's statement - one of hesitant curiosity, augmented with a flicker of hopefulness - while Chloe and Rachel decided to cheer. From time to time, they had discussed the possible personal preferences of their dorm friends. Ever the competitive gambling types, they had placed bets on it - actual money on the ones where they strongly disagreed. Dana had been a definite contender on their 'bi' list, while it was extremely well known that Steph was strictly interested in girls.
Victoria hadn't even heard the statement, and had to whisper to Kate beside her. "Wait, what did she say?"
Instantly burying her face to hide her own bright red cheeks, Kate tried to answer through her fuzzy pyjama bottoms. "She said she wanted to kiss a girl..." she squeaked, doing her best not to look at the cause of her own recent mental dalliances.
Victoria's heart melted once more as she watched Kate bunch up into a bright pink ball of fuzz and blonde hair. She allowed herself to wonder if just maybe the reaction had to do with her attendance at this sleepover.
Max sighed, smiling, before she piped up. "Wowser.. Okay then, I'll go next. Dare." she decided, trying to prepare herself for what could happen next.
At least Chloe wasn't the one coming up with the dare, nor Rachel. She had played multiple truth and dare game with the former, always ending up with some truly crazy - sometimes dangerous - suggestions. As for the blonde, she was just as much a mischief maker as the blue-haired punk, although her motivations differed from simply 'creating chaos'. Much better crafted and planned out.
Dana looked over at the introverted girl, who kept anxiously looking back to Rachel and Chloe, and had a rather mischievous idea. "Max, I dare you to kiss Rachel." She grinned, as she took the attention off of herself and threw Max under the proverbial bus.
Chloe's eyes instantly went wide. Who did Dana think she was to suggest something like that for Max? What caught her off guard was that Max - inspired by some uncharacteristic surge of courage - turned to Rachel and leaned in. The blonde, while at least a little surprised at the unexpected turn of events, eagerly pulled the brunette closer and pressed her lips firmly to her friend's.
The brunette let out a soft appreciative sigh, almost closer to a moan, as she pressed her whole body to the blonde's, letting one of her hands slide around Rachel's waist. Again, the eagerness did catch Blackwell's celebrity off guard, but only for a second. It would take more than a kiss to stun her into complete shock. Chloe looked on, a sharp and vicious pang of jealousy shooting through her, followed by something much deeper, and much more instinctual and interesting.
When they parted, Max was breathless, her cheeks flushed, and her chest heaving hard enough to be noticeable through the thick hoodie. Her gaze locked with Rachel's who in turn had a sly and dangerous grin on her lips.
"Max, I didn't know you were so aggressive with girls..." she worded somewhat breathless herself. "Anyways..." She cleared her throat, unused to being caught unprepared. "I choose Dare." Her grin spread further, wondering what could come next. Glancing down at Chloe, she saw what could only be described as almost animalistic lust in her eyes. Managing a slight smirk, the blonde leaned closer to whisper in the bluenette's ear, suggestively teasing. "Down girl. You can bite later."
Kate was completely frozen, her eyes fixed on the spot where Max and Rachel had just locked lips. She'd even stopped breathing, which concerned Victoria to no end.
The taller girl tried to nudge the dazed cutie. "Kate? Katie?" She wondered exactly how 'broken' her new friend was. She even tried to wave in front of her eyes, with no success.
Max began to catch her breath, and decided her own level of mischief was to be had, as she looked at the pair of blondes across the way. Being fully aware of Rachel's conspiratorial thoughts about Victoria and Kate, she knew what to do. "Rach, I dare you to kiss the cutest person in the room."
Everyone in the room - with the exception of Max, Rachel and Chloe - were all stunned at the dare, though certainly not as catatonically so as Kate remained. Rachel's grin grew even wider, if that was possible. Getting down on her hands and knees, she crawled towards Kate - who was still in a daze, oblivious until Rachel was basically on top of her. Faces mere inches apart, the older girl made to lock lips again, passing a glance over at the now fuming target of her mischief.
Victoria saw red. Blood red. This harlot was going to kiss her Katie? Not fucking likely! She balled her fists up, prepared for a fight, and began to plot Rachel's all the gruesome options her mind concocted, none were adequate punishment. Screw worrying about appearances in front of the people she tried to be the queen bee of. Nobody was going to tarnish the pure and innocent bundle of perfection that sat beside her.
Nobody.
Steph saw Victoria's reaction and, knowing how Rachel liked to push buttons, very quickly put two and two together, a knowing grin formed. "Let the hate flow through you!" she growled, quoting the Emperor as she watched Victoria's gaze turn to the deadliest of daggers aimed at Rachel. "Good, GOOD!" she continued, earning a gasping laugh from Dana at the reference.
It was only at the last moment that Rachel shifted gears, and brought her lips instead to Kate's forehead, leaving a soft lipstick imprint just under her hairline. She pulled back, passing a deliberate wink Victoria's way, knowing full well the pixie blonde wanted nothing more than to strike her hatred that practically radiated from her was almost physically palpable.
"Now now, Victoria, nobody likes a sore loser," she taunted before returning to her spot.
Kate couldn't do anything other than turn an even brighter shade of pink. Her thoughts were completely jumbled. She'd never expected anyone to kiss her, and the person she had hoped would kiss her certainly wasn't Rachel. She brought a hand up to the lipstick mark on her forehead, unsure of how to feel. That was, until she caught sight of Victoria's heated death glare.
As much as she tried to outwardly deny the signs, to see her friend so… possessive... inspired her own thoughts to spiral out of control. Instead of Rachel, she imagined Victoria's lips pressed to her own, then to her forehead and neck…
She took a peek at her enraged defender, heart soaring when the unadulterated rage faded to an unexpected emotional vulnerability.
Chloe had to give Max props on her dare, and to Rachel on her execution. The three of them had been in hot debate for months over whether there were underlying feelings between the two blondes. Their individual reactions to the kiss confirmed the entire 'conspiracy'.
The bluenette grabbed her phone, hopping onto her group message with Max and Rachel.
C: So, Rach, are you trying to get yourself murdered tonight?
R: I have no idea what you're talking about ;)
M: That was so cute, watching Victoria get so worked up! She's definitely crushing on Kate. HARD! .
C: NO EMOJI!
R: Max-I knew it! Thank you! Chlo- I'll :* you too if you want.
C: Again… NO EMOJI!
C: And you better...
Rachel glanced back at Chloe, who'd turned a faint but uniform shade of pink. "So, Chloe dearest. Truth, or Dare?" she giggled.
Her history with the bluenette was long and complex, but always interesting. She had known for years now how to press every button that Chloe had, and she knew how to make that work for her benefit.
"Dare…" The response was predictable, yet weaker than expected in the wake of secretive message promises. Clearing her throat, Chloe repeated her answer. "Dare. Definitely dare." Her blush persisted, but otherwise she had successfully regained her bravado. She shot a sly grin toward Steph and Dana seeing a chance to pass the heat over. "Truths are for pussies."
Steph actually seemed offended by that deflective accusation, as if Chloe thought her admission had been meaningless. Dana chuckled at her expense.
The mischievous blonde in charge of Chloe's dare grinned wide, deciding to have even more fun. She'd been meaning to test the waters again recently with her best friend, and figured she'd take full advantage of the power she currently held. "I dare you to make out with me, for a whole minute."
This time, it was Max's turn to feel a pang of jealousy as the bluenette agreed to the dare. Blue eyes zeroed in as Chloe got up to her knees, facing Blackwell's resident supermodel.
"Are you cereal?" she muttered under her breath as she pulled out her phone and found her stopwatch app. "I'll time it, since the two of you aren't known for restraint..." There was a slight grumble in her voice.
Shrugging at the admittedly accurate statement, Rachel locked her gaze with the bluenette. Hand tangling in azure locks, fingers grasping tightly, she pressed her lips against the taller girl's. She let herself relax into Chloe's returned grasp, enjoying the dominating grip she found herself enveloped in.
Chloe was in heaven. While watching the blonde kiss Max, her desire to rip them apart had gradually given way to a slew of filthier ideas involving both girls. When witnessing the blonde crawl towards Kate, her mind filled with devious plots, the bluenette had recognized the subtle mind games played by the social chameleon. Now that Rachel had dared her to make out, she had the chance to put her idea into play.
She'd expected the hand gripping her hair, knowing how the blonde liked to test her control. Time to issue a challenge. Sliding a hand into the blonde girl's tresses, her other slid down to her ass. Once there, she squeezed hard enough to leave a mark. That made Rachel sigh into her mouth, awakening a whole new level of desire.
A soft moan escaped her own lips as Rachel suddenly bit her lip, almost as if asking - verging on flat out demanding - more. Leave it to the school's superstar to put on a show. Gladly accepting the forceful request, Chloe took her cue to deepen the kiss. Her tongue probed the blonde's lips, urging for and receiving more access.
The rest of the group was frozen in place, watching the two young women passionately and aggressively make out, all too entranced by the beautiful sight to say or do anything.
"I would say the two of you should get a room. But this is definitely more entertaining!"
A nasally, pretentious voice came from the doorway, suddenly jarring everyone from their trance. They turned to see Nathan stood there, pizza boxes and sides in hand.
Roughly jolted back to reality, Max checked her phone only to realize she'd never even started the stopwatch. Instead, she had lost her thought to fantasies - which would explain the blush on her cheeks. Dana and Steph awkwardly averted their eyes, only now noticing they were practically on top of one another. During the intense makeout session, they had instinctively shifted closer. Kate was a mess, unable to look anyone in the eye… least of all the girl sat next to her. Her own mind had wandered so far into dangerous territory that she couldn't bring herself to look at the other blonde for fear of burning up in shame.
Rachel sighed contentedly, despite the flicker of disappointment she felt. She would have to hold off on any further kissing with Chloe… for now. The bluenette, on the other hand, looked furious. Her fists were balled, and her glare was focused on the man in the doorway.
"Make it quick, Prick-scott... This party is not for you..." she growled, her ire at being interrupted from such a fantastic moment by someone she couldn't tolerate on the best of days completely overwhelming any common sense or logical thinking.
Not that Nathan decided to make his life any easier. After he'd set the food down on the table, he turned back to the group, and looked to Rachel and Chloe. "You know, Rach, maybe as a tip for me sneaking this up, you could give me a show..." he suggested, winking at the pair.
Deciding enough was enough, Chloe searched for the closest and heaviest object she could find to hurl at him. With her boots out of reach, she settled on a pillow, flinging it with every ounce of her strength at the intruder.
"Get the fuck out, you sick perv!" she screamed loudly, picking up a second pillow in her rage and took aim.
As she was about to lob her next projectile, she felt a hand placed on the crux between her legs. The only person close enough was Rachel and only Max could see what had just calmed the bluenette, the rest of the group blocked from sight. Chloe faltered, her brain momentarily shutting off and dropping deep into the thoughts she kept for those nights she spent alone in her own bed.
"Nathan, while I appreciate you bringing the food up, this party is girls only. And so is this floor. You shouldn't be here, and you know security will be coming by soon." Rachel firmly, but politely responded to Nathan's lewd request, shutting him down.
All the while, she kept her hand on Chloe, moving just enough to keep the bluenette completely docile and at the same time, giving Max a show she wouldn't forget in a hurry.
Reluctantly grumbling something about Rachel being right, the boy skulked off. Only then did the blonde remove her hand from the bluenette's core, acting as if nothing had happened. Slowly coming back down to reality, Chloe turned her attention to the freckled brunette. Her soft blue eyes were glazed over, sparking with primal longing.
A limited sense of normalcy gradually returned, the group still stunned in the aftermath of their game. Sure, they weren't overly surprised it had taken this turn - especially with people like Chloe and Rachel involved - but...
"So, who's hungry?" asked Steph, the first to try to break the awkwardness of the moment.
She succeeded, as all of the girls began to move off of the assembled couch bed, and towards the boxes of pizza, breadsticks and giant chocolate chip cookies.
Painfully aware of her own want, be it for a different recipient, she took a moment to breathe and slightly distance herself from Dana. If only she hadn't volunteered to go first in this rapidly devolving game, maybe she wouldn't have to work up as much courage to confess her attractions - obvious enough in action. She couldn't help but feel a little jealous of Chloe and Rachel.
As for Dana, she noticed the awkward shuffling, Steph refusing to look at her. She might be jumping to conclusions, wishful thinking, but she could make a good guess for the odd behavior. Curious, she eyed up the unguarded hand now resting on the mattress pile. In a subtle move, she lightly brushed her hand against Steph's, the other girl almost jumping out of her skin and managing to stifle a yelp of shock.
They shared a brief glance, neither speaking nor moving away when Dana's hand lingered the next time.
Totally oblivious to their tentative display of affection, Victoria glanced over at the soft and demure little church girl, sighing fondly. Now that she'd had a moment to collect herself and cool her anger towards Rachel, she scooted closer to Kate.
"Hey Katie?.. Can.. Can we talk for a minute?" she mumbled, as a set of soft hazel eyes settled on her own. That was when she caught sight of the faint lipstick mark decorating the other girl's forehead. "Oh, hang on sweetie.."
Instinctively, she licked the end of her thumb. Taking hold of Kate's chin to keep her steady, gently rubbing away any evidence of Rachel's medling.
Once again, the shy blonde froze in response to the queen bee's surprisingly tender touch. This time - unlike the many others since coming to Blackwell Academy - it was something much more raw that muted the words she so desperately wanted to utter.
"Katie, you can tell me if you're not comfortable with games like this... I don't want you to feel like people are taking advantage of you." Victoria paused, focusing on the lipstick mark, making sure it was completely gone before returning her focus to the conversation at hand. "What I'm trying to say, Kate, is..."
What she hadn't anticipated was to be cut off.
"Victoria I promise it's okay but there's someone else I'd rather have kissed and she's you..."
She definitely hadn't expected that!
It hit her like a punch to the gut, leaving her completely winded. While she couldn't see her own expression, it must look a picture if it even vaguely reflected her emotions right now - embarrassment, confusion, elation, a hint of fear…
"Wait, who, what?" She was certain she hadn't heard that correctly. Kate could not have just said she'd wanted to kiss her... This was sweet, soft, kind Kate... But her words felt so foreign. There could be little doubt this confession was intentional.
"I.. I really... I really like you, Victoria..." the smaller girl mumbled, somehow mustering more strength in her resolve than she'd had the whole night. "I don't know if I could do anything like what Rachel and Chloe just did... Not.. Not yet at least... But... I want to kiss you."
The queen bee had no words. Genuinely speechless for perhaps the first time in her life. Her heart pounded, unable to believe what it was hearing. Her mind could not comprehend either. In her stunned state, she did the only thing that made even the slightest hint of sense… she leaned in towards Kate, tentatively moving her lips to the smaller girls'.
She was met with a surprisingly responsive press back from the girl who'd just confessed to her. While the shy blonde had literally no experience with this, it didn't stop her from taking the plunge. The kiss was cautious yet tender, a culmination of months of uncertainty.
After a moment, Kate pulled back. Her blush had hijacked every inch of her face, alongside a smile that could outshine the sun for its intensity. Fingers came to rest on lips, pressing softly as the realization set in.
She'd been kissed by Victoria. She'd been kissed by a girl. But it was okay because it was Victoria!
"I've wanted to kiss you for a long time too..." came the response - slowly, softly, but with a certainty in the tone that left no room for misunderstanding.
Blackwell's celebrity looked up from her pizza slice just in time to catch the shy kiss. Smug satisfaction crossed her features, being the main orchestrator of this moment. She took another bite, watching with interest as the two blondes kissed softly then pulled away, obviously having finally confessed their mutual feelings.
Chloe owed her twenty bucks tomorrow, a bet she'd be frustrated to have lost.
Now the fun was over, she turned her attention to Max - who seemed to be deliberately avoiding eye contact under the guise of hunger. Rachel had a sneaking suspicion - or was it a hope - that the earlier displays of interrupted affection, both open and secretive, had inspired some rather fun mental images for the introverted brunette.
Only one way to find out...
The social butterfly made her way over to Max's side, swinging her hips slightly to bump the other girl's enough to catch her attention.
"Cat got your tongue, Max?" She prodded, an idea forming."Or maybe a lion?" She winked subtly, wondering if the hipster next to her would catch the intentional wording.
Amused, she watched Max reluctantly draw her attention away from her food, pausing to swallow her mouthful before replying. In the predatory mood Rachel found herself in, watching the swell of the brunette's slender throat as she swallowed was intoxicatingly enticing.
"I, uh... Ah..." the shy girl stuttered.
Her mind was incapable of forming a coherent thought… at least, none that were free of Rachel pinning her to a wall somehow or another. Caught up in her confused reactions to that realization, she noticed the top-most button of Rachel's nightshirt had popped open. Almost instantly Max took the bait, her eyes wandering to the soft skin of the now visible swell of her bust.
The blonde giggled mischievously, catching Max's attention again, watching as the brunette turned completely red at having been caught looking. Rachel leaned in, her mouth next to Max's ear, and whispered, making sure only the trapped girl could hear her. "It's okay, Max. I like that you look. Maybe later you, and maybe Chloe too, can do more..."
Max's current expression was the pure embodiment of mortified curiosity. How was she supposed to react to that?! Thoughts of the blonde and the bluenette filled her mind, completely plunging her into a place that could only come from her deepest fantasies, right? Then again, Rachel was the one who'd so smoothly subdued Chloe when Nathan had said his piece, and all while making sure Max had a view to her private showing, so to speak.
"You're a succubus... I swear..." The shy hipster finally was able to form a coherent sentence, one that earned a hearty laugh from the minx in front of her. "You know just how to... I dunno... Get into people's heads..." she finished, her tone a seamless blend of awe and lust rather than disgust or fear.
"Hmm... I've been called worse..." The blonde grinned, liking the description. It felt apt. "And you've been looking so tasty all night long, even before you kissed me. I can't be faulted for wanting to have a better taste of... well... all of you..."
Rachel winked, her intentions more than clear, before she finally gave the small brunette a break. As she walked away, clearly swinging her hips, she knew that at least one set of eyes would be almost solely focused on her.
By a landslide, somehow Fifty Shades of Grey had won the vote for the next movie. Some of the more mischievous members were simply curious to see the reactions of a certain blonde. The others could do with a good laugh. Victoria however, seeing Kate's apprehension, had tried and failed to sway the vote in another direction. The latter at least appreciated the effort, just happy for the excuse to snuggle.
With the decision made, they all settled back into respective groupings. In preparation, the string lights had been switched off, plunging them deeper into darkness. If possible, the mood had become further charged with romance and more...
Dana kept glancing from the screen down to the hand held in her own. Fingers intertwined and melded perfectly. Her heart swelled with something she didn't know what to name. The nerd had been slowly and subtly shifting her way closer and closer to the cheerleader, making it clear she wanted to be held. She wouldn't receive any complaints. The smaller girl was a perfect fit against Dana's side, one arm draped over the cheerleader.
"I like this.. It's comfortable... And safe..." the nerd whispered, faltering slightly as she finished her sentence.
Steph had known for a long time that she was the furthest thing from straight as humanly possible, comfortable in her own skin. Unfortunately, the certainty hadn't made it any easier. Too many times, she had been an experiment, played with and later discarded when the 'phase' - how she hated that description - had passed. They moved on, while she was left wondering why. Honestly, it was a miracle the creative nerd had avoided cynicism when it came to relationships.
Over the years, she had grown wise to the signs of inevitable heartbreak… none of which Dana seemed to express. She wasn't like the other girls currently forging the chain of total car crash romances. Or at least, that was the feeling Steph got. Like the cheerleader wasn't going to play with her for a week or so, then leave her high and dry.
This felt like something different. Something... stronger.
"I agree. I don't know that I've ever felt this comfortable around someone so quickly," the older girl admitted with a gentle smile.
Her arm draped over Steph's shoulder, middle finger lazily tracing patterns on her sleeve. On occasion she pushed her luck ever so slightly, grazing against soft skin. When she did, she could see the other girl relax slightly or let out a content sigh - both of which were satisfying to notice.
She felt a desire to stay close to her new... Love interest? Was that the right word? Whatever it was, they didn't need labels. They could discuss the complexities later. For tonight, they would simply watch movies with their friends and enjoy their time together.
No pressure, no expectations, just… going with the flow.
The cheerleader glanced down at the nerd, their gazes meeting, eyes half-lidded. In a moment that felt just right Dana leaned in, her soft lips meeting Steph's. Not too pressing, not too soft, just right. She felt the younger girl's lips curve upwards into a smile against her own, and sighed happily, before returning their attention to the movie.
Victoria was a bundle of ever growing nerves. Between a growing level of very unwelcome self-doubt over kissing Kate - What if she regrets it in the morning? - and the worry that her small pink bundle of cuteness might actually burn up in a puff of embarrassment from the movie on the screen, she was not feeling particularly optimistic about the remainder of the night.
After eating, Kate had taken the initiative and snuggled up close to the pixie cut blonde - her back pressed to Victoria's chest. The pair were now comfortably wrapped up in a heavy knit green and white blanket, a gift from Kate's grandmother. If love could be woven into a blanket, it was definitely in this one. It exuded oodles and oodles of love.
Sighing contently, the smaller blonde glanced over her shoulder. For months on end, she had been fighting with her internal thoughts, struggling to accept her newfound feelings for Victoria. Ones she had tried so desperately to deny and ignore, hoping they would pass.
They hadn't.
Her efforts had only served to intensify the yearning. Even after she had mostly accepted these new and strange truths about herself - which required a few heart to hearts with Max - that was not the end of her battle. Insecurity after insecurity, question after question. And that didn't even begin to cover those related to Victoria directly, namely: did she actually have a chance?
For so long, she'd felt like she had to be wrong, that there was no way the intimidating girl could possibly feel the same way about her. The tall blonde had seemed like an unscalable mountain for a while, Kate scrambling up the sheer rock face with no aid. A feeling which subsided slightly with each smile, laugh and gentle interaction.
But tonight that fear was shattered completely. The bundle of sweetness that was Kate couldn't stop grinning. In fact, her face was starting to hurt. She could care less that the movie they'd chosen was by all means something that would normally have her utterly flabbergasted and stunned. All she could focus on was the beautiful girl she was cuddled up into. Nuzzling closer, she made a happy little noise - somewhere between a sigh and giggle.
Her snuggle partner stiffened at the sound. As far as she could tell, Kate was making no effort to move. Quite the opposite, in fact. It felt like the shorter blonde was trying to melt into her. A good sign.
Deciding to push her luck just a touch further, she let her lips rest atop her adorable angel's head. Pressing a sweet kiss on her hair, she lingered long enough to pick out the scent of her shampoo - a lavender scent mixed with what she thought might be berries. Sighing, she let the doubt slide comfortably off her shoulders.
The spell was temporarily broken by Kate turning her head, trying to get in a better position to attempt another kiss. Victoria - inspired by the smaller girl's display of courage and affection - gladly returned the kiss, her lips softly molding to her partner's in a way that could only be described as perfect.
Rachel, for all her playfulness, was honestly happy to see her friends all pairing off in their respective cute sets. She glanced at Dana and Steph as they cuddled closer to each other and kissed. She'd been wondering for a while if they'd make a good match, but hadn't had a way to test her theory. Until tonight, that answer to her question from tonight's findings: a definite yes.
Her eyes drifted over to Victoria and Kate, a genuine smile instantly tugging at her lips. There was something so perfectly magical about a happy Kate Marsh cuddled up in the arms of someone who needed love the way Victoria did. The heiress to the Chase legacy had been spoiled in her role as an only child, the void of affection and kindness from her parents filled instead with material possessions.
Over the past several months, they had all seen a new side to her. Victoria had gone out of her way to make life better for Kate, an altruistic move that was rather uncharacteristic of the queen bee. And in response, the younger woman responded with kindness and love in a way that only Kate Marsh could, which was exactly what Victoria needed. Each provided something the other required, a perfect match for polar opposites.
Finally, the mischievous blonde turned her attention to the girls under each of her arms. They seemed comfortable… much too comfortable for her liking. A playful smirk danced across her lips as her mind once again began plotting. Her gaze fell on Max, the more satisfying of the pair to tease. Chloe was much harder to get a flustered reaction out of, although not impossible.
The shy hipster kept glancing at the blonde, stealing glances, her gaze finding all of the exposed skin she could find. She felt like an addict, most definitely looked like one. Passing the blonde a sideways glance, her eyes were instantly drawn to her chest, neck, jawline, eyes...
That was when her blue eyes met Rachel's, hazel orbs glinting with predatory hunger - like a lion eyeing up its next meal. Shivering at the metaphor - which felt so wrongly apt - she couldn't manage to break the locked gaze. She was a total goner, falling right into the modelesque beauty's hands. The brunette gulped audibly, both worried and curious to discover her fate.
Rachel grinned almost evilly. There it was, the dawning realization that the hipster had played right into the blonde's plans. There really was something to be said about being a master manipulator. It certainly had its benefits, benefits she planned on indulging to their fullest extent.
"Oh, Maxine…" The other girl visibly recoiled at the use of her full name. "You keep looking... What oh what shall I do with you?" the blonde whispered, just loud enough for the brunette, and a certain bluenette, to hear clearly, the rest remaining oblivious.
Chloe - who'd been oddly transfixed as the movie's main character was introduced to the 'red room of pain' - heard the teasing. Right then and there, she knew something much more interesting was about to go down. Curiosity getting the better of her, she focused on the new situation unfolding, waiting to see how long it would be until she got roped into Rachel's plots, too.
The brunette wondered exactly how much 'trouble' she was in, swearing blind she saw the blonde lick her lips in preparation. "Uh... Wowser.. Rach.. I.." she was suddenly silenced with a finger gingerly pressed to her lips from the blonde.
"If you're so interested in looking, maybe you'd like to help open this shirt..." Rachel used every ounce of persuasion in her voice, as her free hand guided one of the brunette's towards the next button on her top. "Go ahead, Max," she beckoned seductively, "I want you to..." the blonde whispered breathily, her own chest heaving slightly, the silk of her top making it obvious that she wasn't wearing a bra underneath.
The brunette followed the 'order' without hesitation, both hands now hesitantly yet eagerly getting to work undoing buttons. Her eyes were drawn down to gradually exposed skin and the two peaks pressing through silk. When she managed to tear them away again, she was met with a lustful gaze the likes of which she'd only ever received from Chloe.
On the outskirts of the action, the blue-haired punk was completely entranced. Watching her childhood best friend undress her other best friend was doing things to her mind. Very, very filthy things. She had to fight the urge to say anything, for fear of scaring the shy hipster back into her shell. Knowing Rachel, Chloe would likely be dragged into this sooner than later. She certainly wouldn't be left out to the side. She just had to be patient.
Not her strongest suit.
Blackwell's star was frankly surprised at how eagerly the brunette was taking to her task. She'd expected a touch of resistance, not the total devotion that she had received. Not that she was complaining in the slightest. It meant that Max was less likely to clam up.
"Good girl..." she whispered, the finger on the brunette's lips moving to trace a cheekbone, before shifting around so her thumb slid down from the outer corner of the hipster's eye down to her jawline. As the younger girl reached the last button and popped it open, Rachel's gaze burned deep into the lustful eyes of her companion. "Go ahead, Max. You're hidden by pillows, and so am I."
Max could feel her face burning, wondering how the hell tonight had come to this. How could she have possibly let it go this far? That question evaporated as she slowly pulled the blonde's silk shirt open, revealing the soft slopes and swells of her chest, twin peaks capped in rosy pink. The brunette wasn't sure she'd ever been quite so captivated by someone's advances towards her, with the exception of her best friend. Max didn't know how to continue, or even respond to the situation she now found herself in.
Seeing the hipster's indecision, Rachel's smile softened to become fractionally sweeter as she turned her gaze to the bluenette next to her. "Chloe, darling, I know you're watching us. Would you be so kind as to show Max what to do?" the blonde watched as her best friend's eyes went into her hairline.
"Hella yes..." came the whispered response, eagerness and a fair helping of lust in the bluenette's voice.
Quietly, she shifted over to her brunette friend's side, biting her lip hard at the sight. This wasn't the first time she and Rachel had fooled around, but it certainly was the most exciting so far, and it had just begun.
"Fuck me..." she groaned as she leaned into the brunette beside her.
"I don't know if you can tell, with as much staring as you're doing, but I am most certainly trying to..." The blonde rolled her eyes playfully, knowing that would get both of her friends' attention very quickly.
Now understanding the tone, Chloe realized the blonde meant business. There was a limit to what they could get away with here but she intended to push it to the borderline. And later, once they were alone, she would see about extending that boundary.
Quickly checking her surroundings, the bluenette found the other girls engrossed in their own little worlds; Dana and Steph making mostly mocking comments on the film while Kate and Victoria were more interested in each other. Satisfied they were distracted, Chloe smiled to herself.
Keeping her gaze firmly fixed on Max, she leaned towards Rachel's chest and took one of the blonde's nipples into her mouth, her tongue flicking playfully. As she did, she noticed the brunette's blue eyes cross into a whole new level of lust.
Watching her childhood best friend do that to her other best friend, all while taunting and teasing with nothing but her gaze, had Max breathless. And she wanted to prove she could keep up. She leaned in, following Chloe's lead, and found herself eye level with Rachel's chest. She took the last step, and her lips closed around the other pink bud. To stabilize herself, she placed a hand lower on the blonde's waist.
Rachel had been counting on the bluenette's competitive nature, and it had certainly come through. The dual onslaught of sensation sent her mind into overdrive. For some time, she had imagined what this might feel like - getting Chloe and Max onboard with her fantasies. Ever since she had met the brunette, especially having heard nothing but praise about her from Chloe - she'd wanted a taste.
That thought merged nicely into her next idea. While the brunette was distracted, Rachel's hands found the hem of the petite girl's hoodie. Impatiently, she began tugging up in an attempt to get the hipster to bare all. And Max wasn't really in any state of mind to put up resistance.
Chloe swiftly caught on to what the blonde was up to. Upon seeing the momentary hesitation on her friend's face - an expression she had seen a million times since their first meeting - she chimed in with a reference that would at least get the nervous hipster to smile.
"Resistance... is futile..." the secretly nerdy punk grinned making a move to relieve her of the offending item of clothing. "Your biological distinctiveness will be revealed to us." Her hands joined Rachel's, and both of them lifted the hoodie up over the brunette's head.
Max, grinning at her best friend's reference, was caught off guard as her hoodie seemed to almost fade out of existence under practised hands. Even more surprising, she had expected it to be cold without the thick wool garment. That couldn't be further from the truth, burning up under the lustful gaze of the blonde and bluenette.
Rachel took in the sight before her appreciatively. It wasn't the first time she'd seen Max in nothing but a bra, and a simple dark gray one at that - hell, that had influenced a great number of runaway fantasies - but it was the first time she found herself truly appreciating the petite hipster's frame up close. And the lioness in control had every intention of tasting her prey indiscriminately.
It was in that moment that the blonde took the opportunity to completely flip the scenario.
Literally.
Max squeaked louder than intended at being suddenly pinned underneath her two friends, flipped like a rag doll. Their predatory gazes held her to the spot just as much as their physical force. Chloe looked at Rachel, who nodded, and then back down at Max. Her eyes carried that familiar impish glint, one the youngest of the trio recognized as trouble.
Before she could do anything to protest - not that she really wanted to if she was honest despite the inopportune timing - they both shared a mischievous glance and leaned in. Each girl sealed her mouth to a side of the brunette's neck, teeth grazing the skin beneath, hot breath sending the younger girl's mind reeling.
Only as an afterthought did the brunette clamp a hand over her own mouth, trapping any more potential - Shit, probable. No, guaranteed - noises. How could she possibly be expected to remain silent when - GAH - two absolutely stunning girls were leaving her with multiple hickeys?
At the same time!
It was the blonde who came up for air first, gasping heavily as she looked down at her handiwork - the bruise swiftly forming at the base of the young hipster's neck and collarbone. A cursory glance towards the azure locks to the left side of Max's neck revealed that Chloe still hadn't finished leaving her mark.
It seemed that the brunette would be in need of Rachel's legendary makeup skills in the morning - the same skills that had once covered a black eye or two of Chloe's - unless she decided to wear her 'scarlet letters' with pride. Given how enthusiastic the petite girl was about everything going on in that moment, Rachel honestly wasn't even sure how the next morning might play out.
One thing was for sure, she was keen to discover the outcome. She wasn't done though, not by a long shot.
Taking her time, she glanced down at the freckles that dotted the space above Max's bra and down across her chest. As she did, a pang of something more than lust jolted through her system. Something… deeper. It may take time for that seed to bloom but seeing the younger girl under her - cheeks flushed, chest heaving and eyes so full of life - Rachel knew that one day, her own walls may come crumbling down.
Returning to the task at hand, the blonde reached down to the front of the bra, finding the clasp in the center, honestly glad for the easier access. If Max hadn't already been glowingly pink, Rachel could've sworn she'd gone even brighter. Soft hands found softer skin, as the halves of the grey bra slid off to the sides. Those same hands found two hardened nubs, when glided over elicited a sharp moan from the brunette, muffled and by sheer luck, perfectly in time with one from the movie on the screen.
Hearing her best friend moan in such a tone right into her ear was everything the blue-haired punk needed to finally release her bite on her 'victim's' neck. Eager to turn everything into a competition, she pulled back to compare her mark against Rachel's. A goofy grin tugged at her lips, knowing the hickey would last much, much longer than her co-conspirator's.
"Fuck... You're so hella perfect, Max..." both of the older girls cooed in unison without even meaning to.
They both looked at each other, deciding they deserved a kiss of their own. Chloe leaned over to Rachel, their lips crashing passionately together. The blonde - still actively in control of the whole situation - decided to push the limits of what she could do. She pressed her knee against Max's core, giving the brunette both a show and a 'cure' for the intense physical desire to go with it.
What she hadn't anticipated was exactly how wound up their 'prey' was in her own pleasure.
Between the fingers teasing her chest, the sight of her best friends passionately locking lips and the pressure of Rachel's knee, Max broke. Her entire world exploded with light and pleasure. Despite her own hand over her mouth, nothing could've stopped her from crying out with a singular, piercing, "Fuck!"
Everyone froze. Rachel glanced around to the other members of the group, just to make sure that nobody had heard their antics. When she met the eyes of one Victoria Chase, she sighed, knowing full well 'playtime' was over.
"Oh well..." she mumbled, shrugging and grinning sheepishly at the pissed pixie cut blonde.
"Seriously?" Victoria's tone cut like steel, hands placed over Kate's eyes to spare her such blasphemous sights, not that the movie hadn't been bad enough. "You three... I swear..."
Max visibly winced at the harsh tone, Rachel and Chloe not intimidated in the slightest. If anything, they found it amusing.
From the other side of the fort, Dana and Steph both looked on in mutually amused curiosity. Steph met Chloe's gaze, and put up a 'rock on' hand gesture, earning herself a playful smack from the cheerleader beside her.
The queen bee growled at the nerd, "Don't encourage her... You'll only make her think it's..." She was stopped by a tugging at her own top. She glanced down to find Kate grinning slightly, pink faced as usual, but not seemingly anguished by her friends' antics.
"Vic... I promise, it's okay," the petite blonde whispered up to her the taller girl. "I'm not mad. Or scandalized..." An almost musical giggle left the girl's lips. "If I was going to be scandalized, it would've been when we kissed. Or maybe when that girl got..." She clammed up, face red, her point made.
That one sentence - a single word in particular - made Victoria's heart truly melt, years of icy exterior sloughed away in moment. Vic was a title she associated with her parents… deeming her unworthy of living up to impossible standards. They'd always say it with a cold, harsh tone, ensuring that she knew they were disappointed.
Unlike the merciless meaning they had assigned, when the small bundle of purity currently nuzzled up close called her by that name it meant something totally different. Simply put: someone actually liked her for… well, her. Not for her status, her money nor any other convoluted reason other than… genuinely wanting to be friends, or more in Kate's case. No masks needed.
Her gaze softened immeasurably as she leaned in and kissed the smaller girl on the lips, a happy squeak coming from the cutie in her arms.
Assuming the danger was over and failing to find her missing hoodie, Max grabbed the nearest blanket she could, and bundled herself up tightly, glancing up with wide eyes to the two girls in front of her. Both leaned in again together, their lips each pressing to her bright red cheeks.
Deciding not to waste the good fortune she'd had so far, Rachel moved a little further back, her lips sliding towards the brunette's ear. "When we have the time, not tonight, I want to finish this little game of ours. Something makes me think I'm not alone in that thought..."
The blonde felt a hand tugging at the open shirt, and found the hipster attached to it. Pulling back, she noticed a rare mischievous look on Max's face, and took the reaction as a good sign.
Good things, and fun things, would one day come of this night.
Hours later the room was left in almost total darkness, the sole source of light being a singular electric tea candle by the TV. The movies had long been shut off, and the girls had not long after found themselves drifting into comfortable, blissful sleep.
Only Steph remained awake, her mind replaying the events of the night. She looked up at Dana, whom she was snuggled into, and took in the brunette's features for what must have been the thirtieth time since everyone had fallen asleep. She wanted to memorize every last line and freckle, so that her dreams would be filled with thoughts of the girl she'd been crushing on for so long.
Eventually, she looked around the room one last time, finding the other two groups of girls, all while twirling the die on the end of her necklace. As she looked at Kate and Victoria, she thought to the die toss she'd made months ago when they'd first started to grow closer.
She'd rolled a natural twenty.
Deep in thought, she examined the trio of blonde, blue and brunette, and thought to the day that Chloe had told her Max was returning to Arcadia, and how much she hoped Max and Rachel would get along.
She'd rolled a natural twenty.
Once again, she turned her attention to Dana, and thought to the first inception of this pillow fort sleepover night, how she'd brought up the idea to Max and Dana, all the while unable to keep her eyes off the cheerleader.
She'd rolled a natural twenty...
It was on that thought that the last of the girls finally drifted off to sleep, dreams sweeter than ever before.
What was it that people would sometimes say?
Life is Strange.