Root looked around the park, trying to spot Sameen. The sun had set an hour ago and she was starting to worry. Root had come to the park with Zoe and Joss. They'd picked her up since she didn't have a car. She looked over at them, giggling to each other about the look of rapt attention on John's face. Apparently, he was really into the Dallas Cowboys.

She looked up at the large screen. The Mayor of Bishop had set up a large screen in the park so everyone could gather and watch the game. The Cowboys were doing well this year, Root had heard. She wasn't really into sports, but when Sameen had asked if she was going to the event, Root had said yes.

She felt a hand on her leg and looked over. Zoe was smiling at her.

"She'll be here, Root," Zoe assured her. "You know how she is about being on time."

Root nodded, biting her lip. Zoe was right. Sameen wouldn't have reached out if she didn't want to talk.

"I'm just nervous, I guess," Root sighed.

John peeled his eyes and looked at Root. "Don't be. She's been keyed up all day."

"Really?" Root asked, hopeful. "That's a good sign?"

"With Sameen," Joss joked, "you never know."

Root's phone buzzed on the ground next to her. She picked it up and smiled. Sameen was in the parking lot. Root jumped to her feet.

"I'll be right back."

Joss shrugged. "No rush. Go get your girl."

Root grinned and hurried across the field towards the parking lot. The crowd around her cheered at something on the screen. She squinted ahead, trying to spot Sameen.

When she got closer, she could see her sitting on top of John's car. Sameen raised her arm and waved to Root across the distance. Root jogged towards her and stopped in front of the car.

"So, are you coming down or am I going up?" Root asked, putting her hands on the hood.

Sameen looked up, fixing her eyes on the large screen at the other end of the park. "Come up."

Root shrugged and put her knee on the hood, lifting herself up. She kicked her shoes off behind her, letting them bounce to the ground. Carefully, she crawled up the windshield and dropped to the roof besides Sameen, their shoulders brushing.

Root took a deep breath and stretched her legs in front of her. She was sweating in the heat, her skin sticking to the car. She wasn't sure if she should say something first or wait for Sameen to start. Really, Sameen was the one who needed to apologize and the one who asked her here.

"So," Sameen started, eyes still watching the game, "how's school going?"

Root stared at her, confused. "Um," she pushed her hair behind her ears, "it's fine. Hasn't been too different from last year."

"How's your mom?"

"She's fine," Root sighed. "She keeps asking me if I have a boyfriend."

Sameen chuckled and leaned back on her hands. "Still not cool with you being gay."

"She's…not talking about it," Root turned to watch the football game, too. "She just keeps saying 'girls mature faster than boys do. Just wait. You'll meet someone.'"

"Boys are dumb," Sameen muttered, bouncing her legs. "She needs to get over that."

Root pursed her lips. She really didn't want to talk about boys with Sameen. She was hoping Sameen wouldn't force her to hang out with Tomas.

Sameen coughed into her fist. "Have you, uh, have you started Dante's Inferno?"

"Yes!" Root cried, happy for the change of subject. "I can't believe he compares himself to Ovid and Lucan. Seriously? His metamorphoses are cool, but they're not on the same level. Dante is so full of shit."

Sameen glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and smirked.

"What?" Root asked, feeling self-conscious. She reached up to touch her nose. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Sameen said, shaking her head. "I didn't understand anything you just said."

"Oh," Root said, "you haven't started it yet?"

"I have," Sameen rolled her eyes. "It's just dense."

"Well, I could help you…" she offered, scratching her arm. "If you want."

Sameen smiled. "I'd like that."

Root licked her lips and looked away. The Cowboy Cheerleaders were on the screen, dancing. She wondered if she could convince Sameen to be a cheerleader for Halloween.

"That's why you're first in our class this year," Sameen said. "I'm not doing as well in English as you are."

"That's alright," Root joked, "my Biology grade isn't great."

"So, an A-?"

"A B+, actually," Root sniffed, pushing her hair over her shoulder. "I'm practically failing."

"I'll help you with Biology if you help me with English?" Sameen looked at her.

Root laughed. "It's a deal." She held her hand out for Sameen to shake.

Sameen reached out slowly, her face an odd expression. She took Root's hand and Root drew a shaky breath. She'd forgotten how warm Sameen was, always. Root took her hand away and shoved it in her pocket.

Root dropped her head back and looked up at the stars, twinkling in the sky. She hadn't used her telescope in forever. She'd been barely keeping up with the NASA reports. All the extra time alone hadn't been productive. Root had spent most of that time staring at the ceiling.

"When does Orion come back?" Sameen asked her.

Root tilted her neck, looking at Sameen. She'd also dropped her head back to look at the stars. Sameen glanced at her and Root looked away, smiling to herself.

"November," she answered. "It's a winter constellation, remember?"

"I know," Sameen scoffed. "I just didn't know the exact month."

Root laughed and sat forward. She bent her legs up and wrapped her arms around her knees. It was nice to be joking with Sameen again. If she tried, she could pretend like they'd never fought.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" she asked, trying to ignore her racing heart.

Sameen frowned and looked away. "I broke up with Tomas. A while ago."

Root swallowed, her stomach twisting. "How long ago?"

"A few days. Wednesday."

That was the day after Sameen had walked in on Root crying. Of course, Root thought to herself. She'd spent so much energy making sure Sameen thought she wasn't upset and the second Sameen saw her cry, she broke up with Tomas.

"Why?" Root asked her. She needed to hear Sameen say it. "Why did you break up with him?"

"Because he's dumb and always smells like stale cigarettes," Sameen replied, wrinkling his nose.

Root scratched her chin and looked away. That wasn't exactly a romantic statement. The crowd in front of them shouted encouragements at the screen. Root decided not to push.

"You didn't start smoking, did you?"

"No way," Sameen said, emphatically. "You know…he was really sweaty, too."

"Probably because he was wearing that jacket."

Sameen laughed. "I liked the note you sent him. That it made him look like a douchebag."

"It did!" Root asserted. She turned, pulling a knee under her to face fully face Sameen. "Weren't you dying all summer in the heat?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah," Root repeated. "And you're always half-naked. Imagine wearing leather."

Sameen held her hands up. "I'm not arguing with you. I think you're right!"

Root crossed her arms, feeling pressure behind her eyes. She pressed her fingers against her eyelids. "I can't believe you dated him."

When Sameen didn't respond immediately, Root opened her eyes. Sameen's face was blank, her mask firmly in place. Root couldn't read her. She ran her eyes over Sameen's face, drinking in the expression, so familiar. She wanted their relationship back.

"I'm sorry," Sameen said softly. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I…don't know how you felt, or still feel, but I know it was my fault. I shouldn't have started dating Tomas and I shouldn't have let you end our friendship."

Root nodded, pressure building. She reached up to wipe a tear away. "You hurt me. I don't care that you don't like me, but you lied for so long and then you didn't even say you're sorry."

"I'm saying it now," Sameen reached out to lay a hand on Root's leg. "I'm sorry. As sorry as I can be. I promise."

Root swallowed, her throat tight. She was so mad at Sameen, so upset at what she did and how she reacted, but Root couldn't let her go. She was so much happier with Sameen in her life. There was so much left to do on her list and all of it would be better together.

"Root?" Sameen asked, looking vulnerable, despite her blank expression.

"I just want…" Root trailed off. She wanted so much.

She wanted to lay under the stairs and hold Sameen's hand. She wanted to ride around town and drink Slushees at night. She wanted to paint their treehouse, and make a blanket fort, and know what Sameen thought about absolutely everything.

Root reached over and shoved Sameen off the car, grunting with effort. She took a deep breath, quickly wiping her eyes and leaned forward to see Sameen lying on her back on the gravel, groaning. Sameen looked up at her with wide eyes.

"Yes, Sameen. We can be friends."

Sameen rolled her eyes, and lifted her legs, resting her feet up against the car. "Did that make you feel better?"

"A little bit," Root nodded. She stretched out on the roof of the car and propped her chin up on her hands. "We have to set some ground rules."

"Rules?" Sameen said, looking skeptical.

"Yeah, like…" Root thought for a moment. "If one of us makes a new friend, they have to be friends with both of us."

"Sounds reasonable," Sameen shrugged, her shoulders pushing some gravel around. "We spend all our time together anyway."

"True," Root agreed. "Hmm, all dates have to be approved."

Sameen laughed. "We won't be dating anyone, but ok."

"You never know," Root shrugged. "Could happen."

Sameen narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Do you like someone else?"

"No…" Root said, drawing out the word. "I'm not you."

"Wow," Sameen snorted, shifting on the hard ground, "are you ever going to get over this?"

"It hasn't even been five minutes, Sameen! I'm probably going to be upset for a while."

"Oh, is there anything I can do?" Sameen dropped her legs to the ground and rolled onto her knees.

Root watched as she climbed to her feet. When Sameen turned to face her, they were almost eye-level. Root's spot on the car giving her extra height. She looked down on Sameen and drew in a breath.

"You could take me home? We could have a sleepover?"

Sameen reached up to poke Root in the forehead. "I figured we do that anyway, nerd. I meant something specific."

Root shrugged and sat up. "I'm sure I'll think of something."

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Root stared across the bed, trying to see Sameen's face in the dark. She felt tense, despite the fact that they were friends again. She wasn't quite sure where to go from here or what had changed.

She reached out, blindly trying to find Sameen in the dark. Sameen's hand came up and guided Root's to her face.

"You good?" Sameen asked, her voice husky.

"Yeah," Root whispered, softly running her thumb across Sameen's cheek. "I'm good."

"Sleep time," Sameen moaned.

She shifted forward, pressing herself to Root's body, and tucked her head under Root's chin. Root gasped softly, the familiar smell of Sameen floating up to her. God, she'd missed this.

The blankets shifted and Sameen lifted her arm, laying it across Root's side. She slid a hand under the back of Root's shirt, her hands warm against Root's clammy skin. Root relaxed, letting herself sink into the bed and into Sameen's arms.

Sameen's feet touched hers and their legs tangled together.

"Goodnight, Root," Sameen sighed.

Root smiled to herself. "Goodnight, Sameen."

Root closed her eyes, the weight of the past few months draining from her and leaving her exhausted. As she drifted off, she felt warm lips press against her collarbones, and sighed.