This is a commission for TheRedWizzard. Thank you for your patronage~ This time around, we have some softcore sex between SamxCloverxMandy. I ship it!
Thanks go to GrimGrave for beta reading.
—Keep Your Friends Close and Your Frenemies Closer—
"That was great," Sam sighed, stretching indolently. The redhead was completely nude, fair skin flushed from exertion.
"Mm..." Clover agreed. She, too, was naked, and her chin was shiny. She opened her mouth wide, shifting her jaw from side to side to stretch it. "I'm glad you came when you did. My jaw was starting to get tired."
"That just means you need more practice," Sam chuckled.
"You saying I'm not already amazing at this?" Clover growled, giving a rosy nipple a punishing pinch.
Sam whimpered and pouted. "I'm saying you should eat out more often."
Clover shook her head and went into the adjacent bathroom to wash her face. She brushed her teeth for good measure, knowing full well her girlfriend would protest if she tried to kiss her while still tasting of her sex. Clover happened to enjoy the unique flavour.
Clover jumped back into bed, jostling Sam, who groaned, and kissed the redhead soundly. "Who knew there was a nympho under that nerdy, goody two-shoes exterior?"
"You're the only one who will ever know," Sam said solemnly, pulling Clover back down on top of her.
They exchanged kisses for a while, just enjoying each other's bodies. Eventually, Clover sat up, her expression pensive as she considered how to bring up an idea that had been on her mind for some time now.
Sam leaned back on her elbows to look at the other girl. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, babe."
The redhead frowned. "Something's on your mind, I can tell. Talk to me."
"As you know, our three-year anniversary is coming up..." Clover reached out and drew circles around Sam's areola with her fingertips.
The redhead shivered. "It is."
Between their spy duties and half-assing (at least in Clover's case) their way through high school, three years had blazed by so quickly, it was difficult to believe.
"I was thinking we could do something special."
"What did you have in mind?" Sam murmured, putty in the blonde's hands as long as Clover continued to toy with her breasts.
"A threesome."
"Oh." Sam waited for the punchline that never came, her eyes locked on Clover's. When the blonde's expression remained serious, she asked softly, "With who?"
It wasn't a no. Clover let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding and her hands stilled. "I dunno. I never got that far."
Sam clicked her tongue. "You sure you'd be okay with someone else touching me?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You can be a little... aggressive when it comes to other people even looking at me."
"That guy was eye-fucking you like I wasn't even there!"
Sam bit her lip to keep from smiling. "That's because no one knows we're dating, sweetie."
Clover scowled. "Still."
It was best to change the subject before she launched into a rant. "Okay. So who?"
There wasn't exactly a long list of girls who were "out" at Beverly Hills High School.
"Uh... Jessica?"
"She's got a big mouth and a tiny ass."
"Ouch."
"Where's the lie?" Clover challenged.
Sam shook her head. "Okay, okay."
"Adriana?"
"She's cute, but I'm pretty sure she has a boyfriend."
Clover's eyebrows rose. "Seriously?"
"Mhm. He's a total asshole, but I guess that's attractive to some girls?"
"Huh. I always thought she was gay."
"Or maybe it was just wishful thinking." Sam rolled her eyes. "What about Becca?"
"Pass. She'll nail anything that has a vagina."
"Ew. Says who?"
"Um, everyone?" Clover scoffed.
"Ugh. So who's left?"
Finally, Clover suggested, only half seriously, "What about Mandy?"
Sam blinked. "You mean the "Queen Bitch"?"
"I know, right? Could you imagine?"
"She'd probably complain the whole time that you aren't good enough."
"And refuse to kiss you because that's gay."
"And I bet she'd be a total pillow princess!"
After their giggling had subsided, Clover said, "I mean... She's not ugly."
"She isn't," Sam agreed. "She's pretty hot, actually."
"Oh, so you think she's hot?"
Clover's fake ire earned her a half-hearted shove from her girlfriend. "Shut up, babe. You know I only have eyes for you."
"Mm... I just love hearing you say it."
They cuddled together as post-coital drowsiness settled over them both.
"Is Mandy even into girls?" Sam asked, voice thick with sleepiness.
Clover yawned widely. "Spaghetti is straight until you heat it up, you know."
They both fell asleep before Sam could tell her how lame that line was.
Clover managed to stay awake during first period by some miracle. Second period rolled around and she wanted to blow her brains out. Thank God it was almost Friday.
"Clover," Alex hissed.
Equally quietly, Clover asked, "What?"
"Can I borrow a pen?"
The blonde relinquished the requested utensil and watched, amused, as the tanned girl used it to doodle something on her arm. "What are you doing?"
She didn't look up from her task. "I have a test after lunch and I didn't study! It's worth like ten percent of my grade and that's already fucked, sooo I need all the help I can get."
"Not to sound like Sam, but... Why didn't you study?"
Alex frowned. "Gawd, you do sound like Sam. She must be rubbing off on you."
Inwardly, Clover snickered. Alex had no idea how right she was; Sam did plenty of "rubbing off" on her. "Uh huh. So, why?"
Alex groaned and her frantic scribbling stopped. "I got caught up in the latest episode of my favourite show and, before I knew it, the night was gone!"
Good old Alex.
The bell rang and they bolted towards the cafeteria. From the top of the stairs, they could see that Sam was already waiting outside of the double doors, her attention on the textbook cradled in her arms. Clover's heart did a curious skip-hop, like it always did when she looked at the redhead, and she elbowed her way through the crowd of other students with Alex in tow.
"Hey, how was class?"
Sam looked up from her book and graced them with a radiant smile. "It was fascinating. I'm so glad I signed up for AP classes this semester. They really make all the difference in the rigor of the course material and... Alex, what the heck is all over your arm?"
"Crap. Hold on, you two, I have a hoodie in my locker!"
Alex hurried away, back the way they'd come from and against the flow of student traffic. Once she was out of sight, Clover dared to lean into her girlfriend. "Missed you."
"It's only been like an hour." Despite her words, delight sparkled in green eyes.
Alex returned, her "fool-proof study aid" properly concealed, and the trio entered the cafeteria and joined the line.
Mystery meatloaf? Ew.
Burritos that were simultaneously too hot to eat, yet ice cold in places? Not on your life.
A slice of thin crust pizza that was more oil than anything else? Gag.
After picking something that wasn't going to make them feel sick for the rest of the day Clover, Alex, and Sam went to sit at their usual table. Sam sat next to Alex, who sat across from Clover—which was totally fine because that meant Clover had to keep her hands to herself. It didn't mean they couldn't play footsie under the table, though.
"So what's the plan this weekend?" Sam asked, after unsuccessfully trying to convince herself to eat what was on her tray.
You and me, naked and working up a sweat. Clover hid her smirk with a swig of diet Coke. Down, girl.
"Ugh. My mom is forcing me to go to this family thing, so I'll be gone until Sunday night. "Sam and Clover shared a look, feeling simultaneously excited for some alone time and guilty for getting excited about the fact that their best friend would be indisposed. "Wait a sec..." Alex looked between the two of them, her eyes narrowing. "Did you guys make plans without me?!"
"Don't be silly."
"Yeah! Where would the Three Musketeers be without one of the other Musketeers?"
If Sam had glasses to adjust, she would have. "Well actually—"
Whatever intelligent point the redhead was about to make about the French historical adventure novel written in 1844 Alexandre Dumas was interrupted by a loud commotion. It started outside of the doors, two unintelligible voices—one male and one female—and then, with a 'bang' of those doors swinging violently inward, suddenly became louder and much clearer:
"I don't think it's asking too much to expect my girlfriend to come to my games." The guy's name wasn't important.
"To watch you flirt with your groupies? No thanks." The girl was none other than Mandy, self-proclaimed "Queen Bitch" of Beverly Hills High.
He raked a hand through his hair. "You're still pissed about that? I said I was sorry!"
"I don't know if you know this, but an apology doesn't mean shit if you turn around and do it again!"
"What, do you want me to get down on my knees?"
Mandy crossed her arms over her chest. "It would be a good start."
The spotlight was on him and the rush of endorphins resulted in bravery that gave his fabulous male mind the go-ahead to say something he absolutely shouldn't have. "Why are you acting like such a cunt?!"
You could hear a pin drop in the suddenly silent cafeteria. The c-word was basically taboo at Bev High, used only to insult your greatest nemesis and never your girlfriend.
Mandy may have been a total bitch, but even she didn't deserve that. A collective groan took some of the wind out of his sails, but it was too late to take the words back.
Mandy went immediately from frustrated to seething, and for the first time ever, Clover genuinely feared the dark-haired teen.
'SLAP!'
Something flashed in purple eyes, the promise of a verbal tongue-lashing the likes of which Bev High's cafeteria had never seen, and perfectly glossed lips curved in a spiteful sneer.
"There are millions of sperm that could have possibly impregnated your mother and you're the one that won the race. Unbelievable. People like you make me sad for the human race. Centuries of evolving and becoming better versions of those first shit slinging apes—wasted."
His face grew redder by the moment, but there was no stopping Mandy.
"Do yourself a favour and look up the words "loyalty" and "respect" so hopefully the next unfortunate girl isn't subjected to the same bullshit I was. If you really had an ounce of integrity you'd stay single because the only person you're capable of caring about is yourself. Why? I don't get it; you're not that great. You're a slob and a chauvinist who doesn't even realize how much his disdain for women reflects in his selfish actions."
All that bravado was gone. What remained was a young man who wanted his mommy.
"And furthermore, if your dick was half as big as your undeserved ego, maybe I would have actually let you get past second base. But probably not because being with a pig like you has made me realize that I'm a lesbian!"
A murmur went through the onlookers, echoing Sam and Clover's surprise almost verbatim: wait, what?!
Mandy didn't give the boy or their audience a second glance as she stormed off and the students in her path wisely backed out of her way. Once he had slunk off, presumably to lick his wounds, the crowd began to disperse before the staff could come in and threaten detention. Clover and Sam shared another look, floored by what they'd just witnessed.
"I almost feel sorry for him." Clover shook her head. "Almost."
"Yeah. That was brutal," Alex agreed.
Sam's expression was thoughtful. When she offered no opinion, Clover shot her a questioning look and the redhead inclined her head in the direction that Mandy had fled.
It was obvious what she wanted; pure-hearted Sam was too nice for her own good sometimes.
The blonde frowned. 'Seriously?'
Sam smiled faintly. "I should head to the library. I need to check out some reference materials for my lab."
Clover sighed. "I'll, uh, go with you if you want."
...
They found Mandy on the floor of the girl's locker room, sitting with her back to a locker while hugging her knees to her chest. She had clearly been crying, but she was trying so hard to save face that Clover and Sam pretended not to notice as they sat on the bench adjacent to her. No one said anything right away.
"What do you two want?" The snideness that was usually present when Mandy deigned to address them was totally absent. Instead, she just sounded tired.
"That was quite a performance," Clover said.
"What she means is we're sorry things ended up that way with..." Sam frowned. "You know, we never did get this name."
"Womanizing Douchebag."
"Sounds French," Clover snickered.
Mandy actually cracked a smile at that and the tension in the room eased considerably.
"He had it coming. I'm impressed you put up with him for so long."
"I'm an idiot, I know," Mandy said. "He didn't deserve all of the "last chance"s I gave him."
"Hey, don't say that," Sam protested. "I mean he didn't deserve you, period, but you're not an idiot for trying to see the best in someone."
"... Gag."
"I know, she's so disgustingly sweet sometimes," Clover agreed.
Clover and Mandy shared a laugh at Sam's expense while the redhead huffed and rolled her eyes good-naturedly. When the laughter died down, Mandy heaved a sigh.
"God, I can't believe I came out like that. I'm never going to hear the end of this."
Clover sat up a little straighter. So it hadn't just been an angry fluke and Mandy totally was a lesbian. "Fuck 'em. You shouldn't have to hide who you are."
Which was totally hypocritical of her to say, but whatevs.
"Since when are you two so cool?"
"News flash: we've always been like this. Maybe if you hadn't been such a bitch over the years, we could have actually been friends."
Sam shot Clover a hard look, but Mandy simply chuckled. "Yeah. Maybe..."
They all shared a laugh again, and the tension left the room completely. Sitting here now, it was difficult to believe there had been so much bad blood between them.
"Come on; bring it in," Sam said, getting to her feet and extending her arms.
She half expected Mandy to make some sort of excuse or protest, so she was surprised to find herself on the receiving end of a bear hug. Clover came over, sandwiching Mandy between them as she hugged them both. It was all good vibes and warm, fluffy feelings until Clover opened her mouth.
"It's funny. We were asking just last night if you were gay and it turns out you are. What are the odds?"
"Clover."
But the damage was done and Mandy tensed. "Why would you be...? Oh my God, how did I not notice before." She wriggled out of their grasp so she could face them. "Are you two fucking!?"
"Guilty as charged," Clover answered cheerfully, slinging her arm around her girlfriend's waist.
"Clover," Sam gasped, aghast.
"What? It's only fair that we tell her."
Sam sighed and shook her head. "Fine. Yes, we've been secretly dating since the end of freshman year."
Mandy's mouth was a perfect 'o' shape as she looked from one girl to the other. "Oh my God," she repeated.
"I think we broke her."
"Is it really that surprising?" Sam asked. It was a good thing considering they were trying to keep their relationship on the DL.
"No, it's just..." Mandy's eyes narrowed. "Wait, why were you guys talking about me anyway?"
"Well..." Clover drawled as she glanced over at the redhead.
'What are you plotting?' the suspicious glintinbig green eyes asked.
"For our three-year anniversary, we wanted to have a threesome. But there are like zero cute, openly gay girls in our school."
"What about Becca?" Mandy asked almost absentmindedly. Her expression was difficult to read.
"We do have standards, you know." Clover sniffed. "But, yeah, her name came up and so did a couple of other girls', but we were like—" The blonde blew a raspberry and rolled her eyes.
Mandy bit her lip. "Soooo... Where did you two land in the whole add-Mandy-to-our-threesome convo?"
"Well, Sam thinks you're hot."
The redhead threw up her hands, her exasperation reaching critical mass as her face tried to achieve the same fiery colour as her hair. "Seriously!?"
"Aww, don't be so shy, babe."
"This is mortifying..."
"Why?"
Sam's head snapped towards Mandy. "Huh?"
She smirked. "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't ever thought about it."
"Duh. We're cute as hell."
"Oh my God, Clover."
Mandy laughed and, this time, the sound had a husky, alluring note to it. "Alright, fuck it. Let's do it."
They made plans to meet at Mandy's place after school and for the rest of the day, Clover and Sam had to act as though everything was totally normal.
"Uh, Clover?"
"Mm?"
"Could you sit still? You're making this difficult."
"Oh, sorry."
Art class had them sketching portraits and Alex had chosen the blonde as her subject. Despite her words, the blonde began fidgeting again a few minutes later and Alex sighed and put down her pencil. "What's up?"
"What?"
"You're clearly distracted by something. So, what's up?"
'Well me, Sam, and Mandy are going to get down and dirty after school and I'm super excited to spice up our already amaaazing sex life.' "Uh..."
"What's going on with you two? Sam was a total spazz last period."
Oho? Was her shy, more repressed partner excited, too?
Clover crossed her legs and forced herself to sit more or less still for the remaining twenty minutes of class. As soon as the bell rang, she gave Alex a tight hug goodbye and made a dash for her car.
Mandy's house was to die for, but that didn't matter. What mattered was Mandy met them at the door in a lacy purple bra and panties with black stockings attached to a similarly-coloured garter belt. She smirked at their wide-eyed looks of surprise and led them to her room, which perfectly suited her sense of style. Clover's gaze went immediately to the king-sized bed to the rear of the room and her heart began to beat faster.
They were really going to do this. The blonde had never been one to let her nerves get the best of her and she turned that nervous energy into action by grasping Mandy's hips and pulling the girl against her. Their lips met, the soft pressure of two parties testing the waters, and Mandy looped her arms around Clover's neck, applying pressure to lead her towards the bed.
The backs of Mandy's knees hit the side of the bed and she pulled the blonde down on top of her. Their lips met again and this time the contact was more firm as they exchanged a series of lingering kisses. Clover made a soft sound of approval when she felt the dark-haired beauty tug at the hem of her shirt.
So Mandy was the take-charge type? Colour her pleasantly surprised.
They parted for just long enough that Mandy could remove the article before kissing more deeply. Tongues twisted in a heated dance and Clover cupped Mandy through her bra, kneading firmly. The material was soft, but doubly soft was the warm flesh it so lovingly cupped. Mandy had a rockin' bod.
Clover pulled away, briefly surfacing from the haze of lust and realizing that something—or, rather, someone—was missing. Mandy didn't miss a beat, redirecting her affections to the sensitive column of the blonde's throat.
"Babe." Sam was shifting her weight from one foot to the other and, though she was red in the face, green orbs had darkened a shade. Clover knew that look and it made wet heat suffuse the apex of her thighs. Then Mandy nipped her collarbone and she shuddered. "Get your ass over here."
Sweet, somewhat awkward Sam hesitated before shuffling over to stand beside the bed. When she hesitated further, Clover and Mandy grabbed her by either arm and pulled her to them with a yelp. Clover took her front and Mandy took her back and, together, the teens began stripping the redhead. Bit by bit, they exposed pale skin clad in a dark green bra, white panties trimmed with dark green lace, and electric green socks that went up to the knee, accentuating long legs.
"Damn," Mandy said appreciatively.
"Right?!" Clover agreed.
It was Mandy who moved first, cupping Sam's cheek and kissing her deeply. Soon, the redhead's arms were looped around her neck and Mandy's hands were wandering, mapping out supple curves. The alpha in Clover bared its fangs at the sight, just as Sam had predicted, but she reigned in the ugly feeling of jealousy and reminded herself that this was about having fun—not expressing love.
Not like what she and Sam had.
The blonde spooned behind Mandy, molding her front against the brunette's back and reaching around to cup her sex. Mandy released a throaty sound, muffled by Sam's lips, and her hips twitched. She had sprung a leak, by the feel of it; the front of her underwear was damp, and as Clover rubbed firmly, the dark-haired teen rutted against her palm.
Clover peppered kisses across Mandy's shoulders while Sam cupped and squeezed her breasts. Their actions were exploratory, unhurried, encouraging throaty sounds of pleasure. Kisses were exchanged, sometimes between two partners and on a few, messy occasions, between all three girls as hands roamed. A pinch here, a nip there, and a series of kisses, some quick, some slow and sensual, were the perfect storm to heighten arousal.
At one point, Sam and Mandy teamed up on Clover, removing her skirt so that she was only wearing a red bra, matching tanga-style panties, and pink crew socks. Mandy showed her appreciation for Clover's body just as she had Sam's, kissing the blonde soundly and running her hands over every inch of Clover's skin. The bedsprings squeaked, an almost rhythmic accompaniment to their pleasurable utterances.
Eventually, Mandy found herself sandwiched between them again and at the mercy of two horny, eager teens. Sam and Clover seemed to be everywhere at once, and she squirmed and gasped, her sex wetter than it had ever been. They worked in tandem to drive her wild, feathering fingertips along the sides of her abdomen, kissing along her jawline, and finding places that Mandy herself didn't know were sensitive.
Mandy's sounds of pleasure became more frequent as Clover and Sam upped the ante, teasing her through her underwear until she was squirming and whimpering.
To hear such an imploring sound from someone who came off as so cold was a huge turn-on for both girls. Clover looked pointedly from Sam to Mandy and the brilliant redhead caught on quickly, positioning Mandy on all-fours over her lap. Clover wasted no time kneeling behind Mandy, nudging aside lacy panties, and sliding two fingers in, up to the second knuckle.
"Mmph...!"
Sam swallowed Mandy's ecstatic cry, tangling her fingers in long, dark hair while her girlfriend began thrusting slowly. Mandy shuddered as she pumped her hips, pulling away in favour of burying her face in Sam's chest. Sam knew how good those long, skilful digits felt, curving just so and drilling into a sensitive spot deep within that made her see white, and her inner muscles twitched empathetically. She continued to pet Mandy, touching every inch of skin she could reach, while Clover brought her steadily closer to orgasm.
Blue eyes met green over top Mandy's head and Clover grinned and winked. She had her other hand on Mandy's hip, bracing the girl as she sped up her pace. Mandy moaned louder in kind, wrapping her arms around Sam's waist and muffling her voice in the redhead's bosom.
She was close. Clover could feel the way her inner muscles clenched mightily around her fingers and curved them slightly, massaging the walls. Orgasm made Mandy arch, her inner muscles clenching spasmodically as a shudder ran the length of her body. Her eyes rolled back in her head and, after the shudders subsided, Mandy collapsed, pinning Sam to the bed partway beneath her. She hissed and tensed when Clover pulled her fingers free, then grumbled something unintelligible as she nuzzled Sam's breasts.
Clover chuckled and threw herself down on the bed next to them before leaning in and kissing Sam. "You okay?"
"A little jealous." Sam took hold of Clover's wrist and lifted it to her mouth. She paused when she smelled the unfamiliar scent of Mandy's sex, then slipped both fingers into her mouth. The taste wasn't wholly unpleasant, something Sam tucked away for later examination. Sam made eye contact with Clover as she licked and sucked Mandy's essence from long fingers.
Their dark-haired third was forgotten for a moment, while the redhead's talented tongue went to work. A shiver ran down the blonde's spine, her breath catching. "Fuck, babe..."
Sam pulled Clover's fingers free, her gaze smouldering—but then she gasped. While they'd been distracted, Mandy had shifted and began placing teasing kisses on the front of her underwear. The redhead had soaked through the front of them and Mandy inhaled the musk of her arousal as she nuzzled between Sam's legs.
"Sorry to interrupt," Mandy husked.
You could practically hear the "not sorry" following the statement as Mandy sat up and kissed Clover soundly. Then Mandy turned her attention to Sam, tucking dark strands of hair behind her ear as she leaned down to kiss the redhead. Clover watched, curious, as Mandy began positioning herself so that she was straddling Sam at an angle. When she lowered her hips, the damp fabric of the crotch of their panties rubbed, creating silken friction. Sam mewled and Mandy gripped her knee for support as she began grinding in earnest.
It was... Pretty damn hot, if Clover was being honest with herself.
The blonde teased herself through her panties as she watched Mandy and Sam work together to find an angle that would pleasure them both. Sam had always been a fan of internal stimulation rather than external, so this was a position they had yet to try. Looking at her now—crimson hair tousled, gaze unfocused, and pouty lips parted to gasp and moan—Clover intended to rectify that ASAP.
Mandy's nails dug into Sam's thigh as she rocked, her movements growing more feverish. Her breasts bounced and her head fell back, her throaty vocalizations growing louder as pleasure built. Sam moaned in turn, pumping her hips to meet Mandy's and sending electrical arcs of pleasure zipping throughout her frame as the slick friction intensified. Clover could tell from the redhead's pitch that she was close; the blonde slipped in behind Mandy and began grinding against a full rear, her own core throbbing hotly. Sam reached out and they clasped hands as the trio moved together. Sam was the first to cum with a low moan and Mandy was soon to follow. She pushed her ass back against Clover's pelvis as she shuddered and the blonde bit her lip, her humping becoming erratic as she, too, reached orgasm.
A dead silence fell over the room as the girls collapsed onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, spent and completely satisfied. In the afterglow they cuddled together, petting each other's sweat-damp bodies as they caught their breath. Once they'd recovered, Sam and Clover got dressed and Mandy showed them to the door.
It felt somewhat like a walk of shame as the couple stood on the front step and tried to think of something to say. What did one say in this situation? "Thanks for the sex"? "It was fun"? "We simply must do this again"?
"See you tomorrow," Sam offered tentatively.
Mandy smiled, her posture totally relaxed as she leaned against the doorway. "Seeya."
Friday at last.
Their upcoming chemistry class had been a source of puns and sexual innuendoes regarding the night before and Clover was actually looking forward to class. The trio entered the room together, which in and of itself was a reason to stare, but no one had forgotten Mandy's outburst the day before, so there were whispers and judgmental glances. You know, a typical day in a high school classroom.
Mandy held her head high as she headed for her usual seat in the back, but she paused when Sam put a hand on her arm.
"You want to sit with us, Mandy?"
Her blank-faced blinking said that the invitation was totally unexpected. "Sure."
Alex hadn't arrived yet and, given her track record, would likely be late. They chose an empty lab table so they could save her a seat and chatted casually until the bell rang. As predicted, Alex rushed in right as the teacher was removing the door stopper and could officially mark her tardy on the attendance.
She grinned sheepishly at him before casting a glance around the room for her friends. They saw her eyebrows rise when she noticed the third person seated at their table. The tan girl came over and took her seat, where she stole glances at Mandy until attendance had been taken and it was safe to speak.
"Something on your mind, Alex?" Clover asked innocently.
Alex opened her mouth, pointed at Mandy, closed her mouth, and frowned. She opened her mouth a second time, while her friends waited, patient and amused, for her to formulate whatever it was she wanted to say, only to close it again. Her frown deepened, warm brown eyes going warily from Sam to Clover to Mandy.
"Did I miss something?" she asked at last. "Because last time I checked you guys were like worst enemies. Now you're acting all buddy-buddy?"
Sam shrugged. "To be honest, I never had a huge problem with Mandy."
"I mean, me neither, but Clover went rabid anytime you even brought up her name."
Mandy snickered. "I think I understand why now."
"Huh?"
"It was time to bury the hatchet," Clover declared. "I couldn't help but feel bad about what shitty luck she's had with boyfriends. I mean, been there, done that, am I right?"
Her "shitty luck" had been a series of carefully selected beards over the years, but Alex didn't need to know that.
"Okaaaay... Weird." Alex's expression was doubtful. "But cool. One less thing to stress over, I guess."
"Exactly. Who has the time and energy when we have all our extracurricular activities to worry about?"
They weren't quite ready to be that open and honest with the teen. Maybe in time they'd be able to share every unbelievable detail of their secret lives. For now...
"Hey, Mandy, got any plans this weekend?"
... This could be the start of a beautiful friendship. With benefits?