Short chapter! Sorry.
Drum roll, Please
That afternoon Paige and Ellie walked toward Paige's house. The whole way the two were grinning. Occasionally they glanced sideways at each other and smiled even wider. They'd start to giggle together for no reason at all, and brushed up against each other more often than most friends did.
Paige called out a hello to her brother when she opened the front door, but didn't stop to talk. She led Ellie upstairs to her room and closed the door behind them. Squealing, Paige threw her arms around Ellie's neck, hugging the redhead tightly. Ellie smiled and hugged Paige back, closing her eyes happily. Paige started to nuzzle Ellie's neck and eventually pulled away far enough to kiss Ellie softly.
As the afternoon wore into evening, Ellie and Paige lay on her bed, always touching in one way or another, constantly exchanging sweet little kisses. After each kiss Ellie would blush and Paige would giggle in amazement.
When it was almost completely dark, Paige's mother called upstairs. "Paige, honey, its time for your friend to go home!"
Ellie sighed. "Are we doomed to a life where we'll always be friends?"
"No way," Paige giggled. "Friends don't do this," she said softly, kissing Ellie seriously for the first time all day. Someone knocked on the door, and the two girls leapt apart guiltily.
"I can give you a ride home if you like, Ellie," Dylan said, smiling widely as he looked from one girl to the other.
"Thanks," Ellie said quietly, carefully climbing off the bed. "I'll um, see you tomorrow, Paige." Ellie waved goodbye.
"Bye, hun," Paige said, smiling regretfully.
Ellie lay on her bed, absently picking at healing scabs. The gentle feel of Paige's lips on hers remained the sweetest of all her memories, and if she licked her lips Ellie could still taste Paige's lip gloss. Ellie felt oddly ill and excited whenever she thought about Paige, and being allowed to hug the beauty queen and touch her hair whenever she wanted.
But it won't be whenever I want. It'll be when she decides to play the game.
Ellie's smile was vaguely melancholy.
Like that's going to matter. I'm already totally at her mercy.