Ch. 13
A/N: So while I was writing this chapter my computer crashed. Panic ensued. An entire day was wasted. Apple personnel were snarked at. But my machine is now in working order and luckily nothing was lost (of course I had nothing backed up at the time, hence the panic). Unfortunately, it has obviously resulted in my chapter being written and posted much later than I like. Maybe my computer just didn't like it? Hopefully you do...
"What the hell just happened?" Traci asked as she watched Jess storm out of the bar. The bitter redhead tore out of there like a bat out of hell.
Gail shrugged, "I have no idea, but I think Anderson struck a nerve."
"Clearly, maybe we should keep her around if she has that kind of effect on annoying people." Traci joked, though she had to admit she was more than a little relieved that she wasn't actually going to have to serve the antagonistic girl, again. All Traci had done before was greet the two girls and the bitchy redhead had bitten her head off, at least Holly was always nice.
"Maybe." Gail agreed absently, her focus was on Holly and Frankie who were standing near the booth talking. She watched the medical student throw an arm around her friend before the two made their way over.
"Tequila, Peck. Dos, por favor." Frankie held up two fingers for added emphasis as she reclaimed her stool from before.
"Thought you had to study?" Gail asked Holly as she poured out the drinks for the two girls.
Before Holly could respond, Frankie interjected, "Holly owes me a drink for being an awesome friend, and she's joining me because she would never force me to drink alone after I was just her hero."
Holly rolled her eyes at Frankie's logic, "I never agreed to that."
"You did, you just didn't realize it." Frankie countered.
The two girls clinked glasses and downed the shots. Frankie gestured for more but Holly shook her head. "One and done, Frankie, I actually do have to study."
"It's nice that you remembered that Hols, I thought I was the only one who actually cared about her grades seeing as how I'm the only one not drinking," Rachel good-naturedly chastised her roommate as her and Lisa joined the other two. She knew Holly cared more than the two of them combined and worked her ass off for her grades, but they wouldn't be friends if she didn't rib her roommate every so often.
"Sorry, Rach. Needed it." Holly sheepishly apologized to her friend, who she knew was right. They weren't supposed to be drinking, though she did notice the martini glass that Lisa had left behind a few stools away.
In lieu of a greeting, Lisa grabbed a hold of her friend's arm and dragged her out of earshot of the other girls, leaving Rachel behind with Gail and Frankie. Rachel looked at the bartender and her friend who gestured to the stool next to her.
"Sure you don't want a drink?" Gail asked. She felt kind of bad that she was only one of the study group not drinking.
Rachel laughed, "Yeah, I'm good, thanks."
The blonde shrugged in acceptance and gave her another coke.
"I do!" Frankie demanded, clinking around her empty shot glass. But this time Gail poured her a beer, hoping it would slow the girl down a little. The brunette sulked that it wasn't tequila but accepted the drink none-the-less.
Now that the refreshments had been served, the three girls turned their attention to the animated conversation that was taking place only a few feet away.
"Holly, what happened? Why did Jess leave?" Lisa demanded, tired of waiting to interrogate her friend.
"Because we were done talking." Holly replied dismissively. She was pissed at Lisa for setting her up that day. Going to the Penny was supposed to just be a quick study break before they hit the books for the rest of the night. Now, not only did she not want to be there, she no longer wanted to be around Lisa at all. Still, Holly was working hard to keep her feelings in check.
"And?" Lisa asked impatiently. She wanted her friend to spill about the conversation with her ex. She knew that Jess was determined to get Holly back and she had been more than happy to help.
"And what?" Holly played dumb. Lisa was lucky she was even still talking to her, but she wasn't going to make it easy.
"And what happened? Did you two work it out?"
"There's nothing to work out." Holly informed her stubborn friend.
Lisa shook her head in exasperation, "I just don't get you. Why are you so willing to throw away a relationship with someone that is such a good match for you?"
"According to you, Lisa." The taller brunette sighed. She had been hearing a rendition of this for the last few weeks. All about how she was making a mistake, how great Jess was, and how foolish Holly was being. She was tired of it.
"Well, what isn't there to like? She's smart, successful, and going to be an excellent surgeon, the top of her field, as will you. You're the perfect power couple." Lisa pointed out.
She had known Jess longer than Holly. They had met when Lisa was a freshman at the University and Jess had been a senior. Jess was assigned to be her mentor in the pre-med program and the two had obviously hit it off with their superiority complexes and judgmental bitchiness. Lisa admired Jess, and as a result often overlooked most of her flaws. She had been the one to introduce Holly to Jess and had been their biggest supporter over the years, always encouraging Holly not to give up on Jess no matter how many times she dumped her friend. She was loyal to both of them and for some god-forsaken reason believed them to be better together than apart.
"Maybe that's not what I'm looking for in a partner." Holly countered. She wasn't looking to be one half of a power couple. She wanted someone who she could trust, who respected her and her feelings, and, quite simply, someone who could make her laugh.
"Right. You prefer what? Bitchy bartenders and hanging out with future blue collars." Lisa lashed out; her words dripping with disdain as she gestured back to the bar where both girls in question were watching the scene unfold with unreadable expressions.
Holly narrowed her eyes at her friend. She wasn't someone who was quick to anger and was more than willing to ignore most of her friend's stupid comments but she was pushing it too far. "Seriously, what crawled up your ass and died, Lisa? Or are you just mad that Frankie dumped you?"
Lisa huffed indignantly before storming out of the bar in a similar fashion to her good friend Jess.
"Well so much for not having to deal with anymore drama." Rachel remarked to Holly as she rejoined them after Lisa's theatrics.
"I just wanted to eat and go back to studying." Holly sulked as she grabbed a seat
"I'm sorry." Rachel sympathetically pulled her friend in for a one-armed hug.
"Not your fault." The bespectacled brunette mumbled as she slumped against the bar.
"Alright, maybe we should just order something to go and get back to studying." Rachel gently suggested. They really needed to get back on track; all this drama Lisa caused was wasting valuable time.
Holly's features hardened, "I'm not dealing with Lisa anymore tonight." That much she was certain of, there was no way she was going to be in her presence till she had a chance to cool down.
Rachel looked at her friend pleadingly, "Come on Hols, we're supposed to be group studying."
But Holly's mind was made up, "Maybe tomorrow, but tonight I'm done."
"Fine, but we can't exactly hang out here all night." Rachel reasoned.
"You can do what you want, Rach, but I'm not going back to the apartment anytime soon."
"Alright, then do what you want but I'm going to head back."
"I thought you were hungry?" Holly questioned her friend; didn't she just suggest grabbing food moments ago?
Rachel shrugged, "I'm just going to eat something at the apartment while I work." She figured that by the time she got back Lisa would already in a shit-ripping bad mood and she could spend whatever time calming her down to prepare herself some food.
"Alright, I'll see you later tonight."
"Definitely." Rachel grabbed her friend for another hug before heading out. Holly watched her go before turning around in her seat. Gail and Frankie were watching her with similar expressions of interest and concern, but Holly avoided looking at them and instead fiddled with one of Frankie's empty shot glasses.
"Sure you don't want another drink?" Gail asked as she scrutinized the brunette before her. The one that looked lost in melancholic thoughts.
"Yeah I'm sure."
"I do," Frankie stole back her empty glass for added emphasis.
"You're going to get cut off soon. Finish your beer." Gail warned and pointed to the half-finished pint sitting on the bar. She knew that if she didn't serve Frankie then the senior would just leave and try to find booze in a different bar. That seemed like a poor choice all around.
"Fun sucker." But Frankie only took a small sip of the drink. She didn't really want to have to walk anywhere else tonight, which meant she had to make the alcohol she had last.
"Have you eaten anything, Frankie?" Holly asked her friend who for some reason seemed hell-bent on replacing all fluid in her body with alcohol.
"Had lunch." The brunette played with the mug, causing the beer to slosh around noisily.
"Are you planning on having dinner?"
"No." The mention of food reminded Frankie of the kitchen she had fled. Her mind conjured up images of the dancing redhead and the feel of her toned body responding to Frankie's earlier assault. Frankie downed the rest of her beer and tried again to erase the tantalizing images from her brain.
"Do you want to head home with me? Chloe said she was cooking tonight." Traci offered. She had just finished her shift and was getting ready to head home, but she was worried about the state her friend was in.
"Fuck no." That was the last place Frankie wanted to go tonight at least until she couldn't remember her own name.
"Dramatic much." Traci scolded. "Well, you're going to eat something."
"Whatever." Frankie conceded.
Traci told Gail to order Frankie a burger and fries before saying her good-byes to the three girls and heading home. If Frankie wanted to miss out on a home cooked meal that was her prerogative.
The bartender wrote out the slip then turned her attention back to the medical student before placing the order, "What about you, Nerd?"
"Actually, I'm not really hungry anymore." Thinking about the drama from earlier was twisting Holly's stomach into knots and checking her watch, she realized how much time she was wasting, which only caused her stress level to rise.
"You sure? You still haven't eaten." Gail logically pointed out. As an avid eater, the blonde was concerned about everyone's rejection of food that day.
"Yeah, I think I'm just going to head out and get some work done. If you run into any problems with this one," Holly gestured to Frankie who had now finished her beer and was reaching across the bar for the bottle of tequila, but Gail swatted her hands away, causing the inebriated brunette to scowl at her and Holly to chuckle. "Let me know. I do owe her one."
Holly pulled Frankie in for a hug, which the drunken senior reciprocated for slightly longer than she usually would. Holly whispered something in Frankie's ear before letting go. The medical student gave the bartender a sad smile as she headed for the door.
Gail didn't like the look on her friend's face or the way the day had been going for her. She knew what it felt like to be blindsided and it sucked. She quickly ducked out from behind the bar and caught up to Holly as she reached the door, "Hey, hold up a sec."
Holly turned back to look at Gail expectantly. The blonde shifted nervously, "If you, you know, need someone to talk to or I don't know just need to escape for a bit you can always come over after my shift. I know the Penny can be distracting but the house isn't so bad."
Holly raised an eyebrow questioningly, "Didn't you come hide with me?" She distinctly remembered the blonde coming over to her rooftop hideout, which is kind of what put all these events in motion.
Gail shrugged, "That was during midterms, everyone was a little crazier. I promise no one will bother you, especially if you take over Frankie's room."
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." Holly nodded back in the direction of the girl in question, "What's up with her tonight anyway?"
"No idea, but I'm sure she'll spill once she drinks enough." Alcohol had the habit of unlocking people's inner thoughts and Frankie was no exception.
"Maybe, good luck." Holly offered before pushing through the door and heading back to her own little hideaway. There were still a few hours of salvageable sunlight left and she could use the isolation for a bit.
"You too." Gail muttered as she turned around to get back to work. She didn't really know what came over her to so boldly offer up their house as a haven for Holly but it hadn't worked anyway.
When Gail returned to her post, she turned to her sulking companion, "Alright Anderson, what are you searching for at the bottom of the bottle?"
"Nothing, can't a girl just enjoy a drink or two?"
"Yes, but not ten, at least not without risking some serious alcohol poisoning."
"No worries, strong liver." Frankie quipped.
"It ain't that strong Anderson, you're seriously overdoing it for a Wednesday night."
Frankie narrowed her eyes at the bartender, "Are you here to pour drinks or judge your customers?"
Gail just shrugged, "Both, obviously."
"Well why don't you just stick with the serving."
The blonde shook her head, "Please tell me this doesn't have anything to do with my roommate?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I saw your reaction to going home. That was overkill even for you. You still avoiding her?"
"I'm not-" Frankie started to protest but she was quickly cut off.
"You are. And I don't really know why. I mean sure Chloe's annoyingly chipper and she exudes kindness, not to mention that fact that I'm fairly certain I've seen birds dress her in the morning..."
"Exactly." Frankie declared like that settled the matter.
"But she isn't the worst person in the world to be around." Gail finished.
"She is for me." Frankie muttered as she sulked.
"Why?"
"I made a promise and I'm trying hard to keep it."
Gail was confused by the cryptic comment, "You promised who, what?"
"Nothing, forget it, can I have my drink now?" Frankie wasn't there to talk about the Muppet, she was there to forget about her and to forget about the mistake she had almost made in the kitchen. She just wanted to get plastered and not think about anything for a while.
"No, not till you eat." Gail knew she needed something in her system to soak up at least some of the alcohol.
"Fine, but stop pestering me in the meantime."
"No wonder she calls you Crankypants." Gail mocked her housemate who just glared at her in response.
Ugh, clearly going to the bar to forget about the redhead was a mistake. It seemed the world was hell bent on reminding Frankie of the one person that was literally driving her to drink.
"Shhhhhhhhh!" Frankie loudly muttered to Gail as she stumbled into their house after the blonde unlocked the door for her. Keys, well really anything requiring hand-eye coordination, were not Anderson's friends at the moment.
The blonde rolled her eyes at the state the senior was in. Despite her earlier declarations, Gail had indeed carried Frankie's drunk ass home that night. It had not been an easy task, considering the brunette could barely stand let alone walk, resulting in Gail carrying the majority of her weight. She decided once she got home that she was leaving Frankie to her own devices, which promptly resulted in the inebriated brunette crashing directly into a wall, hence the shushing.
"Seriously Gail, how much did you give her?" Traci reproached as Frankie's grand entrance interrupted the conversation Traci and Juliet had been having in the living room. Juliet was helping Traci study for some of her classes, since the two of them were easily the most studious one in the house.
"Me? I cut her off and forced her to eat. Blame the stupid girl at the bar that Frankie started hitting on!" Gail replied defensively. She really had cut Frankie off after serving her one more beer to go with her burger. She had even tried to get the brunette to drink some water to no avail.
"What are you talking about?" Traci was curious about what she had missed since returning home.
"I don't know, some girl that apparently knows Frankie decided to help her get plastered even after I stopped serving her. I barely managed to stop her from going home with the tramp." Gail had no idea where the girl had come from but Frankie had found her and spent most of the night at her table doing shots.
"Wait, what did she look like?" Juliet questioned from the couch. She hoped it wasn't who she suspected it was.
"Taller than me, ridiculously tanned for this time of year, long dark hair, huge rack." The girl had looked like she had just returned from some tropical photo shoot, which was weird considering it was the beginning of November in Toronto, even if the weather was mild this year.
"Brazilian accent?"
"Yep." Gail had even caught the girl using some Portuguese, though her dialect was different than the one Chloe had been teaching her. From what she did understand, it was very clear that she wanted in Frankie's pants, bad.
"Seriously, Frankie! Gabriela!" Juliet admonished the other senior.
"She talked to me first." Frankie countered childishly.
"Who's Gabriela?" Both Traci and Gail asked in unison. They had never heard of her before but clearly Juliet knew who she was and wasn't a fan.
"Frankie's ex. I'm not surprised she helped Frankie get this hosed, though I am shocked that you actually managed to stop them from hooking up." In Juliet's opinion, the girl was toxic to her friend. They hadn't dated for too long but Frankie had been way too wrapped up in her. Gabriela liked to play games with Frankie and for some strange reason Frankie had put up with it for way longer than anyone would've suspected. She was the last serious girlfriend the brunette had had and they broke up well over a year ago. She was what triggered Frankie's string of bad luck.
"It wasn't easy, trust me." Gail grumbled as she attempted to navigate Frankie onto a stool. Neither girl had appreciated the blonde's interference but there was no way Frankie was in any condition to go home with anyone, but her housemate.
"God Frankie, what the hell has gotten into you?" Juliet asked as she got up to help the freshman.
"Half the bar's supply of tequila." Gail supplied.
"Youuu are exaggerating." Frankie slurred as she pointed wildly at Gail. The two girls finally managed to get her to sit down.
"Right, well as much fun as this hasn't been, it's your turn to deal with this mess. I'm tired and hungry." Gail abandoned her charge and headed over to plop down on the couch.
"Chloe said you would be, which is why your portion of dinner is in the fridge." Juliet point the blonde in the direction of some nourishment.
"Where is the Princess?" Gail asked as she redirected her momentum towards the kitchen to heat up her food. Apparently, Chloe had made Piri Piri chicken for dinner, which Gail had never had but was curious about. She popped open the container and sniffed the concoction curiously. Smelled all right, so she popped it in the microwave.
Frankie who had closed her eyes for a second, snapped them open at the question. The abrupt action sent the room whirling.
"Hanging out with the boys." Juliet explained.
Gail nodded in acknowledgement before letting out an appreciative moan, as she tasted her dinner, "Damn this is good! You should try some, Frankie."
But the smell of the food combined with the room spinning madly around was too much, "I think I'm gonna be sick." The pale girl turned a little green and bolted for the bathroom.
"Not it!" Gail shouted, dropping her fork so she could tag her nose with her index finger, declaring nose goes.
Traci quickly followed suit, beating out Juliet.
"Damn it!" The other brunette got up and followed her friend to the downstairs bathroom. She was on hair-holding-duty.
"Did she spill about what's bothering her?" Traci wondered once the two were alone. She figured all the alcohol might have made it easier to get the normally taciturn senior to share.
"Nope. At least nothing that was coherent." Gail had only caught snippets including annoying Muppet, sexy as hell, broken promises, and something about the kitchen of Eden (that one really didn't make sense but Gail figured it had something to do with temptation). Based on the retching sounds coming from the bathroom, it really wasn't a surprise that Frankie hadn't been able to string together an intelligible explanation.
Traci nodded and returned to her studying, while Gail finished eating. Juliet was still on nursing duties. They quizzed each other for a bit before the blonde decided to head to bed.
Gail plopped down on her bed. The mention of Frankie's ex reminded Gail of another friend who had had a run in that night. She toyed with her phone, contemplating texting the brunette to see how she was doing. She was her break-up buddy after all, it was only right.
Officer Danger: So do you have A Beautiful Mind yet?
Gail tossed her phone aside and got ready for bed. When she returned to her room she got under the covers and noticed the new message on her phone.
Nerd Champion: My mind is already beautiful, or at least that's what the voices tell me. Btw I'm adding that to our list.
Officer Danger: Our list?
Nerd Champion: Of movies you owe me. Can't just keep taking you at your word that you've seen all these. For all I know you spend all day on IMDB.
Gail snorted at the assumption.
Officer Danger: Ha! IMDB ain't got shit on me.
Nerd Champion: Mmhmm
Gail knew that she could drop the conversation there but she toyed around with idea of the list. Holly did mention she owed them to her, and Gail couldn't be in debt could she? She typed out her message and hit send before she overthought it.
Officer Danger: So when are we watching these movies?
Was she being presumptuous? Maybe Holly really was just joking around about the movies. Luckily, it didn't take long for the brunette to reply.
Nerd Champion: After my exam?
Nerd Champion: If you want to. That's when I'll have some free time to relax and just chill, you know.
Nerd Champion: If not, that's ok too. No biggie.
The rapid succession of texts caused Gail to smirk. Holly was blowing up Gail's phone with her backpedaling so Gail decided to put her out of her misery.
Officer Danger: Well I can't have you doubting my movie prowess. I am Champion of the Universe after all.
But Holly didn't miss a beat.
Nerd Champion: Except at pool.
Officer Danger: Anomaly.
The two exchanged texts for a little while longer until Holly said she was going to bed. The smile was still on Gail's face as she drifted off to a dreamless sleep. She didn't even wake up when her roommate returned home, hours later.
"Where are you off to, Roomie?" Chloe asked from the breakfast bar where she had sprawled out her books and computer to study. Her roommate had only just gotten back from class and looked to already be heading out the door, pulling on her boots and jacket while her eyes were glued to her phone. It was too early for her normal Thursday shift, and Gail rarely went anywhere on days she had work.
"Nowhere." Gail replied without looking up from her phone. She had a small smile tugging at her lips. Holly had texted her while she was in class about being in self-imposed isolation for studying purposes and after their usual banter, she had asked Gail if she wanted to join her in quarantine.
"Does nowhere happen to be the same place a certain medical student might be?" If the blonde had been heading next door or to work then she would've said so, and those were the only places she went to beside campus that didn't involve the others physically dragging her along with them.
"What makes you think that? I could be going to work."
"Because your shift doesn't start for a few hours and you were smiling at your phone."
"I was not."
"You were, it was cute."
"Watch it, Princess, I am not cute." Gail warned with a dangerous glare. She hated when people used fluffy terms like "cute" to describe her. Bad ass was the only proper description.
"You are when it comes to Holly."
"Who said anything about Holly?"
Chloe ignored her roommate's denials and went into the kitchen. She took out some of the leftovers from dinner the night before; there were still a surprising amount. Then again, she had thrown herself into making a ridiculous amount of food as a way to distract herself from the fickle brunette who had riled her up then abandoned her. She had even gone out to the store to get more ingredients after her sauce had burned. "Well, if you are going to see Holly, I suggest taking some of the leftovers with you."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because people like it when you feed them, Grumpy. So be nice and share your food. Plus, she probably hasn't eaten. She seems like the type to get really absorbed in her work." Observant, indeed. Chloe packed up some of the food and shoved the container into Gail's hand before she let the blonde leave the house.
"Thanks for lunch!"
"Share your food, Peck!" The redhead ordered as she returned to her seat.
"Never." The blonde countered as she bolted out the door, determined to get the last word in.
Chloe sighed; maybe her roommate would have better luck than she was. At the very least, she could try to help her out as much as possible. She went back to studying, pushing thoughts of the day before firmly from her mind.
"Hey." Gail greeted as she breezed through the rooftop door carrying two cups of coffee.
Holly jumped in her seat, she had been lost in her studying and hadn't noticed the blonde's arrival. "Ummm hi...How'd you get up here? And how did you unlock the door? I figured you would text when you arrived."
"I have my ways." Gail had managed to catch the door behind some of the other residents of the building. The roof door had been pretty easy, although getting the lock open while balancing two cups of coffee had made it slightly more challenging than usual. Not that she would admit it to Holly but picking locks was just another part of her Peck training. Growing up, her and Andy would compete to see who could unlock a door faster; they had to entertain themselves somehow.
Holly's eyes lit up at the sight of the liquid gold in Gail's hand, "Ooo, is that for me?"
"No, I just like double fisting coffee cups."
Holly pouted and Gail relented, handing over her gift, eliciting a bright smile from the brunette. The look on the medical student's face made standing in the long line at the coffee shop well worth the wait.
"Thank you!" She was already on her fourth cup for the day but she needed the energy to stay focused on her work.
Gail noticed the empty coffee cups strewn about the table with Holly's books. But there didn't appear to be any evidence of food. Who studies without snacking? "You need to consume more than just coffee."
"Why? It's the elixir of the gods." Holly took a hearty gulp and sighed contently.
Gail had to agree that she had a point there, though it was clear the brunette was running on little more than caffeine and pure willpower. "Maybe so, but I'm pretty sure no one's leg should be jumping like that. Have you eaten anything yet?"
"I really need to study." Holly muttered as her eyes were already darting back to the books on the table. She hadn't had time for food.
Gail closed the book in front of the medical student, ignoring her protests. "You really need to take a quick break and give your brain a chance to let the information sink in. Let it marinate a bit before you try to stuff more in there."
Holly sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly. She had already been at it for hours on top of not really sleeping the night before. Between her conversation with Lisa and Jess, Holly couldn't shut her brain off long enough to sleep. "I really need to make up for the time Lisa and Jess wasted last night."
Gail made a face at the mention of the two annoying girls but didn't comment. "Come on, Chloe sent me over with food, and she's a pretty good cook. Just put the book down and no one will get hurt."
"You're not funny."
"I'm hilarious. Come on, Nerd, you know you're hungry." Holly's stomach chose that time to loudly growl, betraying her. "See point proven."
Holly gave in and accepted the food with gratitude. She tucked into the dish, not realizing how ravenous she was until she actually tasted it. "You're right, Chloe is a good cook."
"Why else do you think I put up with her?" Gail replied as she snagged a bite of Holly's food.
"Because despite what you say, you actually do like some people." The blonde could protest it all she wanted, but Holly noticed that she really did care about others; she just didn't like to show it.
"False, I just have a higher tolerance for some more than others."
"Speaking of, how well did you tolerate Frankie last night after I left?"
The blonde let out a groan, "I had to cut her off and force her to eat but she still managed to get someone else to supply her with booze. I nearly had to fight off a Brazilian woman to get her home."
Holly frowned at the Brazilian comment, "She ran into Gabi?"
"You're making the same face that Juliet did when I told her about it last night."
"I'm not surprised, she really did a number on Frankie when they had been together. It's a good thing you were there to stop her from doing anything stupid."
"You mean besides drink herself into a stupor."
Holly made a sympathetic face, "How is she holding up today?"
"Probably hungover as hell, I wouldn't know though, haven't seen her all day."
Holly picked up her phone and shot off a text to see how her friend was doing, "I should probably go check on her later."
Gail nodded in response and snuck another bite of food, while the brunette was distracted.
Holly put her phone back and finished up eating. When she was done she stretched a bit, she had been sitting in the same spot for far too long. As the brunette moved her arms above her head, the tight t-shirt she was wearing under the sweatshirt that hung unzipped rode up a bit. The small flash of skin had drawn Gail's attention, which is how she noticed a slight bump along the other girl's abdomen. It couldn't be.
"What's that?" Gail asked the brunette pointedly.
Holly was confused; she hadn't noticed where the blonde's eyes had traveled when she had been stretching. "What's what?"
"That?" Gail gestured to the brunette's stomach.
Holly blushed slightly, "Nothing."
Ha, Gail had been right; the medical student had a piercing. "Really, because that nothing oddly resembles a piece of jewelry."
"Nope." The brunette continued her denial.
But the blonde was undeterred, "C'mon let me see it." She started to move around the table in Holly's direction.
Holly stood up and took a step back. "No way." Girls had to earn the right to see the evidence of her drunken adventure from freshman year.
But Gail continued her advancement causing Holly to try to dodge her. The two ended up in a chase until Gail managed to catch a hold of the brunette. They were both breathing a little heavily from the exertion, but Gail felt Holly's breath catch as she slowly slid the brunette's t-shirt up revealing the metal stud. The blonde looked up and noticed that Holly was biting her lip as she waited for the blonde's reaction curiously. The air was charged between them. Coming back to her senses, Gail released the other girl and stepped back.
She cleared her throat, "You're a rebel, Nerd."
"You're the one who decided I was a nerd in the first place."
"Still fits, now you're just a nerd that has some surprises up her sleeve."
"You have no idea." Holly husked. She smirked when she noticed the blonde gulp, she purposefully brushed against Gail as she headed back towards the table. "I should probably get back to studying."
Damn, that had been sexy as hell, Gail thought to herself but she pushed the thoughts aside and followed the brunette. The two grabbed their seats and Gail pulled out her work as well.
A couple of hours later, Gail had a good portion of her homework completed while the brunette sat across from her quietly studying. The blonde couldn't help sneaking glances at the other girl but she was fairly certain she was so absorbed in her studies that she hadn't noticed at all.
Unfortunately, it was time for her to go. She started to pack up her stuff, which broke the brunette from her spell. She offered to walk the blonde down to street level.
"So what happens after the exam?" Gail asked once they were back on the ground.
"I get the weekend off and can actually sleep." Holly sighed, she was looking forward to that. The weekends after exams were the only time the medical students really got the chance to relax before they started the new course the Monday after and the cycle began again.
"Sounds like fun." Gail considered asking the brunette if she wanted to hang out but then she remembered that they were supposed to watch a movie. She'd bring it up closer to the end of next week.
"Supposedly what's fun is the party some of my classmates throw to mark the end of the course. I usually skip them but Lisa and Rachel have already made me promise to show up this time." Holly wasn't exactly enthusiastic about the party but she had promised her roommates and now that she was single she didn't really have a built-in excuse. But she brightened a bit as an idea formed, "You should come. Everyone raves about them. They take place right here. One of the floors in the building converts almost every apartment into a different setting for the party."
"I don't know," Gail hedged, she was still avoiding going to any kind of party and this sounded dangerously close to a frat party. Plus it was all medical students. The combination was causing Gail's stomach to clench unpleasantly and her palms to sweat.
"At least think about it." Holly coaxed, "It might suck, but it'll suck a bit less if you show up."
The crooked smile on Holly's face got Gail's body to relax ever so slightly. "I'll think about it. Good luck studying."
"Have a good shift." Holly waved before heading back up to her study oasis.
"Ugh, why me?" Gail grumbled as she walked over to the furthest bar from her house after her shift ended. This was the second night in a row that she was going to have to get a drunk person home.
When she had first seen the symbol for a missed call and voicemail on her phone, she had assumed it was her mother and almost ignored it, but it turned out that it was a message from her ex-boyfriend's number. It was weird that he would call instead of texting so against her better judgment she gave it a listen; they were supposed to be friends now. Turned out, it wasn't Nick who had called her but the bartender who was cutting him off for the night. It seemed that her ex had managed to get himself completely plastered but refused to call anyone but her.
She walked into the seedy bar, which she had only been to once before with the rest of the freshmen when they were bar hopping one night. She briefly wondered why he would pick this one as she searched for the boy. She spotted him half slung over the bar top talking to the bartender who was giving him water.
"Hey dumbass, what the hell have you gotten yourself into now?"
"I told you she was mean. Hot, but mean." Nick drunkenly expounded to the bartender.
The burly guy just shook his head, he handed over Nick's keys to the annoyed blonde, glad to be done with the morose boy, "He's all yours, sweetheart."
"Don't call me sweetheart." She glared at the bartender before setting her sights on Nick, "Seriously, dude, you not only drive to the bar but proceed to get hammered alone. What the hell is your problem?"
"Do you know what today is?" Nick asked her glumly.
The blonde looked at him curiously, "Thursday?"
"The date?"
"It's the fifth."
"It's Orphan Day." The boy replied with faux-cheer.
Oh, crap, Gail had forgotten. It was the anniversary of the car accident that cost Nick and his brother their parents. She had never met the Collins'. Nick had already been in foster care for a while before she started dating him. She had met his foster mother. Nice lady, strict but you could tell she cared about her charges, especially Nick, no matter how much trouble he caused.
Of course, she was more than familiar with his tradition of getting completely blasted and feeling sorry for himself. Once a year, Nick would visit their graves then proceed to get hammered, even as a teenager. From the time they met, Gail had always been the person he called to pick him up. She briefly wondered what he had done the year without her, she figured he had probably called McNally.
"Have you spoken to your brother?" Nick and his brother had a strained relationship at best, ever since the accident, but he rarely liked to talk about it.
"He's been dodging my calls since I got back to town. Apparently he doesn't want to see me." He explained sullenly.
Gail knew how much it hurt Nick that he felt like he didn't have a family, it was part of the reason he proposed to her in the first place but she was tired and really didn't feel like being his shoulder to cry on. It was already late and only getting later. He could mope at home.
"That sucks, can you walk?" She kicked at the stool he was sitting on and tugged him up. She had to break their no touching rule in order to get the boy to his car.
"I didn't think you'd come." Nick told his ex as she deposited him in the passenger seat before going around the car and sliding into the driver's seat.
"I didn't think you were still stupid enough to do this year after year." She watched him fumble with the seatbelt before reaching over to buckle him in herself. She started up the car and pulled away from the curb.
"Why do you hate me so much?"
"I don't hate you, you just annoy the shit out of me. And if you wanted someone to be nice to you then you should've called McNally or Price, hell you probably could've called one of the guys and they would've come to get you."
"I didn't want to talk to them. They'd ask questions."
"Doesn't mean you have to answer them."
The boy made a noncommittal sound and rested his head back. The drive wasn't long but Nick was starting to drift off to sleep by the time they got to the houses. Gail contemplated letting him sleep it off in the car but decided that she didn't want to be woken up by him trying to get back into his house by himself in the middle of the night.
She got out of her side of the vehicle and purposefully slammed the door shut to wake the boy up. He jolted awake and tried, unsuccessfully to unbuckle his seatbelt. The blond ripped open his door and got him out of the contraption before helping him climb down from the truck. She started to regret complaining about how much Frankie weighed as she struggled to get Nick to his front door.
"Christ, Nicholas, you do realize I'm half the size of you, try to walk straight."
"I'm good, I got this." He tried to walk on his own and nearly face planted, Gail had only just managed to catch him.
"You're an idiot."
"You used to like drinking with me."
"You're more tolerable when I've drank. But I have never liked drinking with you when you're like this."
Somehow they made it to the front porch of the guys' house. Nick stopped moving forward.
"Come on, Nick, go inside so I can go home."
"Wait, wait, wait can't we talk just a little longer? I don't want to have to see everyone."
Gail could hear voices inside the house. Chances were that the boys were playing video games and at least some of the girls were over too. They had all been to the bar, except Frankie who was still recovering, earlier in the night but had left before Gail had gotten off work.
"You have ten more minutes and you can talk but don't expect me to listen." Gail leaned against the railing and checked her phone for the time. He was only going to get ten minutes then they were heading in so she could beat Dov and Chris at some video games before bed.
"Why'd you come get me tonight?"
"Because the bartender called me and apparently you were refusing to leave with anyone else. So thanks for that."
"I trust you." Nick replied honestly. He might have been completely hosed but he was being sincere.
"I know," Gail's voice softened, "That's why I came."
"Thank you," Nick told the blonde. He had been inching closer to her throughout the conversation. In his drunken state he decided it would be a good idea to show the blonde how he was feeling so he went for a kiss.
Where Gail was standing resulted in her getting pinned to the railing and stuck in the kiss for longer than she wanted. She did manage to roughly push the boy away after a few seconds. When she did, she pulled back and knocked Nick flat on his ass with her right hook.
"You're such a fucking moron. I try to be nice and you take it as an invitation to kiss me. What the fuck, Nicholas?"
The boy groaned from the floor where he was now laying out, "Sorry, I just thought..."
Gail shook her hand to get the sting out. The boy had a thick skull. "No, I'm convinced you are incapable of thinking because if you were thinking with the correct body part you would have realized how stupid that was."
All the commotion drew attention from the occupants of the house. The seniors opened the door.
"Whoa, what happened to Collins?" Jerry asked, as he and Sammy tried to pull the boy up.
"He learned a valuable lesson."
"Courtesy of that right hook he warned us about?" Sammy commented with a smirk as he pointed to the hand Gail was favoring.
"Better believe it."
Andy, Juliet, and Chloe came out to see what was going on as well. They had been hanging out with the boys. Traci had gone to see Dex about something important that night.
"What happened?" Andy asked as she watched the boys hold Nick up while Gail just glared at her ex.
"Nothing," Gail replied dismissively, "He's your problem now. I'm done."
"Let's get him some ice," Juliet suggested, "You might want to be careful, Gail, before you bust another hand."
"I'll keep it in mind."
The three seniors headed into the house with the inebriated boy. But Chloe and Andy stayed outside with Gail.
"Seriously what happened?" Andy probed once they were alone.
"I'm guessing you don't know what today is?" Gail asked though she knew the answer.
"Thursday?" Chloe replied, while Andy looked at her blankly.
Gail had no idea if Nick had ever told Andy anything about his parents other than they had died in an accident. She figured that was about how much he told Chloe too. But this wasn't her story to tell, "Yeah, Nick got a little too thirsty and needed a ride home."
"So how did he end up getting punched?" Chloe wondered. She had seen Gail hit plenty of the boys but they were usually hits to the arms that they deserved. She had never seen her knock someone out.
"Because the idiot decided to break all of our rules about friendship. He knew the consequences, he's just lucky I didn't knee him in the balls."
"Did you really need to hit him?" Andy asked disapprovingly.
"Don't worry McNally, I doubt he can even feel his pretty little face right now." The blonde retorted scornfully.
"Still..." Andy started to scold the blonde.
"You know what? Save your sermon for someone who actually gives a shit." Gail huffed out before turning on her heels and stomping over to the girls' house. She wasn't about to be lectured by McNally about Nicholas of all people.
"What happened to you?" Frankie asked from the kitchen as Gail stormed through the front door.
"Nothing," Gail bit out as she pushed passed the brunette to reach the cabinet above the stove. She retrieved her cheese puffs and hopped up onto one of the counters. She ate a few of her favorite treat as she calmed down a bit. She looked over at Frankie who was rooting through the fridge for something. "Nice to see you're still alive."
"Barely, thanks for last night." Frankie replied contritely as she emerged with two bottles of water. She handed one to the other girl.
"You owe me one." The blonde pointed out as she accepted the drink.
"According to Juliet and Holly I apparently do." Frankie grudgingly admitted. In fact, Holly had just left after visiting Frankie to see how she was surviving after her epic night of binge drinking. She had also wanted to thank her friend for the rescue with Jess and to find out about her interaction with Gabi.
Apparently she wasn't the only one curious about the girl, because Gail brought her up as well, "So who's Gabriela? Besides a chick who looked like she wanted to strangle me when I left with you last night." What was it about ex-girlfriends and their negative reactions to the blonde bartender?
Frankie sighed tiredly as she rubbed at her temples. She vaguely remembered bumping into her ex at the bar and that she was one supplying her alcohol after Gail had cut her off. She had no idea what they had talked about but it was a good thing the blonde had stopped her from going home with her. Frankie rarely regretted anything she did, but that was definitely something she would've kicked herself for in the morning.
"She's..." Frankie started to explain before she heard the front door open, interrupting her train of thought.
Both Gail and Frankie looked over to see Chloe entering the house. The redhead hovered in the hallway; she glanced between the two girls briefly before she focused her attention on her roommate. "Hey, I just wanted to see how you were doing."
"Peachy. You should've stayed with Nicholas, he could use some of your peppiness right now."
"He has enough people's attention. I didn't think it was fair that you would be alone."
"Clearly, I'm not alone." She gestured to the silent brunette standing across from her in the kitchen.
"Right," Chloe was staring at Frankie but the older girl was keeping her eyes resolutely fixed on the bottle of water she was playing with in her hands.
Gail was watching the two of them carefully. She was still convinced something happened between the two of them that had sent Frankie into hiding at the Penny the night before; she just didn't know exactly what.
Chloe realized that an awkward silence had taken over so she decided to break it with her usual bubbliness, "So what were Grumpy and Grumpier talking about before I so rudely interrupted?"
"Nothing," Frankie grumbled before Gail could mention Gabi. She looked up and noticed the two freshmen were both staring at her. She had to get out of there, "I'm going back to bed."
Chloe didn't say anything as the brunette rushed past her, carefully avoiding getting too close. She continued to watch her as she took the stairs two at a time.
"What happened between the two of you?" Gail asked once Frankie was out of earshot.
"What makes you think anything happened?" Chloe deflected.
"She refused to come home last night and nearly drank herself into a coma at the bar." Not to mention the brunette had kept mumbling to herself about redheads and muppets.
"So, that's my fault?"
"Didn't say it was, I was just asking."
"Did you ask Frankie?"
"She wasn't exactly in any state to give a coherent answer."
"Maybe she just hates being around me enough that she didn't want to be home." Chloe theorized, even though she knew it was just Frankie being afraid of whatever it was that was going on between them. She couldn't figure out what was holding the brunette back.
"As annoying as you are, I think we both know that isn't true, no matter what she says."
"Thanks, Roomie," Chloe rolled her eyes at her friend's insult.
"I don't know what you're doing to her, Princess, but she's pretty messed up about it."
That was the thing: other than flirting, Chloe really wasn't doing too much. She was trying to leave it up to Frankie to decide whatever happened between them but she was trying to let her know she was interested without pushing her too much. Normally, Chloe would've been all over the other person and making her feelings abundantly clear but she knew that would just drive the obstinate brunette away.
"How was your visit with Holly?" The redhead changed the subject to one that she knew would get her roommate's thoughts off of her and Frankie.
"She liked the food and told me to tell you thanks." The blonde dutifully relayed the message.
"Anytime, so you two had a good time?"
"All we did was study. She isn't as annoying to be around as the rest of you." Gail rationalized.
Chloe smirked, "I'm sure that's all it is."
"It is." Her roommate maintained.
"Ok." But the smile on Chloe's face said she didn't believe the blonde for a minute.
Gail was done with the conversation and her cheesepuffs. She tossed the empty bag into the garbage and dusted off her hands. "Anyway, I'm going to bed, you coming?"
"No, I think I'm just going to head back over to the Mancave, I was in the process of playing the boys in Mario Cart. Sure you don't want to join in?"
"I can beat them anytime, I'm exhausted." Gail looked it too. She was surviving off of a few hours of solid sleep a night and naps whenever she could squeeze them in.
"Alright, goodnight Roomie."
"Night, Princess." The blonde headed up to bed as the redhead headed back out the front door.
Andy had been avoiding her for the last few weeks. Sure, she wasn't making it easy for her but her friend was being extra squirrely. "What is it, McNally? Just spit it out already."
Andy took a deep breath as she leaned against the car. "Nick and I hooked up." She blurted out.
"No shit, I already knew."
"What do you mean you knew?" When all she got was a shrug in response she continued incredulously ,"This whole time I've been trying to tell you, you've just been..."
"Judging you? Yeah." How could she expect anyone to not know? They had been so obvious about it.
"I didn't expect that." She looked like her dog had just been run over. Why was she the one with tears in her eyes?
"Well, I could cry. Would you like me to cry? Or I can tell you how right you and Nick are and then gag on my own words. It really just depends on what you were expecting."
"I'm sorry. It just happened, I swear the two of you were broken up already."
She scoffed. "Like that makes it better. You broke the code. You're not supposed to date a friend's ex, you're never supposed to date a friend's ex. But that's what's so great about it. You are the bad guy. You Miss Perfect, Never-Hurt-a-Fly McNally are the bad guy. Look at it, it's just killing you." She left the brunette with tears in her eyes as she got into her parent's car. She slammed the door shut.
Chloe coming into the room had woken Gail up from her dream. Not that she was complaining. It was a pretty crappy dream; the last one she remembered had been better, much better. She grabbed her music and closed her eyes, maybe this time she could sleep without any dreams.
Gail's sleep had been restless, but she had been too tired to leave her bed, so she stayed there until late morning. It was Friday, so she didn't have to be anywhere till work that night.
When she finally made her way downstairs she noticed Traci sitting at the breakfast bar all alone. She was staring blankly at her phone.
"You know your phone usually rings to let you know someone's trying to get ahold of you." Gail wise-cracked, throwing the other girl's words back at her.
But Traci didn't respond, she just continued to stare at the device in her hand.
"Trace, what's wrong?" Gail asked, the look on her friend's face was making her worry.
"I'm late." Traci's voice was barely above a whisper. She had been staring at the calendar on her phone. She had been since the day before when she had gotten home and realized that she still hadn't gotten it.
"For what?" Gail asked obliviously as she poured herself a cup of coffee. When she looked up and saw the incredulous look on Traci's face, she realized that she meant she was late for her period. "Oh."
"Yeah."
"Well, what are the chances? I mean don't you guys use protection? And aren't you on the pill?"
"Do you realize how expensive the pill is when your insurance won't cover it?"
"Probably not as expensive as a baby." Gail pointed out unhelpfully.
"Gail!" Traci exclaimed, immediately regretting her decision to tell the blonde anything.
Gail shrugged but held up her hands defensively, "Alright, alright, well have you taken a test?"
"No."
"Have you told anyone? Have you talked to Dex?" Gail asked. She knew that Traci had gone to see her boyfriend the night before about "something important" she just hadn't guessed this was what it was about.
"I told him last night and he broke up with me. He told me he wasn't ready to be a dad, but it's not even like I know for sure I'm pregnant. He's the only person I've told besides you."
"Seriously, what a douche! Want to hit him with a car?"
Traci sadly shook her head, "The worst part is that I found out he was stepping out with some chick on the side. God, how could I be so stupid? What the hell am I going to do now?"
"You need to take a test." Gail told her matter-of-factly.
"Yeah, but aren't they like really inaccurate?"
"Don't know, hold on a sec?" Gail pulled out her phone.
"Who are you texting?" Traci asked nervously, she wasn't looking for anyone else to find out.
"Someone who will know."
"Gail, you can't tell anyone."
"Relax Trace, I'm not going to mention you and she is used to my random science questions."
Officer Danger: How many sticks does someone have to pee on to know if she's preggers or not?
The two girls watched the phone impatiently as Holly took forever to respond. Gail figured she was just studying too hard again.
Nerd Champion: Is this a random question or are you asking for a reason?
Officer Danger: Does it matter?
There was another long wait. Finally, the phone buzzed again.
Nerd Champion: Depends on when a woman takes it. If it's before a missed period it tends to be more inaccurate and she is better off going to a clinic and getting her blood drawn. The top brands are usually 80% accurate for negative results on the first day of a missed period. A positive test is almost always correct because of the hormone it detects. But it also depends on how well the woman follows the directions.
Officer Danger: OK, thanks
Gail read out the lengthy message to her friend. Traci looked overwhelmed, her eyes were glistening with unshed tears but she was doing her best to hold it together.
"So we either need to get some pee sticks or we need to head into the clinic. I don't know. The clinic may be a better choice because you can also get tested for any STIs. If Dex was cheating then it might be worth the embarrassment."
"I don't know if I'm ready to take a test." Traci honestly didn't think she could handle knowing the answer for certain.
Gail contemplated what to do; she decided it would be better if they at least had the tests so that she could have to option to find out without having to wait. "Well, how about we just pick some up and then you can take them when you're ready?"
"Ok."
On the way over to the store, Gail decided to ask Traci a question that was bugging her, "Don't you normally go to Andy with this kind of stuff?"
"She would just tell me that everything will be ok and work out for the best. I needed someone who will be brutally honest with me."
"Well then you came to the right place. You coming in?" Gail asked as they arrived at the nearest pharmacy.
Traci was literally shaking; she didn't think she could do this. Gail saw the hesitation, "Hey, just stay here. I'll grab one and be right back."
Traci just nodded gratefully. She knew she shouldn't let her friend do this for her but she just couldn't get out of the car.
The blonde returned a little while later. "Alright, I got three different tests. That should be enough to know. Had a wonderful chat with the idiot behind the register." The moron had thought it would be a good idea to comment on how young she was to be buying the test. Gail had told the person off for being a judgmental asshole; it had been fun.
"Thank you."
"No problem, look Traci whatever the test says it's ok. You have options, and no one needs to know what you decide."
"I guess."
"Come on, let's grab some food and then we'll head home, there's no rush. Either you are or you aren't, there's nothing much you can do about it right this second."
"Alright."
The two girls headed to a nearby cafe to grab a small bite to eat before heading home. Gail had managed to convince the dark-skinned girl to eat at least a little bit of food.
When they got back to the house, they were still the only two people there so Traci decided to bite the bullet before everyone got home and got in her business.
The two girls waited nervously for the results. It was the longest ten minutes of poor Traci's young life. She had sworn that she wouldn't be a teen mom like her mother and grandmother. Not that she didn't love or respect the women in her family, but everyone had higher expectations for her. She was going to be the one to go to college, to get an education, and build a strong career without the same difficulties her relatives had faced. She was going to be the one who did things "right". But now she was waiting for a little piece of plastic to tell her if all her dreams were about to change.
The alarm on Gail's phone sounded letting them know it was time to check the tests. Traci decided that she couldn't do it, so Gail was the one who looked. All three tests read the same result: Not Pregnant.
"They're negative." Gail told her friend who collapsed in relief and finally let the tears flow.
Gail pulled her friend into one of her rare hugs. She wasn't a hugger but that didn't mean she couldn't console someone. When Traci was finally done she thanked Gail for being there for her. Gail brushed off the gratitude and checked the time. She realized that she needed to get to work. The rest of the girls arrived home before the blonde left, so she felt ok leaving Traci with them for distractions.
Gail never thought a busy Friday night at the bar would come as such a relief, but after dealing with a week's worth of friend's crises, she was ready for the busy distraction.
"We're supposed to be studying," Holly reminded her friend, as Frankie dragged her down the stairs from her room.
It was Sunday afternoon and the girls had been studying together all weekend. Frankie had originally tried to hide out at the medical student's apartment but after two days Holly had demanded that they study elsewhere, which resulted with them at the henhouse. Frankie had been avoiding being home all weekend, especially because she was still on a cleanse and therefore not drinking after she destroyed her liver and her stomach lining earlier in the week. Gail had even made her some kind of disgusting concoction that she had refused to drink.
"We've been at it for hours. We need to get out of this house and grab some food."
"You can eat, I have work to do."
"You need food too, brainiac. Plus, you're not really going to force me to eat alone like some loser."
"Well, if the shoe fits..." Holly joked.
"Hilarious. Come on, I'm starving." Frankie pleaded.
"Fine, but just food, no alcohol, Frankie."
"Scout's honor." Frankie held up three fingers in mock salute.
Holly rolled her eyes. They were just about to head out when they bumped into Chloe who had just gotten back from the boy's house where all of the freshmen, minus Gail who was at work, were studying.
"Oh, hi Holly!" Chloe happily greeted the medical student while she gave Frankie a long look. The senior was still avoiding her like the plague and this was the first time all weekend she had seen her.
But the brunette purposefully looked anywhere but at the redhead. She couldn't stand the way her eyes seemed to pierce right through her.
"Hey Chloe! Thanks for the food the other day, it was delicious." Holly happily greeted the freshman. She hadn't been convinced that Gail would actually relay her message of appreciation so she was happy to do it in person.
"Aw, thanks and you're welcome. You should come over more often, I'm usually cooking." Chloe offered pleasantly.
"Maybe when it's not exam time." Holly politely responded, though she did appreciate the offer of home cooking.
"Of course, of course." The three fell into a slightly awkward silence. Holly was watching her friend try her best to pretend the redhead didn't exist at the moment. She still couldn't get a real answer out of her about her feelings for the girl, but the look in her eyes every time Chloe was mentioned said that she definitely felt something for her.
Frankie just wanted to get out of the house, so she tugged on Holly's sleeve, "Come on Hols, we should get going so you can get back to studying."
"Where are you two off to?" Chloe's natural curiosity compelled her to ask.
"To grab some food, do you want to come?" Holly politely extended the invitation, even as Frankie shot daggers at her. She ignored her friend's glare.
"Oh, umm...I don't know." Chloe was watching Frankie who looked like the last thing she wanted was to have her tag along.
"You should come, we're just grabbing a quick bite. It'll be fun." Holly still owed Frankie for her help with Jess, so she decided forcing her to interact with her crush in a friendly setting was more than fair.
"Alright, let me just drop off my stuff." Chloe happily accepted.
They waited in the hallway while the redhead headed up the stairs to her room to drop off her bag.
Once they were alone, Frankie turned to her friend angrily, "What the hell, Holly?"
"What, Frankie? What's the problem?" Holly replied with faux-innocence.
"The problem is that you just invited the Muppet."
"She's your housemate, it's the polite thing to do." The bespectacled brunette informed her friend.
"I'm not polite." Frankie gritted out. This was like her worst nightmare coming true.
"You can thank me later." Holly told her friend.
Frankie spluttered with outrage, "What? No, I don't even like her."
"Yeah, ok." Holly wasn't fooled. She had known Frankie a long time and she knew when she had a crush on someone. And Frankie had it bad for the redhead even if she wouldn't admit it.
Their argument was interrupted as Chloe came back down the stairs. She had just reached the other two girls when the front door opened again, this time to reveal her roommate who had just gotten off work.
"Hey Roomie! How was work?" Chloe cheerily greeted her grumpy roommate.
"Long," The blonde gruffly replied as she dragged her swollen feet through the door.
She tossed her keys on the table near the door that they all kept their stuff on and looked up to see that Chloe was with both Frankie and Holly. She hadn't heard from the brunette since the pregnancy test questions and she hadn't wanted to bother her when she knew she was studying.
"Are you hungry? We were just about to grab some food." The perky redhead offered. Gail would be able to round out their group and it would give her the chance to push Gail and Holly together a little more.
"All three of you?" Gail wondered if she had just entered the Twilight zone. Frankie had been avoiding Chloe for weeks and now she was willingly going to eat with her. Plus, what the hell was Holly doing there too? And why did the medical student have such a weird look on her face when she looked at the blonde?
"Yep."
Gail was hungry as usual but she was also tired and if Chloe was gone then she had her room to herself, "I don't know I was just gonna take a nap."
"Come on, you should eat something first." Chloe haggled.
"You don't have to come, you know, if you're tired." Holly interjected. She hadn't expected to see Gail and really hadn't been planning on having to interact with her. She felt awkward around the blonde after everything that week and just wanted to eat and go back to studying.
Frankie noticed the nervous way Holly was fiddling with her glasses. Holly had specifically asked if Gail was home before she came over. At first Frankie thought it was the other brunette's way of trying to bump into her, but now she was thinking she was avoiding her as well. Two could play at this game, "You're coming, Peck. Now let's go, I'm driving."
She grabbed her keys and a hold of the blonde before she could dodge them and dragged her out to the car. If she was going to sit through an awkward lunch then she was at least going to make it awkward for everyone.
A/N: So I'm going to try to get another chapter written and posted sometime this weekend like I usually do but if I can't then I apologize in advance for only one post this week (though it is the longest chapter thus far)...next chapter: another "friend" date and probably a party...