"Morning," I heard someone say as she wrapped her hands over my eyes and pulled us close together. I had tensed for a moment, then relaxed. I knew who it was and I think I liked this proximity; her soft hands cupping my face ever so gently, a lock of her hair sliding over my shoulder, her flowery scent surrounding me.

My eyelids fluttered shut and I let my head tilt back. It would look like I was trying to see my captor, but in reality, I was languishing in her embrace. My head was resting slightly on her shoulder when I felt her hands slide off my eyes.

"Hello Selena," I said sleepily, opening my eyes lazily.

"Took you long enough," Selena answered. "You sound tired."

"I AM tired," I said, smiling partly to prove I was fine and partly because Selena just had that effect on me. It was because last night thoughts of Selena had kept me awake last night, tossing and turning until I knew it would be hours before I could settle down.

"Well, you're awake now," Selena stated, throwing an arm around my shoulder. It was a little harder to put the last of my books in my locker with her there, but it was worth it just for her to be close.

I turned around, putting an arm around Selena's back so that she turned with me.

"I have my duffel bag in my locker," she said.

She had brought her things with her to school because she was coming home with me after school.

"You're hair looks pretty today," I observed. I wanted to say so much more, but that was all I could say without sounding like I liked her- which I do, of course.

"Did it look bad yesterday?" Selena said in faux-offense, raising her eyebrows. That was the thing about Selena: she could take anything and turn it around on you. If she put her mind to it, she could be a great lawyer.

"Don't be a smart mouth," I said, using one of my mom's favorite euphuisms.

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!"

The rest of the day went by quickly. I was ready to get on the road and get to the festival. Most people say time goes by slower when you're waiting for something but for me, it's the opposite. Happy times and bliss could last a lifetime if you're mind worked like mine.

When we got to my house, my mother was waiting.

"Hi, Mom," I said as we entered the living room. Like the anal person she was, she was standing in the living room going over a checklist. She looked up when we came in the room.

"Hello, sweetheart."

"Mom, this is Selena. Selena, Mom. Or I guess Mrs. Lovato."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you."

Selena stepped forward to shake my mom's hand. She looked surprised by the politeness of it. It's not that my other friends are rude, but since we've grown up together they haven't ever had the opportunity to really 'meet her.'

"We're happy to have you."

"Thank you," Selena replied with a genuine smile.

"Come on, I have to get my stuff," I said, pulling Selena away. No need for her to get too chummy.

"Just so you know, my mom's probably down there hyperventilating over me having a nice, polite friend."

Selena cocked her head to the side. "What's up between you and her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

I knew what she was talking about.

"Mm-hm."

She knew I knew what she was talking about.

"Turn!" I said loudly as we were about to pass my room. I grabbed the doorknob and pushed it open. Under the strict rule of my mother, I had to keep thing "nice and tidy," but I still managed to keep some of my characteristic clutter around: some crumpled papers scattered around the small trashcan, a slightly messily-made bed, a shirt hanging out of the hamper. Just things that made my room look more like a place where someone lived, not like a perfectly arranged bedroom from the pages of a magazine like my mother dreamed of.

I grabbed my bag and turned around to see Selena looking around. I put a hand on my hip and smirked.

"It's not polite to stare."

"Not staring, just… observing. It looks like you."

"Thankfully. Every time I asked my mom about doing something, she would give me the long talk that wasn't her really saying no, but she made it clear she thought it was stupid, so I just started doing what ever I wanted without asking."

I hadn't realized how bitter I was about my prim and close-minded mother until I said it out loud. Even just talking about her overbearing-ness made me sick to my stomach.

"Naughty, naughty, Demi, going behind your mother's back."

She may have said it lightly, but I knew she could tell I had deep issues in the mother department.

"Yes, I'm a genuine rebel."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, you should watch out for me. I could corrupt you," I said, waggling my fingers around my face and wandering closer to her

"Lovely."

I smiled softly and sighed. In a perfect world, we would kiss right now and it would be magical and mind-blowing. But if we lived in a perfect world without imperfections, how would appreciate the good things we do have?