Root shut the door to her house behind her and dropped her backpack onto the floor.

"I'm home!" she called as she walked down the hall. "Where are you?"

Root's mom had gotten back from rehab a week ago and, so far, things had been nice. She didn't have a job, so she was home almost all day. Root had set up cameras around the house so she could check in during school.

"I'm in the kitchen," her mom answered. "Dinner's ready!"

Root smiled and headed into the kitchen. It was almost 7 o'clock, but Root had to stay at school for the first Science Bowl meeting. She still wasn't on the team, but Nathan had invited her to sit in on meetings again this year. Root hoped all of her time meant that she'd be on the team next year for sure.

Between her fight with Sameen and her mother being back, it had been a weird first week at school. Her mother kept asking questions and trying to be nice to make up for her how she'd been, but Root had a hard time letting go.

She barely remembered her mother before she started drinking and a week of good behavior wasn't enough to make her forget everything. Root still had a scar on her back from when her mother had thrown a chair at her in 5th grade. She was trying her best, though, to give her mom another chance.

"It smells good," Root said, sitting at the dinner table. "What is it?"

Her mom put a plate in front of her. "Nothing special. Just something I learned over the summer. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes."

She sat down across from Root with her own plate. Root took a bite of meatloaf and smiled. It was actually really good.

"I like it," she said, smiling at her mom. "It's good."

"Thanks," her mom breathed, sounding relieved. "I'm thinking about getting a cookbook and trying to actually learn. Cooking always calmed me down."

"That's a good idea," Root agreed. "If you let me know what kind of recipes you want, I can get you some."

Her mother's smile faltered and Root sighed. She knew her mom was having a hard time relying on Root. It was ironic. Root had spent years taking care of her mother and paying their bills, but now that her mother knew about it, was thinking about it, it was weird.

"So," her mother said, trying to sound cheerful, "How has your first week of school been? Freshman year, huh?"

Root swallowed her mouthful. "Sophomore year."

"Oh," her mother sighed, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok," Root shrugged. She didn't want her mother beating herself up. "Sophomore year is the boring year anyway."

Her mother opened her eyes, smiling sadly. "I'm sorry I missed so much time."

Root met her eyes. She wanted to believe that her mother was better, that it was never going back to the way that it was, but she couldn't. It was so hard to forgive.

"The first week has gone well," Root said, looking down at her plate. "My hardest class is going to be European History and even that's just a lot of note-taking."

"That's good. How's your friend doing? Sameen?"

Root swallowed. "She's fine."

Her mother pushed food around on the plate. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Root put her fork down. It had been too much to hope that her mother's homophobia was because of the alcohol. Her mother knew she liked girls. It was one thing for her mother to assume Sameen was just a friend and another thing for her to pretend Root was straight.

"I'm done," Root said, pushing away from the table. "I'm going to my room."

"Sam-"

"Don't," Root rolled her eyes and walked away. "I have homework."

She walked out of the kitchen, grabbed her bag, and headed upstairs to her room. When she shut the door, she reached out to slide the chain, but hesitated. She probably didn't need to do this anymore; her mother wasn't going to have sex with random men anymore. Root sighed and slide the chain into place.

She tossed her bag onto her desk and sat on her bed. She hadn't lied to her mother, Sameen was doing fine, but she hadn't told her the whole truth. Root and Sameen hadn't really talked in the last week. They had five out of six classes together, but they most they'd interacted was passing around paperwork.

Root sighed and laid back on her bed, running her arm over her purple, galaxy sheets. She'd been shutting Sameen out and maybe that wasn't fair. Sure, she'd lied, but they were friends and friends forgave each other. Root was never going to hang out with Tomas, but maybe she could try hanging out with Sameen.

She'd done her best to seem normal at school and she hadn't cried at all since the night she'd found out. Root sighed and sat up again. She decided to head to Sameen's and see if she wanted to have a sleepover this weekend.

Root pulled her bag on and headed to her window, sliding it open and climbing out. She almost felt bad for leaving without telling her mother, but she was used to her independence and her mother being sober wasn't going to change that.

She swung herself off the roof onto the porch and headed for her bike. She walked it to the street and threw her leg over, starting towards Sameen's.

Root hadn't biked this way in a long time and the ride seemed to take forever. She breathed in the warm, August air, her hair blowing in the wind behind her. The Cicadas were out in full force this year, their chirps making the night feel alive. Root shifted her weight, turning right at a stop sign.

She was so conflicted about what to do with Sameen. She wanted to be friends, wanted her in her life, but it hurt a lot to think about Sameen never loving her back. Her choosing Tomas was proof that she was straight and Root had to accept that.

Root pulled up to Sameen's house, putting her foot on the ground and brushing her hair out of her face. She climbed off the bike and walked up to the house. Sameen's bike was leaning against the porch next to the boys'.

Root put her bike down and hopped up the front steps. She pulled out her key and let herself into the house.

"Hello?" she called as she locked the door behind her. "Anyone home?"

"Living room!" Lionel's voice answered.

She pulled her bag off and dropped it in the entranceway, moving towards the living room. Root poked her head in, smiling as she saw the boys watching Ghost Adventures.

"I was wondering where those DVDs went," she chuckled, dropping onto the couch next to John.

"You weren't watching them," John shrugged. "It's a good show."

Lionel leaned forward to talk to Root across John. "We should go ghost hunting again. For real this time."

Root shrugged. "I'd be down."

"Sweet!" Lionel pumped his fist.

John looked at her, skeptical, a smile tugging at his lips. "Really? I thought you didn't believe in all of that."

"It's a good time," Root said, picking at her nails. "Even if it's all bogus."

John laughed. "I guess. Just make sure to bring milkshakes again."

"I will," Root chuckled. "Is Sameen here?"

John's smiled dropped. "No."

"Oh," Root said. "Where is she?"

"She's…um," John hesitated.

Root realized Sameen must be out with Tomas. Of course, Root thought. It was Friday night. People who had boyfriends went on dates on Friday nights. She looked at John and wondered where Zoe and Joss were.

Root swallowed and stood up. "I'm going to hang out in the treehouse."

"Ok," John looked up at her. "Want me to tell her you're there when she gets home?"

Root nodded and left the room. She headed for the back yard, running her hand along the wall as she walked down the hallway. It felt weird to be in this house without Sameen. She'd lived here for almost four months, but it wasn't the same when she was alone.

Root opened the door to the pool area, her eyes running over the still water as she walked passed. She remembered their almost kiss on Valentine's Day. Root had finally worked up the courage, or was drunk enough to pretend she had, and tried to kiss Sameen. She was almost glad now that she didn't.

She pushed open the screen door and stepped onto the grass, walking around the screened in area to the treehouse. If she had kissed Sameen that night, she would have lost the next three months. The kiss in June had finally told her that Sameen didn't like her back and maybe the months between Valentine's Day and then had been full of false hope, but at least they'd been full of Sameen.

Root put a hand on the rope ladder and sighed. She pulled herself up quickly and entered the treehouse. It looked just like it had when she'd last seen it a few weeks ago. Crossing the floor, she stepped around the piled blankets and scattered books to jump up the steps to the second level.

Sameen's weights were thrown around the room haphazardly. Root frowned. Normally, Sameen was tidier than this; she got stressed by disorganization.

Root moved around the room, picking up the weights and putting them back on the rack, the metal handles cool to the touch. When she got to the heaviest weights, she had to strain to put them away. Sameen was so small that Root always forgot she was rock solid muscle.

Root put the last weight down and wiped her forehead. She put her hands on her hips and sighed, looking around the clean room. She had no idea when Sameen was going to be back. It was almost nine and Root was tired from her long day.

She went back to the first level and dropped onto a pile of blankets. Reaching for a book, she settled in, resting her feet on a beanbag chair and covering herself with a sheet. She would just wait for Sameen to get back and then try and talk to her.

Root opened the book and started reading.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Sameen hurried to the front door, Tomas trailing behind her. They'd just come back from the movies where Sameen had been mildly successful at fending off Tomas' wandering hands. She had fun with the guy, but he was so touchy.

She pulled out her keys. Tomas stopped next to her, reaching out an arm and pulling her close. Sameen kept herself from rolling her eyes.

"Goodnight, Tomas," she said, patting his arm. "See you later."

Tomas stepped forward, looping his other arm around her waist. He smiled down at her.

"Want to hang out tomorrow? Some boys and I are going hunting."

Sameen remembered the last time she'd shot a gun, her thoughts leading her to Root, and she frowned. "I'm not really the gun type. Have fun, though."

"What about tomorrow night then?" Tomas said, dipping his face down to hers. "We could go to the drive-in. Make out during the movie."

"As fun as that sounds," Sameen said, smiling, "I have a lot of homework to do."

Tomas shrugged and pressed his lips to hers. She pulled her arms up, resting her hands on his chest. Sameen enjoyed kissing Tomas, but it didn't make her heart race. She pushed him away.

"Goodnight," she repeated, sliding her key into the front door and turning it.

She pushed the door open, listening to Tomas's footsteps clatter down the porch steps. Closing the door behind her, she hung her keys on her hook and started down the hall. The sound of the television led her into the living room, where John and Lionel were playing Grand Theft Auto.

"You know," Sameen said, leaning against the doorway and crossing her arms, "violent video games cause kids to commit crimes."

John glanced over his shoulder. "How was your date?"

"Boring," Sameen sighed, pushing herself off the doorframe and walking into the room. She sat on the couch next to John. "He's fun to look at, but there's not a lot else going on."

Lionel chuckled. "Is that your type, Shaw? Handsome and dumb?"

"I thought," John said, giving her a meaningful look, "that your type was pretty and smart."

Sameen rolled her eyes and kicked her shoes off. "I don't have a type."

"Oh, hey," Lionel spoke up, hitting his controller and killing a tourist on screen, "Can I have that lady wrestler poster you got for Christmas? Since you like boys?"

Sameen frowned. Just because she liked boys didn't mean she didn't like girls. "I'm keeping it."

"Whatever," Lionel snorted.

John nudged her with his shoulder. "Root came by a few hours ago. She went to the treehouse."

"Is she still there?' Sameen asked, surprised.

"I don't know," John shrugged. "She hasn't come back through, though."

Sameen sighed and stood up. "Thanks."

She walked out of the living room and headed down the hall, running her hand along the wall. Sameen hadn't slept well in the last week or so. Sleeping with Root all summer had been suffocating. Every time their skin touched, fire raced through her skin.

She had thought sleeping without Root would be easier. Sameen pushed open the door to the pool area and scoffed. Her bed felt huge now, the queen mattress miles wide.

Sameen looked at the pool, water rippling green from the underwater lights. She wished Root had kissed her on Valentine's Day. Maybe she wouldn't have freaked out as much. They'd never know now. She pulled her socks off before walking out onto the damp grass.

Sameen hurried up into the treehouse. She looked around for a moment before spotting Root asleep on the floor. Her mouth was hanging open, her limbs sprawled out in every direction. Sameen smiled to herself.

Of course Root was wrapped in that particular blanket. Sameen thought about the day they'd bought the dark green sheet.

They'd gone to Target to buy bathing suits before the school year ended. Root had forced her to sit outside the dressing room while she tried on way too many bathing suits. Eventually, Sameen had snuck away and wandered into the home goods section.

Root had found her there, squeezing pillows, and pretended to start crying. 'Already thinking of our starter home,' Root had said, latching on to Sameen's arm. 'We don't need pillows, Sweetie. We need blankets!'

Sameen chuckled and kneeled down beside Root. She realized her hands were shaking and frowned. She felt weak, like she couldn't control herself. This was not a good feeling.

Root made her feel dangerous, shaky, out of control. Sameen watched her breathe, softly reaching out to push Root's hair from her face. Root's forehead scrunched and Sameen jerked her hand away.

Root could control her, Sameen knew. She would do anything for her. That was unacceptable.

Tomas was the safer bet. He didn't make Sameen feel anything. When it was time to go to college in a few years, Sameen would have no trouble leaving him behind.

She shook Root roughly, keeping her face blank, willing herself empty. Root blinked sleepily, her hair coming up to push her hair out of her face.

"Sameen?" Root asked, her voice thick with sleep.

"I have plans tomorrow morning," Sameen said briskly. "You should go."

Root sat up, her hair sticking out in every direction. "Oh. I was going to ask if you wanted to have a sleepover."

"I'm busy." Sameen stood up and headed into the upper level. "Go away."

She stood in the middle of the floor and listened as Root got up and left. Sameen looked around the room and realized that Root had cleaned up for her.

She moved to the window and saw Root rushing across the backyard. Just before Root opened the door to the house, she turned back to look up at Sameen. Their eyes met and Sameen watched her wipe her eyes. Root turned and walked into the house, pulling out her phone.

Sameen turned around, her fists clenched. She didn't care that she'd made Root cry again. She couldn't even be sure Root had cried; they were so far away. Root could have just had an itch.

Sameen stormed across the room to her rack of weights. She reached out and pushed the rack, her muscles straining. Groaning, Sameen managed to knock the whole thing over, the dumbbells scattering across the floor.

She stood, panting, and wiped her forehead. Sameen hated this. She hated the heat, the dry air, the fucking crickets. Sameen kicked the empty rack across the floor and made for the stairs, stomping down to the first level.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she sighed. It was Tomas. Someone had ordered 20 pizzas to be delivered to his house. He didn't know who had done it, but the delivery guy had given him a message – "My Dearest Tomas, wearing a leather coat in July doesn't make you cool. It makes you a douchebag."

Sameen chuckled despite herself.