Root ran her hand over Bear's soft fur, smiling as the smell of rain reached her nose. They were hanging out in the front yard after school and Root was laying in the grass, spooning Bear. His fur was slightly damp from sweat, but he was still the best to curl against. Well, second best.

Root lifted her head from the ground to glance over at Sameen. She and John were working on a Go-Kart in the driveway. Sameen noticed her looking and waved an oil covered hand. She glared at John's back, making Root giggle. Root dropped her head back to the ground and rolled onto her back, keeping a hand on Bear.

Things had been going well recently. They'd hung out almost every single day and Root had stopped dreading their classes together. Sameen had been different since they'd made up, more interested in what Root was doing and more physically affectionate. They weren't kissing or anything, but Sameen's new favorite thing was sitting so close their arms touched.

Root drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes. The wind blew through her hair and made the grass tickle her toes.

"Here's what I think," Lionel said from the ground next to her, "Bear's basically grown up now. He should learn some tricks."

"He can sit, stay, and beg," Root said, turning her head to smile at Bear. "He's a good dog."

"He's the best dog," Sameen added from the driveway. "Teach him to play dead."

Root sat up, pouting. "I don't want him to play dead. Let's teach him how to roll over."

"I wish this engine would roll over," John muttered. He touched two cables together, but nothing happened. "We did something wrong."

"Speak for yourself," Sameen glowered. "I did my part perfectly."

John glared at her. "Obviously not or we wouldn't be having this problem."

Sameen put her hands on her hips and stepped towards him. "Are you saying there's a problem with my welds? I'm an actual mechanic, John."

"Maybe I should talk to Mr. Lambert. Tell him you aren't up to snuff."

"I'll show you snuff," Sameen sneered and jumped at him.

Root watched them wrestle to the ground and sighed. She wasn't worried about Sameen, even if John was twice her size. Root tapped Bear on the side.

"Come on, Bear," she said, smiling at him when he looked at her, "let's learn a new trick."

Bear jumped to his feet and hopped into her lap, licking her face. Lionel reached out to pet him.

"I don't think he's in the mood right now," Lionel laughed. "We need to catch him at the right time."

Root put her hands up and pushed Bear's nose away. "He's always like this. I don't think he has bad moods."

Lionel snorted. "I wish he could teach me that."

The front door opened and Root twisted around to see Mrs. Reese step outside. "Boys! Come do your chores!"

Lionel groaned and climbed to his feet. "Why doesn't the midget have to do her chores?"

"Because she already did them," Mrs. Reese answered. She winked at Root. "How are you, honey?"

Root smiled at her. Mrs. Reese was always so nice. "I'm doing well, Mrs. Reese. Thank you."

Mrs. Reese nodded and turned her attention to Sameen and John, still rolling around on the ground. "John! Let's go!"

Sameen pulled out of his grasp and pushed him towards the front door. "Go take out the trash, loser."

John ran a hand over his mused hair and walked away. "You win this time."

"I always win," Sameen retorted, smug. She stuck her tongue out at him.

Root watched John and Lionel walk into the house and waved at Mrs. Reese as she shut the door. A small raindrop landed on Root's leg and she wiped it away. Root laid down on her back, calmly regarding the darkening sky. She hoped the rain held off for a little while longer; she had to go to work later.

Sameen groaned as she dropped to the ground next to Root and crossed her legs.

Root raised her arms into the air and stretched. They sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company and the cool, damp breeze. Bear moved to lay between them and Sameen put one hand on his side, leaning back on her other.

"You should come live with us again," Sameen joked. "Take some chores from the rest of us."

Root chuckled. "I'm the only one doing chores at my place, so…no."

"Your mom isn't doing anything?" Sameen frowned.

Root shrugged, her shirt riding up on the small of her back. "She cooks. I got her some recipe books."

"She's still not working?"

"Not yet," Root sighed. "Apparently, her only skills are drinking and serving drinks. I don't mind working for the both of us, if it keeps her sober."

Sameen nodded and looked up at the sky. Her hair had gotten so long. Root watched as the ends brushed against the grass.

Sameen let out a breath and scratched her nose. "Wanna go to the hill later?"

"In the rain?" Root laughed.

Sameen rolled her eyes. "Afterwards. We could bring a tarp to sit on."

Root smiled, but shook her head. "I'd love to, but I can't. I have to leave for work in like 20 minutes."

"Oh," Sameen said, surprised. "I didn't realize."

She climbed to her feet, brushing her butt off. She reached down, offering Root her hands. Root took them and let Sameen lift her up. She slipped on the wet grass and Sameen's arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close.

Root blushed and swallowed. She stared into Sameen's eyes, smiling nervously. Stepping out of Sameen's grasp, she reached down to pick up her phone.

"Come on," Root nodded to the house and lead the way to the door.

Root opened the door and hurried up the stairs to Sameen's room. She kept a spare uniform in the dresser they'd bought at the beginning of the summer. Most of her clothing and books were back home now, but she still had a few things here.

Root threw her phone on the bed and pulled open her dresser as Sameen walked in and shut the door.

"How late are you working?" Sameen asked, hopping up to sit on her desk.

"Until closing," Root said, undressing. She tried not to notice the way Sameen's eyes lingered on her. "So, I'll just be going right to bed afterwards."

She pulled on her khakis, buttoning them over her stomach. She put her white polo over her head and sighed.

"I really wish the uniform wasn't a white shirt. If it's raining when I leave later, I'm gonna be see through."

Sameen chuckled. "I could borrow John's car and come pick you up?"

"He lets you drive it?" Root asked, skeptical. She sat on the bed to put her shoes on. "I'm surprised."

"The girls are coming to pick him up later," Sameen shrugged. "I need to practice driving anyway. We turn 16 in a few months."

Root nodded and finished tying her shoes. "Sure."

"Can I have free ice cream?" Sameen grinned, swinging her feet.

Root rolled her eyes and picked up her bag. "No. Mr. Greer is always watching."

"Gross," Sameen stood up and opened the bedroom door. "You sleeping over tonight?"

Root slipped passed her out the door and started down the stairs. "If that's alright?"

"Whatever," Sameen said, jumping the last couple of steps so she could open the front door. "I'll see you later."

Root smiled and walked out the front door, hopping down the steps. She pulled her bike off the porch and smiled up at Sameen. "See you soon."

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Root sighed and leaned back against the counter. For a Friday night, the shop was pretty dead. Someone must be having a party, she thought to herself. Once again, she was not invited. Root wondered if Sameen had been invited.

She glanced out the window. The rain was pouring down. Thank goodness Sameen was coming to get her later. Root didn't want to even think about biking home in this weather. She hoped this was the last of the summer storms.

Root pulled her phone out. Only 45 minutes until she could go home. The bell on the front door jingled and Root pushed herself off the counter. The entryway blocked costumers from view until they were in the main area.

"Welcome!" Root greeted. Sameen appeared, carrying her backpack. "Oh, it's you."

Sameen frowned at her, insulted, and pushed her wet hair from her face. "Is that any way to greet me? I could go."

"No!" Root laughed. "I'm sorry. Don't leave me to go home in this weather."

Sameen tossed her backpack onto a table and smirked. "I thought you'd feel that way. Just the walk from the car got me wet."

Root wiggled her eyebrows. "Oh yeah?"

Sameen flushed and glared at her. "Don't make it gross."

Root stepped forward to lean against the freezers. "It's only gross if you don't want it."

"Whatever," Sameen mumbled, her face darkening. "Just…give me some ice cream."

Root laughed and slid the freezer open. "Need something to cool you down?"

"Stop," Sameen begged her, pulling open her bag. She took out her Biology text book. "Two scoops of Triple Chocolate."

"Coming right up," Root grinned, pulling the scoop out of the water and shaking it off. She watched Sameen get settled as she scooped. "You brought homework?"

"We have a Bio test tomorrow and I know you're not prepared," Sameen said, sitting down. She put her feet up on the chair next to her. "Is Greer here?"

"No," Root put Sameen's ice cream on top of the freezer and started scooping her own. "just me. Biology is just so hard."

"It's just bodies, Root," Sameen scoffed. "You're just a space nerd and I'm a body nerd."

Root smirked and slid the freezer shut. "Well, when we get to Anatomy, I can be your study guide."

"Oh my god," Sameen threw her pencil at Root, "loser."

Root picked up Sameen's ice cream and walked out from behind the counter. She sat down next to Sameen and passed the ice cream over. Root watched Sameen take giant bite of ice cream and winced. Sameen's face scrunched up from the cold.

"Weirdo," Root laughed. "You can't just shovel ice cream into your face like that."

Sameen swallowed hard, her eyes watering. "Don't tell me what to do. Just open the textbook."

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Sameen stared up at the ceiling, her head against Root's. They were lying on the floor of the treehouse, sprawled out among the blankets, listening to music. Sameen had recently discovered crop tops. Root had taken her to the Goodwill the other day and she'd bought Sameen four different crop tops.

Sameen scratched her bare stomach, wiggling her toes in the breeze from the fan. Root was humming along to the music.

"Tell me again what we're listening to," Sameen asked, breathing in the muggy air. "Timmy and Sarah?"

"Tegan and Sara," Root corrected her. "They're lesbian twins."

Sameen crinkled her nose. "Lesbians with each other?"

"No," Root laughed, bending her neck to look at Sameen upside down. "With other people. They're just both gay."

"Huh," Sameen lifted her leg, pulling it to her chest, and stretched. "Is that a thing? Gay siblings?"

She felt Root shrug. "I don't know. Probably."

Thunder clapped loudly outside the treehouse. Sameen shivered.

"It's spooky being outside in the storm."

Root turned onto her stomach, her head next to Sameen. "If it wasn't lightning, I'd say we should go swimming. I love to swim in the rain."

"And run around, right?" Sameen laughed. "That's what you said in the hurricane."

"Aww, you listen!" Root grinned. "How sweet."

Sameen groaned and sat up, pushing her hair from her neck. "I don't understand. How can it be raining and hot? Shouldn't rain cool things down?"

"Not Texas rain," Root scoffed. "The humidity rises, but the temperature never drops."

Sameen cleared the blankets from the floor and pulled her shorts off. "Well, I'm sleeping as naked as possible, sorry."

"Don't apologize," Root winked, both eyes closing adorably. "Here, I'll take my pants off, too."

Sameen watched Root wiggled out of her pajama pants and wiped her forehead. It was too hot to even think about doing anything fun. She let herself plop on the ground. Root settled next to her and threw an arm over her stomach.

"No," Sameen groaned, pushing Root away. "Too hot."

Root smirked as she wiggled back. "If I had a nickel…"