CHAPTER FORTY
Bee
I felt like a balloon released from its owner, or a bundle of fellow balloons making their great escape out into the open air. Nola didn’t feel like my tether back to Earth but instead, someone who was willing to float up with me. To see where we went, where we landed, how far we went before rising too high and popping somewhere out in space.
My top lip slipped in-between her lips, my arms rising up from her waist to rest on her shoulders. We stayed like this for a while, with kisses slow moving and tender, under my dear friend the full moon. We only pulled apart when we heard Olive yelling.
“Nola and Bee! It’s just me! Alone and no one else coming to join you for some s’mores!”
I rushed to pull apart and create distance between me and my…girlfriend? Lover? We should really figure that part out.
But Nola’s arm didn’t budge even when I tried to yank out of her grasp, “Nola…”
“She knows.” She stared at me, her lopsided grin giving me the urge to roll my eyes and melt in a puddle simultaneously.
“What exactly does she know?” I side-eyed her.
“That you could walk my sister like a dog and she would let you,” Olive answered, hands full of graham crackers and chocolate.
“Olive Young.” Nola still hadn’t let go of my body even as I used my hand to stifle my gasp.
“What!”
“What do you know about being walked like a dog?”
“I think the better question is what don’t I know?” She grinned devilishly.
“You are thirteen.” Nola tensed next to me, the war between wanting to keep touching me and reprimanding her sister a war in her body.
“And you are being rage baited, babe.” I almost stuttered over the last word. The feeling gave me the same rush as coming out again. Scary, exciting, giddy joy like a child landing their first cartwheel.
Olive dropped the ingredients down on the table and rolled her eyes. “Thank you, Bee, what would she do without you?”
I shrugged. “I could think of a couple things.”
“Oh, I cannot wait until your siblings come next month.” Nola finally loosened her grip on me when Rashida and Allison’s voices floated from the door. “I’m going to get you back so hard.”
“We’ll see about that.” I feigned indifference to try and rile her up some more. I couldn’t admit that Nola was right. Colette and Celeste would absolutely eat us up. The C-Team would be ecstatic, Amir would be shocked, and Aaliyah would absolutely hate it.
My big sister was similar to Nola in demeanor: logic-based and sensible. Where Amir could have a little fun, a chaotic streak if he was egged on, Aaliyah’s idea of being spontaneous wasgetting the urge to buy something after saying she would only window shop.
“By the way,” Olive interrupted my thoughts, “I’m sleeping here tonight.”
Nola squinted her eyes at her little sister. “But it’s your last night.”
“And she wants to hang out with her fun aunts,” Rashida answered, sounding a lot like Allison. “Plus, you guys have a team meeting tomorrow, so we’ll get to have our own time.” Olive walked back over to us. I didn’t realize how close Nola and I stood even though we were not touching.
“Will I see you before you head to the airport, Olly?”
“Duh Nolly. I’m just splitting my time, not abandoning you,” Olive replied, sincere and serious.
“I just want to make sure you’re good. You know?”
“Trust me, we’ve talked ad nauseam. I am indeedokay.”
“When did you learn what ad nauseam meant? You’re growing up too fast, kid.” Nola brought the younger Young in for a hug.
“Not fast enough,” Olive mumbled into Nola’s chest.
