Yours Truly

Chapter 22

Lily places an arm casually around Amanda's shoulders as they watch the Carina, Desi, and Naomi rock-paper-scissor it out for who gets to go on the swings first considering there are only two available.

Desi lost.

Lily and Amanda watch in horror together as Desi sticks up two middle fingers up at Naomi and Carina high in the air while simultaneously shouting obscenities at them in frustration. Then things get worse when little kids around them imitate her. There are going to be some angry and very confused mothers later.

"Desi!" Lily hisses, trying to get her attention so she could stop this inappropriate act.

She notices the younger ones beside her and immediately slaps her hands over her mouth. "Oh shit-fuck-I mean, oh my gosh, uhm, run along children!" Desi shoos them away nervously, eyes wandering around in search for anyone who might have seen her. More specially, any parents.

But it's too late. The damage is done. A random flock of 4-year-olds are currently flicking each other off and shouting curse words at the top of their lungs.

Desi hides her face in her hands in shame, her face red with embarrassment and Lily is loving every single second of it.

Carina suddenly jumps off the swings and lands not so gracefully on the mulch. Lily has to instinctively reach out and grab hold of her waist before she fell down on her ass.

"Careful, babe," Lily chuckles, straightening out her wide-eyed and energetic girlfriend. "You're going to hurt yourself."

Carina scrunches her nose up adorably and kisses the corner of Lily's mouth. "Come on! You're coming along with me on the slide over there," she says excitedly as she points up at the red swirly slide beside them. This child.

Lily immediately shakes her head in protest. Was she serious? "Carina, there is no way in hell that the two of us are going to fit in there. The girls are going to have to call the fire department and chainsaw us out of that thing."

That was not the answer Carina wanted to hear. She adopts one of the most endearing puppy-dog faces that Lily has ever seen and just stands there, staring at her like that without moving a muscle. Oh my god. This manipulative little piece of-

"Fine," Lily groans as she throws her hands up in defeat. There was no way she could say no to Carina when she does something like that. "If we get stuck, I get to give you a big, fat 'I told you so'."

"I'm okay with that!" Carina exclaims with a satisfied grin on her face, already in the process of tugging Lily by the arm towards the very tiny slide. This was not going to go as well as she thinks.

They make their way up the 5-rung ladder, then up some steps, then across a bridge, then up a few more steps until they reach the top of the slide. From this height, Lily and Carina see Desi, Amanda, and Naomi all waving and laughing at them. Lily wouldn't be caught dead going down this kind of slide voluntarily, but Carina's bright and ecstatic face is more than enough persuasion for her.

Carina settles in first and places her hands on either side of the slide to prevent herself from moving. Then, Lily comes in from behind her so Carina is nestled in between her legs. It's a bit cramped considering the width of the slide is meant to fit a toddler. Carina, however, doesn't seem to mind just one bit.

Lily wraps her arms around her girlfriend's waist and pulls her back closer to her chest. "Ready when you are," Lily sighs dramatically, resting her chin on top of Carina's shoulder. She would be lying if she said she wasn't a tad bit excited. She doesn't remember the last time she's been on a slide.

"Ready ... set ... go!"

Carina quickly removes her hands from the sides of the slide and puts her hands in the air, clearly expecting that they would suddenly start to zoom down.