No Strings Attached

Chapter 13; Sunday

Becca breathed deeply, unsure, even somewhat bewildered at the option right in front of her that had jarred her from her previous resting place. "I don't know, Freen. I mean..."

Freen quickly interrupted before Becca came to a negative decision, "I brought you something."

Becca's interest was slightly piqued at what it could be. These days with Freen she had no idea what to expect. This was not the same Freen from school, and yet she still felt so familiar. Becca was having a rough tug of war going back and forth in her mind, not to mention her chest.

"Okay fine, you win. Make yourself comfortable. I just want to put some clothes on." Becca left the door and turned to head for her room.

Freen watched her walk off with a small smirk, closing the door behind her. "Why bother..." She whispered with a deep blush spreading across her cheeks. Freen definitely was not able to stop thinking about Becca the previous night as she lay in bed, struggling to fall asleep from everything that happened, which left a potent rush through her veins.

Becca... Why had she not noticed her earlier? Why had she not noticed her early enough? The previous night was the last bit of proof she needed to tell her that she wanted Becca and there was no running away from that. Outside the club her body just automatically reacted to Becca. She could feel her stomach swarming when they touched. She could feel her heart hammering at their proximity. It drove her utterly insane.

By the time Becca returned from her room with slacks and a t-shirt, much the same as what Freen was wearing, she saw that the movie had already been set up. She could smell the tempting scent of fresh popcorn coming from the kitchen and soon Freen appeared with a nice big bowl filled to the brim.

"So... What did you get me?" Becca smirked when they got comfortable on the couch, her body turned towards Freen. "You have always been too curious for your own good." Freen chuckled and threw a kernel or two at Becca. She aptly picked them up and tossed them back playfully. "You know I have no patience! Stop taking advantage of me!" Becca whined like a little kid, which only increased Freen's laughter. "You can only get it after the movie, okay?"

Becca sighed, defeated, and looked over to where the movie had already been set up on the TV. "So, what are we watching? An old man in a nursing home reading a story... Wait, Freen no!" Freen grinned and nodded her head enthusiastically, "Oh yes..." Becca groaned and wiped her hands over her face. Ever since school Freen had tried her damn hardest to get Becca to watch 'The Notebook', but Becca had always refused, calling it sappy, melodramatic bullshit. Becca liked action and science fiction, while Freen enjoyed romance more and they always found themselves at a stalemate.

"This is so not fair! You're blackmailing me into watching one of your movies by promising me a surprise for afterwards? That's a new low, Freen." Becca continued whining and grumbling, though she was already well aware of the fact that she had lost this fight.

"Good girls get rewarded." Freen beamed at Becca, before adding, "While bad girls get spoiled..." Becca raised one brow, suddenly unsure of which one she was supposed to be. "You talk the talk, Sarocha, I'll give you that. However, can you walk the walk?" Becca leaned her head a little closer to Freen, aiming a pointed look at her. Freen smirked a little devilishly as she shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe you'll find out some day."

With the banter coming to a pause, the two settled in comfortably on the couch and started the movie, getting lost in one of the most epic love stories of all time. Though Freen had seen it many times, she found new enjoyment in seeing Becca's reactions to it. There were sighs and smiles, shock and indignation, hope, a pounding heart, sadness and even a few tears at the bittersweet ending. All these emotions flushed over Becca's face as she sat glued to the story and it was the most beautiful thing Freen had ever seen. The rough and tough, cocky and arrogant, hardass Becca Armstrong had been reduced to a fragile little girl during the movie. All Freen wanted to do was wrap Becca up in her arms then.

"God, I hate you..." Becca said, sniffling, when the credits started rolling and it delighted Freen. "I told you it's a good movie. It only took you like almost ten years to watch!" Becca tossed the last few kernels of popcorn at Freen and said, "You're such an Allie, all prim and proper from your upbringing and your education and your good family." Freen picked up the kernels and popped them into her mouth. "Well if that's the case, then you'll have to be my Noah. I mean, who else but you would scale a freaking Ferris wheel just to get a girl to say yes to a date?!"

Becca laughed at the thought, but at the same time also blushed softly, imagining her and Freen as the characters in the movie. They did seem to fit the roles rather well and she had to ask herself whether that's why Freen had made the careful selection in bringing that specific movie for the day. A part of her hoped desperately, while the other part held her back. However she could feel the chains starting to break.

"So, can I have my surprise now?" Becca asked excitedly and Freen giggled at her child-like excitement. "Yes yes you can." Freen relented and reached into her bag, pulling out a rectangular package that felt a little heavy in its wrapping. When Becca took it, she already knew it was a book. When she opened the wrapping she held a beautiful leather bound notebook with her name embossed across the front and a music note beneath it. Becca's heart got stuck in her throat as she ran her fingers gingerly over the letters that she could so easily trace with her tips. It seemed so magical then. So full of potential. So full of power, love, hate, sadness and hope. It was her own Notebook.

"I figured since I always catch you scribbling your songs down on pieces of paper these days, that maybe you'd like a nice journal to keep everything together and...you know...just pour your heart out onto the pag
.es." Freen spoke softly with reverence as she explained to Becca, the moment filled with a certain softness that made one pleasantly dizzy.

"It's perfect." Becca swallowed and looked up at Freen. The darker woman then pointed back to the journal, "Check the first page."

Becca flipped the cover open to examine the first empty page. There was no letter and no profound quote of any sort. Just a simple design in the bottom right corner. It was the name "Freen" written in a more cursive style, accentuated by a small tulip running along the letters.

Becca smiled warmly as she ran a finger over the name, then turned that same smile at Freen next to her. "Thank you", she whispered with softened eyes - perhaps the softest Freen had seen since school

Becca shifted then, like a cat rolled up on the couch with her head in Freen's lap, she got comfortable and closed her eyes. Freen let her be and played with her hair fondly while watching another random movie. But really, she was watching the beautiful Becca sleeping in her lap more often than not.