nothing lasts - b.e

|18|

TW - SH

When it's time for bed, Odessa surprises us by offering her bedroom.

"Oh no—" Billie and I say together.

"Really, I want you to have it!" Odessa insists, grasping our hands, "Asteria and I can sleep in the bunk bed room".

Behind her, Asteria struggles to hold a straight face. I can see the laugh fighting or burst out of her.

"Odessa don't be a martyr", Billie says urgently, "You love your bed".

"And I also love you", Odessa says, "And your girlfriend".

Billie looks pointedly at me, but I'm at a loss how to get out of this one.

"Sounds cozy", Asteria pipes up, "You guys can snuggle up and whisper sweet nothings while you fall asleep. What could be better?"

I shoot her the most intense death glare I can muster, but she just grins.

"So it's settled then", Odessa says brightly, "Let me get you some cozy PJs to make the snuggling even better".

•

Sometime later, I find myself standing in the middle of a bedroom that's unmistakably Odessa's. There's an entire wall of stuffed animals, most of which are unicorns. I count nine different music boxes atop the dressers, desk, and nightstand. The sleigh style bed is covered with a fluffy yellow comforter beneath a high white canopy.

Billie moves to stand on the opposite side of the bed, eyeing it like a sewer she's dreading climbing into. I step up to my side and wait. There's a swell of silence as we delay the inevitable.

"Fuck", I say finally.

"Hmph", she snorts in agreement.

"You couldn't convince her to put us in the bunk bed room? She's your friend".

"This is your stupid scheme, and I didn't see you making any effort".

I shake my head, "It's impossible to argue with her. It's like upsetting a baby".

"Don't patronise her".

"I'm not, but you know what I mean".

"You definitely are, but whatever", she snatches her pajamas out of her duffel bag in a way that suggests the conversation is over.

I lay my burrowed pair out on the bed. We both go still. There's another swell of silence.

"Nervous to change in front of me, pookie bear", I ask.

"Do you always project your neuroses onto other people?" She slips her towel off her body and I roll my eyes so I won't accidentally look at her bare skin.

She turns away to change, but glances back at me at the last second, "Don't you dare creep on me".

"Right, 'cause that's what I'm thinking. I'd rather creep on a bunch of boys".

"Funny", she huffs, spinning around. She starts to pull off her bathing suit straps; her back muscles move in the dim light. I wonder how it would feel to press my lips on the nape of her neck—

No. Stop.

I squeeze my eyes shut and turn hastily around. I slip into my burrowed pajamas— a matching set of top and bottoms with candy canes on them. I almost wince.