It was just going to be the two of them. Just the two of them! It hadn't been like that for a long time. Chelsea was more than excited.
"Dude," Olivia said, stretching her arms a little bit. "I didn't have practice today but I'm itching to run a little." She started stretching her legs in front of the redhead. "Happens sometimes. I'ma run for a hot minute, wanna join me?"
"Wha-" Chelsea said. "I mean- no, I, uh," She scratched the back of her head.
Not exactly what she had pictured with an evening like this.
"Oh yeah," Olivia said. "Right, you hate running...I've got a better idea."
"Huh?"
"How about we play red light-green light after I jog a little?" Olivia asked.
"Isn't that the one game where..."
"One of us, that'd be me," Olivia answered. "-would be walking toward another person, you. Whenever you say green light, I can move, but when you say red light, I have to stop. If I move even a little bit, I lose. I win if I get to you without losing."
"Oh," Chelsea said. "I actually never played that game.."
"Until now!" Olivia said, turning around, getting ready to run. "Alright, stay riiight here, I'm going to run a li-"
"Wait!" Chelsea said, stopping her dead in her tracks. Olivia started jogging in place.
"What's up?" She asked.
"I wanna be with you!" She said without thinking. Olivia just stared at her, and Chelsea's face went bright red. "I mean- like, we're supposed to stay together or whatever, right? I mean- we should just do that."
"Hmm... It is still Chelsea-day," Olivia said, slowing her jogging motion. "All right. Juuust for you. I'll delay my exercise," She said.
Chelsea beamed. Giggling at what she just said quietly.
'Just for you'. She loved the sound of those words.
"But we're still playing green light, red light, okay?" Olivia said.
"Okay!" She said. She took a few steps away from Chelsea, then turned to face her. "Ready when you are," She said with a smile. Chelsea nodded.
"G-Green light!" Olivia slowly started walking toward her. Her bright and shiny face sparkled. The closer she went, the more her heart raced. Soon, she went close, close enough to the glasses-girl's face that it almost made her feel uncomfortable. "R-Red light!" Chelsea shouted instinctively. Olivia was now literally right in front of her, and really, really close to her face. Olivia's eyes were like diamonds, reflecting the lunar light above. Her wide smile was more than enough to take her breath away- and it's exactly what happened- her heart was racing that much. Even so, Chelsea's breath came steadily.
"C'mon, say green light already, I'm getting antsy," Olivia said.
She had no idea how she was making Chelsea feel- if she spoke now, her tongue would be too twisted to say anything coherent. Olivia was so close to her right now that she almost felt her breath on her face.
Chelsea wanted so much just to hug her and just be in her arms then and there.
Her heart raced more and more. She wanted to just stay like this for a while, just, have her right next to her, staring at each other.
"Chel!" Olivia cried, beginning to pout from impatience. "C'mon, man, I wanna mooove!"
"Oh!" Chelsea flinched.."I-I..." Chelsea sighed deeply.
"What's wrong?" Olivia asked. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No, I-.." Chelsea wanted to say 'it's because you're so beautiful I literally was stunned', but of course she didn't- that was way too forward for her heart to take.
She could get rejected, and once she got rejected, she felt everything would be over.
"I- um.." Her mind flashed through thousands of different lines she could say instead- but none of them good. All of them were pointing to how she truly felt.
However, there was one line that wouldn't point to anything particular. Chelsea grabbed it like it was a life preserver saving her from drowning. "G-Green light!" Chelsea shouted.
"Finally!" Olivia shouted. Olivia suddenly ran and tackled Chelsea to the floor, making sure to put her arm around her before hitting the ground to not hurt her. Chelsea screamed like a little girl. The two hit the floor, and Olivia started laughing.
"That's what you get for making me wait!" She said.
"J-Jeez..!" Chelsea said, blushing red wildly. The dirt and grass flew into her eyes every so often, but she was able to get it out without needing her hands. The other blades around her gently caressed her body.
Amid Olivia's laughter, she realized the position they were in. They were both literally on the grass, and Olivia had her arms around her.
It was like they were cuddling.
Chelsea was beginning to choke up a bit.
"Dude," Olivia said. "If the group walked in and saw us now, they'd be mad suspicious we became a couple or something." She said, chuckling. She began to pull away.
"N-No!" Chelsea shouted from impulse, and immediately regretting it. Olivia turned to her.
"Huh?"
"I-...C-..."
"What is it?"
Chelsea struggled to get the words out.
"C-...I...Can we..."
"Huh?"
"Can..."
"C'mon, out with it. What's up? You were quiet the whole car ride. You okay? I didn't do anything, did I?"
Olivia was so oblivious she wanted to groan. Olivia moved away, looking increasingly worried.
"C-Can we stay like this!?" She shouted. Olivia froze.
"I- uh," Olivia's eyes drifted away. "You want to?"
Chelsea nodded quickly.
"Yes, please!" She shouted.
"Are you sure? The others could come an-"
"I-I don't care!" She said quickly. "It-It's fine.."
"...Okay." Olivia said, lowering her head down in front of hers. They were both face to face, and pretty close to one another. Chelsea was terrified. She had no idea where that sudden surge of courage came from, but she was glad it worked out.
"It's Chelsea day, anyway," Olivia continued, she sounded a bit quieter in her tone and spoke more quickly than usual.
Was...Olivia embarrassed? The girl who literally talks to anyone and everyone without a second thought? The Olivia that's amazing at everything and literally the most beautiful person she'd laid her eyes on?
"I-I'm kinda not used to this," Olivia said.
There it was: Confirmation. She WAS nervous. It was only then Chelsea noted the shakiness in Olivia's voice. It made Chelsea feel nervous too.
To think that Olivia could actually BE nervous..
"I-um, m-me too," Chelsea said. "I-... do you...not want to do this?"
"No, no. I-... I think I can do it," Olivia said. "I'm just... a bit... nervous, is all."
"Yeah- me too," Chelsea chuckled a little bit. The two girls were quietly staring at one another.
"Heh, speaking of 'couples'," Olivia said. "The stars are out and everything, y'know a line I hear all the time in the movies?"
"..What?"
"Y'know, that one line, 'The stars are beautiful, but not as beautiful as you'. I've known people who said they'd never fall for that line. The moment the person they liked did, they just, plop! Swooned. Fell right into their arms. It's hilarious," Chelsea giggled.
"You think that line would work on you?" Chelsea asked. Immediately regretting it.
Silence.
"I mean, if someone said it to you," Chelsea's voice trailed off and became quieter. She just made things worse, what is she doing!?
"...Hell yeah, it would," Olivia said. When you bring your next boyfriend or whatever here, you should totally say that."
"...I'm not into guys," Chelsea said.
"Wait, really?" Olivia's eyes widened. "Wait, are you...?"
"...I'm into girls." She wanted to say 'I'm into you', but, again, too forward.
It would have been perfect, though.
"I had NO idea! I didn't think you were into girls, too." Despite all of the times Chelsea would shake up and think afterward, 'She totally knows now,' for anyone else, it would have been excruciatingly obvious that Chelsea liked her, more than a friend. But Chelsea was certain Olivia truly didn't have a clue.
That made one part of Ashley's theory disproven, at least, the part where she said Olivia may have known that she liked her already. This also meant she still had a chance, still. Chelsea was overjoyed that Olivia didn't know a dang thing.
"Olivia," Chelsea said. "Please never change."
"Uh... that's the second time you've said that today."
"It's because I really mean it." She said, smiling. "You're literally perfect. Just the way you are."
"Heh. Dang right I am," Olivia said. Chelsea's heart was racing. She wanted to say something, something that would count, something that would push this relationship a little bit further than friendship.
But how?
She knew if she did nothing, she'd truly get nowhere. The chances of them being together would be 0.
She wanted it so badly, but It was terrifying. Perhaps, she could dip her toe into the water, though. Just a little bit. She had to, because if she didn't, she'd never get the chance. That had been the entire reason she confessed to begin with before.
She wanted to do it so she wouldn't regret it.
She didn't dare to confess, not just yet... but..!
"Question...Olivia," Chelsea asked.
"Huh?"
"Have you ever had...y'know, a girlfriend?"
"...No."
"R-Really? Why not...?" Chelsea said. Her heart began to pound fast. It had to be something that'd fly over her head, she thought. It's just a question, right? At least, that's what Chelsea guessed she'd be thinking.
"I uh... cause... Um. I dunno. I just... don't know if I can..uh, have...uh, a relationship. I'm... truth be told, I'm kind of scared of having one." Chelsea's eyebrows raised.
"Huh?"
"I really think I...don't have what it takes. I'm uh, I dunno if you noticed, but I've been told I'm pretty oblivious."
"Wow, really?" Chelsea said.
Chelsea wanted to say 'you have no idea' SO BADLY.
"So I don't know if my girl would be sad if I did something, and I just wouldn't forgive myself if I messed up real bad, y'know? I'm super scared of it. I don't think I'm...well... I don't think I'm good enough for one."
"Olivia, no, you- you're... amazing. You're literally the best thing that ever happened to me. I-I..you're my he-... hero, r-remember?"
"...Oh yeah- that's right, you called me that before." Olivia laughed. "It's nice to hear you say that. Say that more often for me."
"I'll say it as often as you'd like! I Love y-....." Chelsea choked. "...Your reactions." She said.
"Y'know, if you ever do get a girlfriend, she'd be lucky to have you," Olivia said. "You're very kind."
"O-Olivia... that's so sweet of yo-"
A hard blast of wind pushed against the two girls. Olivia quickly grabbed her protectively as Chelsea dove into her crush's chest. The wind blew hard, blasting the two of them for a while, and their hair flew as wildly as the grass beside them. Soon, the wind subsided.
"You okay?" Olivia asked, staring down at Chelsea, who was shivering. she really shouldn't have brought a sleeveless black shirt.
"Is-Is it over?"
"Yeah..." She said. The two froze for a little bit. Olivia pulled her arms away and then moved away entirely, hugging her legs. Chelsea looked up at her sheepishly.
"What's wrong?" Chelsea asked.
"S-Sorry," Olivia said, standing up. "I-I was trying to endure it but my heart's racing, man. It had been when we started doing that," Her face was bright red. "That was way too much for me. It's Chelsea-day but, my heart couldn't take any more of that," She cleared her throat and glanced away. "It's not you or anything, I just got mad scared.... I don't like it. So, uh, question?"
"Y-Yes?"
"I- Uh..." She mumbled a little bit.
She had never, ever seen Olivia that...flustered before.
"Let's do that more often," Olivia continued. "M-Moving all close up to each other. If I ever do get a girlfriend I'ma get all mushy and weird if it's like that with her. I-I wanna get used to it, before I-... I do get one, y'know?" Olivia said. "You gotta be my cuddle-buddy."
"C-Cuddle buddy?"
"Pleaaase? I- you're the only one I can ask for this...I- uh, it's embarrassing asking anyone else," She said, scratching her head. "Please?"
"R-Really?! I- I'm the only one?"
"Shh! Don't say that so loudly!" Olivia cried. "Yeah. you are- everyone else would just laugh at me. You didn't laugh at all when I was all nervous, so yeah. Being that close to you, it made me feel-... I dunno, I just, I've never done that with anyone else before, so I-...I don't like it! It bothers me! Whenever something bothers me I just try it again and again!" She began to pout. "It's how I got over horror movies! I was scared at first but I forced myself to watch it so many times I got used to it! So please, can you help me?"
"I-...Olivia..." Slowly, Chelsea's lips curved into a smile. "You're really something else. But-You're my hero, remember? You can get used to anything. You can do anything," She said. Olivia smiled.
"Heh. I love it when you call me that." Olivia said, stretching a little bit. "Really makes me feel like I can do anything. You really are like my cheerlea-"
"HEY!" Ashley's voice echoed from far away. "We're gonna get going! If you two stay there for any longer, we're gonna leave you behind!"
"No you aren't!" Olivia shouted. She shot up to her feet, and offered her hand to Chelsea. Chelsea took it, and stood up. "We're running after her, hold on to my hand!"
"Wha-"
Within seconds, Olivia took off. Chelsea shouted and screamed like she was being carried off by a rocket.
"By the way!" Olivia asked while running. "Is that a yes?!"
"I-... Y-Yes! I--would...l-love to!" She hurriedly spoke while running.
"I don't understand you, il just ask you through text! I'm speeding up, c'mon!"
"AAAAGHHH!" Chelsea shouted out. Despite her legs instantly burning from running, This night was one of the best nights Chelsea had ever had in her entire life.
She wanted every single night to be like that one again. The two of them, nuzzled up next to each other and staring into each other's eyes...
She'd never get tired of that.