"𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝗰𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿." || 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀

06 | sleepover.

"so, Olive, any boys you've been crushing on lately?" Connies mom, Amber asks. i scrunch my nose, "nope! gross. but you know, Connie on the other hand...." i smirk at my best friend. "yeah, yeah. Guy. they're cute for a twelve year old couple, though." Amber says and i agree. she's cool, and she's like a second mom to me.

we pull into the driveway of their house and hop out of the car, grabbing our bags from the trunk and walking up onto the porch and Amber unlocks the door. she opens it and Rosco, their huge boxer comes to us.

i bend down, "hey, Ros! did ya miss me?" i ask the miniature horse. i've always wanted a dog, since i was six years old. but, we've always been in apartments, since mom and her boyfriends never work out. and i'm over here at least once a month, so he's basically my dog as well, and he knows me by heart. "come on, boy! you wanna go outside?" i ask, opening the back door, the dog running outside, and i see Mouse sleeping on the couch. "what do y'all want for dinner?" Amber asks. me and Connie look at each other,

"pizza!" we both reply in sync. she smiles and takes the telephone off the wall, dialing the pizza place number. Connie lets her dog inside and the three of us run upstairs and into Connie's room. i flop onto her bed and she sits on her beanbag chair, Rosco jumping into her bed and laying on my lap, like he's small. he's not. i start to stroke his back and me and Connie start telling stories and talking about the randomest things, until we get called downstairs because pizzas here.

i take a scoop full of kibble, dumping into Rosco's bowl, and picking up the water bowl. i turn the sink on and start to rinse the leftover, gross water from earlier and re-fill it up with cold water, as Connie cuts the pizza and puts it on plates.

i sit the bowl back next to the food bowl and scratch the top of Ros's head before sitting down at the table. Connie starts to tell her mom about the story of what i did to McGill, and how he still had some bruises. Amber high-fives me as i take a drink of my Dr. Pepper. the best soda. "that's what he gets for messing with Olivia Conway's brother! he got what was comin' to him." Amber says, biting her pizza. i nod, along with Connie.

we finish our food and clear our plates, getting two cookies to top it off. Connie runs upstairs and i do to, after scooping up the fluffy tabby cat to bring with me.

i follow Connie into her room and she's holding the phone, grinning. i smirk and shut the door behind me, sitting on her bed infront of her. i sit criss-cross and put Mouse down in my lap, and she curls up and goes back to sleep. "who should we call first?" Connie asks. i shrug, "just type in a random number" i suggest and she does exactly that.

"hello?" the person asks. "hello, this is George, the plumber. i'm asking everyone in your neighborhood, but uhm, is your fridge running?" Connie lies, her voice completely different, deeper and sounding like man in his mid-fiftys. "oh. yes, my refrigerator is running." the person answers. "WELL YOU BETTER GO CATCH IT!!" Connie yells into the receiver before hanging up and bursting into laughter, along with me. we laugh so hard that we can't breath, and our stomachs are aching.

"my turn, my turn!" i say, grabbing the telephone. i dial some random numbers and the phone starts to ring. "hello?" the second person asks. "hi, this is Carl, and i wanted to let you know that you smell like farts and you look like a monkey. adios." i say, very serious before hanging up and that seriousness is gone. we burst out laughing again, and my jaw hurts from smiling so much.

we prank call for hours on hours, until we get so tired we can barely stay awake. "i think that's good for tonight." i mumble with a tired voice. "yeah. that all nighter ain't happening." Connie mutters back. we change into our pajamas and i shut the lights off, climbing into Connie's bed next to her, with a cat sleeping by my head and a dog sleeping at my feet. i smile at the warmth and joy of where i'm at in life right now, before those thoughts are cut short from sleep taking over.

~next morning~

"come on, Liv! get up, i'm starving!" Connie begs. "fine fine, i'm up." i reply, rubbing the tiredness out of my eyes. i pull the blanket off of my body and step onto her carpet. i walk lazily down the stairs and see Connie sitting on the coach, petting Mouse and Amber cooking pancakes, eggs, and sausage in the kitchen. Rosco runs to me and i pet his back, "good morning, boy." i smile. "morning, second mother" i say to Amber and she snickers, "good morning, second daughter" she replies while flipping a pancake. i flop down next to Connie on the couch, "so, how 'bout you stay until the game and then when i bring Connie to the game i'll bring you too, and then your mother can take you home?" Amber plans. "sounds great!" i answer. "your hair looks great." Connie says sarcastically while looking at me. i look in the reflection of the tv and it's absolutely insane. "thanks, i know right." i mirror her sarcasm. "you wanna go feed Pluto with me?" Connie asks and i shrug, getting up and racing my best friend up the steps. "beat ya!" i say while walking to the tank. "hey, Pluto! you hungry?" i ask the gecko.

i sit in Connie's desk chair and start spinning in it while Connie hand-feeds Pluto dead and dried mealworms, crickets, and dubia roaches. "ugh, i don't want to play against the Cardinals." i complain. "better than the Hawks." Connie replies and i shrug, "touché." i agree.