Shooting Star and Swallow's Song

Out of the Blue

Steph furrowed her brow and kept looking back at her phone, shaking her head.

"Are you going to text back?" Alex asked.

"Yeah...maybe? Well...what if it gets worse if I text back? Someone randomly texting people creepy things until someone responds?" Steph pondered out loud.

Charlotte and Alex exchanged a glance of uncertainty, then looked back to Steph.

She sucked in her bottom lip and glanced to the side, but was looking more into her own mind than anything outside of it. Steph shook her head one more time and said, "No. Nope. If this is not some fucking creep, they'll make it clear later. But if it is, then I should ignore it."

"You have a lot more willpower than me," Charlotte confessed and added, "I'd be texting in all caps things that I would never repeat to my son."

"I'm sure you would," Alex said with a slight smirk, but quickly returned to her solemn display. She was concerned for Steph, but couldn't do much about it and that was tormenting. A thumb searching out for a fingernail to pick at while glancing at her girlfriend, it was obvious she was burying her own worry.

Steph met her gaze and said, "It'll be fine. Let's get going and get our mind off of this whack ass business. That reminds me of this one band from a while back. I'll show you sometime if I can find the CD."

"CD? People still have those?" Charlotte teased.

"And records and cassettes and all that-"

"Indie shit?" Alex finished.

"Don't you start, too," Steph said, getting closer and pointing a finger while putting her other arm around Alex. She narrowed her eyes, but then kissed her nose, causing a smile.

"Okay, let's go," Alex agreed reluctantly and parted from Steph to give Charlotte a big hug and told her, "See you later, Char. Miss you."

After returning the embrace, Charlotte replied, "You too. Keep Steph out of trouble," warmly at first to Alex, then ending in a narrowed eye glance to Steph.

"I'm a model citizen, thank you very much," Steph came back in mock offense.

"You're a model role player," Charlotte corrected.

"She's not wrong," Alex said, making Steph raise her eyebrows.

"Okay, that's our signal to go. See yah, Char!" Steph declared playfully. 

"Heh. Bye girls, be good," Charlotte said with a smile.

"Always", the girls said practically in unison.

"You two are so cute. Have I told you that before?"

"Yeah yeah yeah, bye Char. For real this time", Steph said with an eye roll as she looked at Alex with a tilt of her head.

"See ya, sis", Alex winked and put her hand in Steph's to walk out the door.

Stepping out onto the main street, the two girls walked a bit in silence. Steph smirked at Alex and said, 'So, who is next? Duckie? Let's go!"

Alex stopped them both and gave her a look questioning her sanity.

"Sorry. It was a joke, babe. I just thought I would lighten the mood. There's been so much heavy shit lately."

"No, you're right," Alex said with a slight smile. After thinking for a moment, she added, "If there was a next, it definitely wouldn't be Duckie. He'd tell half the town before we could, bless his warm, but rambling heart."

"Yeah, he loves to tell a good story and this would definitely be his best story yet."

"Right. But actually, I'm done talking to anyone else about anything for today, I think. I just want to get back home."