So I Bury It (ocean's 8 shorts)

Snow Queen, Save a Cold Kiss For Me

just very short and sweet

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In the summer Debbie Ocean turned eighteen, a scrawny blonde Australian named Louise Miller moved in onto her street. Her father had been relocated due to his job, and took his gangly daughter with. The Oceans had the Millers over for dinner once, and it was only because Debbie's parents found out about Louise. The adults thought that the girls could be friends, and they were more than right. 

The pair hit it off right away. Louise was rambunctious and expressed herself in ways that Debbie could only dream of. The Ocean family was a good Italian Catholic family. Debbie Ocean wasn't allowed to say or do much. Lou had been a world traveler already at the age of seventeen. She was born in Australia, her mother skimped out, so her father moved to Bali and took Lou with him. She spent her first few years of life in a few cities there until her dad moved them back to the homeland. Lou did her first half of schooling in Melbourne, then they moved again. First to Cairo, then to Berlin, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and lastly Shanghai before coming to New Jersey. She was fluent in Mandarin and almost fluent in Thai. She knew how to surf and was an avid swimmer. Lou always had something interesting to say, or some crazy story to tell. Lou was able to do almost anything she wanted since her father never loomed over her like Debbie's dad did. Her hair was bleached and choppy and she had a nose piercing. Lou was allowed to wear whatever she wanted, while Debbie was expected to dress a certain way. Debbie was insanely jealous of the blonde. Debbie had only stayed in New Jersey in the same house her whole life. There was never any real adventure for her. Not until Lou.

Their friendship blossomed into something more that summer before freshman year of college. They knew it was fleeting since Debbie was heading off to school, but they still reveled in it. They shared hidden kisses, and held hands in secret. If Debbie's parents ever found out about them...well they didn't want to know what would happen. Lou's father knew about his daughter dating other girls, and it was never an issue. On some occasions, they would sneak out late in the night and take the bus into the city. New York City was only a half hour ride away from them, and it was like their safe haven. There they could be together in public holding hands and sharing kisses, and no one would bat an eye. Lou got them into all sorts of trouble. They snuck into bars, clubs, hopped the subway turnstiles, and got chased by cops plenty of times. 

As the summer came to a close, a sinking feeling nestled into Debbie's stomach. Lou was slipping away. Even though she wasn't going too far away for school and she knew she'd be back to visit her family, she didn't know if Lou was going to stick around while Debbie was away. The blonde had talked about moving back to Shanghai a few times, and she seemed pretty set on it. College was never something Lou talked about, and not something she ever showed interest in. Debbie was on her way to Boston University as a criminal justice major. 

The night before Debbie and her family were going to be making the drive to Boston, Debbie sat up awake in her room. She felt numb. She had developed real feelings for this blonde Australian that came traipsing into her life this summer. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed in her chest. As she finally decided to just try to sleep, an annoying incessant noise began to disrupt that idea. It sounded like tapping at her window. 

Debbie tossed the covers off of herself, and marched to the window to find the cause of the noise. She flung her curtains open, and right there in the lawn below was Louise Miller throwing pebbles at her window. Debbie rolled her eyes and fought a smile. She opened the window up and leaned out of it. She quickly brought her finger to her lips to signal to Lou to be quiet. 

"Come up!" Debbie whispered as quiet as she could with the blonde still being able to hear. Lou nodded, and began her adventure up the trellis to Debbie's window. Her heavy boots were hard to navigate up the thin wood, but somehow she managed. Debbie helped Lou crawl into her room. Lou was breathing pretty heavy from the trip up.

"Hey." The Australian breathed out. Debbie tried her best not to laugh at the girl. Her hair was messy, and her face tinged red from the excursion up.

"What are you doing here Louise?" Debbie crossed her arms and plopped down on her bed. 

"Well, I know you're getting up early to leave, so I thought I'd come see you now before you left." Lou shrugged. Debbie could tell she was trying to hide her sadness. 

"Despite how sweet that might be, did you not think I wanted to sleep?" Debbie rolled her eyes.

Lou turned bright red. "Sorry." She shook her head. "I just thought.."

"I'm kidding! Of course I want to see you!" Debbie flung herself at the blonde and pulled Lou into a tight hug. The girls held each other for a moment before breaking apart. 

"I have something to show you." Lou gulped. "It's a surprise. Don't be mad." Lou begged the brunette. Debbie watched as Lou began digging in her pockets to find something. She thought maybe it was a gift for her to remember the blonde by, but instead it was a paper that was all folded up and wrinkled. 

"What is it?" Debbie asked.

Lou held out the folded paper out as an offering. Right before Debbie could grab it, Lou pulled it back. "Promise me you won't be mad."

"I promise." Debbie nodded. Lou looked so concerned and sincere when she asked Debbie to promise. It made her worried to find out what this paper was. 

Lou offered the paper to her again. Debbie took it cautiously and took a deep breath to try to calm her pounding heart. She began to unfold the paper slowly. Were her eyes playing tricks on her?? 

Dear Louise Miller,

We would like to congratulate you on your acceptance to Boston University as a Pre-Med Biology major. We look forward to having you attend classes in the fall.

Debbie didn't even need to read the rest of the letter before breaking down into tears. They wouldn't have to say goodbye after all.

"Lou? Are you serious?" Debbie looked up at the girl with watery eyes. Lou just nodded. Debbie flung her arms around Lou once more, and began planting kisses wherever she could on the blonde.

"I'm serious, Deb." Lou nodded. "I know it's not something I ever talked about, but after I met you, I knew it was the right decision."

"I get to keep you?" Debbie asked tearfully with those big brown eyes. 

"You get to keep me, Ocean." Lou kissed Debbie's cheek. "We don't have to say goodbye."