Borrowed Time

Chapter Seventy One

The invention of overhead lights could be classified as a fucking torture device, and Juliette wasn't just thinking that because of the hangover, that was just amplifying it... She'd always hated the lights in the school, they made her panic. It made the space feel liminal, it felt wrong because it was too harsh in some areas and too soft in others... It didn't work... Did it really matter? No. She was busy resting her head against Esme's chest for the two minutes that they had before their next class, just to try to help it die down, but it wasn't working... Fuck, she wanted to die.

"Are you sure you don't want me to walk you to class? I could hold your books so you could just focus on not throwing up again instead of holding something that probably feels like lead in your arms right now." Esme offered, giving her a large smile. Juliette chuckled as she shook her head, trying to push out the throbbing from her temples... Fuck, this shit sucked.

"No, I'm okay... I don't want you to be late to Math again, I've been the reason for that way too many times this semester." She reminded her, but Esme didn't seem bothered by that as she shrugged it of... No. No shrugging it off, class time was important for math.

"It's not your fault, I have free will." Yeah, every human being had free will, but having one shitty option and one fun option meant that the fun option would be picked more... and in this situation, Juliette was the fun option.

"Yeah, you do. But you also struggle very strongly with actually doing what you're supposed to do if the other option is hanging out with me." Juliette reminded her, and Esme was quiet for a long moment before letting out a sigh, one that was just so dramatic that Juliette had to hold back a laugh.

"... You may have a point there." May have a point? She had a point. End of story.

"I know I do." She always had a point.

"Fine. I'll go to class." Esme pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her cheek before she spoke again. "But... Are you busy after cheerleading tonight?" She almost said no on instinct... But she was, it was Tuesday, it was the first day of rehearsal for the Christmas play, which was just going to be Shelby, Becky and her working with the kids this time, they decided to wait to bring in outside people.

"I have a shift at the daycare tonight... But I'm free after that." She offered, and Esme nodded, nudging her lightly... Okay...

"Do you wanna spend the night at my place?" Hell yes. Juliette nodded, leaning up to press a kiss to her lips. She paused, responding verbally just before she did.

"That's not even a question." When they pulled apart, Juliette really thought about it... God, she had to get up at like 5:30 to get ready to drive to Syracuse with Shelby... "I mean, I have to be at the airport at 7:30 tomorrow morning because Shelby and my flight to Florida is at 9:00." She said, and Esme furrowed her brows as she looked down at her... What was confusing about that? 9:00 was a very common flight time.

"What about her parents?" They were already out there, they always went out a day earlier because they wanted Juliette and Shelby to at least go to two days of school that week before it was better than missing the entire week. It was sweet that they cared so much about it.

"They flew out yesterday, that was why she was at Micheal's last night before she came over to mine." Juliette reminded her, and Esme nodded as wheels seemed to turn in her brain.

"Ah... Well, an idea." Okay? What was her idea, normally they were pretty good ideas, she wanted to hear whatever was on her mind... She liked the way that Esme would think about things.

"What's the idea?" She asked, and Esme smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead before she spoke, which made Juliette's heart squeeze... She knew it was entirely psychosomatic, but the kiss on the forehead actually felt like it was helping with her pounding headache.