AUGUST || Bucky Barnes x OC

11

Valerie couldn't stop twisting in her seat that morning at the breakfast table. Her entire body felt hot. The knot in the stomach was twisting out of control, and every time she attempted to quiet her mind  all she could think about was Bucky's hands moving across her body, down her back, into her hair.

"I covered for you last night" Sophie whispered as she slid into the seat next to Valerie.

"What?" Valerie whipped her head around, sounding more annoyed than she had intended.

"Wanda was telling me we should let you and Bucky talk? I didn't ask. And you don't have to tell me. I just wanted to let you know, I told Bruce you got on the boat with everyone else." She gave her a soft smile.

"You didn't have to. But thank you" Valerie forced a smile back.

"It's okay. I just figured it would save you the awkward explanation" She took a sip of her coffee.

Despite a good night's sleep, Valerie felt incredibly exhausted. She could sense her mother's burning stare as she took her seat at the table.

"what are your plans for today, ladies?" She smiled widely.

"I was gonna take Sophie to the burrow lake" Valerie responded, having made up today's activity on the spot.

Sophie simply nodded in agreement and sipped her coffee.

"Sounds like fun. You wanna be careful, Sophie. Valerie has a habit of playing rough" Her tone ever so condescending, as usual.

"I like to do things with a passion. Or else I'd rather not do them at all." Valerie stared at her mother, and was met with a nod; signaling that there would be no further battle of words for now.

After breakfast the girls all got in the car, leaving the boys to fend for themselves.

MJ drove as Valerie leaned back in the passenger seat and kicked her feet onto the dash. The roof of the car was all the way down, making her hair whirl around in the wind as MJ took sharp turns getting them to the burrow lake.

They stopped for the necessary items, which included wine, some beer and lots of snacks.

Once they parked, the hike was a bitch. The burrow lake was a secluded body of water deep into the woods where they would come to smoke weed or drink during their high school days. At some point one of the guys, probably Steve, had decided to put up a rope so that you could fling yourself into the water. They trekked through mud and tall grass for a while, until the lake finally started peering through behind the trees.

"I see it!" Wanda yelled and made a full on bolt for it, MJ following close behind.

Valerie and Sophie eventually arrived, finding the girls already in the water splashing around.

They set up the speaker on one of the tree logs that was perfectly placed along the edge and popped open their drinks.

"Ugh, all we do is get drunk!" Wanda complained.

"Yeah, and you love it," MJ teased.

"...I really do," Wanda burst out laughing, sipping her beer.

"So, Sophie. How are you feeling?" MJ had a knack for sending other people's nerves.

"I...I feel great" She smiled widely.

"That's it? Just great?" MJ pressed

"I mean. I'm a bit nervous." She added, sipping her wine.

"It's okay to say you're not feeling great" MJ leaned in closer, searching Sophie's eyes for some truth.

It was as if Sophie finally broke her wall, her overly happy and bubbly expression crumbled and she blurted out "I am SO fucking nervous. I love Bruce so much. I'm just terrified that I'm not...what was expected, you know?"