It's Clearer at Night

Mezzanotte

 Sharp knocking stirred Bri from her stupor. She glanced at her phone; it was past midnight. Wondering who could possibly be knocking at this hour, Bri stalked over to the door. Peering through the peephole, she groaned.

 "What on Earth could you possibly want at this time of night, Dalia?" The girl, Dalia, shuffled uncomfortably as Bri hung on the now-open door.

 She was a short girl, maybe a little taller than 4', with short, fiery-red hair and fair freckled skin. She couldn't have more contrasted Bri, who stood slightly taller than average at 5'6, had dark-toffee skin, and had a shock of fluffy black hair that was gathered in a braid on either side of her head.

 Bri brushed her bangs out of her face so she could glare threateningly at Dalia. The ginger said nothing for a minute, just stared at her feet.

 "...I'm sorry." She finally squeaked out, still inspecting her shoelaces. "It's just.... I lost track of time and when I finally realized how late it was everyone was leaving and it was already pouring and I didn't know how to get home and I remembered that you lived down the street so- "

 "So, you banged on my door at nearly one in the morning hoping I'd let you stay over? Looking like you just crawled out of the gutter, I might add." Bri finished, rolling her eyes. Dalia blushed furiously.

 It was true, though; Bri could see her pink, polka dotted bra through her white collared shirt, and her navy-blue skirt was clinging to her legs.

"Please? I promise I won't bother you."

"More than you already have?"

 "Bri, please. I'm begging you." Bri sighed under her breath. There was no way she was winning this.

"Fine."

"Oh, thank you Bri!" Dalia purred squeezed her around the waist.

"Dalia!" Bri sputtered, now soaked where Dalia grabbed her.

"S-sorry!"

 Bri, already regretting her decision, trudged to her bathroom, shooting Dalia a look as she tried to follow.

"I'd prefer you didn't do the same thing to my floor."

Dalia got even more red, if possible, and stood awkwardly in the doorway.

 Bri crouched under her sink and grabbed two large towels, then slunk back to Dalia and offered her them. She snatched them hurriedly and mumbled something that sounded like an apology as she shuffled inside. Bri stood for a moment, shutting the front door behind her, then took off her now wet shirt. The ginger stared at her.

 "...what?" She asked. Dalia just looked away quickly. Bri shook her head and sat back down at her desk. She looked at the physics homework on her desk with contempt. She really did not want to do it right now. Maybe...

"You any good at science?" Dalia looked surprised at the question.

"A little. Why?"

"What about quantum physics?"

"I have a handle on it."

"Lovely. Mind helping me with this?" she motioned to her textbooks.

"Not at all...but uh, Bri?"

"Uh huh."

"Would you please put a shirt on?"

 "Oh." She looked at herself. It probably wasn't proper host etiquette to be sitting around your house in a bra she thought, getting up, but then neither was showing up in the middle of the night drenched to the skin.

"And could I bother you to grab some clothes for me too?"

"Sure."

 She disappeared into her bedroom, returning with a set of old clothes for Dalia and wearing an oversized sweatshirt and jeans.

"Bathroom's right over there," she motioned to the door next to the one she'd emerged from.

"Can I take a shower?"

 Bri made a face, "Not unless you want to take the bus back to your house and use your own. Luci's not even allowed to use mine."

Luci? Dalia thought. A roommate maybe.

"Where is this Luci?"

"Away." She answered vaguely.

 Dalia went into the bathroom, slightly perturbed. When she finished, she walked out to see Bri staring concentratedly at her desk.

"Finally done?" she asked, turning to look the ginger up and down. The clothes she'd selected for her were an old black tank top and some comfortable shorts, both hardly worn anymore. They looked fine enough on her, though she noticed that the tank top was just a little bit low...

"D-did you get through that homework you had to do?"

She waved ambiguously to her nearly cleared off desk.

"You took forever in there. I thought you fell in the toilet or something."

"I can very much assure you I didn't." she said huffily.

"Right. Well, then, I'm going to bed."

"Uh, where should I- "

 "There's a couch right behind you." Bri muttered as she straightened out the papers before locking them in a compartment in her desk.

"Oh. Okay."

She stood for a minute, "Do you always lock up your desk?"

"Yes?

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Well it's in your house isn't it? Who's going to take it?"

Bri didn't respond, just continued to tidy up before going to turn off the lights.

"Good night, Dalia." With a final glance at her tentative guest, she flicked the switch off and began walking back to her room.

"Good night Bri-" She called as the door closed with a thud.

 It was with that that a very confused young Miss Dalia Nehmean, still damp from the rain, lay on a strange couch and settled into a fitful sleep.