Across The Hall

Breathless.

That’s what Christen was when she and Tobin finally broke apart from their spur-of-the-moment, hormone-driven, not-something-the-children-should-witness, kiss, only to replenish their lungs with some much needed air. That’s what Christen was when they pulled their flush bodies apart, once again becoming conscious of the frigid, soaking wet clothes hanging haphazardly from their figures. That’s what Christen was when Tobin captured her hand in her own and led her through the Main Lobby and up the stairs. That’s what Christen was when she finally made it up all those stairs. That’s what Christen was when Tobin smiled at her and gave her a small peck on the lips good night. And finally, that’s what Christen is now as she lays in bed waiting to fall asleep, though she knows there’s a high probability of that not happening. Maybe not ever again.

Her cheeks ache as she is unable to keep a smile from her lips. Her toes curl every time she recalls the feeling of Tobin’s skin against her own. And her heart never ceases racing as she replays every moment of their shared kisses a million times over in her head.

This is what true happiness must feel like.

Christen’s smile grows wider as she pulls a pillow to her chest and squeezes it with limitless contentment.

This is what heaven must feel like.

What is this hell?

Christen begrudgingly cracks her eyes open as she’s met with the unforgiving morning light and Kelley’s even less satisfactory singing. Though she swears it was impossible, Christen finds that she must have given in to sleep at some point during the night. That’s the only way she can explain her heavy limbs and foggy mind. Christen groans as she reaches her less-than-compliant hand out to grab her phone on her bedside table. 8:32am.

“Don’t go for second best, baby, put your love to the test” Kelley sings unceremoniously as she bops around the room and throws her books in her backpack with her usual dose of grace. “You know, you know you’ve got to, make her express how she feels, and maybe then you’ll know your love is real!” Really, Kelley? Madonna?

“Kelley stop” Christen groans as she clutches her pillow to her face, “I don’t want my ears to bleed.” Upon hearing Christen’s voice, Kelley drops her backpack and leaps onto Christen’s bed, causing her roommate to rattle. Then Kelley reaches for the pillow by Christen’s face and swiftly snatches it away from her.

“Well would you look at that” Kelley comments as she gleefully takes in the groggy and annoyed state of Christen, “I’m actually up before you are, Pressy. I feel like that only happens when a certain someone has something to do with it.”

“Kelley, cut the shit and get off of my bed” Christen declares with a slight bite to her tone. Somewhat surprised by Christen’s agitation, Kelley slowly makes her way off the bed and looks at Christen apologetically.

“Sorry, Pressy” Kelley starts in a voice tinged with regret, “Things are still pretty rocky between you two, huh? I just thought after Tobin went looking for you last night that maybe you two would’ve talked or – ”

“Actually we kissed” Christen mumbles as she tries to snuggle deeper into her sheets.

“Wait, what?” Kelley asks as her eyes widen and her body stiffens with shock.

“Yeah, a few times” Christen sleepily mutters just before pulling her sheets over her face to shield her eyes from the light. “It was nice.”

“Pressy!” Kelley exclaims as she bounds back over to Christen’s bed and tosses her roommate’s sheets completely off of her body. “You two seriously kissed?!”

“Kelly, fuck!” Christen grumpily shivers, immediately noticing the lack of cotton-polyester blend blankets previously encompassing her body with warmth, “What did I just say?”

“Say it again” Kelley excitedly demands, all but jumping out of her own skin. Christen groans as she curls herself into a ball.

“Let me sleep” she pitifully whines as she scrunches her face like a dissatisfied five-year-old.

“Say it!” Kelley orders as she grabs both of Christen’s shoulders and attempts to shake some life back into the girl.

“We kissed” Christen mutters disgruntled, growing exceedingly annoyed by Kelley’s merciless antics. If she doesn’t stop shaking me in three seconds, I’m going to punch her square in the kisser. Oh god, now I’m referring to a mouth as a ‘kisser’? Dammit, Kelley got into my head.

“Who kissed?” Kelley teases, still relentlessly jostling her drowsy roommate around in an attempt to get her to talk.

“Tobin and I” Christen growls with her eyes defiantly squeezed shut, now using whatever mobility she currently has in her arms to try to push Kelley away.

“Shout it from the rooftops!” Kelley orders, easily handling Christen’s lackluster efforts to fight her off.

“Tobin and I kissed!” Christen finally erupts, having enough of this little charade. Kelley stops shaking her defenseless roommate’s shoulders and squeals with glee. Christen fades back to her mattress as Kelley skips around the room, unable to contain her excitement.

“You did it, you guys did it! It actually happened!” Kelley gushes in both disbelief and absolute awe. “I gotta admit, Pressy, I was a little worried for a while there that whatever was going on between you and ‘Your Royal Chillness’ would never end up anywhere, but look at you now. Damn, am I happy to put that fear to rest.”

“Rest” Christen mumbles with her face half smooshed to her mattress, “If only I could get some.”

“Come on, we both know that your mind is just racing with thoughts about ‘She-who-must-not-be-tamed’” Kelley declares as she wiggles her eyebrows up and down.

“Who? Voldemort? Miley Cyrus? You’re speaking in codes, I don’t know what you’re talking about” Christen airily sighs, blindly feeling around for her covers.

“Bullshit” Kelley firmly states as she walks over and kneels directly beside Christen’s bed, so she can look her roommate in the eye point-blank. “You’re pretty, Pressy, but you’re not stupid. Times have changed, that stereotype just isn’t true anymore.”

“Like it ever was” Christen points out, slowly opening her eyes to meet Kelley’s gaze. Sure she’s tired, but she’ll be damned if that myth is perpetuated for even a second more. After all, activism never sleeps. A bright smile grows on Kelley’s face.

“That’s my girl. Now come on, up and at ‘em, sweet cheeks. We have a celebratory breakfast to get to” Kelley instructs as she rises to her feet and pulls Christen into a sitting up position. “Sweet cheeks’? Someone’s full of pet names today.

“Don’t you have a class to get to or something?” Christen protests, but already knowing that arguing won’t get her anywhere with ‘Iron Will O’Hara.’ See? Kelley isn’t the only one who can make up a nickname or two.

“Screw class, no one will miss me” Kelley dismisses as she slips her shoes on her feet.

“You’re parents probably wouldn’t be too thrilled about that” Christen states as she rubs some of the sleep from her eyes.

“You know, it’s customary to accept a free breakfast when one is offered to you. It’s called being polite” Kelley sasses while placing her hands on her hips.

“Fine” Christen finally concedes with an exasperated exhale, “Just let me get dressed and – ”

“Nope” Kelley interrupts as she grabs her keys and stands by the door. “You’ve wasted all of your ‘getting ready’ time with your unnecessary questions and useless diversion tactics. Shoes on your feet, hair in a bun, and we’re out of here.”

“Seriously?” Christen huffs as she slips her flip-flops on her feet and grabs a hair tie from her bedside table. But before she even has another moment to do anything else, true to her word, Kelley grabs Christen by the wrist and leads her out of the room.

After Kelley locks the door, she leads Christen down the hallway. As they walk, Christen looks over her shoulder, and her eyes land on one door in particular. She can’t help but wonder if a certain someone is on the other side of it. And if Kelley weren’t so strong and driven by her own hunger, Christen might have turned back and found out for herself.

“Dammit, Kelley, you said there’d be hardly anyone here” Christen complains as she and Kelley settle at a table for two in the campus smoothie shop. Christen takes in the busy establishment while using the collar of her sweatshirt to attempt to shield her face from anyone that may recognize her in her less-groomed-than-usual state.

“Would you relax?” Kelley exhales as she scooches her chair closer to the table. Christen takes a moment from her paranoid crowd-scanning to glare back at her roommate.

“I’m not even wearing any makeup. What if I see someone I know?” Christen argues, looking both annoyed and distraught in such an uncomfortable and vulnerable situation. Kelley shakes her head.

“Come on, you’re being dramatic, who are you even going to see?” Kelley questions with a knowing expression and an aura of certainty. “Besides, you look fine. Makeup or no makeup, you’re still the beautiful Christen Press that we all know and love.”

“Really? You think so?” Christen asks in a much smaller voice than before. Her eyes are full and expectant, and she looks as if she’s shrunk a few sizes.

“Yeah” Kelley confirms with a warm smile, “I do.” Christen’s concerned expression begins to fade as the corners of her mouth upturn in just the slightest way. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so against coming here earlier. Kelley’s really sweet, she wouldn’t drag me here if she thought it would bring me down. What a good friend.

A stranger’s hand places a smoothie on the table directly in front of Kelley, effectively breaking up the heartfelt moment.

“One Miss Kelley Special, on the house” Emily charmingly states as she and Kelley lock eyes. Kelley smiles back at her.

“How did you know I was here? I didn’t even go to the counter when I walked in” Kelley asks, eyes completely fixed on the considerate blonde standing in front of her.

“I always know when you’re here” Emily playfully admits, “It’s like a sixth sense.”

“Is that so?” Kelley flirtatiously asks, leaning her head against her hand and taking a small sip from the straw of her smoothie.

“Well, that” Emily pauses as her smirk grows wider, “And because all my co-workers recognize you by now, so they give me a heads up if they spot you.”

“Thanks for the smoothie” Kelley offers as she takes another enticing sip from her icy beverage, all the while Emily watches her with piqued interest. Ok, this started out cute, but now the bedroom eyes are getting a little too real for my comfort levels. Do they even realize that I’m sitting right here? And I thought Kelley brought me here because she was being a good friend. Little did I know it was just so she could share some sexual tension with ‘Seductive Sonnett.’ Dammit, now I’m doing the dumb codename thing.

Christen loudly clears her throat and both Kelley and Emily flinch, almost as if hearing a record scratch.

“I’m sorry, can I get Kelley’s new friend something to drink?” Emily asks as she finally pulls her eyes from Kelley, who is growing redder by the second. New friend? Did she just say ‘new friend’?!

“New friend?” Christen repeats in her graveling morning voice. She still can’t believe that she heard Emily right the first time.

“Yeah, I don’t think I caught your name” Emily continues putting her foot in her mouth. Is she for real right now, or is she just messing with me?

Kelley’s eyes are wide as she nudges Emily and mumbles something through her teeth. “Thtz Chrristn.”

“What was that, Kels? I’m trying to introduce myself to your friend. How come I’ve never met her before?” Emily asks, blissfully unaware of her repeated mistake.

“at’s Th-ey. isten Chr-ay” Kelley urges as she desperately stares Emily down.

“Why are you speaking in Pig Latin? Are you trying to tell me that… Oh!” It finally dawns on Emily what she’s been missing. “Christen, of course that’s you! I just must not have recognized you from this angle” Emily nervously chuckles as Christen’s head slumps. She pulls her hood over her head and pulls the strings as tight as she can, so she can cover as much of her face as possible.

“You said I looked fine” Christen whines through the fabric of her sweatshirt.

“You do!” Kelley urges reaching across the table to grab both of Christen’s hands supportively. “Emily’s just a dumb smoothie barista, what does she know?”

“Hey!” Emily exclaims defensively, though quickly silences after Kelley shoots her a warning glare. Emily raises her hands in surrender and turns back to face Christen. “She’s right, I am just a dumb smoothie barista.”

“She also has terrible eyesight, I mean, just look at those jeans she’s wearing. No one in their right mind would willingly wear those jeans!” Kelley adds, giving Christen’s hands a squeeze. Christen takes a peek through the small opening of her hood. She’s not wrong…

“And if I did have perfect eyesight, do you really think I’d ask out Kelley before you?” Emily chimes, trying to help, though beginning to dig herself into an entirely different hole. Kelley’s head swiftly turns to Emily and she narrows her eyes.

“You’re pushing it, Sonnett” Kelley growls. Emily gulps from beside the table.

“Do you guys like cinnamon rolls? How about I get you some cinnamon rolls?” Emily nervously rambles out before quickly pivoting on her heel and briskly walking back over to the counter.

“Pressy, it’s just you and me, do you think you can come out of your shell now?” Kelley asks, trying to coax Christen out of the confines of her hoodie.

“But my face looks awful” Christen argues, “How can you bear to look at it?”

“Hey” Kelley starts as she tugs at Christen’s hands, “It’s nothing I don’t witness every day. If natural beauty could kill, you’d already be in prison for murdering me” Christen lets out a small laugh and Kelley takes the opportunity to remove the hood from Christen’s head. “There’s my little monster face” Kelley endearingly coos.

“I’m still embarrassed” Christen reveals, even after Kelley’s admirable attempts of cheering her up.

“Don’t be” Kelley firmly states, “You just watch, someone else will do something wildly embarrassing and no one will even pay any attention to you.”

Not a moment later, a brunette wearing the same uniform as Emily yells, “Oh geez!” before slipping down the last few steps of the stairs leading into the room, spilling all of the coffee beans from the bag in her arms. A few other employees join her side as they help her up and begin to clean up the mess.

“You see?” Kelley points out, “That had to be pretty damn embarrassing, and that poor soul works here.” She’s right, at least I’m not her right now. Wait, was she carrying coffee beans? They have coffee here? Why the hell have I been drinking these shitty smoothies when they have coffee here?

“Alright, two cinnamon rolls for two cinnamon rolls” Emily announces as she places the freshly baked delicacies in front of both Christen and Kelley. “Am I forgiven now?” Emily asks jokingly, though her eyes seem genuinely concerned. Both Christen and Kelley exchange a look before glancing back to Emily.

“Yes, you are forgiven” Christen states warmly, picking up her fork. “These rolls are free, right?” Emily nods. “Ok, then you are definitely forgiven.”

“Good” Emily smiles, “I was starting to believe that I’d just lost two of my best customers.”

“You can’t get rid of us that easily” Kelley adds, throwing in a smile of her own. Looks like all is well in paradise again for those two.

“Hey Emily, who is that girl? I’ve never seen her before” Christen asks as she gestures to the girl who just slide down the stairs. Emily looks in the direction that Christen is indicating and chuckles.

“Oh that’s just Moe, she’s a new hire” Emily fondly explains.

“I thought you guys weren’t hiring” Kelley points out, slightly confused by Emily’s admission.

“We weren’t” Emily confirms, “But I went to high school with her, so I put in a good word with my supervisor.”

“Why would you risk you own job to get that klutz hired? Doesn’t that make you look bad?” Kelley asks while watching the girl nearly hit her head on the counter while trying to pick up some stray coffee beans.

“She’s a good kid” Emily nonchalantly replies, “And she saved my life once, so I kind of owe her.”

“She what now?” Kelley questions with a mouthful of cinnamon roll.

“Yeah, it was a while ago, minor details. Do you guys want to meet her?” Emily asks as she already starts turning towards the girl and gesturing to get her attention.

“What? No! I don’t want to meet anyone looking like this. What kind of a first impression would that be?” Christen frantically declines, though the girl has already spotted Emily and is making her way over to the table.

“Don’t worry, Pressy, you can make another first impression later, she probably won’t recognize you after today” Kelley teases with a wink. Christen opens her mouth to protest, but the girl arrives before the group.

“Hey, Moe. I want you to meet some of my friends” Emily begins and the girl nods. “Moe this is Kelley – the one I’ve been telling you about” Emily introduces as she smiles brightly in Kelley’s direction.

“Nice to finally meet you, Kelley” Moe greets, giving Emily a little nudge with her elbow.

“You as well” Kelley kindly returns, taking Moe’s hand and shaking it.

“And this is Christen, another one I’ve been telling you about” Emily adds as she gestures to Christen. Christen offers Moe a small wave.

“It’s good to meet you, Moe” Christen shyly offers, shaking Moe’s hand just as Kelley did.

“Wait, are you Tobin’s Christen?” Moe asks while looking Christen up and down. ‘Tobin’s Christen’?

“You know Tobin?” Christen questions with a quizzical expression taking residence on her face.

“Yeah” Moe nods affirmatively, “I’m friends with Kling – we’re in Macaroon Club together – so I’ve met Tobin a few times.” Moe continues to stare at Christen as though she’s mulling something over in her head. The others soon begin to take notice. Is there something on my face? Oh wait, that’s right, there’s nothing on my face, not even makeup. Thanks, Kelley.

“Uh, Moe? Why are you staring at Christen like that?” Emily finally asks, trying to take some of Moe’s awkwardness out of the situation. Moe shakes her head and snaps out of her daze.

“It’s just that” Moe starts with a little surprise in her tone, “I can’t believe that I’m meeting the Christen that I’ve been hearing so much about. From how Kling and Emily have described you, you look… different than what I had imagined.” What the hell is that supposed to mean?

“Oh God” Christen utters and she shrinks back into her seat and Kelley slaps her palm to her own face.

“Scones? You guys like scones, right? On the house, on me. Moe and I will go get those for you!” Emily frantically rushes out before quickly whisking Moe away. Both Christen and Kelley sit in silence for a few minutes before Kelley finally speaks up.

“…Pressy?”

“I will never forgive you for this.”

“Fair enough.”

Christen and Kelley shuffle their way down the hallway of the third floor as they make their way back to room 318. Both roommates carry their own bag of treats from the smoothie shop.

“I still can’t believe Emily gave us all of this free of charge” Christen reminisces while walking at Kelley’s side. “This must have cost an entire day’s pay. At least.”

“I’m always telling her she talks too much” Kelley sighs as she swings the lanyard with her keys at her side, causing it to wrap around her arm several times. “Maybe one day she’ll learn.”

“I hope not” Christen admits, admiring the bag in her hand, “I never want the free blueberry muffins to end.”

“Your girl gets us free cupcakes, mine gets us free muffins. I’d say we doing college right” Kelley slyly comments as she bumps Christen’s shoulder with her own. Christen laughs as three familiar figures appear down the hallway. Kling and Alex lead the way as someone else drags their feet behind the two.

“Come on, Sleeping Beauty, I won’t let you pass out in the hallway” Kling urges the girl from over her shoulder.

“I’m coming, I’m coming” a drowsy voice calls after. As Kling and Alex near Christen, she’s finally able to identify the third person of the group. Christen grows both excited and shy upon seeing her. But before she can completely make up her mind as to how she feels, the three soccer players arrive in front of her and Kelley.

“Hey ladies” Kling greets her friends, “Sorry to tell you, but you just missed going to the gym with us.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing” Kelley scoffs, obviously not feeling even a single ounce of regret for choosing smoothies, scones, and cinnamon rolls over bench presses, squats, and all the other sinister workouts that inhabit the gym.

“It is” Kling corrects with a smug smirk plastered on her face, “You missed Tobs almost face plant on the treadmill. What a sight that was.” Alex chuckles from Kling’s side. If Alex is laughing, it must have been quite the spectacle. I wonder what has Tobin so out of sorts today?

Christen finally takes a moment to glance over to the midfielder, and the dark circles under her eyes tell Christen everything she needs to know. Looks like I wasn’t the only one who didn’t sleep well last night.

“Damn, what a shame” Kelley comments teasingly, “Did you at least get it on video? So, you know, we can enjoy that moment for years to come?”

“Unfortunately, no” Kling exhales with feigned disappointment, “We were too busy laughing our asses off to even think to record it. I guess the memory will just have to live on in our minds, and maybe one day we can tell the story to our grandkids so the legacy continues.” The girls laugh while Christen’s eyes wander back over to Tobin. Now would usually be the time for one of her witty comebacks, but instead she just leans weakly against the wall, willing her heavy eyelids to stay open. Alex looks back and forth between Tobin and Christen before chiming in to the conversation.

“Hey Kelley, are you busy right now? Want to help Kling and I pull a prank on Sarah?” Alex asks, suddenly changing to topic. Kelley’s eyes light up at the mere mention of mischief.

“Do you even have to ask?” Kelley excitedly replies as she brings her keys to her hand. “Let me just drop this stuff off in my room and we’ll get to scheming. I can’t wait to get back at her after last week’s water funnel quarter trick.” Kelley quickly unlocks the door and zips in and out of the room. “Alright, it’s payback time” Kelley informs as she eagerly rubs her hands together. She walks over to Alex and Kling and the three of them make their to Alex’s room. Occasionally they each sneak a peek over their shoulders at Christen and Tobin as they walk, enthusiastically whispering to each other as they do so. Christen turns to enter her room, but a voice stops her before she can take a step.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Tobin asks, managing to muster up some of her natural playfulness even in the wake of her obvious exhaustion.

“To my room so I can get my things to take a shower” Christen answers matter-of-factly without turning around to face her neighbor.

“What? I don’t even get a ‘hello’ first?” Tobin asks incredulously as she pushes herself from the wall and takes a step towards Christen.

“Hi” Christen squeaks as she can sense Tobin draw nearer. Tobin reaches out and gently places her hands on both of Christen’s hips. A chill runs down Christen’s spine.

“How about you turn around so I can at least get a glimpse of that lovely face of yours” Tobin suggests, her voice warm and welcoming.

“Tobin” Christen begins to resist, “I’m not even wearing any makeup and…”

“Hey” Tobin interrupts, “Turn around.” Christen takes a quick side glance at Tobin and finally decides to just do as she’s asked. Once facing Tobin, Christen trains her eyes to the floor self-consciously. Soon she feels a few of Tobin’s fingers guiding her chin up so that the two make eye contact.

“Hi” Christen whispers, now realizing how close to Tobin she really is. Tobin smiles approvingly.

“Hello, beautiful.” Christen feels the blush bubbling to her cheeks, but she knows she can’t do anything to stop it. “You look tired” Tobin comments after surveying Christen’s face for a few moments. Christen lets out a small chuckle.

“You should see yourself” she replies, taking in Tobin’s baggy under-eyes once again. “Didn’t sleep well last night?”

“Not a wink” Tobin confirms without a second’s hesitation.

“I can’t say last night was much different for myself” Christen admits, watching Tobin’s eyes slightly light up.

“Oh really?” Tobin questions with playfully raised eyebrows, “What a coincidence, I wonder why that is.” Christen just feels her smile growing as Tobin mirrors the same expression right back at her. Soon smiles turn into small giggles and a much lighter atmosphere. “I also haven’t eaten in forever, want to go get some food?” Tobin asks hopefully.

“Do you think you could even make it downstairs?” Christen returns, not ignoring the feeble state of the girl in front of her. “Besides, Kelley and I just got breakfast.”

“Oh” Tobin responds, sounding slightly discouraged. “Maybe another time then. I guess I’ll let you go shower now.” Tobin begins to turn away, but Christen stops her by placing a hand on her shoulder. Tobin faces Christen again and looks at her expectantly, awaiting an explanation.

“New plan” Christen proposes as she looks to the bag of baked goods in her hand. “How about you eat these blueberry muffins while I go shower, and we meet back in your room when I’m decent again?” Tobin smiles as she takes the bag that Christen offers her.

“You got me muffins?” she asks, seemingly touched by Christen’s gesture.

“You can thank Emily for that later” Christen answers with a wink, “So do we have a deal?”

“We have a deal” Tobin agrees with a nod.

“Good” Christen smirks as she takes a few small steps backwards, “I’ll see you in about twenty minutes.”

“I’ll be here” Tobin confirms with a grin of her own.

Christen emerges from her room with one hand closing the door, and the other running through her wet, wavy hair. Once she hears that satisfying click of the door locking, she takes a few steps forward and arrives to the open doorway of room 317. Inside, she sees Tobin fluffing up a few pillows and draping a large blanket over the futon. Christen smiles, it’s nice to see Tobin tidying up and making her room a bit homier. This is the kind of domestic side of Tobin that she doesn’t get to see very much. Christen’s eyes continue into the room and she notices the bag from the smoothie shop already in the garbage. She must really have been hungry.

“Don’t tell me that you’ve decided to clean up the room just because you were expecting me” Christen opens as she walks a few steps into the room, closing the door behind her. Tobin looks up from her work with the futon and smiles upon spotting Christen.

“Well I certainly didn’t do it for Kling” Tobin discloses nonchalantly, soliciting a minor laugh from her company.

“I’ve been in here before, had to rummage through piles of clothes to find some dirty soccer equipment even, you do realize that, right?” Christen teases as Tobin leans a shoulder against the post of her bed loft.

“I know” Tobin shrugs, her hands finding the pockets of her sweatpants, “But things are different now.”

“Different?” Christen questions, entertained by Tobin’s statement, “How so?”

“You know…” Tobin begins, looking over to meet Christen’s eyes with her own while brushing away the wispy hairs from the edge of her face. “After last night…after we… well, you know.” Christen nods slowly as she takes in Tobin’s words.

“I suppose you’re right, things are different now” she eventually agrees, causing Tobin’s shoulders to lose tension and the momentarily worried muscles in her face to relax.

“Are you… good with different?” Tobin asks gently, and again, Christen takes of few beats to really consider the question.

“Yeah” she warmly exhales, “I am. Are you?” Tobin’s face blossoms with a bright and exuberant smile.

“Of course” Tobin replies sincerely, gazing at Christen as if she’s a star in the clear night’s sky.

“Good” Christen nods as she walks over to Tobin’s side. “So what do you have prepared over here for the two of us to do?” Tobin walks over to the television perched on top of a dresser and grabs the remote.

“Well I was thinking that we could watch a movie or something” Tobin suggests, taking a seat on the futon and motion for Christen to join her.

“So we can both just fall asleep halfway through it?” Christen teases as she sits directly next to Tobin.

“Yeah, pretty much” Tobin shrugs, a knowing glint in her eye.

“Well you do seem like you need the rest. Actually, I probably do, too” Christen comments as she admires how Tobin is already all snuggled in to the futon. “How about we just skip the movie and nap instead?”

“Oh, um, yeah we could do that” Tobin concedes as she awkwardly shifts in her seat. “Here, you can use these pillows, and I’ll get you a better blanket and then I’ll – ” Tobin rises to her feet and tries to busy herself, but Christen quickly reaches out and grabs her hand.

“Hey” she says softly, “Where are you going?” Tobin looks down to her hand in Christen’s, and then back into the green-gray eyes that have been permanently imprinted in her mind.

“I was just going to get you some extra things and then I was going to take the bed once you were situated on the futon” Tobin explains cautiously as she tries to read Christen’s expression. Christen looks over the futon that she’s sitting on, and directs her eyes back to Tobin.

“I’d say this thing is big enough for two, don’t you think?” Christen asks, slowly tugging Tobin closer to her.

“Yeah, you’re probably right, but I just thought...” Tobin hesitantly takes a seat as Christen guides her back to the futon. “I just thought that after what happened last time, maybe you wouldn’t want to do that” Tobin finally admits, carefully studying her and Christen’s intertwined fingers. Ohhh, so that is why Tobin’s been so rigid. I mean, I can’t blame her after the way I acted last week. Honestly, I’m surprised she even talks to me after last week.

Christen lets out a long sigh.

“Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that” Christen discloses, working up the courage to finally address the subject. “Well, I’ve been meaning to apologize, really.” Tobin’s eyebrows knit together in confusion.

“Apologize for what?” she asks, genuinely unaware of what Christen is alluding to. Christen looks back into Tobin’s attentive eyes.

“For freaking out on you that morning, for causing a scene in front of the entire floor” Christen pauses right before finishing her sentence. “For walking away from you when I should’ve stayed.” Tobin is still for a second, but her features gradually soften.

“It’s alright” Tobin comforts as she wraps both of her hands around Christen’s one, “You were scared, you were upset. You thought that I was making a move on you without your permission. I get that.”

“No, I wasn’t” Christen shakes her head as she watches Tobin try to take the blame for Christen’s own actions. “I knew you would never try to take advantage of me, on the inside I knew that you would never do that. I mean, yeah, I was scared. But not of you, of myself.”

“What do you mean?” Tobin questions, concern oozing from her lips. Christen takes a deep breath before elaborating.

“When I woke up that morning, I thought I was dreaming. I thought you weren’t real, I thought I wasn’t real, and I thought what I was feeling wasn’t real. But then I realized that it was, and, I don’t know, that scared me. It was like waking up in the best way that I ever could have imagined, but it was still so scary.”

“Why was it scary?” Tobin asks, “If you were happy, why was that scary for you?”

“Because I’m not like you, Tobin, I don’t usually just put myself out there. It’s one thing to imagine something happening to you, but it’s another to actually experience it. When I realized that I had finally made it to the place that I have dreamed of getting to for years, I was so freaked out. Because I’d imagined that scenario a hundred times over in my head, but I’d never imagined what happens after that, and that’s what scared me – not knowing what happens from here.”

“Christen” Tobin starts sweetly as she readjusts her grip on Christen’s hand, “Putting yourself out there is never easy, no matter who you are. You don’t have to expect to play the part perfectly when you meet someone that you like. You don’t have to try to act in a way that someone else thinks that you should. You don’t have to be anyone else but yourself. If you’re worried about what happens next, then you should ask yourself what you want to happen next. Listen, I like you, and you like me. We decide how we go about things from here on out. We can go as fast or as slow as we want. We can do or not do whatever, whenever we want. What happens next is up to us, and it doesn’t have to be this big, scary thing if we don’t want it to be. Instead, it can just be you and me, enjoying each other here and now, in this moment, and not thinking about the rest. I know that I’m happy, and if you’re happy, too, then that’s good enough for me.”

Christen peers deep into Tobin’s eyes. She means it, every word.

“Ok” Christen silently lets out, though loud enough for Tobin to hear.

“Ok? Sound good?” Tobin double checks, placing one of her hands supportively on the small of Christen’s back.

“Yeah, sounds good” Christen reaffirms as her lips gently curl up into a relieved smile. The corners of Tobin’s eyes crinkle as she smiles right back.

A mere second later, the door cracks open and Kling stealthily slides through it with her hand covering her eyes.

“Don’t mind me, just came to pick up some rubber bands and superglue” Kling informs as she looks anywhere but in Christen and Tobin’s direction. After fiddling in a few drawers in her desk and extracting a few miscellaneous items, Kling heads for the door once again. As soon as the door is closed, Christen and Tobin look at each other once again.

“Poor Sarah, they must be planning some prank” Christen infers after witnessing Kling’s little charade. “I mean, she said she needed superglue, that’s how you know it’s serious.”

“Don’t take pity” Tobin dismisses, “Apple has it coming.” Christen raises an eyebrow.

“What did she do?” she asks, trying to recall hearing about anything other than Kelley’s hilarious story about how Sarah tricked her into playing a game that made it look like she peed her pants.

“Nothing worth repeating” Tobin simply answers. “Now what was that you were saying about a nap?” Christen smiles as she scooches over and allows just enough room for Tobin to stretch out beside her on the futon. Once Tobin is settled, Christen lays down next to her. “No, this isn’t right” Tobin comments when Christen is parallel to her. Christen turns over so that she’s laying on her side and facing Tobin.

“What are you talking about?” she asks, slightly self-conscious. Tobin huffs.

“You’re still too far away from me” Tobin declares, gesturing to the few inches that separate them. Christen eyes up those few inches and then Tobin’s cocky expression.

“Well fine, I can fix that” Christen aloofly replies as she inches closer and snuggles into Tobin’s side. “There, happy now?” Tobin wraps her arm over Christen’s shoulders.

“As a clam” she hums with the goofiest grin on her face. Christen chuckles and Tobin follows suit, but their exhaustion soon catches up to them, and chuckles turn into deep and rhythmic breaths.

“So” Christen begins after both her and Tobin’s eyes have fluttered closed, “Did you tell Kling and the others about the kiss? They seem to know.” Tobin lets out a few stray chuckles that she didn’t realize she still had in her.

“No, I didn’t” she smiles reminiscently, “You did.” Christen’s eyes blink open at Tobin’s peculiar statement.

“That’s impossible, I haven’t talked to any of them besides in the hallway earlier.” Christen points out, 99.9% sure of herself.

“You didn’t have to, they were right outside your door when you yelled it this morning” Tobin giggles again at the memory. “Congrats, you beat me to the punch once again.” This morning? When Kelley made to yell it to get her to leave me alone? People could really hear that? Dammit Maureen, I’m beginning to think that you’re the cause of all my problems.

“I seem to be doing an awful lot of that lately” Christen sighs, no longer trusting her own actions anymore.

“That’s alright, you can take the credit, I don’t mind” Tobin yawns as she nuzzles her face close to the top of Christen’s head. Christen’s eyes flutter shut once again as she feels Tobin’s breathing so close to her neck. “Your hair smells nice” Tobin admits with no censorship of her thoughts.

“Thanks, I actually washed it” Christen responds, playing along with Tobin’s sleepy musings.

“Nice, you should try that more often” Tobin teases even in her impossibley drained state.

“Now that you say that, I totally will” Christen sarcastically replies, letting her head relax against Tobin’s shoulder.

“Cool beans.”

“Coffee beans.”

“Spilling beans.”

“Moe.”

And just like that, they both drift into the slumber that they each so desperately need. And this time around, staying asleep isn’t an issue.