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๐พ๐ ๐ถ๐๐น ๐ต๐๐๐๐พ๐
I started this story when LDC was active, I finished it today haha. I've been missing this girl, this group, and these people! I realized through this that when I write I either go really dialogue-heavy or really description heavy and there is no in-between so I know what I'm working on this summer now!
Ugh I really really debated pulling out a certain saucy scene bc tbh I don't even know why I wrote it, it's very outlandish and unlikely. But I left it in any way since I wrote it for this....
The first part is a collab with the lovely Manda @monkeymanda22 !!
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Itโs 5:30 when Leiaโs contact picture lights up with a glow on Wallasโ phone. The two girls in the picture have their arms around one another, Leia sending a kiss to the camera. Wallas is curled up under her oversized, daisy-covered comforter, crisp pages of a new book turning over in her fingers. Her eyes flutter shut against the soft, cream-colored pillow before the vibrating wakes her up.
โWallas Blum! Get over here so we can get ready together.โ Wallasโ eyes are barely open, heavy from a midday nap. She can just make out Leiaโs blonde hair bouncing on the small screen.
By 5:45 sheโs sitting on the plush carpet of Leiaโs room, cross-legged in her favorite overalls, pulling at the denimโs fraying edges.
โWallas! Stop stressing!โ Leia yells from the vanity, meeting her eyes in the mirror before turning her head to yell directly at her best pal, โYouโre gonna make me stress and thatโs no way to enter a party!โ
โIโm sorry!โ Wallas giggles, throwing her hands to the side, โYou getting all dolled up makes me stressed.โ
Leiaโs chair swivels back to Wallas making the curling wand jingles against the wooden countertop.
โItโs not about getting dolled up, it's making a good impression. We havenโt seen these people all summer.โ Leiaโs wide smile lights up her face.
โBut Iโve seen them, youโve seen them...weโre seniors, we already know everyone.โ Wallas grins, nearly rolling her eyes as Leia turns back to her vanity to keep on curling.
โWait,โ Leia turns back to Wallas with a devious look in her eyes, โWhat are you planning to wear?โ
โProbably just this.โ She gestures to the tight t-shirt and overalls sheโs had on all day.
โNo, Wallas, no no no.โ
โYes, Leia, yes yes yes.โ
The blonde locks fly behind her as Leia moves towards her closet, and then Wallasโ stomach drops, โIโm not wearing that dress, Le.โ
โYou should at least try it on.โ Her voice is muffled as she dives further into the collection of clothes, โYou donโt show off your butt enough.โ
โHey!โ Wallas laughs, โI think overalls suit me just fine.โ
โOMG, you did not just say that,โ Leiaโs tone is annoyed but she canโt shake the smile on her face as she digs through the pile of clothes on the floor of her closet, โYouโre literally so hot Wally, show it off!โ
The red dress sways from Leiaโs hand. Wallas quickly shakes her messy-haired head.
โLeia...โ Wallasโ cheeks go pink as she looks the dress up and down before finally meeting her friendsโ eyes, โnot tonight.โ
Itโs a standoff for one second. One tense, hard moment where the air in the room stands still and the world holds its breath. Itโs Leia who huffs first. Itโs not anger, itโs disappointment, โOne day youโre going to let me win and wear this one thing.โ
The room goes static as the dress cascades in a silky stream to the floor, โBut are you sure about the overalls?โ She pulls the last strap of the exposing crop top sheโs opted for, โthis is what Iโm wearing for reference.โ
โYea, Iโm sure.โ Itโs not a snap, Wallas rarely snaps but itโs stern, itโs a warning.
โWhatever.โ Leia almost murmurs without turning her eyes back.
The room is tight, drawing out the end of a to-be fight as Leia finishes her makeup, and Wallas tries her best not to look at herself in the mirror sheโs sitting across from. And then the phone rings, โWally? Wally! Iโm coming over! Get ready to get your drinkkkkkk on.โ Lilโs voice echoes through the phone.
Her eyes stay trained on the plush rug, too stiff, too stuck in the weight of an almost fight to look up. She can just hear the clang and release of the curler over and over again. โOkay missy,โ she feigns excitement but she knows Lil knows, Lily always knows, โsee you in a quick sec.โ
The music turns up to a blast in the background. She shoots a side-eye Leiaโs way but she doesnโt see, sheโs puckering her lips for a Snapchat to Ruby.
โWhoโs that?โ Itโs nonchalant, she wants Wallas to think she doesnโt care but Wallas knows Leia, sheโs known Leia longer than anyone else.
โJust Lil, she should be here in-โ Sheโs cut off by the front door whipping open.
โWeโre here and ready to get all glammed up and ready to fricking party!โ The sets of Lil and Maliโs feet padding up the hardwood stairs instantly lift Wallasโ heart.
Lilโs palm slams into the doorframe before her body leans against it, โYou ready to get crazy, ladies?โ
โโโ
Lily managed to get one swish of glitter on each of Wallasโ eyelids. Mali took the iron to her hair. Leia rolled her eyes, arms crossed, dramatic turn, and all when compliments flew at her overalls.
So Wallas Blum walks into the first party of the year denim-clad and glitter swiped.
The clap of the door of Rubyโs bright red bug echoes as Wallas makes her way up to the house. She can hear Ruby and Leia giggling and knows they threw their arms around one another to whisper about boys the second they got out of the car. She just wants to find her boys.
โWally B!โ Nicky Bender picks his best pal up by the waist and spins her around in a circle of laughter.
โWhat up, fool? Howโd you get cool enough to have ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด many people in your house?โ She giggles as her feet touch the floor again.
โOh, you know how much the ladies love me.โ He says it with the most charming Nicky smile, โI believe we have a rematch to attend to at some point tonight?โ It comes out as a question.
โOh, sir, we certainly do. Iโll alert my boy Benji that the winning duo needs to affirm our skills.โ
โPfft, good luck with that, youโre going down shorty.โ And heโs off to say hellos to the rest of the ladies.
It feels like summer never happened, that this is simply the same scene, the same people sheโs witnessed every week, it feels like school never stopped. But a jolt of excitement to see whoโs around keeps her bouncing.
Wallas shouldnโt be so surprised that so many people have shown up. Nicky Benderโs welcome back party has been a tradition since middle school. The spin the bottle games have remained a staple. She envies the girls who walk by with the perfect summer tans. All she has to show for her time in the sun are her splotchy burns and the freckles across her nose.
Itโs not hard to find Benjamin in the crowd, heโs always at the center of the boys with the biggest laughter.
Wallas wiggles her way between the soccer boys, falling gracefully onto the couch beside her best pal, โHey there, sweet thang.โ She giggles as she grabs onto his arm, โYou ready to defend our reigning title of champions?โ
Benji rubs his hands together before hopping to his feet, โSorry boys, the king and qween have been beckoned by some fools,โ before leading the way to the white folding table with a beer pong game nearing its end.
Nicky and Wilby are waiting impatiently at the other end of the table, โWe have next!โ Nicky calls as soon as Wallas and Benji step foot in the backyard.
โAhh,โ Benji has a deep, semi-accent forming, something he definitely thinks someone royal sounds like, โthe common folk dare to challenge us? Foolish.โ
โBe prepared to have a ROUGH morning after drinking all of those and the forty, cheaters.โ Wilby shoots back across the lawn.
โHey!โ Itโs Wallas who shouts back, โwe did not cheat. Youโre such a sore loser.โ
โYea okay.โ Wilbyโs eyes narrow but his smile gives him away. The boy has a tendency to get too into trash-talking.
Itโs the closest game the two rival teams have played. Shot for shot, cup for cup. Wallas is already feeling giggly, a telltale sign sheโs getting tipsy.
Benji smooshes her grinning cheeks between his palms, โWallas Blum, my qween, one cup left, youโve got this.โ She shoes him away with a giggle.
โYEA LETโS GO WAL!!โ Lily ends with a woo from the sidelines, earning a quick glare from Wilby.
Mali shoots the overall qween a thumbs-up, cheering along, โlet's go baby.โ
โMouthing is just as hurtful, Mali Williams.โ Wilbyโs arms are crossed.
Benji takes a deep breath for Wallas. Itโs a sharp elbow, a clean throw. The echo of plastic and then a splash.
The king and qween throw their arms into the air, erupting into cheers as Benji lifts his winning teammate off the ground.
Nicky and Benjiโs redemption balls land in the soft grass. โGood game, boys.โ Wallas grins as they shake hands across the table.
โAlright letโs go one more.โ Sore loser, Wilby Rhodes moves to line the cups up again.
โNu-uh,โ Lil flies over from her spot on the hill, grabbing Wallas by the wrist, โitโs dancing time.โ
Their feet are pounding against the floor of the cleared out living room illuminated from color-changing lights. Itโs normally the center of their movie nights, with a sheet screen strung up over the mantle and the chosen movie playing through the projector. Normally the floorboards are covered in spilled popcorn but now she can feel the bass beating through them.
Moving her hips and swaying her arms in the air, it doesnโt take long for Wallas to catch Stassi in the corner, trying to have an intellectual conversation with Chris. It takes her absolutely no time to drag the girl into the circle of the lazy daisies girls.
โCome on, Stass!! Shake it a little.โ Mali winks, twirling around to the music.
Itโs colorful, itโs dark, itโs loud, but she shouts all the lyrics to her friends anyways. Stassiโs first to ask if anyone needs a drink, leading the way for Wallas B.
โโโ
Itโs not deliberate, thereโs a shove. Poor, unstable Wallace takes a tumble into the tall, chestnut-haired boy standing in the wrong place at the right time, โOph Iโm so sorry!โ Wallas grabs onto the strong arm that has a hold around her waist. Itโs seconds before he brings her back to two feet.
โNo worries.โ His smile rises quickly between two dimples. His arm doesnโt move as quickly.
โHey Wallas,โ Itโs the editor and chief of Nickyโs other crew, the dumbasses. After falling into Charlie, Wallas shouldโve guessed Noah wouldnโt be far out of reach, โBetter watch yourself with that drink there.โ Heโs holding a solo cup but his index finger points to the near-horizontal cup in her own hand.
Itโs then that Charlie drops his arm from its saving position on her waist, โSheโs fine, No. Wallas knows how to handle herself.โ Thereโs a wink aimed her way at the end, something that makes Wallasโ mind blink ๐๐๐ and her stomach go warm.
โThanks for the catch.โ Her fingers run to tuck her messy hair behind her ear again. She suddenly wishes she had let Leia dress her tonight. Let her slide her into that silky red statement dress and fix the bees nest of hair on her head. Maybe even put a swipe of lipstick on.
โHeโs got plenty of practice from me, Wallas, so youโre very welcome!โ Noah cheers over his buddyโs shoulder before taking a chug of his drink, hay-colored drops trickling through his dark stubble.
But then thereโs Charlie.
โI like the overall choice,โ He smiles, โvery practical.โ
โYeaโฆโ Wallasโ eyebrows knit together, nodding slowly but letting the confusion show itself.
He laughs as he pulls two beer cans out from the case behind him, โYou donโt have to double fist anymore, just-โ and slides them into the two pockets over her chest.
Is this how boys flirt? The second of butterflies that Charlie Travers brought to her stomach flutters away, fading into something like embarrassment. Not over the overalls, for thinking the wide receiver of the football team, the surprising songbird was trying to hit on her. Her whole body is tense.
โOh, yea.โ Her laugh is awkward, anything to fill the space.
โCans on cans!โ Noah Johnson erupts into a fit of laughter.
She sees the smile melt into a line on Charlieโs face. His hands fly to take the beers from where he put them but stops abruptly, realizing what heโd really be doing in a way he didnโt the first time, โI just mean you could get a straw and have a hands-free night of drinking, cool it dumbass.โ He doesnโt turn to Noah whoโs drunk enough to be mocking his best friend to their collection of friends behind his back.
She canโt tell if itโs supposed to be an apology to her, โEnjoy the new drinking tactic and have a good night, Wallas.โ Charlie turns back around, his hair flowing to keep up with him.
Who knew the overalls would be such a conversation starter.
โโโ
Two hours pass before Wallas yawns for the first time of the night. She stopped drinking an hour ago but her body still buzzes, and god sheโs got practice in the morning. She pulls one hand up from supporting her weight against the white tiled counter to cover her mouth.
โTired already?โ Charlieโs voice is smooth, charming, and none of the girls in the grade mind that he knows it. His arm props him up against the wall, leaning over her, โMaybe we should fill the overall pockets with coffee.โ She canโt help but laugh at the dumb joke.
Wallas is tired. Sheโs made it to a party, which is an achievement on its own, sheโs lost track of the number of pong games sheโs played, and she felt tricked the second this boy winked then joked. Sheโs a tired girl but an adrenaline kick comes in to instantly dissect the situation.
โYou know, that may not be a bad idea.โ
โIโd personally like the credit if you do it at school though.โ
โOh, you want me to announce it to everyone I see? โHey! This is Charlie Traversโ brainchild! What a prodigy.โโ
โThat seems good enough to get the point across.โ His mess of curls and wicked smile is making Wallasโ body betray her. She knows her cheeks are red.
Her eyebrows narrow as she closes her eyes for a second to nod, โI think I can make that work.โ
โIโd like some confirmation here so I know your promise is good.โ
โOh, I never quite promised,โ she starts with a laugh, โI, at best, give it my best try.โ
โOh, yea?โ All the bones in Wallasโ body are coursing with a different buzz, the adrenaline of excitement. Heโs leaning down now, his eyes are so easy to wander into. Heโs so much closer than he was a few moments before.
It takes her a second but she stands firm, trying to look as confident as possible, despite the fact sheโs melting inside, โmhm.โ
Charlieโs head dips down to meet Wallas. His lips are soft, moist with liquid courage and practice. He changes up his speed. Heโs hungry. He tastes like cheap beer and spearmint.
Wallasโ hands find the back of his neck, raising to her tippy toes to meet him more easily. Sheโs touching his curls, twirling them between her empty fingers and taking a fistful in her grip when his arm grabs her waist again. She canโt hear the music of the party over the blood coursing through her body and the faint โmmโ from Charlieโs lips.
โWoah!! Guys turn the thermostat down a few notches in here!โ Wallas would know Wilbyโs voice anywhere but this is one of the extreme circumstances she desperately wishes it isnโt him. His voice twin! Has Wallas found his voice twin?
Nope. When Charlie steps out of the way to look at their interrupter, heโs standing there with his stupid smile taunting her. His arms are crossed, โOh, hey there Wallas.โ
It takes her a second. She moves back, smoothing her overalls down with her sweaty palms. She feels so caught off guard, but not anywhere close to embarrassed, โThank you ๐จ๐ค ๐ข๐ช๐๐ for gracing us with your presence, Wilby.โ
โIโm always here when you need me, toots.โ He blows a kiss her way, โGood to see you Charlie, man, feel like itโs been ages.โ Wallas stands stunned that her make-out session has been followed by a bro hug.
โWelp, the ladies are looking for you, Wal, time to hit the diner butโฆ you know take your time, my stomach can wait for a little.โ With a wink, Wilby spins on his heel and heads back into the party.
The room feels chaotic, chaotic good. Wallas Blum has never been the one to kiss hot boys at parties but she could truly get used to it. She shoots a smile Charlieโs way, taking a step towards the door, prompting him to walk along with her.
โWell, Wallas Blum, I canโt wait to get all that praise for my new coffee invention next week.โ
โOh but itโs still not a promise,โ she spins around to face him with a sweet grin, โwho knows if Iโll even remember who suggested I do it.โ
His smile is wicked, wanting. He pulls her hips against him for one last, drawn-out kiss in the doorway of the party. Thereโs an exaggerated lip-smacking sound when he pulls back.
โI hope that helps keeps the memory sharp.โ His dangerous smile never leaves his face.
Sheโs pulled away by a loved onesโ hand whoโs squealing, โOh my god oh my god oh my god.โ Mali links her arm with Wallasโ.
โDid you just make out with Charlie Travers in the kitchen? Donโt lie to me, Wallas!! I already know, I already know! Itโs on your face!โ Lil is oozing with excitement.
โWally baby what an end to your night.โ Mali is giggling to herself. Theyโre school girls with a secret that everyone knows, everyone saw.
โOh my god, ladies, I canโt stop blushing.โ Wallas rubs her cheeks only deepening the blush blooming on her cheeks.
โMy qween!โ She hears Benjiโs voice before she sees him. He jumps beside her, slinging his arm over her shoulder, โYou ready for your classic breakfast for late-night dinner?โ
Thereโs an unspoken understanding that the conversation isnโt over. She knows that before her head hits the pillow tonight, the three of them will be up, spilling each and every detail of the night. And sheโs never been so excited for it.
The cold air of the coming autumn hits differently. Itโs refreshing, itโs chilling, it hits her bones. The buggy is packed to the brim with friends, the windows steam up. All Wallas Blum can think of the fluffy french toast sheโs about to devour.
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