I head home, exhaling at the thought of how long of a day I've had. And how longer days probably still coming. I swear it.

"Kaylie Jane?" my dad is waiting for me at the kitchen table, "Is that you?"

Fuck me up. I head to the sound of his voice, "Yes sir?"

"Mindy says that you weren't at school today," he says it like a question, but its a true statement.

"I wasn't," I confirm, not knowing how else to respond. I observe him. My father, who is pressing fifty, has gone entirely grey in the head, and it was beginning to seep into his beard. I have never been a perfect daughter, let alone a perfect student, but this semester, coupled with last year, has clearly worn him down.

"Mindy and I are worried about you," he looks me in my eyes, and I look away, "Between this and your grades and your counselor---"

"I'm working on it," I cut him off.

"Which thing?" he asks, "Cause it can't be your grades. And I know it isn't your home life. You're never around."

I resist the urge to get defensive. "I know last year was rough," I lighten my tone, "But its only November. If I do good on my finals and turn in some extra credit I'll be fine."

"Extra credit?" Mindy rounds the corner, entering a conversation no one invited her into, "You can't turn in stuff for actual credit but you're going for extra credit?"

"Yeah," my voice hardens at her presence, "Like I said: I'm working on it." Bitch.

Mindy goes to say something else but my dad stops her, "Well alright."

"Well alright" is just his way of saying he doesn't believe shit I've said, but he's too tired to keep arguing with me.

"Karry," Mindy inhales sharply, but I'm already out of the kitchen, making my way to my bedroom.

I sleep well, but not as well as I would with Layne in my arms. When my alarm goes off, I'm not mad at it. The faster I get through the day, the faster I can see Layne again. I get a text in the morning from Layne. Thank you for the tacos.

I reply: Just the tacos?

I actually bother with wearing a real shirt instead of a tee or even a button up. I find a loose almost blouse like shirt in the back of my closet and pair that with jeans and boots. My assemble is still dark and brooding, like me, but if I gave a fuck. I even bother with a layer of eye eyeliner and eye shadow. When Beck hops into the truck, he notices my appearance almost immediately.

"Oh my God! You look pretty!"

"What's so shocking about that?" I question.

"You just--- You're not a traditional pretty--- Not that you're ugly--- You're just----" he stops to make sure he ends this conversation not dead, "You're more handsome?"

"I'll grant you one free pass because I'm in a good mood," I reply, heading to school.

Nat has a lesser reaction, but one still just as ignorant. "Was it good?"

"Excuse me?"

"Was the pussy that good? That you started dressing like-- I don't know-- a normal bitch?"

I set my face flat, "Can y'all chill on my outfit? This is part of the reason I never dress like this. Y'all suck. Give me my coffee back."

I reach for her and she jumps out the way. "Not the caffeine! I need it!"

I stop in order to avoid everyone and everything being covered in hot coffee.

"We're kidding!" Nat finally stops laughing, "I missed a day roasting you while you were out with your boo thang. I had to catch up."

"What makes you say I was with Layne?" I realize the implications of my question at the same time Nat does.

"Ha ha! I knew it! Kaylie-Layne ship confirmed!"

"KJ and Layne, sitting in a tree ~~~~" Beck mocks me.

I roll my eyes, "Must you guys always do the most?"

"Yes. Its in the best friend job description," the bell rings and we arrive at Beck's class before heading to our own. With Beck gone Nat breaks out the real questions.

"But in all seriousness, what happened to you yesterday?"

"Well, my morning started with me almost running over my girlfriend..."

I catch her up on my yesterday, which she finds both tragic and laughable. When I reach the part about Wren she stops me.

"Wren? You mean the Sociopath? Wait... You and the Sociopath are talking again?"

"No no no," I back peddle,"She talks. I try to avoid her."

"Does Layne know?"

"Know about what? There's nothing to know about."

"Look at it like this. You and this Bat Shit Crazy Bitch flirt all year but when you make a move she flips the script. Now you've got a girlfriend and now she wants to be friendly again? That's not shady to you?"

"I mean yeah but I've got it controlled. I'm with Layne. End of discussion."

We reach our class and I my phone buzzes in my pocket.

Layne: the tacos.... Among other things

I smile and Nat hits me, "That's her ain't it? Out here cheesin' and shit."

"I can't be happy?" I hit her back, "Chill on me."

Before I can even take my seat I hear my name and turn to see Dr. Harvey. She motions for me and I grab my things following her into a secluded alcove of the hallway. "So we're skipping school now?"

Before I can say anything she holds up a hand to stop me, "Before you lie, I need you to know that I've been checking your attendance regularly and I sent for you yesterday but where were you? Not here."

I nod, "These are all facts."

"It's Wednesday and this is the first time you've been to school all week," she continues, "And all you have to say are 'these are all facts'?"

"What do you want me to say?" I respond, "You're the third person to get on me about this. I can only care so much."

She recoils, rolling her neck, "So you don't care?"

She reaches in her pocket and pulls out a stack of small red pieces of paper, "Here."

"What are these?" I ask, fearing I already know the answer.

"Detention slips," she explains, "Five of them. Two for each day you skipped, one for the day you left early, and another two for the fact that you're a smart ass and its getting out of hand."

"Five?" I repeat, "You can't give me five?"

"Oh kid, they're not all from me," she says. I flip through them. Only one is from her. In fact, each one is from a different teacher of mine.

"So what? This is a firing squad now?" I crumble the slips into a ball and chuck them down the hall, "I have a job. I can't stay an hour after school."

"Yes you can," she replies, "And you will. I called your job and you've been suspended for too many attendance infractions. So I suggest you pick those up before I write you another detention for refusing to sign them. And by another one I mean another one for each."

I clench my jaw, chasing the pieces of paper down the hall, leaving my dignity behind.

***

The more I thought about what Nat had to say about Wren the more it rubbed me the wrong way. When I go to get Layne for class just the sight of her warms me.

"Are you sure you wanna go?" I ask as she slides into the cab.

"You're going to be there right?"

"Of course." She leans over and kisses me.

"If you're there, Then I know I'll be fine."

"Ah shucks," I change my voice to be like Goofy and she pushes my face, away when I lean in to kiss her again, "Try again. I'm not making out with a cartoon character."

I keep talking like that until we reach the school, keeping Layne both laughing and disturbed.

"Stoooppp~~~" she whines when we stop at Taco Bell and I order our food like that as well, "I can't stand you."

When we pull up to the window to pay I change back to my normal voice.

"Thank God," the cashier exhales, laughing a little, "I wanted to laugh but I didn't know if you were being serious or not. You're really good."

I laugh and thank her, "No... I was just practicing my new sex voice."

She hands us our food and I speed off the lot, still laughing uncontrollably.

"You think you're just so fucking funny?" She says as I calm down, "Talk like that while we're intimate and I'm biting your shit off."

"I'm just kidding, bae," I stop laughing, "I'll stop."

She rewards me with a kiss, "And don't call me bae. Pick something else."

I roll my eyes, "Sure thing, Darling."

"Nope."

"Baby girl?"

We argue over pet names the rest of the way to school, arriving at NCT but not at a conclusion.

We're still fighting about it as we come in. I get the door for her, "Lemme get that for you, boo."

"Try again."

"Boo thang?"

I feel someone watching us--- watching me--- and turn to look, catching Wren staring at me. I wave at her and she waves back stiffly.

"Kaylie Jane you do realize you suck at this?" She says.

"I'll do better baby," I end. She shrugs, "I don't hate it. But I'm not against it."

I smile and head to my seat. Layne heads to her locker and I begin to dress out into my uniform.

"Baby?" Wren is suddenly next to me, "You're calling her baby now?"

My smile falls from my face, "Problem?"

"You used to call me baby," she whispers.

"Kaylie Jane!" Layne skips back into the classroom, beckoning me to her, "I need you." I shoot Wren one last look of crazy before walking away. When I reach her she grabs my hand and we walk to her locker.

"You needed me why?" I question.

"Rule number one of me being your woman---" she explains, "You shouldn't let me walk anywhere alone."

She gets her uniform out. "Rule number two: Stop talking to shady bitches when your main isn't around."

"Who Wren?" I question.

"WhO wrEn?" She imitates me, "Yes, Wren. Cut that bitch off."

I get defensive, "What I can't have friends now?"

"Babe of course you can have friends," she fiddles with the collar on my chef jacket, "Just not that hoe."

"But---"

"Sssshh! You're cuter when you don't argue," She puts her arms around my neck, satisfied with her work, "Rule number three: if I ask you to come to my locket its because I want to kiss you."

And so I followed the rules.

***

Clingly isn't a good enough word to describe Layne throughout the rest of the day. When we'd been outed before break, it'd been decided that PDA was no longer allowed in the classroom, not just for us, but by Graves herself, to avoid any "incidents of harassment."

And or ostracize two particularly gay students.

Either way, rule or not, Layne didn't give not one fuck anyway. If Wren was anywhere in my vicinity, Layne was there too, hands around my waist, grabbing my arm, holding my hand, etc. It was somewhere between suffocating and adorable. But also, it was distracting.

It takes about a half hour for me to get sick of it, and pull Layne into the storage area.

"What's wrong?" I question, "You're on me like green on broccoli. Chill it out."

"I'm sorry," she sighs, "I'm just... Never mind I'll stop."

"Okay," I kiss her cheek, and she smiles.

"What are you two doing?" Graves pauses at the doorway, clip board in hand ready to flag us for misconduct.

"Minding our own business," I reply, wedging past her, "If you'll excuse me..."

I leave Layne and finish my lab, then seek comfort in my job, organizing the storage room. "Hey," Wren appears, "We didn't finish talking?"

"Nothing to talk about," I reply.

"Yep," Layne obviously having followed her.

"What is your problem today?" Wren turns on her, "You've been stalking us all day?"

"What's your problem? You've been all on my, and yes my girlfriend all day," Layne steps forward, "And us?"

"She was mine first," Wren shrugs, "Way before your country bumpkin ass arrived."

Layne smirks, not phased by the insult, "But's she's mine now. Way after your in denial ass rejected her. Don't think just because you've been played out by just about every dude and dudette in the county you can come running back to my baby. Right Baby?"

Layne looks at me, clearly expected me to take her side. Wren looks at me as well, letting me catch a glimpse of the hurt caused by Layne's comment. Her face is set into firm bitch face, but her eyes clearly reveal that those words had an affect on her. I shrug, not wanting to stir the pot anymore, but not wanting to choose anyone's side either. She nods, as if realizing something and leaves. Layne smiles to herself, before leaving as well.