--Georgia--

Once Jay disappeared, she had found herself losing interest in the movie by the minute. She had completely rose off Theo's lap and sat next to her, her knees pulled up to her chest.

Georgia blinked when Theo smiled.

"What?" She smirked. "You thinking about me again?"

Such sudden confidence. This girl was hard to read.

Georgia sighed and turned the ginger, caging her into the arm of the couch with her arms on either side of her. "You know I'm into you, right?" She frowned. "It's not just about experiences anymore."

Theo's eyes widened and her mouth popped open in surprise.

Georgia's eyes immediately darted down to Theo's lips. "Don't do that. I might kiss you."

Theo slowly closed her mouth, her eyes still wide.

Georgia sighed, irritated with herself. "It's weird." She started. "You're an annoying, self-destructive, obsessive, suicidal maniac." Georgia huffed. "You don't take care of yourself and that pisses me off."

Theo shook her head. "Why do you even like me?" She breathed. "What's there to like? You said it yourself. I'm bitchy, annoying, and I can't take care of myself." Her voice shook and she frowned. "There's nothing to like, Georgia. Really."

"You know," Georgia started, interrupting Theo's pity party. "You might be the obsessive one, but I think..." She leaned forward, close enough that her forehead grazed Theo's, their lips a single space apart.

"I'm growing obsessed with you." Georgia stated, unblinking.

Beats of silence passed until Georgia moved off the couch. She ran her hand through her hair, breathing irritatedly.

"It's killing me that you're not ready yet. It's killing me to stop myself from just taking you. Hurry up." Georgia muttered, making no effort to be heard clearly. "Let's go to sleep."

---------

Georgia made herself turn around as Theo changed. Not for her privacy, but solely for the fact that if Georgia saw her topless she might not have been able to stop herself.

"I'm done." Theo whispered through the darkness.

"Okay." Georgia breathed, turning back around to face Theo. She watched as the cautious girl slid into the bed, immediately pulling the blanket up to her nose, only her different colored eyes visible.

Georgia laid about a person-width away from her, wishing she could just close the distance.

"Georgia...?"

Georgia had blinked. "Yeah?" She asked quietly. She had found herself think about what Theo's morning voice would sound like.

"If we had met in sixth grade-" She sucked in a breath. "If I had met you instead of Yana, maybe we'd be together. Maybe I wouldn't be hesitating so much." She paused. "Maybe I'd have been obsessed with you instead."

Georgia closed her eyes and breathed. Breathed deep. Deeper than she ever had. Theo was testing her patience, which was already thin enough. She was testing her control.

Slowly, Georgia slid her hand into the space betweening them, her palm spread open.

"I won't do anymore than this." Georgia whispered once she noticed Theo hesitating. "Just your hand. That's all." She assured her.

Silently, Theo met Georgia's hand in-between them. Her chest ached as Georgia closed her fingers around Theo's hand. Despite how fast her heart was beating, Theo had found her eyelids too heavy.

"Goodnight, Theo."

Georgia smiled as Theo's finger's closed around her own. Theo's warmth assured her. It assured her that Theo was worth the wait.

Georgia had waited a few minutes before opening her eyes to look at the sleeping beauty next to her. She was calm, breathing gently, steadily.

Her smile had fallen when Theo's face had slowly twisted into one of pain, as if she were writhing in agony. The slow, gentle breaths had quickened, and grew shorter.

Georgia sat up quickly and pulled the blanket off of her. Theo's body was contracted, curled ever so slightly inwards. Georgia placed a hand on her, thumbing her skin.

"Theo." Georgia whispered, panicked. "Theo, wake up!"

Georgia gasped slightly, and pulled her hand away as Theo's body suddenly jerked with a violence. A few seconds passed before she jerked again. Then it happened again. And again. Again.

Georgia's visioned blurred as Theo began to sob silently, her eyes glued shut as her body moved on it's own, jerking and shaking. Georgia shut her own eyes and pulled Theo's head into her chest, running her fingers through her hair and rubbing her back gently.

"Theo. Please. Wake up. Say something." She bit her lip as she continuously shook. "Don't make me have to call an ambulance."

Georgia waited a few moments before reaching over to her nightstand and grabbing her phone, still hugging Theo with one arm.

She flinched when her phone's brightness had shot her in the eyes, but continued to her dial pad. Her hands began to shake as she had began to press in numbers, her body exhibiting her panic.

Her tears finally fell when Theo had grabbed her wrist, lowering it away from her phone.

"No hospital." Theo smiled tiredly as she dried her eyes. "It's just nightmares. About my mom."

Georgia took this opportunity to breathe. "But you were crying you were in so much pain! You're hurting."

Theo sighed and relaxed her head on a pillow, closing her eyes. "I don't usually get breaks like that. Those kinds of dreams usually last all night." Her voice was hoarse from the unconscious crying.

"They happen that often?" Georgia asked shockingly, setting her phone down. "Have you seen a doctor? Or like... a therapist?"

Theo glanced at Georgia through the darkness, a weary smile on her face. "I'm fine. They don't even bother me that much. I always forget about them in the morning."

Georgia frowned. "This is serious, Theo. You were in so much pain, you shed tears! I'm not gonna let you neglect yourself like this."

Theo silence Georgia by dragging her down onto the mattress with her. Silently, she placed her head between Georgia's and her shoulder, her thumb just beneath Georgia's jaw.

"Can we not talk about this right now? I'm tired. Please."

Georgia cringed at how vulnerable she was. Hurt and crying, in Georgia's hands. Slowly she wrapped her arms around the taller girl, the smallest pressure away from squeezing her.

"Alright." Georgia whispered, closing her eyes.

Sure enough, thirty minutes after any words were exchanged, Theo had another dream. Georgia's chest ached as she watched her wriggle in pain. She had tried to wake her, but her eyes wouldn't open.

"Stop it, it's alright. It's okay. You're not alone." Georgia whispered words that Theo couldn't even hear. "I'm here. I promise.

------

"Are you sure about this? Isn't he going to be angry?" Georgia asked, tapping the pads of her fingers on the steering wheel. Her head was still fuzzed from last night. She got little to no sleep with Theo's dreams.

Theo only shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I'm just going to go in, shower, grab anything I need, and leave." She slipped her phone into her picked and opened the car door. "You can come in, if you want. I don't care."

Georgia pulled a face. "I'm not too sure that's a good idea."

------

"Thank you, sir." Georgia nodded as Theo's father offered her a cup of tea.

Theo's father was a burly man, with shoulder length red hair, and a bit of stubble. He sat silently across from Georgia, his brown eyes fixated on his own cup in his large hands.

Georgia took a sip of her tea and cried on the inside. She hated small talk.

"It's nice to meet you, sir. I'm Georgia. Theo's friend."

His gaze slowly rose to meet hers, and she swallowed dryly.

"This is the first time..." He spoke slowly, as if it was hard to push each word out. "First time she has brought anyone over other than Yana."

"I'm sure." Georgia mumbled, regrettably.

"How..." Theo's father started. "How is... she doing? Has she... been doing well at... school?"

Georgia's brows furrowed as his hands squeezed his cup. He was her father, shouldn't he know?

"She's been doing fine. I'm helping her with her grades."

"Has she stopped... the fighting? Last time... I saw her she was... bruised." He asked cautiously. "Also. You may... just call me Mr. Petule."

Georgia shrugged. "Well, Mr. Petule, recently I've had to bandage her up a ton. I've intervened her fights a couple of times."

Mr. Petule smiled softly. "That's... great. I am... so happy for... her. She is lucky... to have you."

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking. Do you... maybe have a speech impediment or even a language disorder? I've noticed most of your words are mumbled, and especially slowed." Georgia paused. "I mean no offense, sir."

He smiled. "Dysarthria. It is... a pain in the... ass. My muscles are... weaker than normal and... it makes it hard... to talk clearly. I... apologize." He paused. "My late... wife found it impossibly... annoying, but she... stuck with me until... the end."

Georgia shook her head. "No need to apologize, sir. I am sorry for your loss."

"It is... fine. She passed... nearly a decade... ago."

Mr. Petule's attention shifted to the stairs. He watched silently as Theo came trudging down the stairs. She was in fresh clothes and her hair was clearly damp.

"Alright. I'm leaving, dad. I'll be home tonight." Theo muttered, waving for Georgia to follow her.

"Okay."

"Bye, Mr. Petule!"

------

"You know, your dad's actually pretty chill." Georgia stated, buckling herself in.

Theo rolled her eyes and cross her arms, sinking into her seat. "Yeah. Sure."

"What's wrong?" Georgia asked. "He seems like a genuinely nice guy. He's really worried about you, you know?"

Theo snapped. "If he was really worried, he wouldn't have suddenly stopped talking to me, he would have been there at the kitchen table when I needed help with my homework. He would have gone to all the daddy daughter dances with me, but he didn't. If he cared about me, he wouldn't have stopped being a parent once my mom died!"

Theo huffed, out of breath from the sudden screaming. "I'm sorry, but if we had met in sixth grade, if you had been there when she died, maybe you'd understand, Georgia."