"This has honestly been the best birthday of my life," Christen exclaimed as she tore a slice of perpperoni from the pizza pie. 

"Can we put it a movie?" Hope asked from the other side of the room.

Christen nodded through a gulp of cheese. "I'm always down for a movie. Carli?" she asked, her voice muffled by food. 

Carli looked up nervously. "Oh, uh. Ye-yeah. A movie is good," she stuttered, realizing with embarrasment how fast she talked. Carli was jittery because of a pair of pioercing blue eyes that hadn't trailed from the midfielder sinse she entered the  building's common room. 

"Is The Lion King good?" Tobin suggested, taking a sip of her water. "You can never go wrong with Disney movies." 

"You're right about that one, Tobs," Hope commented, her gaze not leaving Carli. She smirked at her, causing the midfielder to blush slightly and bite her lip anxiously. Carli didn't understand why she couldn't take her mind off the goalkeeper, but she had a slight headache and her stomach was all knotted. 

"Where are the movies?" Christen asked, oblivious to the situation. She was partially drunk, but the three other girls had let her get that way 'cause it was her ninteenth. 

"They're in the cabniet in the other room," Tobin answered, looking back and forth between Hope and Carli rather suspiciously. 

"Chris, come with me to get them," she practically dragged the forward out of the room, smirking at Carli, who only glared at her in response. 

"Car," the keeper said, collecting the girl's attention. "Move over a little to yor right so Christen and Tobs can have room on the sofa."

Carli could feel heat travel up to her cheeks and her heart start to pound, and was very thankful Tobin had turned off the lights on the way out. She did as she was told though, and scooted next to the brunette, opening a large space next to her. A silence fell between them, and Carli opened her mouth to excuse herself to get water, when a loud crash sounded on the other side of the room, near the door, followed by laughter. The lights flickered on and the mid silently thanked Tobin for her clumsiness. Christen was on the floor, holding The Lion King in one hand and what looked like a painting in the other, which had fallen off the wall. Tobin was sprawled in front of her, her legs twisted into an awkward position. Laughing, both girls stood up and moved to the sofa. Christen turned the lights back off. 

Tobin clicked the DVD into the Bluetooth player and waited until the options screen was shown. 

Falling back against the couch, the brunette situated herself in between Carli and Christen. She cast a quick glance at Hope and Carli and could make out through the darkness Carli's blush and the goalie's smirk. 

"Now," Christen said, cuddiling a pillow against her chest. "Let's start a movie."

-

The movie was just as uncomfortable as Carli had imagined it, maybe even more so. She was so close to Hope that she could feel every breath the keeper took. Their sides were mushed against eachother and their arms awkwardly fought for a place to be comfy. 

Around the scene where Mufasa died, a cold but large hand slid into hers, and Carli looked up to see Hope's face wet with tears. She didn't know that this part affected the stoney faced keeper so much. Carli gave their hold a comforting squeeze and Hope smiled while staring ahead at the screen.

She hadn't looked at Carli. Hell, she hadn't talked to the her either since the movie started, and Carli was both relieved and at unease with the goalie's lack of attention.

Carli glanced back at the face that wouldn't meet her eyes. Hope reached up and wiped a tear from under her left eye. Carli suddenly felt the need to comfort her; she slowly stroked the keeper's palm with her fingers. That got her attention. Hope looked down at their entwined hands and blushed deeply, which was fairly visable through the darkness. 

"I-I'm so-sorry," she said. "I must of, you know..."

 Carli smiled sympathetically at the slightly older girl and then looked to her left where Tobin and Christen were passed out. She had a strong desire to burst out laughing, but figured it wasn't a good time and bit her lip to keep it in. 

"It's okay," she whispered and finally felt Hope relax beside her.

About an hour later, the credits were rolling and Hope's face was dry. Carli finally realized just how close she had gotten; not only were their hands together, but Carli's leg was draped over Hope's hips and her head rested on the older girl's shoulder. She blushed heavily and removed herself from her new friend, gently shaking the sleeping girls next to her awake. 

-

hey guys.