Courtney lifted her head, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness around her. Once they did, she found herself surrounded by a labyrinth of worms. Okay, it was a bunch of girls in sleeping bags but in the darkness it looked the same.

Though they probably wouldn't appreciate being compared to worms. Fine, Courtney was surrounded by cocooned butterflies. Why was she even awake?

Right, water.

She looked to the hallway beyond Lynn's family room and the amount of cocooned butterflies she would have to get by to get there. It wasn't too many but enough she'd probably end up impaling someone in the neck with her crutches if she tried it. Crawling it was then.

Slipping from her sleeping bag, Courtney began a game of Don't Crush The Butterfly, who knew how many tsunamis she'd start if she did. She didn't know if the size of the butterfly dictated the effect in the Butterfly Effect theory. Was it even stepping on a butterfly or was it a butterfly flapping its wings?

This, this was why she avoided waking up in the middle of the night, her thoughts were more bizarre than normal.

Eventually, she made it beyond the outer reaches of the butterfly landscape. Since her crutches were still behind her, she crawled toward the kitchen. The carpeted floor at least saved her knees from being badly bruised.

Halfway there, Courtney heard a shuffle behind her and looked back as Lynn approached, crawling as well.

"Where are we going?" she asked, not bothering to stand up.

"Water."

"Okay."

Lynn took off and Courtney went with her.

"Why are we crawling?" Lynn asked.

"Couldn't get my crutches and hopping would wake up the house."

"You know, I could be your crutch if you want."

"That sounds logical enough."

Lynn pushed herself up and held out her hands to Courtney. She took them and hopped closer to Lynn, slinging one arm over her friend's shoulders. As they headed to the kitchen, Courtney had to admit it was a much faster form of transportation. Of course nowhere near teleportation or By Map. But those were the luxury forms of travel, only for the elite.

"Do you just want water?" Lynn asked, leaving Courtney at the kitchen's counter and walking to the cupboard. "Or do you want to turn this into a middle-of-the-night party?"

"Is it really a sleepover if there is not a middle-of-the-night party?"

"True. Okay, we have dairy-free ice cream, sugar-free cookies, or gluten-free crackers."

"Your mom have a new client?"

"Yup and dad and I are guinea pigs."

"How's the ice cream?"

"Not as bad as you'd think. It's made with coconut milk and heavily sweetened with syrup. Sound good?"

"It's ice cream."

Lynn grabbed spoons and two small containers of ice cream. Together the pair left the house, stepping out into Lynn's backyard. They crossed the patio and moved to the lawn beside the pool. They might not be werewolves but moonlight was key to a middle-of-the-night party. Any veteran would agree to this. They plopped onto the grass. Gracefully, even though the term plopped implied otherwise, it was graceful. Just like a swoon was graceful.

"Was it a good birthday?" Courtney asked, opening her ice cream.

Lynn smiled with a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth and nodded. "Though I can't believe Aiden makes us do that stupid dance every year."

"What are you talking about 'stupid'? That is a classic dance. The spin in the middle." Courtney kissed the tips of her fingers in a chief's kiss.

Lynn rolled her eyes. "No, it's stupid."

"Well, then it was a stupidity that was adorable and so it is a forgivable stupidity."

At that, Lynn gave in and smiled. Before Lynn could ask if Courtney enjoyed the day, Courtney spoke. She didn't want to lie to her friend and she'd never known doing nothing could be so tiring.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Did you ever have a crush on Aiden?"

Lynn gave her a funny look. Hadn't meant the question to be humorous but okay.

"Where's that coming from?" she asked. "You know I would have told you."

Courtney waved her spoon vaguely. "Miguel was pointing out how cute you were dancing and said he'd always thought you two would get together and I was curious."

Chocking her head, Lynn stared at Courtney, skeptically. "Miguel thought we looked cute?"

"Okay, he didn't say that but the last part he did say."

I thought you looked cute together but that seems strange.

"No, I've never had a crush on Aiden." She paused. "Aiden and me..."

With a contemplative sigh, Lynn gazed up at the night sky. Courtney wondered what she saw there. Okay, she probably saw stars and the moon, but she guessed it was more.

"I don't even know how to explain it. I've known him almost my entire life. Our nannies were friends so we were always together." She shrugged. "I don't know. He's someone I know I can go to for advice or understanding. I don't know. I can always be real with him."

She smiled at Courtney and nudged her knee. "He was my You before you showed up."

Courtney smiled back but didn't answer anything. Real. Lynn could be real with Aiden. Looking back on her relationship with Aiden she didn't know if she could attach that word to it.

What word would she even attach to it now? Fun? Why wasn't she coming up with more words? Had she suddenly lost her entire vocabulary? If so, it would be a very inconvenient time. Though losing anything was always at an inconvenient time.

"Cory, what happened between you two?" Lynn asked. "I know the breakup happened around the election and we were...I was dealing with feeling guilty and so didn't ask about it and I'm sorry for that. I thought maybe you'd tell me this week what happened but...I don't know maybe you needed time to process." She lowered her ice cream. "You know you can talk to me. I know he's my friend but so are you."

"What happened? Well, if I knew I'd tell you."

"You don't know why he broke up with you?"

The first reason seemed logical but then it seemed to not be the real reason and I don't know the real reason so it has been filed under 'complicated', subfile 'Complications That I Do Not Need In My Life Yet Are There'. Should probably come up with an acronym for that. CTIDNNIMLYAT. Nope, that makes no sense.

"He had a reason but then said it wasn't the real reason," Courtney admitted. "And so I don't know. I think I might have messed up somehow."

Possibly not feeling for him as strongly as he felt for me.

Lynn looked at her strangely. "You can't be serious? I saw you, you were like the perfect girlfriend."

Yes, but I wasn't a true girlfriend. If that makes any sense.

"You were the perfect couple." She smiled sadly. "I remember how excited you were when he asked you out."

"Me too."

She had felt excited. But had it been because of his looks and status? Was she seriously that shallow? No. She'd liked Aiden. But then they started dating and something changed. Yes, but what? Nutter Butter! Why can't this just be done with?

Courtney flopped back onto the grass, glaring up at the stars. Okay, they didn't deserve her glare, they hadn't done anything wrong.

"I tried to ask him what happened," Lynn said. "But he didn't want to talk about it." 

Courtney turned her head, letting go of her glare, which she was sure the stars appreciated. They were sensitive celestials.

"He didn't tell you?"

"No. Have you talked to him?"

"I've talked to him but not talked to him."

"Oh."

"My mom said to give it time." So I became a time traveler and that has still not paid off. If it had I could go back in time and watch the progression of our relationship and understand. But noooo, I have to think back on it and find no answer. This sucked! Why couldn't they all be robots?!

Courtney draped her arm over her eyes. "I think I'm having a mid-night crisis."

"You could try to talk to him."

"That sounds too logical for my current state of being."

Lynn laughed and the sound drifted gently into the night. Maybe the sound would make up to the stars for Courtney's previous glare. What was she thinking? Again this is why she tried not to think so late at night, it never made sense.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Courtney lowered her arm. "I don't know." She tilted her head towards Lynn. "But thanks all the same."

"I'm here for you."

"I know."

The back door opened and both girls glanced back to find Rosa, Aubrey, Ashton, and Kimber all sleepily walking out to join them.

"Seems our therapy session is over," Lynn said.

"Till next time."

"How could you have a late night party and not wake us?" Aubrey said.

The girls floated down to the grass, their transformation into butterflies clearly having taken effect. Courtney covered her eyes with her hands. She didn't think being in her head right now was a good place.

"Okay," Rosa said, laying on her stomach and kicking her legs. "Can we please talk about what all of us are thinking?"

Ha! Courtney highly doubted anyone was thinking what she was thinking mostly because she wasn't even sure what she was thinking.

"What are we thinking?" Ashton asked, laying on her back.

"Where in the world did Micah come from?" Rosa said, excitedly.

"Pretty sure it was two parents but I could be wrong," Courtney said.

Rosa stretched out and smacked Courtney's arm. "I'm serious."

"-I was too."

"He was the boy in the purple shirt and then he got a name."

"Two things I believe he had before we knew him," Courtney said.

All the girls laughed at this, including Rosa.

"Come on," Rosa said. "Where did you find him? And how serious is he about this other girl? Because not only is he cute but he spent the day being so considerate. He helped all of us put on sunblock."

Oh yes, I'm sure a guy having to rub sunblock on the backs of a bunch of cheerleaders is the biggest sacrifice. Courtney closed her eyes, which really didn't help since she could imagine the scene even more clearly in her mind. Now? Now you function normally brain!

"He was," Kimber said. "He would offer to get water or inner tubes when we needed them. Usually, we have to badger any of the guys to help us out."

Okay, that did sound like Micah.

"Oh!" Ashton said. "Remember that joke he told when we were in line for the punch bowl?"

Oh, look stars. Wow! Did you know there were stars in the sky? I had no clue until I looked up right now and saw them. Okay, I knew they were there, I rudely glared at them earlier. My apologies stars. How distracting the stars are. I could stare at them for ages. If I tried to count them it would probably take infinity. Okay, only like a day or two but still. Distraction, distraction, distraction.

"Cory," Kimber said, nudging her shoulder.

"What?"

"Are you going to answer?"

All the girls were looking at Courtney expectantly. Wow the stars are really distracting, didn't even hear the question. Also didn't hear the joke so that worked too.

"What did you say?" Courtney asked.

"How did you meet Micah?" Rosa asked.

Well, it's a classic story of girl met boy when other boy broke girl's heart and the girl's world kind of fell apart and boy helped girl get to the coach's office and girl almost threw up on boy.

Okay, not as classic as I thought.

"He helped me with something and in return, I told him I would repay the favor in any way he needed. He said he needed help getting a girl's attention. So I've been helping him shift his style a bit so it works more naturally with him."

"Ah! So he was like a project."

Not at all. He's more than that.

"That explains it," Rosa said. "I knew there had to be a reason I didn't notice him before."

You didn't notice him before because you chose not to since he didn't fall in with our group. Stop it. It's a big school. Rosa sees the good in him as well as the good outside of him...I know what I mean.

"Is he serious about this other girl?" she asked, tugging at the grass.

"Well, he's let me take over his closet and part of his life so I think it's pretty serious."

Rosa sighed and rolled onto her back. "Okay. He's just one of the good ones."

"There's a lot of good ones," Ashton argued.

"Like who?"

"Nathan," Aubrey said. "Though, Cory if you want to help restyle him I would not mind."

No, but he might.

"Does he look like he feels awkward in what he wears?" Courtney asked.

"I don't think so."

"Then I won't intervene if he doesn't want me to. You found a good one, Aubrey. Don't try to make him look like one of the bad ones."

"She has a point," Kimber said. "If you wanted good-looking you could have gone with Kyle. But he has the personality of a self-centered jock."

"He can be funny at times," Lynn pointed out.

"Yeah," Kimber said. "But he'd more likely break a girl's heart than protect it. Not worth it. Stick with the dorky dressing good guy, Aubrey."

"I think his tucked-in shirts are cute," Ashton said.

"I think so too," Lynn said. "Have you seen the style Andrew is trying to pull off?"

"You noticed too!"

"I love him but no."

"Someone needs to tell him."

Courtney smiled at the reactions. They might have failed the Bechdel test but she figured guys would fail the same test about girls. She lay there, listening to her friends talk letting it be the only thing she thought about. Besides what else would there be to think about? Nothing she could think of and that's because she wasn't thinking about it.

"We should get a little bit of sleep," Lynn said.

With yawns and sleepy nods, the girls all rose. Lynn held out her hands to Courtney and helped pull her friend up to her one working foot. Aubrey took Courtney's other side and the girls acted as Courtney's crutches. As they got inside, Aubrey spoke.

"You're right," she said softly. "Nathan is who he is and I shouldn't change that because of something I think is better."

Courtney smiled at her approvingly. "With that said and understood, if he does want help I can help him."

"Noted. But like Ashton said, his tucked-in shirts are cute."

"They are very him."

Aubrey smiled softly. That's what you want girl, a guy who makes you smile that type of smile at just the thought of him.

Lynn and Aubrey helped Courtney to her sleeping bag, without stepping on any of the other cocooned butterflies. Which meant that the world was saved from a tsunami. Or not, whatever.

As Courtney settled in, she glanced at her phone for the time, the screen dim in the dark family room. Besides discovering it was almost three in the morning, she found a message from Micah.

Micah:
I barely talked to you today
I'm sorry

Courtney:
It's fine
I was hard to see beyond
your coterie of girls

She lowered her phone and planned to slip into sleep but her phone buzzed in her hand. Huh, could he be having a mid-night crisis as well? Most likely not.

Micah:
Sorry for the delay
I had to look that word up
Random word to use

Courtney:
It's early in the morning
My brain is on another planet

Micah:
What a well learned planet
it must be

Courtney:
Indubitably

Micah:
😂😂

Courtney:
What are you doing up so late?

Half a second passed. Courtney had never thought a half a second could be a long time but clearly time was relative after all.

Micah:
I'll tell you tomorrow

Courtney:
Ooooh a man of mystery
Are you secretly a vigilante?
If so, I will happily take on the role of helpless and devoted damsel

Micah:
That doesn't seem to suit you

Courtney:
HA! You basically just admitted
you're a superhero 

Micah:
You've been in my closet
Did you see a superhero suit?

Courtney:
You have a secret closet
Every good hero does
You also have an
elevator in your house
Face facts, I know your secret

Micah:
Fine, but you must protect it

Courtney:
I'm your devoted damsel you'll eventually have
to save from some supervillain
Of course I'm going to protect it

Micah:
Thank you

Courtney:
Speaking of devoted damsels
You made an impression on
your coterie of girls
Did any of them make an
impression on you?
Or are you sticking with
the one girl in your mind?

Micah:
I already have my girl in mind

Courtney laid her phone on her chest and stared up at the ceiling. It wasn't as poetic to stare up at a ceiling instead of the stars, but it would take too much effort to go outside just for the sake of drama.

Still, another dramatic moment for the book. A book that had gotten a sequel lately and this was not the type of story she believed should have a sequel. Enough of that, toss the sequel.

She lifted her phone.

Courtney:
Then I must tell them
Many hearts have been
broken this night
With that, I have to leave
my learned planet
Goodnight, Micah

Micah:
Goodnight, Wise Ole Sage

Courtney set down her phone and rolled over, feeling her lips tug at a soft smile as she closed her eyes.

*********************************************************************

Flailing fingers! 👐

(Which should not be confused with Spirit Fingers because Spirit Fingers are happy where as Failing Fingers are frantic, fantastic, and just a little frightening)

Oh jeez *hides face in hands* Cory is falling hard, I can just sense it but is Micah feeling the same way! *dramatically puts hand to forehead* Will this turmoil, this emotional distress never end! *swoons* (But gracefully, obviously)

While I'm dramatic as can be please be sensible and give me honest thoughts about the state of the story. 💬💭🗯

And no! The story can't change states because it's a physical form and changing into a gas form would be so complicated and make it really hard to read!

(Shout out to practical_cookie for inspiring that brand of oddness)

Whatever *tosses hands up* I'm in such an emotionally limbo place that I don't want to talk about the story anymore. *flops onto the floor* Someone save me.

Oh look! leahalex9 did with a question! What a relief! A distraction, yay! It's better than staring up at the sky because if I did that my typing would look like this asjtaw4u tsjn rasrlughargt. Not going to lie I legit looked up to write that, I feel like it's an epic poem in some forgotten language. My genius knows no bounds! 

Where was I? Right! Question for this chapter from leahalex9 and it's: What's your age??

(Double question mark so you know she means business!)

What's your answer because I'm curious. (But you don't have to answer if you don't want to)

Not going to lie it's probably less complicated than mine. Cause when it comes to my age...I have been 16 years-old (1 time), 17 (3x), 18 (2x), 19 (3x),  20 (2x) and 22 (1x)

(If you can name all my book references I will literally jump through the screen and tackle you with a hug, no lie!)

Okay, okay, you want the normal average earth human being answer...

I'd tell you but... it's super bizarre, and I don't know if you've noticed this, but...it changes from year to year, like what!?!? Freaking life man, how can it do that to me. So even if I told you by the time you're reading this it could have changed in a year! Wild, so completely wild.

Anyways if you have a heartbeat and at least one working brain cell then... you know what to do!

Vote, comente, siga (Portugese)

What was the latest book you mourned over?