Somehow Ash managed an entire week without detention and although it meant no quality time with the bodacious Ms Applebaum who clearly loved having her around-not-as much as she loved being around her, it put Ash in great spirit by the time Thursday rolled around. She had skirted close to a detention in last period Chemistry when she told Miss Tate that she had forgotten 'Ah!' the element of surprise, but the woman was in a good mood and actually laughed at the joke along with the class. Then again, Ash was a regular riot.

After-school practice was less tasking than usual. Coach was feeling lenient since she was in a great mood-apparently her date had gone really well and she was looking forward to a second date with this person, which meant Brandy was in hell-but by the time they came to the end of practice, Ash felt rather faint. It was not a feeling she was used to. Usually she could run for hours.

She made a mental note to see the school nurse about it but ultimately forgot all about it when she sighted Hailey in the stands, bent over her sketchpad as usual. She had her bottom lip between her teeth and her eyebrows bunched in concentration as she moved the pencil around the paper.

By the time she had jogged up to Hailey, the girl had not noticed.

"You're even cuter when you're serious."

She jumped at the sound, and looked up with a startled expression. Acting independently and on reflex, her hands closed the sketchpad and took them out of sight in that same second.

"Oh. Ash. Hi." Then her face went beet red. "What...are you..." Her eyes traveled down to take in Ash's torso which was bare save for her sweat-drenched sports bra and she choked for a second, pushing her glasses higher up her nose. "...doing here?"

"Practice is over. I came to check on you."

"Check on..." She still had her eyes fixed and her mind was far gone from the conversation. Then snapping back to attention, she shut her eyes tight and looked away. "Right. Well I'm good. Totally good."

"What were you sketching? Can I see?"

Hailey's reaction was a cross between a threatened cat and an entitled baby. She leaned away, her eyes growing to maximum width, and she shoved the sketchpad behind her.

"Um...no. No you cannot." Her voice came off an octave higher.

Ash's curiosity spiked but she decided to let it go. Changing the subject, she asked,

"We're still on for the game, right?"

"Yes. Definitely. Totally. Absolutely."

Wow. The girl really was nervous.

"Great. I hope you remembered to bring a hoodie."

"I did. I still don't see why. It's been clear skies all day and the match isn't going to last till late evening."

"That is for me to know and for you to find out later. I'm going to go hit the showers."

Hailey gathered her things and joined her upright.

"I'll be waiting at the truck."

She leaned in to initiate a kiss but Ash held up her hands.

"Are you sure? I'm hot and sweaty. I'm not sure I would kiss me right now."

Hailey smiled and her freckles blossomed into full view. "I can risk it."

She closed the remaining distance and Ash found that her lips were warm against hers.

Wolf whistles and cheers came from the field behind them, threatening to interrupt their moment. Kira had taken it upon herself to yell some pretty obscene things while she was at it. Choosing instead to give them a show, Ash snaked an arm around Hailey's neck and deepened the kiss. With her free hand, she gave them the finger.

*****

Greendale High did win. But it was with a single goal difference which meant Tiana had won the bet. She had spent about half hour after the game shouting 'Mama's got a new laptop!' and she probably would have gone on longer if Kira didn't smack her upside the head to the satisfaction of everyone else.

As was their tradition, after they paid up and the boys had gone their own way, Tiana sponsored a trip to a diner where they talked their heads off about the game. Ash stayed out of their debates for the most part for Hailey's sake but their enthusiasm was infectious and soon enough Hailey herself was part of it.

It was getting to late evening when the girls started to disperse. Ash and Hailey were among the first to leave. As Ash would have it, they did not have anyone riding with them. It would have complicated her plans for the evening.

"Keys," Ash ordered as they got to Hailey's truck.

"You can drive?" Hailey asked.

"Honey, I have a car. Yes I can drive." Ash admitted.

What she did not say was that she had three cars and that each of them cost more than Hailey's house. She also did not say that she did not drive them because she was being a petty little she-demon towards her father. No, Hailey did not need to know any of that.

She handed over the keys and Ash got in. A moment later, they were easing out of the parking lot and into the open road.

The feeling was exhilarating being back in front of the wheel after a long time. The truck was not as smooth as she was used to but it was no hunk of junk either.

"So how come you don't drive?" Hailey asked eventually.

"It's a long story. But the short version is I have no need to," Ash said.

"Right. Your brother."

Ash nodded.

They came to an intersection. Left was the way home but Ash wasn't taking her home just yet.

Hailey turned as they sped past the intersection.

"I think you've passed the way home."

"I know. That's not where we're going. The night isn't over yet." Her smile was eloquent.

The sky had darkened but not enough that Ash needed headlights to navigate her way towards the large pile of earth that was her destination.

Leaving the road for a few yards, Ash drove up to the very top of the hill, turned the truck around and slowed to a stop.

"We're here. At the silver hill of Silver Hill."

She got out and Hailey followed suit.

"Yeah um...why are we here?"

"I figured we have a few hours to kill so..." She reached into the backseat and pulled out a small picnic basket Hailey had not seen before.

"When did you...?"

Ash's response was her signature smile.

"But why here? Isn't it a little too plain? Not to mention gloomy."

Ash realized she was looking around at the bushes and the lonely road they had followed up there.

"You're looking in the wrong direction," Ash said with a smile.

Hailey turned around and found herself staring into the night at their own little town, lit up like tiny stars in the distance. In the gleaming moonlight, Hailey's face was thrown into a strange ethereal beauty as she stared with a childish wonderment. Her freckles seemed to hold on to the light of the moon, starkly visible against her cheeks.

"Whoa..."

"I considered your date debt settled but since you begged and pleaded for a chance to make it up to me-"

"Uh...I don't remember doing that."

"-here's your chance. A little picnic by moonlight."

She reached into the basket and took out a bottle of champagne from an ice bucket-the ice was yet to melt completely.

"Okay, you have to tell me when and how you put this together?"

"That is for me to know, sweetheart." She popped the cork and retrieved two flutes.

Handing one over to her, she proceeded to fill both then they clinked glasses and drank the fizzy liquor.

Putting everything together had taken effort-mostly Caleb's effort; he was a sucker for chores-but seeing Hailey smile as she stared into her eyes, Ash knew it was worth bribing Caleb to help her.

For an hour that would last a lifetime, Ash and Hailey lay in the back of the truck with the freckled nerd tucked in her arm now clad in a zipped down hoodie over a loose-fitting V-neck T-shirt, beneath a thick woolly blanket, eating turkey sandwiches and candy apples and pepperoni pizza, listening to slow jams, and watched the world below go by in comfortable silence.

"Thank you for this," Hailey said.

"There will be no need for that, Hailey."

"Right. Sorry. It's just... I guess I'm still trying to get used to this. Trying to understand why you would like me," Hailey said. "I mean I know what you said when were drunk but then again, you were drunk. You're awesome and I'm me."

Ash could not believe her ears. Hailey was selling herself way too short. How could someone this beautiful be this insecure?

"I could tell you the reasons all over again but that's just words. So how about this, I'll show you."

She leaned over on the sheet they were lying and took Hailey's face in her hand. Then she kissed her like she had never kissed her before, gently lowering herself onto her from the side.

While Hailey was still reeling, she slid the hand under her shirt and teased along her navel going up just to the hem of her bra.

Responding to the flow, Hailey leaned in, pushing her chest up against Ash's. Sliding her knee between her thighs, Ash pressed down on her, supported partially by one elbow to the floor of the trunk. She shoved her hand higher, shifting the edge of Hailey's top higher and pushing the hoodie further away from her front. She cupped her breast and massaged it, then through the fabric she gently pinched her nipple and tugged lightly.

A soft moan reached her ear and Ash's brain went night-night. Guided by the most primal of instincts alone, she clamped down softly on her neck.

Hailey's fingers latched onto the flesh of her back instantly. The collar of her shirt shifted to the side revealing a peeking shoulder. Moving down painfully slow from her neck, Ash left a trail of love bites all the way to the shoulder while her hand slid around back to unhook her bra.

Finding leverage, she lifted Hailey with one hand to enable her slip out of her hoodie. There would be no need for it for now. She would keep her warm.

When Hailey was out of the jacket, Ash pulled the straps of her bra down her arm and off of her one by one, then she reached down under her shirt once again and pulled it out.

With no further obstacle, Ash took her breast in her hand, tracing along the heated flesh as it pulsated subtly, attuned to her erratic breathing and the punctuating beating of her heart. Her hardened nipple held secure between her fingers, Ash took her thumb to it and rubbed gently against it's sensitivity, all the while biting on her swollen lip and sliding her tongue against Hailey's. Hailey's breaths came in hot short bursts as her body shuddered ever so slightly.

Hailey pushed off the makeshift bed and tugged at her shirt. Ash gave her room and the shirt went above her head and over her shoulder coming to rest somewhere behind her.

Ash sucked in air as she took in the beauty before her. Hailey reached to cover herself but Ash stopped her with a hand to her arm. She wanted to look at her and Hailey needed to realize she deserved to be looked at. Her body was basically begging her to look.

Hailey was no supermodel but her body was banging. She had a slim figure some girls would kill for that swelled prominently at the hips. Another equally attractive swelling-two of them-sat on her chest staring Ash in the face. Telling it as it was, Hailey's body was beautiful.

Finding herself between her legs, Ash leaned in and kissed her, her hands on both sides of Hailey's half-naked body. She bit down on her lip and tugged a little then leaving a trail of kisses, she journeyed down to the rest of Hailey's upper half, exposed to the elements.

Occasionally, as she kissed, she grabbed onto the flesh with her teeth just a few seconds. Barely any time at all but long enough to set Hailey teetering on the very edge of her control. By the time she had her lips around her erect left nipple, the girl was shuddering with muffled whimpers.

Her body language told Ash she was ready to go further but Ash would not venture that far. Not tonight. Tonight she would tease.

The heat that continued to radiate off their bodies probably left a trail of mist floating through the still, cold night as they danced to the rhythm of their hearts with the moon and stars giving audience.