_{♡ reggie .} 

          _{❝   If  that’s  what  sleepovers  at  your  place  are  like ,  Cooper ,  can’t  say  I’m  upset  I  wasn’t  there .   ❞   The  moment  after  he  says  it ,  Reggie  realizes  it  sounds  as  if  he’d  been  IMAGINING   staying  the  night ,  but  he  doesn’t  bother  rephrasing .  Even  in  light  of  their  new  ‘ friendship ‘  —  though  a  part  of  him  thought  it  might  have  been  a  bit  too  early  to  tell  how  long  it  would  LAST  —  a  suggestive  joke  from  Betty  seemed  unlikely .  A  scandalized  look  or  roll  of  her  eyes ,  maybe .  He  settles  further  into  the  down  pillows  on  his  bed  and  flicks  past  the  channel  he’d  been  watching  when  it  goes  to  commercial.}

_{‘ This  is  starting  to  sound  like  a  Dear  Diary  entry ‘  he  thinks  and  grins  to  himself ,  but  chooses  to  repress  that   thought  as  well .  She’s  being  genuine  with  him  and  he’s  curious  enough  to  let  her  ramble  long  enough  to  see  where  it  takes  them .  He  knows  from  firsthand  experience  how  easy  it  is  to  mess  that  up .   ❝   Yeah  .  .  .  me  too .   ❞   He  pauses ,  eyes  transfixed  on  the  screen  at  the  other  side  of  the  room  while  his  mind  runs  a  blank .  You’re  not  like  everyone  else            I  can  say  anything  to  you .  He  doesn’t  know  how  to  respond  to  something  like  that .  It  was  DEEP .  Normally ,  he’d  joke  or  make  some  snide  remark  but  something  about  those  words  terrifies  him  and  he  can’t  pinpoint  a  reason  why .  But  her  yawn  and  the  somnolence  in  her  voice  convince  him  she  might  just  permit  him  to   glide  past  them .   ❝   Yeah  .   .  .   me  too ,   ❞   He  says  dumbly  ,  repeating  himself .  To  fill  in  the  space ,  he  feigns  a  cough ,  but  his  eyes  drift  toward  Vader ,  sprawled  out  on  his  side  at  the  foot  of  the  bed ,  and  his  chest  warms .   ❝   You  didn’t  have  to  come  .  .  .  but  it  meant  a  lot  that  you  did .  I’ve  never ,  uh  .  .  .  You’re  a  really  good  friend ,  and  I  haven’t  had  a  lot  of  those ,  so           what  did  you  want  to  say ?   ❞}

         _{She’s expecting the humor when it comes, bringing with it a reluctant, but helpless smile. It’s} LATE_{; like, Betty’s-parents-are-fast-asleep late, and that makes everything feel so much more…}conspiratorial_{. Even when they were talking about what a sleepover at the Cooper household was like. Though, if she were being} honest_{, and keeping this thought to herself: if Reggie were involved, she has the strongest feeling it wouldn’t have been like that. Not one bit. Not even at all,} maybe_. 

_{Betty settles down further into her comforter, its cloud dotted surface like a downy sky to fall into. The pink walls and faint blue ceiling are a wonderland-scape that lulls her lids down; Reggie’s voice doesn’t help, but she} forces _{herself to stay awake. This doesn’t happen often anymore. It’s} important_{, and she knows it.} “ _Anytime, ” _{simply, she says. Blinking, she tries to backtrack her thoughts, but it’s too late; it’s slipped away like a dandelion bulb caught in the wind.} “ _{Mmm… I’m not sure. Don’t remember. Probably something} super sappy. ” _{Caramel pads through her open window,} purring _{as he launches himself into the space beside Betty. His tail is fluffed} high_{, like one of those dusting sticks her mother uses, before swooping down to blanket his eyes as he lays himself down.} “REMEMBER _{when I first got Caramel? I brought him to school to show and tell, and about half the class wanted to take him home. Do you remember?} ” _{This is her} favorite _{game. Do you remember? Do you remember when we were friends? The swing set by the school-yard and the birthday cupcakes and spin-the-bottle anxiety? Do you remember? You were my} first kiss.