*Dedicated to the wonderful LoonyPuff919 , who was one of the winners of my summer contest. Also, this plot was her idea from months ago, so I apologize sincerely for the delay. I would have had it out so much sooner, but stupid things like SCHOOL and REAL LIFE kept getting in the way. Ugh. Anyway, enjoy! :)

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Olivia was completely absorbed in her book when, out of nowhere, the bleachers around her erupted in cheers. She snapped her head up and scanned the court, trying to figure out if she should be cheering as well. "What? What happened? Did we win?" She asked, for what felt like the millionth time that night.

Next to her, Jackson rolled his eyes. "No, Olivia. The game's not over yet. Why don't you just pay attention?"

"I've told you, basketball bores me to death. All sports do."

"Then why are you here?" Jackson asked, smirking because he already knew.

Olivia blushed, twirling one of her brown curls nervously. "Same reason as you. To support our friend."

"Bullshit," said Jackson. "You know that Mandy doesn't care if we come. You just want to see her. I'll bet you think she looks sooo cute in her uniform–"

"Shhhh!" Olivia cut him off, looking around frantically to make sure no one around them heard. "Quiet, would you? Just because I've told you doesn't mean you can go telling the world."

"Oh, whatever," Jackson said, not bothering to keep his voice down. "It's not like I haven't suspected that you liked her ever since you came out. The three of us have only been best friends since the sixth grade-"

Jackson was interrupted by another round of cheering from their side of the bleachers. Their team had just scored again.

"Anyway," Jackson continued over the sound of the crowd. "I've said this before and I'll say it again: I really think you should tell her-"

"No, don't even start." Sensing where the conversation was going, Olivia cut him off right away, pushing up her glasses and returning her face to her book.

"Oh come on, just hear me out!"

"No."

"I'm telling you Liv, she's totally bi. It's so obvious!"

"I don't care if she is or not, I'm not telling her. You can't tell a girl that you like her. It makes you look like an idiot!"

"It's how me and Lexi got together," Jackson pointed out.

It was true, and Olivia knew it. Most people did, actually; it was a bizarre story that had quickly become a legend at Greenwood High School: After pining after the cute and popular Alexis Andrews for years, and being told by more than a few people that he would never be good enough for her, nerdy debate-kid Jackson Darcy had finally gotten the courage to ask her out at a Halloween party in junior year. Much to the surprise of literally everyone, she had said yes. A year later and they were still together.

"Okay fine, it worked for you. But as if I need to point it out, there's kind of a huge difference between your situation and mine," Olivia muttered.

Before Jackson could respond, a whistle blew. The crowd went nuts, and just like that the game was over. Olivia stood up, tucking her book under her arm. She didn't bother trying to figure out who had won; she would hear all about it very soon, for sure.

Jackson and Olivia made their way through the mass of people who were already flooding the court, and out to the mostly empty hallway. They sat against the wall outside the locker rooms, where they always met Mandy after her games.

The two sat in silence as they waited for their friend. Jackson was absorbed in his phone, smirking as he texted his girlfriend. Olivia was grateful that he had quit badgering her about telling Mandy her feelings, but unfortunately she couldn't stop herself from think about it. Should she tell her?

Olivia had to admit, she could certainly see how Jackson thought that Mandy was bi. The way Mandy loudly admired women she thought were hot, and how she constantly seemed to be checking out girls on her basketball team would make anyone think the same. Olivia wanted to believe it, and wouldn't hesitate to ask her out....if she didn't know for a fact that Mandy didn't believe in bisexuality.

Just then, the locker room door opened and Mandy herself emerged, followed by a cloud of steam from the showers. She wore clean skinny jeans and a tight black t-shirt, and her long blonde hair was pulled back into a wet ponytail.
She had on knee-high black boots and heavy mascara, and the very sight of her made Olivia's heart pound against her rib age.

"Woohoo!" Mandy shouted without restraint, making those who were still filing out if the gym turn and stare. She didn't notice, too busy pumping her fist in celebration. "Halfway through the season and still undefeated! We are on a roll!"

"Congratulations!" Jackson said, giving Mandy a high-five.

"Yeah, you were great," Olivia added, trying to sound enthusiastic about the win. But she had never been that good of an actress.

Mandy rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't pretend that you watched it, Liv. I know sports aren't your thing."

Olivia blushed, but Mandy just smiled. "Which is why I'm glad you always come and support me anyway." She ruffled her friend's brown curls and hugged her.

Breathe, dammit. One, two, three, four... Olivia willed her heart to calm down, like she always had to when Mandy hugged her, but as usual her friend didn't notice.

"Come on, guys. We have to go out and celebrate! Where do you want to go?"

"Sorry, I can't tonight," Jackson said.

Mandy pouted, obviously disappointed. "Seriously? Don't tell me you have a curfew. It's Saturday for crying out loud. And it's been forever since the three of us have hung out!"

It was true, and Olivia was surprised that she wasn't the only one who was aware of it. Formerly the inseparable trio, Jackson, Mandy, and Olivia had hardly spent any time together since the start of their senior year. And the scary thing was, it didn't seem to Olivia that the other two noticed at all.

"Sorry," Jackson said "But I kind of promised Lexi we'd hang out at her place tonight."

Mandy brightened back up immediately, not wanting to miss a chance to make her friend blush. "Ooooh, going over for a little Netflix and chill?" She asked, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

As expected, his face flushed vermillion. "No," he said, even though that was obviously the case.

Mandy and Olivia laughed. The fact that Jackson wasn't so loud and crude about sex as most guys were was one of the many things they loved about their friend. Still, they couldn't help teasing him about it whenever the subject came about.

"Anyway," Jackson insisted over the girls' laughter. "I'm booked for the evening, so I'll catch you guys later." He followed the exiting crowd down the hallway before his friends could embarrass him further.

"Wow, ditching friends for your girlfriend. How original!" Mandy called after him, still grinning. "Hope you packed those condoms I gave you!!"

That last comment caused several bystanders to turn their heads, and Jackson raced out of the building leaving Mandy and Olivia in fits of laughter.

"Jaxi," Mandy sighed. "I ship it so hard."

"Yeah," Olivia agreed. "They really are cute together."

"So, I guess it's just you and I for the evening then, huh?"

"'You and me'," Liv was quick to correct. "Not 'you and I'."

Mandy rolled her eyes, smirking slightly. "Whatever, nerd. Anyway, let's wait til all these people clear out of here and then I'll take us out to dinner. My treat?"

"Um, okay."

The girls sat back against the wall as the crowd of parents and classmates alike continued to flood the hall, some getting caught up chatting with each other about the game and blocking doorways. 

Meanwhile, members of the basketball team continued to emerge from the locker room one by one with wet hair and clean clothes, smelling strongly of a mixture of perfume and deodorant. Mandy watched them almost longingly, and Olivia watched her watch them.

"Did you see Ally on the court tonight?"

"Huh?" Replied Olivia, quite distracted by Mandy's damp golden hair and how it almost seemed to sparkle when it caught the light.

"Ally Hillsborough, on center? God, she looked good tonight. Don't you think so?"

"Uhh...yeah. Yeah, I guess." Actually, I only ever looked up to see you.

Just then, Ally herself came out of the locker room. The girl was all legs and amazing curves. Her hips swayed when she walked and her thick black hair was tied into a braid. She ran to the end of the hall to meet her boyfriend. When she passed them, she left a strong scent of strawberry behind.

Mandy stared after her. "Man, she is hot. Liv, don't you think she's hot?"

"Yeah," said Olivia, staring at Mandy as she said it. "Yeah, she's something alright."

The girls sat in silence for a few moments, both pondering their own thoughts, until the crowd finally began to thin out. Then, Mandy leaped to her feet, suddenly eager to go somewhere. "Come on Liv, let's bail." She grabbed her hand (making Olivia's heart leap) and pulled her out of the building.

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

Mandy drove them to their very favorite place to eat, a small diner downtown called Ruby's. The two of them and Jackson had discovered the diner at the end of their freshman year, while looking for a place to hang that wasn't crowded by graduated seniors and their families. It was a tiny place, shoved in between an old bowling alley and an adult video store. Because of this it didn't get very much business, which the three friends though was a shame. Their food was delicious, and the owner was possibly the sweetest lady you could ever meet. Since their first meal there nearly three years ago, the trio had returned countless times.

The girls pushed open the heavy wooden door and the familiar tinkling bell sounded, alerting Ruby that there were customers. The diner was mostly empty, as usual, save for a couple of ancient regulars at the back table.

Mandy and Olivia sat down at their usual booth just as Ruby came bustling out of the kitchen. Short, round, and her brown hair in it's usual bun, the friendly woman's eyes lit up at the sight of her favorite customers.

"Hi guuuuyys!" She squealed in her tiny voice, giving them both one-armed hugs. "How are you? Haven't seen you in awhile!"

"I know," Olivia said. "It's just been hard to get out lately. Senior year and all that."

"Well you three have to give yourselves a break once in a while!" Ruby glanced around. "Is Jackson not with you girls tonight?"

"Nah. He's at Lexi's house, probably about twenty minutes into Netflix and chill," said Mandy, grinning.

Ruby frowned as Olivia stifled a laugh. "Is that the term kids these days are using for you-know-what?"

The girls just burst out laughing in response. Ruby sighed and clicked her tongue. "I shoulda guessed. Hope the boy went prepared–"

"I gave him condoms."

"Atta girl, that's a good friend! Anyway, will you girls be having your usual tonight?"

"Yes please," said Olivia.

Ruby scribbled it down on her notepad. "Alllright. And hey, I guess it's good Jackson's not here tonight. You girls can finally have a date without a third wheel!" She winked at them before hustling back to the kitchen.

Olivia hid her face in her hands as Mandy yelled after her, "Ugh, for the last time, WE'RE NOT DATING!"

As usual, the woman ignored her.  Much like the average tumblr fangirl, Ruby chose to pretend that her ship was canon despite all evidence of the contrary.

"I hate it when she does that," Mandy huffed irritably, as the two slid into their usual booth by the window.

Olivia picked at her chipping blue nail polish, silently.

Mandy cleared her throat. "So....great game tonight, huh? Oh wait, that's right," she pretended to just recall. "You didn't watch it."

Olivia knew she was just teasing her by pretending to be offended, but still felt the need to defend herself. "Hey, I watched some of it!"

"Oh yeah? Who made the winning shot?"

"Um..." She racked her brain for names of Mandy's teammates. "It was that one girl, right? The really good one. What's her name again?"

"It was me, you dork."

"Oh yeah, that's right."

Mandy laughed, reaching over to ruffle Olivia's curls (one of the 400 things that Olivia swears she does just to drive her crazy). "You're cute when you're absentminded, do you know that? I know I've said this before, but if I were gay...."

Yes, she had said it before. She had been saying that since the day Olivia came out, always with that joking tone, but still her heart fluttered. Could this be her chance to say something?

"Um, hey that....that kind of reminds me. I've been meaning to talk to you about something." Woah, had those words really just left her mouth?

"What's on your brain, brainy?"

Olivia giggled, but then shook her head at herself. No giggling; this had to be a serious. What if Mandy didn't like her back? Worse, what if she hated her for admitting this? They're entire friendship was at stake here. But it had to be said.

"Um....it's actually something I've been meaning to say for a really long time." She started picking at her nail polish again, a nervous habit of hers. "Just....just please promise me you won't—"

"Hang on, let me see these," Mandy interrupted, reaching across the table and grabbing Olivia's hand. "Christ, Liv, you have got to stop doing this. I have to redo these for you, like, every other week."

Just, Ruby arrived with their usual: two cheeseburgers and a plate of fries to share between them. She arrived to the sight of them apparently holding hands. She squealed, almost dropping the tray of food. "Awwww, you girls are so cute! Are you celebrating something? Ooh! Do you want me to bring out a candle?"

Mandy dropped Olivia's hands like they were hot and put her own back in her lap. "We're fine, Ruby. And for the last time, we are not together!"

Ruby set the food down and put her hands up. "Live and let live, that's my motto."

Mandy groaned loudly as Ruby scurried back to the kitchen, giggling. Meanwhile, Olivia stared at her shoes and tried to ignore her aching heart. No, there was no way she could confess her feelings. It would be so awkward. Mandy would never talk to her again.

"Anyway, what were you going to say?"

Shit.

"Uhh, I just....ugh, nothing."

"No, what is it?"

"Never mind."

Mandy raised her eyebrows suspiciously. "Well now you've got me curious!"

"Really Mandy, it's not important! Just forget it, okay?"

Mandy frowned, but didn't say anything else. She hated not knowing things, but she cared enough about her friends to know when to let things go. It was one of the many things Olivia loved about her.

The girls ate in silence, an air of tension already built between them. Mandy seemed to sense that Olivia had something very important to say, but how close she was to guessing the truth Olivia didn't know.

When they finished their meal Mandy stood abruptly, grabbing some bills from her purse and tossing them on the table. "Let's take a walk," she said abruptly, grabbing Olivia's hand and pulling her along before she could object.

"Bye girls!" Ruby called from the kitchen. "Enjoy your–"

The ringing of the door bells as they exited cut off the last part of her sentence.

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

Leaving the car behind, the girls walked the quiet streets, not talking for several moments. Mandy seemed to be leading them somewhere specific, but Olivia didn't care to ask where. She was too busy racking her brains, trying to come up with something that she could pretend was what she had wanted to say back in the diner.

Maybe she could tell her that she was moving to Australia. Or, even better, she could actually move to Australia. She'd probably have to after tonight– anything to escape the humiliation that was undoubtedly about to occur....

Suddenly, Mandy stopped in her tracks, causing Olivia to run into her from behind.

"Ow! Wha–" Olivia cut herself off when she realized where they were. Mandy had led them past Main Street and to the edge of town, cutting through neighborhoods as Olivia had followed her blindly. They now stood at the top of Greenwood Hill, the town's nickname for the large mound of earth that overlooked the highway that took people to places better than Greenwood.

This was their hill– Olivia's, Mandy's, and Jackson's. The one place where the three of them could meet up and talk about nothing, where they could lay back under the huge oak tree and dream of the day when they'd all ditch this dead-end town. Or at least it had been, before senior year started and the amount of time they each had for just hanging out was growing slimmer and slimmer.

God, what memories the friends had shared on this hill! In eighth grade, they had thrown a party here (just the three of them, of course) to celebrate having survived middle school. Mandy had surprised Jackson and Liv with a bottle of wine she had swiped from her mom's cabinet. "For a real celebration!" Mandy had said with a wink. They all downed it within an hour....and vomited almost immediately after.

This memory of their stupid, fourteen-year-old selves puking up wine would have made Olivia laugh out loud, if Mandy didn't look so serious now as she sat down at the base of the tree.

Palms sweating despite the crisp December air, Olivia sat down next to her friend, sure to leave a good foot of space in between them. Mandy filled the space, however, wrapping her arm around Olivia's shoulders. "You're shivering," she said.

Was she? She hadn't noticed.

Olivia tried to keep her eyes on the ground, knowing that one look at Mandy's pale skin and shimmery blonde hair reflected in the moonlight would make her declare her love on the spot.

Beside her, Mandy snickered. "Calm down, Liv. You look like you're about to pass out. Reminds me of the last time we were here."

Olivia realized with a shock that they hadn't been to their hill since August, when she had summoned Mandy and Jackson there the day before school started and came out to them.

"Oh yeah," Olivia remarked under her breath. "That was scary."

"Why?" Mandy asked, turning towards her with a speed that whipped her hair. "Did you really think we wouldn't accept you? As if we haven't been best friends for six years?"

For a few seconds, the sounds of traffic below and the evening breeze were the only things that disturbed the silence.

"But things are different now," Olivia found herself saying without meaning to. She even summoned the courage to look at Mandy, trying not to be turned to stone by her beauty. "Ever since Jackson got a girlfriend and you joined the basketball team...we hardly hang out outside of school anymore. Sometimes, it feels like we're strangers."

Mandy stood up. Unconsciously, Olivia did the same. Almost like a predator, Mandy turned towards her and backed her up against the tree. They were so close, Olivia could feel Mandy's warm breath on her lips.

"Am I really a stranger to you?" Mandy asked, softly.

"No!" said Olivia, too loudly. "N-no. You're my best friend in the whole world. I don't know what I'd do without you."

They were so close, Olivia thought, that if she would simply grow a pair, she could lean in and kiss her....

But Mandy backed away very suddenly, turning her face to the direction of the traffic. She seemed to be trying to hide her expression.

"I...I know that you like me, Olivia," she almost whispered. "I've known since the day you came out."

Olivia's blood turned cold. This was it. Her life was over. "How....how did you–?"

"You've never been a good actress, Liv."

Oh yeah.

There was nothing else to say. Olivia couldn't believe she had stressed for so long about keeping a secret that wasn't a secret. But mostly, she couldn't believe that Mandy was still her friend if she knew.

Wait a second.

"Oh my god this is it, isn't it?" Olivia demanded, unable to stop the tears streaming down her face. "You just needed me to confirm your suspicion, and now you're going to say that you never want to see me again! Fuck, I knew it! I knew this would happen! God, I just wish you'd have told me before! Just said 'By the way Liv, I know you have a crush on me and that makes me really uncomfortable.' Because honestly, that would have hurt a helluva lot less than–"

She was cut off abruptly by cold lips pressing against her own. Her breath halted, her heart took off flying. Holy shit, was this happening?

But before Olivia could even compose herself enough to kiss back, Mandy pulled away quick as the wind.

"Fuck!" She screamed, putting her hands over her face. She paced back and forth on the hill, cursing under her breath. "God dammit shit fuck!"

Olivia just stood there, her mouth agape. "What the hell was–?"

"Don't!" Mandy yelled, seeming a frightening combination of angry, scared, and embarrassed.

"But–"

"I said don't! Don't say anything!"

"But what are you–"

Mandy grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her again, cutting her off mid-sentence. This time the kiss was long and deep, and Olivia took full advantage of it. Fingers entangled in the roots of each other's hair, the girls wrestled with their tongues, making out with near-impossible force, until Mandy broke it off once again, leaving Olivia extremely lightheaded and out of breath.

"What....what the fuck, Mandy?"

"I don't know!" Mandy's piercing blue eyes seemed to shine in the dark, her pupils dilated so she looked like a deer in headlights. Her golden hair was a tangled mess from....whatever the fuck had just happened.

She sat back down on the damp grass, this time as far away from Liv as possible. "I'm just so....God. I'm so fucking confused." She curled up and hugged her knees.

Gently, Olivia approached her. "Um....what about?"

Mandy whirled around. "What do you think?! I'm straight! I know I am!"

Unable to control herself, Olivia scoffed. "Right, and I'm a fucking platypus."

Mandy glared at her. "I'm serious, Liv. I like guys. I always have, and I always will! It's just that whenever I'm around you I get all....I don't know."

Ignoring her fluttering heart at the sound of these words, Olivia did not change her irritated expression. She refused to be played. She was going to figure Mandy out if it killed her. "What about all those girls on your basketball team, huh? You're telling me you've never had a thing for Ally Hillsborough?"

Even in the dark, Olivia could see Mandy's cheeks flush bright red. "Yeah, sure I notice girls sometimes. And maybe I've had the odd lesbian crush every now and then. But I'm attracted to guys! I'm not gay!

"Have you ever thought that just maybe," said Olivia. "You might be, oh I don't know, BISEXUAL?!"

Mandy shook her head stubbornly. "No, I'm not falling into that trap. Bisexual is just a word people use before coming out as gay, and I'm not–"

"Oh grow up, would you Mandy?!" Olivia shouted, looking her beautiful, clueless best friend dead in the eye. "Look, I have been in love with you longer than I've even identified as gay, and I know you well enough to know that you like girls too! Trust me, I would have given up on you long ago if I didn't have that little suspicion to hang on to. Now, if you'd only quit being too much of a coward to identify as anything but straight, maybe we could actually...."

Olivia stopped her rant mid-sentence when she noticed how Mandy was looking at her. "What?"

"Did you say....that you're in love with me?"

Oh shit, had she? "Um....fuck."

But instead of running away in terror, Mandy approached Olivia slowly. Gently, she reached for Olivia's hand and laced their fingers together. "Look," Mandy whispered. "I'll be honest with you Liv; I have no idea what the fuck I am. I have laid awake in bed countless nights wondering about it, and I still have no idea. But when I'm with you...I don't really care. I just know that being with you makes me feel more alive than anything else ever could."

Olivia turned her head slowly until she completely faced Mandy, her breath caught in her throat. There were several seconds of silence before she could bring herself to whisper back. "....lain."

Mandy looked confused. "What?"

Olivia tried– and failed– to keep a straight face. "You have lain awake for countless nights. Not laid. The latter is exclusively past tense, while the former–"

But Mandy interrupted her with a laugh, a "Whatever, nerd.", and a kiss that was somehow both softer and more powerful than either one before it.

When they finally released each other, Mandy sighed. She still had a faint look of worry on her face.

"It's okay," Olivia said. "If you really want this, Mandy– if you really want to be with me– you don't have to put a label on yourself. We can just....be together. I mean, if that's what you want..."

Mandy smiled, reaching over and tucking one of Olivia's curls behind her ear. "Yeah. I think that's what I want."

And for now, that was as good an answer as any.