The current chapter 13.3 in Cherry On Top is heavily modified from this chapter in the first rough draft. The start is similar but the ending has RJ a lot more... assertive than the published draft. I removed it because it no longer fits RJ's personality to be like this, but it's still a rather hot scene, so I hope you enjoy.

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Chloe

I've never slept naked before. Or slept with another person on the same bed before. Or slept naked with another person on the same bed before.

But today, I wake up naked on my bed. RJ's equally bare body presses against my back, while her arm slumps over my waist.

My heart rate increases as I recall what happened last night. So much happened, so, so much. I did things that I never thought were possible; I felt things that I never knew existed. And RJ is so gentle, so gorgeous, and so experienced.

I turn around to face RJ. Her breath tickles my neck as she breathes, and her hand never leaves my body. My heart rate increases yet again. I can't believe she's sleeping next to me. If I had not been thoroughly exhausted by the end of last night, I don't think I could have fallen asleep next to her like this.

Gently pushing her away, I reach for my phone. Ten new messages from Clementine. My heart sinks.

As if woken up by my absence, RJ sits up and rests her head on my shoulders. "Good morning, Chloe," she mutters in between a yawn.

My attention is on my phone, however. "Clementine says she notified the guy's family about him being in the club. The bar is big on privacy so she says it's one of the typical punishments she doles out to customers breaking the rules. And she says she's firing Man- I mean, my colleague, and also blacklisting her from all other affiliated bars and clubs for her to work in." I lower my voice. "Clementine's influence is huge. She's basically blacklisting her from this line of work forever."

"Wait, the person who let that man in is a fellow bargirl?" The anger in RJ rises. "Jesus. What's wrong with people? I'll still sucker punch her even if she's a girl—"

"RJ," I chide, "come on. She's already punished."

"Not a good enough punishment. And that man just gets snitched on? He should be jailed."

I sigh. I know why RJ is angry, but I can't help feeling bad. Mango did betray me last night, and what she did was terrible, but she has been a colleague and a friend. And I know just how much she needed a job like this. We all do, in Tropic Falls; we all desperately need to get money, as fast as possible, in the safest possible way. And as for the man, well, I just wish to erase his memory off of my mind forever.

I put my phone away and return to snuggling in RJ's arms. Just as I expected, the short-haired girl calms down.

"How's your sleep, RJ?"

She plants a few kisses on my head. "Best night I've had in a while."

I let out a giggle as she pulls me under the blanket. "Why are we getting back to bed, lazy bum? It's already nine."

RJ's arms tighten around me. "It's the weekend. And you're gonna leave for work later, so I need to get all the snuggles while I can."

"Oh, Clementine is also giving me the weekend off," I say with a wink. "Paid. As compensation for what happened yesterday."

"Really?" RJ's eyes widen, before hugging me closer. "This is the best news ever."

"Yeah," I agree with a smile. "It's just been a cycle of work, school, and study, over and over. I can't wait to have an actual break from life this weekend."

RJ kisses me in my hair and then my forehead. "And I get you all to myself."

I want to indulge in the shower of kisses, but I hear clanking noises from outside my room. "Oh, that's my mother." My mind is frantic as I sit up. Mom has never seen RJ before, but how can I introduce RJ as a new friend if she's sleeping over? Even Emma has never slept over at my place before.

RJ props herself up on the bed and wiggles her eyebrows. "Should I go meet her like this?"

I can't help but give her body a scan with the way she's posing, but I quickly shake my growing blush away. "No, of course not!" I whisper, jumping out of the bed and tossing some of my clothes at her. "Put on some clothes, come on."

"But I look better without clothes, don't I?"

I ignore the cheeky smirk—and the seductive, gorgeous body—and hurriedly don on a simple T-shirt and shorts. Begrudgingly, RJ climbs out of bed and does the same.

As I'm combing my hair, RJ hugs me from behind. Her lips find the exact spot on my neck that would make me weak, and I have to suppress a moan. Maybe spending hours last night exploring each other's bodies is not the best idea—it's giving her a lot of ammunition against me.

"RJ, come on." With all of my willpower, I wriggle free from her grasp. "My mom is outside."

RJ slumps her back in response. Just a day ago, she was still the coolest girl in school, with a frightening yet stunning aura and a glare that can kill. But after a night with her, she is now pouting like a ten-year-old, sticking to me like a kid with separation anxiety.

"Come on." I pull her by her hand and lead her out of the room.

Mom is placing a giant pot in the middle of the dining table. Her eyebrows raise slightly at RJ before she breaks into her usual smile.

I clear my throat and greet, "Māma, zǎo ān." ("Good morning, Mom.")

"Zǎo ān, bǎo bèi nǚ ěr." ("Good morning, dearest daughter.") My mother greets me back. "Who is this lovely lady?"

"Hello, auntie." The moment RJ is in my mother's presence, her usual coolness returns—except with a little bit of an unexpected nervousness. "Good morning, I'm... Ruijun...uh, from, uh...Chloe's school..."

Ah, RJ is bad at speaking Chinese.

"She's my friend. Classmates," I pipe up to save her.

"Oh, I've never seen you before! Nice to meet you, Ruijun." Mom taps her pot enthusiastically. "Come sit! I prepared enough porridge for more than three people!"

"Okay! Thank you, Mama. We're gonna go wash up first."

With that, I drag RJ across the living room to the small bathroom at the corner. As I fumble around the drawers to find her a new toothbrush, she folds her arms and leans on the wall. "Péng yǒu?" she repeats what I told my mother. "I'm just a péng yǒu?"

I frown. Does RJ not think we are friends? "Why? Are you not?"

A small pout forms on her lips. Now that we're alone, she's back to being the pouty RJ. "At least say nǚ péng yǒu."

I stare at her in shock. RJ's Chinese is terrible, but she sure knows how to say the word 'Girlfriend' perfectly.

I gulp. "I- I don't know... I'm not sure how my mother will take it." Glancing at RJ, I add, "You're fake dating Jon anyway. I don't want to blow your cover."

RJ snorts. "Nah, don't worry about that. The cover is already blown. My parents found out we're fake dating and got super mad."

My mouth drops. "What?"

"Yep. Someone let it slip, I guess. Not sure who."

I lower my gaze. "I'm so sorry, RJ. Is this... Is this why you ran away from home?"

"One of many reasons." RJ's expression is as bitter as her tone. "They found out I'm fake dating the son of Soon Kwek Foods, and so they're mad they don't get to exploit me for their company politics. And then they want to arrange dates with random people for me, and I bet they're all gross guys who're spoiled and annoying. Oh, and they also found out I'm gay, of course, which makes everything way better. And they're blaming it on my secondary school education, and threatening to pull my brother out of his."

I am speechless. For every sentence RJ uttered, my heart drops further. I realize just how much I don't know about RJ's life and her family situation.

RJ notices my distress and pushes out a small smile. "It's okay lah. I've always wanted to run away, and they just gave me a reason to finally do it." She grabs the new toothbrush I'm holding and begins brushing her teeth.

We brush our teeth in silence. My eyes never leave her as I wonder about her life. She's so different from me in so many ways. She's rich, she's popular, and she seems to have a rather complicated relationship with her family. My life, despite being so hectic, feels a lot simpler now.

And most of all, I am in awe of her confidence that I do not have. She's confident in the way she presents herself, and she's confident in her sexuality. Meanwhile, I am a ball of confusion.

How can she be so sure? I enjoyed our interactions last night, but I'm still not sure if it's because it just feels good to be touched like that, no matter who's doing it. And I don't have any experience with boys, so there's nothing to compare to.

And now, with RJ wanting me to call her my girlfriend... I'm not even sure what being a girlfriend entails.

As we rinse our mouths free of toothpaste, I probe, "Hey RJ, how- how do you know if you want a girlfriend, not a boyfriend?"

RJ looks exasperated at my question. "I can't believe you're asking that after last night. Did you not enjoy last night?"

"I- I did..."

"Do you want to do it regularly?"

I feel my face burn with the question. "I mean, y- yeah, if- if we can..."

"Do you want to go out on a date with me today?"

I blink. "Today?"

RJ's dark eyes are somber as she nods. "Yeah."

"Where to?"

"I don't know yet. Somewhere. Do you want to?"

I purse my lips. RJ is staring at me so intensely; how can I say no to that? "S- Sure."

"So then we're girlfriends." RJ walks towards me. I back away instinctively, but I find myself hitting the wall. She leans her face close to mine; her breath smells like fresh mints. "You want to fuck me, and you want to go out with me. That's a girlfriend. You want me as a girlfriend. We're girlfriends."

Somehow, I am unsure if that's a request or a statement. I nod anyway. "Okay..."

Her lips find mine, and I let myself melt into another breathtaking kiss.

"Good," RJ says when we part, a small smirk on her face. "Let's go and eat the porridge your mom made, nǚ péng yǒu."