“Aw!” Ava grinned. “I’ll go help her!”
“She already yelled at Bea when she tried to help.” I shrugged, then picked up a rag to wipe my hands. They weren’t that dirty. My dad was the one doing most of the work on the car.
Ava looped her arm through mine and started to drag me toward the house. Sienna was already inside.
Ava said, “But I’m your super cool girlfriend. It’s different coming from me.”
When we walked into the living room, Charlie and Sienna sat on the couch with a bag of chips, watching Parks and Rec.
“What happened to the make-up, Charlie?” I grinned at my little sister.
Charlie glared at me. “Make-up is stupid.”
Ava’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Oh my God! Charlotte, let’s go upstairs. I’ll show you how fun it can be!”
“Nah. I’m good.” Charlie popped a chip in her mouth without even looking at Ava.
“Is this the Little Sebastian memorial episode?” I laughed and collapsed next to Sienna on the couch. I reached over her to grab a handful of chips.
Sienna grinned at me and sang, “Bye, bye, Little Sebastian. I’ll miss you in the saddest fashion.”
I laughed and nudged her with my elbow. “Not bad, pal. You could be an official member of Mouse Rat.”
Ava sighed loudly. “I guess I’ll just stand here.”
I looked up at my girlfriend and patted my lap with a smile. Ava was really into PDA and loved it when I did stuff like that. Honestly, any time I even touched her, her pretty face lit up with that movie-star smile. It was hard not to love the attention I got from Ava. How could I not be into someone that loved me as much as she did?
Ava flashed me her smile and snuggled up on my lap. I could have sworn I heard Sienna let out a sharp breath.
When the episode ended, Ava sighed loudly again. “Are we done watching this? It’s not funny to me.”
Charlie, Sienna, and I all said at the same time, “WHAT?”
“God, don’t kill me!” Ava threw her head back and laughed, then she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me.
“Boo!” Charlie yelled and threw a handful of chips at Ava and me. “Keep that garbage to yourself.”
The next episode started, and I slid Ava off my lap, scooting closer to Sienna to make room for Ava on the couch. I studied Sienna for a minute and said, “You’re totally an April.”
Sienna smirked at me. “You think I’m creepy? Fine. You’re totally a Jerry.”
I burst out laughing and gave her a light shove.
“Who am I?” Ava asked.
“Leslie.” Sienna and I both said at the same time.
Ava wrinkled her nose. “I want to be the pretty one. What’s her name?”
“April?” I didn’t realize what I’d done until Charlie leaned over and raised a single eyebrow at me. I cleared my throat. “I mean, Ann?” I’d inadvertently called Sienna pretty by comparing her to April. Not that she wasn’t pretty— Sienna was gorgeous! Not that I thought about her that way anymore! Shit.
“Yep. That one.” Ava nodded and laced her fingers through mine.
Sienna stared straight ahead at the television, completely unaware or uninterested in what I’d just said. Charlie’s eyes darted back and forth between Sienna and me, and then she gave me a wicked grin and leaned back on the couch.
???
After my friends went home, I went back outside to look at my Camaro. Charlie followed me out and said, “Why are you dating Ava?”