The three girls looked at one another, neither one daring to make the first move.
It was only after moments of awkward silence that Emma cleared the throat in an attempt to break through the tension.
"What are you doing back so early? Don't you have hockey practice?" Olivia looked at her sister with suspicion.
"I- Practice was cancelled. Something about Coach Tucker not feeling well," she sighed.
Emma took her place by Olivia's side. Olivia took this as a cue for her to introduce her girlfriend to her sister.
"Casey," she addressed her sister, eyes not leaving Emma's.
"This is Emma. She's my—"
"Friend," Emma interjected.
"Friend. Yeah," Olivia agreed.
Maybe Emma wasn't ready to tell people about them yet. Or maybe she was just trying to protect Olivia from her own family. Whatever it was, Olivia was glad she didn't have to say much more.
That satisfaction, however, was short-lived.
"Please," Cassandra rolled her eyes. "It's so obvious you guys are together," she looked at the two girls before her.
Honestly? She wasn't far off. Anyone who'd walked in on the way they stood so close to each other would immediately suspect something.
"Don't tell mum," Olivia began. "Please,"
Cassandra sighed. "Look, Livy..."
"Cassandra? What's going on up there? Is your sister home?" Olivia's mother asked from downstairs, her loud voice echoing through the halls.
"Your call sis," Cassandra looked at her sister.
Out of everyone, Cassandra was mostly indifferent to Olivia's sexuality. She hadn't wished for their relationship to fall apart; it just did. With their parents' unacceptance of her, Olivia had taken to avoiding them as much as she could. That, unfortunately, included Cassandra.
Cassandra had to admit, she wasn't a fan of the whole same-sex relationship ordeal, but love was love and she wasn't going to deny two — or more — people the opportunity to find the love of their lives.
It wasn't something she understood, nor accepted. It just was.
And Cassandra was okay with that.
What Olivia didn't know was Cassandra had absolutely no intention of ratting her out. She looked up to her older sister and again, didn't want to jeopardise their relationship any further.
"What should we do? The longer she takes to answer, the more suspicious your mother's gonna get," Emma asked, panic starting to settle in. She didn't want to get the sisters in trouble.
Both Cassandra and Emma turned to Olivia, who suddenly had a hard time thinking with two pairs of eyes on her.
"I— I don't want mum to see us. You and I both know how she'll get," Cassandra nodded in understanding at her sister's words. "Emma and I are going to sneak out the back. I'll come back for my things...cover for me?" Olivia looked at Cassandra with a pleading look.
"Of course," Cassandra breathed out and engulfed Olivia in a tight hug, catching the older girl by surprise.
"Casey, I—"
The younger Jauregui only tightened her grip. Olivia smiled and hugged her back, tears threatening to spill. Emma smiled at their interaction. She was glad to see Olivia finally making amends with her sister. She could tell how much their relationship meant to the both of them.
"I'll cover for you," Cassandra agreed. "When will you be back?"
Olivia sighed. "I don't know," she wiped the tears off her sister's face. "But now that I know how you feel, don't think I'd leave you alone in this hell hole, Squirt," she pinched Cassandra's cheek playfully.
"Come on, mum and dad aren't that bad,"
"You say that, but you're not the one they're struggling to accept," Olivia winked, popping one of the windows open.
As she'd suspected, her sister didn't have anything to say to that.
"I'll be back for my stuff," Olivia gave Cassandra one last hug and helped Emma out the window.
"Careful babe,"
"Stay safe," Cassandra said simply.
The girls could hear footsteps approaching.
"Shit, you know who that is," Cassandra looked at Olivia in panic.
"Cassandra?" the girls' mother called out again.
Olivia quickly jumped off the ledge and helped Emma down after her. They'd barely managed to get out before Olivia's mother entered the room.
"Are you alright honey? I thought I heard voices,"
The girls hid just around the corner, close enough for Olivia to hear the conversation between Cassandra and her mother.
"No, mum! No one was here,"
"I could've sworn I heard you speaking to someone,"
"You're just imagining things,"
"Cassandra, if your sister was here, and you're not telling me—"
"Baby," Emma tugged on Olivia's sleeve. "Let's go. You're just gonna get upset listening to all that,"
Olivia sighed. Emma was right; the longer they stayed, the angrier Olivia was going to get. She never understood why her mother always had a way of getting things...were all mothers like that?
Taking Emma's hand in her own, Olivia led them back to the car and started the ignition. She drove off as quickly as she could so they wouldn't be seen.
•••
"That was something," Emma noted as soon as they walked through the more comforting doors of her home.
Her parents and sister had greeted the two girls as soon as they arrived. They'd thanked them and headed up to Emma's room.
"Yeah," Olivia agreed with a chuckle. "Can't say I'm surprised though. That wasn't the first time,"
Emma raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Well, where do you think I'd go before we met? I didn't always have someone as wonderful as you," Olivia gave Emma a peck on the lips.
"Before I met you, I'd spend most of my time out...or at school," Olivia began to explain. "I'd do anything to avoid coming home and having to face my judgemental parents. The only time they'd ever be able to catch me is if they up early enough before I was out for the day,"
Emma nodded her head in understanding, feeling sorry that her girlfriend had to go through such lengths to avoid her own family.
"Do you know if any of them ever just want to...make amends?" she asked quietly.
Olivia shook her head. "I don't know, honestly. I guess...whether or not they want to make up for loss time, try to be better parents...whatever...a part of me just isn't ready for that conversation yet,"
"I get it," Emma gave her a tight hug. "I mean, I don't get all of it, but I support you regardless,"
Olivia could only smile at how cute her girlfriend was.
She was falling fast...too fast.
"Can we take a nap?"
Emma looked at her incredulously. "We...just got up?" she replied questioningly. "It's just past lunchtime?"
Olivia laughed. "Okay then...cuddles?"
"Needy bitch," Emma grumbled playfully, but of course, wrapped her arms around her girlfriend.
"Don't act like you don't enjoy this," Olivia smirked.
They laid like that for a while, each appreciating the other's presence. They didn't need much else, really. Moments like that always seems to be good enough.