The words that came out of her mouth had Ingrid feeling nostalgic. "Maddie, Freya, and I… we're not a thing. Please, you're getting this wrong."
"You have the girl I love Ingrid," Madison said once again. "That's what you wanted all along. So leave me alone." And with that, she stood up from her spot on the bench and walked away, crossed the table where Freya was playing minutes earlier to the other side and occupied a spot on an empty bench.
Ingrid bit her lip in regret, shaking her head in disbelief. She walked away from the bench, back to Freya, and pulled her by her arms and the two stormed out of the building. The walk upstairs was fast as Ingrid held onto and pulled on. They stopped walking when they were on the grass outside, under the tree close to the building. The netball court was active with girls jumping up and around, the same as the basketball one.
"So… how was it?" Freya inquired, crossing her arms.
"Freya, Maddie is still hurt." She said. "She's still in love with you, like a lot."
Freya turned away from Ingrid and looked at the basketball court. "I don't like her anymore."
"I get that she messed up, and it was a wise decision to break up with her, I do. But Freya you need to show her that you did this because you were tired of being played at, and not because you wanted me."
"But that's the whole idea," Freya responded, swirling around to face Ingrid once again. "How many times will I have to repeat that I did that because I like you, a lot."
"I dunno Freya, it's hurting her. So stop. Stop feeling that way about me then if it will make this better between the three of us then. Please."
"But Ingrid I can't," Freya said, as she took Ingrid's hands into hers and slowly closed the gap. "The pregnancy pee back at the infirmary, giving up on my sign sheet to you so that you couldn't be the last one, getting beaten up by Ayden and still coming back to you? How loud do you want me to shout that what I feel about you is real? I love you a lot Ingrid, and I know you have the same feelings for me. I know you do. Even if it's a pint. I know it's there, and you know it too. The kiss..."
"That was a mistake," Ingrid mumbled, trying to get her hands out of Freya's grasp.
"It wasn't, you know that," Freya responded, slowly closing the gap between her and Ingrid. "You asked if you could kiss me…"
"That's because I was desperate Freya."
"Desperate for what?"
"I-I" Ingrid stammered helplessly as Freya continued to close the gap between them. Her eyes were locked on the approaching lips and she couldn't help herself from looking away.
"It doesn't matter now does it?" Freya asked when their noses were almost touching each other, Ingrid's hands still under her grasp.
"No, it doesn't," Freya told her as her strawberry fragrance hit Ingrid from all the corners of her senses. She approached her lips as Ingrid looked on, seeming to have been paralyzed on the point she was standing on. It must have taken a while before her lips met Ingrid's and when they locked, time and space froze all around them. The way Ingrid took her in, rhythmically kissing her, locking her mouth with hers in an all love frenzy. She felt Ingrid's arms curl around her waist and pulled her closer as hers were obstructed by Ingrid's bag. She kissed her back, turning and twisting to Ingrid's kissing tune, allowing all her senses to be washed away like a young turtle entering the calm ocean waves, and then…
Ingrid pulled away as if she had just remembered something. She removed her hands from Freya's waist and adjusted the bag on her back. Her eyes were wide and her breathing more intense. She brushed away her loose hair. She couldn't place how she was so lost in the moment to the point that she never noticed how long she had kissed her. She looked around afraid, hoping that no unwanted eyes had caught them. Lucky for them, no one harsh was around.
"Freya, we should never do that again," Ingrid said scouring Freya's face worriedly.
"I loved it," Freya said, clearly ignoring Ingrid's statement, "what do you think? I'm a good kisser right?"
"Are you even listening?" Ingrid asked. "I have a boyfriend Freya. We should never do that again."
"Oh." She responded. "I'm gonna give you time Ingrid. I'm a patient girl."
Ingrid chuckled. Freya was a hard-headed girl if she decided to be. "I'm taking Ayden down to Arizona. I just wanted you to know."
"Why?"
"Because he said he wanted to come with me, duh?" She answered, eyebrows raised. "I mean, he said he wanted to help. I don't know if it's sincere, but I want to believe that it is."
"Just be careful with him, and around him," Freya said in response.
"Wait, you're totally okay with us spending the weekend together?" Ingrid asked. Freya shook her head. "Then why tell me that? Without telling me how bad and goofy he is once again."
"Because I already did so. I have done my part, Ingrid. I told you what I think of him, but you keep thinking otherwise. Like I told you before Ingrid, I don't like being treated like a second option as Maddie did to me, and I know how to be patient. Well at least for a while. I know you like him or whatever, and I respect that, in my own weird way. Have your fun, enjoy your time… and when you finally remember that there's someone out there who actually loves and cares about you as your brother does, I'll be here waiting for you." Freya said before she finished with a snuff. Then another.
"Freya, are you okay?" Ingrid asked as she saw Freya's tear beholding eyes.
"No?" Freya shook her head. Her voice was heavy, with a hint of sadness behind it. "I'm not." She whimpered. Ingrid moved closer and hugged her tightly as Freya did the same, and she cried in Ingrid's blazer. "I really like you a lot, Ingrid…"
"I know," Ingrid responded after a moment of silence. "I'm so sorry Freya, but Ayden, I uh… um you, you came too late." She gulped. "I told you I don't date girls too. I'm just not what you're looking for in a partner."
"I'm going to wait till you're ready Ingrid," Freya told her.
"What if I never become ready, for you?" Ingrid asked, Freya still in her embrace. She breathed in the girl's strawberry fragrance. That was her signature cologne.
"Then my watch begins," Freya responded sarcastically. They both laughed out at first, getting the joke clearly from their favorite show once again. Ingrid pulled away from her smiling. She brushed Freya's hanging plaits away and looked at her face longingly. Her green eyes scoured Freya's lilac ones, and they were locked for a good while. She smiled at her once again, cupping one of her cheeks.
"I have to go now." Ingrid told her. "Go back in there and kick that girl's ass."
"I will. I will." Freya cohered. Her eyes drifted to Ingrid's belly. Ingrid's too drifted down there. "Take care of the baby Ingrid."
"I will."
"I hope you carried your medicine."
"I have."
"Ok…" Freya mumbled, few of words. "Goodbye?"
"Goodbye. See you on Monday."
"I'll be here."
"Okay, ba-bye," Ingrid said, turned around, and walked away from Freya, taking time in her steps. She must have been six metres or so away when she heard Freya whimpering behind her, and it took all her strength and wits not to turn back and look at her. Her own eyes were stinging once again, and when a stray tear made its way down to her cheeks, she couldn't believe it! She really did feel something for her, no matter how small it was. She could have fought with Hannah for hours and still not shed a tear even if she became hurt in the process. But this goodbye was something special in her heart. She knew it. Ingrid already deciphered that Freya was sad that she was going to spend time with Ayden and not her. The one week she had spent with her, whilst doing their remaining punishments together brought them closer as friends and she felt something for her grow inside her. Freya Clare had something on her, even if she didn't want to accept it.