This is Real

Half Asleep

The next few weeks had become increasingly busy for the cast of PLL. The scenes were getting a little more difficult to take because of all the plots the writers were incorporating for -A. Schedules were getting heavier and the cast were also getting more and more deals because of the increasing popularity of the show ever since it started airing again. There was always a lull in their careers whenever PLL took a hiatus on screen, and whenever it resumed, it seemed advertisers started looking to them again for models.

This was especially true for Shay. Out of all the cast members she was the one who got recruited into modeling gigs more often. Due to her unorthodox role, one of the few non-straight characters on screen at the moment, and the fact that she was incredibly attractive, she was getting bombarded by different deals from different magazines and brands that wanted her to be the face representing them. She was always grateful for all the opportunities, but there were some nights when things just got a little bit overwhelming.

Unfortunately, this was one of those nights.

She sighed as she got out of her car at well past midnight, not really knowing how it had gotten that late on the last photoshoot that she'd come from. She would always wonder how she kept up her energy, but then she had always loved what she was doing. It was like getting paid for looking good. That was quite possibly one of the easiest jobs there was. She was just really incredibly lucky to have been picked up on. She had no doubt PLL was the most life-changing thing she had in her young life.

She was eternally grateful, but at the moment, she was dead tired, and all she wanted to do was pass out. She locked her car, purse clutched in her hand, already deciding that she would only take a quick shower and then sprawl in her bed until she had to get up for the PLL shoot the next day. That was in six hours, she thought with an internal groan. Not nearly far enough for the amount of sleep she knew she needed.

She was so deep into her tired stupor that she barely registered someone walking up to her and taking her purse from her. She did, however, jump out of her skin when she felt the hand on her shoulder.

"HOLY SH-" She was suddenly awake from the surprise. "Sasha! A little warning next time!"

Sasha raised her hands up in mock surrender. "Sorry," she apologized with a soft voice, knowing Shay tended to be grumpy when she was extremely tired. And because it had already been a few weeks that Shay was bogged down by work, Sasha was well acquainted with this side of her.

"Why are you even here?" Shay walked to her door tiredly, letting Sasha carry her bag because she knew the blonde wouldn't budge on it.

"Babysitting your babies?" Sasha replied in a quiet tone, following Shay inside, thinking back to her night when she'd promised Shay she would relieve the person Shay had paid to look after her dogs for the last three days because Shay wouldn't be home much. Sasha had offered because her shoots weren't nearly as hectic as Shay's and that's how she liked it.

As if on cue, Shay's shoulders drooped, and she paused in her pursuit of her couch where she planned to stay until she recharged enough to make it all the way upstairs to her bed. She turned around and Sasha almost smiled at the cute pout on her lips, but Sasha knew she had to be firm. Being tired wasn't reason enough to be a bitch.

Shay sighed and walked back to where Sasha was, ducking her head in guilt. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, hands meeting in her front to wring together. Shay always got like this when she was tired. It was like she would regress to her younger self after unleashing the intolerant, easily annoyed version of her. She peaked under her lashes at the smaller girl.

Sasha simply lifted a hand and brushed hair that was framing Shay's face to the side and behind the brunette's ear, understanding clear in Sasha's eyes. She'd had a nap earlier before Shay came home so she wasn't really all that groggy. Her eyes were clear when they met sleepy brown ones, and she offered a smile. "Dinner, then shower, then sleep, ok?"