What A Girl Wants

Eight

Come the night of the sleepover, Sae stood in the basement, looking over her setup, and feeling extremely proud of what she'd accomplished. Rin, on the other hand, had a permanent scowl etched onto her face, and was sitting on the foam mattress she'd claimed for herself and shoved into a far corner away from everyone else. She was openly protesting anything remotely sleepover related, down to wearing her high pony, a sports bra, and joggers in place of pyjamas.

"You're going to make me look bad," Sae reminded her. She'd said this a few times over the course of the set up, hoping at least one time would make it stick.

Rin responded the same way she always did. "You don't need me to do that. This whole thing will crash and burn with no help from me."

Sae rolled her eyes and let it go. Aside from that one eyesore that was her younger sister, the basement looked perfect. Sae had rented mats for all the girls that came complete with sheets and blankets and pillows that matched their school colours. She had bowls of snacks and candies set up on an immaculately organized snack table and the mini fridge was stocked with all the soda, fizzy waters, and kombuchas they could need. There was a spa station over at the far end of the room, a stack of board games and party games stacked up against the wall, and Sae had even gone as far to set up the projector in advance.

Things were going to go perfectly.

Right as soon as she changed into her cute pyjamas. But right as the thought crossed her mind, she heard the doorbell ring from upstairs. Upon checking the clock, she scowled in a way that rivaled Rin's. It was over an hour before people were supposed to start showing up.

"Could you get that?" Sae asked.

"Why should I?" Rin said back. "It's your sleepover."

"You are going to run this team right into the ground next year," Sae shot at her.

"Next year," Rin said. "We'll be doing stunt group escape rooms."

"I can't wait to see you lose nationals," Sae told her. "If you even make it there at all."

"Oh, we'll make it," Rin said. "Not only will your stupid ass be gone, but I'll be rid of Shuto too, and then I'll be point group and I'm taking that underclassman for myself."

Sae sighed. Rin had made more than a few comments about wanting to switch Shuto out for one of the new flyers, and dangled that knowledge in front of Sae's eyes every now and again. It was a good bargaining chip and one Sae knew she could grasp for and use at any time. Do this, and I'll let you have her! But Sae couldn't do it. Not because she liked to torture Rin all that much, but because none of the other stunt groups were good enough to be saddled with Shuto.

That, and nobody else deserved such a fate.

"I'll get it," Sae said, stomping off. "But I'm sending them down here while I get changed, so put your entertaining face on."

"If you fuck around, you'll find out," Rin called after Sae as she climbed the stairs.

The annoyance that Sae still carried on her face fell off as soon as she swung the door open.

"Hey bestie," came in through the door in song, and Sae was a lot relieved, because if it had been anyone else showing up over an hour early, she would have had to start this whole teambuilding activity with a harsh reprimand and it really would have killed the vibe.

Ryusei was standing there, one arm leaned up against the doorframe, one holding the strap of her hot pink duffle bag that was hanging off her shoulder.

"Hey," Sae said.

"You gonna let me in, or what?" Ryusei asked.

"Why are you so early?" Sae said, but she stepped aside anyways.