Back to the Beginning || Raura

9.5

Back to the Beginning | 9.5 |
| Saturday: March 3rd, 2012 |

Laura has officially been in L.A. for 24 hours. Yesterday was her last day of school before spring break, she got to leave school at lunch time for her flight to California. Ross and Mark picked her up from the airport at around two in the afternoon, holding a big sign and everything right outside the doors. She couldn't be more thrilled. They stayed around the house that day, just lounging around in the living room and outside in the pool. Stormie cooked a huge homemade dinner for everybody. Laura was tired, so she forced Ross to come to bed early with her (he shares a room with Ryland) and they watched a movie before she fell asleep. Something was off yesterday, though, and they both knew it.

Not even three months ago they entered a new friendship. Over winter break, they crossed a best friends line. They had sex. Not only sex, but lost their virginity to each other. A lot happened over winter break, and they've only talked about that. But now, they're both having mixed feelings towards each other.

"Bug?" Laura looks up from her book that she was reading on the couch. Rocky, Riker, Ryland, and Mark all left about an hour ago to go play some hockey. Ross opted to stay home and be with Laura. Rydel and Stormie went out to go get their nails done about fifteen minutes ago and wouldn't be back for at least an hour. They were home alone. "Can we talk?" He asks her. Sensing this was a more serious subject, she sets her book down and faces him on the couch, their knees touching. The exact position they were in when they first kissed. "Winter break..." She throws her head back.

"I thought we already talked about this." Her voice was quiet. She was secretly hoping he would be the first to bring it up. She was literally dying to bring it up herself.

"I know, I know we did, but... do you still stand by your word when you say your feelings haven't changed towards me?" He asks her. She bites the inside of her cheek.

"Not... completely." The smallest of smiles appears on his face.

"Me neither." He whispers.

"But what can we do, Ross? We live over a thousand miles apart, only see each other for two or three times a year, and you're almost famous, Ross." He puts his thinking face on.

"You have some good points." He mumbles. "But I want to kiss you." She smiles at him.

"You're cute." She whispers. She grabs for her book again and opens up to her page. For a few minutes, it's quiet.

"What if we make a deal." Ross says. Raising her eyebrows, she turns her head towards Ross. "A pleasing deal." She scrunches up her nose.

"Ew, that sounds terrible, dude." He laughs a little. She puts her book back down. "But, I gotta say, I'm intrigued. Go on, wise one." He smiles.

"What if we, you know, fool around in secret while you're here. We're alone now..." She narrows her eyes at him.

"And after this trip, we go back to no kissing, no sex, no nothing. Just strictly cheek kisses and hugs."

"Yes." He nods his head. "We go back to being us."

"Alright, sounds reasonable." She sits up straighter. "Actually, not really, but what the heck. Let's have some fun." His face lights up.

"Really?" He asks.

"Why not. We're teenagers, let's have fun." He leans forwards and kisses her square on the lips, no warning whatsoever.

| Tuesday: March 6th, 2012 |

"Buggy." Ross whispers in her ear, wrapping his arms around her from behind. Laura puts a hand to her heart. She went inside to get a refill of her water while everyone else stayed outside by the pool, enjoying a nice day.