Chapter 27
Ellie
They were only three weeks into the semester and school was already kicking Ellie’s butt. Between classes and track, she barely had time for fun. The only thing keeping her sane was Sierra and their daily library dates that often ended with them making out in Ellie’s car.
While they rode back from their fourth meet of the indoor season, Ellie found herself straining to listen to the conversation happening two seats behind her.
“You live in Fraser, right?” another freshman sprinter from the team asked Sierra.
“I do.” There was something hesitant in Sierra’s voice, as if she was afraid to admit that.
“So, that was you that I saw sleeping on the common room couch the other day.”
What the hell?
“Yeah, that was me,” Sierra said so quietly that Ellie could barely hear her.
“I thought it was. I was going to text you to ask, but I didn’t want to seem like a total creep. It was really early. I had to meet up with a girl from my Psych class to finish a project due that morning. Why were you sleeping there? Is everything okay?”
“Roommate problems.” Sierra used the tone she always did when she was trying to sound chill about something when she was actually freaking out.
Ellie took her phone out of her pocket and leaned over it against the window so it was hidden from view. Can you wait for me after we get back? she typed to Sierra.
She was surprised by how fast a reply came from Sierra. Of course. Is everything okay?
I miss you ;) Ellie knew if she said anything other than that, Sierra would spend the rest of the bus ride freaking out.
“Yo, Ellie.” Juniper poked Ellie’s back, causing her to fumble with her phone as she tried to shut off the screen.
“What’s up?” Ellie asked when she sat up.
Juniper scooted closer to Ellie and pulled her into her arms. “I know I’ve been a sucky roommate lately, but would you hate me if I spent the night at Chris’s?”
“That would be great,” Ellie said way too excitedly. “For you two. That would be great for the two of you, so I’m okay with it.”
Juniper snorted. “So glad we have your blessing.” She squeezed Ellie even tighter. “Thanks for being so cool about this.”
Ellie felt guilty about accepting that compliment when she had ulterior motives, but she didn’t have any other choice, so she said, “You’re welcome.”
When they got back to the school, Juniper sprinted off of the bus to meet Chris. Ellie stood off to the side as she waited for her teammates to drift away in different directions.
“So, you missed me, huh?” a sweet, soft voice said from behind her.
Ellie turned around and rested her hands on Sierra’s hips. “Just a little bit. I also need to talk to you, though.”
As Ellie expected, the smile immediately dropped from Sierra’s face. “What’s wrong? Are we okay?”
Ellie brought her hand below Sierra’s chin and used a finger to push it up and force Sierra to look at her. “ We are great, so don’t you dare worry about that. I did catch some of your conversation on the bus, though. You slept in the common room?”
Sierra nodded and dropped her eyes back down toward the ground as if she were ashamed. “Sometimes I just need to get away. Teresa is impossible to live with.”
“ Times ? Like you’ve done it more than once?”
Sierra nodded again, still looking guilty as if this was somehow her fault. “I sleep there more than I sleep in my room.”
Ellie’s heart broke from Sierra’s confession. What hurt just as much was the fact that Sierra didn’t feel comfortable coming to Ellie with this information. “You’re not going to do that anymore.”
Sierra shrugged, her shoulders dipping in defeat. “I don’t really think I have a choice.”
“Of course you have a choice. You’re going to sleep at my place.”
When Sierra looked back at Ellie, her eyes were wide as if she couldn’t believe what Ellie had just said. “How would that work? I’m pretty sure Juniper would start to suspect something if she saw me coming out of your room every morning.”
Ellie smirked. “That’s why she’s not going to see you.” She moved her hands back to Sierra’s hips. “We’ll sneak you in and out. It’ll be super sexy.”
“It sounds risky.”
“That’s what makes it so sexy. Plus, it’s not actually that risky. Most nights, Juniper is at Chris’s place, or he is at ours, and even when they’re at our place, they are too disgustingly obsessed with each other to take notice of another body in the house. It’ll be all good.”
“There is one problem,” Sierra said softly.
“What’s that?” Ellie wracked her brain, but she honestly wasn’t sure what Sierra could be talking about. It sounded like a great plan to her.
“How am I supposed to control myself if I’m in your bed?”
Ellie’s whole body heated up. Thoughts of Sierra’s hands on her ran through her mind, and it was hard to breathe.
So many sensations pulsed through her body, making her almost forget Sierra’s original question.
“We did it over Christmas,” Ellie said, trying to keep her voice level so she could convince Sierra she wasn’t a walking container of hormones ready to explode.
Sierra groaned and put her hands over Ellie’s rapidly beating heart. “I know, but everyday I’m with you, it gets harder and harder to control myself. I’m pretty sure the only reason I haven’t jumped you yet is because we spend most of our time in public places.”
Was Sierra trying to turn her on? Because, if so, it was working. “I guess we’ll just need a lot of cold water to cool us off.”
Sierra nodded slowly as if she was honestly considering this as a viable option. “That could work. I don’t want you to get sick of me though.”
Ellie couldn’t control the boisterous laugh that bubbled out of her.
Sierra didn’t really believe that could happen, did she?
“Every time I’m not with you, I’m wishing I was.
I literally count down the minutes until I get to see you each day.
Every time we say goodbye, I’m pretty sure part of my heart goes with you. ”
“That was so sweet, but also incredibly cheesy.”
“What can I say? You bring out the softie in me.” Ellie inched closer to Sierra so there was no space left between their bodies.
She didn’t care that they were outside. She wasn’t worried about anyone else seeing.
All that mattered was that she had the girl that she was falling harder and harder for every day wrapped in her arms.
Sierra laid her head against Ellie’s chest, making her heart beat even faster. “It’s scary how hard and fast I’m falling for you.”
Ellie understood that feeling all too well. “If it makes you feel any better, you’re not alone.”
Sierra wrapped her arms around Ellie, bringing their bodies even closer. “You don’t know how good it feels to hear that. I was so lonely before I met you.”
Ellie chuckled when she thought about what it was really like when Sierra met her. “Technically, you were lonely after you met me too, but luckily, the snow gods were on our side.”
Sierra shivered against Ellie, and even that made Ellie crave more of her. “Why are we still out here? It’s freezing.”
“I hadn’t noticed.” Ellie wasn’t kidding. With the warmth of Sierra’s body against hers and the way being close to her melted her insides, it could have been summer as far as she was concerned. “But you’re right. We should get back to my place.”
Sierra pulled back slightly and looked deep into Ellie’s eyes. “And you’re sure you won’t get sick of me?”
“Never,” Ellie answered honestly.
***
After two weeks of sneaking Sierra in and out of her apartment, Ellie had fallen even harder for her. There was something about falling asleep and waking up with Sierra in her arms that made the whole world seem brighter.
Ellie was in so deep, she found it harder and harder to hide her affection when they were around other people.
She found creative, secretive ways to show Sierra how she felt, like quick winks or tapping her with the relay baton when she walked by her at practice.
Whenever they studied together, whether it was in the library or the privacy of Ellie’s bedroom, they passed each other sickeningly cute notes that Ellie totally would have made fun of if she wasn’t one of the people involved.
Ellie stroked Sierra’s arm as they spent a lazy Sunday in bed after another tiring track meet.
Chris had apparently planned a date for Juniper that was going to last most of the day, so there was luckily no reason for her to race out after they woke up.
“I can’t believe the conference meet is only two weeks away. ”
Sierra groaned. “Don’t remind me. My stomach hurts every time I think about it.”
“Nervous?” Ellie tickled Sierra’s side.
Sierra giggled as she tried to wiggle away from Ellie’s attack. “So nervous. Aren’t you?”
“Are you kidding me?” A weight settled in Ellie’s gut.
“I’m so fucking nervous. This is my last chance to win a team championship for indoor track.
We’ve come so close before and could never get it.
I feel like everyone is expecting us to do it this year, and I feel so much pressure.
I’m ranked first in two of my three events.
I can only go down, and if I do, that could be the difference between the team winning and losing. ”
Sierra sat up slightly and stared down at Ellie, the furrowing of her eyebrows causing the cute crease between her eyes that Ellie loved. “You do realize that’s not true, right? A conference championship isn’t won or lost by one person. It takes the whole team.”
“Logically, I realize that, but I can’t actually get myself to believe it.”
“I completely get that. I feel the same way. I know I’m only a freshman, but I was one of the biggest recruits this year. I don’t want to do anything to make the coaches think they made a mistake.”