Free Becca by Jennie Taylor

if I’m your girlfriend now, or whatever. I sort of figured we could get the first one out of the way now.”
    “No.”
    “No?” She looked up. “But...”
    “First, you need to think about this and be sure.”
    “I am, Becca.”
    “And I have no idea if I’m sick. I won’t take a chance on infecting you.”
    “You’re not sick.”
    “We’ll wait.”
    “Um, okay.”
    “Besides, we’ve kissed before.”
    “When?” she asked. She’s giving me one of those ‘you’re nuts’ looks.
    “In fifth grade,”
    “The play!” She said. “Yeah, we did. Did I thank you?”
    “Yes, you did.”
     
    She was in a play in fifth grade, and she was supposed to be kissed by a boy. She was scared, and she needed to practice the scene, so I stood in for the boy. It bothered me for a while that I had to pretend to be a boy to get her to kiss me.
     
    “We should wake them.” I said.
    “I guess.” She stepped back and laughed. “I’ve never actually said I was in a committed relationship before.”
    “You still haven’t.”
    “Did you forget the part where I just said I was your girlfriend?”
    “ Or whatever , you said.”
    “Well I’m still adjusting to this idea, okay?”
    “I’m just happy you want to try it at all, Tasha.” I bent down and shook Bridget. “Bridge. Hey, wake up honey.”
    “Hm?” she asked. Her eyes went wide and she reached for the gun as she sat up.
    “No, Bridget, I’m okay.”
    “Oh.” She started crying. “Thank God.”
    “For now, anyway. We’ll see tomorrow.”
    “What time is it?”
    “Late. Why don’t you go upstairs to sleep.”
    “Are you sure?” Bridget asked. 
    “Yeah, go on.”
    “Um,” She stuck the gun out toward me.
    “Not yet. I don’t want that until I’m sure I’m not going to go psycho on everyone.”
    “She’s going to be fine.” Tasha told her. “I promise. She’s just being extra careful because she wants to protect you.”
    “I want to go back and see if Mom is home.” David mumbled. He was still half asleep. “She might be there now.”
    “Maybe some day.” I told him. “Go upstairs and go to bed, David.”
    “Go on up, David.” Amber told him. She gave him a little hug. “I’m staying down here.”
    “No, you go upstairs, too.” Tasha told her.
    “I’m not leaving Becca.”
     
    It’s really sweet that she feels like that about me, but I can’t help her. I wish I knew what to do about this. She clearly is just crushing on me because of this hero worship thing, but it’s getting old. I’m glad I didn’t make Tasha feel like this.
     
    “Go up to bed, Amber.” I said.
    “I want to stay with you.”
    “You need to go to bed.”
    “I want to be with you, Becca.”
    “She’s taken!” Tasha snapped at her. “Give it up.”
     
    Amber locked eyes with me for a second, and her look went from angry that I was making her go up to bed, to angry because I didn’t choose her. I think she’s embarrassed, too. She looked over at Tasha, then back at me, and then she crawled over the back of the sofa and hurried up the stairs.
     
    “Amber, wait!” I yelled after her.
    “I could have handled that better.” Tasha said. She sighed loudly and sat on the sofa. “I’m sorry, Becca.”  
    “So you two are together now?” Bridget asked. “When did this happen? I’m never sleeping again, I miss too much.”
    “We’re just... trying it.” I said.
    “So what, I’m going to wind up alone for the rest of my life, and you have two people who want you. That’s fair.”
    “Well David’s your age.” Tasha pointed out.
    “Shut up, Tasha! I don’t want her getting ideas.”
    “Okay, gross.” Bridget said.
    “You’re thirteen. If we don’t have more available boys around for you by the time you’re seventeen we will go on a trip, okay? We’ll scour the country until my little sis finds a guy that meets her standards.”
    “I’m going to remember you said that, Becca.”
    “Okay, good. So go up to bed. Take