Angelica laughed as she sent it, actually enjoying in Ralph’s intellect. Even if she didn’t think they were meant to be together forever, she enjoyed in his company, and he made her laugh. She found that lately, she’d even wanted to kiss him.

just finishing up some electroencephalography – you?

It was strange to feel so drawn to his dorky nature, but she bit her lip and turned onto her stomach. Wanting to laugh, but knowing she had to be quiet. She knew Ralph liked her cheekiness, so she quickly types back.
Yeah, same. But I have to go to sleep or moms will kill me.

His reply was just as fast: moms??? wow, wow! where did that come from? wait – you have two moms??

That time, Angelica did laugh out loud. But she covered her mouth as quickly as she could, and then she grinned into her pillow. She talked quite frequently about her mother and Bette – both of which she looked up to, as little as she may have liked to admit it aloud. Yeah, oh no. Is this a problem?

night, apple sauce

She giggled, and typed back Rice cakes, just as they’d always liked to refer to each other as any food that began with the letters of their names. She was proud of that one, finally curling up in bed – unaware that Tina had roamed down the hall to check on her. Tina had thought she’d heard laughter, and she leaned onto the wall as she glanced in through the cracked door, watching her little girl turn onto her side and close her eyes. Grinning as she let herself drift off at last.

Tina watched for another minute, feeling tired herself, but determined to watch her girl laying so peacefully and so unaware. It was almost like she was a child again, because she certainly wasn’t anymore. That oblivious, carefree, mischievous little girl had hidden herself somewhere, but Tina was just thankful that Angelica still had her sense of humor, and her curiosity. She hoped the rest would come back in time, and that Angelica wouldn’t ever feel pressured to be a certain way for anyone. Not even for her. She just wanted her daughter to be herself – was that so much to ask in such a developed, modernized society?