It was especially prevalent when Angelica was campaigning at her school to be president. Not treasurer, not vice president, but president. And at fourteen, she was more than qualified (for Harvard, Bette would tease).
Angelica was also a mess with the conflict and pressure of it all.

One Friday night, Tina stole her girl away to go see a movie at the theatre before going home to Bette, and ordering pizza for them all. It was still one of Angelica’s favorite foods, as much as she pretended not to like it.

“Hey, I got peppers on it,” Bette bragged, pointing to the pizza box she’d just opened. “But only on your side. I hate those freaky things.”

Angelica tried to hide her smile, because she knew Bette was trying to engage her in some sort of teasing conversation, but she just wasn’t in the mood. Her stress already had her riddled, and at such a young age.

Bette pressed on with determination and stubbornness. “Should I have bought an extra one for – what’s his name? Dracula, or something?”

“It’s Ralph,” Angelica chuckled, despite herself, finally reaching for a piece of pizza as Bette handed her a plate. With hair braided into a trendy, crooked bun, she looked put-together as always. Her earrings were the accessories of an older woman, but they seemed to suit Angelica in a peculiar way, and they swayed as she shook her head. “How did you even find out about him? Reading my diary or something?”

“Not like you’d keep one,” Tina interjected, “As if you trust paper. I’d more likely have a chance if I hacked that phone of yours.”

“I trust paper just fine,” Angelica smiled, staring down at her pizza before taking a small bite and setting it back onto the plate. Not that the gesture had either woman fooled. Angelica was still a bottomless pit, in all of her recent growth. Tina felt she was maturing too quickly, but then again, she never seemed to want her little girl to grow up.

“So. You two going out?” Bette asked as inconspicuously as possible.

Angelica rolled her eyes, biting back a smile as she leaned back into the couch. “We’re fourteen, and I have you two prison guards for parents. So no. We’re not going out.”