Totally Lovebirds

 It was 8:00, and we were all about to go to sleep. Night fell on the city, and the only thing piercing the darkness were street lamps and the headlamps of passing cars.

“Huh? Camryn? Why are you wearing that?”

When I walked out of the bathroom, Bailey confronted me. She was wearing a light pink tank top and matching shorts. Her hair was tied in two buns. I looked behind her and saw Ren wearing his usual loungewear of black jogging pants and a plain white long-sleeved shirt — I still think his outfit’s a bit too much for the summer.

And then I looked down at my own outfit. I was wearing black athletic shorts and a plain white tee-shirt, and both of them were a tiny bit too big on me. These were the clothes that Ren lent me to sleep in shortly after he found me… But what’s the problem?

“Hm? My sleeping attire… Is there something wrong with it?”

“N-Not really… It’s just that… those are Ren’s clothes, right?

Was that a lucky guess, or did you know?

“Yeah…”

“I see…”

She shrugged and turned her face from me.

“Eh, it’s not really a big deal…”

Really? It seems like a really big deal.

Oh no… My inner Elyssa is breaking free and I feel like teasing…

“It’s just that… I imagined that you’d be wearing something else to sleep in. You know, maybe something like my outfit or something like a cute pyjama set…”

I shook my head.

“I guess I keep wearing Ren’s clothes because they’re comfortable… And…”

Um… Maybe not. Based on what Bailey told me and through observations, I’m guessing that Bailey has a secret crush on Ren… But she doesn’t want to confess to him…

So what’s the harm in teasing Bailey about her feelings? Um, I think there’s a lot of harm to befall me if that happens. I thought about saying something like ‘Jealous? Oh, I’m wearing this because I feel better wearing something owned by a great man like Ren,’ but I decided not to. Bailey seems laidback, but she can also be hot-headed! Can I actually joke about this topic? It’s supposed to be a joke, but what if the topic is really important to Bailey.

I looked down ashamed.

“N-No, never mind…”

“Huh?”

Bailey turned to me and shook her head.

“You sounded like you were about to say something… Really, what was it?”

“N-Nothing…”

She put her hand on my shoulder. Ack, how intimidating!

“Seriously Camryn, just tell me!”
“R-Really Bailey, it’s nothing…”

Pathetic!.. I was supposed to gain the high ground over Bailey, but now it’s the opposite! She’s so persistent… I should say something.

“It didn’t sound like nothing! What!?”

“U-Uh… S-See, since Ren gave me some clothes, we don’t have to spend extra on another pair…”

How was that?

I looked over at Bailey and I think she believes in my reason. Although, she has a look of suspicion and doubt on her face. But on top of that, she seems calmed down.

She shook her head.

“Oh, was that what you were going to say?”

She sighed.

“So, you’re wearing Ren’s clothes because it’s cheaper, eh? Camryn, you’re a weird kid… But I guess I can’t argue if you want to be cheaper…”

I nervously laughed… Crisis averted!

…

I turned from Bailey and walked towards my notebook to pack it up. And when I was done, I turned around to look at the beds behind me.

Two beds, three people… And there are no other places for people to sleep on… Hm…

“So, what are the sleeping arrangements?”

Bailey was standing in between the beds and changing through channels on the TV that was across from her, and I believe Ren was next to one of the beds and fixing something in his suitcase.

Bailey quickly turned her head to face me. She seemed surprised about something.

“S-Sleeping arrangements… Um… R-Ren, do you have any preferences?”

Ren rose from beside the bed to face us.

“Not really.”

“O-Oh… Is that so? Well, how about you, Camryn?”

Fufufu… Why do I feel a bit more confident? My last attempt to tease Bailey about the clothes didn’t go well, so maybe this time… Yeah, I feel both excited and powerful!

“Me? Hm… No, not really? Why don’t you choose, Bailey?”

I barely heard her click her tongue. She was in deep thought. She also seems a bit frustrated… but frustrated about what? Hm…

“Oh, I know!”

I came up with a great idea… Oh, I’m evil…

“I’ll just share with Ren.”

“The hell!?”

Bailey walked up to me and grabbed my shoulder. She looked really surprised.

“Camryn? Why? Why would you want to share with a loser like that guy!?”

“Well…”

I looked up and put my finger on my chin in a thinking pose with a small indulgent smile on my face. Though, it’s only to make it seem like I’m thinking — I’m only teasing…

“I mean, it isn’t really strange, right? I mean, we live together, so we’re comfortable with each other…”

“That is!... Yeah, that’s true…”

She looked really defiant at first, but a meek look quickly grew on her face… Hm… I can now see why Elyssa gets a kick out of teasing…

Bailey was slightly blushing and she was stuttering as she spoke.

“B-But even so, you shouldn’t share a bed with him!”

I spoke in a dense tone.

“Hm? Why not?”

“Because!.. Um… Well…”

This is kind of fun…

“D-Don’t! Camryn, just don’t share a bed with him, okay!?”

“Hm? O-Okay?.. But there are only two beds, so one of us is going to have to share a bed. Then…”

And it’s time for my backup attack!

“Then Bailey, why don’t you share with Ren?”

“Huh!?”

She started violently shaking my shoulders… Don’t worry, the nausea and brain trauma is all worth it!

“Camryn!? No way!?”

I smiled mischievously.

“What? Why not?

“Why not!? Well, because… Um…”

Hm… So she doesn’t want to reveal her feelings for Ren, and she doesn’t want to deny her feelings for Ren… Bailey, you put yourself in between a rock and a hard place — or perhaps I put her into this situation…

I saw her face grow bright red as she struggled to come up with a reason… But after a few seconds…

“C-Camryn, I’m not sharing with him!”

“Hm? Why not?”

“Um… B-Because…”

“Yeah, I guess I can see why sharing beds can be uncomfortable…”

“Y-Yeah!”

“So I’ll share it with him…”

“N-No!”

I was smiling laughingly at Bailey, but I don’t think she noticed. I think her mind is occupied with embarrassment and coming up with reasons.

“Hm? Why not?”

“Um… A-As a young teenage girl, I think you need your privacy… Especially from a guy…”

“Okay, then you can-”

“U-Um… About that, I-I-”

“Um… Bailey, Camryn…”

While Bailey was getting flustered, Ren called out to us.

“Oh? Yes, Ren?”

“R-Ren!? What is it?”

We turned to look at Ren. He was looking down, and he seemed to be covering his right shoulder with his left hand… That pose again? Did he hit it again? No, it can’t be something as simple as an injury… An infection maybe? Hm…

“A-Actually, is it fine if I get my own bed?.. You two can share one…”

O-Oh? Why was Ren against sharing with one of us? Sure, I can see problems if he shared with me, like age complications, but overall I’m fine with it. And I’m pretty sure Bailey is fine with sharing — well, not really fine with it, but she can endure…

“Huh? Oh, yeah that-”

“Uh, y-yeah!..”

Bailey wrapped her shoulder around me and smiled after interrupting me. She spoke as if Ren’s suggestion was the greatest thing ever.

“Seriously, what were we thinking?.. It's probably more appropriate for us two girls to share a bed… Heh, yeah… Right, Camryn?”

“Yeah…”

“Okay!”

Hm...