Page 110 of Scrimmage

Ashland gets angry, smashing her little fist into the rug. “Yes.”

“Do you need…” he starts to ask. Penny is shaking her head no furiously. “Help?”

“I can fucking do it, asshole,” Ashland sneers.

I watch in amusement as she fights with the thing. After three minutes, I’ve had enough. When it comes to Ashland you don’t ask; you just do. I stalk over and snatch the movie from her. Penny gasps, waiting for Ashland to explode. There’s heat and anger radiating off of her body, but she doesn’t reprimand me as I look at the back of the machine. I check the cables and figure out that the power cord isn’t plugged in. She holds her hand out expectantly and I ignore her, pulling out a black VHS with masking tape over the actual label that has ‘The Best Barbie Movie’ written in sharpie.

I pop it in and turn on the TV, switching through inputs until the movie is playing trailers. She pulls her knees to her chest and watches the screen, still clenching her fists. She’s got on my hoodie with slouchy thigh high socks, and I can see that she’s in her underwear. Her eyes are glued to the screen, watching the trailers like she has never seen them before.

“Watch,” she demands.

I sit on the floor next to her and steal glances at her in my peripheral vision. She’s so serious.

“If we’re doing this thing, we need to be on your level,” Alexi points out.

“Bottom cabinet next to the fridge,” Ashland calls out.

The smell of butter is accompanied by popping. Penny and Alexi bring over all of the food, forcing it onto the coffee table. Ashland is handed a pizza.

Spelled out in pepperoni is ‘CUNT'. Ashland smiles. “I love you, Pen.”

Penny gives her a fond smile with tears in her eyes. “You too, Ash.”

I’ve seen them together, but this is their private life that I'm now witnessing. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen a movie with a friendship like this. If I wasn’t actively involved with Ashland I would think they’re together. We’ve been here maybe ten minutes, and they've already made this insanity feel normal.

I’m about to reach over and steal Ashland’s pizza when one is shoved in my direction.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” Penny warns. “She’ll literally bite your hand.”

“Oh, I’m aware.” I stick my tongue in my cheek.

“Gross. I’m fucking eating,” Alexi says with his mouth full.

“Hello, I’m watching something.” Ashland jabs her pizza toward the screen. “Fucking animals.”

The silence lasts all of five minutes. She slams her pizza box shut after a few pieces and shoves it to the side, pausing the movie.

“What the hell?” Alexi asks.

“Blankets and pillows, duh.” She rolls her eyes. “Come help.”

Alexi is about to stand, but I wave at him to stop and follow her. She appears in moments with her arms full of pillows and a blanket wrapped around her.

She deposits them into my arms. “Thanks.”

I nod and go toss them onto the floor. When I return, she’s got a small linen closet open and is pulling things out of it.

I raise my brows. “I’m surprised everything is still folded the right way.”

She gives me an absentminded shrug. “Fits better.”

She’s standing on the tips of her toes trying to reach blankets at the top. I reach over her and pull them down. She gives me a scathing look and tries to hide her laughter. When we return, Penny is spreading everything out. We collapse to the floor while Alexi and Penny each have a couch.

“Okay,” Penny announces, handing each of us a bottle of liquor. “The drinking game is that every time Barbie talks to an animal, you drink. If she dances? You drink. She saves the kingdom? Fucking drink.”

“So basically every time Barbie speaks, you drink,” Ashland clarifies, sticking a straw into her bottle.

She lays on her stomach and curls the blanket around her, pulling it tight around her head. A case with blunts appears out of thin air, and she hands one to Penny. Blunts and Barbie. Ashland looks like a little kid posted up in front of the TV.

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