Ava scrunched her nose playfully at Lidia’s joke. “Oh, get over yourself, stuffy-pants.”
	She pulled Lydia into a quick, friendly hug. As soon as she released her friend, Ava started moseying down the sidewalk. She glanced to Lidia, making sure the other girl followed. It was far too nice a day to stay indoors.
	The sun warmed Ava’s arms, their fair skin left bare by her tie-dye tang top. A temporary tattoo wrapped her right forearm, creating the illusion of a shimmery tribal-patterned snake coiling down it. Its head rested on the back of her hand. A series of flowers rained down from her opposite shoulder, some more faded than others and in various stages of peeling off.
	She paused at Lydia’s question. Placing a hand to her chin, she tapped her lips in mock contemplation.
	“Hmm. That’s always an option.” A sly grin pulled at her vibrant lips from behind her finger. She moved her hands and placed her thumbs in the pockets of her shorts. “Especially since it’ll take us past Jason’s house.” She drew out the last two words, her shoulders bobbing theatrically with the tease.