Lean On You (DNF) Book 2

Fairytale

"So are you gonna sell the house?" Eliza pressed as she poked at her dinner.

"Probably." Responded George. "We won't be using it."

"What about mom's stuff?"

"We can rent a storage unit. Or sell it."

Eliza nodded. "Okay." She took a mouthful of food and chewed. "Where will you live?"

"On-campus. In the dorms."

"How long will you be gone?"

"A degree takes four years, then I need my medical degree and-"

"Four years? I'll be out of high school by then!"

"I know. It works out perfectly then." George muttered. "You'll be eighteen and able to move out on your own. Or go to college or whatever you want. And I can go out of state for my doctorate."

Eliza dropped her fork, sending a hollow ceramic clink through the dining room. "We're gonna part ways...?"

George looked up. "Lizzie lizard..."

"George... I don't want us to separate..." She sighed.

George frowned. "Losing mom was tough, and dad being gone never helped. We always had each other's backs and that's not gonna change with distance." Eliza looked up, her big brown eyes were droopy. "I'm only three hours away, I will come back every weekend. And you might want your own space when you are older..."

Eliza sniffled, wiping her nose with the sleeves of her jacket. "You won't leave like dad did... right...?"

"Never ever," George promised.

Eliza lifted her head up and smiled. "Will I get my own room?" She asked.

George gave a light chuckle. "You'll have to talk to the Bloccs about that..." He paused. "And you are absolutely sure you're okay with this?"

Eliza nodded. "As long as you come back. Plus I've always wanted a sister." She hummed playfully as she referred to Drista.

A sigh of relief escaped his mouth as he leaned back on his chair. His sister continued to ramble on about who-knows-what. George really couldn't have asked for a more understanding sister.

All George really had to do was keep a promise to his sister and not leave like their father. Simple enough. And besides, her living temporarily with the Bloccs would provide his sister a stable high school experience. She wouldn't have to worry about where her next meal came from, or if she'd lose the house. She could worry about what normal teenage girls were worried about.

A firm knock at the door dragged George out of his thoughts and back to reality.

"Are you expecting someone?" George asked as he got out of his chair.

"No... but I was supposed to tell you something..." Eliza mumbled to herself as she slipped into thought. "Drista said... uhh..."

George gave a playful scowl as he walked to the door. He unlocked it and swung it open, revealing a cheeky looking Clay and Drista.

"Oh yeah. Clay is gonna take you out and Drista is coming over." Eliza snickered as she bounded to the door to gather Drista. The two didn't even share an exchange of greetings. Drista just slipped past George and the two girls vanished into the house.

George watched the two of them disappear before he turned to Clay and offered a hearty grin.

"So you're taking me out on a date?"

"Yes. That is what boyfriends do." Clay smiled.

Without so much as another word, Clay grabbed George's hand and bounded out into the warm summer evening. Since the year was still young and summer had just breached the Earth, the evening light was still blue, filling the air around the two boys with delicate aromas of cedar and citrus.