The Art Of Us

26 • A Future For Us

Alice and Fred were watching a movie together, for old time sake. Ever since FP had returned to town, things had been crazy, which left a little time for time to hang out together and catch up on each other's lives. They would always be close, but it felt good to actually plan a night where it was just the two of them.

However, Fred was barely looking at the movie, as he could see on Alice's face that she tried her hardest not to grin. She laughed a little louder and was constantly glowing. It was odd, considering she had a hard time since FP had come back to town. He figured it had something to do with him.

"Are you going to spill?" Fred took the remote and pressed on pause.

"That goofy smile on your face. What are you hiding?" He gestured to her features, telling her that he could read perfectly well that something was going on.

Alice knew that she and FP had agreed to keep it quiet until they had told Charles, but as Fred was looking at her she found herself unable to keep her mouth shut any longer. Fred was her dearest friend and she didn't want to keep this from him, she was way too happy for that.

"You have to keep it a secret." She smirked, and put her feet on the couch as she turned to him. Fred nodded, laughing a little.

"FP and I are back together." Alice squealed happily, which was something he hadn't seen do since she was a teenager.

"Why am I only hearing this now? That is huge!" Fred exclaimed happily.

He had always thought that sooner or later something more was going happen between them, but he hadn't expected that they went so fast.

"And how is it going?" He asked her curiously, wanting to know all the details.

"I am so in love, Fred. I can't even imagine that we've been without each other for so long." Alice sighed dreamily.

She felt that she was back on the same cloud she was at seventeen, only this time she knew it was going to last.

"Charles doesn't know yet, so zip your lips." She said, making the gesturing with her hands.

Fred nodded, but it was halfheartedly. He knew it was unfair, but he was scared. Throughout the years, he and Alice had always been attached to the hip. She and Charles were his family, the only people who came close to having one of his own. He treated Alice like a sister and Charles like his son, but everything had so drastically changed that he wasn't sure if that feeling would ever return.

"Are you okay?" Alice asked worriedly, when she saw the way his face fell.

"Nothing is going to change between us, is it?" Fred wondered, his eyes shimmering insecurely. He hated that he had to ask, but the thoughts had been haunting them for a while now.

"What are talking about?" She looked confused.

"You know... Charles and FP are growing closer and now you are getting back together. I just wonder where that leaves me." He said a little quiet.

Fred was never one to be extremely shy, or not have the right words ready. But with Alice, with his family, it was different.

"Fred, you're my best friend. You've been by my side like nobody else. You've been Charles' father figure. You are my family. Nothing is going to change that. You're irreplaceable." Alice took his hand into her own and squeezed it comfortingly.

He simply had a place in her life that nobody else could fill. Fred was her brother, the one that protected her and the one that she protected. He had been there for her son like a parent and always had a shoulder for them to lean on.