Betty

Summer's Fine Dining

There was a knock on her bedroom door. Betty looked up to see her sister peak in.

"Hey. Did you need something?" Betty asked.

Olivia shook her head. "I just wanted to check in, see if you were alright."

"Why wouldn't I be alright?"

Olivia sighed and went to sit next to Betty on her bed. "I heard the rumors Betty. I thought everything was fine after though because you two talked and James still came over. But something happened at the spring formal and since then you've been sadder." Olivia paused as if she was considering what she was about to say. "Do you like her?"

"Why wouldn't I like James?"

"No, I mean like... romantically."

"Oh."

Betty looked at her sister, not sure what to say.

"I know we haven't been all that close, especially after what happened with Jason. But I've wanted to be. I don't know how though. I feel like a terrible sister," Olivia admitted.

"Olive, you're an amazing sister."

"But I- I should have been there with you every night you cried about Jason. Instead I just sat outside your door."

"You wh- you sat outside my door?"

"I was worried if I was intruding."

"Oh, Olive. You wouldn't have. Come here," Betty wrapped her arms around her little sister. "I should have talked to you, but I thought I was protecting you from the pain of it and I didn't want anyone to see me like that. I see now that it would've been the braver thing to let people in."

"Like you did with James?" Olivia asked. Betty looked at her sister in surprise. "You're happier when she's around. Not closed off anymore, it's nice to see. Much better than your other friends."

Betty chuckled. "I agree. But whatever it is, I messed things up. She won't talk to me and has been ignoring my calls or texts."

"Betty, do you... are you-" Betty knew exactly what Olivia was asking. It was the question that had been on her mind almost constantly since Inez began to spread the rumor that James liked her.

"All I know Olive is that I like her, I really do. And all I want to do is fix this."

"Do you know what exactly happened?"

Betty shook her head.

"If you can't talk to James is there someone else that you can ask about what exactly happened?"

"Olive. You're a genius."

"I am?"

"Yep." Betty kissed the top of Olivia's head and grabbed some things before she headed out.

"Betty?"

"Yeah?" Betty turned to look back at her sister.

"I like you like this."

"Like what?"

"Free."

Betty smiled as she understood what her sister meant. She wasn't working to confine herself to rules and reputations. She was doing what she wanted because she could. So far, Betty could say that it was a much better way to live.

"Me too."

*****

Betty leaned against the cement wall as she watched the boys exit the field. A few said hi. Finally, she saw the person that she was waiting for.