Fly or Fall

Chapter One

"She's up to something," Anna said putting her phone on speaker and setting it on her dresser table.

"You always say that," Courtney said back through the phone.

"Because she's always plotting something."

"Anna." She could practically hear her best friend's patience thinning. "It's just a party."

"Exactly," Anna's voice rose. "When was the last time Nicole May invited us to a party."

"She invited the entire junior class."

"And that doesn't seem a little suspicious to you?"

"No, it doesn't." Courtney sighed and Anna could picture her taking off her glasses and pinching the bridge between her eyes. "Look, if you really think she's up to something we don't have to go."

"Oh, we're going," Anna insisted. "Someone has to stop her nefarious plans."

"Yes," Courtney snorted, "and this has nothing to do with the fact that Ezra Richards will be there."

Anna's face heated up. "It might have a little to do with that." Courtney laughed.

"As long as you finally ask him out."

Anna shook her head though Courtney couldn't see her. "I can't."

"How come you're the bravest person I know except when it comes to this one thing."

Anna closed her eyes and sighed. She's right, she thought. She'd been in love with Ezra since they were twelve but had never managed to tell him. Let alone ask him out. She knew the worst he could do was say no. But that was just it. That little two lettered word could shatter her heart in an instance. She'd been harboring this crush for so long it just felt like this thing that was part of her. That was part of who she was. A part she wasn't ready to let go of.

"I'm sorry Court," she said, "I just don't think I'm ready."

Courtney was silent for a moment then finally asked, "Will you ever be ready?"

That stung. "I don't know," the words came out uncertain. She was uncertain. "I have to get ready for the party. We can talk about this later."

"Anna, I didn't—"

"I'll see you at the party," she cut Courtney off and then hung up before she could say anything else.

Anna made her way down the hall to her twin brother's room. "Andy," she pounded her fist against his door. "I'm heading out now." There was no reply so she went in.

The bedroom had a layout fairly similar to her own, an almost mirror image. But where her room was done in mostly pink and purple pastels his was done in dark blues and black. His unmade bed was propped against the left wall, across from which was an over stacked bookshelf. Picture frames were placed on his bedside table. There was a picture of Andy and her two years ago on their first day of high school, a picture of their parents and them on their fourth birthday and a picture of their aunt last year on Christmas.

She found Andy sitting at his desk, shoulders hunched, chin pressed into the palm of his hand and eyes fixed on the little patch of wood outside his window. She could tell he wasn't really looking at the trees, his mind was a million miles away. Wondering. As it did so often. She took a step forward, and pulled the headphones from his ears. He looked up at her, startled. Their eyes met. He had the same dark ebony eyes she had, they glimmered like the surface of a forest pond, reflecting the yellow light from the lamp on his desk.

"I was listening to that," he grumbled and Anna rolled her eyes.

"Well, I was talking to you." She set the headphones on his desk, noting the sketch he was working on. A city skyline. "I was saying, I'm heading out now," she repeated.