Of Love and Death.

The Future Chapter 10: Pink and Teal Pt. 3

     Bel bent over touching the tips of his white and red shoes. He focused on breathing in and out, not holding his breath as he kept the pose. Looking beyond his feet, he found interest in the path that made up the simple dirt driveway. There was no main road that ran through the jungle, so Bel's parents had improvised a bit when it came to transportation. While most of the time everyone either biked or walked into town or to the Snake Pit, there were the occasions where they did need a car. So, they had a clunky all-terrain jeep Bel's dad had been keeping just barely alive for the past twenty years. How, Bel, Jamie, and their father had no idea. No matter the reason, it was useful for grocery runs and the occasional "Mr. Midnight ate the couch overnight". Which, yes, had happened more than once.

     Even with the car, the hard packed dirt was the perfect place to stretch four hours before he had to leave for his battle when the air conditioning was blowing at full volume, which sometimes made it too loud to think inside. So, Bel had come out here for a couple minutes, so that he could think.

     "You look ridiculous," Jamie remarked from behind Bel, prompting him to stand up and turn around. He placed his hands on his hips, intending to reprimand his sister. Instead, he was surprised. Jamie had dressed up a bit, wearing an actual pink dress with cotton-candy blue leggings. A change from her normal tank top, skirt, and shin-high socks. Jamie was also wearing make-up, only slightly better applied then the last time she'd worn it. "What?" She asked, readjusting her pink and blue leather knapsack on her shoulder. "Did you forget I was going out with Lilac?"

     "Yeah," Bel admitted. He had, in fact, forgotten that his sister actually had a social life sometimes. Often it felt like she did homework or read. Then again, there were quite a few times he noticed her hanging out with Lilac while they were at the Pit. Like they would be talking or doing homework or sitting right next to each other laughing about Bel failing multiple times while trying to replicate his dad's infamous sprint boost. WHICH WILL NOT BE DISCUSSED!

     "WAIT JUST A SECOND!" Bel shouted, completely not intending to give the words as much volume as he did. Which was quite a lot, considering the amount of rustling in the trees he heard as birds flew away. He had just realized something. Considering that Jamie had immediately started blushing once he screamed, he knew he was right. "You like Lilac!"

     "SHHHHH!" Jamie hissed, closing the gap between the two of them to place her hand over Bel's mouth. "I'm not ready to tell Father and Dad yet!" Bel blinked in confusion, tilting his head to the side, asking the silent question of why. Jamie sighed in response, taking a step back and dropping her hand from Bel's mouth.

     "It's just kind of embarrassing," Jamie admitted, kicking the dirt of the driveway with her tennis shoe. "Like but how do I admit I like someone?" She crossed her arms, her brow furrowed with the dilemma.

     Bel sighed. Jamie was in the right to want to keep her crush secret, but Bel wasn't too sure of how effective it would be. "You do know that our Dad can read minds, right?" The look that Jamie gave him right then assured him that his question had been less than welcome. Far, far, from being welcome. It was the kind of look that made Bel question if he was welcome on this driveway right now.

     "Yes, Bel, I know that. I also know how to not think about things on occasion, so he doesn't accidentally realize I like someone" Jamie said deadpan, while rolling her eyes. This was one of the many times that Bel realized he should not make his sister mad. She had learned too much from Mr. Midnight and Mr. Wakiya.

     Bel was about to open his mouth to formulae some kind of response. Or maybe to ask how Jamie could not think about things, because he really struggled with that. It would be nice to know how to not think about that time he'd gotten spooked in P.E. and turned into a seagull in front of the whole class, and Father and Dad had gotten called into the principal's office to discuss it. Fun story, but a very embarrassing memory. Only, he was stopped by speaking by the sound of something coming down the dirt path.