reticent

39

• AMALIA •

The doctors appointment goes fine, thankfully. Nothing is wrong with me. I'm not pregnant, or anything. I don't know what I'd do if I was.

     When my grandfather and I return home, I go into the kitchen where my grandma is. She smiles at me as she mixes batter in a bowl. "Hey, hun." She says.

     "Hi." I reply. "Can I go to a party tonight?" I ask.

     "Where?" She replies, adding chocolate chips in.

"A friends house." The person throwing it isn't my friend, but some of mine are going. Hopefully that's enough.

     "Hm." She mumbles. "Maybe you should ask Xander."

     I frown. "He'll say no."

     "Then maybe you shouldn't go." She says.

My frown deepens. "Please?"

"Talk to your brother, honey." She says. "He can decide. He's in the living room."

     I sigh. "Okay." I say, and walk toward the fridge. I pull out a Pepsi before walking into the living room, where my older brother is sitting with his girlfriend Louise.

"Hi." I say, taking the spot on the free side of my older brother.

"Hey." He replies, glancing over from the TV and at me. "Did you have fun at dance?"

"Yeah. I got you this Pepsi."

His eyes narrow a little. "What do you want?"

"What?"

"Whenever I want you to get me something, you make me pay you." He mumbles. He goes to grab it, but I pull it back.

"You know," I begin. Amusement dances in his eyes as he arches an eyebrow. "There is actually something I wanted to ask you."

Louise laughs.

"Yeah, what's that?" Xander questions.

"There's a party tonight," I say, and when he opens his mouth I add: "and before you say no—"

"No." He says.

I frown. "Xander."

"Are you forgetting what happened at the last party you went to?" He questions. "Plus, you're injured. You're not going."

     I look down at the brace on my wrist, and my frown deepens. His eyes soften. "Just stay home, please." He says.

     "Fine." I mumble.

     He smiles, pleased. "Thank you." He says. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me toward him, kissing my cheek.

     I lean my head on his shoulder. He rubs his hand up and down my arm as he replies to something his girlfriend says. I sigh and stand after a minute.

     "You okay?" Xander asks, concern filtering through his words.

     "Yeah." I respond, walking out of the room and up the stairs. I'm fine.

•

Mason swoops into my room at half past six. He grins at me. "Hey. I have a surprise for you."

     I look up at him. "What?"

     "It's at my house. Get up."

     "I'm in my pyjamas." I mumble.