Arthur & Mary

- Mary -

I finished the shower and dressed in the cozy pajamas, still not knowing what to do with my hair to stop it from dripping. I put it in a towel then quickly went back to my room so I wouldn't catch a cold on the way.

I open the door and am taken aback by the fact that Arthur is reading a book on my bed. He steals a glance at me, then returns to his -my- book.

"Why are you here?"

"I told your sister that I wanted to see you."

"What? And she let you in?"

"She just giggled and told me that you're in the shower and that I should wait for you in your room."

"Then why did you come here?"

"To see you."

I knelt next to the bed and looked him straight into his blue-green eyes, and he did the same.

"I am so tired and before I went to sleep I wanted to see you."

"Well, that's unexpected."

"I love you. Even though we live so close, we're still too far.Hey, let me braid your hair."

"Do you even know how to do that?" I said as I walked to my dressing table, brushed my hair and gave it a little volume, then went and sat with my back against the bed so he could braid it without problems.

"Woah, it's so long!"

"I know. I'm still not used to it. All my life I've had it shorter."

I could feel his fingers move in my hair with a tenderness nobody else who touched my hair had; I should let him play in my hair more...

"I always wanted a sister whose hair I could braid, but mom was okay with three boys." I chuckled. "Mom never let me touch her hair, saying that there is a balance I am going to break if I touch it, and stuff like that. I once stole Jimmy's Barbie doll."

"Why does he have a Barbie doll?"

"He wanted Ken and Barbie's car."

"I see."

"I couldn't take the Elsa doll at all."

"Obviously."

"So I practiced on Barbie, but her hair was really annoying and I couldn't do anything. Your hair is so soft and long, and it smells so nice. Like a fresh breeze."

"And you smell like lemon."

"Lemon?! That wasn't my intention!"

"No?! I love that smell, like the lemon essence you use in cakes."

"Oh, that was it. Lemon essence is my favorite."

"Are you always baking a cake?!"

"Not really" he laughed. "When I can't play the piano because others want to sleep or it is too late in the night, I bake a cake. My parents love them, and by the time I remember it is cooled down, it is already gone."

I laugh and give him the tiny elastic he should put at the end of the braid. He takes it and ties my hair.

"I'm done." he says and I touch it. It was completely loose and will not resist until morning, but it was his first time so I didn't comment.

I leaned my head on the bed so I could look at him upside down, and he tried to kiss me.

"That's horrible"I laugh when it didn't work. "How did Spiderman and Mary do it?"

"Does that make me Spiderman?"

"That does not make you Spiderman."

"Okay, I should leave. I have a test paper tomorrow."

I lead him to the entrance door and closed it after him. My sister pinned me to the door and started:

"Judy told me that you and Arthur are very close. How close, more exactly?"

I covered my mouth with my hands and coughed out of shock. That was faster than expected. I slipped out of her pin and tried not to look too exasperated, but I couldn't; I was scared.

"If I tell you, promise not to be mad at me?"

"I won't be mad at you unless you..."

"No! No, no, no, no, no. No. Arthur... he's my boyfriend."

"Oh, and why did you think I would be mad? Do you know how many boyfriends I have had in high school?" then she checked to see if her husband was around.

"I have a vague idea, but I don't think it was anything serious."

"And you and Arthur are serious?"

"Of course! I wouldn't let him kiss me if I wasn't serious!"

"When were you planning to tell me all of this!?" she snapped then fell on the sofa.

"After graduating?"

"This is not Romania. You are very free to have as many boyfriends you want and tell me without hesitation before graduating!"

"I know, I know! But... I'm still not that used to your way of thinking..."

"I understand. Well, as long as you two are serious and think it is true love, I have nothing against it. After all, God has not brought you to America for nothing."