The Idea of Us

Chapter 1

"Isn't it about time you get a boyfriend?" Izzy looks at me with narrow eyes, "I mean, even I have better game than you."

I blink my eyes excessively, still trying to wake up, "It's 7:30 in the morning, Izzy." 

I had been awake till 3 last night working on a painting. It was almost complete when I realized I as a human was equipped with a limited ability to stay awake. I was just going to rest my eyes for a second when I woke up to Izzy knocking frantically on my studio door, which also, as it has it, is my bedroom. 

"When am I gonna be an aunt?" She turns to face me. Her beautiful dark curly hair was put up in a high bun, her curtain bangs framing her face beautifully. She was wearing a white tank with a dark denim jacket, and some dark-wash jeans. Her look tells me she's joking, but I can hear what she's trying to say. She thinks I'm lonely.

I shoot her a glance, "You're 16."

"Still!" She doesn't stop there and keeps nagging me, "I might be 16 but it's not normal for someone your age not to have dated. I mean, yeah, I'm all for being single, but it's one thing being single because you want to be, and another because you're not capable of having a partner."

I roll my eyes, "If I had wanted to have a boyfriend, I would have already had one. I'm just enjoying my life of freedom while I still have it."

"Sure." She says, dragging out the last syllable. "You sure you not scared of men?"

A laughter bubbles forth from me. For so long it had been a frequenting joke that maybe I'm terrified of men, or maybe I'm a closeted lesbian. I mean for shits sake, can't a lady be single and happy?

 "What about you? Trevor made a move yet?" I divert the spotlight onto her. I knew she and a boy named Trevor had been chatting it up lately. Izzy loved to tell me all about it and I was more than happy to hear the little relationship drama someone would share with me. They way she talked about him, I could tell she really liked the kid. He seemed nice enough and he was good-looking. 

"No... I'm wondering if maybe I should make the first move."

Just then I pull up to her school. Before she opens the door, I turn my whole body to face her and put a hand on her arm softly, "Izzy. I know you really like this kid but for your sake, don't confess first." 

She puts a hand softly on mine, "Just because your love-story didn't work out doesn't mean mine won't." Ouch. 

She doesn't mean for it to hurt me but it does anyway. 

"All I mean is that if he likes you, he will confess in time. No need to rush it." I try to smile but she's right. 

She looks up at me apologetically, "It's okay. There's always someone else if it doesn't work out." 

She jumps out and talks to me through the window. "Now go out there and find you a man! I'll keep a look out for hot seniors for you. Expect messages your way~~"

"No, Izzy!"

"Love ya!" She says as she runs, leaving me bamboozled. She better not give out my number to anyone.

I heave a sigh before muttering an 'I love you too'.

At home I munch on some cereal as I try to take in what it was I did last night. I had just the tiniest shots of alcohol, sprinkled that with sleep-deprivation and I somehow got... this. 
What in the world is this?

"Moooom? You hoooome?" I call out into the house, but no one responds. Mother had an ability of humanifying art. She somehow was able to put words into the emotions displayed on the canvas, no matter how coincidental it would seem to anyone  else. If anyone could understand this hurricane of a mess that would make rainbow dash proud, it was her. Whatever drunk me was thinking, it sure was deeper than what sober me had on her mind.

After a good chunk of 30 minutes, I bit the haysack and took a nap.

---

Two days later - Izzy's POV

"You sure you wanna go camping?" I ask Danielle for the 100th time. "I know you're doing your best to like, re-discover yourself, but isn't it better to I don't know, have fun, drink and party your way in coachella?" We'd been over this before. I knew we had, but I still want to see my sister happy. She loved music so much, it didn't make sense why she'd be so adamant on doing something else. If there was one thing I knew, it was that she was easy to persuade. 

"Thank you Izzy for that awfully helpful perspective on my needs, but I think I'll be fine." She leans down on the kitchen island so we're face to face, "I've always wanted to connect more with nature, and besides, I'm not that into music." She looks at me with a strained smile, her eyes staring at me with that look.. 

"Danielle Skylar Marchand." I say sternly.

"Yes?" Her head tilts forward and she looks up at me, now visually a bit annoyed. Her eyebrows are lifted and her smile wide, telling me to stop pursuing this topic. But I can't.

"Dani. I really really think you should do something fun for once." I move closer to her and stretch out a hand, facing it palm up. I wanted her to take it, even just for a moment. I just want to feel her, just for a little while. To reassure her I'm trying to persuade her into something I believe she may want -- no, something she may need right now. After the whole 'failed confession' thing, she's been distant and it's really beginning to worry both me and mom. When mom came up with the idea, there was no way I could say no.

She doesn't take my hand. She just pushes her way up to standing again, her long brown hair sweeping past her face, the momentum adding a lively beauty to her already beautiful frame.

"It'll be quality sister-bonding time!" I try.

"Plus your two best friends!" She laughs.

"Quality sister time with two of the sisters' amazing friends!" I give her a grin and she rolls her eyes.

She turns around and faces the window for a few seconds, taking in a long breath. Her big eyes closed tight before she spins on her heels. "Alright." Her hand finally slips in mine as she gives it a squeeze. "But only if the resale tickets are within a reasonable price-range!" I squeal and give her a quick hug.

"Oh, you're going to have a wonderful weekend Dani, I promise you won't regret this!" I give her a quick peck on the cheek and run downstairs to share the great news with mom. Dani is coming to Coachella. Let the hunt begin.