My Best Friend's Best Friend

Chapter 19: Frogs and Spiders

"Are you and Sam going to be all gross and couple-y the whole time?" Sebastian asked Maru. They were walking down from the mountain for Abigail's pumpkin-carving birthday extravaganza.

"Oh, shut up," Maru said. "You'll understand when you start dating. If you ever do, that is."

Sebastian sighed. "And how long have you been dating? Five minutes? That hardly makes you an expert, Mar."

"Eighteen days," she said matter-of-factly. "And that's eighteen days more experience than you have, so between the two of us, I'm kind of the expert."

"Right." Sebastian shook his head. "So how was dinner with his family?"

"Actually, it was surprisingly fun," Maru said. "I was nervous, but it went as well as could be expected."

Sebastian was glad to hear it, but he couldn't resist saying, "So Jodi only looked down on you a little bit then?"

"Hey, speak for yourself. Jodi likes me."

Sebastian laughed. "Why am I not surprised? You're like a professional parent-pleaser."

Maru rolled her eyes. "You're right, maybe I should get a tattoo and sulk in my room some more. Then maybe all the parents of the world will see me for the rebel I truly am."

"I do not sulk."

"Sure, sure." Maru let the obvious sarcasm drip off her words.

"I have a job!"

"Yeah, Likely story."

Sebastian had to laugh. Were all younger siblings like this, or just the freaky genius ones with inflated egos?

"Ooh, there's Sam!" Maru skipped down the rest of the hill and nearly barrelled into her boyfriend. He picked her up and spun her. Sam dating his sister...hadn't become any less weird. Sebastian didn't bother catching up; he let them have their moment in front of the General Store and followed in at a distance.

"They're all in the kitchen," Pierre said when he came in, barely looking up from the account books.

"Thanks."

Abigail's house wasn't a frequent hangout spot, but Sebastian always thought it was cool. How random was it to have a shrine inside your house? And they never needed to go out for groceries.

Everyone was gathered around the kitchen table, which was covered in newspaper, pumpkins, and an assortment of tools that looked better suited for a slasher film than a birthday party. Sam and Maru had scooted their chairs together and were sitting uncomfortably close. And to think, there was an altar of Yoba right in the next room!

Sebastian worried Penny might be upset by their display, but she didn't seem particularly bothered by it. She looked shy and a bit on edge, but that was par for the course at any kind of group event. She flashed him a smile when he came in, and his heart almost stopped in his chest, suddenly reminded of their last meeting.

Penny's shirt was more orange-y than normal, she generally preferred yellow, and in combination with her orange hair, she looked like an adorable, loveable, little pumpkin.

Sebastian couldn't believe he was even thinking such a thing. What had happened to him? Was 'cute pumpkin girl' his type all along?

But the most interesting scene playing out in the room (to anyone but Sebastian; he was pretty focused on Penny) was Elliott doting on Abigail.

"I'm fine, Elliott," she insisted, for the second or third time, though she couldn't hide her grin every time he brought her things or moved something closer to where she could reach it.