It's Not That Easy

Chapter 2 - Zingers

Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy. - Saadi

Chapter 2 - Zingers

"Ok, smarty pants, what's that one?" Joel says, referring to the one of the brightest stars in the sky.

"Vega." Standing alone on my parent's deck, I move in front of him, lean slightly into his chest, and I take his hand. Pointing it to the sky, I draw to a second and third star. "Deneb and Altair that makes up the Summer Triangle. You can find any constellation from this point." Since he already knew the big dipper (who doesn't), I point out the larger constellations of Ursa Major and Minor. We find Hercules, Aquila, and Scorpius before we are joined my Mason and Edward.

"Star gazing, sis?"

"Something like that. Joel and I were watching fireflies in the woods, but since there's no moon out the stars seem brighter than usual and he got distracted." I explain.

"Is there anything your sister doesn't know at least a little bit about?" Joel asks nudging me with his hip.

"She's kind of a savant. You introduce her to a new subject, and she will be teaching it to you not too long after." Mason teases and I slap leg as he sits down.

"That's not true." I look over at Edward, who's being rather quiet for him. I half expected him to tear into me by now. "Edward knows this stuff, too. Probably better than me."

"That was a long time ago. It just doesn't mean that much too me anymore." He gives me a weak smile, and he turns his head to look the other way.

"That's too bad," Mason's says. "Maybe you shouldn't have used it just to get into girls' pants." Joel and I laugh, and at least Edward has the wherewithal to be ashamed, because his face falls and it seems to turn slight shade of red...but it's hard to tell for sure in this light.

Joel leaves to get a beer and brings me back a glass of red wine. "Are you even old enough to drink?" I hear Edward's smart-ass question. That's the Edward I know and hate.

I glare at him, and Mason takes his cue. "Don't be an ass to my sister."

Edward challenges me with a look, but I don't take the bait. I haven't spoken to him in nearly four years. I don't trust what I would say, if I were to talk to him. So, I just smile at him, drink my wine, and watch fireflies again.

He smarts off again to Mason about me. When I was younger he was a bully. He would tease me relentlessly. Things got better when he went to college, and for a while he was nice to me. Then, the old Edward came back after my defenses were down, but I'm not stupid enough to truly find out which Edward I'm dealing with. So far, it seems to be the one I remember most, so I will keep my distance.

Joel puts his arm around me, pulling me closer to him and asks, "Is he always like this?"

I nod, "He is to me." He gives me a smirk, and rubs his hand down my shoulder.

"Hey, while all of us are together, we should head up to the river for a few days." Mason says and pulls my thoughts back to him and Edward.

"Fishing?" Joel asks.

"Fly fishing." I correct. "Except for Edward. He spin casts, but we don't talk about that." I make a disgusting face. I know I shouldn't but I just couldn't help giving him a little dig.

"All existence fades to a being with my soul and memories and the sounds of the Big Blackfoot River and the four-count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise." I smirk at Joel as he quotes from the movie And a River Runs Though It.

I watch him for a moment and beam from ear to ear at him. "That's good, really good." He quotes my favorite movie of all time. Not my favorite quote, but one of my favorites. I love the book even more, but watching a young Brad Pitt can pull me out of a bad mood any day.