Private Lives

Private Lives Chapter Five: A Fine Romance, My Dear This Is,

"What the hell was that, Abs?"  Daniel shouted.

"What was what?" Abbie asked. She raised her eyes to her brother.

"That. In his office! You kissing Crane!" Daniel yelled.

"Oh, that. That was nothing. Just a peck,"  Abbie waved her hand at him and chuckled.

"Didn't look like a peck. It looked like you were kissing him, Abs," Daniel fumed"

"It was a peck, Daniel. That's all,"  Abbie sighed.

"Well it damn well looked like you both were enjoying it," Daniel  shouted. "Especially, Crane. But I'll deal with him later."

Abbie stopped and stood in the middle of the hallway. She stared at her brother.

"Did it. Really?" Abbie asked. Her face brightened. A huge smile on her lips. Her brown eyes sparkled and shone through in the sunlight.

"Abbie!" Daniel growled. His jaw clenched.

What? I was kidding. Come on Daniel, icky has no interest in me whatsoever. He's wants to reconcile with Katrina, remember?" Abbie laughed.

"And you have Luke,"Daniel answered. Abbie swallowed hard.

Daniel glared at Abbie. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"It wasn't a kiss. It was a peck," Abbie corrected. "I felt sorry for him that's all. I hit him in the eye, remember." 

Abbie shrugged and began to walk down the hallway her chin held high. She looked straight ahead. A small smirk played at the corner of her lips. She licked her lips and tasted the bittersweet chocolate taste of Ichabod's coffee from his lips. Black one sugar. Delicious.

Daniel stared and frowned.                                    

"Is that still a reason to tongue him on the floor of his office, Abbie?" Daniel asked. 

Abbie stopped and then turned to her brother. She frowned at Daniel as  she waited for him at the foot of the down staircase. Abbie gazed up at him. Her eyes cold.

"I wasn't tonguing Ichabod Crane on the rug, Daniel. It was a peck him at the corner of his lips. That is all," she said.

Her voice cold and stern. It rose echoing in the staircase. Abbie was glad it was close to the end of the semester. Some students still meandered outside or sat outside on the lawn studying for finals.

"Didn't seem like that to me, Abbie,"Daniel answered.

"Well I can't help what you think you saw, Daniel?" Abbie sighed. Her voice clipped and angry.

"What I saw was you still crushing over Crane!" Daniel spit out. "Are you still in love with Ichabod, Abbie?"

Abbie glared back up at him. She sucked in her lips and pressed them together.

Daniel's eye widened. He nodded his head.

"Oh, Yes. I know about it. I've known ever since I brought Ichabod home for Christmas my senior year in High School. You were so doe- eyed and you kept blushing whenever he talked to you. It was obvious to me you had a crush. And I think Ichabod knew it too," Daniel said.

Abbie sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. She closed her eyes. Her heart beat heavy against her chest. Daniel smiled.

"I used to tease him relentlessly about you, Abs about you being so in love with him. And you guys marrying when you got older. Ichabod hated me when I did it and would tell me you were just a baby to him and nothing more," Daniel said.