While She's 15

Chapter Trois - Manny and Elodine

  I stood outside Elodine’s room listening to her talk to Manny

   “How does it feel to be fifteen?”

  Elodine pulled her short hair back “I still feel the same I guess. I thought something dramatic was going to happen and change everything but I don’t think life works that way. Just because your birth certificate says you’re a year older doesn’t mean fate is obligated to change everything up on you. Maybe it’s better for some things to stay the same”

  I smiled; leave it to Elodine to make her answer to even the simplest question sound educated

  “Thanks for that deep emotional insight” Manny squinted “You always start talking like a scholar when something’s bothering you. You’re hiding something, like I don’t know, the fact that you stormed out of your own party and we found you sitting alone at the park crying”

  Elodine is lying on her bed and Manny as usual is stretched out in Elodine’s office chair. They presume these positions pretty much every day. Manny and Elodine met when they were toddlers, their parents are close and they’ve been friends since as long as anyone of us can remember. I consider myself close to Manny, but only because I grew up with her and Elodine running around my house in their footie pajamas.

 Manny and Elodine we’re awkward kids, they practically fell over everything and if there was a glass in sight they always found some way to accidentally knock it over. Ashton’s parents have probably replaced the carpet in Elodine’s room about three times from all the red juice stains

  I’ve been to Manny’s house a lot, mainly because her parents were really close to Ashton’s. Manny’s parents would always invite my family and Ashton’s family over for cookouts and stuff so we’ve always had a tight bond

  Manny and Elodine were always little, scrawny, sassy balls of energy. As they’ve gotten older it’d be a lie to say that they haven’t grown up into two funny...adorable...attractive...teenage girls

  I shook my head; there I was crossing the line again. I shouldn’t be attracted to my best friend’s baby sister. It’s wrong, and illegal...and wrong

  If she were three years older...if I were a couple years younger...maybe then it’d be okay for her to have a creepy stalker crush on me. But right now, with her only being fifteen it’s inappropriate and although I don’t know how to go about it I know I have to shut it down quick and in a hurry before it spirals out of control and blows up in my face

  Manny brushed her bangs out of her eyes “so what, you’re just going to ignore the fact that Kennett exists?”

  Elodine shook her head “no, I am not going to just ignore him” she shook her head “the thing is, he doesn’t feel the same; I was stupid to throw myself at him like that. I feel pathetic”

  Manny crawled onto the bed “you aren’t pathetic, it isn’t your fault he’s incredibly attractive and smart...and hot...and he has a nice butt...and he wears those nice Calvin Klein underwear and his hair is the perfect kind of messy...he smells amazing...”

  Elodine held up her hand “okay stop, I get it. He’s like...perfect”

  I smiled, feeling my grip on the ledge tighten when she said that

  I watched as Manny cupped Elodine’s chin “you can’t just give up on him, you have to be persistent!”

  Manny stood up, you have to walk up to him and seduce him. Make him want you” Manny tugged on her shirt “you gotta pull it up real slow” Manny pretended to pull up her shirt “…and be like, Kennett, I know you want this”