The Taste of Yellow Paint Chips

twelve; toby + lisa

          "Do you ever feel like you're losing Connor to Sabrina?"

          "What?"

          "I mean, as a friend."

          "No," Toby squeezes Lisa's calf, glancing over at her, "not really. Do you?"

          Flicking the hair off of her shoulder, Lisa grabs Toby's hand, dragging her fingers across his scarred knuckles. Boxing was taking its toll on his body, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't find it the tiniest bit attractive.

          "Well, kinda. They're always hanging out, and do you see the way they're always whispering secrets to each other at lunch? Maybe they should be the ones dating and not us, 'cause you barely say a word to me at lunch."

          Toby groans and mutes the basketball game playing on the tv in his living room. His dark brown eyes meet Lisa's green and he smiles apologetically.

          "Babe," he drawls out, giving his girlfriend his best puppy eyes, "you know that lunch is boy-time. You're usually gossiping with your cake face friends anyway."

          He's lucky her nails don't cut him when she smacks his shoulder.

          "Don't call them that! There's nothing wrong with wearing makeup."

          "Yeah, but that much? They're pretty much clowns."

          "Fuck you."

          Toby makes a show of slapping his knee while laughing at his own joke. Sabrina can't help but roll her eyes fondly and check her phone until he settles down enough for them to return to the topic of their conversation.

          "I asked Connor when he plans to ask her out, but he swears that they're just friends. He's still going through his sexuality crisis, so I'm not even sure if he's attracted to her."

          "Has he tried talking to his parents?"

          "They're never home. Why do you think he usually doesn't hang out with us after school?" Toby intertwines his fingers with Lisa's own, "Because he's so used to being alone that he likes it. It's his comfort zone. So, if it takes Sabrina to bring him out of his shell, then I'm all for it.

          The redhead brings their joined hands up to her mouth, kissing the back of his softly, "I guess you're right. She did save him from jumping off Angel's Rock."

          "That fool would've drowned if he jumped. The water is always rough and it was dark that night. I don't know what he was thinking."

          "You would've saved him, though, if he did jump," Lisa sends her boyfriend a playful smile, reaching over to pinch one of his cheeks.

          Toby bats her hand away, dodging her the best he can, "Oh, hell no. Friend or not, black people don't like the ocean. I wouldn't be jumping in to save anybody."

          She looks at him pointedly.

          "Okay, maybe just for Connor."

          She pats his head endearingly before threading her fingers through his kinky curls the best she can.

          "When school starts next year, I'll throw a party at his house, invite a few girls from Riverview, and get Dante to supply some alcohol. We're going into our junior year. He needs to ditch that shell of his."

          "You never know. Maybe with just enough liquid encouragement, he'll gain the social skills that he lacks and seduce Sabrina."

          Toby scoffs, leaning his head up towards Lisa's fingers, "Don't underestimate my best friend. He pulls girls and guys with that awkward personality of his."

          They both laugh. Toby pushes Lisa's legs off his lap with ease, but before she can protest, he crawls over top of her. With a peck, then two, and he brushes the red curls from her forehead.

          "Enough about those two. Let's enjoy some alone time."

          An hour later, the pair is sitting under a blanket on Toby's bed, Sabrina wearing one of his shirts and Toby in a college sweatshirt and basketball shorts, playing NBA 2K16 on his Xbox.

          Lisa wins all three games.