Notre Univers Ensemble

Chapter 2

Pelton's front door swung open, just before Isreale could knock, and they pulled her in. 

"What the hell?" Isreale said, confused.

"Shh! you'll wake her!" Pelton whispered.

"What?" Isreale whispered back.

"just, c'mon," Pelton took her hand, and started to lead.

Isreale followed Pelton down to the basement, and into their room. She walked in, and they closed the door. It was like watching a spy movie, only being in the interrogation scene.

"So, my cousins are over," Pelton said, no longer whispering. "And one of the little ones was being crazy, but she finally fell asleep. If she wakes up, she will definitely scream. We have to either be quiet, or out of the house."

"I can do that," Isreale said with a smile.

"Well of course you can, introvert, but I can't do anything silently without headphones." Pelton held up a pair of black earbuds (new ones) (Pelton could never keep a pair for longer than a month or two). They  gave a serious look. Isreale gave a mocking look back, and Pelton just scoffed. They turned towards the bed, and laid down, a bit dramatically.

Isreale crouched beside Pelton's bookshelf, to look at their very small collection of books. She'd already read every single one of them, so she picked out one of her personal favorites by Jane Austen (Pelton loved her). She sat on Pelton's bed, her legs stretched in front of her. Pelton lifted their legs, and put them on top of Isreale's. She didn't mind, it was touched love. The way that Pelton usually shows their love to Isreale. She liked to show her love in different ways, depending on the person's showed preference. For Pelton, it was always touch.

Pelton's window was open, and Isreale could hear birds singing. She could hear music, from the neighbors. Classical, just a bit too loud. She opened the book and read anyways, too lazy to shut the window, and besides, it was nice outside. 

Pelton was looking though a notebook that Isreale gave to them, for the constant writing they do. They occasionally scribbled something out, or added in a word. Isreale knew that she would be reading it after they were done. 

Pelton loved to get feedback, no matter if it was critical or positive. It always meant they could go back, and write some more. Pelton wrote just about anything, and nobody could stop them. Pelton's journal was almost filled. Isreale made a mental note to buy them a new one for Christmas. Hopefully they wouldn't fill it up before then, but the notebook would probably last. It was almost winter, and cold outside, already.

There was a crash upstairs, and someone started crying. Isreale jolted up. She looked towards Pelton, who was still looking through the journal, reading their past writings. She rolled her eyes, knowing Pelton heard, and walked upstairs, to check on people. 

She could hear the wailing of whom she guessed was Penelope. Someone had accidentally woken her up from a much needed nap.

"shh, Poppy. It's alright," Margot was sitting on the floor, Penelope in her lap, trying to get her to calm down.

"Hey," Isreale whispered, to no one in particular.

Penelope immediately looked up, and stopped screaming. She'd always loved Isreale, whenever she came over. Her eyes were wide, and a bit red from crying. She watched Isreale walk towards the two. 

"Isa!" That was Penelope's nickname for Isreale, since she couldn't fully pronounce it. The name has spread to most of Pelton's family, but Pelton hated it the most.

"Hey, Nell. How's it going?"

"Shh. That what mar says," Penelope answered, happier than ever.

Margot rolled her eyes, and smiled. "Hey, Isa."

"Hi. How you doing?"

"Better, now that Poppy's calmed down. You reading anything new?"

"Persuasion."

"Jane Austen?"

Isreale nodded her head. She waited a minute before pointing towards the stairs, and saying, "I'm gonna..."

"Oh, yeah." Margot smiled at her, just before she strolled down the stairs.

Isreale opened Pelton's door, to find their legs straight against the wall, the notebook over their head, and still scanning for errors. Sometimes Pelton was just so practical. She laughed, and they turned their head, smiling a bit out of the side of their mouth. Isreale climbed on the bed, and laid her head on Pelton's stomach, watching them read. Their green eyes moving quickly across the page, always jolting back to the left, like a typewriter. 

Pelton's lips moved, as they read. Isreale wanted to kiss those lips, but she knew Pelton wasn't ready. Maybe Pelton was ready. Maybe it was Isreale who wasn't ready. Why did it matter? Isreale knew she would never kiss them.

Isreale went out to buy Pelton a notebook after she left their house. She'd found a green one, green like the color of Pelton's eyes. It was a forest of pine trees, with a bit of dark blue to show the night sky. It was perfect for them. Isreale got a dark blue pen to go with it. She hoped that Pelton would like it.