I Do Until I Don't

Chapter 4

 The band says they'll take a fifteen-minute break which is our cue to take our seat around one of the many tables set outside facing the marina. Melanie specifically asked to have a "kids" table consisted of Sabrina, Alexander, Julia, Nia's nieces, a few other friends and me. I don't bother greeting the kids I don't know. They're all six and younger anyway. They won't remember me tomorrow.

"You have to tell me everything!" I tell Alex after the waiter left with all our orders.

Alex laughs his sweet, gentle, polite laugh. Gosh! Can someone be any cuter? I mean, come on, Life, I don't even stand a chance with his polished look and smug smile.

"Like what?" Alex asks.

"I don't know..."

To be honest, I already know a lot. Sabrina and I live a few minutes away and she's always talking about her cousin living in Seattle, 3056 miles away from Boston. Besides, it's not like I haven't developed stalking skills. I won't even try to deny it. It might make me creepy, but I can guarantee you that everyone (or almost everyone) has stalked their crush at least once in their life. Mine just happens to have a public Instagram and a public Twitter. Because we aren't even friends on social media.

"How's Life?" I ask even though I clearly know it's the worst question in the history of horrible questions.

To prove my point, Alex runs a hand through his beautiful hair.

"Good, I guess."

"Develop."

"I mean... I'm going to college in pre-med."

"That's cool. You must have worked so hard to get in."

I know he has. He always posts about his clubs meetings and the speeches he does and all the places he goes to gather as much knowledge as he possibly can. He doesn't need to know that I know, though.

"Where are you going to college?" Alex asks.

"Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science. I'll be studying to become a veterinarian."

"I didn't know you liked animals."

"Who doesn't?"

"Small talk!" Sabrina sings, passing an arm around me and an arm around her cousin. She rented an apartment with Alex for the summer, but she arrived a few days earlier. We got to spend our days on the beach, sipping on pina coladas and walking on the boardwalk. Today, though, we didn't have the chance to talk since Alex arrived today. And if there is one thing Sabrina loves over everything else, it's her cousin. "Come on! You used to talk about aliens and death."

"It's been a year," I point out. "We can't just jump back into talking about death." Even though, I kind of wish it would be that easy. "Besides, I like knowing these kinds of things."

Sabrina shoots me a you-already-know-these-kinds-of-things look. I roll my eyes as an answer.

"What do you wanna talk about, then?" Alex asks.

"Easy!" Sabro opens up her bag and takes out a pile of paper. "We need to talk about the environment. And you need to sign this petition I'm about to give to the EPA. I need at least 50 000 signatures. I'm doing it online, too. But what's a better time to have signatures than at a wedding, right?"

Alex sighs and grabs the pen Sabrina is holding, signing the petition after carefully reading it twice. He then hands me the paper which I sign without even reading it. I know Sabrina too much to even consider not signing it. She'd only beg me until I'd cave in.

"No way!" someone says behind us. "Is that Alexander Hannah?"

Alex turns around and widens his eyes. "Fannar Sverrirson? What are you doing here?"

I have no idea how to write Fannar Sverrirson, but Alex pronounces it Fahn-arr Svear-rear-sun. Alex does a really cool handshake with a tall, Malfoy-blond guy with broad shoulders and a beautiful smile. "This guy is a legend," Alex explains turning to face Sabrina and me. "He's my best friend. I didn't know you'd be here. I thought you scored in internship someplace in San Francisco."

"I did. But then the boss got sick so they contacted me and ditched me." He shrugs. "Oh well. There's nothing I can do, now. I decided to go to Fort Lauderdale for the summer and work as a waiter. Shooters hired me. Here we are, I guess." He looks around the room. "Cool night, today."

"It's Ella-Mae's sister's pre-wedding party," Alex explains. It's been so long since he's said my complete name, it makes my stomach make a little cartwheel.

"Ella-Mae?" Fannar asks. When he says, it really does remind me of LMAO. What were my parents thinking?

Alex gestures towards me.

"She's my... friend." The moment of hesitation breaks my heart. "We've met through Sabrina. You know Sabrina, right?"

Fannar's eyes shift from me to my best friend. His smile widens, and he nods. "Of course! You make the most amazing cookies I have ever tasted."

"Stop it!" Sabrina says, but she's obviously beaming.

"I'm not kidding. I still have dreams about them." He clears his throat and looks around. "I have to go." His eyes meet mine, and he smiles. He has dimples! "It was nice meeting you, Ella-Mae and seeing you again, Sab."

He nods one last time and then leaves us.

"He is so cute!" Sabrina says. She leans towards me. "He's from Iceland."

"Really!" I say a little too loudly. "That's so awesome."

"I know."

I take a last glimpse at Fannar as he enters the restaurant.

"I actually think you guys could hit it off," Alex says.

"Who, me?" Sabrina asks.

"Em and Fannar. You'd be cute together."

"Oh," I say. That's all I say. What could I have said? The guy I like thinks I would be good with his best friend. Which means he doesn't like me. Unless... If they're best friends, it means they have things in common. If I could hit it off with Fannar, then maybe it's his subtle way of saying we could hit it off?

I really need to stop overthinking and overhoping. I'll only break my heart.

But maybe...

"I actually believe that if you gave it a shot it could work," Alex continues. He stretches but, before he gets to say whatever he's about to say next, Melanie taps on a glass of champagne with a spoon to grab everyone's attention.

Nia comes closer, wrapping her arm around my sister's waist. I suddenly feel very subconscious of my body and how Alex must be thinking that I'm taking too much space around the table. I shake my head as to get rid of the thought.

"I would like to propose a toast..."

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