Sativa.

20. The Fire pt 1

"And he killed the fish. The damned fish!" Travis shouts enthusiastic. "I was like, damn, should have got the cat like Mom wanted."

Blaine's sides ache from laughing hard at his retelling. When he was sixteen he begged for pet until his step-dad took him to town to buy a fish. No hamsters and definitely not a snake either. Back then his family lived off a rough dirt road, Travis lost his grip, and dumped all the water (and the fish) into Serenity's lap.

"So much for that idea." Travis beams.

Blaine laughs, one that starts at her belly then fills up her whole body. She's missed his vibrancy. This month was tough. There were days she didn't think they'd make it.

Driving back roads and telling funny stories is preferable to the actual destination. Serenity confirmed her dinner plans for this Sunday and Blaine's secretly been stressing about it for hours.

As Travis turns into the familiar driveway, Blaine lowers her visor to look in the mirror. For the dozenth time she dabs her fingertip against eyeliner that won't stop running. Then pushes on the back of her pearl earring to keep it tight despite knowing how unlikely it will fall off into the gravy bowl. Will there even be gravy? She has no idea but she wants to be ready anyway.

"Hey." Travis grabs a hold of her hand, forcing her to stop fiddling with her earring. "You're beautiful."

His fingers still tangle around her own as he leans over the center-console for a kiss. Once his lips linger for too long a blush flares hot on her cheeks. "What if she's watching us through the window?"

"I'm willing to take that risk."

Travis cups his palm around the back of her head, ensuring escape won't be so easy. His lips close over hers as his tongue curls so skillfully she's convinced he's capable of writing words in her mouth.

She looks at him with sparks in her tummy that make her as giddy as a school girl. Before he can reel her in again she steps outside but her
lips are obviously flushed. Halfway down the driveway he playfully pinches her thigh close to her ass and she jumps.

Slapping his shoulder Blaine scolds, "Stop it! Now is not the time to get frisky."

Travis wraps his arm around her waist, notching her tight against his side. "You look so damn good I think we should be late to dinner. Have an entree first."

Maybe black skinny jeans and high heeled boots weren't the best judged attire. Spawning ideas inappropriate for family gatherings. It was one kiss but sensation makes her weak in the knees. As if this dinner wasn't already difficult to sit through.

Not walking in as usual, Travis knocks politely. While they wait he pinches her thigh again. A delighted smile melts into an uncomfortable grimace when Serenity opens the door. Blaine is somewhat shocked. Having to work at a neutral expression towards her neatly braided hair and fresh clothes.

"Hey!" Serenity greets them with a smile that could outshine the sun. "Little brother." She wraps him up in a huge embrace before turning and hugging Blaine the same. "I'm glad you could make it, Blaine."

The open reception is surreal. So much, in fact, she's tempted to ask if his real sister was abducted by aliens. Oblivious to Blaine's surprise, Serenity leads them into her house.

"I'm still working on getting it clean but it's better yeah?"

Blaine glances around, open-mouthed, a fish out of water. Clutter is swept off the floor and the stained couch is covered with a red blanket. The counter space his been cleared, too, aside from a couple piles of envelopes and papers.

"Looks great, sis."

"Yep." Serenity replies, chipper. "Brittney should be home again by the end of the month."

Still disorientated, Blaine freezes at the door. Travis sits casually on a stool in front of the kitchen counter. She's forced to react when his sister stands in front of her and asks, "Would you cut the stems off the strawberries?"

"Sure." Her smile feels forced so she takes the knife and package of strawberries, glad to have something to do. Blaine sits on the second stool next to Travis then starts cutting.

"I have meatloaf in the oven." Serenity says, voice muffled, sorting through her refrigerator. "I know it's your favorite, Travis."

The chopping knife hitting the counter at the end of each strawberry makes silence awkward. Red juice stains the tabletop and Blaine almost feels guilty considering how clean it was. Her cynical side wonders how long it could possibly last.

"Well damn." A shadow of Serenity's former self returns when she slams the fridge shut. "I forgot ketchup. I always forget ketchup. You mind if I run to the store real quick?"

Blaine is quick with her reply. "Go ahead. Travis and I will stay on strawberry duty."

"Great. Thanks." Serenity takes the keys from her brother's outstretched hand, resembling a colorful fairy glittering out the door.

Without all Serenity's bubbly ramblings the room goes dim and quiet. Blaine can even hear the tick of the hand-clock behind her. When Travis doesn't offer an explanation she asks, "What the hell happened to Serenity?"

He pops one of the strawberries in his mouth and she smacks his hand away on reflex. Once he's finished chewing Travis says, "After Hooter started helping her instead of enabling her she got better."

"Is she clean?"

"I'm pretty sure."

Serenity off drugs. Blaine never thought she would see that day either. Gathering all the severed strawberry stems in a pile she scoops them into the trash.

"Do you think it will last? After she gets Brittney back, I mean."

He sighs, suddenly troubled. "I hope so."

Despite scolding him earlier, Blaine bites into one of the strawberries. They're alone, without any distractions, and she feels as shaken as she had walking down the driveway. Blaine glances over at him -- suddenly staring to admire how his new shirt defines his broad shoulders.

"How long do you think it will take her to get to the store?" She asks, cutting off his reply by putting the other half of her strawberry into his mouth. "Ten, fifteen minutes. Maybe only five. It's still time to kill."

Travis's smile is tilted, a boyish charm to it. "Your powers of seduction have no hold over me."

"Not even when I do this?" Blaine slips off her jacket, letting it fall to the floor before taking another strawberry. Not putting it to his lips again until she's sucked the top of it.

She leans over him to trace her finger down his neck. Even when he blinks, surprised, Blaine's eyes are unwavering from his. She snags her fingers through his belt loops, using her grip on his jeans to pull him to his feet. Strawberries taste so much better through his kiss.

Time becomes irrelevant once her back is pressed against the counter -- the solid width of his body against her front. Their hands roam as their lips and tongues fuse.

Blaine groans when Travis's fingers massage across her left breast, easing her over the edge. She's about to take him right here, right now, on top of the kitchen counter.

They're interrupted. Not by the opening of the front door but by a shrill wailing of an alarm. Out of breath, Travis looks up and she watches his eyes go wide. "Meatloaf's burning."

"What?"

Travis darts into the kitchen and she spins around to see what's happening. Smoke billows from the oven, fogging up into the fire alarm in the kitchen. Travis fans his arms around to clear the air and Blaine watches, suddenly unsteady. The noise pummels Blaine's head like punches thrown by a heavyweight boxer. She staggers backward as her knees buckle.

"Travis..." She's unable to call out for help before the world slants upside-down, taking her with it.

Although she does remember hitting the floor there isn't much else after. The last of Blaine's awareness is looking up at the ceiling, her vision so distorted the paint starts melting off the walls thick enough to suffocate her. If everything hadn't went black she'd have screamed.