Moon Girl

Thirty - Selfie

Their feet were propped up, one on the wall and the other on the bed, cheek to cheek.
"Do you really just do this sometimes?"
"Yes," Gabriel answered for him as she walked past the room. Laughter bubbled from the room. "You two are weird." Krystal reaches her hand up and grabbed another fist full of grapes.
"These are wild! What are they?"
"Coahun cangee grace." Krystal's laughter flooded the room.
"Please don't talk with your mouth fool, you sounds stupid." He chuckled. "Now, what are they?"
"Cotton candy grapes."
"Mmm." She popped another in her mouth.

The pair told stories back and forth.
"One time," Krystal started to tell her next story. "I was at the store and sneezed really loud and this woman next me grabs her cross necklace, looks me dead in the eyes and says 'May God bless you' like the devil himself had just come out of me." Blake roared with laughter.
"I will give her that your sneezes are loud and a bit scare but I can confirm it is not the work of Lucifer." Krystal burst into laughter with him.
"You're going to spoil dinner." Hannah leaned in the door frame, waiting the pair.
"Will not." Blake rolled onto his stomach. Krystal rolled her eyes.
"You're such a child." Krystal scouted back, letting her feet fall from the bed to the ground. "Oh lord, pin and needles."
"Yeah that happens, guess the child forgot to tell you that." Hannah winked.

The two were alone again and still picking at the big bowl of all the grapes that came in the bag.
"In case you were wondering;"

Of course I'm wondering. I am wondering, and thinking, and imagining, and dreaming, and marveling, and guessing, and envisioning. It's you were talking about Krystal.

"Cotten candy grapes have become my new favorite fruit." Blake smiled.
"And what was it before?"
"Kiwis."
"Bet they'd be good together."
"Mmm! Yes. Can you just imagine? My mouth is watering." They giggled together.

Yes, I can.

Blake makes a good friend and good company. I think he's the male version of Nancy. The version that I would need after she was gone, I just wish the mourning period wasn't six and a half years.

Blake trotted down the stairs while Krystal slowly descended like a Princess.
"Come on Princess, you're slow."
"I'd rather look like a Princess than a horse." She wrinkled her nose at him as she walked by, he grinned.

On Wednesday's in the Hardy house was pizza day, whether it be homemade or ordered in. At the Kamowski house Taco Tuesday's were a thing and Krystal never missed one.
"You have make your own." Blake gestured to the island filled with pizza toppings.
"You guys could put Little Caesars out of business." She examined all the items. Pepperoni, bacon, different types of cheese, mushrooms, onions, and other odd and ends things for pizza. "I'm moving in on Wednesdays."
"We'd gladly take you over Blake." Hannah gave her a quick squeeze as she walked by.

In the limited time Krystal had spent at the Hardy's house, she grew close with the family. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. It was another soft place to land.

I'm grateful for these people. They are a second family, another start. I was never not welcome or out of place. It feels like home, always has.

The family sat at the table with their largely cooked pizzas. There was barley enough rooms for all of their plates. Blake's by far was the most massive. He slathered on the sauce and piled on three different types of cheese. All the forms of meat that were available was on his pizza. Krystal took in the large pie next to her.
"I know you have a big mouth, but can you even fit that in there?" Without breaking eye contact he picked up a piece and took the biggest bite he could. "You're an idiot." She laughed. He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped, remembering her earlier request. Krystal waited for the jumbled words he was going to try and say, but instead he just pointed a finger gun at her.

That was her favorite name for me as of late, but to her point, I've earned it.

"And there are girls that fall all over themselves for him?" Gabriel asked Krystal.
"Yes. This girl tried me to get me to talk to him for her. He came over and she about fainted."
"Summer?" He asked after swallowing.
"Do you mean Winter?"
"Is that her name?" She widened her eyes at him. "Listen, Ted tried to set me up with her, I was never interested." She rolled her eyes at the mention of Ted.
"Ah, yes, Ted, the love guru." The table snickered. "I'm glad your not friends with him anymore."
"You're not friends with him anymore?" Mrs. Hardy was shocked.
"Uh, no." Blake put about her piece of pizza in his mouth.
"Good, he always hit on me when he'd come over, it was creepy." Gabriel shivered.
"Mm, but not as bad as Eli." Hannah brought up a former neighbor kid Blake used to hangout with.
"True! And then there was the really mean kid Gavin!" Gabriel shot back.
"I'm so glad we can make fun of my shitty choices in friends."
"Well not all, I'm a good choice." Krystal smiled brightly at him, he rolled his eyes in response.
"I second." Gabriel raised her fork.
"I, of course, agree. I'm glad you can come over a lot Krystal." Hannah leaned in close to her.
"Oh yeah, my other friends are always so busy. Blake's just the loser who's always home." Playfully, Krystal stuck her tongue out at him. The family laughed.
"Okay, are you friends with me or them?"
"Yes." She took another bite of pizza.

Well, at least I know if a relationship ever does happen, my family approves. I mean look at them. I could disappear from this table, the only reason they'd notice was to make a joke at my expense. I don't mind, this is normal, always has been. With all that she has been through and lost, I don't mind being the butt of the joke. I promise to always be the clown if I get to see her smile. It's been months since we've been friends and I still can't get over that smile.

"You okay?" Krystal leaned into him and whispered.
"What? Yeah." He fumbled. "Just lost in thought." They're eyes danced between each other.

His eyes are so beautiful and it's just goes so well with his hair. They both have that honey and chocolate swirl. Before all this, I'd never picture myself sitting and having dinner with Blake Hardy and his family. Now, I can't imagine not having them in my life. I can't imagine not laughing over dinner and making him blush. I can't imagine not walking in the halls with him and eating lunch outside. I can't imagine not texting him every moment I'm not with him. I can't imagine my life without Blake Hardy again, nor do I want to.

Since Mr. and Mrs. Hardy made dinner, the children were sentenced to cleaning the kitchen. Everything was still left out from when they made the pizzas but now there are all the dishes.

Blake and Gabriel were putting everything away while Hannah and Krystal washed the dishes. Hannah washed, Krystal dried and the stack of dishes were left for Blake and Gabriel to put away.

After the chores were done, the group sat in the kitchen hanging out. They were huddled together on one side of the island.
"Selfie!" Hannah squealed. Krystal opened her mouth to protest but saw the big smiles on Hannah and Gabriel's face and decided against it. Krystal huddled up with the girls and Blake snuck in behind the trio. "Blake." Hannah giggled.
"Hey. I wanna be in this too!" Gabriel rolled her eyes at her brother.
"Ready?" Krystal did the unthinkable and turned her left side towards the camera and smiled. Her crescent scar visible in the reflection on the screen. Blake smiled even larger.

Hannah took the picture and all tree girls huddled over her phone to look at the image.
"Krystal, you look great." Gabriel pointed out, she blushed.
"Look at Blake and his stupid grin." She whispered to the other two, taking the attention of her. They threw their heads back in laughter.
"Dispute him, it's a cute picture. Let me send it to you." Krystal nodded to Hannah.

I'll print this out at home. Dads got one of those photo printers somewhere.