Smoke And Steel

• Forty - Check Yes Juliet •

Avery

"Okay then, one last question." Joanna beckoned me with her hand, telling me to come closer. She leaned into my ear and whispered "Do you like Eb?"

"In what way?" I whispered back.

"You know. Do you want her to be your girlfriend?"

My first instinct was to lie. To say 'of course I don't', and brush it off. But something else niggled at me. I didn't feel like lying to her, and I wasn't worried she'd tell Princess. Hell, I think part of me kind of hoped she told Princess because then I wouldn't have to.

I looked at Princess who was looking at us with a look on her face that said she was trying to guess what we were saying. I turned back to Joanna and answered.

"More than you could ever know."

***

By the end of the night I had recieved some sage love advice from a pair of fourteen and a fifteen year-old girls about how to win their eldest cousin's affection. None of the advice seemed like it would work, so I didn't even think about trying it on her. They'd even given me a list of pick up lines they'd printed off the internet and a list of things girls do when they're flirting with you. It was almost as though they'd prepared for this.

I hastily pocketed the papers just as Princess walked into the room and gave me a funny look. "We're going now..."

"Okay then," I said, hopping up. The girls got up too.

We all went downstairs to where Rick was waiting with his hands in his pockets, having escaped the dining room full of adults getting increasingly intoxicated.

"I think it's time to go, before your aunties break there 20 year silence and have it out with each other," he said.

"You haven't been drinking, have you dad?"

He shook his head. "I didn't even have a sip of eggnog. It's only coffee and water for me."

"Okay then. We should probably say good bye to everyone."

"Do we have to?"

"Dad," she scolded. "We can't just run off without saying good bye."

"Sure we can."

"Dad. Say your good byes to everyone."

"Fine," he said with slumped shoulders. "I hate when you're the adult and I'm the moody adult."
__________________________________

Ebony

"Good night, Ave."

"Good night, Princess."

The pair of us lingered, neither wanting to leave.

We held onto each other's hands by the tips of our fingers, so lightly that it was barely even happening.  I wanted nothing more than to reach up on to my tippy-toes and kiss him goodnight, but it was something I couldn't do. It would ruin the friendship we have; all of those progress we've made.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Liking someone sucks.

It sucks because no one but you knows how your heart skips a beat whenever you see them, or how your stomach flutters at the little things they do. Don't get me wrong though - this is no school girl crush. This is serious stuff.

It's when you want nothing more than to be with them, to share your passion with them. When you know that they have flaws but you accept them. You know their doubts and their weaknesses, but also their strengths.