by Ruth Houston
He looked at me, alarmed. "I hope that frown isn't a bad start."
I looked up at him – he was only two inches taller than me. "No, not at all," I smiled at him. "I just thought of something…" I trailed off, shaking my head. "It's nothing. Sorry. Go on."
He shrugged. "Well, I was wondering," he started slowly. "Would you like to go to a movie and dinner next Tuesday afternoon?"
I beamed at him. "I'd love to," I replied softly.
"Great," he said, nodding and smiling in relief. "How about I pick you up at four thirty?"
"Sounds perfect," I said happily. "Sorry, but I have to go now, I'm going to meet Winter for Spanish class," I said. "See you around, okay?"
"Alright," he replied. "See you later." And with that, he was gone, swept away by the tide of students, simply a curly, dark head bobbing in and out of my vision. I smiled happily.
"Did he ask?" Winter pounced on me the second I walked by her history classroom.
"Of course," I said briskly, smothering a silly grin.
Winter was smiling broadly. "You said yes?"
"Of course, again," I said with forced indifference, before I could hold it back no longer. "I'm going on a date!" I said to her happily, breaking out in a huge smile. We jumped up and down like silly little schoolgirls for a moment before regaining our composures and continuing our journey to Spanish 5-6 as if we hadn't just done something very childish. We were both holding back goofy grins.
"So, is he still not the type of guy you would go out with?" Winter teased me.
I shook my head. "No, I've been thinking that maybe he's exactly the kind of guy I'd go out with," I grinned. "Especially after yesterday evening."
Suddenly, Winter gasped.
"What?"
"Tristan!" she said, her eyes wide.
"Are you hot on my brother?" I teased in good fun.
"No," Winter said, still wide-eyed. "If you're going on a date, I have to send him out too. Otherwise you and Zack will have to suffer the Spanish inquisition."
Shoot. I had temporarily forgotten what a protective older brother Tristan was.
"Quick," I moaned. "Start thinking. What do we do?"
Winter bit her lip as we pushed through the center of B Hall. I could almost see the cogs working and turning at a furious pace under that head of pretty auburn hair. It was tied up in a messy bun today.
"Give me random words," she said desperately. "Just say random words, maybe one will give me an idea." This was an exercise we often used. Some of our more brilliant plans had come from this game.
"Umm… Book. Pen. Eraser. Highlighter. Pencil bag. Pencil box. Glue. Glue stick –"
"Give me something not related to school supplies, please," Winter snapped. "We can't possibly land him in some kind of freak detention that lasts all night."
"Okay," I said. "CDs. Deejay. Beer –"
"He's not legally old enough to drink. We can't intoxicate him. Damn, though, that would have been good."
"Yeah," I agreed. "Party. Camera. Film. Movies. Paint. Popcorn. Friends. Post-its. Cat. Dog. Hamster. Butterfly. Boa constrictor –"
"Friends!" Winter interrupted me. "We have to get one of Tristan's friends to give him an offer he can't resist!"
"Which will be sooo easy, considering I know all of Tristan's jock friends," I said sarcastically.
"Well what do you suggest?" Winter asked.
"Dunno," I replied gloomily. "We might end up suffering his interrogations after all."
"Not if I can help it," Winter said, a determined glint in her eyes as we trooped in single file into the classroom of Señorita Welsh.
-Zack-
Perfect. I had been on cloud nine since after English class. I walked happily into the cafeteria and a head of blonde hair caught my eye. I made my way over.
"Hi, Zack," Winter greeted me first.
"Hey," Eva smiled at me.
"Hey, hey, ladies, how's it going?" I slid onto their bench, across from the two girls.
"Pretty good for you," Winter pointed out.
I smirked. "Thank you, Princess Winter," I said gallantly.
I noticed she was wearing my jacket. I had decided that she was okay. She could be nice when she wasn't mad – big deal. Most people were like that. Hell, I was like that. I had also decided that last night I must have been in a really good mood last night to take Winter out for a drive like that. What in the world had possessed me to ask her in the first place? I shrugged mentally.
"Don't you think it's a little… hot in here though?" I asked pointedly.
"No, I don't think so," Winter said cheerfully. "The temperature is just right. May I keep it? I've grown rather attached to it."
"Fine," I sighed, not too happy about the loss of my jacket.
Eva looked at us, confused. "Okay," she said. "I'll just pretend I didn't hear that." She obviously had no idea what we were talking about.
"Sorry," Winter and I apologized at the same time.
I caught Eva's eye and smiled. Man, was she pretty. The bluest eyes you ever did see, a nice slim figure in the athletic way, and probably the smartest girl I'd ever met.
I saw Brock waving at me from another table.
"Gotta go now, ladies. Mind if I make an exit?"
"Not at all," Winter said promptly. "Bye."
"Bye Zack," Eva said good-naturedly.
"See you."
I waltzed away to my regular spot sitting across from Brock, hearing from behind me Eva's voice, "What was that all about…?"
"Wow, you're in a good mood today," Brock grinned, his dark grey-blue eyes glimmering mischievously. "Something must be going your way."
I glanced behind me at two girls sitting together, laughing over something, and one of them caught my eye and smiled. I smiled back into eyes of sparkling cerulean.
"Yea," I agreed, opening up my lunch. "Sure is."
-Eva-
"Hey, Tristan!" Winter called to my brother. It was right before dinner time rush that same day.
"What's up, Winter?" Tristan asked from his spot in front of the open refrigerator, rummaging through vegetables for dinner.
"What do you think of Zack? I mean, was he a big help the other day?"
Tristan straightened up, and I watched Winter's face, which gave away nothing. What was she getting at?
My older brother's azure eyes, a carbon copy of my own, gave Winter an inquisitive glance.
"Yeah, he's cool," he said, watching her curiously. Suddenly, a small, secret smile turned up the corners of his mouth, and he looked as if he had been given an opportunity too good to pass up on. "Why?" he asked slyly.
What was up with these two? I stared at them. Winter was trying to get something out of Tristan, Tristan was trying to get something entirely different out of Winter, and just what exactly was I missing?
"What do you think of him, Tristan?" Winter asked innocently.
"I think he's a good kid… maybe he'll be a better boyfriend, though, huh, Winter?" he asked, smirking at her like he knew something she didn't.
What? I was so lost.
"Did you think he was a big help?"
"Yeah," he said. "The kids loved him."
"Did I hear someone say Zack?" It was Emily. She had popped into the kitchen to put her empty juice cup in the sink.
"Yes, honey?" I said.
"Is he coming back?" My little sister brightened up. "I like him. He's funny."
"Maybe, he might come back," Winter said gently. "Why don't you go finish up your homework? Is Matty done?"
"No, he's still reading," Emily said, making an exit.
"So, back to the subject at hand," Tristan said smugly.
"Yes, back to the subject at hand," Winter said without missing a beat. "Back to what you said earlier. Do you think he'd make a good boyfriend?" She gave me a meaningful glance.
"Yeah, I think so," Tristan said with a casualness that didn't deceive me.
"Excellent. I'm glad we got that cleared up. What do you think, Eva
?"
I stared at her, shaking my head slightly.
"Uh," I stammered. "I…don't know?" I looked at her helplessly.
"Don't you think he's cute, Eva?" she persisted.
"I… I guess." Man, these two were confusing. See what I have to deal with everyday? See what I have to put up with?! These two – two – argh, goodness gracious! Not fair. I wanted to sulk and pout like a little kid.
"Don't you think he'd make a good boyfriend, Eva?" Tristan said, grinning at me and inclining his head toward Winter just a bit.
I looked at both of them, bewildered and completely perplexed.
"Yes, since we're all speaking in italics, and since we're all being so positive about Zack today, yes he'll make a good boyfriend, and yes I do think he's cute. Happy?" I looked at the two of them defiantly.
"Very," they both said at the same time, identical satisfied smirks on their faces. Tristan turned back to picking out some spinach for dinner at the same time Winter turned back to her Chem homework.
I shook my head slowly. What had just happened? First, that wacky appearance made by Zack at lunch time, and the even more bizarre conversation that followed, and now, this? What had I done to deserve this? I finally said to myself that in a past life I must have been a huge sinner, even though my whole family was atheist.
Such was my life with Winter. This 'date' hadn't even happened, and already it was off to a weird start. Wonderful. I knew this would come along just swimmingly.
Chapter Eight: Pizza Night
Tristan
I was very confused when Zack showed up on Tuesday and asked for Eva.
"Uh, yea, she's here, why?"
Zack gave me a weird look. "Because we're hanging out today," he explained slowly.
"But I thought – never mind. Come in," I said, stepping back. "Is Winter coming with you?"
Zack gave me a sidelong look, like he was trying to figure me out. "No," he finally said. "Winter's not coming."
"Why not?" I demanded.
Zack looked at me pointedly.
Just then, my younger sister dashed downstairs, Winter hot on her heels.
"Give them back, Ev!" she was shouting exasperatedly.
"Nuh-uh," she said, childishly sticking her tongue out. She looked nice – her blonde hair was shiny and straight, and she was wearing her nicest pair of jeans.
Winter returned the action before noticing that Zack and I were staring at their childish exchange. Next to Eva, she looked extremely casual. She had stolen a pair of my clean track sweats, which were slightly too long; only the tips of her little toes peeked out. They hung low on her hips and I could see that she was wearing a pair of dark green plaid boxers underneath (and guess who those belonged to?). Her hair was up in a messy, haphazard bun. But her dark eyes were sparkling. They connected with mine for a second before flickering over to Zack's. "Zack! Hi," she said. She pointed at Eva. "She stole my earrings! So don't compliment her on them. They're mine!"
"Not anymore," Eva said smugly, fingering the miniscule silver stars. "Hey, Zack."
"Hi," he replied. "Ready to go?"
I was overwhelmed. What was going on? Someone had turned the tables here.
"They're going to go hang out," Winter said, her voice rushed and worried. "Okay, Tristan?" She bit her lip.
I nodded. "Fine. Come back by eleven."
Winter and I shared a smile. She said she thought I would make a good dad someday, with all the practice I was getting. She and Eva hugged, and she whispered something in her ear that made my sister giggle.
After that, something passed between Winter and Zack, something I couldn't quite place. They each held the other's gaze for a moment, and some silent message was conveyed. Eva didn't seem to notice.
"Alright," Winter said, breaking the eye contact. Zack continued to watch her, even after she had looked away. "Have fun! Don't drink too much, don't grope in public, and don't get thrown out of the theater for raucous behavior!" With that, she ushered Zack and Eva out of the house. "See y'all later!" I heard her voice call out as the two drove away.
"Winter?" I started slowly as she shut the door quietly behind her.
"Yes?" she sighed.
"What just happened?"
She shrugged. "Eva's out on a date," she stated simply.
"I figured as much. So the whole 'Zack is cute, he'll be a good boyfriend' thing was all for Eva?"
"Yeah," she said curiously. "Why?"
"I thought…I kind of thought that…"
Winter's eyes softened. "Yeah?" she prompted me gently.
"I thought that it was about Zack and you."
"What?" She looked surprised. "Me and Zack?"
"Yeah," I said.
"Nah," she replied, moving past me to the refrigerator. She took out some cold pasta from last night and began heating it up. "We wouldn't 'click' together as a couple." She fingered the quotation marks in the air, rolling her eyes. "He annoys the living daylights out of me. I can't see it, anyway."
I could, I thought to myself. She and Zack would look good together. It seemed… they almost belonged. Eva and Zack, now that was a combination I never would have suspected. When the subject of Zack as a boyfriend had been brought up the other day, I had thought Winter was asking to see if I approved of her and Zack together. I definitely would have.
I didn't have any objections to Eva going out with Zack – not in the least. I could tell, even after our brief meeting, that he was a good kid; I already trusted him. It just seemed to me that he was chasing the wrong girl.
"Where is everyone?" Winter asked, hands on hips. The microwave was on and turning. The house was unnaturally quiet.
"Emily's at her friend's place until 8, Matty's got soccer practice and then he's going to Mike's house for dinner, Samantha's upstairs holed up in her room, reading most likely, and Anthony's fooling around at the tennis courts with his friends or something."
She looked at me, then grinned. "I knew you would be a good dad," she said, reaching over and hugging me.
"Come on," she continued. "We pretty much have the house to ourselves. We can relax for a while. Let's get pizza. My treat. We'll bring it back here to eat."
"You're heating up the pasta," I pointed out.
"Not anymore," she said decisively, stopping the microwave and replacing the pasta to its original spot in the fridge.
"Come on, let's go," she said.
"You're going out wearing sweats?" I asked incredulously. "My sweats?"
"Why not?" she shrugged.
Man, this girl was crazy. But I loved it. Everyone did.
xxxxx
"God, I am so full," Winter groaned.
"Tell me about it," I said without energy.
"Do you think we would get that fat if we ate a few more pizzas?" she asked me, pointing at the image of a sumo wrestler on the muted TV. It was the only source of light in the room. All other lights were off.
"I think the three pizzas we shared will start us off," I said.
"Don't forget the two boxes of buffalo wings."
"And the 2-liter bottle of Pepsi."
We moaned simultaneously. In all honesty though, I hadn't had this much fun in a really long time.
We were sitting on opposite ends of the couch, facing each other. My long legs were stretched out to full length, and Winter was sitting with her legs crossed Indian style. My feet were touching her shins, and she was absently playing with the toes of my socks.
"Tristan?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
I stared at her. "What?"
"As in, brother-sister love," she said quickly.
I relaxed.
"Winter?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you too."
She smiled. "Good. 'Cause I'd adopt you as my big bro any day."
I chuckled. "Good to know."
We sat in comfortable silence.
"Tristan?"
"Yeah?"
She frowned. "What do you th
ink of Eva and Zack together?"
I cocked my head. "Well," I said slowly. "I guess it's okay with me."
She nodded, looking happy with my answer. I smiled at her – she was so adorable. "Come here," I said.
She clambered over my legs and settled in my lap like a little kid – relaxed in my arms and leaned back into my chest. She turned her head a little – the top of her head just grazed the bottom of my chin.
"You haven't shaved in a while," she said, tracing her index fingertip over the stubble.
I shrugged. "Too lazy," I grinned mischievously. "Besides, the ladies like it. Sexy and rugged and all that."
She laughed.
I sighed contentedly. At that moment I thought I could live the rest of my days like this. Screw college.
"You need to find yourself a girl," Winter said suddenly.
"Mmm," I murmured, closing my eyes.
"I'm serious," she said. I could feel her playing with the sleeves of her sweatshirt – actually, my football hoodie, yet another item of clothing she had stolen. She had this thing with picking my clean sports clothes out of the wash.
"You're the only girl in my life," I joked. "Remember all those hot nights?" I opened my eyes and gave her a fake smoldering look.
She smirked. "Yeah, or the time we did it in a broom closet?" She rolled her eyes and pretended to faint. "So heavenly. Too bad the janitor came and put a stop to it."
We both laughed.
"Really, Tristan," Winter said. "One day some lucky girl will catch your attention. Just… make sure she's worth it, okay?" She looked at me earnestly. "And bring her to me for screening first," she added as an afterthought.
I chuckled and closed my eyes again. I felt her pulling a blanket over us.
We had to have fallen asleep. It must have been maybe two hours later when my closed eyes were attacked by bright lights. Winter stirred in my arms – she must have sensed it too.
"Gee, Eva," I heard her saying. "Did you have to turn on all the lights? Oh, hi Zack."
I sat up a little straighter, pulling her up with me.
"Hey," Zack said to the room at large.