by Jessica Roe
It's not like we'd need to tell him anyway, because he already knows. And Blair knows that he knows, despite her tough girl act. Silver knows because everything she just spoke about is reflected in his eyes every single time he looks at her. The guy, he adores her, every little inch of her. It's probably the only reason my daddy didn't murder him when he found out about their relationship.
Ibbie fans a hand in front of her face to ward off tears – she's such a drama queen. “Damn, girlfriend. You'll get me going.”
Blair sighs awkwardly. “Don't make this weird.”
I leave the bed and take Blair's vacated bench seat, leaning towards the mirror to apply another unneeded layer of clear lip-gloss – anything to avoid looking in the eyes of the three girls behind me. If I do, they're sure to see the pure and unadulterated panic that filled me at Blair's words. “Damn,” I mumble, dropping my chin onto my hands.
My sister knows me far too well. “That's it, I'm meeting this guy,” she tells me, no room for argument in the tone of her voice. She's only a few months older than I am but she has the protective older sibling thing down way too well.
“I don't know,” I stall, though it's not actually a bad idea.
“Why not? You've met the people in his life, now it's his turn. Besides, if you don't arrange something I'll just tell Nash and Zac about him and you know they'll hunt him down.” She smirks evilly, smug in the knowledge that her threat of our older brothers will work. Those two are boneheads – overprotective boneheads. And even though Zac is currently traveling the world with his college girlfriend after graduating last year, he would totally jump on a plane home the second he thought he needed to beat some guy up on my behalf.
“Good point.” I nod. “I'll arrange something sometime.”
“Tomorrow,” she corrects me. “Tomorrow is Friday, arrange it for then.”
“Fine, but only if it's casual. Drinks or something. And you can't be super psycho and threaten to cut him open or anything like you did with Adrian.”
“Ugh,” all three girls chorus at the sound of my ex's name.
“No promises,” Blair says. I call that progress.
I text Reid and he immediately messages back to confirm. He sounds really happy.
I wish I'd done this sooner.
Ibbie squeezes herself on the bench seat next to me, bumping me over with her butt. Glaring at the mirror, she runs annoyed fingers through her hair. “My hair hates me, it won't behave. Dahlia, how do you always get yours so perfect?”
Dahlia shrugs, draining the last of her wine. She's been ready longer than the rest of us. “Naturally, darling. This is how my hair looks when I wake up in the morning.”
“She's lying, right?” Ibbie asks me. “Tell me she's lying.”
“Sad, but it's true,” I confirm.
Ibbie narrows her eyes at Dahlia in the mirror, then switches to me. “So we're killing her then?”
Outside the bedroom, the front door of the apartment slams closed. “Baby, I'm home!” Silver's muffled voice calls.
“We're in here,” she shouts back. A wide smile stretches across her face, almost like it's uncontrollable, caused by the knowledge that she'll get to see him any second even though it's only been hours since they saw each other last.
“You girls decent?”
“You may enter,” Dahlia allows benevolently.
Silver drags his feet into the bedroom, looking worn out. His pale yellow shirt is creased and his curly hair sticks up all over the place as if he's run his hands through it again and again. I know for a fact that my weird sister likes it this way.
“Hey,” he greets tiredly. He pauses as he takes in the mess. “Whoa.”
Ibbie shrugs. “Girls' night.”
He nods, like that's a perfectly reasonable explanation.
Blair grins at him from the bed. “You look like a zombie,” she informs him cheerfully.
“Long ass day.”
“Guess what? We get to meet Reid tomorrow. We're super excited and we're not going to threaten to maim him.”
“Thank you,” I say graciously.
“I said we wouldn't threaten to maim him, not that we wouldn't actually maim him. He just wouldn't be warned about said maiming beforehand.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Why exactly are we maiming him?”
“I don't know,” she muses. “Maybe I'm just in a violent mood tonight.”
“Does this mean I get to do some pummeling?” Silver asks, jokingly punching his fist into his palm. Though he's teasing, I know there's an element of truth there too. Silver's been a part of our family forever and he's like another protective older brother to me.
“I feel like you used to be less violent when you were our teacher,” Ibbie says. She looks to Blair and nods. “Well done.”
Stifling a yawn, Silver walks forward and flops down over Blair, squishing her to the bed. She giggles and slaps his shoulder, but he doesn't budge.
“Tired,” he grumbles.
“Hey!” I throw my tube of lip-gloss at him. It hits his shoulder and rolls off. “You'll ruin her hair. I spent like, a whole five minutes on that.”
“Don't care, too tired,” he mumbles into her neck. “Actually. . .” He pushes himself up onto his elbows to look down at her. “You look incredible. No way am I letting you go out tonight looking that good – guys will be dropping at your feet and you're all mine,” he growls playfully. “Aw man, this dress. . .”
Blair laughs again because he doesn't really mean it. Silver would never try to tell her what to wear, and if he did, she'd probably punch him in the junk. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him.
“Mm,” he says into her mouth. “That's better.”
I clear my throat to remind them that we're still here because, as usual, they seem to have forgotten that other people exist. “Um, hello? Try to refrain from getting nasty right here in front of your sister. I'm already emotionally fragile.”
Silver takes a bite out of her shoulder. “You taste really good too.”
Dahlia makes a gagging sound. “This is just getting gross. I'm going to steal some booze out of your fridge. Not listening? Okay, good.” She ambles out of the bedroom. Ibbie and I hastily follow behind when Silver's hands start roaming over Blair's dress. Their laughter follows us out of the room – they wouldn't really have gotten frisky in front of us, but making people uncomfortable is one of Blair's favorite things. She's like an evil little sprite.
“Gah,” Ibbie complains. “Do they have to be so in love? It's just indecent.”
Blair joins us a minute later, her eyes sparkling. She practically radiates happiness.
The two of them, they aren't perfect. Silver can be kind of judgmental and thickheaded, and though she's better at it now, Blair isn't always good at letting people in. Even their relationship isn't perfect – they fight and he gets under her skin and she does her best to drive him completely crazy. Then they make up with an untamed passion, only to do it all over again. But together. . .together they're just better. They complete each other. They're the only two people in the whole world who could ever really make each other happy.
I realize something then, right at that moment.
That's what I want. I want what Blair has. I want the sparkle in my eyes, I want the passion and the love and the fighting and the making up and there's only one person I want it with. Because out of all the guys I've ever known, only one has ever made me truly happy, and now I realize that that's what's really important in life, not the materialistic crap I've always aimed for.
Money doesn't matter. Stupid, fancy jobs don't matter. Flawless looks and flawless manners don't matter. My stupid, totally wrong idea of what perfection is doesn't matter. I don't want any of that.
I want the risk. The risk of knowing that he has the power to crush me, but believing with all of my heart that he won't.
I just want Reid.
Friday evening draws around fast and I find myself both excited and so nervous
it's got me completely on edge. I fidget tirelessly, twisting my rings around and around my fingers until I'm sure I'll wear the skin away.
We decided to meet in Kandy's. I thought it'd be good to be some place familiar, but if the girls I usually work with shoot one more look of lust Reid's way I'm going to do some serious damage with my nails.
Ugh, I'm such a girl.
I hate to admit that Walt is ever right about anything ever, but Kandy's pretty much is an uppity college kid bar. It's a nice place – polished wooden floors and dark red walls with round tables and space to dance – though it's kind of lax when it comes to carding people.
Abandoning my rings, I stir the half melted ice-cubes around my water, barely able to hear their tinkle over the steady hum of voices.
Reid watches me from across the table with an amused little smile – the one that turns my insides to goo. “What's with you¸ Cindy?”
“Nothing,” I lie, but he's not buying it. “Okay, I'm just nervous is all.”
He gets an adorably confused expression on his face. “About me meeting your sister and her boyfriend? Why?”
I shrug, abandoning the ice-cubes to tap my pink nails against the table top. “I just want them to like you, and I want you to like them. If you don't get along then. . .I don't know what I'll do. You're so important to me and I just. . .” My voice trails off when I realize what I just said, what I admitted.
Reid blinks once, then looks at me with warm eyes. He reaches across the table and takes my hands in his.
It's the first time he's purposefully touched me since we agreed to be friends again. My heart pounds in my chest despite the touch being simple and innocent.
“Hey, guys.” The table jerks as Blair flops down in a seat. Our moment comes to an abrupt end. “Sorry I'm late. Steve saw me come in and tried to get me to work tonight. I know he's our boss but the guy is-” She pauses, taking in our clasped hands. A small smile turns up the corners of her mouth. “I could just go away and come back in fifteen? Or twenty? Or tomorrow?” She wiggles her stupid eyebrows up and down suggestively.
I send her the bitch glare and pull my hands away, but Reid recaptures one and holds it against his thigh under the table. He holds the other out to my evil sister. “You must be Blair. It's awesome to meet you. Finally,” he adds pointedly, and I roll my eyes. Not helping.
She shakes his hand, her eyes twinkling. “You know, you really are as gorgeous as Jemma went on and on about.” She sticks an obnoxious hand in my face when I open my mouth to tell her to shut the heck up. “And I promise not to maim you. Unless you hurt my sister, then all bets are off. Just saying.”
Reid's eyes widen just a fraction. He's a big guy, and Blair is just a teeny little thing, but she sure manages to throw off a scary vibe when she wants to. “Um. . .thank you?”
“You're welcome.” She shines a bright smile my way. “He has manners, you should keep him.”
Silently, I think to myself, I will. “Where's Silver?” I ask out loud.
“Stuck on detention duty. He'll be here soon.”
“What kind of a school holds detention on a Friday?” Reid seems offended by the very idea.
“A school run by Satan. Though Silver's boss is a woman so. . .Satanessa? It's almost enough to make me think fondly of Fortune High.” She pulls a face then, probably remembering Fortune High as the place she was a student and the love of her life a teacher which is just all kinds of horrific. “Actually, scratch that.”
I shouldn't have worried so much over Reid and Blair getting along – of course they get along. They're both cocky and smug and sarcastic and fiercely loyal to the people they care about. They're both outwardly strong yet secretly vulnerable. They've both been through so much crap in their lives and have come out the other side of it with their heads held high. It's why I love them both so much.
Not that I love Reid, I-
Oh, screw it.
The entire time they talk, Reid's hand never once leaves mine under the table. His thumb gently caresses my palm, circling the extra sensitive skin and making my blood feel like it's full of fizzy sherbet. His thigh feels hot even through the material of his jeans.
Whenever Reid isn't looking, Blair sends exaggerated kissy face my way. He catches her twice, but that doesn't stop her. If anything, it only encourages her, because clearly she's the devil.
“Silver will be here any minute,” she announces thirty minutes after she arrived, checking her cell. “I'm gonna run and get him a drink. You guys want anything?”
“Let me get them,” Reid offers chivalrously, but I wave my hand to stop him.
“Steve never makes her pay,” I explain, nodding discretely at our sleazy boss. “He's got a thing for her.”
“It's because of my sexy booty,” she adds helpfully.
“I'll have another ice water,” I tell her. It seems important that I keep a clear head tonight.
Reid eyes me for a second. “Me too, thanks.”
As soon as Blair hits the bar she's joined by a couple of college guys – they're stupid easy to spot. I can't hear from here but they've definitely got their flirt on. Even in a pair of ripped jeans and a gray off the shoulder top and her old biker boots my sister radiates sexiness and guys are drawn to her. She gives off a don't-screw-with-me vibe which instantly makes men want to screw her.
“Won't her guy be pissed when he gets here and sees them all over her?” Reid asks.
One of Blair's admirers rests a hand on her shoulder. She picks it off and drops it onto the bar like a used tissue.
“Maybe, but he knows he doesn't have anything to worry about. She's a smitten kitten when it comes to Silver.”
“I hope there's no trouble.”
I smirk, imagining Silver starting a fistfight. I mean, he totally would if he thought someone was disrespecting Blair, but he's never been the fighting type. “What kind of guy are you expecting?” I question curiously.
Reid shrugs. “Someone like me, I guess. Or Walt. Someone who doesn't take shit.”
A laugh escapes me. “You mean someone like Blair?”
“Sure.”
I grin.
Less than a minute later the bar door opens and Silver pushes his way in, still in his clothes from work. He looks adorably dorky in his shirt and waistcoat with his curly hair and shoulder bag.
Hearing the door, Blair turns her head slightly. She smiles widely when she realizes it's him. Without a word to her new friends, she glides past them right into Silver's arms. He lays one hand on his shoulder bag to stop it slipping and the other on the inch of skin showing on her back between her top and jeans, then he leans down and kisses her soundly.
I sneak a look at Reid, who is watching them with his pierced eyebrow raised. “Huh,” is all he says.
Glancing back at them, my heart melts just a little. They may be total opposites, but I barely even notice any more.
They arrive back at the table a couple of minutes later with drinks. Reid stands to shake Silver's hand but when he sits back down, he immediately claims possession of mine again.
Reid and Silver spend the next twenty minutes talking sport. Neither of them are even really into sport but it's super cute that they're finding a common ground. Silver keeps an arm around the back of Blair's chair the entire time, idly playing with the ends of her long hair.
“So how'd you guys meet?” Reid wants to know.
My sister arches a bemused eyebrow at me. “You haven't explained?”
“It's funnier watching you do it.” I smile innocently.
Reid glances between us. “What's the deal?”
Silver clears his throat awkwardly. He opens his mouth as if to say something, but closes it again quickly.
“You guys are really going to have to get used to telling people this story at some point,” I say, not bothering to hide my grin.
“We met at a diner,” Silver eventually gets out. To be fair, it's not actually a lie.
“Then he was kind of my tea
cher,” Blair imparts with a shrug. This story doesn't bother her nearly as much as it does him.
“Kind of?” Reid asks.
“Well, totally. He was totally my teacher.”
Silver gives her The Look. “So we're just blurting that part out now?”
“What are we supposed to do? Ease him into it? It's more of a blurt out piece of information. Don't you think?” She looks at Reid.
“Uhm.”
“See, Reid agrees.”
I turn to him. “They bicker a lot. You get used to it.”
“Was he really her teacher?” he asks in a low voice, though Blair and Silver are too busy driving each other crazy to notice.
“Yes, but it's a long story, and much less icky than it sounds, I swear. I'll tell you later.”
Unaware of our conversation, Silver is shaking his head at Blair. “You're so damn annoying.”
For a reason I've never quite understood, this shuts down any comeback Blair might have been readying. She smiles sweetly and leans closer to whisper something in his ear. He swallows, his eyes flickering to Reid and me for the briefest second before latching back onto her. He's clearly trying not to grin, but it's an epic fail.
“Really?” he asks her quietly. “Right now?”
The look on her face is positively devious.
Silver clears his throat again and stands immediately, his eyes sparkling. “We'll uh. . .we'll be right back.” Then he grabs Blair's hand and yanks her through the steadily growing crowd and out of the door.
Laughing, Reid asks, “What the hell was that about?”
“Trust me,” I say dryly, shaking my head. “You do not want to know. It's their weird thing. They fight, he calls her annoying, Blair swoons and they disappear. One time Ibbie and I followed them out of pure nosiness and we saw them doing things in Silver's Jeep that no sister ever needs to see.” I shiver at the memory. Bad, bad times.