Two Fish

eight || elver

Elver shifted from one foot to another, awkwardly smiling at Alaska.

“Mum, what’s he doing here?” Alaska asked sharply.

“Alaska, manners,” her mother snapped. Alaska grunted an apology and hitched up her towel.

“Elver here’s just come to drop your clothes off, honey, you know, the ones you left in his car.” She flashed Elver an apologetic smile. “We’re sorry to be such trouble, Elver,” she said warmly.

“Oh no, it’s no problem at all.” Elver smiled back, rather more forced than before. He held out the bag of dripping wet clothes, wishing he could just be swallowed up by the ground. Alaska snatched them from him and muttered something about getting changed, then ran back upstairs.

“I’m sorry about her, she’s going through a phase,” Alaska’s mother said, obviously embarrassed. Elver just kept smiling, not sure whether to leave or not. Alaska could come back down and be nice, couldn’t she? Once she was changed and less harassed, there was a chance, he hoped. He decided to stay a little longer, taking up the offer of some tea.

“So, Elver, what year are you in at school?” Alaska's mother asked, trying to sound casual but clearly worried about her daughter associating with someone far beyond her years, only after a floozy.

“Lower sixth, well, upper sixth when I go back,” Elver said, silently hoping with crossed fingers.

“Oh, same as Alaska. It’s scary, she’s grown up so fast,” she said, her tight posture somewhat loosening and an easy smile spreading across her face.

At that moment Alaska came in wearing a top and shorts, her hair tied up on top of her head in a messy bun. “Oh,” she said simply, staring at Elver with a blank face.

“I’m just going to nip to the loo,” Alaska’s mother said, rushing out; leaving Elver alone with Alaska.

“So, Alaska, what subjects are you doing?” Elver asked stupidly, kicking himself. Alaska raised a perfect eyebrow.

“Quit it with the conversation starters,” she said shortly, eyeing the knife about to fall onto Elver’s foot.

“I’m sorry,” Elver muttered.

“You can quit it with apologies too,” Alaska added with a mischievous smile. Elver had to use every ounce of his willpower to stop himself from apologizing. “You knocked me into the pond,” Alaska said, testing him.

“Oh, I’m so sorr-” Elver stopped, realising the trap he’d fallen in to. He grinned at Alaska and she gave him a knowing smile.

“See? You just can’t take it,” Alaska gave a half smile.

“Alright, I admit defeat,” Elver mock surrendered. Alaska suddenly turned cold.

“You should go,” she said, taking Elver by surprise, “I’ve got things to do.”

“Oh,” said Elver, crestfallen. “I could help you,” he suggested, a hopeful inflection in his tone.

“I’ll manage.”

“Ok, well, I guess I’ll see you around,” Elver said.

“Yeah, maybe,” Alaska said, sounding like she’d rather not. Elver gave a quick smile and rushed out, knocking his hip on the corner of the kitchen table on the way. He dived into the front seat of his little green car and started it up. He’d reached about half way out of the drive when he realised something: he couldn’t let Alaska go.

“I thought you’d gone,” Alaska said as Elver burst through the pristine glass kitchen door. “I thought I asked you to go.”

“Well, I had, but, er, well, if you wanted to hang around then maybe …” He trailed off and handed Alaska a slip of paper with his number scribbled in pencil.

“Oh. I don’t think I need this,” Alaska said, making Elver turn a fuchsia pink.

“Oh, ok. Please,” Elver said without thinking. He mentally pinched himself, so he was actually begging now.

“Ok,” Alaska stuffed the slip into her pocket, amused at Elver’s actions.

“I’ll just be going then,” Elver said, hoping for an offer to stay. But no offer came, Alaska simply nodded her head, turned on her heel and ran upstairs.

Half an hour later, Elver was spilling out the events of the day to Cathy, both of them sitting on the kitchen table munching toast, while she listened and nodded her head every now and then.

“Cathy, I was such an idiot. I practically begged her to take my number, why did I even try to give her my number?” Elver groaned and Cathy furrowed her eyebrows.

“Well, it may not have turned out quite as you hoped, but look on the bright side,” Cathy tried to cheer him up, but wasn’t helping; she couldn’t think of anything to finish that sentence.

“What should I do?” Elver asked desperately.

“I’m not sure. Maybe you should just leave it,” Cathy suggested.

“I can’t just leave it,” Elver muttered, getting annoyed.

“Well, did you get her number?” Cathy asked.

“No, she didn’t even want to take my number, she tried to give it back and I begged her to take it,” Elver said. Cathy accidently let out a giggle, causing Elver to sit bolt upright and push her off the table. She landed with a squeal on a pile of laundry. Elver chuckled after a moment of panic that he’d hurt her, and the two ended up shoving each other around, messing up the clean laundry and temporarily forgetting the less than satisfactory day.