The Thing About Flip Flops

Chapter Three: My Brother And I Have A Spontaneous Vocabulary Lesson

He stares into my green eyes with his big hopeful blue ones, and my heart softens. "Please, Audrey," he repeats.

I glance at my feet, thinking. He hurt me, yes. But as stupid as it sounds, he's not a bad guy. I do still like him, and he was a good boyfriend while we were dating. He was pretty drunk that night himself, maybe it wasn't his fault for not realizing the punch was vodka.

And at least he got me home safely, didn't he?

"Okay," I say at long last, with a shy smile. "Okay! We can try this again. But Chris..."

He looks like he's holding back a grin and he says, "Yes?"

"Baby steps," I say, "We need to take it slow if we want this relationship to work. Promise?"

His face lights up in a radiant smile and I suddenly remember why I liked him so much, and realize I still do. He wraps his arms around my shoulders and squeezes me in an affectionate hug, making my cheeks heat up in a blush. "I promise."

He pulls back slightly to look in my eyes, "To new beginnings?"

"You're cheesy," I mumble with a small smile.

The bell rings and at the same time, the hall monitor shouts at us that we have to get moving in order to make it to our classes on time.

He chuckles and says, "You know it. I'll see you around, then, Aud." He gives me a wink and jogs away with his backpack over his shoulder.

I turn to Henry, who has wandered back to my locker. I don't know how much he overheard, but he definitely saw the hug.

"Ah, young love..." Henry snickers, pretending to swoon. "So I take it it went well?"

I elbow him, "It's none of your business, but we made up. We're fine now."

He elbows me back, wiggling his eyebrows. "Does Dad know yet?"

I grimace, thinking about how the hell I'm going to tell my Dad I'm getting back together with Chris. "Shit... I didn't think of that."

Henry laughs, "Ha! Poor you, that'll be hilarious to watch though."

I glare at him but don't hesitate when he holds out his fist. I give him one of our signature fist-bumps that we made up in fourth grade. With the kicking and the hair yanking and everything. Henry's strawberry blond hair, the same as mine, is even messier than usual now.

"Careful, Rapunzel. Maybe flatten your hair. Flynn might think you've been fornificating with other thieves."

Henry rolls his eyes, knowing that I'm teasing him about his overprotective girlfriend, Melissa Flynn.

Melissa is awesome and honestly really good for Henry, but she moved to New York State to be with her sick grandmother. She left in September. Henry and Melissa still video chat every single a day. That is some hardcore, loyal stuff right there.

She visits sometimes, though, and it always makes Henry so happy and excited. And then depressed once she inevitably leaves.

"Please." Henry rolls his eyes. "She trusts me wholeheartedly. I think."

"Since when do you say 'wholeheartedly'?"

"Since when do you say 'fornificating'?" He counters.

"Touché."

"Since when do you say-"

The bell rings, cutting Henry off. I turn and leave for my next class, which is AP Literature, leaving him to yell down the hallway: "-TOUCHÉ?!"