Little Girl Blue - 𝐖𝐋𝐖

𝐈. Philia - Seventeen

I scratched my head, leaning against the arm rest of the couch. My eyes were still adjusting, "Yeah, uh, I've never been one for getting much sleep..."

The freezer slammed, a tube of peach ice cream jarred between Jane's hand. "This might help," Though she said it very unenthusiastically. I was surprised when she retrieved two spoons and pulled out the two wooden chairs at the nook, screeching along the tile in quiet of the aging home.

I stood, wobbling away to the table, still gnawing at the corner of my eyes to remove any crust. She used her spoon to swirl around until a large scoop was taken out. Licking the sides, "I almost feel bad for sticking you on the couch, you know with the springs being broken and everything."

"Almost?" I rubbed my back, at last sitting down. "It's like you're trying to punish me."

"I should be, you're quite the delinquent."

I smiled, partially from relief. The air surrounding the kitchen was dense, especially with Jane so close, where I could see the end of the dress rise on her body, every shift or movement exposing the start of her skin. "I don't need you getting more of a kick out of me than you already do. I'll just take the screwed up mattress."

She chuckled, bouncing off of my shoulder with her own. Her tongue stuck out again to wrap around her spoon. I took my own scoop, "the peaches really add something." She moaned.

I nodded in agreement, chewing the few bits. The silence drifting back between us, "I don't like when you're mad at me." I said.

"Don't make me mad, then" Her eyes remained closed, bathing in the ecstasy of the creamy treat.

"Jane." Her name was becoming so abundant in my vocabulary, "Don't be like that, what was I supposed to do?"

"Say no."

"That wouldn't have been a nice thing to do." I sunk further into my chair, the wooden bars pressing through my shirt.

She put down her spoon and sat up, "So if I were to ask to kiss you, right now, you wouldn't say no to me?"

I gulped, fixing my gaze back onto the tube. "That's different, it was a dare." I whispered.

"Then I dare you to kiss me."

My breath hitched, the air getting caught in my throat and catching at my lungs. "No." I uttered after I was able to get the coughing to a slow.

"At least now I know you can speak up for yourself." She sat back up, jabbing her utensil to get another chunk.

"You act like he took advantage of me."

"You were with him the whole night, I don't know what he was doing."

"I told you what happened, everything else you decided on." She stayed stoic. An expression hard to read gathered on her face. That beautiful face, that seemed so sad all the time looked like a blank canvas. Something ready to be twisted and manipulated at the strike of a match. I tried to find her somewhere in that dark place, pull her out of her own head. She got lost there all too often.

"Can you honestly say you blame me?" Something in her spoke out delicately, just loud enough for me to hear.

"No," I sighed, "I can't." The ice cream was turning into a cold soup, chunks of peaches gathered a the corners and leftover on our spoons. Jane washed the utensils, drying her hands off when we she came back to the table.

"It really is late now and you need sleep."

"What about you?" I looked up from the seat. The nightgown falling short between her breast. The mounds below hardening when a chill graced the house.

"I'll sleep in tomorrow. Think you can handle breakfast?" She peeked over with her eyebrows raised and cheeks squished.

"Yeah I got it."

"Come on, let's get you to bed." She walked me over to the pull out, pushing back the covers and telling me to get in.

"I've never been tucked in before." Jane fluffed my pillow and brought the blanket up to my chin. I wondered how unattractive I looked right now. Hair scattered about, lips dry.

"Well maybe that's why you've never gotten any good sleep." She got in also, tucking her arm beneath her head and turning to me. She reached out her hand and felt the mattress, bouncing a little. "I was hell to this bed as a child. My dad and I used to jump on it and use the sheet as a parachute." She laughed, a heartfelt one from the gut.

I smiled, "do you miss him?"

She snuggled closer, dropping her arm and lying on the pillow. "Everyday." She whispered, "he was great."

It was silent before I could talk again. Even her eyes started to close, "I hope you can forgive me. It was careless and inconsiderate. I won't do it again."

"Good." Was all she said, moving her hand to readjust the blanket that slid down my back. "Good."