Tightrope

Elly Belly

Knight had only just crawled into his position when the door creaked open. Liv popped her head around and smiled when she saw that my light was still on. "Hey, Elly Belly," said Liv, smiling dopily. Great, she was slightly tipsy. And Knight was definitely going to call me Elly Belly for the next two weeks, minimum. Oh my God, he was probably going to relabel all my possessions with the moniker.

"You didn't drive home, did you?" I asked. Liv could be a bit of a wild child at times.

"No," said Liv with a laugh. "I am the pinnacle of responsibility! Some random guy at the wedding drove me home."

"Very responsible," I said, amused. It wasn't the greatest decision of all time, but I hoped that Jack and Elena hadn't invited any potential assholes to the wedding—the Knight's excluded—who would take advantage of my poor, tipsy sister. It was, at least, a better option than driving home. I bet he was hot; Liv definitely could've just gotten an Uber. "The poster child."

Liv winked at me with a slight sigh. "He was pretty. I can't resist pretty."

"What was his name?"

"Zac something. Zac... Pretty Face."

I raised an eyebrow at her as she slumped down on the bed next to me, effectively ruining Knight's carefully crafted butt indentation. "You mean the best man? Zac Delaney?"

Zac Delaney definitely fit the profile, given he was one of the best-looking people I'd ever laid my eyes on. And he was Liv's type to a T; nice, humble, a laid-back country guy who still had ambition, drive and aspiration. She would literally eat him up.

Liv looked up at the roof, her nose screwed up in deep thought. "You know, he might've mentioned that he was the best man. And Laney is such a pretty name. I like it."

I brushed the hair back from her forehead gently as she smiled at the ceiling; a secretive smile, meant only for the unseeing blankness of plaster and paint.

"So, you're into him?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

Liv gasped. "No!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh. Okay."

She didn't respond; she just grinned.

Underneath the bed came a slight noise; almost a groan. Knight, fidgeting. Could that idiot not stay still for five goddamn minutes? I swear I needed to get him tested; it really wasn't that hard.

"Can you hear something?" Olivia asked, frowning. She sat up from her spot and went to look around, but I placed a hand on her shoulder calmingly.

"Must be a rat. A very large, irritating rat. Probably a rat with rabies and constipation issues, riddled with many diseases," I said pointedly. I could tell that Knight was glaring at me from beneath the bed. "Maybe a whole rat family. I can deal with the filthy vermin, give it a very stern talking-to. You should go to bed, Liv, you've had a big night."

"No, it doesn't sound like a rat," she said, standing up. I tried to wave her off, but she looked at the base of my bed thoughtfully, listening. Instead of going still, I heard a small knock that sounded like an elbow against wood. "I think it's coming from under your bed."

"No, no, no," I said rapidly, grabbing her arm as she went to bed down. "Nothing under there."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "What, are you hiding a boy under there?"

I laughed awkwardly, staring at the ceiling. I was usually better at lying than this, but lying to Olivia had never been something I was capable of. Hence the awkward rom-com how-can-a-human-genuinely-be-this-bad-at-lying lie. She was just so analytical, even when tipsy. "What? A boy. Under my bed? Nooooo."