PINKY PROMISE ; CLEARWATER

IV.

"Oh, that. But wait, that's not fair, I wanted to apologize about that." He spoke up, remembering why he wanted to talk to her again so soon. "I was the one who made things awkward. I just couldn't think of anything to say, so I stayed silent before I could say something embarrassing."

At that, Nicole had to laugh, her laughter ringing through Seth's ears as he smiled alongside her. "No, no, it was totally my fault."

"It really wasn't," Seth exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "Anyway, let's change topics before we start fighting."

Nicole nodded along to that, a big smile still present on her face. "Okay, then how about you tell me more about your family," she told him.

"Oh, you're moving fast," Seth said, winking at her, and patting himself on the back, in his head, as her cheeks turned pink and she sputtered something about her not meaning it like that.

"Well, I have an older sister, you probably know her name, Leah. She hates me most of the time and beats me up when I take her things, but if we're being honest, I think she loves me. Then there's my mum. She bakes the best cakes in the whole world and always lets me snack on the dough. Then there's also my dad. He's the one who suggested I should try soccer, and he comes along to watch all of my games with Leah and mum."

Nicole smiled at him, he really loved his family and yet again he checked a box in her dream boy checklist. "That's really sweet of them. My parents didn't have time to come to my games because they're always busy and if I'm being honest I don't like them watching me. I get super nervous when they do that."

"I totally get that," Seth agreed immediately, recalling the first few games to which his dad showed up. "I also hated it in the beginning but my dad didn't care. He said either he can go to my games or I'm not allowed to go fishing with him anymore. That's when I gave in, because I love going fishing."

"I'll let you in on a secret," Nicole said and signaled for Seth to lean in, so she could whisper in his ear. "I've never, ever in my whole life gone fishing."

Seth gasped in shock, putting his hand over his heart. "And you live here? On the reservation with all of us? Shame on you."

Nicole just shrugged, an innocent grin on her face. "You could change that though."

Seth stopped walking for a second, his thoughts running wild. "What do you mean by that?"

"You tell me. Here's my class. Bye Seth and thanks again for coming with me!" Nicole said and waved at him, the grin still on her face.

"Okay stop, she said 'you could change that' and you didn't get the clue that she was, like, telling you to go fishing with her?" David asked his best and also his seemingly dumbest friend once again.

Seth buried his face in his arms, "That's what I've been telling you the past thirty minutes. I don't know how I didn't get that. My brain just short circuited because she was smiling at me. Have you seen her smile? It's beautiful, I couldn't think of anything else."

"Wow, wow, wow." David slowed Seth down. "I know that she's your dream girl but slow down a bit with the swooning, I'll get sick otherwise. But really, get it together and ask her to go fishing with you next weekend, that would also be the perfect opportunity to get her number."

Seth, having registered the last part of David's words, focused on the first one. "You think I'm exaggerating? She sure as hell thinks that I'm too clingy. I'm making my moves way too fast but it kind of feels right, I mean yes, there was that awkward first conversation but after that? We totally hit it off."

"I say, you just ask her out on a fishing date, though, now that I say it out loud it sounds kind of dumb. You know what? You have an older sister ask her for advice, I'm pretty sure it'll be way better than mine."

Seth nodded at that, "You're probably right. Leah will know what to do."

"I have no idea what you should do, Seth," Leah said to her younger brother, who was sprawled out on the floor of her room.

He has rambled on about his problem for the past hour, not once giving Leah the possibility to chime in, so she just stopped listening to him and continued reading her book. "Explain to me what exactly is your problem and if you don't keep it short I'll tell mum and dad that you have a crush on a girl."

"No, please don't, you win." Seth quickly exclaimed and recounted his story, this time keeping it short.

Leah nodded as Seth finally finished talking, he now sat on her bed, she wanted to get him out of her room as soon as possible. "I don't get what's the problem here. You like her and it seems like she likes you too, or at least is interested in you, how someone can manage that I don't know. Maybe her parents dropped her a few times when she was younger."

"Leah, I need your help right now, you can insult me later," Seth told his sister in frustration.

"As I said, I don't see any problem here. If what you said to me was true, she practically shouted in your face that she wants to go on a date with you and if it's fishing you can even show off your skills."

Seth nodded along to her words, "But am I not moving too fast? We had like one real conversation, isn't it weird if I ask her out now?"

Leah shrugged and leaned back on the wall. "I don't really think so, but if you're that worried then just try talking to her more often, before you ask her out. Now get out of my room before I start beating you up, oh and I get your dessert for the next two weeks and you have to buy me three packages of sour patches."

Seth got up before Leah could kick him, "Why should I do all of that?"

"What I gave you just now was gold worth, so of course it's not free," Leah responded nonchalantly.

"And what if I don't give you all of that?" Seth asked in an attempt to get out of spending his money on so many sweets.

"Then I'll just have to tell mum and dad about everything we talked about just now and maybe I'll even go to that restaurant she works at."

"You wouldn't-" Seth was about to say but with one look at his sister he was reminded of who was in front of him, so he shut up. "Okay, I'll get the sour patches for you." As he left the room, though he made sure to leave the door open.

"Seth, you little shit!"