Ten & Levan

9. Nine

LEVAN

"Okay..." Ten whispers.

Even though it's barely audible, I watch her voice blow life into the trees, her warmth seeps inside them and the leaves start to sway. They forget that they aren't supposed to act this way. They are careless around Ten and I, like we're not so different after all.

"Um, what color do you think the leaves are?" she questions, her eyes scanning the obviously green leaves on the trees, "I think they're white," she tells me, picking up a fallen white leaf from the ground and examining it.

"I think they're all dried up and brown," I tell her, honestly. I'm not even trying to be subtle now. If she wants to run away, she can do it right about now. I wouldn't even wonder why and how. I don't even have to close my eyes, I can already see her running, full speed away. She runs, runs, runs. I blink; she looks up at me and mirrors my frown. I can tell that she wonders if I'm lost and if I'll ever be found.

"Um," her lips press together and perform a little dance, "let's think about a person we have in common," she mutters, puckering her lips as she tries to think. But since that makes me want to keep staring at her, I look away. "Ms. Kripski! What color do you think she is?"

"I think she's a dull gray. She's so dull she bores herself," I say. Her hand flies to her mouth and slaps it. Don't tell me she thinks our math teacher is some kind of fuchsia.

"Holy fuck, I think she's gray too!" she replies. Okay, we matched on one. "Score!" she throws her fist in the sky. "Let's think of another person. Who's someone we both know?"

"I can't think of anyone..." I say, shrugging. I really don't know many people besides teachers and a few kids at school, none of whom have said so much as a 'hi' to me. The last time I interacted with someone must have been months ago. Her eyes become wide and bright and I'm suddenly fearful.

"Ava!" she suggests. Bad Idea, Ten. I try hard not to make a sour face. A stranger doesn't need to know how I feel about Ava. That's none of her business. I need Ten to disappear so I never have to answer this question. Or better yet, I should be the one disappearing, I'd do it better anyway. "Even though I don't really know her, I think she's a brilliant Lilac..." she tells me, "you know, how she's bounce, and sweet, and the kind of introvert who wants to speak but can't," Ten explains.

I feel like she already knows more about Ava than I do. And maybe it's true. "What do you say?" she asks. I open my mouth but no words come out. I've never managed to put together any words to describe Ava other than the obvious; familiar, nosy, irritating, insignificant. I have no other option in sight, so I tell Ten what I know...

"I don't know," I say, she frowns at me. "I mean I've never...paid much attention to her." Her brows shoot up into the sky and she leans forward.

"You're saying that you know what color Ms. Kripski is and not your sister?" Ten narrows her eyes. I don't respond at all. I don't know how to. I just press my lips together and stay quiet; quiet as a mouse, quiet as my soul, quiet as the dead house. She shakes her head at me, "That is ridiculous..."

"We don't talk a lot, that's why," I blurt. Why do I even feel the need to explain it to her?

"Well–I figured," she says, "given that she's so nervous around you, like you're strangers." Is it that obvious? "I don't want to be nosy or anything, but if I had a sibling, I'd never stop talking to them. Like ever, ever, ever!" she smiles, she makes me smile. I take a little while, to contain it, it floods my veins. I want to call her a colorful speeding zebra aloud, but I'm afraid that would be very unlike me, and a little rude.