why not?

chapter 2: why hello

chapter 2 why hello

Once dinner has been eaten, and no one had spoken to me, the family migrates to the living room. I stay behind to help Mum with dessert. It's bowls of ice cream, the toughest challenge. I put all my muscle into scooping the frozen rock-hard ice cream. Mum doesn't have much luck either. We're both grunting and grinding our spoons trying to get at least a little out, but nothing helps.

"Put hot water on it!" Mum suggests, "Quickly quickly, darling"

It only helps a little.

"Let's let it sit" I sigh, massaging my poor, red bruised hand.

"Or I can help" says a voice from the door. Tristain rests against the door and smiles dashingly. I growl.

"Where were you 2 minutes ago? My hand is dead" I cry, shaking it dramatically. Mum and Tristain laugh and I smile. Tristain tosses off his jacket.

"Oooh, getting prepared, are we?" I tease. He flexes his muscles and does a few little stretches. "Man, this is gonna be huge" I continue, "Don't hurt yourself"

"I'll try to not to" he says seriously. Taking the spoon for me and waving it around a couple of times, ("Wrist exercises") he scoops up giant chunks.

"Bloody hell" my Mum says appreciatively. He struggles a bit, but then easily scoops up seven bowls. Mum starts to deliver, but Tristain holds me behind.

TRISTAIN'S POV

I hold her back. I don't know why, but for some reason I want to be alone with her like we used to. James was always doing something else and Lila and I were always together. She's gotten so beautiful, it makes me regret being mean to her. Our dark short hair looks so much more sexy on her and her eyes, those enchanting green eyes are an alluring forest green. She's filled out, no longer skinny and awkward but a full woman. 

I've loved her my whole life. Ever since she was born really. Auntie Cate was bloated like a balloon, I remember, and one night she started shreiking. We were in my beach house up north of England and then the whole house woke up. The rest passed by fast. We piled into two seperate cars and drove like mad men to the hospital. We waited near a whole half day until I got to see my new baby cousin. 

At first, it was a familial love. The love that James had for her: a brotherly affection. But...I don't know when but that changed. I started falling for her, and never stopped.

She looks up at me with expectation, and maybe hope? 

"Hey Lila, I wanted to be alone for a few seconds--"

"--Come on you two! Pass along the bowls!" Auntie Cate interrupts. I quickly race to give everyone dessert, before telling Lila to stay, and then I race back. 

Lila looks amused, and I love seeing her smile. Wait! I can't get gushy with her! If she finds out that I--her own cousin---is in love with her, she'll never speak to me again. I know that I am afraid of rejection.

"Oh shut it, ugly" I grumble. Her smile falters and then she hides her face in that cleverly made mask of coldness. I immediately regret my comment, but I can't take it back.

"Look who's talking. You're uglier than a toad" her voice is haughty, like those nasty blonde girls that used to go to my high. I can tell she's hurt. And suddenly, I don't want to ignore it. I really want to make it up to her.

"I'm sorry, you're not ugly" I say. Her eyebrows scrunch in confusion. "You're beautiful. Very beautiful."

She blushes and opens her mouth to say something. I interrupt, hoping to cover up my awkward comment.

"Yes yes, I know. I'm quite a good looking chav as well, eh? Can't get enough of my gorgey eyes" I flaunt myself. And she cracks up.

"You're ridiculous" she grins, taking her bowl of ice cream and delicatley eating it. I watch her full lips smear with coffee flavoured ice cream. She seems oblivious to it. Of course Lila was always the messy eater.

"You've got ice cream all over your face like a pig" I say. Damn! Can I just stop being mean to her?! It's like some sort of dirty habit. But this time...she doesn't seem mad at me. She sticks her tongue out.

"You've got ice cream all over your face like a hog" she retorts. I touch my mouth, shocked. There's just a little stickiness around my lip. 

"You dirty little liar. There's nothing as awful as yours!"

"There's still some there though, so ha!" she crows. James walks in and gives us a look.

"Aren't you having fun like always. I would've thought you two would've run out of insults" he chuckles, washing his glass bowl in the sink.

"We recycle like good little children" Lila says seriously, "It's good for the environment, you know?"

"Whatever" James walks out and Lila giggles at me.

"He's so sour all the time"

"Poor bloke" I sigh. And then I look back at her lips, coated in sticky sweetness, and do something that I don't believe. I close the distance between us and lick the corner of her lip. I pull back quickly, and wipe her soft lips with my thumb.

"All clean" I say cheerfully. Her green eyes stare into mine. Her cheeks and blushing a lovely shade of pink and I think she might just either faint or murder me. Lila surprises me by doing neither.

She kisses me.

"Ah" she says pulling back, "You're still not clean. Poor you" And then she runs for the stairs and I stand there like an idiot, touching my lips with wonder.