Ash

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

It's early evening when Danny gets back. We returned before him, and are sitting in the living room entertaining small talk when he opens the door. Not failing my expectations, he is with Jez.

We haven't spoken throughout today. She's still mad at me for what I said two days ago. I know I deserve it, even if I was right. That wasn't the way to say it, and it's the second time I'm stepping out of line and bringing up her family. I wonder if she'll forgive me this time.

She kisses him on the porch and he comes in with a wide grin on his face. I'm glad at least that she makes him happy. Perhaps I should just leave them alone. Her fears might be valid and her excuses reasonable. What he doesn't know might not hurt him that much. I hope we can be friends again after what I said. Maybe I'll call her later today.

"You look like your day wasn't a complete bummer," I say.

"That's probably 'cause it wasn't," he answers, waltzing into the kitchen. He comes back out with a can of cola and slouches on the couch that I'm sitting on, throwing his legs across my knees. I throw him off with one shove and he laughs. I notice the child-like shimmer in his eyes. He really is happy today.

"I guess I ought to gift Jez a speedboat for making you grin like that. I was thinking your day would be awful without me but apparently you don't need me as much as you used to." I fake a pout.

"Yeah, apparently my world doesn't revolve around you," he quips, pops open the can and takes a quaff. I hit him in the bicep.

"Ow! Who taught you how to punch?" he exclaims, clutching his affected area.

"Oh, you thought you were the only one who knew how to throw a punch?" I crack wise, feeling very proud of myself.

"Speaking of which, how was your day with Dracula? I don't see any bite marks on you."

"Not nice," I chide him.

"What? He is Dracula, or his reincarnate at least."

"He's not Dracula and he still has a name which you know. He went upstairs when you came in because you won't stop being uncomfortable around him and that makes him nervous too," I snap a little angrily. How would he like it if I said, "hey, how was your day with the fire conjuring Witch of the West?"

"It's strange that I would make him nervous, seeing as I'm not the one feeding on people's blood here."

"Can we not make this about Evans?" I request nicely.

"I'm not trying to make it about him. I just want to know about your day."

"We went to Snoqualmie Falls. He set up a picnic and I got to watch the rainbow."

"Huh. Cool enough." He sounds impressed but trying to hide it.

"What did you do today?"

"Ice rink. She taught me how to skate. After I fell on my ass three or four times."

"You learnt how to skate?"

Huh? Danny has never mentioned he wanted to learn to skate. And Jez can skate? I never would've guessed.

"Yeah. Turns out miracles happen after all." He grins and takes another swig. I'm trying to imagine him in ice skates twirling around on ice. I can't even picture it enough to laugh. My jock brother ice skating?

"Speaking of Jez, did you and her have a fight because I was expecting her to come in and wish you a happy birthday but she just made up an excuse and left."

"We might have had a small argument two days ago." I admit it.

"I'm going to assume you fought over something completely girly so I won't ask."