Ava's POV:
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this."
Eli throws his hands up, "Unbelievable. I said one sentence."
I stop my track and threw my head around, "One persuasive sentence."
Eli weighs his hands around his waist, "You listen to me when I say one persuasive sentence, but when I beg you to do something. You always manage to find a way to say no."
"What can I say? Less is more."
Eli smirked, "Remember that next time I pull my pants down."
"What happened to...length?" I place my hands out to emphasize my required length.
Eli shrugged, "Can't catch a girl when you say-" he moves my hands closer together, "this is it."
I gave him a nasty look before I flicked his forehead. "Stop being an idiot and follow my lead."
"Oh! I can talk now?"
We stopped at the front door and I fix Eli's collar. "No. When you talk things only get worse."
"I heard your mom is making sundaes for dessert. Can I at least have your ice cream?"
I pat out the wrinkles on his shirt, "Consider yourself lucky you get to eat your own ice cream."
I grabbed my key and opened the front door. Immediately, sushi engulfs our senses. Recently, mom had been interested in Japanese food. We walked into the kitchen to see my parents cooking dinner. "Ava, can you set up the plates for dinner?" Mom asked.
Of course, no "Hi" or "How are you?"
"Alright." There's no point in arguing or whining. Set up the dining room and you're free to go.
"Eli," mom says, "Be a darling and take out the trash for me."
"Okay."
"What's going on in here?" Trevon asked.
"Your mom wants you to take out the trash while I help Ava set up the dining table." Eli handed Trevon the trash bag and grabbed a new one.
"Oh. Okay?" Trevon walked out of the house with the trash.
Mom and dad stared at Eli.
"Mission completion." He grabbed the new plates from me and walked to the dining room.
"That boy is going somewhere far in the future," mom says.
"Hopefully, out of this town."
"Dad," I say.
"What? You want to marry a guy who can't even take out the trash?" Dad question.
"Better than a guy who forgot to make rice."
"What?" Dad stared at mom.
Mom raises an eyebrow.
"You didn't ask me to cook rice."
Mom walked to the rice cooker and grabbed a small note. She hands it to dad, "Read it."
Dad stared at the note for a brief moment before he look at mom with a blank stare. "I swear, someone stuck that note there two minutes ago."
Mom allows all her weight to hang on one leg.
"If you guys need me, I'll be in the garage scooping rice." He walked to the garage.
The garage door closes, "I didn't see that note this morning."
"Of course, you didn't. I put that there like five minutes ago."
"Mom. Aren't you being a bit mean to dad lately?" When Eli got back, I hand him the utensils. "One for each plate."
"Okay." He walks back into the dining room.
"Hm," mom says.
"Not the same," I responded.
"I'll make the story short." She sashimi the fish, "Your brilliant father forgot our anniversary."
"Oh," I said slowly.
"You married the man. You give him children. You got him front-row tickets. You cook a fantastic dinner for him. And what does he do?"
He fucked up.
"He came home and said the steak tasted salty."
"Got the rice!" Dad chirped.
"I'll be in the dining room." I rush to the other room to see Eli at the end of the table, making sure all of the plates and utensils are aligned.
"Look!" Eli stands up straight and puffs his chest.
"Whatever you do, do not mention how mean my mom is lately."
After mom and dad finished dinner, we all sat down. Trevon keeps his head down low, "This is delicious mom," he smiles softly before he returns to his plate.
"It is great sweetheart," dad says.
"Oh? Is it not too salty?"
The doorbell rings, and dad got up, "I'll get it."
There's a soft clanking of utensils against the plates. Eli leans in towards me, "Your dad-ay so much-ay trou-ay-able."
Sometimes, I evaluate my relationship with Eli. He's sweet, but he can also be a huge idiot.
"Want to see me balance the chopsticks?"
"Is this your way of getting my dad out of trouble?" I whispered.
"Brownie points if it does?"
"None."
"Oh." I stare at the chopsticks as it moves from his plate to the piece of sushi. Like an expert, he grabbed a piece and dip it in soy sauce. Then, without hesitation, he grabbed a piece of ginger and ate it. He swallows the food in his mouth, "Want me to grab one for you?"
"No." My gaze cast to the clean chopstick on my plate. "I can get it on my own."
Eli stares at me.
Cautiously, I grabbed the chopstick. I glance at how Eli holds them and attempt to imitate them. With pure power, I reached for the sushi in the middle of the table.
It's funny really.
When I was an adult, I frequently eat sushi with other wealthy women. So, obviously, I know how to use chopsticks. But, for some unknown reason, at the moment, I couldn't.
The piece of sushi falls onto the plate.
My only conclusion is muscle memory.
When you practice the same activity over and over, your muscles are bound to remember the action. It's encoded and becomes a habit.
But, what happens if you never perform the act?
The sushi drops again.
"Just use your hand or a fork," Trevon says. He stabs a piece with his fork, "See? No big deal and still delicious."
You never acquire that skill.
I close my eyes when the sushi slips again.
"Look who it is!" Dad walks into the dining room with Winnie and Ben.
"Oh, sushi!" Ben sat beside Trevon. "I love sushi."
There's a reason why I'm anxious about tonight. What I'm about to do shouldn't have me become this anxious, but it does. I blame it on delusional teenage thoughts. Realistically, what I'm about to do isn't a big deal.
Everyone started talking about what happened over the days they didn't see each other. Trevon, Eli, and Ben stupidly started their chopsticks balance. Dad is telling them to stop it.
When dad notices how mom's tone isn't as bitter, he takes it as a hint that he's slowly leaving the trouble zone.
Winnie and I talked about school and cheer.
Eli drops a piece of sushi on my plate.
When I manage to scoop it in my mouth, he subtly grabs another one for me.
Eli dip it in the soy sauce then place the ginger on top of it. He leans towards me and whispers: "It tastes better with ginger."
Do I feel salty and embarrassed that my muscles forgot how to hold chopsticks? Absolutely. But, as long as no one mention it, I'll let it pass. Eventually, I'll learn it again, so it's no big deal.
But, the more I think about it. The more incredible time traveling becomes.
You would think something as small as holding chopsticks will follow you, but it doesn't. Your body doesn't allow it - correction - never acquired it. So, it never existed.
When dinner was over, it was time for dessert. I grab the cherry on top and bite it. Another cherry land on top of my ice cream. Eli smiled before he grabbed my chocolate stick. "Trade."
With all this thinking about the future, I forgot about the present.
"Mom. Dad," I call for them. They look away from their bowls and toward me. I smile, "So, I was wondering, can Winnie sleep over?"
"Oh, of course," mom responds.
Dad grabbed his and mom's empty bowl and then got up, "Our door is always open for you, Winnie."
"Great," I say. "Because doors should stay open...like always."
Eli snickers, and I elbow his gut.
Mom rests her elbows against the table and lays her chin above her tangled hands, "Is there anything else anyone at this table would like to add on?"
"No," Trevon responds.
Mom turns her head towards Eli, Ben, Winnie, and me. "And you kids?"
Winnie, Ben, and Eli look at me.
"Seems like they think you have more to say," mom says to me.
Sometimes, I wonder why I still want to have relationships with others. Particularly when they would throw you under the bus whenever they could. "Is it okay if Winnie sleepover-"
"Yes, of cour-"
"until the end of high school?"
"Huh?"
"or maybe longer?"
There weren't any emotions on mom's face, and I'm not sure if there were any thoughts in her head either.
"No!" Trevon burst out. "Having Ava living here is bad enough. Why do I want a second Ava?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Winnie asked.
"Oh, you know what I mean."
"Trevon-" mom says softly, "I need you to leave the room."
"What? But-"
"And take Eli and Ben with you."
Without protest, Eli and Ben grab their bowls, stand up, and walk out of the room. "That is not a good sign." Trevon grabs his bowl and walks towards the door.
Dad enters the dining room, "What-"
Trevon grabs his shirt and pulls him out, "Not here. Not now. You'll thank me later."
When the door closes, mom asks: "What is going on?"
I look at Winnie who had her head facing down, "I want an indefinite sleepover with my friend?" I'm not sure if Winnie is comfortable with me exposing her current situation. What if I say something wrong, and it tears a larger hole between us?
"Ava. This is not a joking matter."
Sometimes, I forget how scary moms can be.
"Um-" Winnie looks up slightly, "My mom is going to a different state to work, but she wants me to stay here." Not a single lie in that statement.
Mom stares at Winnie for a moment before she asks: "Is it okay if I call your mom?"
Winnie fidgets in her seat before she nods. She grabs her cell phone from her purse and dials her mom. After the first ring, she answers it. "Winnie?"
"Mom. I'm with Mrs.Makee. Do you remember when you told me to decide whether I wanted to stay or go? Well, I want to stay here with all my friends." A quick explanation with little room to create conflict.
Winnie hands the phone to mom, "Elizabeth?"
"Hello, Alesha. I'm sorry to push this type of situation on you and your family, but I don't want to take Winnie away from the place where she loves. I would-" Winnie and I listen to her mom persuade and explain the situation to my mom. There were some gaps between Winnie's mom's story, but mom didn't press for an answer. In a way, I think my mom had an idea of the real situation.
After the phone call ends, mom exhales a soft breath before she says: "If you don't mind, we have a spare room."
Winnie and I smile.
"It's a bit small, but-"
"Yes!" Winnie got out of her seat, "It doesn't matter how tiny it is, I'll take it!" She hugs mom.
"Alright. The boys will help you pack your stuff-"
"No need! It's packed. It's in Ben's car."
Mom didn't respond to Winnie's statement, instead, she walk into the living room to tell everyone about the news. I got up to clean the rest of the bowls and utensils on the table.
"Ava?"
"Yes?"
Winnie takes the bowl off my hands and sets it on the table. Then, out of the blue, she embraces me. "Thank you."
I pat her back, "Anytime."
Slowly, she removes her hands and looks at me, "And I would like to say I'm sorry." Her hands tighten on mine, "For saying you never care."
There's no reason for Winnie to apologize because what she said is true. It's still a hard fact to swallow how selfish and blind I was to a friend who had always been beside me. And now that I think about it, why didn't I see it in the first place?
Winnie had been there.
Whatever.
Whenever.
Wherever.
She had stood by me through the highs and lows.
No matter what.
"Holy-" Winnie chuckles softly, "Are you crying?"
My sight travels everywhere except Winnie because I couldn't help but feel ashamed. "You shouldn't be the one who apologized. I don't deserve it," I manage to say, "I wasn't a very good friend to you, Winnie."
"So?" Winnie smiles, her eyes brimming with water, "Who cares if you weren't a good friend before? You're a good friend now, and that's what I need. I need a good friend, now."
I close my eyes, and more tears drift out, "That's such an idiotic way to look at things."
"Well-" Her smile only widen, "you know me. Always looking at the bright side."
"Yes. You're a ball of sunshine."
"Sunshine? Yellow? Ew. You know I don't wear yellow."
"Oh, gosh. You're an idiot!" I hug her.
Like I said earlier, sometimes, you're so wrapped up with the future you forget about the present. And right now, my endorphins are at their peak, and I feel happier than ever.