Authors: Ruth Houston
"Of course," I said briskly, smothering a silly grin.
Winter was smiling broadly. "You said yes?"
"Of course, again," I said with forced indifference, before I could hold it back no longer. "I'm going on a date!" I said to her happily, breaking out in a huge smile. We jumped up and down like silly little schoolgirls for a moment before regaining our composures and continuing our journey to Spanish 5-6 as if we hadn't just done something very childish. We were both holding back goofy grins.
"So, is he still not the type of guy you would go out with?" Winter teased me.
I shook my head. "No, I've been thinking that maybe he's exactly the kind of guy I'd go out with," I grinned. "Especially after yesterday evening."
Suddenly, Winter gasped.
"What?"
"Tristan!" she said, her eyes wide.
"Are you hot on my brother?" I teased in good fun.
"No," Winter said, still wide-eyed. "If you're going on a date, I have to send him out too. Otherwise you and Zack will have to suffer the Spanish inquisition."
Shoot. I had temporarily forgotten what a protective older brother Tristan was.
"Quick," I moaned. "Start thinking. What do we
do
?"
Winter bit her lip as we pushed through the center of B Hall. I could almost see the cogs working and turning at a furious pace under that head of pretty auburn hair. It was tied up in a messy bun today.
"Give me random words," she said desperately. "Just say random words, maybe one will give me an idea." This was an exercise we often used. Some of our more brilliant plans had come from this game.
"Umm… Book. Pen. Eraser. Highlighter. Pencil bag. Pencil
box
. Glue. Glue
stick
–"
"Give me something
not
related to school supplies, please," Winter snapped. "We can't possibly land him in some kind of freak detention that lasts all night."
"Okay," I said. "CDs. Deejay. Beer –"
"He's not legally old enough to drink. We can't intoxicate him. Damn, though, that would have been good."
"Yeah," I agreed. "Party. Camera. Film. Movies. Paint. Popcorn. Friends. Post-its. Cat. Dog. Hamster. Butterfly. Boa constrictor –"
"Friends!" Winter interrupted me. "We have to get one of Tristan's friends to give him an offer he can't resist!"
"Which will be sooo easy, considering I know
all
of Tristan's jock friends," I said sarcastically.
"Well what do
you
suggest?" Winter asked.
"Dunno," I replied gloomily. "We might end up suffering his interrogations after all."
"Not if I can help it," Winter said, a determined glint in her eyes as we trooped in single file into the classroom of Señorita Welsh.
-
Zack
-
Perfect. I had been on cloud nine since after English class. I walked happily into the cafeteria and a head of blonde hair caught my eye. I made my way over.
"Hi, Zack," Winter greeted me first.
"Hey," Eva smiled at me.
"Hey, hey, ladies, how's it going?" I slid onto their bench, across from the two girls.
"Pretty good for you," Winter pointed out.
I smirked. "Thank you, Princess Winter," I said gallantly.
I noticed she was wearing my jacket. I had decided that she was okay. She could be nice when she wasn't mad – big deal. Most people were like that. Hell,
I
was like that. I had also decided that last night I must have been in a really good mood last night to take Winter out for a drive like that. What in the world had possessed me to ask her in the first place? I shrugged mentally.
"Don't you think it's a little…
hot
in here though?" I asked pointedly.
"No, I don't think so," Winter said cheerfully. "The temperature is just right. May I keep it? I've grown rather attached to it."
"Fine," I sighed, not too happy about the loss of my jacket.
Eva looked at us, confused. "Okay," she said. "I'll just pretend I didn't hear that." She obviously had no idea what we were talking about.
"Sorry," Winter and I apologized at the same time.
I caught Eva's eye and smiled. Man, was she pretty. The bluest eyes you ever did see, a nice slim figure in the athletic way, and probably the smartest girl I'd ever met.
I saw Brock waving at me from another table.
"Gotta go now, ladies. Mind if I make an exit?"
"Not at all," Winter said promptly. "Bye."
"Bye Zack," Eva said good-naturedly.
"See you."
I waltzed away to my regular spot sitting across from Brock, hearing from behind me Eva's voice, "What was
that
all about…?"
"Wow, you're in a good mood today," Brock grinned, his dark grey-blue eyes glimmering mischievously. "Something must be going your way."
I glanced behind me at two girls sitting together, laughing over something, and one of them caught my eye and smiled. I smiled back into eyes of sparkling cerulean.
"Yea," I agreed, opening up my lunch. "Sure is."
-
Eva
-
"Hey, Tristan!" Winter called to my brother. It was right before dinner time rush that same day.
"What's up, Winter?" Tristan asked from his spot in front of the open refrigerator, rummaging through vegetables for dinner.
"What do you think of Zack? I mean, was he a big help the other day?"
Tristan straightened up, and I watched Winter's face, which gave away nothing. What was she getting at?
My older brother's azure eyes, a carbon copy of my own, gave Winter an inquisitive glance.
"Yeah, he's cool," he said, watching her curiously. Suddenly, a small, secret smile turned up the corners of his mouth, and he looked as if he had been given an opportunity too good to pass up on. "Why?" he asked slyly.
What was up with these two? I stared at them. Winter was trying to get something out of Tristan, Tristan was trying to get something entirely different out of Winter, and just
what
exactly was I missing?
"What do you think of him,
Tristan
?" Winter asked innocently.
"I think he's a good kid… maybe he'll be a better
boyfriend
, though, huh,
Winter
?" he asked, smirking at her like he knew something she didn't.
What? I was
so
lost.
"Did you think he was a big help?"
"Yeah," he said. "The kids loved him."
"Did I hear someone say Zack?" It was Emily. She had popped into the kitchen to put her empty juice cup in the sink.
"Yes, honey?" I said.
"Is he coming back?" My little sister brightened up. "I like him. He's funny."
"Maybe, he might come back," Winter said gently. "Why don't you go finish up your homework? Is Matty done?"
"No, he's still reading," Emily said, making an exit.
"So, back to the subject at hand," Tristan said smugly.
"Yes, back to the subject at hand," Winter said without missing a beat. "Back to what you said earlier. Do you think he'd make a good
boyfriend
?" She gave me a meaningful glance.
"Yeah, I think so," Tristan said with a casualness that didn't deceive me.
"Excellent. I'm glad we got that cleared up. What do
you
think, Eva?"
I stared at her, shaking my head slightly.
"Uh," I stammered. "I…don't know?" I looked at her helplessly.
"Don't you think he's
cute
, Eva?" she persisted.
"I… I guess." Man, these two were confusing. See what I have to deal with everyday? See what I have to
put up
with?! These two – two – argh, goodness gracious! Not fair. I wanted to sulk and pout like a little kid.
"Don't you think he'd make a good
boyfriend
, Eva?" Tristan said, grinning at me and inclining his head toward Winter just a bit.
I looked at both of them, bewildered and completely perplexed.
"
Yes
, since we're all speaking in
italics
, and since we're all being so
positive
about
Zack
today,
yes
he'll make a good
boyfriend
, and
yes
I do think he's
cute
. Happy?" I looked at the two of them defiantly.
"Very," they both said at the same time, identical satisfied smirks on their faces. Tristan turned back to picking out some spinach for dinner at the same time Winter turned back to her Chem homework.
I shook my head slowly. What had just happened? First, that wacky appearance made by Zack at lunch time, and the even more bizarre conversation that followed, and now,
this
? What had I done to deserve this? I finally said to myself that in a past life I must have been a huge sinner, even though my whole family was atheist.
Such was my life with Winter. This 'date' hadn't even happened, and already it was off to a weird start. Wonderful. I knew this would come along just swimmingly.
Chapter Eight: Pizza Night
Tristan
I was very confused when Zack showed up on Tuesday and asked for
Eva
.
"Uh, yea, she's here, why?"
Zack gave me a weird look. "Because we're hanging out today," he explained slowly.
"But I thought – never mind. Come in," I said, stepping back. "Is Winter coming with you?"
Zack gave me a sidelong look, like he was trying to figure me out. "No," he finally said. "Winter's not coming."
"Why not?" I demanded.
Zack looked at me pointedly.
Just then, my younger sister dashed downstairs, Winter hot on her heels.
"Give them back, Ev!" she was shouting exasperatedly.
"Nuh-uh," she said, childishly sticking her tongue out. She looked nice – her blonde hair was shiny and straight, and she was wearing her nicest pair of jeans.
Winter returned the action before noticing that Zack and I were staring at their childish exchange. Next to Eva, she looked extremely casual. She had stolen a pair of my clean track sweats, which were slightly too long; only the tips of her little toes peeked out. They hung low on her hips and I could see that she was wearing a pair of dark green plaid boxers underneath (and guess who
those
belonged to?). Her hair was up in a messy, haphazard bun. But her dark eyes were sparkling. They connected with mine for a second before flickering over to Zack's. "Zack! Hi," she said. She pointed at Eva. "She stole my earrings! So don't compliment her on them. They're mine!"
"Not anymore," Eva said smugly, fingering the miniscule silver stars. "Hey, Zack."
"Hi," he replied. "Ready to go?"
I was overwhelmed. What was going on? Someone had turned the tables here.
"They're going to go hang out," Winter said, her voice rushed and worried. "Okay, Tristan?" She bit her lip.
I nodded. "Fine. Come back by eleven."
Winter and I shared a smile. She said she thought I would make a good dad someday, with all the practice I was getting. She and Eva hugged, and she whispered something in her ear that made my sister giggle.
After that, something passed between Winter and Zack, something I couldn't quite place. They each held the other's gaze for a moment, and some silent message was conveyed. Eva didn't seem to notice.
"Alright," Winter said, breaking the eye contact. Zack continued to watch her, even after she had looked away. "Have fun! Don't drink too much, don't grope in public, and don't get thrown out of the theater for raucous behavior!" With that, she ushered Zack and Eva out of the house. "See y'all later!" I heard her voice call out as the two drove away.
"Winter?" I started slowly as she shut the door quietly behind her.
"Yes?" she sighed.
"What just happened?"
She shrugged. "Eva's out on a date," she stated simply.
"I figured as much. So the whole 'Zack is cute, he'll be a good boyfriend' thing was all for
Eva
?"
"Yeah," she said curiously. "Why?"
"I thought…I kind of thought that…"
Winter's eyes softened. "Yeah?" she prompted me gently.
"I thought that it was about Zack and
you
."
"What?" She looked surprised. "Me and Zack?"