Reality

Chapter 23

I carry Lily in my arms and tickle her onto the couch.

"Rawr!!!" I fake roar over Lily's giggles.

"Stop it!" She pants.

Will pushes me over. "Not until we take you prisoner too," he grins evilly.

Lily screams playfully, and Will throws her over his shoulder.

Lily knocks on his back, but Will is too strong. He sets her down on the corner and ties her up with a shoelace.

Lily looks at us drop dead serious and just nods.

"FIRE!" Screams Eleanor.

She runs down the stairs with my old Nerf gun and shoots randomly.

"Duck!" Will shouts.

I do as I'm told, and Eleanor untied Lily and they pretend to escape, but the Nerf gun is still pointed at me.

"Don't. Move," she warns. I sit up with my hands in the air, when my mom enters the room.

"Are you guys coming or-" she gets cut off.

"Ahh!" She screams, as a Nerf gun suction bullet lands right on her forehead and stays there.

I can't help but snort.

Will cracks up, but Lily and Eleanor look beyond horrified.

"Oooooh," I tease. "You're in trouble."

My mom's mouth is nothing but a thin line on her face, but you can tell she's holding back a smile.

"You shot my mom, Ellie!" Lily screams.

Eleanor just shakes her head and runs up the stairs, Lily right behind her.

"So are you guys coming?" My mother asks.

We're supposed to go to the movies, but playing with Lily and Ellie has been so fun we totally forgot.

I look at Will and he shakes his head and shrugs.

"Nah," I say. "You guys go have fun."

"Thank you," She says, kissing my cheek and then Will's. "Watch the girls, don't let anyone in, and, well, you know the drill."

She kisses me again and heads out with aunt Jane.

I plop down on the couch and turn on the tv.

"What now?" I ask Will, without looking at him.

"We should get frozen yogurt," he suggests.

Not a bad idea. I nod.

"Sure, why not?"
***
I help Lily pour chocolate syrup on her yogurt as I notice someone come into the shop.

It's Chris, his dark shaggy hair is gone now, replaced by messy combed up hair.

He doesn't notice me so I go back and put gummy bears on my mango flavored yogurt.

"You're gonna die from all of that sugar," Will tells me.

I shrug. "You eat your yogurt, I eat mine."

Will laughs and pays for the yogurt, then we sit down on a table with four chairs.

That's when Chris sees me.

His face morphs into co fusion when he sees Will but then he just smirks and walks over.

"Catherine! How have you been?" He asks.

Will looks him up and down. "You know this guy?"

I nod. "This is Chris, a soccer player on the school team."

Chris nods and extends his hand towards Will. "And you are?"

"I'm Will," Will responds slowly. "Catherine's cousin."

I smile politely because I don't know what else to say.

Chris turns back to me and ignores everyone else. "I'm very..." He struggles for vocabulary. "Sorry... about what happened with Ethan."

I look down at my shoes. "He told you?"

"He told everyone," Chris sighs.

My heart sinks. "Oh."

Will looks back and forth between me and Chris.

"I also heard about Carly."

I nod.

Chris nods too. "Well if you need a friend, I'm here." He begins to walk away. "And, uh, I guess I'll see you around?"

I smile so I'm not rude. "Yeah."

Chris scratches the back of his neck. "How about we go watch that new movie? On Friday?"

I look at Will, who wriggles his eye brows and mouth the words "get some".

I kick him under the table. "Sure, okay. Why not?"

Chris grins widely. "I'll pick you up?"

"Uh, how about I meet you there?" I suggest. Chris nods and smiles once more before he leaves.

"Do you like him?" Will asks, crunching through some chocolate.

I shake my head. "He's a nice guy but..." I shrug.

"Then why are you going on a date with him?"

"Who said anything about a..." I begin.

Oh my Lord what did I just do. I'm not ready. I don't want to go on a date with anyone but Ethan. It's too soon. I haven't even recovered yet, oh my gosh talk about panic.

Will's face morphs into an "It's obvious" expression and continues to eat, while I'm just thinking about what I agreed to do.

I'm going on a date with Chris.