Shutout

Domestic

It's funny how comfortable it's become. 'It' being Ramona and Beau. If you had told Ramona two months ago that she was currently sitting in Beau Evan's basement, sprawled across his couch and eating a bowl of meticulously chosen grapes (soft grapes are unworthy of consumption) she would probably have slapped you. Yet, here she was lying on her stomach, head propped up by a hand and staring up at Beau pacing back and forth. Like a good tutor, Ramona listens as Beau anxiously practices for his history presentation. For someone so confident in himself, Beau sure says, "Do you think that sounds good?" a lot.

"Um so basically when he sailed across the ocean blue in 1492 he um, discovered America?" Beau pauses his pacing in front of the couch. Ramona groans, then laughs at Beau's depressing smile. She can't help it, looking at how distraught he looks over a school project. Another thing that would've shocked past Ramona: Beau Evans cares about school, he's just.. not too good at it. Also, how caring he is. By now it had been a week since Ramona had tumbled and faced a very minor ankle sprain but no matter how many times she insisted she was fine Beau seldom let her climb stairs without being carried or let her carry her things anywhere. He insisted she should let him do it, not because she can't, just because he wants to.

Ramona sits up slowly and yawns. She tries to be reassuring as she provides her feedback, "He didn't discover America, people were already here. And maybe cut down on the 'um's. Besides that you're golden, baby," Ramona winks, popping another grape into her mouth. "Holy, did you hear that crunch? You buy good grapes."

Beau rolls his eyes and takes a seat next to Ramona on the couch. "You can thank my mom for that." Ah, the wonderful Mrs. Evans, who had made quite the impression on Ramona upon their first meeting. She was cool, cooler than Beau, Ramona thinks.

Suddenly, a loud crash from the stairs behind them has Ramona almost throwing the entire bowl of grapes, had Beau not reached out and stopped her with a strong arm.

"Owwwww, Mommy I fell down the stairs!" Lily squeals from where she lay at the bottom stair. Ramona walks over with urgency, ready to check for broken bones or a concussion or something.

"Lily, are you ok?" Ramona kneels to come face to face with Lily. Lily's eyes light up as she jumps forward and captures Ramona in a fierce hug that has her tumbling backwards. "Oh ok then, hi to you too."

"Lils, calm down. Can't have my little sister stealing my.. um friend." Ramona looks up from her current position, lying on the floor with Lily on her stomach, arms wrapped around her neck, to see Beau standing over them. His arms are crossed over his chest and he tries to look unimpressed but Ramona knows by the way the edge of his mouth quirks up that the show in front of him has him anything but annoyed.

"You mean your girlfriendddddd." Lily sticks her tongue out at Beau before jumping up and off of Ramona. She runs up the stairs and out into the hallway.

Beau runs after her, "What did you say? I couldn't hear you!"

Ramona gets up and follows after the pair, at a much slower pace. Her ankle was feeling better but full blown sprints up obscenely long flights of stairs were not on her list of her favorite things to do.

'Girlfriend', huh? Ramona wonders where Lily got that idea.

When she finally makes it to the next floor of the Evan house, she can see where Beau has tackled Lily onto the floor, who is giggling like a maniac. Beau's tickling her, and his eyes have lit up in a way that makes Ramona feel a flutter in her stomach.

"Hey, what'd you say? Why won't you tell me?" Beau's voice grows louder as he repeats his question. Lily answers but Beau's voice proves louder as he's able to almost completely mask hers. He knows she's practically yelling in response but between her comparatively quieter voice that's now overcome with bursts of laughter, Beau's able to pretend he can't understand.