By My Side

My Love Life In A Nutshell

The next few days are amazing. Gen is gone, and Edgar is quiet. I feel secure in myself and actually happy. So happy, I consider ending my novel where it is and making it shorter, as I'm running out of ideas, but decide to continue.

In school a few days later, I'm talking to Haley about the fact that my love life sucks after she went over a romantic scene from one of my novels.

"I just don't get it," I sigh, "what's the secret? What do girls like?"

"I dunno man," Haley replies, "you'll find someone."

"I don't even care about sex or anything," I vent my frustrations, "I just want someone to hold on my arms, to comfort me, to make me not feel like I have to write so much. I just want someone to hold on my arms, sitting on the couch, and just, feel safe. Feel like I don't have to be writing."

"If you tell a girl that she'll totally date you," Haley smiles, "trust me."

"Nah," I reply, "trust me, it won't work. I wish it would though."

"Girls like that stuff Leo," Haley explains, "you'd get a girlfriend fatser than you would believe."

"Truth is," I sigh, "I vent my romantic frustrations into my books. That's why there's a lot of romantic sub plots."

"You wanna hear something funny?"

"Sure."

"People ship us, like, irl."

We both burst out laughing. Haley is my sister, and neither of us have romantic interest in the other. The mere suggestion is hysterically absurd.

"I rest my case," I collect myself, "I mean, why can't they ship me with someone I actually like? It'd be a lot easier to ask that person out if they did."

"Yeah," Haley still snickers, "sure would. I'm sure it'll work out for you."

"Yeah," I sigh, "no. It won't. I'll just keep writing."

And, of course, I keep writing, expecting some eager taunts from Edgar...

But he remains silent.