Chit-Chat

“Fuck, sorry I’m late.” A sudden **** of nature named Charlie pushes her way into the booth, shoving Ethan over to make room. “Fucking had to get gas.”

Ashley's jaw slacks and tightens a few times, her eyes wide. “You’re here…”

“Yeah,” Charlie tilts her head, “and now I want a beer.”

“Why…” Ashley drops the menu, propping her elbows on the table. “I thought this was…”

“Eh?” Charlie is barely paying attention, pulling herself back up. “One sec, I’ll get a round to make up for being late.” She heads off to the bar, leaving Ashley shell-shocked and Ethan still pushed into the corner.

“So… She wasn't trying to set us up?” Ethan asks, daring to take up a little more room.

“I guess… Not.” Ashley blinks a few times, surprise subsiding. “Sorry… I…”

“It’s okay,” Ethan assures her, having bought into the theory himself.

A minute later Charlie returns, three glasses in hand. “Ah, here we go. Just like the good old times!”

“Good old times?” Ashley frowns.

“Yeah,” Charlie passes a beer to her sister, then another to Ethan. “Like when we were kids.”

“I don’t recall drinking much as a child.” Ashley sighs, staring into her drink. “Or spending much time with Ethan.”

“What? Sure you did.” Charlie looks at Ethan, smiling. “City-boy was with us every summer for years.”

“Actually,” Ethan cuts in, giving his own drink a small sniff. “Me and Ashley didn't really hang out.”

“What?” Charlie blinks, looking back and forth between the two. “Are you sure?”

“Pretty sure…” Ashley lifts her drink taking a long pull.

Charlie follows suit, taking a gulp, her eyes staring off into the distance. “Huh…”

The three sit in silence for a moment, processing the correction.

Charlie shakes her head. “But didn’t we all drink together before?”

“Once,” Ashley sips her drink again. “But we didn't talk.”

“Maybe a sleepover?” Charlie strains, her memory clearly at odds with reality.

Scoffing at her sibling, Ashley rolls her eyes. “Unless I’m gravely misinformed, Ethan is a boy. How many sleepovers with boys were you allowed? Cause I know my answer.”

“Ah, right…” Charlie blinks a few times. “Are you sure you two weren’t friends?”

“Pretty sure,” Ethan chimes in, taking a sip from his drink, finding the taste not altogether unpleasant, while not exactly his cup of tea.

“Oh,” Charlie looks between her sister and her friend, then shrugs. “You two should become friends.”

“Why?” Ashley crinkles her nose. “No offense, Ethan, but I don’t exactly nee-”

“Yeah, you do,” Charlie groans, “Everybody you know is moving away, and if you don’t try to make friends with the one person moving in, you’re going to turn into a fucking cat lady.”

Ashley glares at her sister.

“And you,” Charlie turns to Ethan, pointing in his face. “Need to meet people your own age. You can’t just socialize with one neighbor old enough to be your mom.”

“Uh…” Ethan focuses on her finger, wary she might poke him in the eye. {if Alex Kiss =true}He decides to not mention Alex, for now at least.{endif}{if Alex Kiss 2 =true} It would be far too much to explain, and Ethan didn't want to get ahead of himself.{endif}

“So, has anything I said been wrong?”

Ashley and Ethan look at each other, both unable to really produce a retort.

“Good, then by the power vested in me by fuck you I’m in charge you are now friends. Now drink.”

Ethan knows he doesn't have a choice.