Favorite Poison

We're Best Friends, Right?

After a long day of tending to her farm, Adella finally got it to were it's nearly self sustaining. The first few days of a new season are always the hardest but now the heavy lifting is complete, she can have a well deserved break. With a bottle of wine in hand, she heads down to Cindersnap forest to unwind by the pond with her friend.

She spots a soft glow flickering from the pier on the lake. Shane had beat her to their spot and from where she was, looks like he accompanied himself with more than enough beer cans. Suddenly, she was overcome with nausea recounting Emily's advice.

"I only like him as a friend, and nothing more." Adella reminded herself trying to ignore the pit in her stomach, "That's just his sense of humor teasing me like that. Wait. But is it really though?" Adella steps onto the pier and the creaking alerts her friend.

"'Bout time you show up farmer." He joked pushing a can up to his lips.

"Well, sorry I don't live as close to the pond as you do." Adella quipped sitting down next to him.

Shane softly chuckles shaking his head, "Always have to have a comeback?"

"Abso-freaking-lutely," she proclaimed popping the cork off the bottle, "Especially when I have to deal with your smartass." The farmer took a swig of wine.

"You love to argue with me, don't tell me I'm wrong." He stated finishing his can then reached for another one.

"Not saying you are." Adella agreed glancing at her friend.

He took a long sip from the beer can before settling his eyes on the tranquil water. Shane let out a big sigh before pulling his leg up onto the dock to rest his chin on. Crickets chirp fill the comfortable silence as they continue to nurse their drinks. The alcohol didn't help calm Adella's nerves one bit, it just made the pit in her stomach toss and turn more.

"I don't think I uh..." Shane starts breaking the silence, "Ever thanked you for that... brownie incident." He finished still fixated on the water.

Even when his face isn't turned to her, Adella noticed a deep blush cover his cheeks and nose. She couldn't decide whether it was his inebriated state or his bodily response to being appreciative.

"Oh psst, don't thank me," she waved her hand taking a drink from her bottle. Trying to physically shake her anxiety off, "I had to call her out on her bullshit because it was ridiculous to accuse your aunt or me of poisoning you." Adella turns to him, "And like you said, I love to argue." She drunkenly grins placing a hand on his back.

Shane exhales a laugh before pressing his can to his lips. He takes a few gulps then discards it to the rest of his empty cans. Leans back on his hands so he can slump his head back to gaze at the stars without trouble. The farmer retracts her hand and looks up with him.

"I don't get it."

"Get what?" Adella pondered looking at him.

"I was an ass to you when you first moved in—"

"You still are," she interrupted and Shane shot a glare, "It's more in a joking way now."

"As I was saying," he continued, "You went out of your way to hang out with me. Even though I was a jerk to you. Why?"

Blush crept across her cheeks as she ponders his question. Adella mirrors his sitting position and stares at the speckled sky.

"I was in a dark hole," the farmer sighed  gaining Shane's attention, "Coming here gave me a new chance at life and I guess I wanted to start that chance with someone who was in the same place as me."

He clung to her every word as his image of her morphed before his eyes. Never would he had thought of an answer like that come from someone with a fiery personality. Appearances can be deceiving when someone puts up a mask versus a wall. He placed his hand on top of hers feeling a lump form in his throat.

"Sure is lonely sitting at rock bottom, but a friend like you makes existence more bearable." Shane grinned attempting to show genuine appreciation drunkenly.

Adella smiles squeezing his hand, "That's what depressed best friends are for, right?"

"Yeah," he nods, "I think my liver is calling it a night, farmer." Shane wobbles getting onto his feet.

"Boo!" She whined laughing stumbling onto hers, "Plus it's getting late and we need to wake up early tomorrow."

"Ugh, don't remind me." He groaned dragging his hand down his face.

"Aye, this year is our year." Adella affirmed gripping her friend by the shoulders, "Things are gonna go up from here."

"Psst, I'll believe it when I see it." Shane scoffed before walking off the pier, "Careful getting home, farmer."

"Likewise to you bud." Adella preached as she stumbled her way back home.