Two Fish

thirty eight || elver

Elver burst through the front door and shouted his sister’s name. His mother rushed out of the kitchen, shaking her soapy hands.

“Elver? What on earth is going on?” she asked. Cathy came skidding down the stairs.

“How’d it go?” she asked, grinning from ear to ear.

“Well, we went to the pier and then on the rollercoaster and she didn’t like it and we kissed and then she threw up and it was amazing.” The words flew out of his mouth so fast that Cathy could barely take it in.

“You kissed?” she asked.

“You kissed?” their mother echoed. Elver nodded. There was a moment of silence while his sister took it in. Then she let out an ear splitting scream.

“You kissed! You’re, like, officially going out. This calls for a celebration. I told you so,” Cathy squealed, jumping around and almost knocking an expensive painting off the wall. Elver didn’t bother arguing. He was almost sure she was right.

“No celebration though. That’s sad,” Elver said, though he couldn’t stop smiling. Elver’s mother looked a little uncomfortable, like she shouldn’t be hearing it, though she couldn’t hide her glee

“Good for you, Elv. I’m glad you’ve found someone you like,” she said, smiling before disappearing back into the kitchen. Cathy had settled down and was smiling warmly.

“I’m happy for you, Elver. You deserve it.”

“Thanks.”

Cathy looked down and the smile dissolved form her face.

“What?” Elver asked. She gave a short laugh.

“Nothing. I just wish I could say the same about me.”

“What’s up?” he asked again. All this time he had been wrapped up in Alaska, he hadn’t noticed his little sister was struggling. He sat next to her on the top step.

“You can tell me. Cath, I tell you everything.”

“Can I? You’ll just think I’m stupid.”

“I won’t.”

“Ok. It’s just, boys, you know. Well, of course you don’t. You are a boy. Ella’s just being an idiot. She’s wearing too much make up and short dresses and going to clubs with a fake ID. Recently, I’ve been wondering why I’m even friends with her.”

“That’s just teenage girls for you,” Elver said. “Not you, of course. But Alaska’s sister’s a bit like that, I think.”

Cathy sighed and twisted her sleeves round and round her fingers. “And it’s all because of her boyfriend. He’s changed her. And guess who her new boyfriend is?”

“Who?”

“I probably should have told you earlier. It’s Liam. Elver, he’s horrible.”

“Liam?” Elver’s heart seized up.

“Yeah. I should have said.”

“How long?”

“Since the start of summer. Sorry. I didn’t really realise.”

“That’s awful,” Elver said.

“It really is. And he got Ella to tell me I can’t go with them because I haven’t got a fake ID. They go on trips to town with my friends and they don’t let me come.”

Cathy’s confession hit Elver like a brick to his chest. Liam. All the troubles he had were from Liam. And now he was upsetting Cathy too.

“He’s an idiot. More than that. I can’t believe he was my best friend. And now he’s making you unhappy,” Elver said, the anger bubbling over the surface in him so much he couldn’t find the right words to express it. Cathy threw herself into her brother’s arms.

“Elver, I really don’t know where I’d be without you,” she started, but then had to stop as she began to cry.

“You’d be all lost,” Elver joked. He succeeded in making her laugh.

“You’re right, though,” she muttered, then pulled away. “I don’t really have any proper friends now,” she added. Elver patted her arm.

“Neither do I. We’ll manage on our own.”

“But I’ll have to sit through lessons knowing that people will be whispering about me.”

“Why would anybody whisper about you? And who even  cares what they think? Plus, we’ve still got what, four weeks of summer left?” Elver said. Cathy nodded and a smile played on her lips.

“You at least have one friend,” she said. “Want to share?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, we could invite Alaska for dinner tomorrow,” she suggested. Before Elver could answer, his sister had bounded down the stairs to ask their mother. Elver followed close behind to join them in the kitchen. Cathy had already asked the question. His mother turned to him with a sunny grin.

“That’s fine, hun. She’s not a fussy eater, is she?”

“Not at all. She’s eaten everything I’ve ever given her.”

Cathy snorted and he shot her a dirty look.

“Well, if she’s up for it, that’s fine, Elv. I’d love to have her over.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. It’d be lovely to see her again.”

Elver’s fingers twitched over his phone in his back pocket. Cathy watched him.

“Go on then, call your girlfriend,” she said, pushing him.

“Give me a bit of space,” he said, locking himself in the conservatory to ring his girlfriend.