2020-04-07 - Boy Problems

"I panicked." Sparrow sprawled on her sister's bed, staring up at the same ceiling she used to stare at when she was in high school, when this was her bedroom. "It was like everything coming out of my mouth was just making things worse, so. I hypercorrected. And now it's weird. I'm weird. I'm so weird. And dumb."

"No." Zelie sat cross-legged beside her big sister, watching all the weird expressions that crossed her face. "The way you date boys is dumb."

"I know!" came without thinking, muffled behind hands as Sparrow hid her face. "I mean." She dragged her hands down to her jaw. "No." Then let them flop back out to either side again. "Maybe. Fuck. I dunno, Dovey." Finally, she turned her attention to her sibling, looking up at her plaintively, like maybe she could just magic up an answer without having a proper question first. "If I had to pare down and get singular, I know it'd be AJ, but." She mutters, "I don't wanna," with a pronounced pout, not even sure where she'd begin and, really, unwilling to think about it any further than that. "And besides. I'm a lot. Like. A lot a lot. And, sure, if anyone can handle all of me on their own, it'd be--"

"Bax." It's not what Sparrow was gonna say, but she couldn't help but laugh. And nod. Her sister had it right.

"Yeah. Prolly. But Bax--"

"--is Bax," Zelie filled in with a roll of her eyes, finishing the phrase she'd heard countless times before. "Yeah, I know, but he's gonna be the one costarring in the sitcom that's become your life when you're forty and tired of dating everybody all at once and just want to settle down and try the normal life except normal for you two will so not be normal and that's why it'll be funny." With a cant of her head, the younger sister added thoughtfully, "I think I could write this."

"You're not allowed to parody my midlife crisis before I have it." Sparrow shoved lightly at one of Zelie's knees. "Not without a promise of royalties. In writing."

"I'll have my lawyers call yours," set off a spat of imaginary negotiations and episode ideas which lasted until the girls' giggling gave way to silence, the level of angst a little bit lower for that brief break into silliness. "So?" Zelie asked quietly. "What're you gonna do?"

Sparrow pulled a face as her sister refocused the conversation on the topic at hand, one shoulder rolling in a shrug. "Nothing? Nothing sounds like a real solid plan."

Zelie did not agree, the stern look she angled down at Sparrow definitely something she picked up from her sibling. Hard for the elder sister not to be a little proud of that, even if she was the one pinned by that stare. "Nothing sounds like a terrible plan."

"It's a terrible plan."

"The worst."

"It's what I got."

"Fine."

Sparrow tried to redirect from that exasperation with, "Your turn. Tell me about your boy problems," but Zelie was quick to clip, "I don't have boy problems," with a smug smirk turned toward her sister. Who, in turn, declared, "Let's get you some," as she rolled over to reach for her sister's phone, ready to make with the mischief.