Page 47 of Of Flesh & Bone

"We're definitely not sisters."

"Sure we are.You'll marry my brother one day and that will make us sisters.Besides, as far as I can tell, you guys are as committed as any married couple and that makes us sisters already."

Looking to the front of the classroom, I think about everything she's said.This is it for the both of us.We will probably get married sometime in the future, but it won't make us any more committed than we are right now.He told her that she's his girl the first time I saw him.Ada is important to Adam and Adam is important to me.

"I guess sisters fight sometimes."

"We won't.I promise.I'll just go along with whatever you say from here on out as penance for being such a beautiful, talented bitch."

That remark gets a genuine laugh out of me.

"I suppose I can chock our past up to sibling rivalry and move on."

Ada looks at me, shocked and with so much hope in her eyes that I know I've made the right decision.

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes, but it's going to be a really boring hereafter for the both of us if you just go along with everything I say.I'm not exactly the life of the party.Actually, I'm not even at the party."

"Thank you, Eve.I hadn't expected you to be so forgiving.It actually makes me feel worse about everything."

"That's probably good.You were a shit."

Ada chuckles quietly."Well, since you've twisted my arm, I am going to make it my personal mission to get you out of your shell this year.Considering that we're nearly halfway through the year already, I definitely have my work cut out for me."

I put my face in both of my hands on the desk.

"Please don't."

"You've been to a party before, right?"

Keeping my face in my hands, I reluctantly shake my head.

"If you've never been to a party...have you ever drank?"

"Everyday."

"Alcohol, Eve.Have you ever drank alcohol?"

Lord, give me strength.Give me patience.Give her a strong case of Mutism.Her destination here is obvious.

"I have a feeling that you're a bad influence."

"Well, that's because I AM a bad influence.That's what makes me so much fun, silly girl."

At least she's honest.Maybe it's not too late to be friends with this Birkin bag full of sunshine.Damn it.Theres that hope creeping up again.Damn sadism.

The rest of the class is a montage of whispered fashion advice directed at my classmates and Ada's plans for our future, mine and hers, sprinkled in with every piece of gossip that she has heard since she was 13.My side hurts and I resolve that my first impression of Ada was mostly correct.I always thought she was so funny and cool.I just didn't expect that my awkwardness would be so repellant to her.

......................................

Adam and I text off and on throughout the day like usual.

Adam: Practice starts at 4.Come in the front gates and sit in the home side seats.

Lord, where is that patience I asked for?

Eve: I can't come today.

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