Page 8 of Reconciling With the Rival

“Anything for you, Dad. I love you.”

“Love you too, bug.”

I smile as my sister walks out of the studio, a twin expression on her face when she sees I stayed to watch the whole time. Most of the parents don’t, but with the little time I do see my sister these days, I'd rather wait here and watch than leave and come back.

“You looked so graceful in there, Lizzie,” I say as I throw my arm around her. “I wish I had as good of balance as you do.”

She shakes her head. “No, my arabesque wasn't fully stretched like it should have been, and—”

“Liz, it’s just practice. Don’t beat yourself up about it.”

“We have a recital at the end of the year, Ells. I want a solo in the group dance,” she says as she leans into me to take her pointe shoes off. “I won’t get it by looking like shit in class.”

My mouth drops open. “First of all, language, Liz. Second, you’ll be fine. You’re a Williams, and we never give up, remember?”

She nods her head. “I know.” She removes the tape from her toes before she throws her stuff in her bag.

“So, what do you want for dinner? I’m hanging with you at the house until Dad gets home, so it’s your choice.”

Her face lights up. “Can you make pasta? And can we watch a movie after?”

“Is your homework done?” I ask her, knowing it probably already is. My sister is good at staying on top of things. After all, she learned from the best—me.

“Yes, it is,” she says as I open the door.

“Then we can.”

She smiles, and I’m glad I can still have these moments with her before she grows up, heads to college, and leaves me for good. I don’t know what her plan is, but I know it’s going to be somewhere out of state.

Which is fine, but I’m going to miss my sister like hell when she leaves, so these small, stolen moments are ones I will cherish forever.

3

Just Like Old Times

The fit as fuckwaitress from this restaurant keeps staring at my mouth.

If it wasn't early in the afternoon and I didn't have somewhere to be, I’d probably take her back to my flat and show her all the things I could do with it.

“Ahem!”

My eyes snap back to my sister across from me, an annoyed look on her face. “What?”

“I’ve been talking for five minutes, and all you’ve been doing is drooling over the waitress. Don't make her another one of your conquests, Leo. I like this place. Ella and I come here all the time.”

At the mention ofher, I can feel my shoulders tense. “Anything for you, dear sister,” I say, omitting the fact that I’ve been in a dry spell for a while—two weeks. I’d been too busy packingand barely had time for anything else. Moving countries is hard fucking work, and I wanted it to go smoothly—which it has, for the most part.

But now, I think I’ve forgotten how to use my dick.

“Did Mum and Dad seem okay when you left?” she asks, and I know she’s really asking about Dad.

“Yeah, everything was okay. I told them we’d video call once a week when you got settled.” I see her nervousness about a possible emergency with both of us here. When I told my parents about the job offer, they were practically begging me to leave, but I was the apprehensive one. I knew Alissa worried about being in the States, but I always told her I was close by in case something happened. Now that we’re both over here, we’re more on edge.

“Good. Now, where is this new job? You’ve been surprisingly hush-hush about it when normally, you’d be rubbing your paycheck in my face,” my sister asks as she takes a bite of her salad.

“Says you. You probably make more than I will in one day. It’s at this marketing firm in the city. My commute from the rental isn't too bad, but when I move into my new place, it’ll be even closer.”

“What’s it called? Maybe I can visit for lunch when you get settled.”

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