Page 26 of Make Me Pretty
“I get the sense you’re not one to talk about things. And that’s okay—I don’t expect you to just dive into it. But Peris and I havealways been open with each other. We have to be, when…” she trails off, face pinching. I turn, entranced at the possibility of learning more about him. Could this be thethingof it all? And to learn it without his consent? Even better.
“Anyhoo,” she mumbles, forcing her own smile, but her green eyes are still lost somewhere in the past, a familiar vacancy mirrored back at me. “We talk a lot. About our days, our feelings. I know you’ve noticed but haven’t participated, so I don’t know if that’s something you’d want to try, but I am here—we are—if you want to.”
“You mean to tell me Peris would want to hear what I have to say?” I quip, trying to lighten the mood. It works. Elise laughs softly, lips pursing.
“You want to tell me what’s going on with you two?”
I lean back in my own chair, pressing my hands to the edge of the table to tilt my chair back on two legs. “Whatever do you mean?”
Elise snorts. “Oh, please. I’m not completely obtuse. I hear you two bickering. And that’s not even including the way Peris snaps at youin front of me.He’s not usually like that anymore, so I assume something has happened.” She pauses for a moment, trying to read my face, but I’ve got my mask firmly in place. No more slip-ups or almost accidental tears—no, thank you.
“Is it going to be a problem?” She bluntly asks. I appreciate that.
“No,” I tell her confidently, even if it’s probably a lie. “I promise. We just, uh.” I drop my chair back down with a loud crack. “We just clash sometimes. At school. You know, two strong personalities. It happens.”
“Well, you two are foster brothers now.”
I blink.You see, Elise, about that…“I guess for now, yeah.”
Elise is shaking her head before I’ve even finished. “No, not for now. You’ll be here as long as you want to be, Abel. Bill and I have spoken. It took a while, but Social Services finally approved your permanent placement here.”
“They didn’t want to try and find someplace else for me to go, I’m guessing,” I respond dryly but gratefully.
She shrugs. “I honestly don’t know, but I let them know you are more than welcome to stay here as long asyouwanted.”
“Yeah, I bet they loved that. Not often someonetriesto keep one of us around. Less work for them.” When I glance up, coming face to face with thatlook—pity and gentleness—I stiffen. “Sorry, that was rude. I am grateful.”
“I know, honey. Don’t worry about it. Say what’s on your mind.”
Mhm, I don’t think that would be wise.
“I guess I can try. Just don’t, like, kick me out or whatever.” I try to make light of how serious I am.
Elise sees right through it. “You’re here for however long you want to be here.”
If only that were true. Maybe then, I could finally breathe.
“Hey, Abel,”Elise prompts with a gentle lilt to her voice. I focus my attention on her while reveling in the feel of Peris’s eyes stuck to the side of my still-healing face.
“What’s up?” She turns toward the table with something in her hand. Cradling it, really.
“I got you something today. I wanted to wait till Peris was home so we could all exchange numbers at once!” She reachesout and thrusts the phone and its accompanying box in my hand with a grin so wide, I’m sure her cheeks are aching.
I blink slowly at her smiling face—once, twice—before my gaze drops to the object in my palm. Sleek glass is reflected back at me. “What?”
“Well, I…” She falters for a moment. “I figured you’d need a phone. It’s not realistic to rely on Peris for communication, and besides, you deserve?—”
“Elise, this is—this—” I drag my fingers through my hair, yanking at the ends before shoving them behind my ears, only for the strands to flop back in front of my eyes. “It’s too much.”
“Nonsense. It’s just enough, and I don’t want to hear anything else about it, okay?” She softens her words toward the end, drawing my gaze upward. Her golden-green eyes are gentle, easing a slight bit of my guilt but not enough.
Not fucking enough.
“I’ll—”
“Nope.” She pops the P as she drops back into her chair and picks up her fork. She waves it in the air in my direction before it shifts to Peris. “Would you expect Peris to pay me for his?”
I follow the path. Peris is silent, sitting stiffly in his chair with his own fork dangling midair. “Uh… yeah?”
