Poison Ivy

After yesterday, I needed some alone time with my sister, and found her at her house, making pancakes.
“Hey kid!” She smiled to me.
“Hey bub.” I said back.
“What’s up?” She turned from the stove to my sad tone and looked at me.
“I just…you know how Kevin and I got back together?”
“Yes…how’s that going?” I gave her a ‘how do you think?’ look and she made an ‘oh’ face.
“It’s not that bad, he’s actually very sweet but…can I tell you something, sister to sister?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“I had sex with Nick before all this junk went down…and Kevin and I had sex yesterday morning.”
“And you’re telling me this because…?”
“Because you know how you feel a ‘connection?’” She just shook her head. “I didn’t feel it…and when he was done, I felt sloppy and wanted to run to Nick.”
“So, you’re in love with Nick?”
“I didn’t say all that!” I was taken back by her assumption. She sat a plate of pancakes in front of me and I questioned them. “Pancakes for dinner?”
“I live alone with a seven month old…I eat whatever the hell I want as far as I can see it. But look, from what you’ve told me, which is more than I needed to know for sure, you love Nick.”
“Well…”
“Does he feel the same?”
“Well…he told me at one point that I’m the reason that he knew what true selfless love is…does that count?”
“Are you serious? Honey…you’re an idiot for not being with Nick, you know that right?”
“But, I didn’t want to hurt Kevin!”
“But I didn’t want to hurt Kevin! When did you turn into such a pussy? I thought you were stronger than this.”
“What the fuck?!” I punched her in the arm and she just gave me wide eyes.
“Seriously! If you don’t want to be with Kevin, you’re still his friend and assistant. Nick is a rarity, honey. If he’s said all this to you then man…he MUST love you.”
“One thing?”
“What?”
“He’s seventeen.”
“And?” She tapped me with her elbow making the sexy eyebrows.
“You are such a cougar.” I rolled my eyes at her and kept eating my pancakes for dinner.

I breathed heavily as I walked towards the door to the boys’ office. This was where I had punched Kevin, and I had to stop to giggle for a moment. When I gained composure, Joe popped his head out of his room and gave me a weird look.
“What are you doing?”
“Being insane.”
“Oh…I could have told you that.” He smiled and quickly shut his door. I laughed at him being stupid and put my hand on the door knob. Right when I was going to turn it, it opened, making me stumble forward. I was met with Kevin’s waist and looked up.
“Sorry, I was trying to open the door at the same time.” I smiled at him. He giggled and helped me get back upright.
“What’s up?” He asked and brought me into the room.
“I was wanting to talk about something.”
“I was too…I was actually about to come to your place and talk to you.”
“Oh.” I was surprised at his tone, it was…melancholy. I sat down on the small leather couch in the office and he sat beside me.
“Look.” He took my hands in his. “I just don’t think this,” He pointed his finger to me and then himself, “is going to work out.”
“Are you serious?” I smiled.
“I know you’re upset but-wait…you’re smiling?”
“I was SO about to come in here and do this.”
“Were you really?” He asked, eyebrow cocked.
“Yes! I hadn’t had the balls to tell you till now.”
“Same here!” He smiled. “Wait…so all this is okay?”
“It is if you promise me one thing?”
“What’s that?”
“Can I still keep my job?”
“Honey!” He laughed and hugged me. “Of course, but here’s the thing, you’re getting a promotion from me personally.”
“Of?” I asked him.
“You’re all our assistant now, not just specifically mine.”
“Sweet!” I smiled.
“What made you realize?”
“The…sex, it didn’t click.”
“I felt that too…”
“What about for you? What made you think it wasn’t right?”
“I have competition that I can’t beat.” He looked down.
“Who?”
“Nick…he’s perfect for you, after I had lunch with him yesterday and we talked about you, I can tell how much he loves you.”
“But, won’t it make you sad?”
“Nah…I’m fine. I think we just had too much sexual tension and it made us blind to the fact that we’re not really meant to be together.”
“I concur.” I smiled and lightly punched his arm.
“Well…” He smiled. He went for a hug and I returned it.
“Well…” I retorted.
“Nick is in the recording studio.” He giggled.
“Okay.” I said, quickly standing up from the small couch. I turned before running out of the room and looked at Kevin. He wasn’t smiling when I looked, so I went to him and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m still going to be your friend.”
“Sweet.” He laughed at me. I turned around again and made my way down the hall and down the stairs. I found the same sign I saw when I first started and stared at it. Oh the trying times I’ve been through since I started, it’s all been worth it.
I skipped down the stairs and found Nick hovering over the panel board. He turned to look at me and he cracked that smile that makes the girls melt, including me. “Hello, gorgeous.” I skipped over to him and sat down on his lap.
I brought my mouth close to his ear and whispered, “I love you.”
“What? What about Kevin?”
“We came to agree…we’re not meant for each other.” I shrugged.
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah, he claimed he could tell how much you loved me after y’all went to lunch together yesterday. I want to apologize though.”
“For?” He raised an eyebrow to me.
“For telling you I only wanted you because of what happened that one night together.”
“It’s okay, you’ve been forgiven, I promise.” He smiled and kissed my temple.
“Are you sure? I just feel really bad about that.”
“It’s fine. But, sweetheart?”
“Yes?”
“Can we go on an official first date now?” He set up a wide grin that made me giggle and I nodded. “Okay, I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven.”
“Sounds good to me.” I smiled back at him this time.
“Is he letting you stay in the pool house still? And is he finishing redecorating?”
“Yes and Yes. He said I’m not just his assistant now, but I’m the whole bands, so I suppose so. I told him I still needed this job and he was fine with it.”
Nick nodded and we sat for a long time in the studio just staring at each other, in one another’s arms.