Friendship and a Sneak Peek
So, I love friends. What a banal statement! Who doesn’t love friends? I’m marvelously insightful this morning.
I have a sister that has a million and one friends. She is pretty magnetic. She had like seventeen secondary bridesmaids at her wedding. She is awesome. I, on the other hand, seem to be more the sort that has a few super close friends and then lots and lots of people I’m comfortable with and like to be around, but don’t necessarily confide in, nor seek out for a late night Target and ice cream run.
My very best friend is always my husband. The one and only weirdo who can make me laugh when I’m ticked just by doing a frightfully strange dance to the Ugly Betty theme song. When it comes down to it, although I love and need girls nights and sister retreats just as much as the next gal, he’s the one I never tire of and the only one I really want to spend a long, crowded transatlantic flight with. Yeah, I know I ended that sentence with a preposition, but these days, to be grammatically correct all the time really just makes you sound pretentious. Plus I can’t remember all of the rules anyhow.
Anyway, my MC Claire has some issues with friendship. Meaning she just hasn’t really had much experience in that department. Having everyone around you think you’d abruptly fall asleep for a hundred years at 16 will do that to you. So her growing friendship with James is both delightful and puzzling to her. Here’s a scene where she’s trying to make sense of it all and which shows how uncertain yet hopeful she is about the whole process.
The next morning James retained his chilly demeanor. He ignored me through breakfast and silently packed my things onto Naomi. James left to fill our water canteens in the river and after stealing a glance at Damien, who looked bored and distracted by something on his sleeve, I followed him. I jogged to catch up James. Once I reached him, I simply walked near his side and stole a sidelong glance at him. He stubbornly refused to meet my gaze. I cleared my throat once, then again for emphasis. James looked pointedly away.
“Come now, James,” I cajoled. “You can’t stay angry at me forever.”
He finally looked at me just as I tripped on my hem and caught myself before I could fall flat on my face. His arms went out instinctively. My clumsiness was becoming somewhat expected. But I righted myself before he needed to catch me and his arms fell back to his sides. I could tell he was fighting a smile so I wiggled my eyebrows and gave him a silly grin. He finally gave in and the corners of his mouth reluctantly turned up.
“You really are the most insufferable princess,” he shook his head at me.
I frowned thoughtfully and tapped my chin. “I don’t remember that being one of my gifts…”
James smothered a laugh under his breath and then proceeded to list all of the irritating things I had done lately to illustrate the fact. When I just kept smiling at him he stopped his rant to shake his head again.
“I’m telling you how awful you are,” he explained, laughing now. “Why do you look so happy about it?”
“No one has ever pointed out my flaws before. This is fascinating. Please, go on.” I said, pretending seriousness.
He laughed again and I joined him.
“Actually, I’m just glad you feel comfortable enough to tease me—because I know teasing was all you were doing since I am perfect,” I said with a mischievous look. “Or I will be once I get my gifts back.”
James snickered.
“This means we’re friends, right?” I asked him. I retained my playful tone, but I was actually nervous to hear his answer. I had so little experience with friendship.
He gave me an odd look. “Um…yes. I suppose we are,” he said.
“Well then,” I beamed.
“Well then,” he echoed. And then he was smiling and shaking his head again.
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