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“Not at all. I think it’s time to call it quits.”
“I didn’t take you for a quitter,” he teased, pinching her side as she giggled and tried to escape his clutch.
“I’m not…I need to go home and get ready for tonight.” It was an excuse and he knew it, but she wasn’t wrong. It was getting late, and they both needed to wash up and return for dinner. Eli’s dad was expecting him to be home soon.
“I’ll see you in a little bit?” Eli asked when Ali stood and turned toward her house. “I know Dad is really excited to celebrate tonight.”
“Yeah. See you at dinner.” He watched as she continued walking in the distance, disappearing into a tiny speck.
Ali spent more time in the bath than she normally would’ve. It was long enough for the water to turn freezing cold, although it hadn’t been very warm to begin with. Her mother, Anna, had already left to help prepare dinner and wasn’t there to rush her out of the tub, so she took her time. She ran her fingers through her hair in an attempt to work out the tangled mess. Then she gently poured water over her new tattoo, dabbing it dry. She stared blankly at the dirt under her fingernails. No amount of scrubbing that would ever leave her feeling truly clean.
From the window, she could see darkness falling like a blanket over their town. She sighed as she stepped out of the bath and dried off hastily. If she took much longer, she would be late to dinner. In Andus, they all ate together as one big family. It was less wasteful to make meals in bulk, although it typically meant their food was pretty bland. She couldn’t count the number of times she’d eaten fish and rice. Only nearly every day of her life. On rare occasions like birthdays or weddings, they’d have a more extravagant meal. Today was Eli’s dad’s birthday, so there would be a full hog roast with veggies and dessert. She was looking forward to dessert the most.
She yanked a brush through her hair and smoothed it back into a braid, glaring at her naked body in a cracked mirror. Criticizing her body had become a habit. I’m scrawny. The result of years of being underfed and spending her days walking along the lake and checking fish traps.
I’m malnourished. My knees are so bony. She picked apart the features of her body. She had no reason to be vain. It wasn’t practical or sensible, but that didn’t stop her.
My eyes though. If I had to choose one part of my body that I like, it would be my eyes. They were a striking shade of brown that made her look and feel fiercer than she was.
And my lips. Eli had told her she had nice lips once. Apparently, red and puffy lips were desirable to men. Ali flushed, completely embarrassed, but she remembered the way it had felt that day to be complimented by a man. Desired, even if it was just Eli. She had been little more than a child then, and the effect of his words had since worn off. She still appreciated his affection, but it no longer burned inside her.
She grabbed a clean pair of black skinny jeans and a cotton shirt that hung from her lanky limbs. She laced up her black leather combat boots and grabbed her thick tan wool jacket before heading out into the brisk fall evening.
The scent of bonfire smoke hit her as soon as she stepped out the door. It was one of her favorite smells. It always brought back many wonderful memories spending time with family and friends. If the comfort of home was a scent, it would be this one. There was something so comforting about the way the aroma swirled around her, wrapping her up like a warm blanket.
It didn’t take long to find Eli waiting for dinner to be served. She could hear his laugh from a mile away, and it brought an instant smile to her face. He was surrounded by a few other older men, including his dad.
“Happy birthday, Jack!” Ali shouted as she snuck up behind them and patted Jack on the shoulder. He embraced her and hugged her tight. Jack had been like a father to Ali ever since hers had died when she was young during a hunting trip gone wrong. It was partly why she had become so close to Eli. That and the fact that he was the only one close to her age. Jack had stepped in to make sure her mom had everything she needed and that Ali was well taken care of.
“Miss Allison, I’m so glad you made it. We were starting to wonder if you got lost. I was just telling Eli here that he needs to lock you down before some other chump comes along.” He chuckled and shook her by the shoulders.
It wasn’t the first time he’d made a comment about the two of them getting married or having babies or falling in love. It seemed pointless to resist. They probably would get married and have kids. The next closest man in age to Ali was seven years younger and the next closest woman to Eli was twelve years older. Eli was the practical option, and marrying her best friend wasn’t exactly the worst prospect in the world. Other people weren’t so lucky.
“No need to rush things, Dad.” Eli nudged his dad and flashed Ali an apologetic smile. Ali didn’t know if she was ready for this.
Jack was oblivious to her discomfort and carried on, clapping his son on the back. “Sure there is. I’m not getting any younger!” His belly shook as he laughed and a few of his friends had the decency to look toward the ground, though they were unwilling to reel him in.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
A bell graciously interrupted their conversation. Thank you, dinner bell. She would get away with another day of no commitments. She wasn’t sure how much longer they could delay the inevitable, but she’d take any extra day given to her.
Jack and his older friends hurried ahead to grab a plate, leaving Eli and Ali behind. He shifted uncomfortably with his hands in his jean pockets and avoided eye contact. His confusion was her own doing. Half the time she was sleeping in his bed and the other half she was keeping him at arm’s length. Whenever the topic of marriage came up, they both turned to stone.
She grabbed him by the elbow and said playfully, “Take me to dinner, handsome?” She batted her eyelashes at him for good measure, attempting to pull him out of his thoughts.
He snorted. “Do you have something in your eye?”
“Eli!” She smacked him hard in the gut. He was laughing so hard, her hand bounced off his abs. “You are such an ass.”
“Oh, that was good, Ali. That was good.” He was so out of breath that he could hardly speak. There were tears in his eyes. The teasing was her signal that things were back to normal. The awkwardness from before had dissipated.
“Fine. Find another girl to take to dinner. I’m sure Sarah is available. Sure, she’s forty-five years old, but I hear she likes them young.” She raised her brows and crossed her arms defensively. He would be so lucky to have her.
“Aw, come on now, Ali. You know I love you.” He stepped forward, arms open wide and ready to embrace her, but she took an equal step back. She wouldn’t let him win that easily. He paused and a shimmer of playfulness danced across his eyes.
“Don’t.” She warned him, but he closed the gap in a flash and swooped her up off her feet in a bear hug. He squeezed so tight she could hardly breathe. “Put. Me. Down,” she grunted.
“No,” he said. “I’m never letting you go. I won’t let you leave me.”
