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Oh,Ella. I wish you'd had a better time at the ball."
"Fuhgeddaboudit," I muttered. Greaseball. Freddy. Freak. "It's not like she and I were ever going to be BFFs."
"I wasn't just referring to Amanda."
Of course he wasn't.
"I'll try," I moaned into the crook of my elbow. "Oh, Lord.I'll try to carry on."
"That sounds rather dramatic, even for you."
"It's Styx," I told him. "After your time, before mine. I don't know all the words,but those work for the moment. And for the record, I'm being ironic, not dramatic."
"If you say so."
I ignored him. "I have had my last flutter over Alex Bainbridge. I mean it. Frankie was right.How many signs do I need that we are never, ever going to have...anything...before I get it? Obviously, it doesn't matter that we realte to the same schizo seventies songs. Or that we can discuss antique Japanese woodblock prints. Or that when he sits next to me, he kinda takes my breath away. You would think that would count for a lot,wouldn't you?"
Edward gets the concept of rhetorical questions, so I went on. "I wouldn't even want to hazard a guess about what makes Amanda's pulse go all skittery, but I would bet anything it's not Alex. And he's still with her. He doesn't belong with her, but apparently he feels he belongs to her. Explain that,please."
"Oh,Ella.We men are not always the best at looking beyond the...er..."
"Boobs,Edward. You can say it. Amanda Alstead has boobs and blonda hair. Beyond that, I can't see a single thing that's special about her."
"Because there isn't a single thing. Beyond the...er, obvious. You,on the other hand,are a creature of infinite charms. Shall I list them alphabetically or from the top down?"
I scowled up at him. "Y'know, you are beginning to sound a little too much like Frankie and Sadie,my deluded Greek chorus."
"yes,well,I rather thought that's what friends are for."
"You're not supposed to be my friend," I muttered. "You're supposed to be my Prince Charming."
"Ahem." Edward's sculpted lips compressed into a grim line. "Have you looked at me lately? I am supposed to be startling and even a bit scary."
"Nope.Neither." I rested my chin on my forearm. "To me,you are perfect. You are loyal and reliable and completely lacking in surprises."
"That is a good thing?"
"Absolutely," I said. "It's an excellent thing.I don't want any more surprises, over."
"Hardly an admirable goal,that."
"Maybe not," I agreed, "but pleasant. Among all the other bizarreness tonight, I found something new to be afraid of. Evil girlfriends."
"Now,Ella. You can't go on being afraid forever."
"Oh,yes,I can. As far as Amanda Alstead is concerned, I can."
Edward tilted his head and studied me for a moment. He looked annoyed. "Why do you insist on having these conversations with me when you ignore everything I have to say?"
It was a pretty good question. "Fine." I sat up straight and folded my hands in my lap. Home Truth time. "Go ahead. On this night when we celebrate the mysteries of life and death..Say something profound, something startling."
There was a long silence. Then, "Boo," Edward said.
"Thank you,Mr. Willing."
"Don't mention it, Miss Marino. I am yours to command.
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