It looks simple, too simple.
Elsie told me before that John got a ladybug tattoo for her, since she has been interested in insects and how they all develop.
His tattoos have meaning.
After I have done some research, there is only one place in the world that tattoos their people by numbers.
The Russian prison.
He knows that I’m aware he isn’t the perfect man and clearly Elsie knows nothing about it.
I won’t tell her, she looks up at her parents as her backbone.
At least one of us gets to have that.
I won’t ruin it for her.
The front door of the Beaumont’s house opens for me as a girl flings herself to me in a hug.
“You’re finally here, come in!”
I chuckle as Elsie pulls me inside as I close the door behind us. Annette greets me with a kiss on my cheek as usual “I’m glad you’re here with her, Clayton.” her voice soothing like the warmest cup of tea I have ever tasted in their house.
Elsie’s mother is the second nicest person I have ever met, not that I have much reference but she accepted me without any judgment.
Her short platinum blonde hair frames her heart shaped face, her features soft yet there is a hint of sharpness. Her blue eyes are darker than Elsie’s. Her French accent gives her a slight edge.
“John! Can you please come down and help me with the gifts.” she calls out, walking towards the table filled with gift bags that they got for Elsie.
The stairs creak as John walks down. His eyes land on me as they harden, but softens slightly when he looks at Elsie and winks at her.
“Clay, come look at this.” My attention immediately turns to Elsie as I walk towards her. She holds pink plastic cups “Mom got these, they’re so pretty. Do you think the girls will like it?”
I don’t think the girls will even glance at them.
“Probably.”
Her smile means that was the answer she wants to hear. She is focusing too much on what her ‘friends’ would like, not whatshewould like.
“Kids, come help me bake the cake before everyone arrives.”
Elsie runs ahead of me and I walk behind her. I take the chance to appreciate how she looks, her dress is a knee length pastel pink that compliments the white of her hair. She has her hair down, it has gotten so long lately to the point it reaches the middle of her back. Her lips are glossy and her eyes sparkle with hope.
I have told her hundreds of times that she’s beautiful. Each year I find a new word to describe her.
We stand beside each other as we work on the batter and I wipe off the splatters from her face every minute, fighting the urge to lean in and kiss them away.
My feelings for Elsie become harder to resist each day. I know she loves me as a best friend and I would do anything to always have this honor. But, there is always this hope that someday she will see me as more.
Until then, I will keep clinging to every moment I can be with her, till I prove that I’m hopefully good enough for her.
We decorate the cake to look presentable as much as we can. I can feel Annette’s gaze on the horrible cake but she keeps her words to herself as she notices how much Elsie loves it.
A variation of colored strings decorate the walls and balloons fill the floor. Elsie stands in front of the door, her eyes not leaving it for a second. I glance at the clock on the wall as I sit on the couch with my hands in my pocket hiding my gift.
The guests should have been here for the past twenty minutes.
My leg taps as my blood boils, I keep looking at Elsie. She hasn’t moved an inch for the past hour. Annette's eyes tear up as she stands beside the staircase, John puts a hand on her shoulder in assurance as she rests her head on his shoulder and looks up at him, shaking her head. They have a silent conversation with their eyes as John sighs “bug, why don’t we start together already. Maybe your friends are still on the wa—”
