Scribes & Archers

Keslie pulled her schoolbooks out of her bike basket and stepped into the Piano Shoppe cafe. Her entry was heralded by a bell over the door, and her friend Dominic smiled at her from across the room as he finished serving the drinks on his tray.

“Hey, Keslie.”

“Hey.”

“I’ll just be a couple more minutes.”

Keslie nodded and took a seat in the front corner by two windows, her favorite spot. When Dominic came over, he brought with him a grey mug and a red one, the latter of which he handed to Keslie.

“Rose tea with cream and sugar?” she asked, even though she didn’t have to.

Dominic nodded. “Your favorite.”

Keslie smiled. “Thanks.” She took a sip and pulled her math book from its spot in the pile.

“Livi’s not coming?”

Keslie shook her head. “She’s sick today.”

“I don’t think even being sick could get that one down.”

“No, but she’s considerate and doesn’t want to get us sick. Besides, you’ve seen how dramatic she can be.”

Dominic laughed. “Has she been acting?”

“‘I believe have been beset by something that most people term as… the common cold! Whatever shall I do!'” Keslie put a hand to her forehead for extra affect and the two of them collapsed into laughter.

“I wish I could have heard that.”

“You might just get to, depending on when you next talk to her. It’s much better in her voice.” Keslie grinned.

“I’m sure. She has more of a flair for the dramatic.” Dominic winked.

“Hey! I think I did a pretty good impression if I do say so myself.” She crossed her arms and feigned haughtiness.

“Even were you a master actress you couldn’t do Livi justice. She’s quite the theatrical one.” His voice held a hint of sarcasm and quite a bit of teasing.

“You’re right,” Keslie said, unfolding her arms with a drawn out sigh. “I suppose I’ll never be the great actress she is.” She put a hand under her chin, pretending to look dreamily at nothing.

Dominic laughed, blue eyes twinkling. “I think you’ve come out more since Livi came along. You seem to have adopted some of our sarcasm and wit.”

Keslie leaned back and took another sip of her tea. “I’ve noticed, too. It’s nice.”

“Unfortunately, we should probably actually study instead of just joking around the whole time.”

“Hey, I thought it was my job to keep us on task.” She smirked and opened up the math book. “Grossest subject first.”

****************

After they finished doing their homework, they headed over to Keslie’s house to drop off her bike and books and from there to the beach. They sat on a dune that Keslie considered her spot after years of sitting there and writing music.

“I’m glad I live by the beach,” Keslie said.

“Why?” Dominic asked the question thoughtfully.

“Because I love the water and the breeze and the sand. It just suits me, I think.”

“No pun intended.” Dominic grinned.​

Keslie chuckled. “No. That wasn’t intended.” She looked over at him. “Do you like the beach or would you rather live elsewhere?”

“Well, I wouldn’t for anything trade living near you and Livi, but I’ve always loved the idea of living in the mountains. I lived there until I was three, apparently, so I only vaguely remember it, but I think I’d like to live there again. Or maybe in the country. I don’t know, I’ve just always been more drawn to the crisp air and forests and mountains. I love the ocean, but I’m more of an autumn guy than a summer guy, if that makes sense.”

Keslie nodded, looking back out toward the ocean. The breeze ruffled her blonde hair, and she knew the beach too well to bother brushing it away. It would only get blown in her face again a moment later.

Keslie was comfortable here, just sitting on the beach with Dominic. They’d been friends for so long she couldn’t even remember how they met, and she was more comfortable with him than with anyone else in the world. Even her parents, after their divorce. She liked sitting with him, not even having to say anything to enjoy each others’ company. There hadn’t been a lot of just sitting quietly since Livi showed up, and thought Keslie loved Livi like a sister and would never wish for her to change, it was nice to have a moment of stillness.

“I really like you, Keslie.”

Keslie looked at Dominic, startled from her reverie. “What? Sorry. I wasn’t here enough to register what you said.” She chuckled a bit.

“I said I really like you.”

“Of course you do. We’ve been friends for as long as either of us can remember.”

He looked over at her. “That’s not what I mean. I mean I like, like you. Like, can’t-imagine-anyone-I’d-rather-be-with like you.”

Keslie just sat there staring at him for a minute before bursting into laughter. “I’m sorry. This isn’t funny. Just… You like me?” Keslie didn’t think she’d ever had anyone like like her.

“Yeah. Why, is that hard to believe?”

“Not exactly, I just don’t think I’ve ever had anyone like me that way before.”

“Yes you have. I could name five of them right now, aside from myself. But I won’t because, A it would make me seem like a stalker, and B I won’t betray them.”

Keslie shook her head. As she thought about it, she supposed she might have a crush on Dominic, but they’d been friends so long it seemed weird to think of it. He was kind and witty and clever and musical and all sorts of things she had put on her mental list of things to look for in a potential husband, but… Dominic? For some reason, though she knew she should be good friends with whomever she married, she hadn’t ever considered Dominic. Well, there had been one time when she was about twelve, but that totally didn’t count because that was the age she was crushing on half the boys in the school and had no idea what a real relationship looked like or what to look for in a guy.

“What’s going on inside that head of yours?”

“Trying to figure out why I’ve only once ever had a crush on you. Sorry, that came out rather unlike I meant it. I mean it sincerely, not sarcastically. You’re a great guy and you’re pretty much exactly the list in my head, but… It just seems weird to have a crush on you. Because we’ve been friends so long.”

“Yeah. I kind of didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want to make things weird.”

“Livi will be overjoyed if we get together. She’s been shipping us pretty much since she met us.”

Dominic laughed. “That sounds like Livi.”

“Maybe she’s a better matchmaker than I gave her credit for.” Keslie shrugged.

“Could be. So I haven’t actually asked you on a date yet.”

“No, you haven’t.” Keslie’s heart was doing laps in her chest. What would it be like to go on a date with Dominic? There was very little each didn’t know about the other, and being romantic would just be… weird. Very, very weird.

“Would you like to go with me to see The Last Element tomorrow night?”

Keslie nodded. She’d been wanting to see that movie since the trailers came out.

“Cool. Our first date, then.” His smile was kind of tentative. Apparently he was finding this weird, too. She felt better knowing she wasn’t the only one.

“Yeah.”

They sat in silence for a bit, both occupied with their own thoughts, until Keslie’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out to see a text from Livi.

How’d the study date go?

Went well. We’re on the beach. Keslie decided it might be better to leave out the fact that she and Dominic were going out until it was a little less weird for her and she could handle Livi’s excitement.

Mind if I come join you?

Keslie turned to Dominic. “Livi wants to know if she can come join us.”

“I thought she didn’t want to get us sick,” he teased.

Sure, Keslie texted.

Be there in a jiff!

It only took Livi a couple of minutes to arrive, since her house was only a few doors down from Keslie’s and both were on the beach.

She took a seat next to Keslie, practically bouncing, and grinned over at them. “Hey guys!”
“Hey, Livi,” Dominic said with a grin.
“How did studying go? Sorry I couldn’t join you. I’ve been beset by what most people call…” Her eyes widened. “The common cold!” She put on a distressed face and both Keslie and Dominic burst out laughing.
“Man, I wish I could have seen your face the first time,” Keslie said.
“Sorry to disappoint.” Livi grinned. “I’m glad I could come now, though. I love hanging out with you guys.” She smiled.
“I thought you weren’t coming so you wouldn’t get us sick,” Dominic said.
“Well, I didn’t want to get everyone in the cafe sick. You guys should join me in the horror that is the common cold. I don’t want to be left alone in this dark place!”
They laughed.
“You’re something else,” Keslie said.
“Why thank you. I wouldn’t want to be something same. Same is rather boring, don’t you agree?” She grinned.
“I quite agree,” Dominic said. “But there’s also something to be said for familiarity.”
“But familiarity and sameness don’t have to be synonymous,” Keslie said. “Something can be familiar and yet be entirely different from anything else, but it’s still familiar to you because you spend time around it.”
Livi nodded. “Precisely. You two are different from anyone else I know, and everyone else I know is different from everyone else I know, and yet I’m familiar with all of them.”
“How do we end up having such borderline phylisophical conversations?” Keslie asked. “We’re such goofballs, and yet our conversations tend so much toward the philisophical.”
“Or the goofy.” Livi made a face that had Dominic and Keslie nearly rolling in the sand laughing in mere moments.
“You are quite the goof.”

“Why thank you.” Livi bowed, as well as she could sitting down, and Keslie laughed. “I do certainly try.”
Livi was the most fun person Keslie had ever met, though Dominic was a very close second, and Keslie could never stay sad for long around the bubbly girl. Even her clothes screamed cheeriness, in bright yellow and hot pink on most occasions. And the fact that Livi also liked music didn’t hurt at all. She always had something she could play to cheer Kes up.
“You guys seem a bit weird today,” Livi remarked, cocking her head. “What’s up?”
Keslie chuckled. “Well…”
“We’re going on a date tomorrow night,” Dominic said, looking rather awkward.
“Yay!” Livi squealed, clapping. “I knew it! I knew you two would end up together! Yes!” She hugged them both and when she pulled back she was grinning ear to ear. “I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!”
“Calm down, Livi,” Keslie said, trying not to be rude.
“I knew it!” Livi repeated, a bit quieter this time.
“Yes, you’re very smart. Shut up.”
“Yessssss!” Livi said. “Movie quotes for the win.” They high-fived.
“You two…”
“Oh come on, you know you love us,” Dominic said with a grin.
“I do. You know I do. You’re the biggest goofballs I know. And you know how much I love that movie, too.”
“Well of course,” Dominic said. “It’s been your favorite since you were three or something.”
“Longer than that, likely.”
“Well of course,” Livi said. “It’s the greatest movie in all of history. How can anyone not like it?” They were quiet for a minute. “Oh! Dad said that I should bring you guys over for ice cream. We have mint chocolate chip and cherry, my two favorites. And we have a whole refrigerator’s worth of toppings.”

“Ice cream is always good,” Keslie said.
“Definitely true. Come on.” Livi stood and skipped away across the sand toward her house. Keslie and Dominic followed, and found it laid out much the same as Keslie’s house. The back porch opened into the office, which then led forward into the living room and off to the right into the kitchen. Livi’s dad, Zach, was in the kitchen with two cartons of ice cream and a whole array of toppings out on the counter.
“Hey, kids! How are you today?”
“Pretty good, Mr. Brooklyn,” Keslie said. “How are you?”
“I’m doing well. Remember, though, you can call me Zach.”
Keslie nodded, but she rarely called adults by their first names. She’d always been taught to use last names.
“How about you? Dominic, right?”
Dominic nodded. “I’m doing well.”
“That’s good. Come on in and I’ll get you some ice cream. Keslie, what kind of ice cream would you like?”
“Mint chocolate chip, please.”
“All righty.” Four scoops ended up in her bowl. “Help yourself to the toppings.”
“Thanks.” She took the bowl, which was much fuller than she’d anticipated, and added some mini chocolate chips.
“Dominic?”
“Mint chocolate chip, please.”
“All right. That seems to be the favorite. Myself, I prefer cherry, but hey, that just means more for me, right?” He grinned and served up the ice cream. “There you go. Enjoy.”
The dining room was in the same place as Keslie’s as well, just past the kitchen. They took their seats at the table and Zach joined them in a moment.
“Dad took some time off today to work on and art project of his,” Livi said, explaining why he was home so early. She turned to Zach. “Can I show them, Dad?”
“Once you’re done with your ice cream.”

Livi nodded.
Once the three were finished, Livi took them upstairs and down the hall to an art room. Dropcloths covered the whole floor, and there were two easels set up, one of which was covered with a sheet. There was paint splattered everywhere, and it looked kind of like Keslie imagined the inside of Livi’s brain looked.
“Nice room,” Dominic said.
“Yeah. Dad set it up for me, but I convinced him to try out painting, too, so here we are.” She grinned and headed over to the covered easel. “Ready?”
Keslie and Dominic nodded and Livi pulled off the tarp. Behind it was an acrylic painting of someone who looked like an older version of Livi, except for the fact that her eyes were brown instead of blue.
“He painted my mom,” Livi said, tears shimmering in her eyes even as she grinned.
“She’s beautiful,” Keslie said. “And your dad is a great artist.”
Livi nodded. “Her name was Kim. Dad practiced a lot to get this good. He wanted to be able to do Mom justice. And I think he did.”
Keslie nodded and the three of them stood in silence. There wasn’t much that could be said.
After a few minutes Livi brushed a couple of tears from her eyes and sniffed. “So do you guys want to do anything in particular? Listen to music, chat, draw…”
“I can’t draw,” Dominic said.
“Yeah, it’s like the only thing he can’t do,” Keslie said with a snort.
Livi laughed. “Well then I’d like to see what he comes up with.”
“Oh, I see,” Dominic said with a grin, “You want to see me embarrass myself.”
“Absolutely.” Livi’s grin was equally wide. “Come on. I’ve got pencils in the other room.” She headed down the hall to her room and grabbed a box of colored pencils from her desk and set them on the bed, then hunting down some paper. Keslie and Dominic sat on the bed with its bright pink sheets and Keslie looked at the pencils.
“These are really good quality,” she said.
“Yeah. My dad got them for me for my birthday.”
“When is your birthday?” Keslie almost couldn’t believe she hadn’t asked yet.
“July fifteenth. When’s yours?”
“September twenty-seventh.”
“You’re almost seventeen, then! I’ll have to get you something.”
“You don’t have to do that…”
“Sure I do.” She pulled the paper from another drawer and set it on the bed, bounding onto the bed herself. She looked over at Dominic. “When’s yours?”
“October second.”
“So yours is coming up, too.”

“Kind of soon.”
Livi got up and grabbed a couple of regular pencils and handed one to each of them as she climbed back onto the bed. “Almost forgot these.”
Keslie took the pencil and a piece of paper and looked around the room. “Do you have a clipboard I can use?”
Livi nodded and grabbed three from a drawer of her desk, handing one to each of them. “Sorry about that.”
“No problem.”
Keslie thought for a moment before deciding on what to draw and set to work. They drew in silence for half an hour before Livi declared she was done. She lifted up her clipboard to show them. She’d drawn a mermaid and fully colored it in. It was a bit of a cartoon-ish style, which fit Livi well, and it was expertly done.
“Tada! It’s supposed to be you as a mermaid, Kez.”
“Me? Well… Thanks?”
“Yes, that’s the appropriate response,” Dominic said, nudging her with his shoulder.
Keslie rolled her eyes at him. “Thanks, Livi.”
“You’re welcome.” Livi grinned and traded the piece of paper out for another. “You’re next, Dom.”
“I expect nothing less than a masterpiece,” Dominic teased.
“Of course. As if I could give anything less.”
Keslie smiled and returned to her own drawing.
Another half hour passed and finally Dominic held up his picture. It was an anchor being hauled down by tentacles, and Keslie stood corrected. He could draw after all. He must not have been trying the times he’d shown her his drawings.
“You liar,” Keslie said. “You told me you couldn’t draw. And proved it. What’s this?”
“I don’t know. Must be some newfound talent I never knew I had.” He winked.
Keslie stuck her tongue out at him and looked over as Livi raised her own picture.
“All finished,” she announced.

Merman Dominic wore a permanent wink, and his open eye sparkled. His dark hair was drawn flopping over his face, and he had a dark blue tail.
“Well, I think that suits him perfectly,” Keslie said.
“Don’t you, though? I think it’s certainly a masterpiece.”
“I think I’ll be the judge of that,” Dominic said. He studied the piece with narrowed eyes for several moments before finally drawing away and nodding. “It’ll pass.”
“I think it does more than pass, don’t you?”
“Oh yes,” Keslie said. “Definitely.”
“So there.” It was Livi’s turn to stick her tongue out at Dominic.
“I admit, I have been outnumbered.” He looked at Keslie’s drawing. “You’ve been working for a while. What’s yours look like?”
Keslie held it up. It was an all-pencil piece of the ocean.
“That’s great, Kez! I didn’t know you could draw that well. That’s amazing!”
Keslie blushed and set the picture back in her lap, crossing her arms over it and blushing. “Thanks.”
“It really is great,” Dominic said. “It’s better than I could do with just pencils. The shading is incredibly detailed for having only used a pencil.”
Keslie shrunk farther into herself. Compliments were not her strength. “Thanks.” Her voice was barely audible, and she knew she was probably beet red.
“All right,” Livi said, “Let’s not embarrass her too quickly. I’m sure there’ll be enough of that now that you two are a couple. There’s to be much teasing from the peanut gallery, I can assure you of that.” She pointed to herself.
“I would expect nothing less,” Dominic said. “You’re the queen of teasing.”
“Why thank you.” Livi looked around her dresser and finally pulled out a rhinestone tiara. She set it on her head and crossed her eyes with a hand under her chin. “Don’t I just look fabulous as a queen?”
Keslie couldn’t hide her laugh.

The rest of the day continued much the same, with lots of teasing and talking and laughter.
Finally around seven o’clock Keslie headed home.
“Hey, Keslie,” her mom called. From the kitchen, judging from the sound.
“Hey, Mom.”
“How did the study date go?”
“It went well. After that we headed to the beach and then hung out at Livi’s house.”
“Sounds fun.”
Keslie headed into the kitchen where her mom was working on her book on her laptop. “Hey Mom.”
“Yeah?”
“How does dating work?”
Mrs. Bardell looked up at her. “Are you and Dominic finally getting together?”
“I know you’re my mom, but how did you know and why was that your first assumption?”
“Kes, you and Dominic have been friends for who-even-knows-how-long. I knew you were bound to get married sometime or other.”
“Mom! We’re not getting married yet! We’re going on one date to see a movie tomorrow night! Don’t jump years ahead just yet.”
Mrs. Bardell smiled a bit. “Well, I don’t know because your dad and I met each other and got to know each other as we dated. I’m not sure how it’ll work for you and Dominic. I guess you’ll just have to find out.”
“Gee, that’s helpful.”
“Sorry, Sweetie. But I know Dominic’s a good guy and he’ll take care of you.”
“I wasn’t worried about that. I’m more worried about things being perpetually awkward between us and Livi.”
“Livi’s pretty easygoing, so I don’t think she’ll mind if you two are together, and I doubt that your relationship with Dominic will change much aside from the fact that you’ll probably be more romantic. You’ll still sit and talk for hours and laugh together and all that stuff that you do now and have been doing for years. Don’t worry about it.”

Keslie headed up to her room, and after a long time of worrying about things, she finally fell asleep.
**********
The next day went by quickly. School, a study meeting at Keslie’s house – with both Livi and Dominic – and then from there to the movie.
Keslie stood nervously by as Dominic paid for the tickets and then followed him awkwardly into the theater. They found a seat near the middle of the room and took their seats. Keslie was rather stiff, and Dominic set a hand on hers.
“Hey, just pretend we’re seeing a movie as friends.”
Keslie nodded with an appreciative smile, and after a few minutes she finally relaxed.
She enjoyed the movie as well as she thought she would, and they left the theater talking about it.
“I loved the part where she grabs the trithium and runs off with it,” Keslie said. “The way they outwitted Derk was great.”
Dominic nodded. “My favorite part was the opening scene, actually.”
“That was good too. It reeled me in immediately.”
Dominic nodded.
A few raindrops dripped onto Keslie as Dominic offered her his hand. “Too early for hand-holding?”
Keslie shrugged. “Why not?” She took his hand, which was rather warm despite the cold inside the theater, and they warmed her own cold fingers slowly.
They headed to Keslie’s house as the rain increased, until they were standing in a downpour outside her front door.
“I love being on the beach in the rain,” Keslie said. “Want to come?”
Dominic nodded and Keslie tugged him around the house onto the beach. The sand was already smooth and squishy in the rain, like mud between Keslie’s toes as she removed her sandals.
They played around in the rain for a while, dancing and splashing in the waves and getting each other even wetter than they already were.

After a while Dominic drew a heart in the sand with his finger.
“You know how cliche that is, right?” Keslie asked.
Dominic shrugged. “Oh well. I kind of like using them and making fun of them.”
“True. Making fun of cliches is always fun. I once read a book where the villain did that. The heroes kept speaking in cliches and he kept making fun of them. It was really fun to read. He also made a whole lot of puns, which was great.”
“Puns are punderful.”
Keslie swatted Dominic’s shoulder as he winked. “You’re terrible.”
“Of course. I’m punbearable.”
“Dominic!”
“Oh come on. You know you love me. And my puns. You’re punable to resist them.”
She swatted at him again as he laughed.
“Hey! Stop punching me!”
Another swat, until she was chasing him around the beach. Finally he grabbed her arm as she swatted at him and pulled her close to him so that they shared the same breath. They stood there for a moment and Keslie barely breathed. She realized that she’d never had a crush on Dominic because she’d merely skipped that step. She didn’t have to have a crush on him, because she already loved him. The electric silence was broken when Dominic spoke.
“May I?”
Keslie nodded just a bit and he kissed her. He pulled away a minute later and she looked up at him. She could get used to them being together.

They quietly walked along the beach in the rain for a while before heading home, and as Keslie headed up to her room that night she wondered at how her small family had grown and changed so much in just a few weeks.