Vol.4 Rewrite Chapter XV — Home Comforts and Hidden Talents

It was a bit hard to believe, but the winter holidays were finally here. Well, almost finally here, as we still had to finish listening Miss Maple’s farewell speech. Our homeroom teacher really was a sweetheart, wasn’t she? Almost teary-eyed as she told us not to slack off during our time free from classes but to also have a very joyful Christmas with our families. I certainly would, especially because my “wifey” would be there with me in the very same way she was right now.

Right now, she was trying to act nonchalant while I had a leg over hers and leaned on her, looking for that bit of extra connection in an exciting moment, and to keep her warmer in such a cold day.

“I guess that marks the end of it,” Miss Maple said as the bell rang. “Merry Christmas everyone!”

The whole class cheered back her words as everyone excitedly got up and hurried out of the school, me and the gang walking at a more leisurely pace. The boys were discussing what each of them would be doing over the holidays, Mathew unsurprisingly having an on-line game event he wanted to grind to unlock something while Stephen would be working on his project, whatever it was. He said he had plenty of parts delivered, so I’m guessing it was some sort of machine. Maybe even a bike or car? Possibly.

Then, it was us girls’ turn of being asked that.

Mathilda would spend most of her time watching Christmas flicks, while Violet and I wouldn’t be doing anything all that different we usually did during our free time, save for a day or two were we had different plans for a part of those days. A bit disappointing perhaps, but we already had a very well-defined life according to my dad and Papa Stan, so maybe not surprising at all.

“Hey, Mathy,” Stephen began, sounding hesitant, so un-like him. “I’ve been wondering, could you maybe help me pick a gift for my mother this weekend? Since you two are women and I feel like I messed up last year.”

“Oh Stephen, I’d love to, but… the girls and I—”

Violet’s hand that held mine twitched and the other went flying towards Mathilda to tap it. Only, it wasn’t exactly a tap that she made…

“Ouch! What was that for!?” Mathilda asked my girlfriend once her hand made contact with Mathilda’s shoulder.

“We had to cancel, remember?” the poor liar that was my girlfriend told her. “Abby and I had that thing come up all of a sudden? Remember?”

Mathilda’s eyes went wide with realisation.

“Oh! Oh, yeah, that’s right!” she said, grinning from ear to ear at Stephen. “I’m totally free this weekend!”

Violet’s shoulders slacked as she let out a sigh. I gave her hand a light squeeze to make her look at me. With a smile I let her know that she did a very nice save there, Violet blushing slightly as she looked away.

That only lasted for a second however, because as we walked outside, we all stopped because of her. As was customary ever since winter started, we stopped so Violet could be sure that I was properly covered and warm.

As she was just about to start fixing my collar and scarf, a boy from our class came up to us, calling out her name.

“Hmm?” she hummed, not paying him any attention as she fiddled with my jacket, a smile that warmed me up far more than my clothes ever could forming in her face as we made eye contact.

“I was wondering what you’ll be doing this holiday,” the boy, Anthony, said.

No answer came from Violet because her listening ability had already left this planet as she kept on making sure I was comfortable, her gaze and smile now even more warm than before.

Then, it happened, her descend to Earth, and she reacted like she had been startled as she looked back at our classmate.

“Ah! Sorry, what were you saying?”

“No, never mind,” he said, smiling like he had seen something nice. “Merry Christmas you two.”

“Hmm, merry Christmas to you too,” Violet hummed, confused by what just happened. Then, she looked at me. “He looks familiar, doesn’t he?”

“Babe, he’s a classmate,” I told her, letting out an exasperated chuckle. “He’s Anthony.”

“Oh… If you say so.”

“…What was his name again?” I asked, feeling almost sure she had already forgotten with how uninterested she just sounded.

“Erm, Tony, right?”

Well, kudos to her, she hadn’t exactly forgotten his name, just most of the letters.

By this time, we were at the school gate. It was supposed to be me and her going in different directions after bidding our friends farewell, but she kept on walking by my side, her fingers entangled with mine.

“You’re coming with me?” I asked her, already knowing the answer.

“Mmh-hmm… Shouldn’t I?”

I stopped and frowned at her, letting my expression do the talking.

As we made eye contact, I could practically hear her thoughts.

It's super cold, she thought, the realization slowly dawning. It will be even colder when Abby's therapy session ends. And she's going to the gym right after. There's really no point in me waiting for two hours in total and walk around with her in the freezing cold in between. I should just go home and get warmed up instead. A tiny shiver ran through her, and she suddenly remembered the comforting warmth of a blanket and a mug of hot tea. Yeah, that's exactly what I'd like to do if I think about it.

A soft, almost sheepish, smile touched Violet's lips.

"Actually," she said, pulling her hand back and reaching up to gently cup my puffed-up cheeks, her cold fingers lightly kneading the skin. "I think I'll go home. Get warmed up with a hot drink and a blanket."

My eyes immediately shut, a slow, wide smile spreading across my face as her fingers caressed my cheeks. It was such a small thing, but it meant the world. No argument, no having to point out how much she was sacrificing for me. She'd thought about herself, just like I'd wished she would.

"That’s better," I murmured, leaning into her touch. "Text me when you're home, okay?"

"Pfft, fufu! Sure thing, honey," she promised, her touch lingering for another second before she pulled away.

It wouldn’t be so bad to be apart because we had made our “exchange” in that morning, so I had that very personal piece of fabric with me. That had been such a good thing for us to go by these months, a source of intimate comfort, a balm for our clinginess.

My "huge, stupid smile" was firmly in place as I headed my way, now alone, my mind replaying Violet's thoughtful gaze, and that small, soft touch. The cold that never bothered me much now didn't bother me at all.

◊◊◊

Abby had four annoyed faces: the make believe, the lightly annoyed, the seriously annoyed, and the one that was borderline mad. The one Abby used at me when she made me realise I should go home instead of clinging to her was between the first two, resulting in her being cute instead of intimidating as she probably wished for. Those puffed-up cheeks really were the cutest things.

And I had the most intimate of her clothing on me, a reminder that we were always together even when apart, but right now, it didn’t feel appropriate to be thinking that.

“Violet? What do we do next?” Sophie asked, snapping me back to reality.

“Oh, erm, just spread some mayo on top and cover it with the breadcrumbs and herbs, and it will be good to go into the oven when the time comes,” I told her, pushing away the thoughts that had been playing in my mind.

Sophie and I were in the kitchen preparing dinner. Just like Abby, she’s a fast learner, but I must say, she had even less common sense than Abby when she started cooking.

Come on Violet! That’s not really fair, is it?

No, it is not.

Abby watched me cook many times before she herself started cooking too while Sophie hadn’t even ever seen a cooking show on the television before.

“Huh. You know, for how tasty this dish is, it sure is easy and cheap to make, isn’t it?”

Salted codfish that had been soaked and then cooked turned into strips that is then mixed with caramelised sliced onions and thinly chopped fried potatoes. Typically, people use egg to add structure, but I prefer to spread mayo on top and cover it with breadcrumbs before the tray goes into the oven. I think it might be less fatty, and the top gets a nice, crispy crust. The sisters and our dads at least seem to love it, Abby and the men—mostly Abby, almost licking the plate clean.

Truth be told, she almost does that with anything I cook.

And Sophie wouldn’t be all that different were it not for her being more… “well trained” I guess is the word in their situation.

“So, how was the last day of school?” Sophie asked as we sat on the couch.

Cold and unending. I couldn’t wait for Monday to come and me and Abby staying inside the warmth of our bed until ten in the morning.

“It was all right,” I told her instead.

“What about grades? Did the teachers say anything about it?”

“Nope, We’ll have to wait until January to know that.”

“Same as in Uni, huh?” she hummed, briefly looking up at the ceiling, remembering her time as a university student. “But you’re expecting good grades, right? I’ve seen how much you study.”

“Oh yeah, I am,” I said, sounding a bit more excited than I’d expect. “I’ll even get a better grade in PE this trimester.”

“Good on you!” she said, giving me a smile that I still didn’t know exactly how to react. “Looks like all that talk about you being unathletic wasn’t quite true, huh?”

No, it is true, I’m just naturally good at a very, very specific thing.

Still, a compliment was a compliment, and explaining to her why I was getting a higher grade this time was embarrassing, so I simply blushed and looked at my rubbing knees while fighting a stupid smile.

“Is that my phone?” Sophie wondered out loud.

Now that she mentioned it, I could faintly hear her ringtone coming from deeper in the apartment.

She excused herself to go pick it up and I followed her, planning on going to my bedroom to do some reading until Abby was back and it was time to put the food in the oven.

“Honestly Violet, you’re too weak against complements,” I mumbled after shutting the door behind me, my face still a bit warm.

I didn’t think about that for much longer because after I settled on the bed and started reading, I fell completely immersed in the story. I didn’t even notice the time go by nor Abby’s arrival until I felt the bed shift.

As soon as I lifted my eyes from the book, I was face to face with Abby, an impish smile playing on her lips as her nose stood a mere two fingers distance from mine, Abby having had leaned over the bed with her arms serving as support on its side.

“Hi there,” she chirped. “Enjoying the reading, I see.”

“S-sorry, I didn’t hear you arrive,” I told her, putting the book away. “How was the rest of your time after we parted ways?”

“It was fine,” she told me after giving me a familiar kiss. “The therapy session felt like a waste of time, but the gym was very productive on the other hand. And you don’t need to stop reading because of me, I can take care of dinner with sis in the meantime.”

“No, erm, I’m at a good stopping point, and me and her already took care of most of it, so… you know.”

“Hmm, that so huh?” she hummed, her impish looks intensifying. “Care to give me a hand then?”

“Stretching, right?”

“Yup, yup! Stretching.”

She took most of her clothes out, leaving only her black sports top and shorts that hugged her figure and laid on her back on the floor, calling me to her with a foot that she wiggled her toes playfully.

I sat on her, our legs intertwined and with the foot she had been waving in the air resting on my shoulder. I then leaned forward, helping her stretch as far as she could, my weight helping preventing her hip from rotating too much.

I was applying pressure bit by bit as her muscles relaxed and allowed for a deeper stretch when there was a knock on the door.

“Yes?” Abby called from under me, her voice coming slightly moany.

The door clicked open and the person who knocked started pushing it to come inside.

“Hey sis, have you seen…”

Sophie froze, her face becoming bright red, and I couldn’t fault her for the jump in conclusions. Abby and I were in a very compromising position.

“We are just stretching!” Abby told her. “Gee, get your mind out of the gutter, sis!”

“Oh! Yeah, of course!” Sophie gasped, having believed Abby. “Yeah, you just came back from the gym, so that makes perfect sense!”

“I also suck at stretching, unlike Violet,” Abby told her sister as we switched to sitting on the floor. “See?”

Abby kept her legs together and stretched as she bent forward, but it wasn’t long after forming a ninety-degree angle between her torso and legs that her back arched and she bent forward, her fingers barely past her knees towards her feet.

“Well, I’m not much better,” Sophie said, sitting on the floor too despite having changed into nice clothes sometime after having gone to her room.

Sophie did a bit better, but she still couldn’t reach her feet. She almost reached her ankles though.

And Abby was now looking at me, waiting for me to join them.

“Abby, no.”

“Oh come on! It’s so cool what you can do!”

“Thanks, but it’s still a no.”

“Please?” she said, using her pleading voice. And her eyes, but knowing better, I had already been looking away.

Then, I felt a weight on my thighs and her finger tracing my jaw as she softly called out to me. I resisted as much as I could, but that pleading voice and touch was too much for me to resist.

“Pretty please?” she said again, just as sweetly begging, her eyes now causing massive damage to my ability to resist.

“…Argh! Fine!”

Her face lit up and she told Sophie to take a good look.

Sophie was telling me that I had to keep my feet together when bending forward, but she grew quiet when my chest effortlessly made contact with the floor, my hands long past my feet. I was that flexible.

“She can also do the split! On both directions! Show her! Show her!”

I sighed again before standing up and using Abby’s offered hand for balance, doing first the side split before getting up again and doing a front split, Sophie’s eyes and mouth wide open as she observed.

“How?!” she asked. “Are you made out of rubber or something?”

“I wonder,” I said, feeling my face very hot. I was also with a hand pressed against the floor, arm stretched, and pulling my elbow in from the side that wasn’t supposed to bend as my next trick. Except mine did bend that way, painlessly forming an arch that was clearly making Sophie queasy.

“Violet please,” she said, covering her mouth.

Abby however was having a party, telling her sister on how last PE’s evaluation had to be indoors due to the weather and the teacher decided to use stretching as his evaluation method. Abby shared the class theory that he deducted at least two points of everyone’s score due to how much off the charts I performed.

“Ah!” Sophie hummed, a realisation having clicked in her mind. “So that’s why you told me that you’d be having a better score on PE this semester.”

“Yup, Violet easily got a perfect twenty in that evaluation. Isn’t that awesome?”

“It’s also quite embarrassing…” I mumbled.

“Why?” Sophie asked with an arched eyebrow. “You’re like a cat, sleeping all day and still flexible like a piece of string.”

Was that how she saw me? Like someone who’s always sleeping?

I mean… you do nap quite often…

That was beside the point, she also saw me working and studying a lot, so those naps were earned. And so were my ten hours of sleep.

“Babe? Could you also bend back?”

“Why?” I asked, still doing the front split, reluctant to show more of my freakish anatomy.

“Please?”

“…Haah…”

I did as asked, of course, my head eventually meeting the back of my leg. Abby really was having a ball showing me off to her sister, wasn’t she?

“You should have gone to cheerleading or gymnastics with flexibility like this.”

Nope, no way. Gymnastics required too much moving around and cheerleading required that and being the centre of attentions. Nuh-uh, no way I’d ever be doing that.

“And with how even more popular Violet would be doing any of that, someone might have come and snatched her before me,” Abby said, adding to my argument that with puffed up cheeks that she rubbed on my shoulder, having her arms now around me. There was something in her words that distracted me from her cute expression and attitude, however.

“What do you mean ‘even more popular’? You make it sound like I’m popular to begin with.”

“Humph. Just goes to show how oblivious you are,” she told me with a shrug.

“Huh?! What does that even mean?!”

Me? Popular? Since when and why? I mean, Abby certainly was, sometimes that extending to me feeling like my girlfriend was seen as the class mascot by everybody. And there was also Mathilda, the social butterfly that was also quite the looker.

But me? Aren’t I always frowning and acting cold towards people? I mean, I guess I have a nice pair of legs… and the girls—Abby and Mathilda I mean, have complemented my smile, the one I give Abby before even realising, but… surely, that wasn’t enough, was it?

“Well, anyway,” Sophie said, clearing her throat. “I came here looking for my hairbrush. Have you two seen it?”

We hadn’t, but we volunteered our own combs before Abby asked if Sophie wouldn’t be joining us for dinner.

“That was the plan, but Paul won’t be able to come home today and Claire is inconsolable, so…” Sophie said, letting out an exasperated sigh that also betrayed a bit of her growing fondness for Claire’s friendship. “I swear, that girl is such a pest to be around with sometimes.”

Abby snickered, but she wasn’t looking at her sister when I looked at her. Instead, she was looking at me. Like someone I know, was what it looked like she was thinking as her eyes met mine. Cheeky girl.

Once her sister left and we could finally go back to helping Abby stretch, Abby’s pleased smile from seeing her sister having found a friend she’d go out of her way to comfort turned into a devilish one as she suddenly snapped her eyes towards me.

“…What is it?” I asked, already expecting something mischievous after we were done.

“I just remembered something I discovered about you recently,” she told me as she helped me getting up.

“And what might that be?”

“A tiny mole in your otherwise immaculate skin.”

“A mole? Where?”

“Now, wouldn’t you like to know.”

“…Abby, where?” I asked, seeing that she really meant that I did have a mole somewhere on my body and wasn’t just goofing off.

She threw a final mischievous glance before telling me to figure it out and that she was starving.