#cycle 13

It started out with Sam asking her to meet up the day before family dinner to tell her he was bringing Eli to dinner the next day because they were finally officially dating. And he could really use someone already in the know at the dinner table who could diffuse awkward conversations.

Then Pippa had done the same but with announcing to their parents that she wanted to live on her own, closer to campus.

And now it's become another part of her routine. Where they meet up depends on the season and the weather. As it is now the middle of summer, their venue of choice is the bar in Arden Park, which allows them to sit back and sink their feet into the grass while enjoying a cool and refreshing cocktail, or iced tea whichever they prefer at the time.

The bar is crowded as is only expected with the hot temperatures, and Pippa and Sam find themselves a nice spot in the shade. It's not the most private place, but as the two most shameless members of the Kingston family it doesn't prove as much of an issue.

They are very much creatures of habit, so their conversations always start the same way.

SAM How's uni?

PIPPA Tiring. How's school?

SAM The same. Way too many assignments.

PIPPA Ugh, good luck with that. And Eli?

SAM He's good. How's Doran?

PIPPA Getting better every week. Building up that upper body strength.

With that out of the way, they can start on the actual conversation, and it seems Sam has something he's dying to talk about.

SAM Speaking of upper body strength... is Eli fit?

PIPPA Er, he's your boyfriend, I guess you should know that yourself.

If Sam could, he would've rolled his eyes, instead he shakes his head with a snort.

SAM Yeah, trust me, I know he has biceps for days.

Pippa groans, 

PIPPA Sam, no one says that anymore. Wait, I don't even know if that was ever a thing people said.

SAM Yeah, yeah, my lingo is old and outdated. We've been over this, Pipsqueak.

They have, many times in fact, but that isn't going to stop Pippa from teasing him when the occasion arises. And when Sam retaliates with one of his lovely nicknames for her, it is only fair.

SAM So?

PIPPA So what?

SAM Is he fit? Like, in an attractive, “he looks fit”, way?

PIPPA What does that even mean? Can you be fit and unattractive?

SAM Of course, if your face is all-

And here Sam pauses to do a weird hand motion waving in front of his own face.

SAM - ugly and gross, then it doesn't matter how muscular you are, does it?

Pippa takes in a deep breath, and pushes her sunglasses up in her hair, to really look at Sam. His shoulders are a bit hunched and he absentmindedly scratches his cheek.

PIPPA First of, if you just dared to imply you look ugly I'm gonna need you to stop before I organize the next family intervention.

SAM There's no n-

PIPPA And secondly, since when do you give a flying fuck about appearance? Mister "Beauty is subjective and societal norms are a load of crap".

SAM Well, yeah that's all true, but can't I just be curious? (beat) So, how would you score Eli, objectively?

PIPPA This is ridiculous, I can't say that because as I've learnt from my older brother, how you perceive someone's appearance is inherently subjective.

SAM What about Maureen? She- she ought to be a bit more objective about it.

Pippa can barely hold it together and has to stop herself from bursting out laughing.

PIPPA Because she's gay?

Sam doesn't give a reply, doesn't even crack a smile, he just fidgets with the half-empty glass in his hand. His face turns to the ground, where their feet are resting in the grass. He's never acted like this, so self-conscious and fixated on his own and others's appearances. Something must've happened and Pippa is going to figure out what.

PIPPA (continuing) Let me text Maureen to ask her.

And if she texts someone else in the meantime as well, Sam doesn't really have to know.

PIPPA There, done. (beat) Now spill.

SAM Spill what, sister?

Oh, he's adding a little humor in now, trying to deflect and act as if nothing is wrong. Pippa isn't falling for it.

PIPPA What happened, Sam?

SAM Nothing. It's stupid, really.

PIPPA Tell me anyway.

SAM Last Tuesday Eli and I went to the Midsummer festival and because of the heatwave, we just went out wearing tank-tops and shorts. But because Eli's body is like a freaking furnace, he still felt too hot, so I just said, why don't you take your top off. Which he did and- and...

Sam sighs heavily and frown lines settle on his forehead.

SAM (continuing) Some woman turned up and started chatting and flirting with him while I was right there.

PIPPA Surely, Eli blocked her off?

SAM Yeah, he told her he was with me and when he did I just, I-I just felt this woman freeze up, as if she was thinking, "really, this freak?"

PIPPA Hey! Don't call yourself a freak. People like her, they're the ugly ones.

SAM (softly) It's okay.

PIPPA No, it's not. You deserve to be happy and I hate that this shit still happens. (beat) Did you talk to Eli about this?

SAM No, no, I don't want to make him worried or upset. 

PIPPA Sam, he deserves to know what goes on in that head of yours.

SAM I know, it's just... I've never had problems with this before and it's making me anxious.

PIPPA All the more reason to talk about it, don't you think?

SAM I'll think about it.

Pippa knows by now not to push him too much and this is about the best outcome she could hope for. Her phone buzzed a while ago, twice, but she only pulls it out of her jacket pocket now.

PIPPA I've got a reply from Maureen. Do you still want to know?

SAM ... Yes.

Pippa's eyes scan over the text message and she grins.

PIPPA She wrote that she doesn't know either and that quantifying the attractiveness of your partner is, in her words, "quite rude".

Sam reclines in the chair and throws his hands up in the air in frustration. Pippa notices the person standing behind Sam and waves at him. Sam doesn't notice, and complains loudly.

SAM Can't anyone tell me on a scale from 1 to 10 how attractive my boyfriend is?

ELI He's a ten.

Sam jumps up from his seat in surprise and Eli puts his hands on Sam's shoulders to push him gently back in his chair and leans in to give him a peck on his red cheeks. Sam smiles softly and places his hands on top of Eli's.

ELI Oh, you were asking about me? Well, I guess I would be around a seven or eight? What do you think, Pippa?

PIPPA I'm keeping myself out of this one.

SAM (hissing) Yet you didn't think to warn me.

Pippa slides her sunglasses back on her nose and completely slips back in her seat. 

PIPPA And ruin the surprise I so carefully and lovingly planned out for you? (beat) Nope, don't think so.

SAM You're my least favorite sister.

PIPPA Bastard.