If It Makes You Happy

by Julie Olivia

She looks the same. Confident. Stunning. Tense. But also alone.

“Sorry, is my help too inconvenient for you?”

snort. “That’s ridiculous.” “Or endearing.” “I’m not endearing.” “I’m endeared by you.” “Ha ha.”

He’s so different from me. If I’m autumn, he’s spring. He’s all smiles and glowing warmth. His blue eyes are so deep, like the first beautiful clear sky of the season. He likes to rest them on my breeze-blown hair, drift them down to my painted lips or to the cardigan falling off my shoulder.

Even now, with residual anger beating in his heart like a steady drum, he’s trying to be optimistic. Cliff is always trying.

Cliff isn’t shy to touch. His touch is always gentle. It’s not greedy or wanting or even carrying implications.

Michelle has walls. A lot of them. And I don’t know when they were built—whether it was with Birdie or her ex—but they’ve closed her off to everyone. They’ve made her tough though. Confident. And I kinda like her screw everyone attitude. But she’s also funny. Kind. Gentle even. More generous than she lets on or probably wants anyone to see. I don’t want to remove her walls because that’d destroy her strength, but I’d kill for more peeks into the other side.

What is a sisterly relationship if not tumultuous with immediate forgetfulness?

I’m on autopilot now, and apparently, my default is to trust Cliff.

I sheepishly confess, “Men don’t want women like me.” “Like what?” Unfun, too serious, workaholics. “I don’t know,” I mumble. He gives a devilish, absolutely wicked smile. “I think men secretly want women just like you,” he growls, leaning even closer. “And the men who don’t are cowards.”

The world tilts. It suddenly feels like I’m falling through the ground, straight to the center of the earth. God, she’s breathtaking.

“Want to dance?” he asks. “To what? Pearl Jam?” The rest of Cliff’s smile spreads over his face. “Yes.” I scoff. “We are not going to slow dance to Pearl Jam.” “Oh, yes, we are.”

But then Cliff traces his thumb over my bottom lip and says, “I like you because you’re Michelle. And that’s enough.”