The Garden of Gethsemane

[Amelia Sinclair]

"Amelia, no."

"Eddiiieeeeeee."

"No, it's just a no. I don't have time today. I made plans."

"But the meteor shower... You said you were going to go watch with Hunter. I was really looking forward to it."

"I have a date."

"What?"

"Yeah. So... I really can't."

"You never have dates. You barely even know where-- Edmund! I already told Hunter--"

"You called Hunter?"

"Well, texted.... I mean... what, I have his number, you were distracted."

"Mm." Edmund had this way of looking through her when he felt particularly paternal. "You'll just have to tell him I changed my mind. It's not the first time."

"I mean, I think Hunter was really looking forward to this too. You leave for University soon, we won't--"

"Making this a goodbye ole'gang party?"

"No but, it kind of is, isn't it?"

"No, it's not. We're going to the same place."

Amelia frowned at him. "*You are*..."

"Oh, you want to say goodbye to Hunter? Is that it?"

"I mean, no-- well, yes. He's my friend, too."

"Sure. I get that. So, I'll invite him over for lunch or something before we leave."

"Edmund!"

"He will understand."

"But--" Edmund was not so daft as to be ignorant of genuine emotion. Amelia's face fell.

"What's that look?"

"Nothing. Whatever, Edmund fine."

"You didn't look that dejected when you found out you have to say goodbye to *me*."

"It's not like that, it's all of us together. We may not be together ever again, and you're going to cock this up for some date (that you wont even enjoy) with a girl you can't even be with because you're *leaving* soon. Edmund it's just not fair."

"That's pretty snarky of you, Amelia."

"Tell me I'm wrong? Tell me you have enjoyed one date in the last year and that the odds of this even panning out are remotely possible while this meteor shower is one of the coolest in the next hundred years. I mean Eddie, *you're* the space nut, you made me like this stupid...geh."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "I should be angry with you for the thinly veiled insult."

"It wasn't thinly veiled."

"Amelia..."

"I'm going to just go without you. I don't care. Hunter will go, he can take care of me, and it's on his property anyway."

"You are not hanging out in-- no."

"No, you messed this up for some girl. We will be fine. Hunter can--"

"Yeah, that's the problem I have with it."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Everything. Nothing."

"You don't make any sense Eddie. I don't care. And Hunter's out in the middle of nowhere till tonight so you can't even cancel with him. So...psh."

"Amelia-- Tosser. Fine. Look, I'll take her with--"

"No."

"Gotta compromise, sister."

"No, no I don't."

"Mm. How about I end early and meet you there?"

"Fine."

"Fine." ... "Her name is--"

"It doesn't matter. Not like I'll see her again some day..."

"I'm doing you a damn favor..."

"Right. How big of you. Babysitter."