No Blue Doritos

"Get off of me!"

She pushes him away, half in gentle jest, half in anger.

"I'm sorry!" he yodels, half in wild jest, half in frustration.

"You can't have at me to purge her lasting memory."

"Oh my God, would you stop with the poetics? You're not even that good of a poet. Nothing you have rhymes, and it all looks too tumblry."

"Tha-a-a-a-nks!"

She turns away, staring off in the distance. Hoping to transport her whole self into the distance. Far.

"No, but seriously, I'm sorry. I don't know why I...."

"I know why. It's because I was nice to you, with comforting tones like Melissa, with a hug like Melissa. Hell, if you squint I sort of look like Melissa... sort of."

"Well, you are cousins, after all."

"Stop reminding me."

"Oh my God! How can you say that? Melissa's...."

He pauses, paralyzed by his incredulousness and eagerness to defend.

"I know, I know."

"But I can't stay in love with her. She.... doesn't want me. I'm too young for her."

She snorts.

"Shut up!"

He shoves her slightly. 

"But probably she's right. Maybe that's why I love her... because she's... older."

She turns around, shaking her head.

"Nope."

"Yep."

"NoPe."

"Yep."

"NOPE!"

"Look, you can yell all you want, it's not going to help. Unless you get laryngitis, which would help my ears, mostly."

He looks down, giggling silently. Her wit is quick, and unexpected, even in the dark times. If he could, he would like her, but her family was way too protective, especially after the incident. 

"You can yell, and rant all you want, but you love Melissa. Not because of her age, but because of her. She's artistic, and kind, and funny, and good, and perceptive... all things that could come with age, but most times don't because there has to be a balance of help and positivity and realism, and Melissa's got it."

He bows his head, silently nodding.

"Melissa, not me."

He looks up quickly.

"I am sorry."

"It's ok. I know you. I don't want to know you, but I know you. You know?"

They both laugh.

As he walks away, she breathes a short sigh of relief. She's learned long ago to placate, and use humor to deflect. The fact that this time-earned lesson worked again should make her feel powerful, but instead it darkens her vision. When can she find someone to be real with? Why is Melissa throwing out the perfect man? Why is everyone in a disarray, when they should be celebrating love?

"There's Doritos in the cupboard." 

"Nice."

He knows food won't help, but he appreciates the fact that she has shared her favorite food with him. That is, until he opens the cupboard.

"All that's left is ranch, though."

He smiles slightly, and closes the cupboard. No heartbreak is worth blue Doritos.