James laughed. “I don’t know if I could pull Kristoff off. Other than that, I think it’s a great idea to always work together.”
Lily smiled, tilting her head. “Youre big and strong. You have a weird love of deer…that’s Kristoff right there!”
He grinned. “We’ll see,” he murmured as they went to start getting ready for Fantasmic!
She grinned over at him as she put on the Ariel wig. “Well, starfish, I’ll splash ya later?” She giggled, running off to finish getting dressed.
James grinned, just shaking his head as she ran off.
When they were finished with the show and out of costume, he smiled to her. “Ready to go?” They really needed to talk.
She grinned to him as they walked to the parking lot. “Ready.” She tucked her hair behind her ear shyly. “Great work tonight.”
James smiled to her. “Thanks. You too,” he murmured, taking a breath. “So, um, back to my apartment? We could grab a pizza and whatever you want to drink and then go back?”
She flushed at his compliment. “Thank you!” Lily nodded slowly. “Yeah, but I’ll need to follow you. I don’t know where you are. We’re not in Chatham anymore.”
“Course,” he agreed, pulling his keys from his bag. “I’m not too far. I can give you the address too, just in case.” Soon, though, they had both arrived at his apartment, pizza and wine in hand.
Lily took a shuddering breath as they entered his apartment. “So. I feel like no one is going to talk about the elephant in the room…”
James swallowed thickly, glancing back at her. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to talk about that. He was scared to. “What elephant? There isn’t one…”
She smiled weakly. “You know what elephant,” she whispered. “But I guess you’re not…” Into her anymore.
James frowned slightly, deciding to keeping feigning oblivion. “Really, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Her heart sank. “Oh.” She nodded weakly, trying to ignore the pain in her heart. “Okay.”
James took a breath, running a hand through his hair. “So, pizza?”
She gulped, looking away as her eyes welled up with tears. “Yeah…”
James frowned, noticing that she was upset. “Lily?”
She forced a smile. “Nothing! What?”
He took a breath, bracing himself. “What was the elephant you were talking about?”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t anything. You said so yourself, no elephant.” Lily welcomed herself to his kitchen, pulling out the wine glasses. “Let’s drink, hm?”
James pursed his lips but nodded. “If you say so…” Taking a breath, he set the pizza down on the counter. “Tell me about your life outside of work? What are you up to now?”
She poured them both a glass, and once he had his, drained hers in one swig before pouring a second. “I mostly just work or am in the parks. You?” Another big swig. The drunker, the better.
James took a breath, taking a sip of his wine. “Well, I’ve been moving and working two jobs, so I don’t have a lot of time…”
Lily nodded, taking another big swig. “Right. Let’s finish unpacking.” And get her out of there.
James frowned. “Lil, talk to me. You’re acting…strange.”
She shook her head. “I’m not acting strange at all. I just realized how much has changed.” You don’t care for me now.
James faltered slightly. “I thought everything was pretty similar.”
She laughed hollowly. “I thought so too.”
James blinked, caught off guard by that. “Then what are you talking about?”
She laughed. “Well I was wrong! No elephants, James! None!” Was the room spinning? “Not even one elephant!”
James grimaced. “Just tell what elephant, Lily!”
She shook her head. “If you don’t know. Then that’s all the conversation we needed.”
James glanced up at her, frowning. “Why won’t you tell me what you’re thinking?”
She shook her head. “Because I cant anymore!”
James frowned, glancing over at her. “Why? Of course you can. You know me, Lily…”
She scowled. “No, I can’t! You don’t see the elephant! It’s like there’s no elephant and if I tell you about it you won’t be my friend anymore!”
He scoffed, glancing over at her. “I’ll always be your friend, Lily. Always.”
She shook her head. “I don’t believe that.”
James frowned to her. “Well, you should. It’s true.”
She crossed her arms. “If you don’t see the elephant there’s no elephant.”
“Obviously you see an elephant!” he exclaimed. “Explain it to me.”
“The elephant is that we kissed and then I broke up with Benjy and I’ve been single since and now you’re back and we kissed the last time we saw each other and then we kissed all day at work and had to be in love and there’s no elephant to you!”
James froze, glancing up at her. "You broke up with Benjy," he repeated slowly. Well, that was why he wouldn't bring it up in the first place! "You're single?"