"Clem! It's been ages!" Hyacinth rose to hug and kiss her sister. "You want tea?"

"Yeah, sounds good, it's kind of cold today." Clementine answered.

"Do you know how lucky we are to live in LA?" Hyacinth asked as she put the kettle on and got out a teabag. "I saw on the news that they're expecting, like, 18 inches of snow in New York City today. What did you have to do, put on a sweater?"

"I know, I know, it's beautiful here." Clementine nodded as she joined her sister in the kitchen of her Hollywood Hills house.

"Speaking of sweaters, did you see the pictures of Johnny and me at Cristo's the other night?" Hyacinth put the bag in the mug and pushed it across the counter to her sister.

Clementine shook her head.

"He was wearing this crazy sweater, like squares of all these different colors? Totally cool. Anyway, I got cold in the restaurant, and he let me wear it!" Hyacinth gave a little squeal. "And I was still wearing it when we left and the paps got pictures of me in it. Look, look, I'll show you." Hyacinth gestured for Clementine to sit next to her on the couch and opened her laptop.

First there were pictures of the couple arriving at the restaurant, with Hy looking impeccably put together, as usual, and Johnny looking casually beautiful.

They were holding hands.

Clementine swallowed.

The next pictures were of them leaving the restaurant, and sure enough, her sister was wearing the sweater in question. It was slightly baggy, of course, because John was so much bigger than Hyacinth was. John had a hand pressed possessively against Hy's back, and they looked every bit the glamorous couple about town as they waited for their car.

"It was so romantic, Clem, and the sweater smelled so good. I didn't want to give it back."

"Johnny Darling, chivalrous as ever, gallantly hands over his sweater so co-star Hyacinth O'Dell won't get cold," the caption read.

"Ooh, there are some new pics, I didn't know about these," Hyacinth said, clicking on another link. She gave a little gasp. "Someone must've snuck on the set, I didn't even know these were being taken."

Clementine looked at the photographs.

In one, Johnny and Hy were laughing together about something, standing inordinately close, Clementine thought. In another, Hyacinth was holding Johnny's arm, hugging her body to it as he smiled down at her. In the last one, Johnny and Hy were holding hands, fingers intertwined, as they walked somewhere.

Clementine swallowed again.

"Don't you think we look good together?" Hyacinth was asking, combing her hair back with her fingers.

Clementine nodded. "You make a beautiful couple," she said, her mouth dry.

Hyacinth gave a little shiver of delight. "You know, I've never felt this way before, Clemmy. He's such a gentleman, really giving things time to develop. I never knew just hand holding or having him touch my back could be so sexy and romantic." She put the laptop down and snuggled into her sister. "I usually just jump in the sack with someone, but this is so much more fun."

Clementine took a sip of her tea. "That's nice, Hy, really lovely."

"Oh yeah, you know your new friend, the artist? Anastasia? She wanted to know John's and my availability for this get together she's having, right?"

Clementine nodded.

"Please tell her that we're good every Friday night in December. We checked, and we'll be finished shooting by six or seven at the latest."

"Okay, I'll let her know, and get back to you."

"That will be our second official date," Hyacinth said. "How fun! I'm so glad you got to be friends with her, Clem."

"Yeah, me, too, she's really nice, and so talented."

Hyacinth nudged her sister. "I bet you were thinking all this excitement about Johnny and me had made me forget about what you've been up to lately."

Clementine sat up and stared at her sister. "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You've been spending a lot of time away from home, mom says. She also says you've been dressing up to go to school? Please tell me, Clemmy, did you meet someone?"

"What?"

"You heard me. Are you dating?"

Reluctantly, Clementine nodded.

Hyacinth gave another squeal and punched her sister lightly on the shoulder. "Oh my god, Clem, I can't believe you! Why'd you make me drag it out of you like this? Why didn't you tell me when it first started? When did it start?"

Clem was silent.

"Don't get all quiet, sis, come on, spill!"

Clementine shrugged. "There's nothing to tell, really. I met him at school, and he's really nice, and we've been spending time together, that's all."

"Can you tell me his name?"

"I'd rather not. I mean, what if you meet him and you say something to let him know we've been talking about him?" Clementine asked desperately.

Hyacinth sighed. "I swear, you have a padlock on your mouth. What can you tell me about him? Have you slept with him yet?"

"Of course not!" Clementine said hotly. "He's a gentleman."

"Just like Johnny, oh I love this!" Hyacinth responded, kicking the sofa in her excitement. "This might end up being a very good year for the O'Dell sisters, don't you think?"

"I suppose so," Clementine answered, smiling at her sister's pleasure.

"You have kissed him, at least, right? Right, Clem?" Hyacinth looked at her sister, biting her lips together in expectation, eyebrows raised.

Clementine nodded.

"Oh my god, your first kiss, this is so great," Hyacinth enthused. "What was it like? Was it great?"
Clementine nodded again. "It was so romantic, Hy. We were outside, and he held my face, and it was like I was floating away."

Hyacinth shook her head. "I can't believe you didn't tell me right when it happened," she chastised. "You know you can call me anytime, right? Even if you think I'm sleeping?" She looked at her sister fondly. "I always have time for you, Clem, you know that, right?"

"I know, Hy, I know."

"So you really like this guy? Our mystery man?"

Clem nodded. "I think I might be falling in love with him."

"Clem! Your first love, wow." Hyacinth leaned forward and hugged her sister. "That's wonderful. I'm so happy for you. Is he a lit major too?"

Clementine nodded. She was going to have to write her lies down somewhere so she could keep track of what she was saying to Hyacinth.

"And what does he look like? Do you have any pictures?"

And Clementine, who did have a few photographs of John on her phone, shook her head. "No, he's shy, like me, doesn't like to have his picture taken."

"Well, he's going to have to get over that," Hyacinth said firmly. "You're my sister, and I must know what your beau looks like." She gasped. "I know! Bring him to Anastasia's party! That way you don't even have to take his picture! Perfect."

"It's not a party, though," was all Clementine could come up with against her sister's enthusiasm. "We're just going to have drinks and play games or something."

"Whatever. Just make sure your Sir Lancelot is there, okay?"

"I suppose I could ask, but I don't think he'll say yes," Clementine said. "Like I said, he's really shy."

"Okay. I know, why don't you call and ask him now, and let me talk to him? He won't want to say no to a glamorous movie star, will he?"

"I can't, he's at work," Clementine said desperately. Seriously, she'd better get a notebook, pronto, for all these lies.

"Well, shit," Hyacinth said, disappointed. "I am going to meet him, though. Your first boyfriend, Clementine, this is amazeballs."

Clementine smiled.

"Maybe we could even double date!" Hyacinth's smile grew as this new thought hit her. "John and me, you and Lance?"

"Maybe," Clementine responded weakly.

Dear lord.

Hyacinth sat next to Clementine and put an arm around her. "Seriously, Clem, I'm so happy for you. I always wondered if it bothered you not to be dating when I was."

Clementine shook her head. "No, I never cared about anything like that, you know that."

"It's what you said, sure." Hyacinth squeezed her shoulder. "But I'd think it would be weird not to have dates in high school, even if you weren't dating models and movie stars like I was."

Again, Clementine shook her head. "I never cared, honest."

"I guess none of it matters, now, because you have Lance, and I have Johnny," Hyacinth concluded. She shivered with delight. "You and your shy fellow, and me with Johnny Darling, can you believe it?"

"No, it's pretty hard," Clementine acknowledged, feeling sick. This was the first time she could remember lying to her sister, ever. And by association she was lying to her mother as well, because she knew Hy would talk to her about all this stuff.

Meanwhile, Hyacinth was scrolling through her calendar. "My schedule's pretty packed this month, looks like we might not see each other again until Anastasia's party. But you have to promise to text me or call me if anything happens with you and Lance, okay?"

Clementine nodded. "I promise." She made a show of looking at her watch. "Ooh, I should get going, I have to meet Kim and Alan at the library." She was actually going to FaceTime with Johnny.

"That's fine, I have to get going, too." Hyacinth leaned forward and hugged her sister. "I love you so much, Clementine, and I'm so so happy for you."

"Love you too, Hy."