"Give me the popcorn."

"Ask politely," Laurie shoveled a handful of the fluffy white stuff into his mouth.

Amy lunged over him, "Give me the popcorn!" Laurie lifted it out to the side, laughing as she struggled to reach over him.

She whacked his head, moving back to her spot. "You're mean."

"Say please…" He teased, putting the bowl back on his lap.

Amy snatched it away, "Please." She ate a huge handful as he pulled the bowl back away. She giggled.

They had been spending nearly every moment together for the past two weeks. Aunt March had decided to stay in Cincinnati for a bit longer, so Laurie ended up staying with them in the guest room. It was so nice having him around. He'd even agreed to head back to college next semester. And he'd shaved his God awful beard.

Amy loved having him around. He was about three years older, but still much better company than Aunt March. It was like having an older brother.

Well, not entirely. Amy still couldn't shake her childhood crush. There were moments when Laurie would smile at her, or sit too close, or lean in too far, and Amy felt herself becoming antsy.

But she'd tell herself she was being stupid. Laurie wouldn't ever see her an anything more than a little sister.

And that was okay. At least now she had a friend.

This must be what Laurie felt for all those years, Amy suddenly realized one day. It made this empathy connection she could not explain. Now she understood why Laurie had stuck with Jo for so long. It hurt, but it hurt in a good way.

Laurie nudged her shoulder, "What do you wanna watch?"

"I don't know," Amy said, pulling her feet up under her. "I've got to get ready in a bit anyway. Aunt March is taking me to the theatre." She said with as much Aunt March flair as she could muster.

Laurie smirked, "Sounds fun."

Amy shrugged, "Yeah, it'll be fine."

Laurie grabbed the remote, clicking through until they landed on some old sitcom she wasn't too familiar with.

"Remember when we used to make those movies back at home?" Laurie said with a sad smile.

Amy nodded, "Yeah. You had to kiss Meg."

"And you were a terrible actress."

Amy whacked him again, causing popcorn to fly across the condo.

"Hey!" Laurie couldn't help but laugh. "You're cleaning that up!"

"I don't clean," Amy reclined on the couch as luxuriously as she could.

Laurie smirked, "You're such a brat."

"And you're a bonehead."

Amy heard the sound of a key sliding its way into the lock, and the door opened. Aunt March came in, her short blonde bod messy, and her glasses giving her the look of a very confused owl.

"Amy!" She shrieked. "Got get ready! We have to leave in half an hour."

Amy rolled her eyes so only Laurie could see. "Yes, Aunt March."

She stole another handful of popcorn and ran off to her room.

OOO
The nearly empty bowl sat on the coffee table, and Laurie knew he'd have to clean it up soon. He ended up having to clean up the mess Amy made too, for she ran off into her room to get ready and hadn't been seen since.

Laurie had to admit that he liked spending time with Amy. Sure, she was a spoiled little brat, but in the best possible way. She didn't take him too seriously, nor did she take herself too seriously. They fought constantly, but in a much more fun way than he ever did with Jo.

Jo and Amy seemed so different, but he'd begun to see how they were the same. Jo always looked down on her little sister for liking makeup, shopping, and typically girly things. She said it made Amy look weak, and subservient.

But Amy was anything but. Yes, she liked the more typically feminine things, but she as just as fierce and as strong as her older sister. In her own way, she was even more so.

Being the youngest, Amy constantly had tried to prove herself. No one had taken her seriously.

Being away from home had helped her, Laurie could tell.

She was actually really cool, and really funny. She could make Laurie laugh like no one else. They were both stubborn, but it was almost like they both needed each other. Laurie liked being needed. Jo had never needed him.

And Amy was so great. Why had he never noticed how great she was? He spent all his time chasing after the girl he knew didn't want him, when this great girl was there all the…

WHOA, LAURIE, he stopped his thoughts in his tracks. You can't be crushing on Jo March's little sister. Oh my God, no. That's too weird. This is Amy. Amy, who's like your little sister. SHE'S JO MARCH'S SISTER.

Her bedroom door opened, and Laurie couldn't breathe.

Amy was wearing a bright red dress, that clung and then flared out from her hips and down to her knees. The bright color didn't wash out her pale skin at all, for she must've done something with her makeup to make her look so glowing. Her lips popped as well, and her blonde hair was done up in a bun. A little silver necklace with a heart around hung on her neck, and she held a white coat in her arms.

Amy grinned, doing a slight turn, "How do I look?"

Laurie couldn't remember how to form a sentence.

He very literally could not remember how words worked.

GET IT TOGETHER.

He cleared his throat, "You look beautiful."

Amy's cheeks lit up, "Thanks."

No, he wanted to say. You don't understand. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I don't know why I thought Jo… You're perfect, Amy. Why did I never notice that? I…

JO. MARCH'S. LITTLE. SISTER.

I don't care.

"You all right, Laurie?" Amy raised a brow.

"Totally fine," Laurie said with a smile.

This is bad.

This is very bad.

I have a crush on Amy March.

This is bad.