"No, no, no!" A voice yelled from across the kitchen. Iggy came running over to where I was watching smoke rise from some very burnt vegetables that I was supposed to be supervising.

"Does this not look right?" I asked trying to keep a straight face.

"You're actually hopeless," he groaned, scooping out the mushrooms and onions that were apparently not supposed to be added until after the carrots and broccoli were "al dente". He turned the stove down to simmer, added a pat of butter and sprinkled salt and pepper over the bubbling liquid before covering the pan with a lid. "You should never be allowed in a kitchen."

"Hey!" I retorted.

"You don't listen, you refuse to read a recipe all the way through and you can't focus long enough to prevent things from catching on fire," he responded with a smirk.

"Fair enough," I said handing him two plates which he heaped with steaming vegetables, noodles and chicken.

"Please do not hesitate to send your compliments to the chef," he said.

"What the actual – Iggy this is really good," I muttered trying not to spew crumbs everywhere.

"Come on, Max," Iggy chucked, "Say it. Don't spray it."

"I'm complimenting you!" I protested, but Iggy just shook his head laughing.

"Thank you very much – I'll be here all week."

"You're obnoxious," I muttered returning to my food. He shrugged with a grin still plastered to his face. "So, can I ask you a question?"

"You know, I have a feeling that even if I said no, you ask anyway," he said with a smirk putting his fork down and walking his plate over to the sink.

"Are you ever going to ask my sister out on a date?"

A loud crash ensued as Iggy dropped his thankfully-plastic plate on the floor and his metal fork clanged against the dishwasher with a surprisingly loud clatter.

"What?" I asked non-chalantly as he glared at me.

"Why would I ask Ella out on a date?"

"I thought it had been well-established by all participating parties that you are in love with Ella."

"I don't love her!" He exclaimed. "Maybe I have a very slight crush on her, but I don't love her."

"So, then ask her out."

"If it's so simple, then why don't you ask Fang out?"

"What on God's green Earth are you talking about?"

"I thought it had been well-established by all participating parties that you are in love with Fang," he quoted back to me in an uncanny representation of my voice.

"Good grief, Iggy. I'm not in love with him; the man will hardly talk to me. So, can we please get back to your problems now?"

"Okay fine. Suppose I do ask her out, what do we do on our date?"

I shrugged, "Something romantic. She'll eat that right up, believe me."

"Okay, but I'm looking for explicit suggestions here, Max. A nice moonlit carriage ride pulled by horses that overlooks the lake while I sprinkle rose petals over her hair and serenade her with a very out-of-tune rendition of The Way You Are by Bruno Mars? Or a mystery walk through the woods at dusk and carve our initials into a tree with my pocketknife, and then magically join the woodland creatures in song before embarking on a beautiful homemade picnic that is miraculously still warm after our musical number with the elves?"

"Elves aren't woodland creatures," I noted.

"Okay, well I'm glad that's the only thing you took away from that. Thanks. Very helpful."

"Just invite her over and cook something nice. Have candles. It'll scream romance. Besides, you're asking the wrong person for romance advice."

"Great, we can double date. I look forward to it."

I groaned, "Not this again."

"I'm not rehashing anything; I'm speaking only the truth."

"Iggy, he won't even return my texts let alone talk to me in person."

His face suddenly fell, "Her name was Lily," he said softly, and a sad smile appeared on his face. "She grew up next door to Fang and they were always close. Their families were always together because their moms were inseparable. They grew up like siblings and not much changed, but she was the one who got him into ski racing." He paused, shaking his head. "It's funny, really. She was this tiny little thing, so dainty and fragile you almost thought she would break if you pushed her too hard, but she was a ski racer growing up and even introduced Fang to the sport. He was a natural – you saw him ski through the gates. It just comes easily to him, and he loved it. He was out on the mountain everyday practicing because, well he's never admitted it, but I think he dreamt of going to the Olympic trials and even the Olympics someday. He really could've too. That's the worst part."

I pushed my plate away from me with an uneasy feeling growing in my stomach. In all the time I had spent with Fang, I had never heard him talk about a ski partner, let alone a girl named Lily.

"But anyway. They ended up getting into a huge argument because Lily was upset that Fang was so much better than her, and she claimed she had 'invented' him as a skier and that she deserved all the credit for how good he was."

I raised my eyebrows, "Did she?" I couldn't imagine Fang letting someone tell him they were the reason he was a good skier, let alone take all the credit for his natural talent and hours of grueling practice.

Iggy shook his head. "No. Of course not. Sure, she introduced him to skiing and racing, but Fang's talent was so innate that no teacher could ever have taught him that. His heart was also so in it and nobody can teach you to love a sport like that. Besides, I don't think she ever even taught him. I'm pretty sure she was more upset that she had begun to plateau as a skier – she peaked early. The summer before freshman year she was great, but she just never mastered the performance in the way that Fang had even despite his injury. But Fang and Lily got into a pretty heated argument because Fang refused to be friends with someone who wouldn't support him in something he loved, and she refused to be second best to him."

His voice grew bitter, but he continued the story. "They stopped talking, and slowly she drifted away from our group and began hanging out with other girls, but she never stopped skiing. They had a big ski race with dozens of teams all competing, and Lily and Fang were both there, and Fang went to go watch her event. It's not like he hated her. The conditions were horrible because it had been incredibly warm after the first snow of the season which melted, but the temperatures dropped crazy low overnight, so the base for the whole season was a giant sheet of ice. Powder just slid right off the mountain. She was flying down, no doubt trying to impress Fang, when she caught an edge."

He stopped talking, and his pale eyes looked up and met mine. His eyes were red, and his voice cracked as he continued, "I was there with him. Saw it happen. Something happened – she lost control, and barrel into the tree marking the edge of the course. She was probably going around 60 miles per hour."

I had no words. Nothing. So, I reached out and grabbed Iggy's hand which tightened around mine as if he were gripping a lifeline.

"She collapsed unconscious at the base of the tree. The medics were on scene immediately, but there was nothing they could do. They airlifted her out, but she died en route to the trauma center. They said it was basically a blunt force trauma to the head and abdomen – internal bleeding, a fractured pelvis, severe brain bleeding. She wouldn't have made it if the hospital was 10 minutes from here." I gripped his hand tightly in mine. "Fang never got to make up with her. At least I was on good terms with Lily. I can't imagine the pain and knowing Fang he'll take responsibility for it even though there was nothing he could have done to prevent it."

He shuddered. "I can't imagine somebody I loved dying and never able to tell them how much they mean to you. She was just a freshman. Just 15 years old."

I shook my head. "It's…" I couldn't put into words what I was thinking. "It's unconceivable, horrible that someone can be ripped away from this world when they've done nothing wrong. Especially when most of the people still here aren't even half the person she was."

"Tell me about it," he muttered softly shaking his head glaring at the floor, angry at the world for ripping apart a wholesome, innocent 15-year old life. We sat in silence for a long time, gripping each other's hands but not speaking a word. Finally, his grip started to slacken and the hardened look in his face faded and was replaced by something else I couldn't place.

"For weeks after, Fang didn't speak to anyone. He stopped skiing entirely, refused to come to any group hangouts and just didn't respond to texts from anyone. He took time off from school and was a real mess. I don't think he smiled for two months. Finally, he started to come around and get back to his old self, but he was never really the same. His smiles always fell into grimaces and there were lines on his face that should never be on a 15-year-old. His laughs, infrequent as they were before, became downright nonexistent and the only ones we experienced were forced and put on for the show."

"But, then you came along. Ever since he's known you, Fang's been different. It was a startling transformation to see him smiling everyday and to hear his real laugh echoing throughout the hallways at school. He actually hangs out with us now when you're not around and he spends much less of his time moping around or re-reading old books alone. I'm glad we've got Fang back."

I tried for a smile, but I think it came out as more of a grimace. "Me too." It made my heart ache to think of Fang holed up in his bedroom with the curtains drawn, blocking out everyone even Angel.

"To be honest, he seems happier and more carefree now than he ever was before. Fang and Lily were too fundamentally different; they valued different things and they let that grow a rift between them. You and Fang are different too, but your differences complement each other. Your arguments are a nightmare to listen to, but they're generally pretty trivial."

"Were they," I paused, "together?" I felt my heart skip a beat as I awaited an answer I wasn't sure I even wanted to hear.

Iggy shook his head, "No. I mean maybe they would've someday if they had gotten over the skiing argument. But I also think if they had gotten together Fang never would have been truly happy. She held him back even if it wasn't on purpose." He paused and then flashed me a bright smirk. "Are you sure you don't like him?"

"Yes, Iggy I'm very certain. I already explained this to Ella; we're platonic. But, apparently that means nothing to you people," I said with a scowl.

"Well, when you finally can admit to your undying love for each other, I would love to have a double date. You know, to ease the sexual tension." His eyes were playful again and it was a nice return to reality to have Iggy being annoying as usual.

"If you so much as lay a hand on my little sister, I will personally drive to your house and cut your testicles off in your sleep."

Iggy snickered.

"Oh, you think I'm kidding?"

The grin faded and was quickly replaced by the look that would be appropriate for that of the deathbed of your friend's grandfather. I laughed as I punched him lightly on the shoulder as I went to put my dishes in sink.

"Well, what do you think I should do about Fang?" I asked, my voice dropping back to its lower octave that was apparently more appropriate for somber conversation.

Iggy looked at me for a while, "I think he needs his space, but I also think he needs you. He needs someone to help him get everything off his chest, and I think you're the only one that can do that."

I nodded. I missed him. I wasn't used to being cut out and ignored, but at least now I understood it wasn't directed at me. There was a lot of built up anger and guilt and pain, but he really just needed someone to be with him until he was ready to work through it.

"Thanks for everything, Ig," I said as I finished drying the last plate he washed from the sink. "I think I'm going to try to go see Fang. It's been a while."

He nodded. I surprised him, and even myself a bit, by wrapping my arms around him in a big hug. His arms were slack at first, but quickly tightened around my back.

I grabbed my jacket and headed out front, "I'll be anxiously awaiting your invitation to Ella for this romantic dinner you have planned."

He rolled his eyes and closed the door behind me as I began the walk home.