Just Flowers, Chapter 7

Chapter 7

A week later, Will called.
"So I figured I'd call and see if you wanted to see a movie or something," he said, clearing his throat and deepening his voice.
"Just outta the blue like that?" Bryn smiled and raised her eyebrows.
"Well, you know, it's been a while since... you know. Since we kissed last. I figured we could just stop kissing randomly and have an honest date."
Bryn could hear him slapping his forehead through the phone. She laughed.
"Sure."
"Really?"
"Well we already got to first base. Why not see how the rest of the game goes."
He cleared his throat. "Sure. Yeah, okay. I'll pick you up in a couple minutes."
"What, now?" she asked, looking at herself. She donned worn out yoga pants and a loose t-shirt with sweat stains under her arms. Her hair was a mess and that morning she had greeted the sun with a round red pimple.
"Bryn? Are you still there?"
She jerked back to the conversation. "Yeah, uh... can you give me like, twenty minutes?"
"Why?"
She rolled her eyes. "I have to get ready."
"You look great in whatever you're wearing."
"trust me. Twenty minutes?"
"Ten."
"Fifteen."
"Done. I'll be there in fifteen. No later."
They hung up and as soon as the receiver hit the base, Bryn dashed to the bathroom. She washed, combed and primped until she looked much better than she just had. She changed into a tank top and jeans. Just as she slid the stick of deodorant over her armpit, the doorbell rang.
She could hear Will yell "Time's up!" from where he stood on the porch.
Bryn ran to the door, grabbing her coat, wallet and keys. She smoothed down her hair before opening the door.
"Hey."
"Wow."
Locking the door behind her, Bryn said, "Just think of what I could have done in twenty."
They walked down the path. "What movies are playing?" she asked.
"Don't worry. I got the perfect one in mind."
"Aren't you gonna give me a hint at least?"
"Nope."

They got to the theatre; some old time place with balconies and the lingering smell of dust and popcorn butter. Will paid the seven dollars for both tickets, then they stood in line at the concession stand. They sat down three rows from the front under Will's reasoning that if they slumped in their seats, they could rest their heads on the back of the chairs and put their feet up.
Bryn just nodded on, smiling, mesmerized by this man. She listened to him talk about things she wasn't interested in and watched him, traced his profile for a good ten minuted before the lights dimmed and she turned to face the screen.
"So what movie is it? You never told me," Bryn whispered.
"You'll find out. Just watch."
The movie started playing immediately, proving there was something good about old theatres that played old movies. The scene opened to a cartoon city of merpeople.
"Is this?"
"What the hell?" Will sat up, looking around.
"Did you take me to-"
"We're in the wrong-"
"The Little Mermaid?" Bryn laughed.
"We're not in the right theatre." Will looked around the almost empty room.
"Will. Will. You took em to the Little Mermaid for our first date?" She doubled over in laughter.
"No, we must be in the wrong one. C'mon."
He got up and walked sideways to the aisle.
"Will, no... wait!" Bryn followed, bend over more by instinct than to not disturb the three people in the row behind.
She got out and grabbed Will's shoulder as the door shut and locked.
"There's only one theatre," she said, clutching her stomach.
"They were playing Swingers. In the paper that's what it said at least."
"Will don't worry. Stop overreacting. I've seen both movies before."
"Which other - oh screw you."
They left, having no urge to actually stay and watch a movie about a redheaded fish woman. Instead, they went to a park a little ways away and played on the swings, competing as to who could jump farther into the sand.
Will won every time.
"So," Will said, carrying their shoes as they moved towards the car, "how was it? How did I do?"
"An 'A' definitely for effort."
He punched her arm. "C'mon for real. Do you want to do something sometime... again?"
"Depends."
"On what?"
Bryn sighed. "On how long you're staying in town for."
"Hmmm. I forgot."
"Well it's been bugging me for a while."
"How long is 'a while'?" he asked, unlocking his car. They got in.
"I don't know. I guess since we kissed at the stop sign."
"Really? That long?"
"Yeah, well I'm a girl. I get carried away with things like that." She touched his arm and pulled away quickly. "I don't kiss a lot of guys so I can get carried away."
"You don't have to be sorry," he laughed.
"I never said I was," she teased.
Will dropped her off in front of the sidewalk and they kissed before she got out. "How about tomorrow?" Will asked through the open door. "I'll still be here then, how 'bout it?"
"Deal." She closed the car door and entered her house and sighed, leaning up against the door. Her heart was aflutter with a hundred tiny butterflies. Even as her mother walked by, she could find no anger in herself to say anything but, "Hey mom."
Her mother stopped, surprised as if these had been Bryn's first words, then smiled a 'hello' back.
The doorbell rang, and although Bryn was sure she'd heard Will drive away, she opened the door with an odd smile on her face. "So back for more-"
"What?" Lucas asked confused.
"Oh. I thought you were someone else."
"Nope, just me." He rolled on the balls of his feet, forward and back.
"Did you want something?"
"Uh, yeah actually."
"Ellie's at work." Bryn moved back inside and began closing the door.
"Wait!" he yelled, over excited. He regained a normal volume and continued. "I actually needed to talk to you."
"Why me."
"I just do. DO you wanna to to the park or somewhere."
"I'm good here." She crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame.
"Okay. Now that you know about me and Ellie, this should be easy."
"Hold on. I really don't want to know about you and Ellie. I didn't want to know before last week and I don't want to know now." Bryn brushed a few stray hairs behind her ear and continued standing unamused.
"It's not just about me and Ellie. It has to do with you too."
"Fine." Bryn looked back then went outside fully and closed the door. "Let's get this over with then."
"Okay. A couple weeks ago, Ellie and I were..." He looked at her and she stared back, showing the beginnings of what could be anger. "We were... getting ready to... to actually... I mean we were naked..."
"Lucas just finish it or get lost!" she said.
"I said your name," he burst.
Bryn was caught mid breath.
"I'm not gonna lie anymore and say it was an accident. I was thinking of you. That's what really turned me on. I mean Ellie's body is like, wow, but you. I mean oh my god."
"You'd better be fucking joking."
"I wish I was. I want so much to like Ellie for Ellie, but you're always somewhere in my mind. Like, I look at Ellie, and she's pretty. Then I look at you, and even though you look so much alike, you just that much prettier. And smarter. And funnier. You're perfect."
She stood, her mouth actually agape. She'd lived this moment before. The girl behind the girl was actually quite the object of many a man's affection.
"What did she do?"
"Who?"
"What did she do, Ellie, when you said...it?"
Lucas shifted his weight from leg to leg. "Well... she was pissed. She started accusing me of shit then I told her it was an accident. It took a few minutes of convincing but she got over it."
"Then?"
"Then we... you know."
"You fucked."
"Don't make it sound so bad."
"No, you fucked my sister and deceived her all at the same time."
"Bryn you don't understand! That was supposed to be the last time."
"Wait just a minute. When was this? When exactly did you say my name?"
Lucas gulped. "Uh... the day you walked in on us."
Bryn turned around. "I don't believe this. I don't fucking believe this."
"Bryn, it's not as bad as it sounds. The flavour was gone-"
"So you had to get me involved?"
"We both knew it was over."
"Oh my god." Bryn clapped her hand to her forehead. "Oh my god. All of you are the same."
"All of who?"
"Get out. Leave, go, get out of here. I don't want to see you or hear from you ever. And leave Ellie alone too."
Bryn walked back to the house and slammed the door. She rubbed her temples but found no relief. She sighed and entered the living room. her mother looked up from the couch.
"Hey Bryn. How are you?"
"I don't really wanna talk about it."
"Alright. But I think we should talk about what happened before... with me and Mr. Currant."
"Why?"
"Ellie and I already talked about it and I feel that she and I are good again. I want us to be good. At least better than this. I want us to be civil."
"Fine." Bryn sat down, crossing her arms.
"He and I are not in love. You're old enough to know you don't have to be in love to have sex. We are, however, adults. We're old enough to make and live with our decisions. Looking back now, It was not a good idea and I know that. He knows it too. We probably ended a friendship that has lasted fifteen years because our urges overcame our logic."
"Have you talked to him since?" Bryn asked, disinterested, still rubbing the sides of her head.
"Yes, once. He told me that he thought it was a mistake and I agreed. he also told me about his wife."
Bryn muttered something inaudible.
"What was that?" Angelica snapped.
"I said I told you so," she said slowly, savouring every word.
"What is your problem?"
Bryn stood. "You. You're my goddamn problem."
"Don't speak to me like that."
"Then don't yell at me like I'm ten!"
"Go to your room!"
"FUCK YOU!" She pushed past her mother and stomped to the door.
"If you leave you better not think of ever coming back!"
"Don't worry I wouldn't want to."
Shutting herself out of her home, Bryn started to cry. She kicked the door and ran down the walkway. She couldn't believe that just a little while ago she had been so happy; everything was going great. Now she was fighting with her mom again and there were three guys who were infatuated with her.
Bryn stopped at the corner of the street. It was dark out now, probably around eight, and she didn't know where to go. The image of a bus stop passed through her mind but she pushed it aside. That was too childish a thought. She didn't have any money anyways.
Just as the thought of having to crawl back to her mother with her tail between her legs became the only option, Bryn saw a familiar car.
"Lucas!" she yelled. She waved her hands above her head and was, for once, actually happy to see him. She ran to the car, wiping away the tears she regretted crying.
Tapping on the glass, she said, "Lucas, hey."
"Wha- I thought-"
"Fuck what you thought. I need a ride."
He opened the passenger door, leaning over the seats between him and it. Bryn ran around the front of the car and got in.
"Where do you need to go?"
"Just drive."
"Why-"
"Just go!" Bryn said, buckling up.