It All Started With An Apple

Chapter 13

When we entered the house, Dannon bee-lined for the guest room, grabbing his sleepover stuff.  I leaned on the kitchen counter, munching on an apple, scowling at Kyla as she winked at me.  Was I not allowed to eat apples now that one collided with Dannon’s head?  That hardly seemed fair.

Suddenly, my mom called, “Bri, walk him to his car, will you?”  I could just picture her lounging on the couch next to my dad, her legs propped up on the coffee table.  “Oh, honey, come back any time!” she gushed, her voice obviously directed at Dannon now.  “We just adore having you.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Ni—”

“Julie!” my mom scolded.

“Thanks, Julie,” Dannon corrected himself, his voice closer now.  “I’ll be sure to come back soon.”

Uh-huh.  Sure he did.

It was amazing how cynical I was even though he’d pretty much proved he wasn’t going to leave me alone any time soon.  It was like I had to disagree with everything he said.  Oh gosh.  I was in one of those moods.  That wasn’t a good sign.

Dannon appeared in the kitchen doorway, smiling.  “Apple, huh?”

I rolled my eyes, taking a huge bite and chomping down obnoxiously.  “Want me to chuck it at your head?” I suggested, my mouth still half-full.

Dannon chuckled, shifting his duffel bag on his shoulder.  “I don’t think I can really afford anymore brain damage.”

I snorted.  “I’ll say.”

We stood there silently for a moment.  Well, Dannon was silent.  I chomped on my apple.  I gave him a weird glance, wondering why he wasn’t leaving.  I mean, he wanted to see his dad didn’t he?  “Um,” I murmured under my breath.

Dannon’s eyes met mine, a smile on his face.  “Hmm?”

I took the finishing bite of my apple and tossed it into the trash can, wiping my hands on my pants.  “Aren’t you leaving?” I asked, gesturing toward his duffle bag as though for emphasis.

Dannon stared at me for a moment.  Then he chuckled, shifting his duffle bag on his shoulder again, bringing a hand through his hair.  “Yes,” he said with a huge smile.  “Walk me out?”

I cocked an eyebrow.  “What are you, three?”

“Indeed.”  Dannon nodded.  “And your mom said to walk me out, so. . . .”

I groaned, pushing off the counter and following him out of the kitchen, ignoring Kyla’s giddy expression from her newly found spot on the couch next to my mom.  I trudged after him as we headed down the porch and toward his car parked in the driveway.  Dannon unlocked the driver’s door, opening it and chucking his stuff into the passenger seat.  He twisted around, leaning on the door and smiling at me.  “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

I nodded, shoving my thumbs into my jeans pockets.  “Yeah.”

He opened his mouth as though he was going to say something then shut it again.  Without another word he settled into the driver’s seat, shutting the door as quietly as it would allow whilst shutting it tightly.  Dannon’s eyes caught mine and he smiled slightly, giving me a small wave.  “Bye, Bri.”

I gave a small wave back as he pulled out of the driveway, disappearing down the road.

| It ♥ All ♥ Started ♥ With ♥ An ♥ Apple |

After Dannon left, the day seemed to pass rather slow.  It sucked to admit it, but it was much less fun around here without him.  Kyla calmed down (I guess it was Dannon’s fault she was so hyper) and began her usual complaining about how she hated school and how she didn’t want to attend the next day.  I wouldn’t put it past her to feign illness so she wouldn’t have to go.

I felt a flash of annoyance.  I didn’t really understand why.  This was so normal, so mundane.  Usually I would join right in.  But, today, all I could think about was how much I hated civilization.

Oh.  No.

Why me?

I scowled.  Of all times for this to happen. . . .

“Brianne, are you even listening to me?” Kyla snapped.

“Yes,” I snapped right back.

Kyla stared at me in a shocked silence for a moment, not understanding my hostility.  And then, as though a hidden picture just appeared before her eyes, she realized.  “Say hi to Mother Nature for me, all right?”

My scowl grew.  “Sure thing.”  I paused as an uncomfortable feeling churned in my lower stomach.  “I’ll be right back.”

With that, I rushed into the bathroom, throwing open the sink cabinet and grabbing a pad.  I ripped the package open, praying I’d made it in time.

As it turned out, I made it in the nick of time.  Call me pathetic, but I was feeling mighty proud of myself for that!  I actually gave out a small shriek.  “Yes!”

I heard Kyla laugh from the other room.  I ignored it, pulling up my pants and sighing.  It made so much sense now.  Why I was so moody the past few days and why my hatred for Dannon seemed to heighten.  That also explained why I was so rude to him when usually I would at least contain it a little.

I ventured into the living room, finding Kyla still sitting on her spot on the couch.  She winked at me, gesturing to the TV.  I turned, surprised to see that it was on, playing a re-run of The Big Bang Theory.

“Bazinga!”  Sheldon cried from the show as he popped up from the ball pit Leonard was chasing him around in.

Kyla and I laughed hysterically as the hilarious scene took place.  No words could express how much I loved this episode!

“Oh my gosh, he’s crazy!” Kyla sputtered out as she laughed her ass off. 

“Bazinga!” Sheldon cried again.

I plopped onto the couch, guffawing with my friend.  I leaned back, thoroughly enjoying myself.  How could I not when the most amazing show on the entire planet was playing?

“Glad to see that you girls are enjoying yourselves,” my mom said as a commercial came on, “but it’s getting late and Kyla should probably think about going home.”

“Trying to get rid of me, Julie?” Kyla teased, sitting up.  “I’ll call my mom.”

And ten minutes later I was sitting on my couch all by my lonesome.

Sometimes it really sucked having a brother in college.

Oh gosh, here came the depressed thoughts.  I was totally screwed.  School tomorrow was going to suck.  If I was even going to be able to go.  Cramps hit me pretty hard, and most of the time I ended up taking the day off.  Cowardly, yes, I know, but that was how it had to be done.  I’d rather have make up work than a failed test.

The cramps were really starting to kick in, so I decided to go to bed early.  After downing two Pamprin, I went straight for my bed, nothing even bothering to take off the clothes I was wearing—which made me realize Kyla, Dannon, and I still had borrowed clothes.  Oopsies.  I made a mental note to get the clothes back to them some other time.

A flash of pain cut off any other thought that might have been growing in my head.

Dammit.

I really hated Mother Nature.