Aevum of Itero

Chapter 15

C'mon, Bren. If you can hear me from wherever you are, please don't tell yourself about the stuff that happened with Val. Please.

"Turn around," Val ordered, with Dylan heeding the command.

"There," said Val. "Hot, sexy, ready for action. And you?"

"Keep thinking of Bren," said Dylan truthfully.

Valerie eyed him like she was gauging his honesty and nodded. "Good."

Steve's snore was loud enough to awaken the entire state. The top of Andrea's head could be seen over a novel. Her hand flicked a quick wave behind its cover. Donna said Robinson had stepped out to capture photos of the morning wildlife. David rolled over, burrowing into his blanket.

Valerie almost looked down at him and Dylan wondered if he should wake Silver to begin the introductions between the two people Itero thought would have ended up together in a life gone right.

Not keen on the idea of forcing the events of someone else's life, Dylan decided to let David meet Valerie on his own.

Val was the first to notice Kelly's spot was empty, and asked Dylan when they stepped out if Kelly had helped in the search for the twins.

"I don't know," said Dylan. "Maybe. After what she said about Bren when you guys left, I doubt it."

"What'd she say about Bren?" asked Val, in instant defense mode.

"Let's just say Kelly Taylor isn't who I thought she was," said Dylan.

People matured, changed, grew awareness of their faults and learnt how to fix them.

For Kelly's sake, Dylan hoped she could mature and move past the jealousy she had of Brenda.

But after everything Kelly had told him before the cliff, Dylan had no desire to be the one to help her grow.

If Kelly had spoken that way about Brenda now, before that fucking ultimatum; if she had carried a jealousy of Brenda through their alleged friendship in junior year, then how had Kelly treated Brenda after the pool?

It made him reexamine everything, but the only way he could even begin to get any answers was by dreaming up Brenda and hopefully remembering his questions when she came around.

He wouldn't have any answers when he awoke, which made the whole idea seem pointless.

"But I did want to ask you," Dylan fidgeted with his fingers, drawing them across the back of his neck. "You mentioned Bren took Brandon's car -"

"Stole Brandon's car," corrected Val. "And I've stolen a few myself, so I get to say that."

"You've stolen cars?" asked Dylan, momentarily fazed. He shook his head. "Never mind. You can regale me with that story later."

"Seems to me like you're gonna be part of my world for a long time to come, Kit-Kat. So any time you wanna know, just ask."

"Will do," he agreed. "Back to Bren. She took Brandon's car for Kelly?"

"Yup," said Val. "She knows she was wrong. Tinsel Town Barbie told Bren she was her best friend as a way to get her to steal that car. I mean, seriously, how middle school can you get? I don't know if you know the lengths my girl would go to for her friends?"

"I do know," said Dylan. "Believe me, I definitely know."

"Well, it increases fiftyfold for her best friends. I'm speaking from experience here. Bren's done a fuck ton for me. I'd do just as much for her."

"Did Bren tell you anything else about Kelly?"

"Let's see," said Val. "Barbie told Bren a bunch of rumors about you that I assume aren't true; but hey, if they are, no judgment here."