It All Started With An Apple

Chapter 4

Dannon nodded, pulling into my driveway.  We sat there silently for a moment.  I looked up at my house, smiling at its familiarity.  I’d lived there my whole life, in the grey house with a small bricking at the bottom. 

“Nice house,” Dannon said softly, bringing me from my reverie.

I looked at him to see if he was being sarcastic before saying a quick, “Thanks.”  I lifted up the Border’s bag and handed it to him.  “I believe these are yours.”

Dannon smiled, taking the bag from my outstretched hand and setting it gingerly in the backseat.  I watched, slightly surprised that he cared enough about the novels to not toss them carelessly.  Everyone else I knew would.

I shifted, unbuckling and tossing the door open.  “Thanks for the ride,” I mumbled.

“No problem.”  He shot me a quick smile.

I stepped out of the car, standing there awkwardly for a moment before shutting the door.  I mean, what else was there to say?  I’d thanked him.  It wasn’t like I was going to stand there and have a conversation with him when the comforts of my home were right there.

As I began my journey up my driveway, my mom appeared at the doorway.  I half-expected her to look upset for me being late—even though I really wasn’t that late, maybe five minutes at the most.  But, then I realized that she had a curious expression on her face.  “Who’s that?” she inquired, gesturing to Dannon still inside his car.

I glanced at Dannon.  Telling her who he was probably wasn’t in my best interest.  I mean she thought I had a crush on the guy.  “A guy from school,” I said, stepping onto the porch.”  I waved at him stiffly, making that the signal for him to leave.  But, obviously, Dannon didn’t understand that, for he simply waved back, smiling.

Why wasn’t he leaving?  Why, oh why wasn’t he leaving?

My mom’s mouth dropped.  “Is that—?”

I immediately shook my head, feeling dread as she began jumping on the balls of her feet.  Oh jeez.  This was not good.  “No, Mom,” I muttered, pushing her lightly toward the door.  “Can we please go inside now?”

“That’s the boy you have a crush on, isn’t it?” She squealed, grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me slightly.  “What’s his name again?  Oh, what is his name?  It starts with a D . . .”

Suddenly she was gone, hurrying down the driveway and to his car.  I watched her, my eyes wide.  Oh no.  Oh no, oh no, oh no!  What was she doing?  Was she waltzing right up to his car and telling him about my supposed crush for him?  I clutched to the side of the porch.  I would die if she did that.  He’d probably never let that go.

My eyes widened even more as I watched her open the driver’s door and Dannon stepped out.  Dannon was getting out of the car.  He was getting out of the car!  Why was he doing that?  Why? 

My mom had invited him inside, hadn’t she?  How lovely.

“Mom,” I hissed through gritted teeth, “what are you doing?”

My mom smiled brightly, gesturing for Dannon to go ahead of her.  He obliged, coming to stand beside me.  I scowled at him from the corner of my eye.  I did not like this.  At all.  “He brought you home!” she exclaimed, pointing out the obvious.  “The least we can do is invite him for dinner.”

I shoved my hands into my pockets.  “Mom,” I said, smiling tightly, “he didn’t get permission from his parents.”

My small attempt to get her to change her mind didn’t work because stupid Dannon had to butt in.  “My dad won’t mind.  He always begs me to get out of the house.”

“What about your mom?” I demanded, not allowing this to slide so easily.

Dannon smiled at me.  “She died when I was three.”

I froze, not knowing what to say.  He didn’t seem at all bothered by the fact that his mother was no longer here with him, nor bothered that I asked about her.  But, still.  “Oh . . .” I muttered, feeling completely awkward.  “I’m sorry.”

Dannon was about to answer, but my mom threw her arms around him, blubbering, “Aw you poor thing!”  She shot a pointed look in my direction.  “Brianne, why don’t you stop being so coldhearted and open the door?”

I grumbled under my breath, prying open the door and holding it open irritably as my mom and Dannon headed inside.  Dannon thanked me softly as he passed, throwing me one of his smiles.  I imagined kicking him in the nuts and smiled back.

As we entered the household my mom said in a sickeningly cheerful voice, “Dannon, hon, why don’t you make yourself comfortable while Brianne helps me set the table?”

I rolled my eyes.  Why hadn’t they set the table already?  Usually my mom took pride in setting the table before I got home so that we could immediately begin eating the second I stepped through the door.  I guessed that only applied with her cooking.  Adults baffled me.

“All right,” Dannon murmured politely, a small smile on his lips.  “Thank you, Mrs. Nichols.”

My mom gave a dismissive wave of the hand.  “Oh, call me Julie!” she exclaimed.  She smiled in a way that made me want to gag.  It reminded me of a part in a movie I watched a few years back called She’s the Man where the mom was talking about her daughter’s ex-boyfriend.  Talk about ew!

Dannon didn’t seem to detect this, however.  He simply smiled like he always did, saying, “Okay, Julie.”

This dinner was going to be awkward.

Very awkward.