“You’re so lucky.” she said. She watched as I gingerly sat on the edge of the bottom bunk. “You don’t have to go to school tomorrow.”
“It’s the last day. Who doesn’t like going the last day.”
“Me. We actually have a final in my math class. That sucks.”
“Sorry, Jess.”
“Anyway, you have some cash leftover.” She pulled several twenties from her back pocket. “Like, two-fifty, almost.”
“Oh. Just hang on to if for now.” I told her.
“Yeah, okay. So how much money do you think you have in the bank?”
“In that account? About twenty thousand.”
“Twenty-eight.”
“Oh, okay. Whatever.” It's only money.
“I have to work, and you just have all this cash.” she whined.
“Well you can quit working, I’ll help pay for stuff.”
“No,” She sighed. “That’s okay. Hey, maybe Michael would give you a job too, then we could work together.”
“There are just so many things wrong with that.” I said, smiling. “I need to get to sleep, I’m tired.”
“Goodnight, hon. And goodnight, Jenna.” she said.
Thursday, May 26
Jess slept in. It's the first day of summer break, so why not sleep in? So I was up before her, and I was feeling so much better than before. I took a shower, dressed in my favorite cute skirt, then went down and made Jess Breakfast. Okay, so it was almost eleven by then, so it was more like early lunch.
“Wakey wakey.” I said.
“What is this?” she asked. She was staring, bleary eyed, at the tray I was carrying.
“Breakfast in bed.”
“Aw, honey, that’s sweet.”
“I figure you’ve done a lot for me, you deserve something like this.”
“Well thank you.”
She climbed down from the top bunk and sat on the bottom one so she could eat. I sat next to her and watched. It was interesting. I’ve never really paid a lot of attention to how she eats. So dainty.
“You look better today.” she said.
“I feel a lot better. I have a ways to go, but I’m getting there.”
“Good. So,” She nibbled the edge of some toast. “Do you think you’ll feel up to going on a shopping trip with me and Tony in Kansas City tomorrow?”
“I don’t know. Probably.” I do love shopping.
“Good. His cousin is coming along, and it gets awkward with a third person sometimes.”
“So you two are going to wander off and stick me with Andre again?” Great. “Look, Andre was an okay guy, I guess, but I just wasn’t feeling it. I wish you’d stop trying to set me up with him.”
“No, it’s not Andre. Andre’s little sister, Teresa. She has been begging for someone to take her shopping. She’s like really into clothes and stuff, you two will probably be best friends.”
“You’re my best friend.”
“Yeah,” She reached up and ruffled my hair. “But she’s the same age as you.”
“So you’re going to do this? Treat me like a little kid now? Great Jess. Thanks.”
Is she always going to treat me like a child? Try to push me off on other people, so she doesn't have to babysit? We'll never have the same kind of friendship we had before, will we?
“Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it.” She sat the plate down and leaned over and hugged me, being gentle because I’m still pretty sore. “You’re my best friend, and you always will be. When I make comments about you being young, it doesn’t change any of that.”
“I’ve been alive a lot longer than you.” I said, fighting back tears.
“But you’re physically and mentally a fifteen year old, right? That’s what you keep saying. Look, that doesn’t mean anything, it’s just a fact. All I’m saying... look, you were the one who said I’d have friends my own age. All I’m saying is it’s okay if you have other friends, too. It won’t change anything with us, honey.”
“Whatever.”
“Don’t be mad.”
“I’m not mad.”
“You look mad. And you’re about two seconds away from crying.”
“No I’m not!” A tear escaped and ran down my cheek. “I’m just frustrated, okay!”
“I know.”
“You don’t. Okay, so... so like everyone thinks maturity comes with life experience, but it’s not true. I have more life experience than anyone, and... and I still have stupid impulsive thoughts, I still feel really depressed and sad when things don’t go my way, I still have stupid little things make me really happy, and I... but I mean... I mean I was sort of an immature girl when I was normal, or with my family, or whatever.”
“Brynne, it’s okay. You will eventually get there. So many people would love to age slowly, like you do.”
“Well I’d trade places with them any day. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. It sucks to never get to be normal, never get to grow up.”
“I’m sorry.”
She’s sorry. Only I’m the one who should be sorry. I whine about this, but it’s just because she was teasing me a little. Still, it hurts my feelings a little that she thinks of me as a kid now. We’ve always been equals, and the second she finds out I don’t really age and that I’m actually younger, she starts acting like I’m a little girl.
But I am. I still play with my dolls, I still feel scared of everything, even though I have very few things I really need to fear, there’s just so many things. I know I have to be okay with that, but it hurts that she’s outgrowing me. One day she won’t want me around. I don't want to think about life without her, though.
“Sorry I’m such a downer. I just... I’m sorry.”
I got up and hurried to the bathroom before she saw me crying any more. I hate crying. I’ve cried so much in the past couple of weeks that I think I’m starting to go insane. I’ve never been this emotional. I’ve never let myself be. At least not outwardly.
When I was done crying in the bathroom, I came back out and found Jess changing the sheets on the bunk bed. And she moved her pillow and blanket to the bottom bunk. I guess she figures I can make it to the top now.
“Where’s, um,” Where’s my doll. But oh, stop treating me like a little girl. Yeah, brilliant.
“She’s on the dresser.” she said, pointing sideways at it.
“Oh. Thanks.”
“Don’t be embarrassed.” she said. She’s still changing the sheet, not looking at me. “A lot of adults have teddy bears or dolls they can’t live without. I might tease you about it a little, Brynne, but I think it’s fine. Really, it’s okay.”
“Thanks.”
“So I’m going over to Tony’s in a while.” She reached out and nudged my arm. “Wanna come along?”
“Nah.” Seeing her date someone is too hard to look at right now. It just makes me feel that much lonelier. “I should probably rest up for our trip tomorrow. I’m still a little weak.”
“I can stay here if you need me to.”
“No, go ahead and go.”
“Brynne, what’s wrong? You’ve been in a weird mood ever since I got up. And you act mad at me. Did I do something?”
“No, nothing.” Except you're going to be with Tony, and I will be alone for the rest of my long, long life.
“You sure?” she asked. I nodded. “Okay then.” She pulled me into a hug. “The breakfast was really good. Thank you.”
I watched television all afternoon and through the evening. I ate with Mr. and Mrs. Sloan, --Barney was out again-- and I talked with them a little. Mrs. Sloan insisted on coming up with me so she could check on my cuts. They’re almost completely healed.
And then I decided to go for a walk. I haven’t been outside all week. I got dressed and grabbed Jenna. Usually I don’t take her, ‘cause I feel kind of silly walking around where people could see me with a doll. This time I had to have her. Just for my comfort. Nobody will see me.
“Where are you going?” Mr. Sloan aske
d. I was already reaching for the door. “It’s pretty late, Brynne.”
“It’s just ten thirty. I was going for a walk.”
“Be back by eleven.” he said.
“Um,” I don’t want to sound disrespectful, but I’m not used to being told what to do. “Why?”
“It’s your curfew.” he said.
“I... um... okay?”
I didn’t even go anywhere once I left the house, just around to the side. I sat in the dark, wondering how in the world he thinks he has a right to tell me what to do. But they are letting me stay in their house. Their house, their rules. And I think there may even be a law for children under 16. Here I am being treated like a child again.
I always ring the doorbell at their house, so I wasn’t real comfortable just walking in. But it seemed odd to ring the bell, too. I stood there for a couple of minutes, arguing with myself, before I finally rang the bell.
“Did you lock yourself out?” Mr. Sloan asked when he opened the door.
“I wasn’t sure... I mean... it’s not my house.”
“You live here, you don’t have to ring the doorbell.”
“I... wasn’t sure.” I repeated.
When she got home, Jess laughed at me when I told her about my curfew. She doesn’t have one. So now that they know I’m developmentally fifteen (as good a way to describe it as any, I guess), they treat me like a fifteen year old. This is going to get really old.
Friday, May 27
We were up early, so we could be ready for our trip. Jess surprised me by asking me to
help her pick out something cute to wear, and then asking for help with her hair. She is not usually a girly girl at all. I mean it was fun and all, and great to see her like that, but knowing I didn't have anyone to dress up for made it hard.
“Why are you so nervous?” I heard Tony ask. They were on the front porch. I didn’t hear an answer, so I assume she shrugged or something. I assume it’s Teresa. “Just chill.”
I pulled my skirt straight, then reached up and fluffed Jessica’s hair up, it was flat on the back. I then shoved her through the bedroom door as the doorbell rang. Jess looked at me, asking without asking if I had heard them. I nodded.
“Jessica.” Mrs. Sloan shouted. She spun and saw us right behind her. “Oh!” She stepped back away from us. “Don’t do that! You scared me.”
“Sorry.” I said.
“Do you two need any extra money to take along?”
“Um, no Mrs. Sloan. Peggy.” I said. She knows I have a bunch of money.
“You girls have a good time.”
“Later.” Jess said.
“When will you be back?” Mrs. Sloan asked. Peggy. She did ask me to call her Peggy.
“Whenever.” Jess said.
“Late?”
“Probably.” Jess said, sounding irritated.
“Remember, you have to be back by eleven.”
Oh great, they’re still on this curfew thing. It’s sort of funny. I lived alone since before her great-grandparents were born, and she wants me to be in by eleven. Her and Mr. Sloan... Ted, they have this really peculiar view of me. Everyone thinks I’m a kid now. It’s annoying.
“I’m Teresa.” the girl who had been bouncing from one foot to the other said. She gave a little wave and smiled a little before averting her eyes.
“Hi. I’m Brynne.”
“Yeah, so now that everyone knows everyone else, can we get going?” Jess asked.
Please tell me everyone isn’t going to be in a bad mood all day. I don’t think I can handle that. I feel a lot better today than I have in previous days, and I’m pretty sure I have enough strength to take them all down.
Tony hurried to the car, and Jess climbed into the front with him. So I get to sit in back with my new best friend. Thanks Jessica, I really appreciate this. Ya know, I wonder if she is trying to find me a new friend so she doesn't have to spend much time with me.
On the two hour trip we played a game. Tony would switch the radio to a new station and then the first person to guess the singer would get a point, and then one point for the song title. Jess was awful at it. Tony wasn’t much better. Teresa was beating me by quite a bit. I had thirty-five points, she had forty-three. At least I didn’t have six, like Jess, or eight, like Tony.
I can’t believe she beat me. The girl is good. She’s a perky little thing, once she gets past her nervousness from being around new people. One of those bouncy, smiley people. She’s got fashion sense, too.
“Where to first?” Jess asked. We were just inside the entrance to the mall.
“Ooh, over here.” Teresa said. She was pointing toward a store with all sorts of trendy jewelry in the window.
“I want to go look for some new jeans.” Jess said.
“So go.” Teresa said. “Come on, Brynne.”
She grabbed my hand and pulled me away from Jess and Tony. I shrugged and shook my head in Jess’s direction, and she laughed as I disappeared into the crowd.
“OMG!” Teresa said. Yes, she actually spelled it out like that. She grabbed a necklace with pandas on it. “This is really cute.”
“I guess.”
“Oh, you should get this.” she said. She grabbed a multi-stranded gold and silver necklace. It is pretty. She held it up to my neck. “Oh, this would look so good on you.”
She kept on like that. She has so much energy, it’s ridiculous. And she likes bows and ribbons. And she likes bows and ribbons on me. It’s sort of weird. We went from store to store, picking out really girly frilly things, and laughing at silly things that didn’t go together, and I had such a blast. I never had this with Jess. I love Jessica dearly, but she never filled my need for a girly friend. Jess is almost tomboyish.
We met up with Jess and Tony for lunch at the food court. They were there before us, and they had pizza. I headed across the to the pizza place and Teresa grabbed my hand.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“I was going to get...”
“I don’t want pizza.” she whined. She gave me this pouty look. “Let’s get tacos.”
“Go ahead and get whatever you want.”
“I don’t want to stand in line alone!” She pulled on me. “Come on.”
She’s so weird. Funny, but weird. So we got tacos and then joined Tony and Jess. I was listening to them talk about where they had been, a music store and an electronics store. Every time I looked back toward the table to reach for my taco, Teresa was smiling at me, and then she’d look away quickly and turn red. I wonder what she’s thinking that is embarrassing her.
“We should go look at new televisions.” I told Jess.
“Yeah, we need to get one for our room.” Jess told me.
“But I wanted to go see a movie.” Teresa said to me. “Come with me.”
“Jess wants to get a new...”
“So! She doesn’t need you to help her pick out a TV.”
“I just...”
“Please, Brynne. Please.” She’s pleading with her eyes. Kind of a sad puppy look. “I really want to go see a movie.”
“Go ahead.” Jess said. She was holding in a smile.
Jess is being sort of smug. She talked about me and Teresa being best friends right off, and now she thinks we are. I like Teresa, she’s fun to hang out with, but she’s a bit draining. And I actually do want to spend some time with Jessica, since she really is my best friend. But I do live with her, and I get to see her all the time.
“Please, Brynne?” Teresa said. Her hand was on my arm, and she was waiting for an answer.
“Ter, leave her alone.” Tony said.
“Butt out.” Jess whispered to him.
“I’ll love you forever.” Teresa said.
“Fine,” I said, giving in. “I guess.”
“Yes!”
So now I have a new friend that is way, way too committed to being friends. Sort of clingy, can’t stand to be away from me for five seconds. Great. Well... I guess I shouldn’t make su
ch an assumption, ‘cause I’ve only known her for a few hours. This could just be the way she is around new friends. Maybe by the end of the day the new will wear off and I’ll be able to do things like go to the bathroom without someone tagging along.
I gave Jess some money to get a TV, then Teresa and I hurried to the theater. We waited in line, and when we tried to get our tickets the guy wouldn’t sell them to us. The movie Teresa wanted to see is rated R. So rather than going and finding Jess, she made me watch a PG movie with her. A penguin movie.
The movie wasn’t that good. The penguins were cute, I guess. Just as the movie was starting, she grabbed my hand and patted it with her other hand. She said it had been so long since she had seen a movie. And then I didn’t get my hand back.
I was finally beginning to shake off the huge blind spot I had all day by the time we were driving back to Hanton. This was a set up. Jess had decided to tell this girl, Tony’s cousin Teresa, all about me and talk me up, then set us up on a blind date of sorts. And Teresa knew it all day long, and I’m just now figuring it out. Because I’ve never been out with a girl that was interested in me like that.
Brynne, Non-Vampire (The Non-Vampire Series Book 1) Page 10
