Leave the Lights On

Chapter 7

Normally you wouldn't wake up this early for work. All you do is put your hair up and throw your scrubs on. It takes all of fifteen minutes with make-up application. But today, you have a breakfast date. But not a date-date. A friendly breakfast date. Yeah friendly breakfast date. Yeah right. Tell that to the flowers you bought when you stopped for orange juice.

When you walk up the steps to the front door you consider throwing the flowers away, but before you can the door opens. Brittany smiles widely at you, "Good morning."

You offer her the flowers and the orange juice, "Good morning."

"These are beautiful," Brittany coos and leads the way into her living room then to the kitchen.

Summer's already at the table, pouring syrup onto her pancakes. Brittany opens the orange juice and pours some in an empty glass in front of Summer. Then she points you to your seat next to Summer. The little blonde grins at you with a mouthful of pancake. Brittany sits down next to you and you all start eating breakfast.

"What are you doing at school today Sum?" you ask, sipping the coffee that Brittany pours right as you sit down.

She cocks her head thinking about it. Then she nods to herself, "Recess."

"That's it?" you ask with a fond smile.

"Class too," she says and stuffs another bite of pancake into her mouth. "Science. I like science."

"I like science too," you glance over at Brittany who is smiling at the pair of you. You shoot a short smile back at her before asking Summer about her other classes.

Breakfast is short and when Brittany goes to help Summer find her shoes, you get to doing the dishes. By the time you finish, Brittany breezes in and stops at the door. "You did the dishes." She says it like she's surprised.

You dry off your hands on the kitchen towel and hang it back up. You nod. "Well I was taught growing up that the cook never cleaned." That was because the maid cleaned, but that's beside the point. You close the dishwasher and turn it on.

"Thank you," she leans on the doorframe. "For doing the dishes and for having breakfast with us."

"It was my pleasure," you lean back on the counter, facing her. "Do you need anything else before I head to work?"

"I don't think so," she smiles at you.

You hate to go, but you do actually need to get to work and staying longer might incite something that you may regret. Because if you ever say anything, which will take a bravery that you're not even sure you have, you have to be completely sure.

You're walking along the hallway in the elementary school when you hear your name being called. You turn around to see Brittany walking toward you. You smile and ask, "Miss me already?"

She giggles with you and pulls your phone out of her pocket, "That and you forgot this."

You take it from her and look it over. You've never forgotten your phone before. "Thank you so much." Your brain is all over the place today. You have a feeling that the blonde in front of you has something to do with it.

"No problem," Brittany looks at you, "So I was thinking..."

She trails off so you look up at her from your phone and see her staring over your shoulder.

She looks perfect. Like Stepford perfect. Her straight blonde hair, yellow dress, and her white cardigan with matching flats make her the picture of flawlessness. She smiles as she walks up to you and Brittany. "Hey Brittany."

Brittany seems awestruck by the woman's entrance and you are all kinds of confused. Brittany licks her lips and forces a smile. "Hey Quinn. What are you doing here?"