Change My Mind ©

4 | That Night

"Come on, honey. We're gonna be late," dad shouted from garage.

"Okay, honey. Hey baby, are you sure you're fine alone?" mom replied and turned back to me.

"Yeah. Don't worry, mom." I reassured.

Tonight is going to be special for my parents. They're going to meet their high school batch mates 10 years after graduation. It's cute that before being husband and wife, they were classmates where dad is just a guy at the back of the class while mom is a consistent top student.

"Who's that, honey?" mom asked as she heard voices downstairs.

"The Spencer's. They're asking if we could go together," dad answered.

In our dinner with them last week I'd learnt that Mr. and Mrs. Spencer and their two kids were living seven houses away from us and that they were also going to the same high school reunion as my parents.

"Baby, come down here. Is it fine if you watch over Darcy? Brian's not home until evening," mom called me after talking with the Spencer's.

Darcy, 6, is their youngest child and Brian is the eldest. I barely know Darcy while I have few knowledge on Brian for he transferred to my school this year.

"I guess it's alright, at least I have company."

--

Before I enter the Spencer house, cold night breeze embraced me as I went out of their car.

"Stay safe guys," dad reminded before they left.

"Hi, Darcy. Have you eaten dinner already?" I asked her as she played with her dolls on the couch.

"Yup. You?" she replied.

"Not yet, but I guess I'm not hungry at all." I lied.

"Uhm...where's your brother?" I suddenly asked.

"I don't know, he always goes somewhere and home at late midnight," she answered casually.

We watched two boring movies before she fell asleep. I carried her upstairs to her pink room.

I stayed at the couch until 12 midnight clicking the remote. I'm so hungry but I can't go home until Brian's not home. I forgot to bring my wallet and the worst is I can't cook.

Someone opened the door who I assume was Brian. And I'm not wrong.

"Oh," he was shocked seeing me in their living room.

"Our parents went to their high school reunion, they asked me to watch over Darcy until you came." I explained as I thought it is needed.

"Thanks for looking over her. Do you want pizza?"

--

I was crumbling my fourth pepperoni pizza slice he ordered when he suddenly talked.

"Are you friends with Courtney?"

"Yeah. We're childhood friends." I replied naturally.

"I assume you think I'm a bad person," he said staring at the television.

"How did you know?" I was shocked how fast our conversation is going. He is so frank and comfortable talking with me.

"You're cold. I always see you in school active in talking."

"- with my friends," I added.

"Oh, I see. I forgot I'm not your friend."

I didn't reply for I felt how hard I was. After everything Courtney had told us about him, I realized he hasn't done anything wrong to me.

"I think it's better for you to stay here until tomorrow morning. It is not safe out there and you're alone. I'll lend you mom's clothes," he offered.

He stood and went upstairs. He went down carrying a shirt and pajama and handed to me.

"Those are mine. Mom locked their room."

All I said was thanks before I headed for the bathroom and change.

"Uhm...why did you transfer?" I casually asked to break the ice as we continued watching movies.

"Dad decided to move here and start a business, I think he mentioned that in our dinner," he explained.

"Oh, I see." I nodded. Shit! Why am I so stupid to ask that.

"Do you believe her?" He asked out of the blue.

"What?" I was not sure if I heard him right.

"I know that Courtney is saying things about me, not so good things. Do you believe her?" he clarified.

I stared at him searching for the Brian Courtney has been describing.

"I'm sorry for asking something personal, you don't have to answer that," he cut.

"Before, I fully believe in her. Honestly, I don't know why but I hated you for some time. Maybe for what you have done to her. But now, I think I should know your side first before judging you as a person." I still answered for feeling guilty.

"Do you really want to know my side? Then I think it would be better to set a day for that. Let's sleep for now, it's 3 am. You can use my room, I'll sleep here," he suggested.

I looked at my phone and noticed mom's calls I missed. I texted her reassuring her that I'm fine and that I am staying here for the night.

"No thanks. I'll sleep here." I replied tapping the couch.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'll be fine."

He went to his room but went out in a minute carrying two sets of pillows and blankets.

"Take this," he said handling me the pillows and a blanket.

"Thanks. I think these are too much," I said counting the pillows.

"I'll use the others. I will sleep here, too. You can't sleep here alone," he replied while setting a blanket onto the floor covering the carpet.

As everything were set, I lied down the couch and Brian sat down the floor beside me.

"Goodnight Gabrielle." he said before laying down.

"Thanks, Brian. Goodnight."

--

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Courtney doesn't know what really happened. Maybe Brian is not as bad as I thought he was.