My Autumn Days with Brielle

(Part 4)

I remember my last summer days with Chloe, those days when clarity hid behind my back all day and confusion blocked my path all night. That one day sticks out to me, that surprisingly chilly night with Brielle. I was going to return Chloe's bracelet that she left at my house earlier that day in a rush to get to Skipper's truck. Brielle happened to live nearby and decided to join me.

"It's just a little strange," I said to her. "Lately she and Skipper seem kind of distant from me, but not each other. And whenever I find out that they are doing things without me, there's always someone else telling me about it." I made my voice high-pitched to mock a girl that tattled on my friends. "Oh, yeah, I like, saw them like, twenty minutes ago, like, leaving the mall together." Then I made my voice deep to sound like the guy that warned me about my friends the very next day. "Hey, dude, Chloe's your girlfriend, right? I saw her hanging out with some other dude, and they looked pretty close. What's up, bro?" Once back to myself again, I said, "I hope I didn't do anything to upset them." A breeze blew by, swaying Brielle's hair and making ripples in our t-shirts.

She looked at me, a reassured face giving me hope. "I'm sure it wasn't you, Ty." Then her face grew dark. "I would think it was that guy that's always around her."

"Who, Skipper?" My face twisted in doubt. "I don't think they're looking for trouble."

She shrugged sheepishly. "I don't know, I just...figured." She kicked a rock with her foot, and it rolled to a stop a few feet in front of me. When I caught up to it I nudged it back to her, playing along.

"Ty?" Brielle said suddenly, her tone concerned. I looked to her, ready to listen, and she responded, "I know you have faith in Chloe. I mean, there's not much reason she might be up to something, and she's a very cool person..." She laughed uncomfortably, earning a puzzled look from me. "And I don't want to sound like an echo of everyone else, but...I just have a weird feeling that she's hiding something." She kicked the rock, and we both watched as it rolled over the curb of the street and into a nearby sewer drain, it's splash leaving a strange eerie mood in the air.

I was quiet, a little confused that Brielle would think something like that. Chloe was great to be around, and sure, we had our bad moments like every couple, but I really didn't believe she would want to hurt me. But I couldn't pass up the fact that things seemed a little different between us.

"Who knows?" Brielle said, covering for me. "Maybe I'm way off the chart, paranoid." Her voice softened, and her smile returned when she stepped closer to me, almost close enough for our arms to touch. "Whatever happens, just know that I'll be here for you," she finished.

Not really sure how to answer, I simply thanked her, but I was still thinking about what she said. What did she mean by "not much reason"?

We reached Chloe's two-story house, famous for the many flowers and various plants that decorated the lawn and nearly took over the front porch. I climbed the steps and rang the doorbell, sure that Chloe was home, evidently with Skipper, because of Skipper's truck parked on the street. Brielle teetered between Chloe's pathway and the sidewalk; she seemed indecisive about coming to the door.

After no response, I rang the doorbell again. Were they in her basement or something?

I finally pulled out my key to Chloe's house, the one she said to use only for emergencies; I figured her being slow to the door was enough of an emergency. I slid the key into the doorknob, turned it, opened the door, and stepped into the house, everything dead silent. I searched all around the house, calling Chloe's name and claiming that I had her bracelet, with no response. Thinking about my guess earlier, I stepped down into the basement.

Once at the bottom, Chloe's name was on the tip of my tongue, but I was shocked out of saying it because of what I saw next.

Chloe and Skipper were together, alright - on the couch, not sitting next to each other, how I would think, but with Chloe on top of Skipper. Their arms were wrapped around each other, with one of Skipper's hands on her back, under her shirt. As for Skipper's shirt, it was gone. And worst of all, their lips had met...