Deer in the Headlights

Part 7 - Happy New Year

[Brielle’s POV]

Before I quite knew how it happened, three months had gone by. It was almost the New Year.

Me and Dad had been invited to Adams parents house for a neighbourhood celebration of the New Year, there were quite a few people there including some familiar faces such as Austin Tofte, one of our highschool friends,as well as many of the friendly neighbours. It was a cold night but we were all wrapped up in thick clothes sipping on steaming mugs of mulled wine leftover from Christmas.

As we stood around in the back garden idly chatting waiting for the New Year to arrive I couldn’t help think how fast time had flown.

Thanks to Dad I now had a job at the local sports hall as a swimming instructor. The pay was in fact better than the record shop and the hours were much more flexible, of course the work was very active and physical but I relished in the chance to get up each day knowing I now had I job I was enjoying. When I was younger I had done a lot of swimming, in fact competing in regional championships during high school, I seemed to have a natural talent for swimming, although I never progressed any further than the competitions because of things occurring with my Mum. Saying that though, the sports hall were more than happy to receive the phone call from Dad asking for a job for me, and to be honest I was more than happy to take the job there. I was finally doing something I enjoyed and it was keeping me busy and active.

I took a sip of the wine, delighting at how it ran down my throat warming my insides with a flush; the wine was a homebrew, and a punchy one at that I thought merrily. Looking out over the garden my eyes happened to fall on Adam who was hand in hand with Ann, I tilted my head slightly as I looked at the two together, a weak smile cracking onto my face.

During the three months I had seen Adam a lot more, sometimes he’d come to my house for a visit and sometimes I would go to his. I could tell he was still a bit hesitant around me due to the relationship with Ann but it was ok because I understood Adam, he didn’t want to upset me about it.

One sunny autumn day our old high school group had met up for a picnic by the lake, Adam, Austin, Ann and myself. The day had been brilliant I must admit. It was just like old times, that whole nostalgic feeling was so infectious it made the day fly by.

 It was nice to catch up with everyone again especially Ann, we’d gone for a walk and left the boys while we giggled about good times we’d had as kids, it was here I questioned Ann about Adam. I could tell by the silly grin on her face that she was really happy being with Adam. And I mean they were really sweet together, from what I’d seen of the two it was exactly what I imagined Adam to be like, a kind, caring boyfriend, utterly head over heels wonderstruck with Ann. It made me smile to see them together so happy but there was always this sour note hidden deep inside me that was fighting against my mind, I didn’t really understand how  I could feel so negatively, even if it was so tiny within me.

The only thing I could place on the feeling was love.

Was it love? Or was I just jealous? But surely I must have feelings for Adam if I was jealous.

I really didn’t know and I was glad for the work to distract me from my confused feelings.

But it wasn’t just Adam who was making me confused lately, but Austin too, he was often at Adams house adding vocals and harmonies to the tracks, we were good friends don’t get me wrong. It was just some feeling within me that felt maybe we were subconsciously being drawn together, I was pretty sure Adam had noticed too, he wasn’t one to voice his thoughts but his questioning looks from time to time were enough for me to know that he was wondering about me and Austin.