Fitting in

Chapter 25

Time had passed since Brett met her first relative. It took her weeks to stop hugging her family every time she saw them, and as the months passed, Blake’s wedding day and Barbie’s due date were approaching faster than ever. Brett and Simon had spent countless hours together, and they’d created plenty of art projects also. They were all hanging in a closet in an art room; Ms. Tammy was constantly complementing them on the caliber of their work. Saying it was the finest group project she’d seen yet.

Brett was proud of her work, and drew a new idea for her and Simon’s latest assignment. Ever since meeting Kelly she couldn't help, but feel like there was a piece of her still missing. The last sentence the woman said had haunted her, and she couldn’t stop writing the phrase over and over. Lately it was all she could think about. Putting the pencil down to perhaps clear her head, Brett was surprised to feel her phone vibrate. It was Jason calling to see if she wanted to hang out.  Brett agreed to spend some time with him, wondering if she could quiet Kelly’s still haunting voice. They decided to meet at the lake, and Brett bathed and changed into warm clothes.

The season was turning from fall to winter, and it was a bit more than chilly outside. Bundling her jacket up, Brett waited for Jason’s car to pull into the parking lot. She began to hop from one foot to another when she saw him get out of his car.

“I figured you’d be cold.” He said bending down to kiss Brett on the cheek, and hand her a caramel Frappuccino. Brett drew a long stream of the sweet liquid down her throat, and enjoyed the warm feeling that pervaded through her body. Brett thanked Jason for the drink, and the two of them walked hand in hand on a path winding through the park.

“We haven’t done this in a while.” Brett said smiling up at him.

“I wonder why.” Jason asked smiling back down at her. The two of them involuntarily turned away to think about their significant others, and both felt a little guilty about leading one-another on. Brett fiddled with the paper around her Styrofoam cup, and pulled on Jason’s sleeve to lead him to a park bench.

“I need to ask you a question.” Brett said putting the cup down. Jason sat down hesitantly, and then felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out checking to see who was calling, Jesse. Jason shoved the phone back in his pocket hastily, and Brett raised an eyebrow.

“You can go ahead and answer it.” Brett said waiting for Jason to take the call. He wearily lifted the phone to his ear, and pressed the button to answer.

“Hello?” He said trying his best to pretend he didn’t know the person.

“Are we still on for the date later tonight?”

“Yea totally.”

“Well, where do you want to go?”

“I don’t know.”

“Okay. Um, should I call you back? You sound busy.”

“Yea, that’d be a great idea.”

“Okay.” Jesse hung up the phone confused, and Brett watched as Jason let out a sigh.

“You were saying?” he inquired turning off his phone.

“Oh yes, um do you still want to do this?”

“This?”

Brett motioned between the two of them. This time it was Jason’s turn for suspicion. Did Brett want them to break up? Was she seeing someone else too? Jason felt a pit in the bottom of his stomach.

“It’s not still Dave is it.” He grumbled.

“No, no! I just, I don’t know why I asked.” Brett said looking down.

Jason instantly felt like a hypocrite. How could he possibly get mad at Brett for seeing someone else, while he was seeing her best friend? But the feelings that came over him whenever he thought of her with another guy were indescribable. It was like he was reliving that night with Dave each time, feeling used and expendable, and deep down Jason knew he still wanted to make Brett feel the same way he had that night. However accusing her of cheating on him would get him nowhere, Brett was innocent. He didn’t deserve someone so irreproachable.

Jason shifted Brett’s body towards him, pushed down the guilty feeling, and remembered what Jesse had said about breaking up with Brett.

“I still want to do this Brett, I still want you.” Jason said smoothing hair back from her face. Brett felt his lips brush past hers, but felt no emotion. She only felt guilt rising up threatening to spill over as bile.

            Brett felt her phone vibrate, and was glad to use it as an excuse to end the kiss. Reaching down in her pocket, Brett turned on her phone to see Marc had texted her. She had given him her phone-number incases of emergencies. Brett looked up at Jason, and could tell he was wondering whom Marc was.

            Brett smiled at him weakly, and Jason rolled his eyes turning away from her to stare at the park. Brett couldn’t explain who Marc was without revealing Simon, and telling another lie would only make Jason more suspicious. She decided to leave him wondering, and read the text from Marc.

            Come to the building on Toggs rd. please.

Worried Brett glanced at Jason and sighed, “I have to meet him.”

            “Okay.” He said wincing when she said him. Brett kissed Jason on the cheek then sprinted to her car. She texted Marc that she’d be there in a few minutes, the building on Toggs road was the hospital.