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Game Night

Rhiannon had kissed her mother goodbye before leaving for Laurel's house.

She always did this, even when it was a short journey like Game Night. A small part of her always worried that if she didn't kiss her goodbye everytime that she might disappear and never return. That she would live an eternity of regret 'there'.

She tried to brush off the thought, crossing the street and walking down the footpath towards the next junction. Laurel didn't live far away, short enough to walk but long enough to allow Rhiannon to think a little too much.

She was due for a check-up, but Laurel was always kind enough to try and treat Rhiannon with some autonomy from her condition during Game Night. Still, she could always see those analytical eyes watching her as she moved around the map in Mouse Trap or Monopoly.

Since her time in recovery and away from school, Rhiannon found herself looking forward to Game Night again, after having a long period of somewhat loathing it. She switched from wanting to have the evening to spend time with friends to take up an extra extracurricular activity to relishing the time that she spent in the Parson household.

She turned the corner and continued up the lane towards Laurel's house.

Laurel's son, Jonathan, was 10 years younger than Rhiannon but mature beyond his years, something that Rhiannon suspected was connected to a Doctor mother and Professor father. She initially joined them for Game Night one evening, when Laurel had invited the Hightowers to dinner one evening, and Jonathan had immediately became attached to her. She surmised that it was something to do with the fact that she always had a book with her and Jonathan loved to read.

Laurel's husband, Ed, was an equally interesting character, a quiet yet humorous male with dark hair and even darker features that made him look terrifying when he so much as frowned at someone. Unfortunately, that fear would dissolve very quickly upon learning that he spent 9 months of the year teaching college students about petunias.

She felt that her home could have been like their home once, where they kept the porch light on for visitors and invited people to dinner to get to know them better.

Her parents were so afraid of others now, afraid that someone would tell someone about her and then the government would take her away. 

The porch was always dark.

In her swirling thoughts, she hadn't realised she'd nearly walked past Laurel's. She turned on her heels and walked to the door, using her foot to knock on the door.

She'd forgotten why she'd started doing it.

There was a muffled shout from the inside of the house, a muffled reply, some fumbled steps and the door opened, revealing Jonathan's small, thin form.

"Hi, Anna!" He spoke so brightly that Rhiannon felt she should squint.

"Hey, Jonny" she realised how dull her voice sounded in comparison "Staying out of trouble?"

He grumbled as she ruffled his hand and pushed him aside to walk into the house.

"I'm not a baby!" He argued, shoulders hunching up and arms crossing over his chest. Rhiannon merely laughed it off as he pouted.

"I know you're not" she smiled, hand reaching into her bag "That's why I brought you the good stuff". She revealed a small Archie comic book, Jonathan's favourite. His expression switched from annoyed to ecstatic almost instantly, fingers gripped into the sides before she could blink but he hesitated to yank the book out of her hands.

"Thanks, Anna" he thanked her before Rhiannon let go of it and he pulled it to his chest.

"You're welcome. Is Laurel in the kitchen?" Rhiannon asked and Jonathan nodded, running off excitedly. Rhiannon sighed, gently pushing the door shut and walking through the hall to the kitchen, hanging her bag on the coat hanger as she went.