Left With You

Chapter 8: 8 Years Ago

The interior of Joanne's house had been quite a familiar site the past few weeks, seeing how i've already visited her 5 times in that short span of time.

Something also unfortunately familiar was Jonathan's face that came along as a package with the house.

"How's my favourite cheese?" Jonathan greeted me first thing as he ruffled my hair to my dismay.

I gave him a sarcastic laugh, only to humour him.

"Come on, Brie, you know you want to laugh. Give me an ol' hearty one!" He said with a southern accent and gave me a ridiculous grin that i imagine farmers had.

I glared at him at the mention of my abbreviated name.

"I told you not to call me that."

"Yeah, Jon, stop it. She doesn't like it. Even i can't call her Brie," Joanne entered the conversation.

He sighed. "Guess that just gives me all the reason to."

I gave him a pity smile to satisfy his immaturity, then proceeded to walk off with Joanne.

When we were in her bedroom, we usually just sat around, browsed the internet and talked. Apparently, the normality of my interactions with Joanne was in direct contrast to my reputation at school. Or so Jonathan liked to remind me.

But as it were, i had the reputation of not giving a damn about what people thought, and i certainly threw that opinion into the mix.

"Right, Brielle. The Princess Diaries."

"Yes, yes, yes. Which one?"

"Two," we both said in unison.

"Great, we're on the same wavelength," Joanne smiled at me as she set up the movie on her laptop.

"One is so overrated. I honestly rather watch the second one 5 times."

Joanne looked at me with an expression telling me she agreed in totality.

As the movie went on and as we sat there with our legs curled up, she asked me, "Do you ever think we'd find a guy like Nicholas?"

Nicholas was the the male lead in the Princess Diaries 2, and he was gorgeous though he gave off some playboy vibes.

I shrugged. "I'm not sure about it happening but would you want to?"

Joanne drew her lips into a thin line. "Yeah, i mean he's charming and all but he reminds me too much of my brother."

An expression of disgust overcame my face.

Joanne's was washed over with a look of concern.

"Oh no, i've ruined the movie for you, haven't i?"

"Thanks Joanne. Now i can certainly see some similarities, but as for personal opinion, Jonathan is certainly much less charming if you compare him to Nicholas."

Joanne gave a small chuckle. "Yeah, of course Nicholas is better."

---

"To be honest, Andrew is probably my kind of guy," Joanne spoke, referring to the character in the movie.

"Really?" I asked a bit puzzled as i popped a few chips into my mouth.

"Yeah, you know, the 'safe' option. Kind, caring, stable. I'm boring but life's actually not that exciting is it?"

"Well, i'm not sure about you, but i think i've been through a lot," i said as i thought back to middle school, as i recalled things about my father...about Mum.

Joanne's giggle knocked me out of my reverie. "Right, Ian Palmer."

I rolled my eyes at the mention of his name.

"Please, just forget about him already."

"I will never forget how you slapped that sucker in the face."

A small smile crept onto my face.

"Yeah me neither. Hell, did that feel good."