Chemistry

Chapter 31: A Fresh Start

Karen scurried around the house picking up anything that seemed to be out of place, and moving it back to its appointed spot. Whenever company was coming over, everything had to be perfect. Flawless. Intact. The woman would go crazy even if one of the place mats weren't lined up with the rest. "Tyler, get your feet off the couch," she commanded whilst walking to the other side of the kitchen.

He quickly looked up from his iPad, and over at the direction his mother's voice came from. She was no where in sight. "How did she know my feet were on the couch?" he mouthed to his brother who sat on the adjacent sofa. 

"She's mom," he mouthed back with a dramatized 'duh' facial expression.

It was already 5:23 and the Jones were supposed to be there at 6:30. Daniel wished he had been able to go to the game. But he knew what was more important. His mom had given him his phone back that afternoon, and Daniel hadn't put it down since. When he held the button to turn it on, he could've sworn he saw some dust fly from off his screen. His eyes nearly jumped out of his head when he saw at least over 30 unread text messages pop up on his lock screen. This is why no one should ever take away Daniel Lehman's phone. People need him.

He explored his way through Instagram, then shifted gears and signed onto Twitter; trying his hardest to catch up on everything that he'd missed during his time of isolation from society. 

The only thing that showed up was how hype people were claiming the homecoming game would be. And his mind suddenly went to his friends. No matter how much they got on Daniel's nerves, they were still like brothers to him. He hadn't even noticed that he had cut them off. It wasn't intentional. It just kind of happened. The sad thing is, they didn't know how much attention, time, and patience a relationship demanded. But Daniel did. And that's what they just can't seem to understand. Or even accept.

"I'm going back to Dad's," Tyler called hopping off of the sofa. "See ya, Mom!"

He was heading towards the door when his mother stopped him with a, "Hey!" He turned to address his mother's call. "Are you not going to stay for dinner?"

"Yeah," Daniel agreed with a smirk. "Tiara's family is coming over."

"So?" Tyler began to walk out the door, but back tracked into the house when he suddenly remembered who Tiara was. "Tiara? That girl's house we went to the other day?"

Daniel nodded.

"Is Kaylin coming?" he nervously asked.

"Most likely."

Tyler closed the door of the house after stepping all the way in. "I guess a little dry macaroni won't hurt."

Karen gaped from the doorway of the kitchen. "My macaroni is not dry!"

"It ain't moist," Tyler bluntly stated. 

Daniel shook his head trying not to laugh. He seriously hated his brother's candid attitude.

Hopefully he won't say much around the dinner table. 

It was just a few minutes after 6 when the sound of the doorbell echoed throughout the house.

"Daniel, can you get that?" Karen called from the kitchen. She was too preoccupied with taking the dinner rolls out of the oven to do so herself.

Daniel stood up from the couch with his little brother mimicking his actions. "Is that them?" he quickly asked.

Daniel shrugged his shoulders in response while making his way to the front door. Before opening it, he brushed his hair back with his hands, and any excess particles from off of his shirt. Then placed a hand on the doorknob.