Delayed

Chapter 3:

-Brennon-

Brennon sat across from Addy in the cafe' for a little while longer. He figured it would we awkward, and it kind of was. But not as awkward as he expected it would be.

Addy was nice, he noticed that as soon as the medicine had kicked in. That's how he knew it had worked, because suddenly she stopped being so irritable. They talked for a while about things other people wouldn't have interest in, like books and coffee. The conversation wasn't important, but it didn't really matter to them.

After almost twenty minutes- Brennon had kept track of the time- they both decided to go back to the gatehouse. Brennon walked slowly- well, slower than usual. Addy was much shorter than him, she only came to right beneath his shoulder. He knew she wouldn't be able to keep pace.

When they got back to the gatehouse, Brennon followed Addy to the window where she grabbed a small black bag with a golden zipper. He looked around, looking for anything else she might have brought, but it seemed to be the only thing she had with her.

"That's all of your luggage?" He asked, pointing to the bag she had slung over her shoulder.

Addy opened the zipper and shoved her wallet and phone inside. "Yep."

"It's small." He said. "You must not be staying in San Francisco for very long."

She looked up at him with her hand holding the strap. The bag was overfilled enough for her to struggle with the zipper, but eventually she finally got it closed.

"No, I am." She shrugged. "I just didn't need to bring a lot of stuff, I guess." She wasn't looking at him, she glanced at her shoes- white Nike Air Forces that nearly looked brand new, aside from a few scruff marks here and there.

Brennon used this as an opportunity to really look at her. He took in her outfit- she wore baggy grey joggers, a pink hoodie with "Palm Beach, Florida" written on the front with a denim jacket thrown over it, and her white Nike's. Her dark hair was pulled into a messy bun, loose strands of hair flying out. Her fingernails were painted black, but the polish was chipped. She didn't seem to really care about it.

Addy looked up at him, then behind him, at the luggage that sat at his chair.

"You must be staying for forever." She looked back at him with a smile."That's a lot of luggage to just be staying for a few days."

Brennon thought of the reason he was going to San Francisco for, what was waiting for him. He couldn't stop the smile that spread onto his face. "Yeah, I'm staying for a while." Now, he was looking at the floor, grinning at it. Addy gave him a strange look. Then, she raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"You're going to see someone, huh?" She nudged him with her elbow. "A girl?"

Brennon glanced at her, trying not to laugh as she teased him. He didn't mean to make it so obvious, but Addy could see right through him.

"Yeah, a girl." He chuckled and Addy beamed. She grabbed his arm and pulled him over to a chair excitedly, sitting beside him.

"Tell me all about her." She sat her bag at her feet. Brennon raised his eyebrows, smiling.

"What do you want to know?" He asked. There was so much he could say, but if he told her everything, they'd be here all night.

"Everything." She replied. "How did you meet? What does she look like? How long have you been together? Why do you like her? Wh-" Brennon stopped her with a laugh. He figured she'd never stop if he hadn't interrupted her. "Just start from the beginning."

"Okay, okay." Brennon thought back to how they met, remembering the dark girl with the curly hair. He told Addy almost everything, sparing few details. He started from where they met, at his high school during their first semester of senior year. He told her how she had asked him out, because he hadn't had the nerve to do it. He told her about their first date, their first kiss, prom, graduation, summer vacation. The entire time, he could see Addy smiling.

She was mainly smiling at the look on his face, which almost embarrassed him. "You're all googly-eyed!" she told him, laughing. "It's adorable."

When Brennon finished, he pulled out his phone and showed her his lock screen. It was a photo of them on the beach during summer vacation. Addy gaped at it, taking in the girl's long, curly hair, curvy body, and how perfect the two looked together.

"Wow, she is gorgeous." Addy gave Brennon his phone back. "What's her name?"

"Amani." Brennon told her, looking at his screen.

"That's so pretty." Addy gushed. "You look so cute together."

"Thank you. I like to think so." He put his phone back into his pocket and looked at her. "So, what about you?"

"What about me?" Addy now sat with her back against the arm rest, her knees again her chest with her arms wrapped around them.

"What's in San Francisco for you?" He nudged her like she did to him earlier. "Is it a guy?" He teased, grinning.

Suddenly, he felt the mood change. The playful expression on her face turned to one of slight uneasiness. He wasn't supposed to notice it, but he did. It was gone as soon as it came.

She shrugged, not looking at him.

"I guess you could say that." She was nonchalant, which was the opposite of the distant expression Brennon had noticed earlier.

He raised his eyebrows, looking at her as she stared at something he couldn't see. He didn't like the sudden change of mood, so he tried his hardest to lighten it.

He chuckled.

"Care to explain?" She didn't say anything, but she did finally look at him. "How did you meet? What does he look like? How long have you been together? Why do you-" He was trying to make her smile, because it was much more comfortable for him to be around her- or people in general- when she was happy.

"Wow, that's annoying." She interrupted him, but she was smiling nonetheless. "I actually do care to explain. Maybe later."

Brennon found this kind of strange. He'd had no trouble telling her about who he was seeing, and that was hardly fair. But he remembered the look he had caught a glimpse of just a minute earlier, and decided not to pry.

"Yeah, okay." Brennon shrugged, not giving any hint about the unfairness of the situation. "But I'll hold you to that."

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Authors Note:

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