Bullied and the Bitch

Chapter 19: Prom is Life

The week after the Chihuahua party, on the Monday, a familiar face turns up.

My dad.

"I'm Greg. You must be James," he says, shaking James's hand. He's dressed in a striped cardigan and slacks. I'd always been bugging him about his non-existent fashion sense, but as always, he never paid attention to me. Though at the moment, I'm distracted by his face. Did it always have all those lines? Why did he look so pale? So stressed? So... old.

"Yes, I am," James replies.

"I'm sorry about last week... I was busy."

"With your missing daughter, I understand," James replies. I halt suddenly, my shovel halfway in the ground. "Come. Let's talk in the break room," James leads dad off to the break room, and I'm left with my shovel partly embedded in the ground.

I re-start my action, digging as I think about how my parents must be feeling. Odd. I hadn't done so for years. El must be rubbing off on me as well. Her familial commitment is insane.

I wonder if mom looks as stressed as dad. Were they worrying about me? Why? I was the worst kid they could ever ask for. I see that now, after having spent time with the Brooke's. Surely they should be happy that I'm no longer in their lives.

I dig harder, as my thoughts eat up my brain. I hardly even hear James's call until he's basically yelling in my ear.

"Brian!"

I blink up at him. "Yes? Sorry." Dad is with him, and he's staring at me. I wonder if he recognises me from the day he chased me out of his house.

"So this is the young man who thought up the design?" he asks with a tight smile, seeming like he was too depressed to give a real, sincere smile.

"Yes, this is Brian," James supplies.

"Brian," Dad echoes. "I was very impressed, Brian, by your quick thinking. Your drawing wasn't too bad either. James tells me your father is an architect?"

"Yeah," I answer. It's you, dad.

"I see. I recently rejected an offer to design the new art gallery on the Upper Side of town. They decided to make it a competition instead. All entries are welcome, even from those lacking experience or qualifications. I think you could go far in it. Will you win it? I don't know. You're still inexperienced. But I suggest you try," he says.

"Me?" I ask, blinking. "Join an architecture competition? I don't have any experience at all. I just watched my dad work when I was younger..."

"Just think about it," Dad says. "It might be a good opportunity for you. Maybe you won't win, but I know the judging panel has quite a bit of influence in the field of work, and may even get you a scholarship to study architecture if they're impressed enough with your design."

"I think it's a great opportunity," James adds.

I nod slowly. "I'll think about it," I don't want to promise anything. I mean, I haven't thought of the future at all. Will I ever be Brianna again? Am I doomed to spend the rest of my life as Brian?

Then again, it might not be such a bad idea.... I'd get to be with El for the rest of my life.

Whoa. Was I thinking of lifetime commitment? Where the hell did that come from?

"You do that, Brian. The submissions must be put in before the 24th of March, though," Dad says. He turns to James. "I must be going. Good job so far, and good luck with finishing it off."

"Thanks for coming," James says. Dad nods to me and then he strolls off the construction site.