°°°
"We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it. That's all." - The Breakfast Club

[7] i think i saw her

Morris and Addie came to our house Sunday night for dinner. My parents beamed with pride as they entered the house. My mom adored Addie and her other son, Morris. My dad did too, but mainly he loved Morris with all her heart - Morris was the star of the house, even when he didn't live here anymore. It wasn't like I was jealous or anything. I usually ran away from any unwanted attention, but sometimes it would be nice for my parents to acknowledge their own son who still lives in the house once in a while.

"Hey Morris!" My mom hugged him. She hugged Addie next as I stood awkwardly and uncomfortably beside them. "How are the two of you?"

Addie and Morris where hand in hand, still completely lovestruck. "We're doing great, thanks." Addie answered, adoringly looking at Morris.

"Aww, that's so great! Here, dinner is already ready and then we can all talk more at the table." As in 'all' she meant everyone, except me. That's always how dinners with them went, I just wasn't included in the conversation. But when I tried to put myself in their conversation, I was talked over and ignored.

"So, how's work been for you two?" My dad, sitting down, asked them as my mom began to put the plates of food in front of us all. We were having chicken, broccoli, and grilled potatoes with seasoning on top.

"Uhm," Morris cleared his throat. "Ah, well, it's been good-tiring, but good."

My dad smiled. "Yes, well that's how work is. So, Addie, how have you been?"

She smiled. "I've been good, Mr. Livingston. Just planning the wedding and everything. You know how stressful that can be." Mom sat down and took a drink of her water, nodding understandingly at that. "How about you guys?"

"Ah, I've been good. Just working at The Delighted." My dad picked up his fork and began eating his food. I began eating my food, thinking of Clarity. I wondered where she had went, I mean, we were on the side of a road. Where was she going to go? Where is she now? What-

"Hey, buddy," my dad got my attention, stopping my thoughts.

"Hmm?" I asked, brought back to reality as I looked over at him, surprised that he was talking directly to me.

"Morris is talking to you," he explained. "Pay attention."

I looked at Morris. I found him already looking at me, waiting for me to answer some question he had asked.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you," I apologize. "What did you say?"

"I said," Morris swallowed a piece of potato before continuing, "you had left so quickly I didn't get to say goodbye when you last visited me at work. I wish we could've talked longer."

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that. It was just you looked really busy talking with the police guy," I lied "that I didn't want to interrupt, so I just left by myself."

Morris chewed his food, staring at me. "Oh. Okay."

I decided to try to be causal. "So, did, that one girl with the alcohol cause any more trouble?"

Morris stared at me for one second..

Two seconds

Three seconds

Four seconds

Before he answered. "No, she, uh, didn't." Obviously she did since she left without her parents picking her up. Unless her sudden disappearance at the station was unnoticed, he was lying.

"That's good, I guess." I nodded as I took a bite of broccoli.

"Yes, it is." Morris stiffly nodded, glancing at Addie.

"Why did you take so long to get home then, Nolan?" asked my Mom.

I took a long drink of my water. I looked back at her, hoping I was pulling off a poker face. "Yeah, sorry about that. I got a little hungry and went and got some donuts." That part was halfway true, besides the part where I had another person.

"So The Delighted is doing good, isn't it? I passed it yesterday and it had a full house." Morris changed the subject.

"Oh, yes," Mom nodded at her older son, "It was."

"When was the last time we ate there?" Addie asked, looking at her fiancé. "I remembered we ate there on our first date. You were still working when we sat down and ate. I remember you kept using excuses to leave the table to serve some costumers." Addie and Morris gazed at one another fondly at the memory.

"That's how we used to look at one another when we were younger, Jack." Mom said, grabbing dad's hand.

°°°

I decided to go to my room once my parents, Addie, and Morris began discussing politics before I had to listen to the debate. I dialed Flynn's number.

"Hey, man, what's up?" He answered on the fourth ring.

"We are having a dinner with my brother and Addie. They are all downstaris while I'm in my room."

"Are they discussing politics again or money?"

"I just left when they began on politics, so they might-no, probably will-discuss money too. Gosh, they'll talk for a while. You know how they get, Flynn." I sit down at my desk. "So what's up?"

"I've just been playing video games," Flynn told me, "But I can't get passed this stupid mission, so I'm kinda frustrated at the stupid game," I heard him let out a tired sigh. "But you know what I think would relieve my frustration?"

"What's that?"

"Coming over to your house."

"You only want to come over here so you can see Addie-"

"Technically, I'm coming over to see you, Nolan. But then, on the way to your room and a quick detour to the living room, I'll get the chance to see her."

I rolled my eyes at him through the phone, "You have zero chance with her. She's madly in love with Morris and they are getting married."

Flynn scoffed. "Yeah, so? On her wedding day, I'll not forever hold my peace and confess my everlasting love for her."

Now it's my turn to scoff, "Dude, Addie is old enough to be your aunt."

"A smokin' hot aunt, indeed. Okay, as much as I'd love to talk to you because we all know how you are in seeks of a friend and I am in seeks of seeing a hottie, I have to go tell my Dad that I'm coming to your house." After hanging up, I walk down the stairs and go into the living room.

"See, what I don't understand is that-"

"Mom," I interrupted their conversation. She looked over at me. "Flynn will be coming over, okay?"

She nodded and looked away from me and began to listen back in on their conversation.

About ten minutes later, Flynn arrived. He grinned at me, ruffled his hair, and stepped in and strolled towards the living room where the others were.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Livingston," Flynn greeted my parents politely, grinning. "Hey Morris! Oh, it's lovely to see you, Addie."

Addie barely even looked his way.

"Why don't the two of you go get some cake?" Mom offered with a polite-but forced-smile. "I'm sure it is cool enough to eat now."

"Ooh," Flynn's eyebrows danced as he made that sound, "cake." We reached the kitchen and I cut us both a slice of cake.

"You know," he spoke through his bite of cake as I poured myself a big glass of milk. See, I really liked milk. A lot. I drunk a lot of it everyday. Mostly because I just like the drink besides it being a healthy one rather than a caffeinated beverage. "Your mom makes the best sweets!"

We walked up the stairs and walked into my room. Slowly, I set my glass of milk and plate full of cake down before looking at Flynn. He was wearing a t-shirt that said I feel sorry for people who don't know me and a pair of old jeans with sneakers. "What?" He innocently raised his hands when I must've been looking at him longer than necessary. "I think she does. Like, this is a win-win situation. See I got to see the hottie Addie and some delicious cake."

I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Addie barely even acknowledged your presence. Like I said, she's in love with Morris. Not you."

Flynn gasped, a hand flying to his chest in mock hurt. "You always crush a man's dream."

"Pshhh! A man?"

"Okay, okay. Look, just because I don't have a hairy chest like a freaking gorilla doesn't mean that I am, most certainly, not a man. Actually, I don't even have to have hair on my body to be qualified as a man. Mostly because of my manhood parts are evident enough that I am, in fact, a man. Would you like me to show you?" Flynn's hand went to his pants zipper.

My hand slapped over my eyes. "Ew, no! I'm good, Flynn! I'm serious, no." He chuckled and I kept my eyes closed in case because Flynn was Flynn and he had done some crazy things.

He was smirking when I looked over at him. "Good. Remember that when you decide to disagree on my manliness again."

"To see your-your..." I trailed off, squeezing my eyes shut again. I shut my eyes-as if to get rid of the thoughts-and began to eat the cake in peace without another word of the conversation.

"Wanna play some video games?" I asked after we finished the cake and I gulped down all of the milk. We had sat in a comfortable silence as we just thought with our mind at a peace only silence can bring.

Flynn looked up at me, grinning from ear to ear, he nodded. "You know me so well. Ima kick that big as-oh, hello Mrs. Livingston." My mom opened the door, looking at us.

"Hello, Flynn." She said, walking into the room as she grabbed our plates and the cup. "You boys alright?" At that, we nodded. "Just call for me if you need anything. Okay?"

"Okay." We both said and she left the room then we put the game in and began playing.

°°°

After playing video games from about an hour or two, Flynn eventually had to go home. He promised he'd come see me again and try to sleep over, but we both knew that he wouldn't. Flynn was a good friend, yes, but I was too busy to have friends stay over. It was rare for me to even have free time to actually get in a couple hours of video game time.

Working at the diner and reading and studying took up most of my days this summer.

"Nolan," said my mom from the kitchen. She was washing the dishes while I was sitting on the couch, reading. Morris and Addie had left about the same time Flynn had. "Can you please take out the trash? I'd have your dad to it, but he's in the shower."

"Yeah." I answered, I bent my page to bookmark where I was currently at before making my ways into the kitchen. I slipped on my shoes and tied the trash bag and headed outside.

I whistled a tune, bobbing my head to the beat slightly. The loud sound of a screen door being slammed shut was heard across the street to my house, making me stop whistling. I looked up and saw a girl stomping down the front porch steps before making her ways down the sidewalk. I squinted my eyes, trying to get a better look at the teenage girl walking down the sidewalk.

I might be mistaken, but it looked a lot like the girl that's been consuming me lately - Clarity Stevens.