~ 013
~ BRIAN
As I walked in, Damien's enthusiastic "Hey bro, welcome home!" was instantly followed by Mum's warm "Welcome home, son."
But I wasn't having any of it. I brushed past them, heading straight for my room, not in the mood for small talk.
Mum seemed to sense my vibe and let me be. Once inside, I kicked off my shoes, and my phone beeped. Olivia's name flashed on the screen, her message no doubt sparked by the Dylan drama. I sighed, knowing fully well it's going to be an apology.
I hesitated for a moment before opening the message, bracing myself for whatever was in there.
"Hey Brian, I'm really sorry about what happened with Dylan. It was stupid and thoughtless, and I know I hurt you. I feel awful about it. Can we talk about it?
I want to make things right between us. I value our relationship and I'm not sure what came over me to agree to that dare. I wasn't thinking, and that's no excuse.
I know I let you down, and for that, I'm truly sorry. If you're willing, I'd love to talk things through and work on rebuilding our trust. I miss you, my love and I hope we can move forward from this."
I felt a mix of emotions: hurt, anger, and confusion. The kiss with Dylan had caught him off guard, and Olivia's actions had shaken me to the core. I wasn't sure if I was ready to talk things through or if I needed some time to process his feelings. The apology message from Olivia touched a chord, but I still felt raw and unsure about what to do next.
I tossed my phone onto the bed, not knowing how to respond. The door creaked open, and Mum peeked in. "You okay, sweetie? You seemed upset." I shook my head, not trusting my voice. She nodded and closed the door, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
~ DINNER TIME
I heard Mum's voice calling from the doorway, her warm tone a stark contrast to the chill that had settled within me. "Son, come downstairs now. Dinner is ready."
I hesitated, my voice barely above a whisper as I responded, "I'm not hungry, Mum."
She persisted, her voice laced with a mix of concern and gentle persuasion, "Come on, son. You can't keep going like this. You're shutting yourself away, and it's worrying me. At least do it for me. Come down and have a little something to eat." Her words struck a chord, and I felt a pang of guilt for worrying her. I finally relented, my voice a little softer, "Fine, Mum. I'll be right down."
I reluctantly got up from my bed, the weight of my thoughts still lingering. Mum's words had struck a chord, and I knew I couldn't avoid her forever. I took a deep breath, smoothing out my rumpled clothes, and headed downstairs.
The aroma of dinner wafted up, a familiar comfort that usually lifted my spirits. But today, it felt hollow. I trudged down the stairs, my eyes scanning the table set for dinner.
Damien and Dad were already seated, their faces etched with concern. Mum smiled weakly, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey, sweetie, come sit down. We've got your favourite noodles." I forced a smile, taking my seat, but my appetite was still MIA.
"Is it nice?" Damien asked, looking at me expectantly. I hesitated for a moment before responding, "Yeah, it's good, I guess."
Damien's face lit up with pride. "Oh, wow! I should totally get the best chef award then!" I raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Wait, you made this?"
Damien nodded confidently. "Of course, I did! I'm a culinary genius!" I took another bite, and my expression changed. "Ugh, actually... it's really garlicky. Like, overwhelmingly garlicky."
Damien's grin faltered, and he laughed defensively. "Hey, garlic is a great flavor! You're just not used to it!"
"Ahahahaha, nice one, Damien!" Mum chimed in, laughing. "I guess the award for best chef is still pending, huh?"
Dad chuckled, teasing Damien. I playfully scrunched up my face, "Seriously, Damien, what did you put in this? Garlic overload!" Damien grinned mischievously, "Hey, garlic is the best flavor! You're just not sophisticated enough to appreciate it."
We all burst out laughing, the tension from earlier dissipating. Mum patted Damien's shoulder, "Well, maybe next time, we'll have a cooking class, okay?"
Damien's face lit up with a mix of mock offense and amusement. "Hey, hey! No cooking class needed! I'm a master chef, and you're all just jealous of my culinary genius!"
He winked, grinning from ear to ear. "Besides, garlic is the new sophistication. You're just not hip to the trend yet."
Mum chuckled and playfully rolled her eyes. "Well, trendsetter or not, maybe tone down the garlic next time, okay?"
Damien laughed, "No way, Mum! I'm just getting started. Next meal, it's gonna be all about the garlic!" The laughter around the table grew louder, with everyone playfully joking and teasing each other.
Damien's antics and humor have a way of breaking the tension and lifting everyone's spirits. It's great to have someone like Damien around who knows how to turn a potentially awkward moment into a lighthearted and memorable experience. Such a brother!
~ OLIVIA
~ TUESDAY
These few days, I've been trying my best to avoid Brian and my friends, feeling super guilty about what happened.
Honestly, I'm blaming them for convincing me to play that game - if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be in this mess. Facing Brian feels impossible; I'm totally mortified.
Every time I think about it, I just want to crawl under a rock. I replay the whole thing in my head, wondering what I could've done differently.
Roxanna's been trying to reach out and apologize, but I'm not having it. I'm still too mad at her - she was the one who suggested the game, after all. I know she's sorry, but I'm not ready to forgive yet. I need some time to process everything and figure out how to move forward.
It's hard to believe things escalated so quickly. I wish I could turn back time and do things differently, but for now, I'm stuck dealing with the aftermath.
~ BREAK TIME
I went to the cafeteria to grab something for lunch. On my way, this clumsy junior student accidentally bumped into me and spilling milkshake all over my uniform. I was literally fuming.
Now I've got a stain on my uniform, and a ruined appetite. Great, just what I needed. I couldn't believe the timing - I was already stressed about facing Brian and my friends after what happened, and now this.
I stood there for a moment, frozen in annoyance, as the student apologized profusely and tried to help me clean up the mess.
I finally managed to compose myself and told them it was okay, but honestly, it was pretty frustrating. Now I've got to go clean up before I can even think about eating.
I quickly made my way to the restroom to clean up the milkshake mess, and after a few minutes of scrubbing, I emerged looking somewhat more presentable.
Just as I was about to head out, I saw Gabriel lingering around the corner. Wait, what is he doing here? And why is he standing outside the female restroom?
My curiosity turned to suspicion as he caught my eye and started walking towards me with a mischievous grin spreading across his face. Uh-oh, this can't be good.
I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was up to something, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to deal with whatever it was.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to sound casual despite my growing unease. Gabriel's smile only grew wider, and I knew I was in for trouble. He seemed to be enjoying the surprise on my face, and I couldn't help but wonder what he had planned.
My mind started racing with possibilities, none of them good. I took a step back, trying to prepare myself for whatever was about to happen. Gabriel's eyes sparkled with amusement, and I knew I was in for a wild ride.