When Tis Done – Part 38

Brian has a conversation with his grandfather, who tells him that he did the right thing with Chase and Marissa. It makes him feel better about the decision. After they hang up, his grandfather decides that he and his wife need to go for a visit.

Jordan answered the door, smiling up at him. Going on tiptoe, she planted a kiss on his lips and pulled the door to her house shut. “Sleep okay?” she asked when they were both in the car.

“Better than I have in a long time. Had a late night chat with Granddad. Gave me some perspective.”

“Good.” She touched his cheek tenderly. “You look better. I worry about you.”

He kissed her palm, closing his eyes. “I worry about you, too.” He put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway.

“I had a long talk with Marissa last night. I hope I said the right things—what she needed to hear. It wasn’t an easy conversation. Apparently, Chase dropped your bombshell. He tried to be kind, but there’s not an easy way to say any of that.”

“No, but maybe it will shake them up enough to make them try.”

The first drops of rain started falling. Jordan swiped the windshield clear, using her powers. Brian winked at her and started the wipers.

“Won’t it look weird if we’re the only car with a dry windshield?”

“We tell people you use that rain ban stuff. Besides, no one’s around. I’ll let it gather when we get near school.”

“Gross misuse of powers, Miss Barrett.”

“Like you don’t ever.”

He chuckled, nodding. “I had an hour long shower with constant hot water last night. Needed to think.”

“Water always calms you down.”

He silently agreed. His needs and habits weren’t what was most on his mind, however. “Tell me about Marissa.”

“She’s furious with you.”

He shrugged. “I’m a big boy, I can take it.”

“I tried to tell her that she needed to channel her energy into working things out with Chase. They both seem to think the only way to do that is to have sex, and she’s unbending on that point.”

“They need to communicate,” Brian said. “Honest to God, Jordan. I don’t want to throw her out, but I will.”

“Hurricane Marissa on the starboard bow,” she said as they pulled into the high school lot.

Marissa stood between her car and Brian’s, arms crossed, brow lowered in fury. Her blonde hair whipped around her in the wind, though the heavy rain hadn’t soaked her. Brian had cautioned his friends about that sort of thing, but he figured she was so angry, she hadn’t thought about it. Prepared for an attack, he got slowly out of the car, keeping the vehicle between him and the angry girl.

Jordan let herself out, closer to Marissa than she cared to be. At least none of the anger was directed at her. However, the wind picked up and the rain grew sharp, when Brian appeared. She stepped forward, catching the other girl’s arm.

“Not here,” she scolded. “What are you, five, having a temper tantrum? Do you want everyone to know?”

“I don’t care if anyone finds out. How could you, Brian? How could you say that? I was up half the night, just fussing at you!”

“You should have been up half the night trying to figure out how to make it work with Chase, not mad at me. I’m not in this equation. It’s you and him, but you’re too damn stubborn to figure that out. It’s someone elses fault, it always has been. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get to inside. If you haven’t noticed, it’s pissing rain.”

Air slammed into Brian, knocking him back as Marissa faced him, an angry snarl twisting her lips. Jordan got between the two of them, pushing Marissa back with her hand, breaking the other girl’s concentration.

“Stop that! I won’t have you endanger the rest of us by having a snit. Go inside and dry off—the old fashioned way. And stop acting like a spoiled, self-centered brat! Think about what he said and why he said it, not about anything else. You’ve used up half a day being angry with the wrong person.”

“And who’s the right person? Hm?”

“Got a mirror?” Jordan crossed her arms, tilting her chin. Marissa was a few inches taller, but Jordan managed to make herself seem bigger and more intimidating.

Grabbing Brian’s arm, Jordan shoved past Marissa, who was now soaked. Jordan and Brian remained remarkably dry, only mildly damp when they got inside. Stamping and shaking off the moisture, they walked to their lockers.

“Thank you. I’ve never hit a girl, but I was about to.”

“I begin to see what you mean. Not that I disagreed…. Just, wow.”

© 2018 Dellani Oakes

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