People Change

“Thanks baby,” Brian said, pecking Sydney quickly on the lips. He picked up the box of complimentary doughnuts she’d given him to take to the studio for the guys to eat for breakfast and headed out the door, waving through the glass windows as he walked around his SUV. He climbed in, being extra careful with the doughnuts, before driving down the street to the studio.

“Complimentary doughnuts from Sydney,” Brian told the guys as he walked into the lounge area. Jimmy was the only one who hadn’t arrived yet. But as Brian put the doughnuts down on the table in the center of the room, Jimmy walked into the room, putting his keys in his pocket. As everyone else fell upon the doughnuts, fighting over who got which, Jimmy just stood back with his arms crossed, staring at Brian with a mix of disapproval and worry in his eyes.

Brian didn’t notice until he’d straightened up from snatching a doughnut from the box. He turned to ask Jimmy if he wanted one of the twisted cinnamon ones, which Jimmy seemed to be partial to, but stopped at the look on Jimmy’s face and his stature, that of a disapproving father after he’s caught his child sneaking back into the house after curfew.

“Er...Jimmy, what’s wrong?” Brian asked uncertainly, taking a bite out of his doughnut, a strawberry jelly-filled one with lots of icing on top. Jimmy stared at him for a few moments further before answering in a dull monotone, very strange for Jimmy, who always seemed to be animated and the life of the party.

“So, I hear the blind date went....well.”

Brian frowned at him, taking another bite of his doughnut. He knew Jimmy hadn’t been involved in the blind date set-up; it’d been Lanie’s idea at first, and both Matts, Zacky, and Johnny had agreed to help convince Brian to do it as well.

Slowly, Brian nodded.

“And...well, you know, Sydney’s my little sister. I know I helped you get her forgiveness...but I don’t recall ever hinting that I wanted you two to start dating and such,” Jimmy continued, the worry in his eyes starting to filter into his voice. Brian gave him an odd look, deciding that he’d realized what Jimmy seemed so unhappy about. Obviously, he didn’t like the idea of Sydney and Brian dating. Brian couldn’t much blame him; Brian had never been exactly Mr. Good Guy when it came to relationships.

Brian had never seen Jimmy like this before: all worried and shit. Brian, therefore, didn’t have a clue as to how to handle the situation. He began to figure out what to do if Jimmy came out swinging, just in case it went that far. Brian knew Jimmy cared a lot about Sydney, and he knew in high school Jimmy had been close to hitting Brian several times for reducing Sydney to near-tears.

Matt, Johnny, and Zacky glanced back and forth between Brian and Jimmy. Johnny’s doughnut was frozen halfway to his mouth. All three seemed tense to launch into action if Jimmy started throwing punches. But Jimmy made no move to advance towards Brian; he just continued to stand with his arms crossed and a worried, disapproving look in his eyes.

Everyone relaxed when Jimmy smiled. The disapproval had disappeared; but the worry was still there, in his smile and in his eyes. He didn’t trust this relationship between Sydney and Brian, but he accepted it for what it was.

“Just don’t fuck this up, Gates,” Jimmy warned, and something like a threat flashed in his blue eyes for just a brief second. Only Brian saw it, and he knew that if he screwed up with Sydney, Jimmy wouldn’t forgive him for a long time. But Brian wouldn’t worry, at least not now.

Without another word, Jimmy reached forward and grabbed the last twisted cinnamon doughnut.