When the Moon Fell in Love with the Sun

Once they had finished playing Playstation, Katelyn turned off the console and rolled over onto her back, staring at the ceiling and sighing.
"Are you ok, Kate?" She heard Brendon's calm, soothing voice from beside her.
"You could say that," the girl answered, looking over at him.
Brendon sat up and looked down at her so she could see the concerned look on his face.
"I guess you want to know why I'm upset.."
He nodded, "If you don't mind sharing."
"Well, my mom said that my dad's going to be in town for a couple of days.. and he apparently wants to see me."
"And?"
"What do you mean and?"
"Are you gonna see him?"
"Hell no! I hate that man."
When she noticed the confused look on Brendon's face, she realized that she had never told him about her father, or lack there of.
"My dad.. He just up and left us six years ago. He was having an affair with one of the women he worked with; if not several. But he got this one pregnant, so he left me and my mom to be with her. And now he wants to 'hang out' like nothing's happened?"
The girl didn't want to seem weak in front of Brendon. He had already helped her through the loss of her best friends.. She didn't want to unload all of her problems on him.
"I'm sorry, Bren. I don't mean to vent."
"No, it's fine. Go ahead, I want to help you. That's what best friends are for."
"He never called, wrote, emailed or anything.. But all of a sudden he decides to pay a visit? How screwed up is that?"
"It is pretty messed up.. But if you don't want to see the guy, then don't."
"What do you think I should do?" Katelyn asked.
"Me? Well.. I would see him, but only to let him know how hurt and upset he made me. I'd tell him all the reasons I didn't want to come, and the one reason I did."
"What would that reason be?"
"He's your dad," Brendon said simply, shrugging his shoulders for effect.
"I don't want to be alone with him for any amount of time.."
"Do you want me to come with you?" the boy asked, knowing she'd need a friend.
"I think I should do this on my own.."
"Oh," Brendon nodded, "Well, do what you need to do."
"Thanks for offering.. I really appreciate it. I think I'm going to call my mom back."
"Okay. I'll be finishing my homework.."
Katelyn sent him a smile, and he left for the kitchen.

The girl grabbed her phone and called her mother.
"Goose?"
"Hey mom. I thought about it, and I guess I could see him," she sighed.
"Oh, good. I already told Kevin you and Brendon would meet him for lunch tomorrow."
'You what?"
"I know you, Katelyn. You won't actually go unless someone's there with you, and I think Brendon's a very good choice."
"Alright, you win. Where is said lunch taking place?"
"On the corner of Eighth and Highland."
"You mean Arrivederci?" Katelyn clarified.
"Yeah, that's it.. At one."
"Can't wait," the girl replied sarcastically.
"I'll talk to you later, love you."
After she hung up she went and found Brendon finishing his last Physics problem.
"What's the verdict?" he asked, his eyes locked on his TI-83 calculator as he entered in the final numbers for the equation.
"You and I are going to Arrivederci for lunch tomorrow with my negligent father."
"What?" he asked, his attention immediately focusing on the girl beside him.
"Yeah. My mom told him you were coming with me.. To make sure I actually go."
"Alright. What time?"
"One.."
"I have practice at five."
"I doubt we'll even be there for more than an hour."

Brendon and Katelyn stayed up until nearly three am watching a marathon of Room Raiders on MTV.
"She won't pick him! You saw her face when she found that lotion from Bath and Body Works.." Katelyn laughed, and Brendon nodded in agreement. They were sitting together on the couch, commenting on the shallow people on the show and trying to figure out who would be chosen. So far they had been pretty good at picking the winners.
"She'll pick the guy that had the comfy bed. She liked his sports awards. And the nerd?"
"He's got no chance!" Katelyn shook her head, "that ditzy skank won't pick a good guy like that."
The pair watched in silence as the girl on TV chose her date.
"Oh, no way!" Brendon laughed, "She picked the nerd!"
"Hurry, let's turn it off before we get sucked into another episode!" Katelyn yelped, grabbing the remote and shutting off the TV.
"Bedtime?" Brendon asked, and the girl nodded.
"Yeah, it's three thirty."
"Cool. Now I get to raid your room," he smirked, wiggling his eyebrows.
"Bren!" she laughed, pushing him back into the couch as she got up, "There will be no raiding of my room! Not tonight, at least."
"So there's hope?"
"Maybe," Katelyn flashed a bright smile, then pulled Brendon off of the couch and then ran to her bedroom, the boy chasing after her.
Katelyn told Brendon goodnight, then went into her mom's room, falling asleep quickly.

Brendon volunteered to drive the pair to the restaurant for lunch at 12:45.
Katelyn was very quiet during the car ride; her mind preparing to see someone she loathed.
"Hey, uh, what do you think we should do for prom dinner and transportation and all that?" Brendon asked, trying to distract her.
"Well, dinner is covered."
"It is?"
Katelyn nodded.
"There are perks when your mom is the GM of a restaurant. All I need to know is how many people are coming, and I can make a reservation."
"Sweet. So, it'll be you and me, Ry and Shannon, Brent and Rachel, and Spencer.."
"Seven? I think we should bring another kid so we can have an eight top," Katelyn thought out loud, "Ooh, how about we invite Adam to be Spencer's date!"
Brendon shot the girl a skeptical look out of his peripheral. It would be hilarious to set Spence up on a 'date' though- to get him all excited at the thought of a pretty girl then have it turn out to be the complete opposite.
"Adam?"
"Yeah, you promised you'd get to know the kid. Give him a chance. Plus, I know he doesn't have anyone to go with. His friends are too cool to go to prom."
Brendon laughed, "Alright. Sounds like fun. But if this guy isn't as awesome as you say, I'm gonna be really disappointed."

At one o'clock, Katelyn and Brendon approached the host stand.
"Uh, we're here for someone under 'Tieger'?" Katelyn asked, and the two were immediately taken to a table.
"Harper!" Kevin Tieger boomed, a huge smile plastered to his handsomely tanned, well aged face.
"Harper?" Brendon whispered in Katelyn's ear.
"My middle name," she mumbled back, and they sat down across from the man.
An awkward silence fell over the table..
"Uh, so. This is my best friend, Brendon. Bren, this is Kevin."
"It's nice to meet you, sir."
"And you too," Katelyn's father nodded, shaking Brendon's hand firmly, and then there was yet another silence.
"So, your mom told me you applied to U of A?" Katelyn nodded, looking over the menu despite the fact that she knew what she was getting.
"Among others... My acceptance or denial letters should be coming soon."
"Well, I'm very proud of you.."
"Yeah, thanks."
"Now, you're in Harper's grade, right Brendon?"
Katelyn had always hated that he called her by her middle name. She used to tell him that all the time, but did he listen to her?
"Yep. We have four classes together," he answered politely.
"What colleges have you applied to?"
Katelyn rolled her eyes; loving how her dad pretended to care.
"Just U of A.. But I don't think I'll be going to college."
"And why's that?" Kevin asked after they all ordered.
"I'm in a band, and that's what I want to do."
"They're really good," Katelyn grinned for the first time since seeing her dad.

The three continued to make small talk, then Brendon's phone rang.
"It's my mom, I'll be back in a second," Brendon excused himself, leaving Katelyn alone with her father.

"Look, I know how you feel about me.."
"Oh, do you?"
Kevin nodded.
"No, I don't think you do. You left mom and me for some whore you knocked up. We loved you more than she ever could. But now.. Now I just resent you."
"Harper, don't..."
"No, Kevin. Where were you for my first dance? My first day of high school? My first driving lesson? Yeah. Who knows where with that woman and your new kid that apparently matters more to you than I ever did. Don't think you can just waltz in like this and expect me to call you 'dad' and for everything to be awesome." She was trying to keep her voice down so she wouldn't attract attention to herself. Surprisingly, Katelyn wasn't angry or upset. Her face remained emotionless, just like her voice. All Katelyn wanted was for Brendon to come back so they could leave.
"I think you should move to Scottsdale with me, Caroline and Nicholas."
Katelyn's jaw dropped, now glaring down the man before her with such an intensity that she thought he would burst into flames, and part of her wished he would.