‹ Prequel: Kids in Love
Growing Up
06
Ryan looked into the rearview mirror and saw Ian with his headphones on, he looked past him and watched Claudia braiding Tori’s hair. Eventually he got bored and looked at Ian again before turning his attention out the window. The smell of smoke began to fill the van, he rolled the window down and glanced back to see who was smoking. Ryan thought that Ian looked strange holding a cigarette, probably because he looked much younger than he actually was.
“Hey umm I know I’m on the right street but where do I turn?”
Ryan momentarily glanced at Brendon before looking through the MapQuest directions they had printed out. He looked up and stared ahead at the street sign up ahead.
“You turn right at the next light, and you turn left into the next neighborhood and it should be right there.”
Brendon hummed for a little bit before breaking into song. Tori laughed and exclaimed, “I love the little mermaid!”
Ryan shook his head and listened to the two of them sing Under the Sea in Jamaican accents.
He shut his eyes and just listened to their voices, he could faintly hear the music Ian was listening to. It was nice. He couldn’t help but think about what Claudia had said. It was so obvious things had changed, he had acknowledged it yet he hadn’t realized that he himself had changed and it made him feel stupid. Regardless of how oblivious he felt, he was glad that he had talked about it.
“Wait which house was it?”
Ryan opened his eyes and looked through the papers, and then looked at the houses.” I’m
pretty sure it the yellow house at the end of the street.”
Brendon pulled into the driveway. Everyone got out of the van and stretched. Claudia reached into the van and pulled out her purse. She then walked around to the back and had Brendon open the trunk. She pulled out three different sized boxes, with a red ribbon on the smallest, a green ribbon on the slightly larger one, and the largest box had a blue ribbon.
Ryan remembered Tori and Claudia disappearing when they stopped at that mall for ice-cream but he didn’t think they had bought anything; but then again he and Ian were the last ones back.
Claudia smiled and headed towards the front door. Brendon sprinted ahead of her and rang the doorbell. Tori stood back with Ian. Ryan watched all of them and smiled, he wasn’t the only one that missed spencer.
The door opened and a big guy in camouflage shorts looked at them, “hey.”
“Hi is Spencer here?”
Realization dawned on his face, “oh you guys are Spencer’s friends. He stepped out, but he’ll be back soon. Come in.”
Brendon went in first. Claudia glanced back at the rest of them before following; Ryan was the last one in. They all stood awkwardly in the living room.
“You guys can sit. I’m Zack, by the way,” he looked towards the hallway that led to the rooms. “Excuse me a second.”
Brendon sat down and pulled Tori onto his lap. Ian sat beside them, Ryan sat and looked around it was obvious they had just moved in, it still smelled like paint. He took a seat beside Ian. Claudia looked around with a smile on her face; finally she looked at the sofa and frowned because there was no room for her anymore. She then set her boxes on the floor and sat in the arm chair.
She looked up and said, “I guess we should have told Spin we were close, huh?”
Zack re-entered the room carrying a plastic lawn chair, a tall good looking guy followed carrying a folding chair. The tall guy smiled at everyone and said, “Hey I’m Dallon”
Brendon smiled that huge smile of his and spoke for everyone, “Hey I’m Brendon. This is Tori, next to her is Ian. At the end is Ryan and the girl over there is Claudia.”
Zack set his chair down so he was siting directly in front of them. Dallon set his chair between the armchair and the sofa; he was a little close for a stranger. Ryan tried to not stare at him, but wasn’t sure where to look, he focused on Claudia picking at her nail polish.
Brendon being well . . . being Brendon was the one who carried the conversation. Ryan found it funny how he had never realized how awkward he, Ian, and Claudia were especially around people they didn’t know.
“No offence but you guys look way older than Spencer” Tori mused
Zack laughed, “Yeah I graduated this year, but I couldn’t leave my bros behind.”
Dallon nodded, “I’m two years older than Spencer, but we’re both going to be sophomores next semester.”
“Did you start late or. . .” Ryan began to ask if he had failed but decided it was probably not something you ask someone you’ve just met.
“Yeah actually I did. I had a deal with my parents, I take a year off for my mission, and then I could have another year that was just for my band; and then I would go to school.”
“Mission? Were you raised Mormon?” Brendon asked seeming more interested in Dallon now.
Dallon nodded, “yeah why?”
Brendon smiled “me too”
Claudia gave a small “ha” before realizing it had been out loud. She blushed and realized that Dallon was looking at her wondering what was so funny.
“I wasn’t making fun of your religion I was just . . .umm I- Brendon was not a good Mormon.” She stammered.
Brendon shrugged, “yeah I was raised Mormon, but I don’t believe in religion at all.”
There was a silence.
“Umm Dallon, Spencer sent me your CD and well, I have to say I really like the Brobecks. You sing right?” Claudia said trying to make conversation.
He nodded.
“I love your voice,” Claudia’s face turned a bright shade of pink, “did that sound creepy? It totally sounded creepy. I didn’t mean it in a creepy way”
He laughed, “No not at all. It’s always nice to meet someone who likes what I do.”
“Are those presents for Spencer?” Zack asked.
“Oh umm, well one of them yes. I umm well, Tori and I brought you guys little presents. Like housewarming gifts I guess. . . You probably think it’s weird, Tori said it would be weird since we don’t know you but I thought it was like a rule or something.”
“You’re not weird fuck that. You brought me a present you’re awesome,” Zack laughed. She stood and handed the second largest box to Zack.
He waited until she was seated before he ripped the box open and got a huge grin on his face, “you are my new best friend.”
He pulled out the bong and showed it off to everyone. She beamed and handed the smallest box to Dallon.
Dallon gave a small thank you before pulling the ribbon off and opening the box. He laughed and pulled out the toilet shaped coffee mug, “I love it. I’m gonna use it for
everything. I’m gonna go put some soda in this right now!” he exclaimed jumping up and rushing towards the kitchen.
The front door opened and Spencer walked in carrying bags of take-out. He set it on the shitty coffee table. Claudia jumped out of her seat and wrapped her arms around him.
“Spin I missed you! Oh you know what sucks I had two bites of the most amazing burrito ever, and then I forgot it at the park. I kicked Ry in the face, and Bren and Tor had sex in my room, on my bed. Oh and I brought you a present.” She finally let go of him and smiled before sitting.
Spencer shook his head at her outburst, but she’d obviously been waiting to tell him all this. “Hey guys. Oh shit is that a mug?”
Dallon nodded before taking a drink of his mug and setting it on the coffee table, “do you guys want a soda or a beer?”
Tori got off of Brendon’s lap, “here I’ll help you.” The two walked back into the kitchen.
Spencer dug through the bags and handed everyone a container and a plastic fork.
Dallon and Tori walked back into the living room laughing and handing everyone their drink. She grabbed her container and sat on the floor. Dallon copied her action and Tori continued her story about her disastrous sweet sixteen (her favorite icebreaker). Spencer picked up his food and sat on the plastic lawn chair between Claudia and Ryan.
Brendon and Zack were talking about breaking in the bong after they ate. Ryan and Spencer talked about which beach they were going to tomorrow.
Claudia smiled at Ian picked up her food and moved in front of Ryan, “trade me spots.”
Ryan shrugged and traded spots with her. She sat and ate her noodles she looked over and noticed Ryan had orange chicken. She reached across Spencer and stole a piece, when she was pulling her arm back she spilled Spencer’s beer on herself.
“Not again,” she reached over for napkins and tried to soak up the beer that had gotten on the carpet, “sweetie I am so sorry I can get you another beer, right after I clean this up.”
“Claudia its fine, that’s not the first beer that’s been spilt on the carpet.”
She gave Zack a small smile, “really?”
He nodded.
She straightened up and finally realized she was covered in beer, “umm . . . can I use your shower?”
Spencer set his food down, “sure lemme show you where it is.”
“Can one of you grab me a pair of pajamas from the van?”
“yeah, sure.” Spencer assured her leading her towards the bathroom. Ryan watched Spencer walk back and start a conversation with Ian about Led Zeppelin. Ryan looked around and smiled Spencer found good friends, and he was living in his first home.
“Hey Ryan, why are you so happy?”
He looked up and smiled at Tori. He shrugged, “so we should probably go get her clothes huh?”
She nodded and excused herself before getting up and standing by the front door. He set his half eaten food on the coffee table and took the keys from Brendon, before following Tori out the front door.
“Spence’s friends are nice huh?”
Ryan nodded, “yeah they’re cool.”
She hummed to herself as she searched through Claudia’s stuff.
“Tori”
“Yeah?”
“Why did you keep asking me about Spencer?”
He watched her tense up before pulling the pajamas out of the bag and zipping it up, “I was just curious.”
“Well it just seemed like something was bothering you and-”
She shut the trunk and cut him off, “Honestly it was nothing.”
He wasn’t convinced but knew she wanted him to drop it.
“Hey umm I know I’m on the right street but where do I turn?”
Ryan momentarily glanced at Brendon before looking through the MapQuest directions they had printed out. He looked up and stared ahead at the street sign up ahead.
“You turn right at the next light, and you turn left into the next neighborhood and it should be right there.”
Brendon hummed for a little bit before breaking into song. Tori laughed and exclaimed, “I love the little mermaid!”
Ryan shook his head and listened to the two of them sing Under the Sea in Jamaican accents.
He shut his eyes and just listened to their voices, he could faintly hear the music Ian was listening to. It was nice. He couldn’t help but think about what Claudia had said. It was so obvious things had changed, he had acknowledged it yet he hadn’t realized that he himself had changed and it made him feel stupid. Regardless of how oblivious he felt, he was glad that he had talked about it.
“Wait which house was it?”
Ryan opened his eyes and looked through the papers, and then looked at the houses.” I’m
pretty sure it the yellow house at the end of the street.”
Brendon pulled into the driveway. Everyone got out of the van and stretched. Claudia reached into the van and pulled out her purse. She then walked around to the back and had Brendon open the trunk. She pulled out three different sized boxes, with a red ribbon on the smallest, a green ribbon on the slightly larger one, and the largest box had a blue ribbon.
Ryan remembered Tori and Claudia disappearing when they stopped at that mall for ice-cream but he didn’t think they had bought anything; but then again he and Ian were the last ones back.
Claudia smiled and headed towards the front door. Brendon sprinted ahead of her and rang the doorbell. Tori stood back with Ian. Ryan watched all of them and smiled, he wasn’t the only one that missed spencer.
The door opened and a big guy in camouflage shorts looked at them, “hey.”
“Hi is Spencer here?”
Realization dawned on his face, “oh you guys are Spencer’s friends. He stepped out, but he’ll be back soon. Come in.”
Brendon went in first. Claudia glanced back at the rest of them before following; Ryan was the last one in. They all stood awkwardly in the living room.
“You guys can sit. I’m Zack, by the way,” he looked towards the hallway that led to the rooms. “Excuse me a second.”
Brendon sat down and pulled Tori onto his lap. Ian sat beside them, Ryan sat and looked around it was obvious they had just moved in, it still smelled like paint. He took a seat beside Ian. Claudia looked around with a smile on her face; finally she looked at the sofa and frowned because there was no room for her anymore. She then set her boxes on the floor and sat in the arm chair.
She looked up and said, “I guess we should have told Spin we were close, huh?”
Zack re-entered the room carrying a plastic lawn chair, a tall good looking guy followed carrying a folding chair. The tall guy smiled at everyone and said, “Hey I’m Dallon”
Brendon smiled that huge smile of his and spoke for everyone, “Hey I’m Brendon. This is Tori, next to her is Ian. At the end is Ryan and the girl over there is Claudia.”
Zack set his chair down so he was siting directly in front of them. Dallon set his chair between the armchair and the sofa; he was a little close for a stranger. Ryan tried to not stare at him, but wasn’t sure where to look, he focused on Claudia picking at her nail polish.
Brendon being well . . . being Brendon was the one who carried the conversation. Ryan found it funny how he had never realized how awkward he, Ian, and Claudia were especially around people they didn’t know.
“No offence but you guys look way older than Spencer” Tori mused
Zack laughed, “Yeah I graduated this year, but I couldn’t leave my bros behind.”
Dallon nodded, “I’m two years older than Spencer, but we’re both going to be sophomores next semester.”
“Did you start late or. . .” Ryan began to ask if he had failed but decided it was probably not something you ask someone you’ve just met.
“Yeah actually I did. I had a deal with my parents, I take a year off for my mission, and then I could have another year that was just for my band; and then I would go to school.”
“Mission? Were you raised Mormon?” Brendon asked seeming more interested in Dallon now.
Dallon nodded, “yeah why?”
Brendon smiled “me too”
Claudia gave a small “ha” before realizing it had been out loud. She blushed and realized that Dallon was looking at her wondering what was so funny.
“I wasn’t making fun of your religion I was just . . .umm I- Brendon was not a good Mormon.” She stammered.
Brendon shrugged, “yeah I was raised Mormon, but I don’t believe in religion at all.”
There was a silence.
“Umm Dallon, Spencer sent me your CD and well, I have to say I really like the Brobecks. You sing right?” Claudia said trying to make conversation.
He nodded.
“I love your voice,” Claudia’s face turned a bright shade of pink, “did that sound creepy? It totally sounded creepy. I didn’t mean it in a creepy way”
He laughed, “No not at all. It’s always nice to meet someone who likes what I do.”
“Are those presents for Spencer?” Zack asked.
“Oh umm, well one of them yes. I umm well, Tori and I brought you guys little presents. Like housewarming gifts I guess. . . You probably think it’s weird, Tori said it would be weird since we don’t know you but I thought it was like a rule or something.”
“You’re not weird fuck that. You brought me a present you’re awesome,” Zack laughed. She stood and handed the second largest box to Zack.
He waited until she was seated before he ripped the box open and got a huge grin on his face, “you are my new best friend.”
He pulled out the bong and showed it off to everyone. She beamed and handed the smallest box to Dallon.
Dallon gave a small thank you before pulling the ribbon off and opening the box. He laughed and pulled out the toilet shaped coffee mug, “I love it. I’m gonna use it for
everything. I’m gonna go put some soda in this right now!” he exclaimed jumping up and rushing towards the kitchen.
The front door opened and Spencer walked in carrying bags of take-out. He set it on the shitty coffee table. Claudia jumped out of her seat and wrapped her arms around him.
“Spin I missed you! Oh you know what sucks I had two bites of the most amazing burrito ever, and then I forgot it at the park. I kicked Ry in the face, and Bren and Tor had sex in my room, on my bed. Oh and I brought you a present.” She finally let go of him and smiled before sitting.
Spencer shook his head at her outburst, but she’d obviously been waiting to tell him all this. “Hey guys. Oh shit is that a mug?”
Dallon nodded before taking a drink of his mug and setting it on the coffee table, “do you guys want a soda or a beer?”
Tori got off of Brendon’s lap, “here I’ll help you.” The two walked back into the kitchen.
Spencer dug through the bags and handed everyone a container and a plastic fork.
Dallon and Tori walked back into the living room laughing and handing everyone their drink. She grabbed her container and sat on the floor. Dallon copied her action and Tori continued her story about her disastrous sweet sixteen (her favorite icebreaker). Spencer picked up his food and sat on the plastic lawn chair between Claudia and Ryan.
Brendon and Zack were talking about breaking in the bong after they ate. Ryan and Spencer talked about which beach they were going to tomorrow.
Claudia smiled at Ian picked up her food and moved in front of Ryan, “trade me spots.”
Ryan shrugged and traded spots with her. She sat and ate her noodles she looked over and noticed Ryan had orange chicken. She reached across Spencer and stole a piece, when she was pulling her arm back she spilled Spencer’s beer on herself.
“Not again,” she reached over for napkins and tried to soak up the beer that had gotten on the carpet, “sweetie I am so sorry I can get you another beer, right after I clean this up.”
“Claudia its fine, that’s not the first beer that’s been spilt on the carpet.”
She gave Zack a small smile, “really?”
He nodded.
She straightened up and finally realized she was covered in beer, “umm . . . can I use your shower?”
Spencer set his food down, “sure lemme show you where it is.”
“Can one of you grab me a pair of pajamas from the van?”
“yeah, sure.” Spencer assured her leading her towards the bathroom. Ryan watched Spencer walk back and start a conversation with Ian about Led Zeppelin. Ryan looked around and smiled Spencer found good friends, and he was living in his first home.
“Hey Ryan, why are you so happy?”
He looked up and smiled at Tori. He shrugged, “so we should probably go get her clothes huh?”
She nodded and excused herself before getting up and standing by the front door. He set his half eaten food on the coffee table and took the keys from Brendon, before following Tori out the front door.
“Spence’s friends are nice huh?”
Ryan nodded, “yeah they’re cool.”
She hummed to herself as she searched through Claudia’s stuff.
“Tori”
“Yeah?”
“Why did you keep asking me about Spencer?”
He watched her tense up before pulling the pajamas out of the bag and zipping it up, “I was just curious.”
“Well it just seemed like something was bothering you and-”
She shut the trunk and cut him off, “Honestly it was nothing.”
He wasn’t convinced but knew she wanted him to drop it.