Haner to Save the Day

It was difficult to admit, even harder to stomach than grape flavored medicine, but Brian was semi-right. Veronica ended up tolerating his existence. He offered a horrendeous first and second impression, but by the third time Veronica saw him, he wasn’t terrible. Based upon his ego, she believed he was the typical jerk, using his obnoxious personality to try and get girls to like him more. As it turned out, underneath that cavalier attitude, Brian was kind and charming. Most other times, Veronica couldn’t wait for the perfect moment to punch him.

“Hey Chip!” Brian waved seeing Veronica laying in the grass during lunch. She opened one eye and peeked over to him walking over to her spot.

Veronica was by herself today. Jo and Nick skipped school to visit their sick aunt an hour away from Huntington Beach. She hadn’t seen Jimmy all morning, which wasn’t unusual. He tended to appear from the depths of nowhere. Two months ago, she may have been upset going to school by herself, but she had been with her friends nonstop lately. She relished the rare moments of peace and quiet. That is, until Brian sat down next to her.

“Where’s all your friends today?” Brian asked, sitting cross-legged.

Veronica rolled her eyes. He knew full well they shared the same friends. “I’m obviously hanging out by myself.”

“Well not anymore! I have graced you with my awesome presence. Drink it in.”

“Why are you always like this?” Veronica groaned.

Brian’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“You’re always so annoying.”

“You know that hurts,” he proclaimed, clutching his heart. “All I am is nice to you.”

“When did this happen? Was I passed out?”

“Wow I cannot believe you don’t remember that day we met at the beach. I swept you off your feet Ronnie.”

Veronica rolled her eyes again, “More like I wanted to die when I met you.”

Brian grinned. He always played the game of How Fast Can I Annoy Veronica? in his head. Today was probably his best record so far within five minutes. He didn’t know what he did to peeve her off so quickly, but it was funny to see her roll her eyes. He wondered whether she would eventually become cross-eyed from doing that as much as she did.

In truth, he didn’t know much about her. She hung out with the twins almost everyday and ignored him any opportunity she had. He scrunched his nose, wondering where Jimmy ran off to. If Veronica wasn’t with Jo or Nick, she was attached to the hip with his lanky psychotic friend.

Brian shook Veronica’s shoulder, causing her to glare swords into his brain. She was content with the few minutes of silence. “Can I ask you a favor?”

“No,” she replied with zero hesitation.

“Come on. It’s not about me.”

“Hmm…It depends on what it is. And I demand an IOU in return.”

He didn’t like the sound of that favor but relented. “Can you bring Jack to my house afterschool? My sister wants to see him.”

“Uhm I don’t know how I feel about that,” Veronica said lowly. She and Jack were still in the adjustment process; she wasn’t sure how he would react to seeing a young girl. The last thing she wanted to happen was have her dog bite anyone.

“You can literally ask me for any favor you want.”

She thought about the prospect of owning Brian’s soul before nodding. Brian grinned and took Veronica in for a hug. She struggled against him, pushing herself away from his death grip. It was going to be a very long day.

After school ended, Brian offered to drive Veronica home. He claimed his house was too far to walk. She just thought he was a creep. Or maybe he wanted to see what her house would look like. She had countless friends ask to come over to see If her house was littered with “all things Asian,” whatever that meant.

“Who is he?” Alana glared at Brian when she saw her baby sister walk into the house.

‘Of fucking course,’ Veronica screamed in her head. Seeing her sister was not making her awful day any better.

Alana continued to stare at Veronica and Brian at the front door from the second-floor steps. Veronica slammed the door behind her, loudly as Brian took a sidestep as to not lose his arm from the strength of the door closing. He stood awkwardly between the two sisters, wondering who would draw their gun first.

“I’m taking Jack out for a walk,” Veronica said through gritted teeth.

Alana raised her eyebrow. “And you need another person to do it with you?”

“The last time I checked you weren’t my mother.”

“You’re right; I’m not. I’ll beat your ass.”

“Hey,” Brian laughed nervously. “I’m Brian. We’re friends from school. I’m sorry my little sister heard Ronnie has a dog and wanted to play with him.”

“Do whatever you want,” the elder sibling mumbled, walking into her room.

After getting Jack safely into Brian’s car, the three of them made their way to Brian’s house. Veronica was pensive and sat as far away from Brian was humanly possible. She was embarrassed. Alana could have been more respectful to a guest in the house; their parents did not raise them to be rude. Above all, she despised Alana for trying to act responsible for her when she hadn’t ever done that.

Brian tensely tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. He had no idea what to say to Veronica to make her feel better. Or maybe it was best to ignore the intense exchange. Either way, he felt completely responsible for what had occurred in her house. He really should try to alleviate the situation.

“I’m sorry your sister acted like that.”

Veronica’s head snapped over to Brian. He saw the swift movement from the corner of his eye. “What?” she asked.

Brian exhaled. “I’m sorry all that happened. It was kind of rude. And I feel like it was my fault.”

“No, you didn’t do anything. We haven’t been getting along for a really long time.”

Brian dropped the subject as they drove in a comfortable silence. By the time they reached his house, Jack was hyper and itching to run outside. It took almost all of Veronica’s strength to keep her puppy from diving headfirst into Brian’s house.

“Hey I’m home! And I brought a friend!” Brian yelled as he and Veronica walked into the house.

A blonde woman poked her head from the living room and smiled, the same exact one Brian often flashed. “How was school?”

“It was fine. This is my friend Veronica. She just moved here from New Jersey. Veronica, my mom, Jan.”

Veronica took a few steps and shook the woman’s hand. Jack barked behind them, upset no one acknowledged him.

Jan laughed. “I’m sorry buddy. I didn’t forget you,” she cooed, petting Jack.

After speaking with Jan for a few more minutes, Veronica, Brian, and Jack walked out into the backyard. Brian advised for Veronica and Jack to stay put while he went inside the house to bring his little sister. Mckenna was a smiley little girl and fell into a fit of hysterics as soon as she saw Jack. Veronica was apprehensive in the beginning to leave Jack off his leash with the little girl; but after he proved how gentle he could be, Veronica let him roam free.

Veronica and Brian sat on the porch, watching McKenna and Jack run around without a care in the world. Brian looked over at Veronica; she had a pained expression on her face.

‘Shit not again,’ he thought. When he tried to make her feel better during the car ride, he failed miserably. If she began to cry, he wouldn’t know how to handle it.

“I’m okay. I’m sorry,” Veronica muttered, wiping at her eyes. Brian nodded but continued to look at her. He gave her the silent ‘okay’ to keep talking. “I just…I remember when I was like that with Alana. We used to be so close. I don’t know what happened.”

“Have you tried talking to her about it?”

“I would if she wasn’t such a bitch. Did anyone tell you why we moved here?”

Brian shook his head. Jimmy nor the twins ever talked much about Veronica when he saw them.

“Well,” Veronica sighed. “Alana was going to move here for her boyfriend, but my parents decided to move the whole family. They thought she was too young to be on her own.”

Brian scrunched his eyebrows. “Isn’t that kind of dumb?”

“Yes! Oh my god totally. You’re the first person who gets it.”

The two spent the rest of the afternoon talking to each other while watching over McKenna. If Jimmy found out Veronica had become friends with Brian, he would never let her live that down. She wasn’t sure if she minded. Brian thought similarly to her; it felt great to speak to someone without having to further explain what she had meant. Maybe she could really be friends with Brian.