Genna was quiet for several seconds. "Yeah," she said in barely an audible voice. "Losing Mom was like losing a part of me. Something I knew I'd never get back. I would get so angry, I'd hurt other people. I'd say things to them that I didn't mean. I never really made any friends after that. People stayed away unless they didn't know me. And they'd only talk to me because of my dad being famous.
"And my dad was rising in the TV industry, of course. I think it was doubly hard on him because he worked with people who had also known Mom. At least I could pretend I was fine if I wanted to. Everyone treated him differently. They acted like if they ever mentioned any mother ever, he might crack.
"I think he's okay now. We definitely connected more than we had ever before. We got the horses after the accident. It kept us busy. Then Dad had to work all the time. My senior year of high school I stopped doing drama like I had been the previous three years. I stopped talking to the few people that might've been considered friends to me. I literally felt like I had lost both parents.
"I was a selfish pig. Dad wasn't abandoning me. He'd gotten the biggest break in his life and I was acting like a prick. Either way, I decided to go to Marymount because I wanted to start over. I wanted to go someplace away from anyone who would know about the accident. Dad and I made up the summer before and we've been closer ever since. I really miss him when I'm at school." Genna yawned.
"I'm glad you feel like you can tell me this," Brendon said with a hint of pride in his voice.
"I am too. I've never told anyone all that. It's weird. I feel like I can tell you anything… Maybe you've put me under a spell." Genna grinned to herself and rested her head on his shoulder. She could've sworn he had stiffened, but she waved it away as a trick of the cold air.
"Genna… do you feel weird?"
"What do you mean?" she asked tiredly. They had almost made it back to the house.
"I mean… never mind."
"I feel tired," she said. "And happy. Overjoyed. And kind of… powerful, I guess. Like I'm invincible!" She laughed out loud. "Like I could crush diamond with my bare hands." She imitated crushing something in her fist and smiled up at Brendon. "But besides that, I feel fine."
Brendon looked worried for a moment as they approached the back door of the house.
"Are you all right, Brendon?" Genna asked concernedly.
"Fine. Sorry. I was just thinking…"
"Well, like my dad said, you're welcome to stay in the master guest room. It's really nice. And you get your own bathroom. Plus you have to electricity at the dorm, so you really have no choice."
"Right," he said, watching Genna carefully. "Thanks. I guess I will…"
"Brendon? Are you sure you're okay?" Genna asked, stepping inside the warm house.
"Tired," he said, ruffling his hair. "I didn't sleep much last night."
"Do you ever sleep?" Genna asked jokingly.
Brendon didn't answer. Genna stripped off her coat and dried the puppy with a dishtowel she found in the kitchen. "Do you want something to eat?" she asked.
"That'd be great," he said. He seemed to have finally regained his previous happy nature.