Title: Plato Isn't the Name of a Modeling Clay
Author: Gracie Rating: PG-13 for some naughty language
Pairing: None at present, but there is infinite potential. Or perhaps finite potential.
Summary: It's the summer of 2016. Delia Brown is 22 years old, freshly graduated from college with a double major in journalism and English literature. When she moves back to Everwood, her friendship with Bright Abbott leads to an interesting new arrangement.
Disclaimer: The recognizable characters depicted here do not belong to me. They were created by Greg Berlanti, and are owned by The WB and other such official types. I'm not profiting from this—I just like to play with them occasionally.
Author's Note: Just to give you a helpful visual, the role of AdultDelia will be played by Shiri Appleby. I don't especially like Shiri as an actress, but I felt there was a sufficient physical resemblance between her and Vivien Cardone.
Chapter One: Classified Consequences
When Delia returned to Everwood after college, she didn't want to settle back into the role of "Dr. Brown's little girl." She was twenty-two years old, and she had been tasting independence for the past four years. In her mind, there was simply no going back.
Her father, naturally, hadn't seen things quite the same way. "Why don't you at least stay with me for a little while? You can save up some money; put a down payment on a condo or something. Renting is such a waste of money."
"It's my money to waste, dad, and I won't be renting forever. I'll save up enough eventually, I promise. But I need to be on my own."
Andy Brown sighed. His little girl was acting entirely too grown up for his liking. "I just don't feel comfortable with you living alone. Lots of things can happen to a young, single woman."
"Dad, we live in Everwood."
That had silenced him, at least temporarily. Andy being Andy, though, he hadn't given up the fight. The want ads mysteriously disappeared from every issue of the newspaper they received, and articles about the benefits of home-ownership magically appeared on the desk in her bedroom. Desperate, Delia finally turned to Edna for assistance.
Standing on Edna and Irv's porch, Delia felt her frustration with her father mounting. She wasn't a child anymore, and it was time he realized it!
She broke out of her agitated reverie when Edna opened the door. "Well hello there, Private. What brings you out this way?"
"My dad. I'm trying to find an apartment, and he keeps stealing the classifieds. He seems to think that will stop me from leaving. Do you have any I could take a look at?"
"Sure, come on in. I'll ask Irv where he stashed this week's papers. The recycling hasn't gone out yet, so we should have plenty."
"Thanks, I really appreciate it."
An hour later, Delia was ready to tear her hair out. Her father needn't have bothered to hide the ads—there was nothing useful in any of them. She supposed she should have expected it—in a town the size of Everwood, it wasn't surprising that available rental housing was at a minimum. At least, available rental housing in her price range. Pretty much everything listed was at least two bedrooms. The only one-bedrooms appeared to be nothing more than that—spare rooms in other people's homes. If she wanted that, she'd live at home. One fact was glaringly obvious: she was going to need a roommate.
"How's it going, Private?"
"Not good. I don't suppose you know anyone who's looking for a roommate, do you?"
"Sorry, no. What about one of your friends? Couldn't you bunk with them?"
"I don't think so. A lot of them decided not to come back to Everwood. I guess I could ask Arnie, but he seems to like living at home."
"That's still an option for you, you know. I know it's not one you're crazy about, but it is there."
Delia sighed. "I know. I'm just not ready to give up yet."
"Fair enough. Now, how about a couple of Irv's chocolate-chip cookies for fortification?"
"Sounds great."
"Sarah, why are you doing this?" Bright's voice was tired and frustrated.
"Doing what?" his girlfriend of two-and-a-half years snapped. "Acting like an adult trying to have a mature relationship? I can understand how that's something you wouldn't recognize." Her tone was scathing, and he winced.
"You're not acting like a mature adult; you're picking a fight, and I want to know why. What did I do this time that doesn't live up to your high standards? Did I buy the wrong laundry detergent? Did I forget to put the toilet seat down? Are you disappointed because I only do the Jumble and not the crossword? What tiny little detail did I fuck up this time?"
"God, do you honestly think it's that simple? Don't you know what today is?"
"Yes, I do. It's June 5th, which, last time I checked, isn't your birthday or our anniversary, so what the hell is the problem?"
She rolled her eyes, and continued flinging his clothes in the general direction of the suitcase on the bed. "You really have no idea, do you?"
"Not a damn clue."
"Nothing new there. Let me spell it out for you, Bright. One year ago today, we moved in together. One year ago today, you told me that we were starting a whole new phase in our relationship. Well you know what? Nothing has changed. Nothing is new. The only difference is that now I do more laundry."
"Hey, I do just as much laundry as you!"
"Whatever. That's not the point."
"Then what is?"
"The point is that I'm tired of this relationship standing still. You're almost thirty years old, and half the time you still act like a teenager. All you care about is the PCH basketball team."
"I'm the coach! I have to care! It's, like, in my contract!"
"Great. You're a high school basketball coach. Don't you want to do more with your life? Don't you want a real career? And what about the future? Don't you want to get married, have kids?"
He stared at her a minute, his stomach rolling as he realized what kind of a person she truly was. "Of course I want a family. But I don't think that I want one with someone who rags on me all the time, and who believes that my doing something that I love for a living isn't good enough."
"Then I guess you should leave."
"I guess so. I'll come back for the rest of my stuff while you're at work tomorrow."
"Fine."
He zipped up the haphazardly stuffed suitcase, and walked out of the apartment without a glance back.
Mama Joy's was quiet at ten o'clock on Monday morning. The breakfast rush had ended as people made their ways to work, leaving only a few locals scattered around the diner. Delia sat at the counter, nursing a cup of coffee and talking to Nina.
"What am I going to do?" she asked the older woman. "If I admit to my dad that he was right, and I can't afford to live by myself right now, he's never going to let me hear the end of it, and he'll never believe I'm capable of doing anything on my own."
"I don't think that's true. He has lots of faith in you; he's just scared of losing his baby girl."
"Well he's being ridiculous. I need to find a roommate—it's as simple as that."
"Best of luck, honey. It's not an easy thing to do in a town like Everwood."
"Thanks, you're so encouraging."
Nina grinned. "Look, if it comes down to just needing to get out of the house for a while, you know you're always welcome with me and Sam."
Delia smiled back at her. "I just might take you up on the offer."
The bell above the door jangled, and the two women looked up in time to see Bright walk in. Delia broke into a grin, but couldn't resist teasing him. "Well look who's here. Nice of you to make an appearance, since you couldn't be bothered to show up to my graduation party."
He gave her a sheepish grin. "Sorry about that. I, uh, had this thing..."
"Don't worry about it. Now come and give me a hug. I can't believe I haven't seen you since Christmas!"
"Yeah, and whose fault is that? I wasn't the one jetting off to South Padre for Spring Break."
She flashed him a devilish smile. "Your loss."
"I'll bet. You're not going to turn up in one of those Girls Gone Wild videos, are you?"
"Of course not! But enough about my college debauchery."
"Small words, D. Remember who you're talking to."
"Don't play dumb with me. It takes some kind of genius to lead Peak County to a state basketball championship."
"You know about that?"
"Of course! I followed the whole season online. I wanted to come home for the state finals, but I had mid-terms."
"It was so amazing. I wish you could have been there."
"Me too. Sarah must have been so proud of you."
"Yeah...she wasn't actually there. She had to work that night."
"Oh. Still, she must have been excited. It's such a huge achievement for you."
"I dunno. Sarah's never been real gung-ho about my job."
Delia looked at him intently, her brow furrowed in concern. "Is everything okay between the two of you?"
"No. We, um, broke up yesterday."
"Oh, Bright, I'm so sorry!"
"Yeah, I'm really not, I don't think."
"What happened? Or do you not want to talk about it?"
"Not right now, okay? Tell me what's going on with you instead."
"Not a whole lot, really. I'm doing some freelance work for an on-line magazine, and I'm hoping it turns into something more permanent. And of course, I'm working on the Great American Novel in my spare time."
"You're amazing, kiddo."
"No I'm not. A little crazy, but definitely not amazing."
"Sure you are. You double-majored in college, you're following your dream, and you're a young, independent woman living on her own."
She pulled a face. "I'm not on my own yet, unfortunately."
"What do you mean? When I talked to Ephram the other day, he said you were getting your own apartment."
"You talked to Ephram about me?"
"Sure."
"Oh. Anyway, I'm still planning on getting my own place, but I haven't found anything I can afford. Stupid two-bedroom apartments..."
"Want a roommate?" he joked.
But Delia's eyes widened, and she immediately pounced on the idea. "Bright, you're a genius! That would be so perfect! We could split all the costs, and my dad wouldn't have to worry about me being alone. What do you say?"
"I don't know, D. I just got through living with one woman..."
She punched him playfully in the arm. "Since when am I a woman? C'mon, it'll be a blast. We can hang out, play video games, cook each other dinner..."
"Hey, who said anything about cooking?"
"Just wanted to make sure you were listening," she laughed. "At least think about it, won't you?"
"Can I get something to eat first?" he pleaded.
"I suppose," she conceded. Spinning on her stool, Delia announced, "Nina, my future roommate needs some sustenance."
Nina smiled, and noticed that Bright didn't contradict the assertion. "Sure. What can I get for you, Bright?"
To be continued...