I Caught Myself

FIVE

Delia entered the house carrying a plateful of cookies. Brendan was already relaxed on the sofa, tinkering with some sort of device Delia didn't understand quite fully. She looked at her son and glared at him. He looked up from his game and looked at his mother in curiosity.

"Brendan, don't play with video games, again. You always do this." Delia complained, snatching the handheld from him. Brendan looked up at her in disbelief.

"Well, what do you want me to do, then?!" Brendan whined, his thoughts glued to the game he was just about to finish without interruption. Delia smiled, contented.

"I want you to do something else. I don't care what it is. Just do something productive."

"Oh, like what?" Brendan asked, a hint of annoyance in his tone. Delia smiled as she rested the platter on the glass table in front of Brendan.

"Let me think…" She said, her head turned to see the plate of cookies. She smiled with delight. "You can carry these cookies to the kitchen while I go see Mrs. Maple,"

"So it's come to this, mom…" Brendan sighed. Delia looked at him concerned. He was getting teary.

"What is it, Brendan dear?"

Brendan hesitated before he could utter one more word, but he did it anyway. "I'm just your plate-carrying, lazy, video game-loving, son. How could time change your view of me?"

Delia looked at her son and huffed. "Brendan, quit that act. Acting has never become your talent, and I'm not a sap to fall for that."

Brendan laughed. "I was only kidding!"

"Yes, and you're hilarious." Delia said sarcastically. She usually had petty fits like this with her son, and she loved them. Brendan smiled as he led his mom into the Maples' kitchen. Delia's eyes went looked in every direction until it landed on Mrs. Melissa Maple. She smiled and went to talk to her, while Brendan found another empty seat by the kitchen table. He gladly took it, and he didn't notice the grumpy May Maple was seated across the table from him.

He folded his arms in front of him and rested his chin on them. He looked up at May and smiled. "Hi May."

May tried to ignore this, but he was smiling so sheepishly. May looked at him in an annoyance. "What?"

"Nothing," Brendan answered, closing his eyes. His sheepish smile still not erased from his expression.

"Look, Brandon, I can't stand to waste any time here, so if you've got nothing to---" May explained, Brendan cutting her off.

"It's Brendan." Brendan corrected, a deep sigh following soon after. "Can't you get it right?"

"I can, and I don't really care if you're Brandon or Brendon or Brendan," She retorted. Brendan shook his head.

"If you can, why do you keep getting it wrong? It's simple. B-R-E-N---"

"I know how it's spelt!"

"Okay, then call me by my name. Not Brendon or Brandon,"

"Alright, if it'll keep you off my back, then fiiiine. Brendan. You happy?" May asked, her annoyance shielding something Brendan couldn't decode.

"Yes," He answered contently, closing his eyes once more. May glanced at him, her expression growing lighter. Everything was quiet except for the two women by the stove, chatting.

"You're an idiot." She laughed, her eyes drowning into Brendan. Brendan opened his eyes and looked at him. She was amused he was taking this so lightly.

"I've heard that too many times before," Brendan answered, a light smile appearing on his face. He closed his eyes again, and it seemed like he was reminiscing. One of May's eyebrows were high up on her forehead.

"If you have, then it must be true,"

"I've heard it only as a joke," Brendan reasoned. "Look, why do you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you. I can't hate you, we've only just met." May answered. "I'm just giving you a little hint of what'll happen when you mess with me."

"I haven't even messed with you, yet."

"Oh, you think so, huh?" May replied. "What about earlier today?"

"What?"

"You know, when I tripped over the box. You were trying soooo hard to keep yourself from bursting out in laughter."

"But I didn't laugh, and that's what's important."

May thought about this, her lips forming a crooked line. She looked at Brendan from the corner of her eye and noticed the cheeky smile etched on his face. He was truly acting like a gentleman for her, it only wasn't so evident.

"Fine. You win this round." May answered. Brendan smiled, peering at her innocently.

"I didn't know we were in a competition, May Maple." Brendan replied casually. May's eyebrows met at the middle.

"You better thank God you're good looking." May whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing." May answered, blushing slightly. She caught herself again.