Consequences

⟡fourteen⟡

 Holden was dressed in a white dress shirt, a black tie, his nice dress pants that he only wears to formals, and he was praying that he wouldn't screw up and spill all over his shirt. He thought about it some more and got paranoid, so he changed into a black dress shirt and black jeans. He felt much more comfortable. He looked at his girlfriend, she wore a light pink romper that made her look both beautiful and adorable.

Holden was possibly the most nervous he had been in his life. While Brinley was showering earlier, Holden's mother spoken to him. She was nervous for this as well. This dinner needed to go smoothly. One bump and it could cost her family their reputation and possibly even a son, if it went that far.

"Ready?" Holden cleared his throat and looked at Brinley, who was smoothing her hair, then nodded her head.

-

Brinley parked the car on the side of the street, opening up the driver's door as Holden opened his door as well. They began walking up to the door, side by side, but not touching. But Holden changed that by taking Brinley's hand slyly, and smirking at her. But as soon as the door swung open his hand fell away from hers. He wiped his slightly sweaty palms on his pants and firmly shook Harold's outstretched hand, he did the same to Adelaide and Connie, and when he turned back around, Brinley was holding her little brother, showing him how to shake hands, and then she helped him extend his arm out to Holden. Holden took Carter's little hand in his and lightly shook it.

"It's nice to finally meet the boy I scared at three in the morning." Holden said quietly, but Harold and Adelaide still heard, and looked at Connie, who just shook her head.

Adelaide led them all to the dining table, briefly explaining what they would have having for dinner. They all sat down, folding their hands to pray. It took Holden a second to catch on, but he quickly folded his hands and bowed his head as well.

"It's nice to see you again, Holden. It's been too long." Harold said to Holden after they said the Lord's Prayer.

"What's it been? Eight years? That's quite some time." Holden smiled, appreciating Harold actually talking to him, instead of just staring like Adelaide had been doing.

"So how've you been? What've you been doing?"

"Well I got a job last summer and I've been working there ever since. I've been trying to save up money, but your granddaughter knows how to make me spend it all on her." Holden laughed, and Harold joined in. Soon the whole table was laughing, except Brinley, who was deep in thought, staring at her steaming green beans.

"Anything you're saving up for in particular? College maybe? Dayton is only about twenty minutes away, and Ohio State isn't very far either." Harold continued his questioning, shoveling his food into his mouth. Adelaide nudged him and he paced his eating better.

"Well, I'm actually thinking about visiting England, maybe looking at some universities over there." Holden looked over at Brinley, worried about her reaction. He hadn't told her about his plans. He was worried it would scare her away. But to his surprise, her expression was calm, and her face seemed to hold no emotion.

"You seem like a very ambitious boy." Adelaide said, putting a bit more emphasis on the last word. She was cautious of what she said. It wasn't that she didn't like Holden, she loved when he would come home with Brinley after school and steal cookies, which would just give her an excuse to make more for the next day. Adelaide was just worried about Brinley's well being.

"I like to think that I am." Holden smiled. This was the first thing she said to him, and he wasn't sure if it was an attempted dig at him or a genuine compliment.

"Excuse me for a second." Brinley set down her utensils and got out of her seat. As quickly as she could, without looking like a manic, she went up the stairs into the guest bedroom that she stayed in so often.

Brinley sat down at the vanity and looked at herself in the mirror. She needed the quiet to be able to process the information running rampant throughout her head. Holden was thinking of leaving her. He wanted to go back to England. Brinley called herself dumb, for what seemed like millions of times. How could she be so stupid to think this good thing would last for her?

But then again, how could he just leave her without another thought. He hadn't even told her about this major life change. Brinley was sure she would have supported his decision, or at least that's what she told herself she would do. She wasn't entirely sure how she would've reacted to the news if it was just them two.

She wondered how he could keep this from her so well, and then her mind continued to wander to an even darker place. Was he keeping more from her? He knew about her past than Brinley did. Her family and friends had kept the existence of Holden away from Brinley for so long. What else could they collectively hide from her?

Brinley found a slight bit of relief that he couldn't leave until he was eighteen, so she had a few months left, plus he had to graduate first.

She had until the beginning of June to make him stay.

-

"You told my grandparents that you were moving to the other side of the world before you told me?" Brinley slammed her closed fists on Holden's dining room table.

"It slipped out! I was going to tell you." Holden shouted back at her, thankful that his parents had left to go to the movie theater.

They hadn't even been dating dating for a month and they were already having their first major fight.

"Were you going to tell me before or after you left?" Brinley's eyes were like icy daggers, thrown at Holden, stabbing his heart.

"I-" Holden didn't know what to say. He hadn't even thought about telling her.

Holden was truly hurt by Brinley's accusations. Although she shot metaphorical daggers at him, her words burnt him as if he had been doused in gasoline and she had thrown a match at his feet. He didn't want to hurt her, but he felt the instinctual need to make her feel his pain.

So he didn't say anything.

"Then I'm leaving." Brinley turned away from him and walked out of the front door.

Holden couldn't bring himself to stop her, even though he was incredibly worried about her.