Vignettes — #17
Libby & Brett
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Libby is in her bedroom, writing an essay for her year twelve French class. The doorbell rings. She finishes a sentence and goes to see who it is — no-one else is home.
She opens the front door and stares. “Brett! What? I mean … I wasn’t expecting… I mean … sorry, come in.”
Brett looks taken aback as he walks past Libby into the hallway. She closes the door and looks at him, blinking rapidly.
Brett looks unsure of himself. “I thought I’d come and talk, because you know … I haven’t seen you since … that night.”
“Yeah, I know. I haven’t seen you either. I mean …” she blushes. “Want to come in? I mean … you’re in … would you like a drink or something?”
Brett shakes his head.
Libby walks towards the lounge room and beckons him to follow. They sit awkwardly on opposite couches.
“Why … why did you come?” Libby asks.
“I just had to talk to you and … I … I asked Abby if you were okay. She said to find out for myself, but she made me promise I wouldn’t do anything stupid. I wouldn’t anyway.”
Libby nods. “So, what …?”
“I wanted to talk about the other night. You know …”
Libby nods again. Her mouth is dry.
“I’m sorry Lib, about … about hurting you. I didn’t know it would be like that.”
“Yeah, I didn’t either. I thought, you know, that it’d be nice, but …”
“I know. It wasn’t. It was different from how I imagined. If …”
“I don’t want to. I mean, not for a while.”
“Yeah, that’s probably … But I want to, you know, still see you. I mean, I like you a lot, and …” He blushes.
“I like you heaps, too.”
Brett pulls an envelope from his pocket and holds it out across the coffee table. “I wrote this in case you weren’t home.”
Libby takes it and opens it. Her eyes grow wet as she reads.
You have invaded my heart.
I tried to invade your body.
I don’t want us to part.
