Chapter Text
The November breeze fills the air, the fallen leaves cover the grass fields the kids play in, and laughter fills the area. Two trees are on either side of the bench David and Brenda sit on, the leaves slowly being shed as winter approaches.
They both are talking, nothing important, but just having a meaningless conversation. After what happened on Halloween Brenda has sworn to David she will tell him everything, and David did, or at least trying to do the same. There are a few things that he doesn’t think he will tell anyone. But one specifically he will never tell Brenda.
“So, David how's it going now that football is starting to slow down?” Brenda asks
“Kind of boring. I don’t have anything to do,” David answers plainly, picking at a piece of fabric from his jeans.
“Maybe you should get a job?”
David chuckles, “Where? Who’s hiring, especially for a teenager?”
“Well, I saw that this café is looking for a performer.”
David begins laughing, “A performer? Me? Brenda, I don’t have anything of interest to bring to the table.”
“Oh don’t pretend I don’t hear you sing, you’re amazing.”
“Brenda, my singing is not that good. Plus, I don’t think Dad will like me singing for a job.”
“Why not? Why wouldn’t he like it?”
“You know how dad is, anything that’s inherently feminine he doesn’t think men should do, singing is one of them,” David pauses, looking for an example, “Like with Exer doing the musical, he did not like that at all.”
“But you’re his son.”
“How is that any different? He won’t like it. No matter what.”
“Think about yourself, you used to love singing for Mom and me. Do what you want to do, and well find an excuse for Dad.”
“Fine, I’ll try it out.”
“Great! For lunch, we’re going to the café, and we are going to get you an interview,” Brenda declares standing up from the bench, she turns to David, and he is smiling slightly.
“Alright, sounds like a plan,” and he joins Brenda standing in front of the bench.
They begin to walk down the path toward the parking lot where Brenda’s car is parked, surrounded by other cars, that hold all kinds of memories old and new. David gets into the passenger seat, and Brenda in the driver's seat. She puts her keys into the ignition and the car starts with a vir. They begin to drive through the neighborhood, watching as other people's lives happen around them, friendships forming with small interactions that may last a lifetime.
* * *
They pull into the parking lot of a shopping center specifically a small café, there is a sign above saying, “Cup o’ Cat” with a black cat in a mug underneath the lettering. Brenda turns off the ignition and gets out of the car, David follows suit and they both walk up to a glass door with a sign saying “Come on in!” in bold lettering. Brenda pushes open the door and a bell chimes signalling their entrance. The place is busy, but not too busy with a few tables being left open, and a small line to the register.
“Go grab us a seat, and I’ll order,” Brenda says getting in line.
“What are you ordering me?”
“Just a sandwich, and a drink. Did you want anything specific?”
“No, I just, wanted to make sure you knew what to order me.”
Brenda chuckles, and David walks over to a table that seats two pressed up to the window facing the parking lot. He takes a seat and scans the surroundings, above the registers there are two large chalkboards listing the menu items, one in large lettering and a green color around it, “Try our new latte!” David hums, he’s heard people talking about it through the halls but doesn’t think it’d be his thing.
Brenda comes back with a table number in hand and sits across from David. They begin talking about nonsense while eating their lunches. Some things about school, some things about Brenda and cheerleading. The conversation switching from one thing to the next thing sporadically with no sense of direction or end, just talking. Until they both finish their food.
“So, you ready to go talk with the manager,” Brenda asks cleaning up their things.
“I guess so,” David sighs, slouching down in his chair, clearly dreading this interaction.
It’s not like he doesn’t want to talk to someone, hell he’ll talk for hours on end to someone if they let him, just not about this. David fout it embarrassing, he never thought of actually trying to make money off of singing, and asking a stranger to let him sing infront of a bunch of people for money? Definitely not what he wants. But, Brenda goes off and talks to the person at the register who brought out the manager, he looked…familer? But, not like David new him just maybe someone related to him.
“Marco, this is my brother David, and David, this is Marco,” Brenda cheerfully says
“Nice to meet you, Marco,” David pauses for a second but Marco cuts in,
“You know Pamela?” Marco says, with a slightly cold glare burning into David
“Oh, uh yeah?”
Marco hums, and continues to glare at David, “So, what do you need?”
“I saw that you were hiring for a performer, and I’m interested in the job.”
Marco pauses for a second seemingly thinking about something, “Alright, can you sing? Play an instrument? Make people laugh?”
“Uh, yeah I can sing and I guess I can make people laugh.”
“Okay, I’ll be right back, stay here,” Marco says walking off and into the back of the café.
David get slightly overwhelmed with anxiety, “Did I say something wrong? I don’t know what to do. Brenda why do you think this is a good idea?”
“David, you’re fine. He’s just a little more hesitant to hire teens.”
“Right.”
Marco comes back out from the back with another person, she’s shorter then him and seems much more bubbly.
“This is Sea our owner, she wanted to meet you,” Marco says
“Nice to meet you Sea,” David nods his head
“Nice to meet you too, so you’re interested in preforming for us?”
“Yeah, yes I am.”
“Alright, do you have any experience in this?”
“No, not really.”
“Alright, but you do know what you’re doing, right?” Sea chuckles
“Of course.”
“Well then, we’ll give you a shot. Come in this Sunday at 5:00 and we’ll do a sort-of test performance.”
“Okay, yeah I’ll be there!” David becomes more energetic, his energy spiking at this exiting turn of events. He didn’t think he’ll get a chance, but here he is. Both Marco and Sea walk away, talking about something or other, Brenda turned to David with a smile covering her face
“So, Sunday, you should ask dad if you could stay at moms for the night,” Brenda suggests
“I’ll have to see what he says, what should the reason be though? I don’t think a interview is a godd enough reason for him,” David laughs.
“Oh, uh,” she pauses for a moment, thinking, “A project?”
“Alright, I’ll see what he says, but no guarantee he says yes.”