Don't blink

The sun cast its warm glow over the yard, illuminating the lively gathering of friends. Josh and Victor were engrossed in a game of catch, their laughter and shouts filling the air. Nearby, Veronica, Emily, and Trish sat in a circle, their faces intent as they chatted and painted their nails. But the tranquility of the scene was shattered as Matt stormed into the house. The screen door slammed shut behind him, and an uncomfortable silence fell over the group. Josh and Victor exchanged a concerned glance, their game forgotten. The girls' chatter ceased, and they watched as Matt disappeared into the house. "What's wrong with him?" Veronica whispered, her brow furrowed with concern. "I don't know," Emily replied, shaking her head. "But something's definitely wrong." The group fell silent once more, their eyes fixed on the house. Matt's anger and frustration were palpable, even from a distance. It was clear that something had happened at school, but no one knew what. As the silence stretched out, Trish finally spoke up. "Someone should go talk to him." The group nodded in agreement, but no one volunteered. Josh, usually the first to take charge, remained silent, his eyes fixed on the house. Victor shrugged, looking uncomfortable. Finally, Trish stood up, her eyes determined. "I'll go." As she walked towards the house, the group watched her go, their faces filled with concern. What had happened to Matt? And would Trish be able to get him to open up? As Trish walked towards the house, the group's attention turned back to Josh. He was still standing in the yard, the baseball glove slung over his shoulder. "So, what happened to Matt?" Emily asked, her voice low. Josh shrugged. "It was just a prank, guys. No big deal." The group exchanged skeptical glances. "What kind of prank?" Veronica asked, her brow furrowed. Josh hesitated before speaking. "We filled Matt's backpack with Jell-O. And then, during lunch, we convinced him to get up and dance on the table in the cafeteria." The group's expressions turned from curious to horrified. "Josh, that's cruel," Emily said, shaking her head. Josh held up his hands. "I know, I know, it was a stupid prank. But it was just a joke, guys. Matt can take it." But the group's reactions told a different story. They all knew Matt's shy and reserved nature, and they couldn't imagine how humiliating the experience must have been for him. "And to make matters worse," Josh continued, "someone recorded the whole thing and posted it online. I'm pretty sure Matt's been getting roasted all day." The group's faces fell, and they all looked at each other in dismay. They knew Matt was already struggling to fit in, and this prank had just made things worse. As they stood there in uncomfortable silence, Trish walked back out of the house, a concerned expression on her face. "How's Matt?" Emily asked, as Trish rejoined the group. Trish shook her head. "He's not talking to me. He just wants to be left alone." The group nodded sympathetically, knowing that Matt needed space. But as they stood there, they couldn't help but wonder what the rest of the day had in store for Matt – and for them. Jennifer Turner stormed into the yard, her face a picture of outrage. "How could you, Josh?" she demanded, her voice rising. Josh looked up from the baseball glove he was fiddling with, a defensive expression on his face. "What's the big deal, Mom? It was just a prank." Jennifer's eyes flashed with anger. "Just a prank? You humiliated your brother in front of the entire school! And now he's locked himself in his room, refusing to talk to anyone." Josh shrugged. "He's not a kid, Mom. He can take a joke." Jennifer's face turned red with rage. "A joke? You call that a joke? You and your friends filled his backpack with Jell-O and then convinced him to dance on the table in the cafeteria. That's not a joke, Josh. That's bullying." Josh's expression turned sulky. "It was just a stupid prank, Mom. Don't blow it out of proportion." Jennifer's eyes narrowed. "I'm not blowing it out of proportion, Josh. You need to apologize to your brother and make things right." Josh's face twisted in anger. "Fine," he muttered, before storming off towards the kitchen. Jennifer watched him go, a mixture of anger and disappointment on her face. She knew she needed to talk to Matt, to make sure he was okay. But for now, she just stood there, feeling helpless and worried about her son. Josh pushed open the door to Matt's room, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Hey, bro," he said, flopping down onto the bed beside Matt. Matt looked up from the book he was pretending to read, his eyes still red from crying. "What do you want, Josh?" he muttered. Josh held up his hands in a gesture of peace. "Hey, I just wanted to talk to you about what happened today. I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to humiliate you." Matt shrugged, his eyes dropping back down to the book. "It's no big deal," he muttered. Josh nudged him with his elbow. "Come on, bro. Don't be like that. I said I was sorry." Matt looked up at him, a small smile on his face. "I know, Josh. It's just...I don't know, it was really embarrassing." Josh grinned. "I know, right? You looked like a total dork up there on the table." Matt rolled his eyes, laughing despite himself. "Shut up, Josh." Josh stood up, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Hey, by the way...your girlfriend is waiting downstairs for you." Matt's eyes narrowed. "Who's that?" Josh chuckled. "Trish, of course. She didn't leave with the others. She's still downstairs, waiting for you." Matt's face went red, and he looked away, muttering under his breath. "She tried to talk to me earlier...I wasn't really in the mood." Josh laughed. "Yeah, I bet. Well, you should probably go talk to her. She's been waiting for a while." Matt nodded, standing up and running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Matt's thoughts drifted back to his childhood as he stood in his room, preparing to face Trish. He and Josh had grown up in a loving family, with parents who adored them. But their lives had taken a dramatic turn when they were just eleven years old. Their father, a kind and gentle man, had passed away suddenly, leaving their mother, Jennifer, to raise them on her own. Jennifer, a strong and determined woman, had worked tirelessly to provide for her sons. She had taken on two jobs, working as a nurse during the day and a waitress at night, just to make ends meet. Despite the challenges she faced, she had always been there for Matt and Josh, supporting them and encouraging them to pursue their dreams. As he grew older, Matt had come to realize just how much his mother had sacrificed for them. She had put her own dreams on hold, working multiple jobs just to provide for them. And yet, she had always been there for them, offering a listening ear and a comforting hug whenever they needed it. Matt's thoughts turned to his brother, Josh, as he made his way downstairs. Josh had always been the sporty type, excelling in football and athletics. He had a passion for the game, and his dream was to become a professional footballer one day. Matt, on the other hand, had always been more academically inclined. He loved reading and learning, and he took his studies very seriously. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, Matt saw Trish sitting in the living room, looking up at him with a concerned expression. He took a deep breath, preparing to face her and apologize for his behavior earlier. As the clock struck 6:35, Matt knew he had to walk Trish home. They couldn't ask his mom to drive her home, since she had already left for her shift at the restaurant. "I'll walk you home," Matt said, standing up from the couch. Trish nodded, smiling. "Okay, thanks." As they walked out of the house, Trish suggested they take the shortcut through the woods. Matt agreed, knowing it was a shorter route. As they walked through the woods, the trees casting long shadows in the fading light, Trish turned to Matt with a curious expression. "Hey, Matt, can I ask you something?" she said, her voice low. Matt nodded, wondering what she wanted to ask. Trish took a deep breath before speaking. "I've always wondered...why you never noticed me, back when we were kids." Matt looked at her in surprise, unsure of what to say. Trish smiled wistfully. "I've had a crush on you since we were nine, Matt. But you never seemed to notice." Matt felt a pang of surprise and guilt. He had never realized Trish felt that way about him. As they walked on in silence, Matt couldn't help but wonder why he had never noticed Trish's feelings before. Was it because she wasn't like other girls? She had always been more interested in playing sports and hanging out with the guys than in traditional "girly" activities. Whatever the reason, Matt realized now that he had been blind to Trish's affections. And as they walked through the woods, the sun dipping below the horizon, Matt couldn't help but wonder what might have been if he had noticed her feelings sooner. As they walked through the woods, the fading light casting long shadows on the ground, they suddenly heard a rustling in the underbrush. A large rat scurried out from the bushes, its beady eyes fixed on them. Trish's instincts kicked in, and she quickly picked up a stone, hurling it at the rat. The rat let out a high-pitched squeak as it scurried away, its tail bobbing up and down. Matt and Trish watched in surprise as the rat vanished into thin air, seemingly swallowed up by the grass. "What the...?" Matt trailed off, his eyes scanning the ground where the rat had disappeared. Trish's curiosity was piqued. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out," she said, striding over to the spot where the rat had vanished. Matt followed her, his eyes scanning the ground warily. As they reached the spot, Trish pushed aside the leaves and grass, revealing a small hole. But as she pushed the leaves aside, the hole grew bigger, revealing a network of logs and branches that seemed to be covering something. Trish's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Matt, help me move these logs!" Matt hesitated, his eyes fixed on the hole. "Trish, I don't know if this is a good idea. We should probably just head back home." But Trish was insistent. "Come on, Matt! Just help me move one log. If we don't find anything, we can leave." Matt sighed, but eventually relented, helping Trish move the logs. As they lifted each log, the hole grew bigger, revealing a dark and mysterious tunnel. Trish's eyes shone with excitement. "Whoa, look at that! It's a tunnel!" Matt's eyes were wide with unease. "Trish, I don't think we should be doing this. This could be dangerous." But Trish was undeterred, her curiosity driving her forward. "Come on, Matt! Let's explore it!" Trish's eyes sparkled with excitement as she gazed at the tunnel. "Come on, Matt! Let's explore it!" But Matt was having none of it. He shook his head firmly. "No way, Trish. We're not going in there. It's not safe." Trish pouted, but Matt was resolute. He began to put the logs back, covering the tunnel entrance. "What are you doing?" Trish asked, her voice tinged with disappointment. Matt shrugged. "I'm just covering it up. We don't need to be messing around with this." Trish sighed, but eventually helped Matt cover the tunnel entrance. They arranged the logs and leaves to conceal the entrance, making it look like just another part of the forest floor. As they finished up, Matt glanced at Trish. "Let's get you home. It's getting late." Trish nodded, and they set off through the woods. Matt walked Trish home, his mind preoccupied with the strange tunnel they had discovered. As he walked back home, Matt found himself glancing back at the spot where they had covered the tunnel. He felt a twinge of curiosity, wondering what could be down there. But he quickly pushed the thought aside, telling himself it was none of his business. As he approached his house, Matt's thoughts turned to his homework and the TV show he wanted to watch later. He forgot all about the tunnel, chalking it up to just another weird encounter in the woods.