Loving Brandon Gray

14- The kiss

Riley's P.O.V.

Pulling up to a dark parking lot, Brandon parked his car. We weren't in the best part of town but it could have been worse.

"I'll come around to get you." He said, jumping out of the car.

He came around, pulling me close as we walked to a building I was assuming was his home.

Walking up a few stairs he opened the door, guiding me through into a darkened room. He turned on the lights, locking the door behind him. I watched as he hit some buttons on a pad by his door, setting up his very high-end security system.

I looked around the cozy apartment. It wasn't as bad as Brandon led me to believe it was. It was small but perfect and smelled just like him.

"I know it's nothing like you're used to."

"Brandon, do you really think I'm that shallow?"

"No."

"Then stop making assumptions. I think it's cozy and perfect, just because it's small doesn't mean anything. I love it!"

He gave me a small smile, shaking his head at me.

"Is anyone else home?" I questioned.

Brandon looked at me kind of shy. "It's just me here."

What? I knew his Mom died but he had a Dad, where the heck was he?

"You live here, alone?"

"Yes, my Dad lives in New York."

"Oh-"

"It's okay, I actually prefer it this way."

I nodded. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable, so I dropped it.

He showed me around his home, stopping in the living room. I walked over to the desk by the window, picking up the picture in a frame. I got a smile on my face, it was a picture of him and his mom hugging at the beach.

"Brandon, was this taken at the beach we were at today."

He walked over to me, "Yeah, it was one of her favorite spots too."

He had sadness in his eyes, I have no idea what he's really been through but I can see it wasn't an easy life growing up.

As he stared at the photo of the two of them I was reminded of the time I met her, which made me chuckle. Brandon looked over at me, puzzled.

"I talked to your mom one time."

"You did? When?"

"Fourth grade. The day I punched Tommy I was sitting in the office after we all had the talk about what had happened out at recess. The principal made me sit in the chair outside the office while he finished talking to my parents. You had already left but your mom came back inside and saw me sitting there. She sat down beside me and said, 'Girls that can kick butt are the coolest girls around and you girly, rocked today. I'm sorry you're getting into trouble over this but I'll forever be grateful that you stuck up for Brandon.' She squeezed my hand and walked out of the office."

He stared at me with more sadness in his eyes than I've ever seen in them before. He was close with his mom and I could see how much he had loved her.

"I was wondering why she went back in there."

I sat down on the couch with Brandon, "I'm sorry about your mom. I couldn't tell you that after she died because you didn't come back to school but I thought about you."

He turned his head away, "Do you know what happened to her?"

"Not really, it seemed very secretive though... for whatever reason."