Unbeknownst to them

Truth Hurts

It was cold and it was lightly snowing. Her adrenaline was so high she didn't even notice the cold. She took out her headphones and placed them in her ears.

Her heart pounding so hard she could feel it all over her body.

When she reached the steps of Brian's she felt frozen. She didn't know how she was going to explain this and kept imaging the scenarios of Brian's reactions.

'He's going to be so angry, he's going to yell. He's going to flip his shit.' Was the thoughts running through her head.

Coming around the corner outside was Brian. In one hand a pail of cat litter and the other a few plastic bags of groceries.

He automatically noticed the curly hair staring at the door of his building. He reached into his red hoodie to check to see if he missed a text from her but there was nothing.

"Hey" he said as he approached her.

She hadn't even heard or noticed him. Music was still blasting in her ears as she still stared intently at the door. 'I gotta do it. I gotta do it. I gotta do it' kept going through her head

All of a sudden a tap on her shoulder woke her from the trance as she let out a yelp.

She removed her headphones and turned to look at who it was. There was Brian.

"Oh my god I'm sorry." He said laughing at the girls reaction "what the heck are you doing here?" he said pulling her in for a hug. She quickly embraced and pulled away looking anywhere but Brian.

"You know I was just uh in the neighborhood" she lied quickly still not looking at him.

"Alright let's get you out of the snow. come on up" he said starting to head up the stairs "I'm just about to make some dinner and watch some movies so we can chill." He reached the door and grabbed the keys from his pocket. He opened the door and went to go hold open for the girl but noticed she was still down on the side walk.

His face turned from smiling to confusion. "I mean we don't have to go up if you don't want to." He said while shutting the door and turning fully to Tess. He noticed tears in her eyes. "Tess Tessa what's wrong?" He said putting down the pail and the groceries on the top of the stairs before heading down the stairs.  She was full blown crying by the time he hit the last step.

"I can't" she whispered. "I can't do it" she said at this point in a full blown panic attack.

"What can't you do" Brian said fully confused and concerned with what was unfolding in front of him.

"Did something happen? Is your parents okay? Is Sal okay?" At this rate he assumed something terribly happened to someone in the Vulcano family.

She was breathing fast and heavy. "Tessa you gotta breath and you have to talk to me" he said grabbing her hands

"Brian" she said in between breaths

"Brian"  she repeated again

"I'm here Tess" he said trying to get her to look him in the eyes.

"Brian I'm..." she quickly stopped before sobbing again

"Your what Tess?" he responded

"Brian" she said taking a huge breath and wiping the tears from her face "something happened"

He felt his heart coming out of his chest at this rate. He wanted her just to say what happened

"I'm um" she started hesitantly "I'm" quickly stopping again, her mind screaming at her just to do it already.