Brother's Keeper✔️

58. Genius

Brian POV

The death of Malinda made him see what he wanted.

He wanted J'Nae back and he would do anything to get her. This whole thing with Timothy was a joke. He remembered meeting J'Nae over the summer and she was about to be a sophomore and him a junior. She knew no one. If she met Timothy before him and he did not snag her up then, she had no interest in him.

J'Nae was upset with him now, but he knew she did not care about Timothy. He was there at the right time when she was vulnerable.

After he had a long talk with Daysha, he realized life was too short. He loved J'Nae and maybe he did not know how to show it, but he did. As much as he felt qualified on giving out advice on the hotline, he was a mess.

"You've given her some time. Maybe she won't listen to you now, and maybe she will," Patrick said to him when he came over to hang out. "But everyone has changed since what's happened. I don't know if she knew Lindy at all, but to see someone our age gone so quickly...man that could be any of us."

"Lindy was cool as hell. The world is so evil. And Terrance was a good dude. He knew what he had. I wish I could be more like him. I want what they had." He ran a hand through his locs. "Or what you and Anika have."

Patrick didn't say anything to him. He wondered if things were still cool with him and Anika. They were engaged. That was a big deal.

"It's work bro. And for one second I thought I lost everything, I was willing to end my life over it. Thank God you were there. Brian, you're my dog, I want you to be at peace with whatever you decide with J'Nae."

Did he want to be with J'Nae? Did he love J'Nae? Could he give up other girls one hundred percent for her?

Without a doubt.

He waited for her after one of her classes, and when she walked out, he stood where she could see him.

"Brian, what are you doing here?"

"Can we talk?"

J'Nae said nothing but stood there watching him. The fact that she did not yell and scream at him was a plus. Maybe she was over her anger.

"I'm listening," she simply said.

They started to walk toward the exit of the building. He could not get the words out right now. He thought he knew what to say but now that he was here, they would not come to him.

"J'Nae...I fucked up. Big time."

"The understatement of the year."

Once they made it outside, he stopped walking and took her hand.

"I could stand here and say it's because I'm like every other guy, a horny, sex-crazed idiot. That I didn't realize what I had in front of me. That I wanted to wait to have sex with you on our wedding day, but..."

What could he possibly say to change how she felt about him?

"I love you!" he blurted out. "I have since the moment I laid eyes on you. And I felt like it was instant with you but...if it wasn't, then I was wrong. But I knew I loved you and wanted to be with you forever. You're like...this sweet, innocent thing, I didn't want to touch. I wanted to respect you in that way."

"But it's not worth it to me, losing you. I wish I could take all the things I've done. I wish...I wish I did not hurt you this way. I know I will never feel this way about anyone else. It's you, always will be you, so if we can't work through this...well...I guess I will be alone for the rest of my life."

"You are an idiot, you know that."

"Yes," he agreed. "But you still make me a better man and I will work every day to prove to you I've changed."

J'Nae looked down at the ground. "I don't know Brian."

"Just tell me there's a chance. We can start all over. I need you to believe in me again, fall in love with me again."

She wiped away a tear. "I never fell out of love."

That gave him hope, but before he jumped to any conclusions he asked her, "What about...Timothy?"

"What about him? He's just a friend. I told him I never had feelings for him that way and we need to stay friends. I understand why he told me about you because he thought I would fall for him. It doesn't work that way."

This was good to hear. They continued to walk and talk, and it felt good just talking to her again. She did not agree to get back with him, but this was a start. He knew he would win her over again.

Now he was happy it was all out in the open, and he was glad J'Nae was here at school with him. He was not ready to propose to her like Patrick, but marriage was in their near future.

A/N: I don't know how I feel about Brian. Or J'Nae. Truth is, some people forgive cheating and go on with their lives. I personally could never trust them again and that's no way to live.