Flowers || [T.K.]

Chapter 27

Enjoy the pic of baby Brandon above. This is what I picture how he looks in the story. So coot. So smol.
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Abby's POV

Brandon's bad boy act lasted for the whole week. A week of him calling me "his bitch" or just plain "bitch" and I can personally confirm that "nice guys" do not finish last.

"Alright, we need to discuss Brandon's new persona," Ronnie stated seriously as we gathered the entire group together, minus Brandon, after school.

"Yeah, it's fucking annoying. Period." Dave snorted.

"Yeah, but what caused it? How can we stop it?" Ronnie continued. "Abby, did you speak to him the Sunday before he went apeshit?"

"Actually, I did- I think he started when he talked to me," I said. "Also, his brother told me his dad said some shit that really screwed him up. I don't know what though."

Ronnie snapped his fingers, "that's it! For as long as I've been friends with Brandon, his dad's wanted him to be more "manly", his dad must have really chewed him up about that and it must have pushed him over the edge," he explained, "and this personality is what he perceives how a "man" acts."

"We just need to teach him that his real personality is manly enough," I muttered.

Right on cue, Brandon walked passed us going to his bus.

"Hey! Brandon, get over here!" Ronnie called.

Brandon stormed over, "what the fuck do you want?"

"We know what you're doing, you don't have to act like this," Ronnie said calmly.

"Oh fuck off!"

"We know you're not like this, you know you're not like this."

Brandon scowled. "Fuck you! You don't know shit! I can do what ever the fuck I want, it's a free country!"

"Brandon, don't be like this!" Ronnie begged. "You're hurting the people who care about you."

"Do you think I give a damn?"

"Yes you do, I know you do!"

"No! You don't know shit!"

"Brandon. Just stop."

"Go to hell! You think I'm fucking scared of you?! That I'm some whiny baby? Well I'm not- I'll fucking fight you, I don't give a shit!"

"Oh my God. Brandon, stop, I'm not going to fight you."

"What? Are you too much of a pussy?!"

Ronnie sighed, rolling his eyes and stepped forward and snatched Brandon by the wrists.

"Hey! This is unfair!" Brandon cried.

"What you're doing is not manly, okay? It's stupid, it's mean!" Ronnie growled as Brandon tried to struggle from his grasp. "You were manly before! The way you cared about people, how you treated everyone with respect, the way you treated Abby," he paused, letting Brandon struggle more, not letting lose on his grip, "you're the one who taught me how to treat a lady. You said that you kept Abby because you care about her, and that's the manliest shit ever, to have the strength to see your girl as someone who's with you not for you." Brandon stopped struggling. "You know that this act is bullshit, we all do."

"You're right," Brandon whispered, beginning to softly cry, "you're right! And I'm sorry- oh God, I'm sorry! It was an act, I hated every second of being mean to you guys- I love you guys."

"Okay, dork, don't get cheesy and cry, your makeup's gonna run," Ronnie laughed lightly and pulled him into a hug.

Brandon began laughing and crying into Ronnie's chest.