Just Because (Interracial BWWM)

Chapter 21

Braelyn sat in the cell by herself, wondering where everything had gone wrong. This time wasn't like last time. They hadn't let her and Duke sit in the same cell. They hadn't even rode in the same squad car.

She was scared. She could feel her anxiety rising, and she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Well, well, well, look at the predicament you've found yourself in."

She dreaded to look up and see the face which accompanied the smug voice.

"Mrs. Brandons." Braelyn should've realized that she would be behind this. "What do you want?"

"I hear you got into State. That's fantastic." She had an evil smile on her face. The type a cat would have when it has a mouse cornered.

"It would be a shame for all that hard work to go to waste, you know. I doubt they'd take you with a drug charge on your record."

So that was what she wanted. To ruin her future. Braelyn looked at the woman. She couldn't believe that she and Duke shared the same DNA. This woman was manipulative, and evil.

"Why do you hate me?" Braelyn asked, scared and angry at the same time.

Mrs. Brandons feigned ignorance. "What are you talking about? I don't hate you."

"Then why are you trying to do this to me?"

"My son is going to be successful in life," she started, "and he can't do that with someone like you hanging around his ankles getting a free ride to the top."

"I love your son, why can't you see that?" Braelyn couldn't help from saying. "If you actually go tto know me-"

"Why would I want to do that?" Mrs. Brandons waved dismissively. "So, here is what you're going to do: never talk to my son again. If you agree to that, then you'll never have to worry about this getting to the Dean at State. He and Duke's father play golf together sometimes, and I'm sure it would make interesting conversation."

Braelyn sat in silence for a few beats, hearing her heart thump against her chest. She hadn't expected things to turn out like this. Deep down, even though she knew that they would never accept her, she always thought they would fight fair. She knew she would never do something like this to someone. Jeopardize someone's future to keep them from doing what truly made them happy because it was convenient for them. She thought that these type of people were myths.

"No."

"Excuse me?" Mrs. Brandons looked surprised.

"You heard me." Braelyn stared her in the eyes. "I said 'no'. I would never let you get what you wanted with your evil intentions. If Duke and I break up, then it would be because we wanted to, not because we're afraid of you. Because I'm not afraid of you, and I never will be, no matter what you threaten me with. So, no. And you can leave now."

Braelyn laid on her hard mattress, back turned to Mrs. Brandons. She heard the woman huff, and walk away. As the sounds of her heels became more and more faint, Braelyn realized what exactly she had just done. Everything that she had been working towards her entire high school career just became endangered, and she hadn't done anything to save it. But she had saved her integrity, and had shown Mrs. Brandons that she couldn't be bought. And that simple fact brought a smile to her face as she fell asleep on the unforgiving jail cot. 

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Hey y'all! So, I was going to put Duke's next part in with this one as well, but I thought a stand-off of the women in his life should be by itself. So, what do you guys thing of the chapter? Should Braelyn have taken the offer? Which is more important, fighting for something that you believe in or looking out for yourself? Leave all your comments, questions and concerns! Until next time XOXOXO