Danger Love Ahead

Chapter Seventeen: Betrayed

(April's version)

"I think I've upset your brother," Brandon whispered as mom maneuvered the car through the winding driveway of Brandon's house. Taking my eyes off his beautiful stone-walled house, I glanced at Kenny. He was in the front seat, staring stonily at Brandon through the rear view mirror. His little arms folded stubbornly in front of him, he didn't blink and definitely did not smile. His lips were in a thin line. I glanced at Brandon amused but it died at his guilty expression.

"He'll get over it," I assured. Brandon shook his head and smiled gently at me.

"No," he said slowly. "I'll have to make it up to him." I shook my head at him before glancing at his house again. Men Mom pulled up in-front of the large house. There were grass and flowers of different ranges climbing all over the stone, around the windows on the second and third floor. The windows were arched shaped, at least two on each floor seen from the front of the house. The large curtains on the first floor were drawn to reveal what probably was the living room. The staircase could be seen and a few furniture. I heard the sound of the car door open from my side and I got out, smiling gratefully at Brandon who was holding the door open.

"You have a beautiful home," I muttered stepping out into the cold air. It was a windy night and I breathed in appreciatively. 

"Thank you." I heard the door shut and a shiver escaped me when I felt his hand on the small of my back. I felt the material of his shirt brush against my arm and I knew he was trying to give me strength. Encouragement. His turning me into jelly, that's the only thing his doing 

"You have a lovely place, Brandon," Mom came around the car with a dish of...something with Kenny following close by grumpily.

"Thank you, Mrs.Summers," Brandon was saying ushering me to the door.

"How did you get those? Are those bougainvillea?" Mom asked while we climbed the steps into the veranda. I felt his breath on my ear for a while and I knew he had turned to look at the flowers before he returned his gaze,

"I have no idea. Mom's an expert on those." I saw his hand reach for the doorknob in slow motion. I was going to meet his family. Anything could happen. The heat from my back shot out all of a sudden and I latched onto Brandon's arm in panic.I was scared. Scared of what his family thought. The nerves that were bothering me all day finally broke out. "The flowers grow wildly, though. It just grows along the stones, with the leaves and the moss." He opened the door and I gasped at the sudden pain in my back. Like a snake it slithered up around my ribs and gripped it. "Hey, hey, are you okay?"

"April..." Mom came closer to hold my face. "Sssh, calm down honey. Calm down."

"If this is too soon, we can go back," Brandon soothed, rubbing my hands that were currently on his arms. Pain, pain, pain. I gulped in more air and seethed at the pain. Wrenching my face away from mom, I stepped back to make out the words in my head.

"Kenny, close the door." Someone was saying.

"SSHH!" I tried furiously to concentrate, grabbing the veranda banister and arched back at the venomous pain around my abdomen. 

"Ms.Summers, I'd like to ask you...about your seizures." I heard the Professor's voice. 

"I have them a lot," I heard myself say. "Usually when I'm upset."

"I'm not upset," I cried clawing back to a straight posture. "I'm scared."

"Stop stop," the Professor's voice was instructive and firm.

"There's nothing to be scared off," another voice entered from far away. 

"It won't stop," I growled bending awkwardly against the cold stone. It was hot and burning around my chest. There was pain.