Forever Roses {Harry Styles AU}

Chapter 4: Brandon

Chapter 4: Brandon – September 24, 2011

It’s become a regular habit that I walk with April to class in the morning now. Our friendship has drastically changed since the beginning of the school year – almost one month ago – simply because I’ve gathered the courage to actually talk to her instead of gawk at her from afar like I did the whole entire last year. Maybe we were meant to be best friends or something because we just click. How else can you explain going from acquaintances to pretty-good-friends-nearing-best-friends? And what’s better is I don’t even feel like I’m friending her just to get closer to her romantically; I genuinely enjoy spending time with April.

So, as we’ve been doing the last couple of weeks, April and I are walking to class from her locker. What’s new? Ah, there’s a great new book that just came out. How about that movie? And did you hear that Jackie and Mike are dating? Ugh, I can’t believe Mrs. Marley gave us another project! 

Then Brandon approaches us.

Suddenly I remember why the uneasy feeling is settled at the bottom of my stomach. I had almost, almost, forgotten over the weekend.

The April Game.

I suddenly stop in my tracks, my back going rigid.

“Harry, what’s wrong?” April’s dainty voice rings through my ears as she stops beside me. She clearly hasn’t noticed Brandon coming up yet.

Of course, I can’t tell her about it right now. Because he’s right next to us.

“April! Babe! How’s life? Good, yeah? Okay cool,” Brandon converses with himself, basically, seeing as April hasn’t said a word to him and is only just now turning slightly to face him. “So, I wanted to ask you something.”

April looks at him. To anybody else, it may look like a blank stare. She’s waiting for him to ask his question and has no clue what he’s going to say, right? Wrong. I see the panic in her, but it’s not something most people can see, I don’t think.

A moment of silence passes before April says, “Well…”

“Oh, I meant alone,” Brandon starts, giving me a look that said “please go away.” But when April turned to look at me, Brandon smirked at me, because I was part of the circle of guys when the game was created.

I feel like kicking myself right now. I should’ve at least attempted to get together with April over the weekend before this happened or, worst case scenario, told April via text. But nooope, I decided just to let April be upset over turning down yet another guy, who, this time, was a fraud. And a total douchebag, even putting this April business aside.

“Meet you in class,” I tell April, who’s begging me with her eyes to stay with her, even though we both know I can’t.

The worst part about this is that I’m happy. I’m happy while she’s suffering a little bit, but it’s impossible not to feel even slightly happy. Do you see how much she needs me? How much she wants me with her? This is what I’ve always dreamed of. Seriously.

I back away from Brandon and April to walk to class alone. Caitlin sees me though and catches up with me. Looking back at them and then back to me, she leans in and whispers, “What’s going on?”

I sigh. “Probably Brandon is asking her out. But –” I cut myself off.

“But what?” Caitlin asks curiously, looking up into my eyes. I’ve never noticed how blue her eyes were.

I can’t tell her about the April Game. I mean, I trust her and all since she’s a really good friend to April, but it’ll kinda screw me over. If I tell Caitlin, she can surely find a way to tell April during the day. And April will be mad at me for not telling her.