restricted - brandon arreaga
word count: 1374
It was a late afternoon in Manhattan. Jenn was strolling through the streets with her boyfriend Brandon. The roads were busy, the sky was grey and the boy next to her was fiddling with his hair.
Jenn was smiling to herself, wondering how no one could understand that this was her favorite city. Just being here made her excited, seeing all the different people made her ambitious and wanting to be herself, it made her wanting to be another person in the streets that other people look at and think about the same way as she would right now.
It was the city in which she felt most like herself, in which she knew she could be herself without anyone judging her, wether that was because new yorkers support others being themselves or because they just don't have the time to judge. One way or another, Jenn was being the most Jenn she could, and it felt great.
The buildings around the two young adults grew high in the sky, something that might make people feel small though it was the complete opposite for Jenn, she felt big and safe, surrounded by the skyscrapers made her feel inspired and supported.
As her eyes travelled up the nearest building, she felt a hand take hers and next thing she knew she was being dragged underneath a little roof of a restaurant.
It was her boyfriend who looked at her worried. „Did you not hear me?"
„Hear what?" She was confused.
As Brandon just chuckled, she realized that it was starting to fully pour rain.
„It's cute how you get so caught up in the city" He said as he sat down on one of the chairs and dragged her along so that she fell on his lap, sideways so that she could still look at him.
„I just love it so much and I don't understand how people find it so hard to see the beauty of it all. Like the huge amount of people isn't annoying to me, every single person inspires me because they've made it here! They live in New York like how successful would you have to be, ya know? And the buildings make me feel so big while everyone says they feel small."
Brandon was drawing circles on her back as he was listening. Most people thought it was crazy how obsessed Jenn actually was with New York and found it annoying how much she was talking about it on the daily.
Though he loved it. He loved just watching her, as she was talking about her favorite city with a constant smile on her face and that twinkle in her eyes. She was in love with this city and he had accepted that she might even love New York more than him. And it was okay.
Jenn kept talking about all the great things New York had to offer as Brandon noticed a little sign on the other side of the road. It just said restricted area on it but he was intrigued.
„Baby I'm sorry to cut you off but let's check out what's behind that sign over there."
She looked around and saw the sign, turning back to her boyfriend with a smirk. „I sometimes feel like your goal in life is to get arrested."
„So it's a yes then?"
Jenn stood up from Brandon's lap, signaling him that she would go for it. He had the biggest smile on his face.
Hand in hand, they ran across the street and arrived on the other side soaked from being in the rain for a good 5 seconds.
The sign was standing in front of an apartment entry. Without hesitation Brandon flipped open the door and walked around the sign, into the building. Jenn did feel a little weird just going in, as the sign was definitely not there for fun. Though she thought about what her boyfriend had taught her: „You'll only regret not doing it."
So she got in as well.
Inside the only thing they found was construction. As Jenn got in, Brandon was already on a pipe, recording some kind of video to post wherever. She walked through the huge hallway and opened another door, this one brought her into a huge apartment that was also being worked on. It was completely empty.
Brandon followed her and wrapped his arms around her from the back. She smiled at the familiar feeling and sunk into his arms.
„I don't really know what we're supposed to do here" he started, „but I'm glad we're alone."
He started kissing down her neck, not in a sexual way, it was more loving, appreciation.
Jenn couldn't stop smiling, quickly turned around and pressed a kiss on his lips. She could feel him smirk into the kiss as his hands traveled down to her waist.
Though she quickly interrupted the kiss, shook herself out of his grip and ran around the apartment looking for a cool place to take pictures. Followed by Mr Instagram himself she was sure she could make him take a decent picture of her.
The apartment was big, something she couldn't afford in a million years. So she took her time, analyzing every room, imagining what it'd be like to live there and-
Her thoughts were interrupted by Brandon calling after her. She turned around to look for him and found him in a room that was nowhere near to being finished. It didn't even look like a proper room. There were holes were the windows were supposed to be, the floor looked rough with tiles sticking out and there was also a wall missing, just casually.
One side of the room however, had flowers growing up the walls with piled up wood in front of it.
Brandon was already in position and had his phone out.
Jenn sat on top of the wood and smirked. „I knew having an Instagram famous boyfriend would pay off for my Instagram game as well."
„Well you probably wouldn't have found this place without me either so, here for your Instagram and adventure needs." He bowed while laughing, also making sure his phone was in the right setting.
After posing for a few pictures, Jenn swore she heard someone in the building. Brandon shook it off as it probably being the rain.
Though as they were looking at even more rooms they did indeed hear footsteps.
Brandon quickly dragged Jenn into a wardrobe that was conveniently in the current room they were in, shutting the doors close as quiet as possible.
He had an arm around his girlfriend while trying to listen to the footsteps. Jenn tried her absolut hardest to stay calm, as she was slightly claustrophobic and this was not her ideal situation.
„We'll be out in a sec", he whispered. „Just waiting for that guy to be further away."
Jenn nodded and got closer to her boyfriend, suddenly being overwhelmed by his cologne, as well as his warm and hitched breathing. She focused on being with him, instead of the way too small closet in an apartment they shouldn't even be in. Could they get arrested?
She couldn't go deeper into thought, as Brandon suddenly opened the door and took her hand. „Go time."
They ran around the apartment, looking for the right exit. As they were close and could already see the correct door, someone behind them started yelling. „Ay! What are you doing here?!"
The young couple started laughing and ran faster, through the first, then the second door, around the restricted sign and across the street, to the side of the restaurant they were at earlier. They kept running until they couldn't see the building's entrance anymore.
Out of breath, Jenn leaned against the nearest wall, letting go Brandon's hand to put her hair up in a ponytail. He was standing in the middle of the sidewalk, people walking by minding their own business.
He looked over at his girlfriend and chuckled. Getting closer he, again, put his hands on her waist. Their foreheads met. It was still raining and they were absolutely soaked at this point. Neither of them cared though. Their company was the only thing that mattered.
„Told you I'm here for Instagram and adventure." He said, emphasizing on the ‚and'.
„Well I'm glad" is all she could get out before Brandon closed the gap between them with a long and passionate kiss.
