DELICATE / Brandon Darrow

one

one
beginning
THIRD PERSON

CYNTHIA SAT IN HER room, crying again for what felt like the fifth time that day. Recently her parents divorced because her mom was sleeping with someone else. And that was just the beginning.

Since sleeping was such a difficult task for her under a toxic household, she usually searched for comfort at her cousin's house; he was practically like a brother to her.

CYNTHIA:
hey, can i stay over again?

SEAN:
i'm with nicki, hailey and brandon at the park.
SEAN:
why don't you come and hang out?

CYNTHIA:
umm i guess.

SEAN:
ok, see you then.

Cynthia never liked Sean's friends because they made him act different. She liked it way better when they were kids. They would play, go to camp and always hang out but ever since he started dating Nicki, it changed.

He changed.

She snuck out of her window and took her journey to the park, to what she knew she would regret. She sped walk as she hated to be alone, especially in the dark. She stopped when she heard the sound of laughter.

"Look who decided to join us," Brandon surprisingly said. "Ms Cynthia Marks."

"Oh my gosh!" Nicki screamed. "Someone, grab her a beer!"

"No," Sean interrupted. "She just came to hang, not to get drunk."

Nicki and Brandon gave him a defeated look with their hands in the air.

Sean might only be her cousin, but he viewed her as his little sister. He always watched over her as a kid; that's something he promised her mom—his aunt—and he never intended on breaking that promise.

"Hey," Hailey said, as the others were shouting at Sean.

Cynthia just waved.

Hailey was the only she really liked, but at the same time, she didn't. Cynthia felt like she was hiding something, but didn't want to seem noisy. Her thoughts were interrupted when Brandon and Nicki were shouting at someone on the other side of the fence.

"Aye," Brandon said. "Want a beer?" He continued instigating the person.

It was then Cynthia realized the mystery person was Rowan Fricks.

"Nicki, give her a beer," Brandon told her.

"Here you go," Nicki offered the can. "Don't be a little bitch—take it."

"Wait, on one condition," Brandon interrupted. "You in the science lab, on your knees!"

Cynthia rolled her eyes at Brandon's remark.

"Don't waste your time," Nicki said. "Hailey told me she's still a virgin. Right, Hailey?"

Rowan reverted her eyes to Hailey, who was standing right next to Cynthia.

"You pop your cherry yet, little girl?" Nicki rudely questioned. "She's mad, she's mad, she's mad."

Cynthia couldn't believe what she was hearing. 

"Cute outfit!" Nicki hollered.

"I'd hit that ass," Brandon said, looking at Rowan walking away.

"Do you guys ever shut up?" Hailey said as she walked away, clearly annoyed.

"What?" Nicki questioned while looking at them confused.

"Relax," Brandon said.

"Hailey! Hailey! Hailey!" Sean called out, chasing her.

Nicki then walked off, following Sean leaving Brandon and Cynthia alone.

"That wasn't cool," Cynthia broke the silence.

"It's just a little fun," he shrugged before his expression got serious. "How are you?"

Brandon noticed Cynthia's sudden change in person once she admitted to him about her parents.

A part of her felt like Sean wouldn't exactly understand what she was going through seeing as he was her family and was practically forced to be nice to her. Even though she had hated Brandon, he seemed to be the only option she had to venting about her personal struggles, seeing as her next option was Nicki; who she wasn't fond of.

Cynthia shrugged. "The same."

Brandon gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm always here, Cyn, if you need anything."

Cynthia just nodded. Brandon walked away back to his friends. She stood alone, staring out into the street.

"Cynthia, I need to talk to you," Sean startled her

"What's wrong?" Cynthia asked.

"I know I can't force you to do anything but as your cousin, I need you to stay clear from Brandon."

She had confusion all over her face. "Why? He isn't hurting me."

"Cynthia, you have to trust me. He's a good friend, no doubt, but he isn't someone you'd like. I just don't want to see you hurt–I won't," Sean explained. "Please, promise me. You know I wouldn't do stuff if I wasn't trying to protect you."

She gave him a stare. "Fine, I-I promise."

She knew those words would bite her in her ass.

edited
re-reading my ugly
old writing format
makes me cringe
so much so
i have to
fix it or
it just bothers
me .. 🧡