DELICATE / Brandon Darrow

twenty seven

twenty seven
he isn't bad after all
FIRST PERSON

WE WERE SITTING ON the stairs inside Elisia's house, talking since we couldn't find Ash, even all throughout today. I was also still shaken up and I thought being together would keep me distracted. It comforted me.

"We know other people are trying to prove themselves to King Cobra," Hailey stated.

"Someone almost killed Cynthia last night," Rowan muttered loud enough for us to hear. "So we have to be extra careful."

"If it wasn't for Brandon," I whispered, afraid to admit that I would've been gone if it weren't for him.

I put my head on Hailey's shoulder and she grabbed my hand.

"Rowan, I need to tell you something," Elisia said. "Jake loves you. I shouldn't had told you not to see him. I was just mad that you lied to me, but," she continued, "I would've done the same thing if it was Ash. I'm sorry."

"Why haven't we heard anything from King Cobra?" Hailey asked us after Elisia and Rowan silently made amends. "What if he knows we faked your death?"

"It hasn't even been twenty-four hours," Rowan reassured her. "If we don't hear from him by tomorrow, we tell my dad everything."

♡

I was in my room just laying on my bed. I was overthinking everything with King Cobra. I didn't know what to do anymore. My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on my window.

I was still on edge so I made my movements very slowly until I saw Brandon's face.

I pushed the window open and gave him a confused look. "What are you doing here?" Letting him in.

"To see you," he answered. "I'm gonna be honest: I haven't let you out of my sight since you almost got ran over by that truck," he took his jacket off and wrapped it around me.

"I'm fine," I lied, but still tightening the jacket around me to keep me warm from the outside breeze.

Brandon gave me a look, like he wasn't convinced but I brushed it off by moving away from him. I took a seat against my bed and he followed my movements, taking one in front of me instead.

"I thought we could work on our project," he stated out of the blue, probably to change the subject.

"I already finished it," I told him.

"You did?" He looked at me, surprised.

"I talk about my mom, your dad," I nodded. "The moment you realize that your parents aren't perfect..."

"You know that newspaper clipping that you found?" He asked me. I nodded. "My mom didn't send that to me. I cut it out myself," he confessed.

"I know," I whispered.

"I felt so guilty, like such a piece of shit that I just filmed him, just standing there laughing," Brandon continued, playing with Fishy that I surprisingly kept.

"Can I tell you something?" I asked out of nowhere that hearing my voice even shocked me.

He nodded, scooting closer. "Yeah."

"I did make those flyers," I admitted. "And I did have Rowan post them everywhere."

"Why?" He asked me.

"Trevor says that shit to me— to us anyway," I shrugged powerlessly. "So, might as well take the surprise out of it."

"I don't think that's why you did it, Cyn," he told me.

"Then why did I do it?" I asked him.

"Because a part of you believes what Trevor says," he read me like a book. "A part of you believes you are a shitty person."

I looked down because he was right. I do believe Trevor. I know I am a shitty person. But Rowan only did it for the satisfaction of getting Trevor in trouble.

"Hey, but you are not," he stated, grabbing my face. "You're not a shitty person, trust me. Trust me," I couldn't look away from him. "Now can I tell you something?"

I just kept looking into his eyes before I realized my answer. "Yes," I whispered.

And with that he leaned in and kissed me. Of course, I kissed back. It felt different this time around. Maybe because I actually knew he was going to do it instead of shocking me. And this time, I wasn't mad about it.

I actually wanted to kiss him.

When he pulled away, my lips felt empty. Seeing him stare at me made me nervous so I asked, "I thought you were gonna tell me something?"

"I just did," he smiled innocently.

Then my phone buzzed. I pulled away and got my phone from where it sat beside me on the floor. It was a text from King Cobra.

'MEET ME AT THE ZOO PARTY TONIGHT. 316 1ST STREET.'.

"I got to go," I said to him and left.