Eccedentesiast (Brandon Darrow)

#Asshole

[#Asshole]
Save yourself. Little girl, stop waiting for someone to come and rescue you, you are on your own.
–Josephin August
*****

When I got home my phone dinged and I sighed grabbing it and looking at the message.
From:DerangedDog
Home alone. What's your house look like on the inside.
I let out a gasp and dropped my phone before locking the door and looking out the window. Outside was somebody in a dog mask by my mailbox. "Oh god," I muttered racing up to my room and locking my door. To say I hadn't got any sleep last night was an understatement. I never even blinked to afraid of someone coming inside.
     The next day at school I didn't even realize when I had gotten there. I was like a zombie walking through the halls, I hadn't talked to one single person the entire time. I was now just staring into space to scared to even think properly when a voice made me jump.
     "Oh, quick, does anyone have a gun? Does anyone have a gun?" Trevor's voice said as I looked up flinching as he stepped in front of me. "Does anyone have a gun? Because I would rather put a bullet in my brain than have to look at your face for another second." I stepped back almost running into a person behind me.
     He put his hand to his temple and yelled, "Boom!" I flinched taking another step back as he walked away from me. I sighed rubbing my eyes before turning around.
     "Dude shut up, I'm sick of you talking shit to her," I heard Brandon's voice and stopped walking. I turned around slightly and watched them.
    "What man?" Trevor demanded.
    "What do you mean 'what'? I'm sick of you talking shit to her. She never did anything," he said angrily. 
    "Seriously Brandon? Come on, you always agree with me. She's a stuck up bitch, who makes everyone miserable," he said looking back at me. Suddenly Brandon grabbed him and threw him up against the wall. The move was so sudden I gasped and flinched.
    "You know what? You are the problem. If you even mention her again, or look at her, I will tell everybody about that night," he said angrily.
    "Screw you man, alright go play with your girlfriend then," Trevor said voice shaking slightly. I was still staring when Brandon looked back at me and nodded. I gave a small smile before walking to my next class. The rest of the day I kept getting into trouble for falling asleep.
    "Hey are you okay?" Elisia asked walking up next to me after school.
    "I got a text, someone was outside of my house. Needless to say I didn't sleep at all," I muttered rubbing my eyes again.
     "Wow, you should go home and get some sleep," she says.
     "Yeah but I'm going to Brandon's later," I say yawning.
     "You two seem to be spending a lot of time together," she said glancing sideways at me.
    "Don't give me that look," I mutter and she grins before saying goodbye. When I got home I took a nap and woke up around eight. I was hoping to talk to Brandon about today but I didn't have his number. Next best thing was to go to his house, maybe?
      When I got up to his front door I saw his father asleep in a chair with the TV going. I thought better of knocking and went around back to where Brandon's room was. I was just about to knock when a baseball fell in front of me. I looked up seeing Brandon on the roof and I grabbed the baseball and climbed the ladder. Once I was on the roof I gave the ball back.
     "What are you doing up here?" I ask settling down next to him.
    "Enjoying the view," he smiled, "What are you doing here?"
      I didn't exactly want to tell him the truth so I said, "Came to work on our project."
    "The project right," he mumbled tossing the ball from hand to hand.
    "Did you play baseball with your dad?" I asked scooting a little closer to him.
    "Damn get right down to it then," he joked, "Yeah. He'd coach me; he gave me his old glove and I would wear it everywhere. I took it to school, I took it to bed, I wore it in the shower." I giggled and he looked over at me with a grin.
     "Does he go to your games?" I ask.
      "Oh yeah, every game. Front row with popcorn...I mean you saw him, what do you think?" He answered. I placed a hand on his arm and he gave me a sad smile.
    "I have another question, why did you defend me?" I question.
    "Because I'm a nice guy," he grinned.
     "No, no you're not. What's the real reason?"
     "Trevor is annoying," he said and I laughed, "and you didn't tell the guys about fishy. I mean, you could've roasted me with the fact that I carry around a stuffed animal in my backpack, but you didn't so I guess I owed you one."
     "Thanks but I don't need you to defend me," I say looking down.
     "I know, so what's with all the questions?" He asked his own question.
    "I'm trying to figure out why you're such a dick," I answer laughing, "no, no I'm serious, you say you're a bad guy, but I don't think you're a bad guy. I think you just kinda act like an asshole sometimes."
    "That's really sweet of you," he replied sarcastically with a grin.
    "Well it's true," I answer. Suddenly my phone rang in my pocket and I grabbed it but it wasn't the only thing that came put.
    "What's this?" Brandon questioned picking it up.
    "No Brandon don't," I was cut off when he unfolded the page and stared down at the drawing. He looked back at me and I looked down at the ground.
    "You know that video of Dunbar? The one of Raven bullying him at the grotto? I didn't even remember him from camp. How messed up is that? He stepped in to defend me, and I didn't even remember I knew him," Brandon said.
    "Yeah well at least you remembered eventually where you knew him from, it's been clawing at me for months. I mean how could I do that? I just wonder what that could feel like," I muttered.
    "Nobody could forget you aspen Carter," Brandon said lifting up my chin, "I mean look at you." The way he said my name made a shiver run up my spine.
     I turned saying, "Maybe I don't want people to remember me, what are they going to remember that I'm the girl that came out of that party ruined."
    "That's not true," he said.
     "I should probably get going," I muttered. He nodded and walked down the ladder and held it for me. When I turned around to leave he trapped me with both hands still holding the ladder.
    "You should forgive yourself Aspen," he whispered getting closer to me.
   "Can you?" I whispered.
    "No," he whispered back before his lips touched mine. It started out soft that is until I reached up behind his neck and pulled him closer. Our lips moved together in perfect harmony getting more heated by the moment. I pulled back as he put his forehead against mine with his eyes closed and we were both out of breath.
     "Maybe you're not an asshole," I muttered as he opened his eyes and cracked a grin.
    "Don't go, stay with me please?" He asked.
    "That's not a good idea," I said pulling away from him. His hand trailed down my arm before latching onto my wrist.
   "I'll see you tomorrow," he said before letting go as I nodded. When I got home if felt like a million bricks fell on me. What did I just do? Did I really let Brandon Darrow kiss me? Did I really like it? The answer was undeniably yes.

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