Paradise // Brandon Arreaga

Chpt. 9

I wiped my eyes of the few tears that managed to slip an sat up. I don't get how I didn't figure it out sooner but also why didn't they trust me to know. But what's even worse is I think Jenna knew well before me, I mean she did freak out when she had met them like they were some type of celebrities. Wait, are they? They have fans but just how "famous" are they? I grabbed my MacBook and searched Brandon arreaga to see what comes up and of course, a boy band. Pretty much, well that makes total sense of it all. I looked down the list of hits they have starting with "would you mind" the song I heard at the arcade, and he made us leave probably because the music video was on the screen across the bowling alley. Next was "healthy" which sounds exactly like the one from the coffee shop and that's when Austin and Brandon took selfies on my phone to.. to distract me from finding out the song and their band. Wow this actually kind of hurts that they go all out like this to keep me from knowing them. I'm so- my phone interrupted my thoughts, it was a text from Edwin.
Ed🔗: hey can I talk to you outside real quick? In the backyard?
Me: sure.
I put my phone down and I got up and walked downstairs to the backyard door and stepped outside. Edwin was sitting on the patio sofa and looked up as I walked to him.
"Hey.." he started. I sat down next to him, hugging one of the pillows next to me.
"Hi.." I responded. He put his phone down and faced me.
" Well it's no secret that you know now, Brandon let us know when he had got home and how angry he was I can only imagine the conversation y'all had was probably intense, so I just wanted to check up on you as your friend and neighbor, so neighbor, how you feel?" He looked at me trying to read my emotions off my face as he's asking.
" I feel betrayed." I stated quite bluntly.
"Jess- "
" No, my supposed friends and neighbors lied to me, I tried to figure out why everyone has been so weird lately and my own sister knew and didn't say anything either! So I feel extremely betrayed Ed!" I wiped the tears that spilled, I'm hurt but more hurt because of Brandon. "We're not even dating" still rings in my ears.
"I'm so sorry, I really am," he grabbed me trying to hug me. " We just liked the idea of someone knowing us as us and not a boy band, and even Jenna for knowing us but not saying anything and acting absolutely casual like we all had been friends for years, I guess we had didn't think about how you would feel when you'd find out, I'm sorry" he repeated. I sat up and wiped the remaining tears and nodded.
" but why do I have a feeling you're upset with something deeper.." I looked up at Edwin and covered my mouth to stop myself before I started to cry again.
" well um when I did bring up me finding out about everything to Brandon he got mad and said "we're not even dating so I don't know why you're getting so mad" like are you kidding me?" I couldn't even help it anymore the tears are just streaming. I really like him or did or do I don't know.
" Hey hey hey look y'all were both just really mad at the moment, y'all need to sleep on it and clear your minds then talk about it in s civil way, because making out with a person and trying to have a serious talk at the same time doesn't go together Jess.." Edwin smirked when I looked up at him. I smacked him on the arm and he hollered.
" hey! Don't hurt the messenger!" He laughed.
" oh I will you know why? Because it sends a message!" I laughed doing it again.
" alright well it's almost midnight so I'm gonna go before I get another bruise" he laughed standing up and spreading his arms for a hug. I got up as well and hugged him goodbye.
" Thanks for checking up on me, I'll see you later neighbor," I said while walking back towards the house. I walked up the stairs and peeked into Jenna's room and I see her and rocky laying in bed watching Zoey 101. I walk over and lay next to her in the bed.
" Why didn't you tell me?" I asked her.
" tell you what?" She asked looking at me confused.
" About Pretty much?" Her eyes got big and she looked around like she got caught like when she was younger.
" well that wasn't my secret to tell and honestly you have heard them multiple times in the car when I played music but you never asked who they were sooooo I figured you knew or whatever," she answered with a sigh.
" Come to think of it, that's why their voices seemed so familiar like I heard them before," I realized, wow Im really surprised right now.
" Yeah well you're welcome" she smirked. I laughed and got up to leave.
" I guess rocky is sleeping with you sooo goodnight," rocky was all spread out in her bed sound asleep already. M
"Goodnight!" She yelled as I closed the door.
I walked back to my room and laid in bed listening to Melanie Martinez "Crybaby" because I am in fact a crybaby.

I woke up to a wet slimy feeling on my hand I look over seeing rocky licking my hand from the side of the bed. Gross, I wiped my hand on my sheets. Rocky wined again putting her face on the bed. I look at my phone and it's literally 4:24 am, rocky walked over to the door and started pawing at it to signal she needs to go outside. I huffed tiredly and got up to let her outside. I'm guessing Jenna didn't let her outside before they fell asleep. I opened the back door and she ran straight to the grass, I walked over to the patio sofa and laid across it while she did her business. I just laid there and decided to close my eyes while she's running around, shouldn't be long now, she'll just bark at me when she's done I bet. But I felt my eyes get heavier, so heavy, until I fell into complete
silence and peaceful darkness with the occasional sounds of waves in the distance.
Dark, it was still dark but my body was uplifted, almost as if floating. I'm just so so tired.
" I'm so ... tired.." my mind kept telling me over and over again. It just felt unreal.
" I know, I know.." a soft deep voice in the distance called back. It was so soothing, so quiet, almost lovely. My body basically limp floating in space. This is one dream I don't wanna wake up from.
" Please..." my mind begged to stay asleep, to stay in this euphoric state. Complete and utter exhaustion in the best form. Like after you cry for hours and crash into the deepest sleep, this was that.
" I know baby.." the angel whispered back.
My face burned with heat, a small giggle left my lips as my eyes rolled in the back of my eye lids. I want to feel like this always, to be floating so happily on cloud 9. I wonder if this was how drugs felt, probably not, this was just a dream. But my body was no longer light, in fact it was sinking. Sinking fast, too fast almost like I was being pushed down, or even held down. A force I couldn't fight, as if my body wasn't responding anymore, no control. Cold, a painful cold that I couldn't even help myself out of. This isn't fun anymore. This isn't a euphoric dream but a nightmare beginning.
" please....help..me" I felt my lips move together but at this point I don't even know if words actually came out.
" shhhhh.." was all I heard until nothing at all. Please be a dream. I can't move myself I feel as if I'm paralyzed but my mind is somewhat aware of what's happening. I'm scared, my breathing starts to fasten as the panic sets in. I need to do something I need to call out to someone. But the only words I can get out is a
"No...no, please" if it even came out correctly. I could've just said mumbled up words or nothing at all but I hope that's not the case.
" goodnight," the voice giggles, was the last thing I heard until it faded out into nothing.