Kiss Me Before You Go

Part Twelve

Finnegan's POV

After Bran ran away, I faced our family with a stern gaze. My eyes softened instantly seeing my mother's teary eyes.

"Mom, Dad. I kinda knew but it doesn't make me love either of you less. You're the best mother in the world, Mom," I told my mother before walking towards her to plant a kiss in her forehead.

I turned to everyone saying, "Please don't make anything feel awkward once he gets back." My words got them speechless. "I'll go get my boyfriend."

Well, it's all out now. The secret of my birth. Everybody's knowledge about it. My relationship with Bran.

I wasn't surprised when Dad said that mom isn't my mother. I think I suspected for while now. The missing photos of me as a baby, of my mom being pregnant, of mom and dad together around the time mom was supposed to be pregnant of me.

A few weeks before I came home, I went to visit the people who went to college with them. No one knew they were together nor had knowledge of my mother carrying a baby. She never left school.

I felt betrayed but I didn't want to confront them. Perhaps I wanted them to tell me themselves but then it came to me that if they wanted to tell me, they would have had already.

Things got complicated when Bran came to our house.

I was excited like a puppy when I saw him sitting on his Jeep, his eyes closed. So handsome. Beautiful.

I was caught up in trying to get some truth from him I forgot about everything else. Bran continuously shut himself from me. He always would get flustered aroud me to the point of running away whenever he had the chance. However, I always had him cornered.

The thing about me claiming him as mine to other people had always been true to my heart. I meant every word I would say. One thing I told him that was totally a lie was when i said I would be happy if he got himself a girlfriend or a boyfriend. I was boiling inside when I said that to him.

I followed Bran, hearing his old keep leave the front yard. I ran inside the house to get my keys and chased him on my car.

Luck was on my side when I was able to follow his Jeep even with the vehicles roaming the street. He didn't head to the center of the town. He went the opposite way. I had a hunch where he was going.

I stayed on Bran's tail until he suddenly stopped in the middle of the rough road halfway up the hill behind the subdivision where I my parents house was. I saw him punch his wheel before hopping down.

I turned my car off and ran to him.

"Bran."

"Leave me alone, please." He opened the hood of his car and the scowl in his face told me it wasn't good. But enough of that.

"Baby--"

"Did you know?"

"What?" I took a step forward.

"P'Finn!" Bean slammed the hod back down as he looked at me with pain in his eyes. "Did you know about you?"

"I..." I was suddenly hit by fear of Bran's disappointment. "Bran..."

"Just tell me," he said almost helplessly. I nodded slowly, my eyes not leaving his. I was afraid of his anger but I didn't want to lose sight of him. He runs away a lot.

"Yet you didn't tell me?" His lips quivered as he closed his mouth. My chest hurt seeing him in the verge of crying. I never liked seeing him cry.

"I couldn't," I said as I pulled him to me. He slapped my arms but I didn't let go. "I was caught up with you."

"Caught with me?!"

"I've been too happy since I came back. Perhaps knowing that we might not be related gave me courage to let you know how I feel. I had been sending signals since you arrived."

"Does it mean I was the only one feeling guilty thinking I was sinning?" Bran spat, his voice now laced fully with anger. "All this time..." His voice hitched as he clasp his hands on my chest, gripping my shirt.

I was shaking internally as I took in his anger. I never wanted him to be.

Bran suddenly pushed me the moment I let my guard down, and he took off. I let out a sharp breath before I ran after him. He was running past the trees on the side of the road, heading up the hill. I caught up to him to just as he reached our secret place.

There were trees everywhere but the acasia tree he was looking at was ours. This was where he wanted to go if his Jeep didn't break down.

I didn't waste time just admiring his beautiful figure standing there. I ran to him and cocooned him in my arms.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," I said as I hugged him from behind. "Please forgive me. I have loved you before I was sure about it, Bran. I have loved you ever since the first time I brought you here."

In his town, the river behind his house was our special place. Here, it was this spot. Right underneath the acasia tree.

"I love you. That doesn't change, Bran. I felt guilty, too. For a long time. I'm sorry that I hurt you for not clearing things up."

Bran's rigidness against me slowly disappeared. "You've been in love with me?"

"Yes. For as long as I could remember. And I'm a coward for accepting work in the capital to run away from my feelings. I'm sorry."

"You asshole," he said, sobbing softly. It pierced my chest hearing it.

I made him slowly turn around to face me and he looked up to meet my eyes. "You're really an asshole," he repeated.

"I know," I said back, cupping his face then planting kisses on his lips.

Bran returned my kisses as he wrapped his arms around my neck. Happiness swelled in my chest and soon I was lost in my surging desire for him.

_________________tbc•Zia