Billie and Brandon: It requires time

11

"How many karats for the gold?" Adam asked in awe, holding Billie's hand nimbly as he stared at the ring.

"Exactly twenty-four" Billie said excitedly, bragging just a little bit. "Aiden went all out for me. I can't ask for a more attentive guy."

"I'm the maid of honour, right?" Zoe said faux indigintaly, sipping on her coffee. "Because I will fight whoever is trying to take that spot."

"Don't worry, Zoe. That spot isn't in danger of being taken by anyone."

"Except maybe Brandon." Adam said.

"Crap..." Zoe said dejectedly. "I can't fight him! He'll snap me like a twig!"

Billie stiffened, chuckling nervously. Brandon could definitely have been her maid of honour.

If they were still talking, that is.

"How did he react when you told him?" Zoe asked curiously.

Billie stared at the street outside, pretending to be fixated on something if only to avoid their gazes.

"Umm...I haven't really talked to him in a couple weeks or so..." She toyed with the locket around her neck, feeling comfort from the worn metal despite the fact that her heart felt pretty heavy. "He's pretty busy as a lawyer and stuff."

A major understatement since they hadn't spoken in about 5 years by that point. Billie knew she should have just let Zoe know the truth, but honestly she was a little embarrassed with the fallout, and she didn't want to answer Zoe's almost certain thousands questions about the details behind the fallout. And that would mean telling her about the hookups. The last thing she wanted to do was talk about that. And quite frankly, she didn't want Zoe to start trying to fix them once again.

Billie knew very well that their relationship had fallen apart for good. It would take a lot more than Zoe's misguided meddling to heal the tears in their relationship, whatever it was now.

They lost contact over the years, though Billie never stopped wearing the locket and never stopped asking Brandon's mother how he was doing. She knew when he become a junior partner years ago, but she hadn't expected him to tell her, and he hadn't. Honestly, it was like high school all over again, where the only things she heard from him were through other people with whom he kept in touch.

"Oh. Well I would have thought you would tell him as soon as you got engaged." Zoe frowned. "Are you going to tell him soon?"

Billie smiled, hoping neither Zoe nor Adam could see the lie through it or the fact that she was sure it wasn't reaching her eyes.

"Of course! He's my best friend, isn't he?"

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"Did you ever actually tell him? You had to have told him otherwise you would still be with Aiden, right?"

"If only it were that simple."

"So you didn't tell him?"

"No, I never did tell him, Zoe. I couldn't find the courage." Billie bunched up the material of her hoodie in her fists. "Because I loved Aiden. But I loved Brandon too. And I knew telling Brandon I was engaged would cut all ties completely. And I was too scared to do that. I couldn't. Because part of me was clinging on to some hope that I'd get Brandon back."

"So what happened?"

"Eventually Brandon did find out from his mother. And he confronted me."

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