Billie and Brandon: It requires time

12

"Billie" Aiden said, trying to call her attention.

She sat on their kitchen stool, her hand wrapped around the silver of her locket, staring out the window at the rain, completely lost in her own thoughts. Her mind was jumbled, consumed by her impromptu meeting with Brandon. Consumed by the longing looks he'd kept giving her the entire time at his welcome party. Consumed by the fact that he lived only a few blocks from her, near his firm and anytime she wanted to, she could easily go visit his new place and catch up as old friends.

But she knew damn well what going to his place would mean. And what would happen if she even dared step foot through his door. She knew he was waiting for her. But she wasn't sure if she wanted to go back.

She was scared.

"Billie. Can you please answer me for once?" Aiden walked around the kitchen island, beside Billie, a frown on his face. "I've been trying to get your attention for the past few minutes. And it's not just today. You've been acting distant ever since I went on that business trip to Portland a while ago. And I'm not trying to be one of those annoying horny guys, but honestly, we haven't had sex since you went to your high school reunion. Every time I want to spend time with you, you're never in the mood. I came back from Portland and thought you would want to make up for lost time, but instead..."

Billie turned to him with an annoyed raised brow. "I just have a lot on my plate right now."

"Well do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really" Billie changed the subject. "Anyway, what were trying to get my attention about?"

He sighed in exasperation. "That silver locket I bought you last week. What happened to it?"

"Oh. I returned it. I don't need it"

"But that one you've been wearing since I met you is old and rusted and all the diamonds have fallen off. Don't you think it's time to replace it?"

"So what if it's old?" Billie said, averting her gaze, feeling guilty. "I don't want a new one"

"So I was right to assume in my mind that the locket is what's important, not what's inside." Aiden growled.

"That's because my best friend gave it to me. And there's nothing inside but a picture of me and my best friend."

"You know what? I've had it with your aversions and lies. I put up with this secret locket for years and waited to see if you'd ever be honest with me, but you're still trying to hide something!" Aiden's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "You keep telling me it's from your 'best friend' every single time I ask you about the locket! I've seen Zoe, you know? She's been over for dinner multiple times now. So why is she not in the locket? Who is that boy in your locket?"

Billie snapped her gaze to his angrily. "You fucking looked in my locket? How dare you! I told you it was my personal business!"

"Cut the bullshit, Billie! You don't have a right to act indigent when you've been lying to me the whole time. Who the hell is the guy in the locket, and why did you hide what was inside from me?"

Billie didn't say a word, her fists clenched as she glowered at Aiden.

He scoffed in disgust, running a hand through his hair. "Can I even trust you anymore?"

"Yes! How could you say that?"

"Because you've been keeping secrets the whole time and acting distant! We were fine before your reunion. But now it's like you can't stand to look at me or something. Is it wrong for me to think you're sneaking around with someone else behind my back?"