down in hollywood // braeden lemasters

fourteen : confrontation

Laughing at the photo you just posted, Braeden starts to walk you back to your apartment. The golden rays of the setting sun shine upon his smooth features & emphasise his wide grin.

You feel your heart stop as you think back to the moment he said those words. His eyes deeply on yours as he whispers in his low, soulful voice before turning back to the screen casually. You hadn't been able to focus on the film, your mind replaying the memory over and over, trying to figure out a meaning.

"Hey." You lift your head back up from your phone, pushing your thoughts to the back of your brain, "I think we should talk about the last day we saw each other..."

Your chest feels heavy with dread as your face automatically becomes cold & serious, but deep down you know it's for the best.

"So do i." You nod your head in reply & awkwardly look to the grass underneath you.

The cheerful birds chirp around you in the trees, reminding you of your strength & happiness when you are with him. 'This moment was inevitable & it will be better for both of you in the long run.' You think to yourself.

Braeden sighs beside you, his hands deep in his pockets & shrugs his shoulders as he looks up to the warm blue sky. He composes himself before he starts.

"When you left, Y/N, without saying a word..." you hold your breath, "it really messed me up."

"I couldn't sleep, i couldn't leave my room. I couldn't even touch my guitar." You exhale, guilt creeping up your insides, "Then, one day when Cole & Dylan came to attempt to console me, they showed a video that had been going around."

Of course, the damn video. The guilt inside you is abruptly replaced by anger. Every single thing that you cruelly thought over the last four years seems to be stuck in your throat, anticipating their release.

"Yes, it was me, but it's not what you think."

"Then what should i think Braeden?!" You suddenly stop in your tracks, feeling out of control, "Because it's pretty clear in that video you knew what you were doing & what your intentions were!"

He strides up to you & comes close to your face, noses almost touching & lips inches away from each other. "I can't believe you would even consider the possibility that i would hurt you on purpose! After everything we've been through together..."

"Remember Spencer Dashner, the film student?" He takes a couple of steps back & stretches his arms out to his sides. "It was for his final class project."

You stare at Braeden, his watery eyes searching your face for a reaction. When he is just answered with a confused & dumbfounded expression, he continues.

"While you were out with your new rebel boyfriend, I played the jealous ex boyfriend in Spencer's short film since i had to fill my empty time without you." He drops his arms to his sign & looks down, seemingly feeling embarrassed he just told you that. "The climax was at prom & i just can't believe that five seconds caused me to lose you for so long-"

Without thinking, you feel your legs run to him & wrap your arms around his neck tightly. After processing what was happening, Braeden brings his arms around your waist and buries his face into the base of your neck.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N." The apology muffled by your skin, his warm breath sending shivers down your spine.

Your hand reaches for his hair & your fingers softly go through his locks. "It's okay, i forgive you." You whisper back to him.

After lingering for a moment, you pull away from the embrace. "Maybe what happened was good, i was getting bored of you anyways." You wink at him.

An appreciative smile appears on his face as you turn in your heel & slowly walk away. After the longest time, you finally feel satisfied with yourself. Braeden catches up to you & bumps your shoulder with his. 'He certainly seems to be back to normal' you think to yourself & he continues his entertaining baseball story from before, every detail exaggerated with his charm.

When you enter the elevator in your apartment building, you both fall silent, the two of you full of contempt as you sway to the jazz music making its way out of the speakers above you. You let your head fall back onto the cold metal wall behind you.

"Do you really believe that everything happens for a reason?" You ask into the air around you.

"I want to," You turn your head to watch Braeden wonder about your question, "Maybe i just hope that i find a meaning out of all the dullness in our lives."

Ding! The elevator comes to a halt & the door opens in front of you.

You make your way to the doorway of the elevator. "That makes sense, cause nothing really happens at all."

Braeden comes to your side as you start walking down the hallway, all of a sudden back to your humorous conversations about everything & nothing.

"Y/N!"

You look up to see where the call of your name had come from. "Jackson? What are you doing here?"

Leaning against your door, you see the man you had been seeing, holding a bouquet of roses in his hand. His soft face creases as he notices Braeden's presence & the roses drop to his side as he makes his way over to you.

"So who's this guy?" He points accusingly at your friend, holding his eye contact with you.

Braeden lowers Jackson's finger away from his face & steps towards him. "You need to calm down, dude, i just took Y/N to the movies."

Jackson snatches his hand away from Braeden's grasp & his expression eases as he realises who he's talking to.

"So you're the old friend from the band. Too bad your manners aren't as good as your skills."

You watch as Braeden's face turns from relaxed to enraged in a couple of seconds. "Now listen-"

"Braeden," you cut him off, "please just leave."

He turns to you, his expression confused & hurt, then walks away behind you. You hear him slam on the elevator button & leave as it arrives.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N. I shouldn't of come here unannounced, i just wanted to surprise you." Jackson looks down at you, pleading for forgiveness.

"Don't worry about it, it's sweet." You give him a warm smile, "But you can't talk to my friends like that."

"I know, you're right." Jackson scratches the back of his head with his free hand, "I will apologise, my mind just immediately went to the worst place. We haven't been seeing each other for long."

"I totally understand. I do really like you, Jackson."

He smiles back at you & gestures the bouquet.

"I really like you too."