Not Now

Part 8

Stevie's POV

~

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Brandon asks. 

We're in his car, on the way to his place. I've had a few drinks already, so I left my car and jumped in his. I don't know, what I'm expecting from this sleepover, why am I even going with Brandon. Nothing. No, I'm not expecting anything. He's just being friendly and I need a friend right now.

"It's Lindsey." I reject his call. "I don't want to talk to him. I've sent him a text that I'm fine and he shouldn't wait up for me."

"Well, but have you told him, where you're going to spend the night?"

I just shake my head. Brandon doesn't say anything either as he concentrates on the road. If Lindsey knew, he'd go insane. This is not acceptable and I suppose, it really isn't, but I simply can't face him right now. I'm not even sure as to why, it's just how I feel at the moment. He and I both need some time to think things over. 

Brandon let's me know that we've arrived and I get out of the car, then follow him into the apartment building. We approach his door without a single exchange of words. He turns the key and let's me through first. I wouldn't say that I'm drunk, but I am a bit tipsy. I haven't quite realized, how huge of a disaster this could turn out to be yet.

"I'll take the couch." Brandon says. "You can sleep in my bed."

"No, I couldn't. The couch is just fine." I half smile and he disagrees, insisting that I take his bed.

"Can I get you anything?"

"Another drink maybe?" I ask. "Join me, please?" Drinking alone makes me feel like an alcoholic. 

"I, uh... sure." Brandon shrugs and he doesn't even have to ask me my preference. Moments later, I'm holding a whiskey sour. "I've imagined your apartment differently."

"Oh yeah? How?"

"I don't know. Messier?" 

Brandon laughs, shaking his head. "I had a very strict mother growing up, everything had to be in its place. I guess, it stayed with me."

"I see, you've got quite a record collection." I notice and I'm interested in what he listens to. Somehow, we've never talked about music. "What's your most prized possession?"

"Um..." Brandon thinks for a second. "I'd have to say, the whole Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers collection."

"Shut up!" I exclaim, slapping his arm, which makes him chuckle. "He's my favorite. Oh my God! If I had been alive in the 70's, I would have been a Tom Petty groupie."

"Seriously? Wow, I had no idea, you have a thing for him." 

We dive into a full on conversation about my favorite artist ever, which last for at least an hour. No kidding. I'm on my second drink, when we decide to change the topic. We talk about all sorts of things, from our childhood to our high school years, to eventually deciding to move to Los Angeles. I don't even realize that Lindsey has stopped calling.

"Man, it's getting late." Brandon yawns, checking the time on his phone. "I think, we should go to bed."

"Really? Or are you just tired of me?" I tease and he shakes his head.

"Never." I can tell that his answer is sincere and it makes me smile. "I'll go change the sheets."

"Come on, you don't have to do that." I say, but he gets up anyway and so do I. "No, Brandon, seriously."

"Of course, I have to."

"No, you don't." I shake my head, grabbing him by the hand. "It's okay." 

Somehow, our fingers become entwined together and we've drifted closer to each other. Brandon looks like a deer, caught in the headlights. There are probably things that he wants to do, but he won't, I know that. I shouldn't either, but... I bring my hand up to his face and gently brush my thumb over his cheek, he swallows uneasily. The pad of my thumb now runs across his bottom lip. I stand on my tiptoes and reach up to softly kiss him. Still, he's unsure of how to react, but slowly, timidly his arm wraps around my waist and pulls me closer against him. 

After a moment that lasted way to short, Brandon breaks us apart and takes a step back. "No. No, I can't, Stevie."

"What's the matter?" I ask, creasing my eyebrows. I thought he liked me.

"I can't believe I'm doing this, but I'm not going to take advantage. My God, do I want you, but... you don't want this. You don't, Stevie." He says, shaking his head. "You're just having a moment of weakness, but if anything were to happen, we both know that you would regret it in the morning." I can't respond, I'm too worried about having lost him as a friend. I should have never done that. Brandon smiles weakly and squeezes my hand. "We're okay. Let's just forget about it." He says, letting go of me. "I'm... I'm going to change those sheets."