Where The Dandelions Grow

08 - Icy Echo

"We?"

He nods. "Me and my friends I've known for a while."

I watch my step, making sure I don't fall flat on my face because of the rocks I can barely see. "You said 'used to'. Are you guys still friends?"

He nods. "Yeah, we are. And no, they are not the guys I was with at Happies. Those guys are from work, not friends."

I twist my lips, gripping my elbow as I think about the words that left their mouths that day. It fuels me with anger all over again, wanting to have done more than coward away to the bathroom like a helpless child.

My hand balls up, wishing it could be down one of their throats. A familiar spike of pain shoots up my arm. I wince and a soft sound leaves my lips. Damn it! I lift my hand to see the blood seeping through the crack of my fingers. It stings more each time I reopen the wounds on my palm. I can't say I want to stop doing it either, the pain stops whatever thoughts were once running through my head. Brandon, who's been talking this entire time without me realizing, stops and steps in front of me.

"What's wrong?" He says with a face filled with worry. His eyes read everything themselves and in a second he reaches for my hand and pry my fingers away from my palm. I yank my hand away and hold it in my other.

"I'm fine." I wipe the blood on my hand on my jeans, ignoring the pain from the rough fabric rubbing against the cuts.

There's just enough visibility to see his throat bob as he swallows hard. I look away from him wanting him to just keep on fucking walking. It's none of his business. I get it, he has a job, but he's not working right now. I'm not one of his suicide calls. Anymore. I look out at the thin trees surrounding us, the soft warm breeze cooling me off. It's nearly the end of May. Meaning my rent is due soon and I'm hoping I have even saved enough up by then. It stresses me out just thinking about it all. From afar a bush ruffle makes my eyes dart in its direction, a squirrel jumps out but soon bolts off when Brandon starts to talk.

"You once told me a few weeks ago that it doesn't hurt you when you do that." He starts to walk, thankfully. I was a little worried he might've pressed me about them and made me show him. Things people have usually done when they saw how bad they were. They're worse now. It's like when people bite their nails to the skin, peel the skin on the side of their thumbs, or bite the inside of their cheeks. Most of the time they do one of the three options and yet are so quick to judge when they see what I do.

Everyone has their battles; most people just choose not to acknowledge them.

I shrug. "Didn't want you thinking I was in any more harm than you already thought and send someone over."

"I wouldn't have, y'know. I didn't think you were in any real harm at all, actually." I roll my eyes and he turns his head to look at me. "What?" he questions.

"Anyone who calls 9-8-8 is harmed, that's the reason they called the number in the first place."

He shakes his head, "No... most of the time they call the number because they want to stop the harm from coming. Not because they're already harmed."

My face twitches as Hailey pops into my head. She never called. At least I don't think she did. She would've called me, right? I'm her best friend. No. I was her best friend.

"We're here." Brandon snaps me out of my thoughts as we approach a cabin-looking house. It's not the largest, but it's well-kept and not very spooky-looking like most cabins are. It has a Winter aura to it too. I smile downwardly and look at Brandon. A bright smile spreads across his face and it makes my heart thud to watch.

"This is really nice," I speak. "Your mom owns this?"

He nods, walking to the door and grabbing the key from underneath the doormat. "Yeah, I haven't been here in a while, sort-a have to break in since I don't have the key anymore, but it's my mom's, yeah."

When he opens the door and turns on the light, my jaw hits the floor and no, it isn't because I fell on it. This place is beautiful. Shock morphs my expression. Inside, a chandelier lights up the entire central room, couches made of leather, fluffy white rugs cover the floor, and paintings that look like they might belong in a museum decorate the wall.

"Brandon, this place..."

"It's nice, right?" I look around like he hasn't seen it before. "When I was a kid, we used to wreck this house so badly. I felt bad—I take that back; I didn't feel bad. Now, I do, it had so much potential. My mom told me she redesigned it, so I was meaning to check it out." He faces me, perfect eyebrow bones casting a slight shadow over his eyelids, just as flawless as his cheekbones. He was created with delicacy. He must've been. "And you just happen to be the person I wanted to see it with."

My lips press down into a thin small smile. A curl falls over my face, I push it behind my ear and clear my throat, ignoring the ticklish feeling running down the back of my neck.

Brandon walks up to me, his eyes locked onto mine, and reaches for my hand. "What are you doing?" I ask, defensively.

He laughs, "Relax, I'm just taking your hand." His hand pauses. "Can I?"

My brows furrow and I nod once, "Yeah, whatever. Don't have to ask."

He smirks and shakes his head. "Icy Echo."

I'm too busy staring at his hand wrapping around mine to pay attention to his words. His hands are big, fingers soft and well kept, too. Strange for a guy. Each vein in my body feels like they're getting drained slowly as his hand tightens around mine like a warm blanket at night. It's hard to swallow.

I want my hand back, I lied, I should've said no. I don't like the way it makes my body—

He tugs me. "Are you coming?"

I look at him. "Hm?"

He chuckles. "You tired or something? It's barely six p.m."

I shake my head. "No, I'm just trying to figure out why you brought me here."

"We'll you'd know if you kept your head in the room." He brings me to the backyard where I'm met with a cozy-looking lounging area, a pool in the center of it all. Tanning chairs sit surrounding the pool on one side, and a small bar sits on another. It's a small area, but it's still amazing.

I let go of Brandon's hand and I catch him looking down at mine, then at me, blinking hard once. I fold my arms and walk around. I could've sworn he frowned. God, I'm delusional.

"Like it?" He asks.

I nod. "It's great."

He slips both hands into his pocket and tilts his head, pacing slowly. "You don't seem too impressed."

"Depends, are you trying to impress me?" I give him a look and he scratches the back of his head.

"Nah," He answers. "No... just wondering what your thoughts are. Give me a rating of one out of one hundred, go."

"I give it a...eighty."

"Eighty?!" He scoffs, taking off his shoes and placing them off to the side on one of the tanning chairs. "Where'd the other twenty percent go?"

"For one, I don't swim, so most pools don't get a big reaction from me. And two..." I don't have a second reason, so I quickly make one up. "There could be more flowers around here or something."

I turn my back to him, seeing the backyard in full, leaving only his voice to locate where he is behind me. "Yeah? What sort of flowers do you think should be added?"

I spin as I say the word, "Dandelions." The word barely comes out in full as my voice cuts up at the sight of Brandon in swim shorts.

And nothing else.

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[Authors Notes]

Hey guys! Cliff hanger???

Hope you're all well and excited for more chapters, I've been having a great time writing Echos story.

What's your favorite flower?

Don't forget to vote!
Kayla