Breaking the Code

Chapter 1 - Jessie

I sat on the edge of the couch stunned.  Looking off into the distance I listened as Cole continued on about the new girl he was seeing and why he hadn't told me earlier.  It had been a long night and I was exhausted and tired of hearing him talk, of hearing his apologies and excuses.  Enough was enough, I stood up from where I had been sitting and put my jacket on, the makeup I was wearing, no doubt, was smudged from all the crying.  After a year of fighting with my brother Brandon to allow us to be together, our relationship was over, before it had even started, just like that.  No doubt Brandon would be happy, he'd always hated Cole, but there was no chance I was going to go home and cry on his shoulder, I knew he would kill him and that he would say the typical brother response of I told you so.  Opening the front door I walked down the front walkway, turning around once as I heard  Cole clear his throat behind me, "I'll give you a ride home Jessie",  I just ignored Coles offer and continued to walk towards the road.  Cole was a free man and me well I was heartbroken.  I  couldn't get away fast enough.

"Well how did it go? Was it all you thought it would be?", Natalie giggled into the phone.  Natalie was my best friend and had been helping me plan the night I would give my virginity to Cole.  I planned it for the eve of our one year anniversary, little did I know he would have other plans. 

"Oh Nat!", I cried into the phone, "he told me he's been seeing someone else for the last 5 months, I am never dating another man again."  I cried into the phone as tears streamed down my face.  My eyes and throat hurt, and I could barely breathe.

"Where are you?  You want me to come pick you up?"

"No Nat, I just want to be alone, I'm almost home now."  Hanging up the phone after a couple more minutes I felt her phone vibrate.  A message was waiting from Brandon asking that I text him when I woke up,  he'd left for work early that morning and was worried because he didn't hear me come in last night.  Shoving my phone in my pocket I made my way home. 

I'm not going to lie I felt relieved as I walked up the walkway to the front door knowing that Brandon wouldn't be home.  I didn't want to have to explain why I looked the way I did, like death warmed over I am sure.  After our parents had died in a horrific accident three years ago he had become my protector, it was great until he almost beat a guy to death for spreading a rumor about me.  I just didn't want a repeat of that event.   Taking my shoes off, I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and headed to my room.  Quickly changing into a t-shirt and shorts I crawled into bed, and wrapped myself up in a blanket where I cried myself to sleep. 

I'd spent most of the day in bed, moping around and listening to music that would make anyone cry. I ignored all texts and phone calls from Natalie, I just couldn't be bothered with anyone, I just wanted to mope.   Around 7 I heard the front door open and a bunch of male voices talking and laughing.  Brandon had taken over our fathers construction company and usually on Fridays he brought the guys back to the house for dinner and beers.   Great he's brought home the work boys I said to myself.  In no way was I in any mood to entertain a bunch of his friends, so I threw the covers back over my head praying they'd go out instead of hang around. 

"Jess?  Jessie?"  Brandon yelled from the end of the hall.  "You home?"

I rolled my eyes, and got up out of bed, "Yes I am here what do you want?" I was more than annoyed.

"Can you come out and help me with dinner, the guys are here and we are starving!  I need to shower"

I looked around my room, I was happy hiding away from anything with a penis.  I went over to my mirror and checked my face out, my eyes were bloodshot and puffy from all the crying, my hair was a mess, I was a wreck!  "Yeah sure!", I yelled, "be right out".  I quickly brushed my hair and put some makeup on trying to hide the puffiness, and I quickly dropped Visine in my eyes to take out the redness.  I grabbed a pair of my favorite denim cut offs and black tank top.  At least I was presentable, not great, but presentable.  Brandon always hated it if I went overboard on how I looked around the guys, they were his co-workers and his best friends.  Most of the time I would parade around in some cute outfit just to piss him off, but today I didn't have the energy.  Giving myself one more check in the mirror I headed out to the kitchen to start getting food ready. 

In the kitchen I was watching the guys from the window,  they all sat around the pool, shirtless, drinking beer and talking about their latest conquests.  I just rolled my eyes listening to Marc, Ryan, Brent and Pete,  I really didn't think I'd be able to handle a night of listening to them talk about what or who they were sleeping with now when Brandon came into the kitchen.  "Prep a couple more burgers, we have a new guy coming by tonight, he's been working with us for about a month and a half now, so I thought I would invite him by", at that moment the doorbell rang, "speak of the devil,  Brandon said and left me to answer the door. 

"Jessie, I want you to meet Brett" I heard Brandon say from behind me.  I put the burger down I had just removed from the box and turned.  There standing before me was the most gorgeous guy I had ever seen.  His dark black hair was cut short, his blue eyes stood out from his dark tanned skin. His lips were slightly parted, showing his perfectly straight white teeth.   He had a broad shoulders and I could see the muscles of his chest rippling under his tight t-shirt.  He held his hand out to me, his bicep bulging under the sleeve of his white t-shirt, and smiled, "Jessie, its so nice to meet you", he said taking my hand in his.  His hand so large and strong it engulfed my hand.  I didn't know what to do, I stood there gaping at him afraid to move. 

"Jessie, Jessie! What is the matter with you?"  I heard Brandon ask finally bringing me back to the kitchen, "Brett is talking to you, you nerd"  Brandon started laughing, "Come on Brett, the guys are out back, grab a beer from the cooler on your way out."  Brandon said as he led the way into the backyard, Brett didn't take his eyes from me as he slowly lowered my hand and followed Brandon out the patio door to the back yard. 

I stopped what I was doing and ran to my room and grabbed my phone to text Natalie.  Oh my god, you should see what the heavens just dumped in my kitchen!  My hands were shaking as I typed the words, this guy was HOT!  I quickly looked at myself in the mirror, I needed to change, I looked awful.  Quickly changing into my pink bikini I checked myself over, luckily I just had my bikini line waxed for that loser Cole the night before, I re-adjusted my boobs so that they carefully spilled over the cups and then I threw on my favorite pair of white shorts.  Taking one last look in the mirror, I quickly checked my phone for a response from Nat, seeing none I left my room to go hang with the guys, maybe the night wouldn't be so bad after all.