Seven Hours Of Ethereal

Chapter Fifteen

Now I know what all of his friends were telling me about. Zoe. We barely talked but I know what she was agitated about. Sometimes I even believed Brandon was more fickle than me. One day he wouldn't get his arm off me, the next he would act like we never even met. He would always ask me who I was texting, who was that guy I was talking to when he just opened the door for me, and give the death stare to any guy that even looked at me longer than three seconds. It was a nuisance, but I learned how to cope with his mannerisms. I knew that he just cared about me, and wanted me all to himself.

But, that didn't mean that I wasn't still going to see my best friends. One of which, happens to be a man. I didn't have time for jealousy, I thought it was petty, to me. But, he got jealous extremely easily. And, I made that clear to him. That was another thing, though. Sometimes, he didn't even listen.

It was a Friday night. He had taken me to a scary movie with his friends. Rachel and Ethan decided to tag along, and we went as a double-date. He drove me home, not saying a word. Would barely say anything to me after the movie. I spent the entire time not even paying attention to the movie, but what I did wrong that made him seem so distanced and angry with me.
      I still think about November 4th. Almost every single day, since it happened. The day we first kissed. Then, he walked away, as fast as he could, clearly wanting to be away from me. I couldn't catch up, he slammed the door in my face without saying a word. Confusion still takes over me - it was Brandon who told me to kiss him. So the next day I swallow my fears and just do it. Then, he stops talking to me. We high-fived our goodbyes... and now here we are. Just pretending like I wasn't emotionally scarred from all the damage he caused me. He had full control over my heart and my feelings and he knew it - he took advantage of it.
      "Why won't you talk to me?" I asked him as we were in the car.
      "What do you mean? I'm fine. Stop asking how I'm feeling." He kept his eyes on the road and clenched his jaw. I knew he was angry. He did too. He just had too much pride to show that he had some kindness.
     "No you're not. Maybe I actually care, for once. Have you ever thought about that? Whatever, just please take me home. I want to go home."
     "I need to get my guitar... I'm going to Ethan's house to practice. You're not going home quite yet."
     "Please... you can drop me off, if it isn't too much to ask?"
     "NO. It's out of the way, and I'm not wasting fuel on this car. It's already falling apart."
     "Don't be so dramatic.." I rolled my eyes as I looked out the window.
     "I'm dramatic? What about you when you told almost everyone you were in love with me a few months ago? Huh? What about that? You think I would have never found out?"
     "Please, you're probably flattered. That's why you did what you do best. You lured me in, got me hooked, and then ripped my heart out."
      I started to cry. He pulled in his driveway. He was swinging his keys around arrogantly.
      "Wow. You really aren't the person I thought you were."
     "And you weren't the person I thought YOU were!"
     "What do you mean, Lydia? I didn't change. The only change I've did is for the better! You're still sad about shit that I didn't even mean!"
      "Can you please get your head out of your ass for one minute and not be a narcissistic asshole? You did change. For the worse. The Brandon I met, with the hair in his face and the quiet shy eyes and the band shirt? The one who talked to me? Who didn't treat me like I'm a doormat ready to be walked on? I loved him. He made me more happy than I ever thought I would be. The one standing in front of me? With the blue jacket and the cut hair and the one that's crossing his arms because he thinks he has some sort of power over me? He won't leave me alone. He won't let my mind be. You told me to have some confidence. And I did. And now you don't want me to. So you can manipulate me. And you can control how I feel to get your way. I feel so trapped, Brandon, why are you doing this? I love you, but I know in my heart that the one I met left you completely... and now I'm scared. I'm weak. I'm lonely. I'm empty."
      I guess I was crying so loud, his sister walked out in her pajamas and her eyes were wide. She looked so much like Brandon it wasn't even funny. She was beautiful. Like him.
     "Katie, please...I won't be long." He said with a softer voice. "I just need to get my guitar."
She closed the door.
      "You're beautiful. I love you. You have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. When you put your arms around me and hold my hand I feel myself falling harder. I can't stop thinking about you. But I have to." Tears formed in my eyes. "I can't let you control me like this."

      The most frightening part is, he looked like he was about to smile.