Spinning myself from side to side I make sure not to spin all the way around so I can keep my eyes on Brylan. I'm sitting at her desk chair whilst she's seated on her bed with her sister. She's braiding her hair into cornrows and she's really good at it actually.
I recently started coming around when her family was over and they've gotten used to me I hope. Her dad certainly likes me because he assumes I'm just the male version of Katie. Which is completely off but I chose not to tell him that. I wonder if his opinion would change if he knew we where dating. Brylan said he would quite literally ban me from the house. I trust her word so I haven't said anything.
'It's been days now Brylan.' I hum but she just gives me a side eye. She know what I'm referring too.
'Not now Damon. My sister is here.' That's what she's trying to say through her eyes but I've lost patience. She always changed the conversation whenever I bring up what happened with Ivers.
I fucking hate him.
My biggest worry is that he's not planning on leaving home for University. Meaning he'll be here and if he finds out that I'm not staying he might do something out of spite. I fucked him over during an important game, if someone did that to me I wouldn't forgive them and I know he won't either.
Suddenly feeling a wave of regret I should've listened to her and not done anything. Though it pissed me off how he could go about life like nothing happened, I'll admit that I may have only made things worse. I refocused his attention to her when he had almost forgotten.
'Did you decide on a school yet?' She asks me as she repositions her younger sister.
'Doesn't he go to your school?' She seems confused but I shake my head.
'I'm graduating this year,' I answer her question. 'I'm over with highschool,'
'Older guys are more mature. Good choice,' she nods as she looks over to Brylan.
Neither of us have directly told her that we where dating but I don't think we need to. I assume she's got it by now though we've never been apparent around her. From what I've been told Brylan's family is incredibly strict on her so I don't want to make anything worse or get banned from seeing her.
'You're my number one supporter Sasha, but no we're just friends,' I form a heart with my fingers which makes her smile. 'How's your little crush going?'
'She's not talking to him because he sucks.' Brylan picks at the beads until she finds the colour she wants so she can put it in on the ends of her sisters hair. 'We don't talk to him anymore,'
'Yeah,' she trails off.
'Why so?' I ask but they both give each other a look when I ask which makes me frown. I'm not sure if I said something wrong.
'You wouldn't get it,' Brylan shakes her head before tapping her sisters shoulders. 'I'm done, your hair is so long now actually. Took me more time than it did last time,'
Hopping up, she comes up to me to fist bump me before giving Brylan a hug to thank her. Usually I'm not a fan of kids older than six since they tend to have their mind made up by then. I can't just give them an iPad or cradle them and call it a day. They require genuine conversations which is why I never really liked kids. What do you even talk about to them? You'd need to filter everything you say.
'Your sister is so sweet,' I look back at Brylan but she just laughs as she reorganizes her beads, picking each one off her bedsheets.
'That's because she thinks your the hottest person she's ever seen.' She's honest.
'Is that a genetic assumption or-,' I raise my eyebrows but she throws a bead at me which only makes me laugh.
Continuing to pick up the rest of her beads and hair accessories she gets off the bed so I decide to help by picking up the one she threw at me. Standing behind her I hold my hand out so she can take it but instead she opens the box for me to put it in. Purposely putting it with the wrong color she sarcastically punches me before moving it back to its correct compartment.
'What school are you planning to go to?' She turns around so she's looking up at me. I don't make an attempt to move away so that there's more space between us.
'I specifically want to study econometrics since I think I'd be good at being a risk analyst since I've been doing that in game for years on court. It's just my backup of basketball doesn't work out.' I hum as if being the captain wasn't incredibly stressful on me. 'I had to make decisions without having much time to think on them so at least I'll study something I'm good at- and I'm alright at math too so the university wasn't slow at looking into my request.'
'You're not 'alright' at math, you where always really good.' She reassures me but I know it's true. I never really payed attention or gave shit in class but I still needed to focus or I'd lose my spot on the team.
Math was one of the very few subjects that I could pass without any effort. I never found it difficult, if anything it wasn't hard at all. The majority of it is just numbered patterns and thinking into things in a way it doesn't assume you would. It was easy, I did it everyday at training.
'Where specifically do you want to go?' She asks again. 'Did you hear from the schools you wanted to go to?'
It hits me that I subconsciously avoided her question. I still haven't told her about the acceptance letters.
'Uh yes actually. University of Florida, UCLA, Berkeley and Duke all got back to me.' I clear my throat, I should've told her sooner. 'I want to go to UCLA though since I feel like I'd fit in with the types of people there- also they gave me the highest scholarship, seventy five percent.'
'Holy shit!' She covers her mouth. 'Wait that's really fucking good? What!'
Cupping my face she smiles at me and god is it fucking contagious. 'Why didn't you tell me before?'
'Well...a lot of reasons mainly because UCLA is in Los Angeles.' I gently move her hands from my face. 'Thirty one hour drive.'
'Oh.' She frowns. 'Well...I made that promise remember? If you got into the schools-,'
'Don't stress it, I don't care.' I lie. 'It's fine.'
'But-,'
'Hush,' I laugh.
In all honesty I had already mentally prepared the fact that I won't be near anyone. Everyone is disappearing slowly and it's been getting to me lately. Though I don't express it, it worries me.
'Thirty hours is a little far.' She bites the inside of her cheek.
'It's fine.' I force a smile before jokingly face palming her face. 'Summer just started so there's no point in being sad about something that's only relevant in a couple months...I'll still be here for a while.'
Turning away from her I walk over to her bed before dropping onto it. Laying flat on my back in an attempt to not look at her she follows. I'm really going to miss hanging out with her like this.
'Let's go to that beach.' She breaks the silence.
Confused on what she's talking about I pause before turning to look at her when I remember. My original idea to win her over was to take her to the fireflies beach. I knew she liked them but I ended up getting grounded so I couldn't go. Not that she would've gone at the time since she quite literally hated me.
'I thought you didn't want to go?'
'I didn't want to go because I was thinking about Katie. It genuinely seemed like a good way to spend time, though I didn't admit it,' she hums. 'I want to spend as much time as I can with you...I love being around you,'
Sitting up I look down at her. 'You love being around me?'
'Yes I do. You're funny,' she reaches up to gently knuckle my forehead. 'Maybe it is genetic...the attraction thingy you mentioned before, it's simply my DNA to be attracted to you because you're probably one of the more attractive people I've met,'
'I'm obsessed with you.' I lean in but instead of kissing her I go to hug her. Surprising her I wrap my hands around her before pulling her into my lap so I can rest my face on her chest.
She makes me so happy it physically hurts sometimes. I'm just upset it took me this long to see that in her.
'I can't tell if you're trying to be cute or you want to feel my boobs.' She rests her chin on my head as she plays with my hair.
'A little bit of both,' my voice comes out muffled.
'Well, I love you Damon.' She kisses to top of my head before running her fingers through my hair.
'I love you too.'