Brandon's POV
I don't know if I'm doing the right thing for her or if I'm doing the worst thing for both of us.
It's been a few days since Echo turned down my offer to see a therapist. I wasn't sure how it would go with her, but I can't really say I expected it to go easy. It's hard to open yourself up like that to someone you know, especially for someone like Echo. It took her months to get her where she is with me and I'm hoping I didn't risk any of that trust with her.
I can't help but think that our relationship is not the healthiest.
She depends entirely on me. Her happiest, her home, heart. I have it all in my hands and it's put more pressure on me than anything in the world.
I adore her more than life but with her current state, I fear she's one step away from shattering the happy bubble she's in.
For now, I'll let it be until I figure out the best way to go about it.
I answer Cole's call as I step out my bathroom. "What's up."
"Dude, there's this party later this week Ian and I are going to and a bunch of college people. It's costumed themed."
"Christmas is a month away."
"Yeahhhh, whatever. You coming or not there's gonna be hot chicks. You haven't gone out with us since you been here, get out your house, bro. It's an inside party too, so don't worry about the cold."
"Before you say anything else that would make me want to hang up on you, I have a girlfriend."
He gasps. "Oh shit, really? Echo? Now you both have to come so we can meet her!"
I only sigh, "I'll think about it." I'm not sure how Echo would feel about going to a party like that.
We end it off on that just as Echo walks into my bedroom. Her curls are braided in two braids down her head, the ends falling past her shoulders. As usual she's wearing my shirt to sleep and my pajamas frow cold it's been lately.
He looks at me curiously as she silently walks towards me laying on the bed. "Who was that?"
"My friend, Cole." She lays beside me, and I wrap one arm around her, giving her a quick peck on the lips. "He's going to a party, and he invited us."
He perks up. "Really?"
I nod. "Yeah, it's costume themed."
He grins. "Cool, so when are we going?"
I stumble on my words. "You... You want to go?"
She laughs. "Yeah, of course I want to go, it sounds like fun."
I smile at her. "Okay... Then we're going."
***
When I say I wish I never agreed to this, I mean it.
Echo is, oddly enough, excited about this party especially since she got to choose our outfits. She looks beautiful, her curls died with wax the shade of clouds to match the character, Storm. She wears a costume body suit with fishnet stockings to go with it. I don't think I could keep my pants from filling up for longer than a minute while she got dress in front of me. I'm still thinking about how she felt wrapped around me right before we left. I wish I could've stayed there the entire night. My gut tightens as I think about the way she calls my name when I'm buried inside her.
"Brandon?" Echo snaps me out of my head. I look at her beautiful self.
Me on the other hand is dressed up like a God. A knock off God.
And I mean a literal Greek God.
"I feel silly," I tell Echo.
A white dress thing covers my body, Echo fixes the golden crown on my head of hair and slides her hand down my chest where the costume doesn't cover.
"You look amazing," she emphasizes. Of course, she thinks so, she picked the outfit out. "Has anyone else told you how much of a Greek God you look like?"
I shrug. "No."
"Well, you do, and you look really hot."
My cheeks turn the temperature of the sun and I awkwardly dart my eyes away from her.
She tilts her head. "Are you... blushing?"
"No." My cheeks burn stronger.
She smiles. "Cute."
***
The party is not far from where I live, which is great considering I'm not planning on staying here for long.
I'll let Echo experience a little party fun and meet my guys and then I'll take us home. Simple.
The condo the party is thrown at is amazing, though. Someone has daddy's money on hand clearly.
"Woah," Echo lets out as we walk into the front door of the house. Music blasts so loud, the floor vibrates. People, faces hidden with masks and different costumes fill the rooms and hallways. Shouting, laughing, dancing all occurring as we step inside.
I glance at Echo and she's looking around timidly. Then I grab her hand as I attempt to search for Cole and Ian.
I ignore all the glances at my chest and body and the flirtatious looks from the girls as I pass by. What do they think will happen after I see their looks? That'll I'll desert my girlfriend to go fuck one of them? Absolutely not.
None of them have anything on her.
I look over at Echo, but it doesn't seem like she notices what I do. Good, I don't want her overthinking anything.
"Yo, Ash!" Cole bumps my shoulder dressed as... What the fuck is he dressed as? He turns to Echo and shakes her hand exchanging names.
"What are you?" I shout over the music. He looks like he's wearing a marshmallow with two straps over his bare chest.
He scoffs, offended. "You can't be serious. I'm Toad! From Mario? You know?"
"You missed," I chuckled.
He pushes my shoulder. "Fuck you, you.... you..." He looks me head to toe for an insult. "Handsome mother fucker, dammit!"
I shake my head but Echo laughs. Ian walks up to us with a red solo cup filled with God knows who and hands his arm around my neck. "What's uppp—" He spots my hand clinging onto Echo and grins.
"I'm Ian!" He shouts and slurs.
"Echo," She smiles and shakes his hand too.
"You're pretty!"
I interject, "Thanks, but I she already hears it from me."
His brows furrow. "Okay, hot shot. Slow your balls down."
Ian gets called over somewhere and Cole offers to us alcoholic drinks, forgetting we don't drink and never will drink.
"Who's house?" I ask him.
"Some chicks house, her mom's out of town for the weekend for some work so she threw a party. I have no idea who she is, but here we are," he chuckles loudly.
I sit with Echo where the guys are sitting in a living room area along with other randoms dressed in costumes.
"This is Echo and Brandon, they're cool!" Ian shouts at the group.
A girl dressed as a firefighter and has curls like my girl's, waves at Echo. "I like your outfit!"
Echo face lights up with a smile. "Thanks! I like yours, too." The girl scurries to sit beside Echo and they begin to chat exchanging laughs and even numbers. I think I hear her name is Raven.
After half an hour later, me talking with Ian and Cole and Echo making good friends with Raven, I stand up.
Echo grabs my fingers. "Where are you going?"
I bend down and speak in her ear. "I'm going to get us some water. Want to come?"
She shakes her head. "I'll be here with Raven. Thanks." I give her a quick kiss and go off to find the kitchen in this place. I find the kitchen and grab two cups and fill them up with tap water, not trusting any of the premade drinks even if they claim to be water.
"Ca-can I get your num-mber?" I glance at the random drunk girl speaking to me and walk past her.
"Fuck off." I mutter loud enough for her to hear before leaving the kitchen.
My eyes grazing the dozens of heads in the house, I glace at a familiar looking girl with a blonde ponytail going up the stairs.
I drop the cups in my hand.
My throat tightens, people around me annoyed at the water on the floor, but I'm already gone, striding to the stairs, following the girl.
"Hey!" I call out.
I get to the top, but she doesn't stop. Upstairs is quiet with just her and I. I pull her hand and she spins around.
Echo's half sister stares back at me.
"What do you want from me? I don't want any problems, okay?"
"What are you doing here?" I ask, pissed off solely from her face. She doesn't look like seeing me was a surprise, she must've known we were here.
"I live here!"
My brows furrow. "This is your house?"
"My mom's house., but yes."
Echo's moms house. She's in it and has no idea.
I spin slowly around, rubbing my hands odwn my face, "Shit," I hiss at myself. "How do you know all these people?"
"I don't. I'm a freshman in college and new to the city so I invited a bunch of kids from my class and—well, you know how it goes; people invite people."
"Your sister is here," I glare at her.
"I know, I saw her sitting down in my living room. Does she know?"
I shake my head. "It's going to kill her."
"I know she hates me. I know she wants nothing to do with my mom or me. I thought maybe I was doing the right thing to find her, but I was wrong."
"Do you know much pain you've caused her showing up at her job to tell her she was abandoned for twenty-one years?"
"I know, okay!" She starts to cry. "I should've listened. Can you just... keep this a secret? That you ever seen me? That this house is some random person house. Please don't tell her."
I shake my head. "This is a random person house weather she knows or not. You can't ask me to keep something like this from my girlfriend."
If I were in Echo's position, I would want her to tell me the truth.
"Do you love her?"
I stiffen. Echo and I don't say we love each other yet. I always assumed she would say it when she was ready. But me? I've always had those feelings. Feelings I couldn't explain when Echo was simply walking around the bar. Feeling tugging at my heart when she would smile so rarely at me. I felt accomplished of something every time I made her laugh. God, her laugh. It's the sweetest thing I've ever heard in my life. It makes my chest tighten and my head light when I hear it. Some people need drugs to make them feel that way. Me? All I need is her.
"Do you?" She repeats.
I nod. "Yes, of course."
"Well, then do the right thing for her. You don't have to hurt her more than she already hurts by telling her about the house and this party. She doesn't have to know."
I swallow. "Be more careful about the parties you throw and who's invited. next time it's on you."
I storm down the stairs with my head spinning and the air becoming difficult to inhale. We need to leave.
Turning the corner, I bump into someone. "Sor—"
"Brandon!" It's Echo, holding a cup in her hand with most likely water in it. She's smiling so brightly, but it fades when she tilts her head and looks behind her. I follow her gaze to her sister, coming down the stairs I just left, but she looks different. She's wearing a bunny mask, her hood pulled up. Echo doesn't recognize her. Instead, she looks back at me. "Where did you go?" Her voice sounds so innocent.
"The bathroom," I lie, my gut twisting. "Sorry I took so long, I—uh, I'm not feeling well." I should just tell her. No, it'll make her feel awful. That happy bubble she's been in for the past few months will be done in an instant.
She twists her lips. "Who's that girl that came down after you?"
I shrug and take her hand. "Not sure, I don't remember seeing anyone up there. Must've been in another room. Are you ready to go? I think I might throw up."
"Yeah. Yeah, of course." She follows me out, but not before waving goodbye at Raven.
"Booo!" Raven shouts at me. "Bye, Echo!"
When we get to the car, I don't drive off immediately. I close my eyes and take a few long breaths.
"Did you eat something? Do I need to get you to a hospital? I'll call right now if you want."
I shake my head. "Just an upset stomach, is all." I start the car and clean my throat.
I hope this doesn't back fire on me. It's for her.
Everything I plan to do is for her.