Dedicated to @17serenity bc she made me the beautiful cover on the side and eeek, it is just too perfect!!
The song to the side is Life Happens by Brandon and Leah which is one of my new fav songs right now!
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
-Scarlett-
There was an old, homeless man near where I had parked. He was huddled into a corner, clutching a blanket as if it were his lifeline. Even from far away, you could see the tremors rocking his body as the cold wind whipped around him.
I looked away.
Sighing, I turned my car off and stepped outside while pulling my coat tighter to my body.
After much debating, I finally had decided to come to my mother’s office. She was working late once again but I didn’t know what to do. I had to talk to someone and it couldn’t be Jolly because she wouldn’t understand and if she did, she would believe that I should just break up with Brandon and move on with my life.
If only it were that easy!
Even though a small part of me wanted to, I knew it would wreck the entire system of hierarchy in the school!
It had always been that the most popular guy dates the most popular girl. Jolly and Cole wouldn’t be able to understand something like that!
Maybe that is why Cole thought I was a coward. After he uttered those words, I turned my back and walked away, slamming the door on my way out.
First, I had felt furious! No one talked to me like that!
But then, it slowly began to sink in. I was a coward.
I didn’t want to risk ruining my reputation. People would begin to judge me or make up rumours like I was a bad kisser or extremely demanding and ended up driving Brandon away.
Or Brandon could make up a bunch of lies. But people would believe him because I knew most of the girls in the school didn’t like me and that his football buddies just needed something new to laugh about.
Without my reputation, I knew I would be nothing.
I was aware of the fact that most of the girls in the school hated me. I knew it. And to some extent I was proud that I could conjure up such utter loathing from people.
But as soon as my reputation was tarnished and the girls of the school stopped fearing me, they would be able to walk all over me and I wouldn’t be able to do anything about it and I couldn’t risk being the laughing stock of the school!
As I pulled up in front of my mother’s office I sighed. Hopefully she would understand.
Fingers crossed, I thought as I neared her office.
I was about to enter through the glass doors when I spotted my mother, inside, with someone else.
A man.
They were both laughing and he had his arm around her waist. She looked at him affectionately, adoration shining clearly in her eyes.
Maybe he isn’t who you think, I reasoned. Don’t jump to conclusions Scarlett. He might just be a friend. A really, really close friend.
I crept into the bushes to hide so I was able to spy on them as they came out.
He opened the door for my mother and she giggled and touched his arm in a flirty gesture.
“I had a wonderful time tonight,” the man said.
My mother giggled again. “Me too.”
“Let’s do that again sometime,” he suggested.
She responded by pulling the lapels of his coat to reel him in and to kiss him, smack bang on the lips.
They were both making out quite heavily, slopping sounds and heavy breathing included. The man was groping my mother’s butt and she was just pulling on his hair in their passionate make out session.
I felt sick.
They were most definitely not very close friends.
I had no idea my mother had other men in her life! She didn’t even tell me! And was this why she came home late every night? Because she was out with men?
Trying to blink away tears, I left my mother and the strange man and crept out of the back of the bushes and to my car.
Starting it, I drove back home feeling numb and tired.
By this point, all I wanted to do was to curl up in bed and never, ever get up. It had been too long of a day.
I pulled up into the driveway and was shocked to see the porch light illuminating a certain figure that was sitting on the front step, waiting.
“Brandon?” I asked.
He stood up. “Hi.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked nervously, looking around in an attempt to not make eye contact.
“I was hoping we could talk?” he asked desperately and I nodded, after a moment of thought.
“Yeah. Okay, come in then.”
I held open the door for him to enter and he did, taking of his shoes in the process.
“So…” I rubbed my hands against my pants, nervously and studied my socked feet.
“Scar…” he began awkwardly. “I- I’m sorry about what happened today.”
“Hmm.”
“I really am sorry ! I don’t know what came over me! I swear I didn’t mean to hurt you in any way! How is your head anyway? And I tried to call your cell but you didn’t pick up.”
“Oh.” I must have been talking to Cole when he called. “And my head is fine.” No thanks to you, I felt like adding but I decided to keep quiet.
“Scar- ” Brandon moved closer to me and touched my shoulder softly. “I want to know how things are going to be between us now?”
I sighed. I knew I had two options.
On one hand, I could tell him to just leave and that I wasn’t interested in someone who bashed me into a wall or I could forgive him and move past his mistake.
I chose the latter.
“So you really are sorry?” I asked.
He nodded. “It will never happen again.”
“Fine. We’re good then!”
“Great!” he leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, cautiously. “I’m really glad we decided to move past this. But let’s just not mention this to anyone, okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Awesome, babe! Anyway, why did Cole come to your defence today? Does he have some sort of crush on you or something?”
“I- I don’t know,” I spoke, looking down at my hands and in all honesty, I didn’t.
It was strange how he just appeared and started defending me and it’s not that I wasn’t grateful, I was just more confused.
“Whatever. I’ll just warn him tomorrow at school to keep his hands off of my girlfriend.”
“NO!” I cried out panicked. “No need for that. He knows.”
“Either way…I should tell him,” Brandon said, frowning down at me. “But why do you care?”
“I-I just don’t want to make a scene,” I muttered. “And that’s impossible anyway because we’re partners for psychology. Just like you and Stacy,” I whispered the last part and looked down.
Brandon sighed and cupped my chin with his hand. “I would rather be partners with you though.”
“I know,” I groaned and then sat back.
“Where’s your mother?” Brandon asked, sitting back as well and looking around the house. “And that housekeeper.”
“You mean Jolly?”
“Hmm.”
“I don’t know. But you should probably go. I need to get my beauty sleep and we need to take things a little slower,” I said, standing up and brushing my clothes down.
“Yeah,” Brandon sighed and then stood up. “I should get going too.”
I walked Brandon to the door and he briefly kissed my lips before unlocking it and stepping outside.
“Night Scar,” he said softly, sounding sweet and sincere.
“Night Brandon.”
**
I had been trying to talk to Cole all day but he just kept on avoiding me. I tried to catch him in the hall but he turned around and walked in the opposite direction and when I tried to go to his locker, I realised I had no idea where it was even located!
Groaning, I stomped my way to lunch and sat down at the table, feeling frustrated.
“What’s up with you today?” Stacy asked and I shook my head.
“Forget it.”
She huffed and turned to talk to someone else but I didn’t care. I didn’t feel like talking to her or anybody other than Cole.
I was just about to leave the cafeteria and head towards the hall to see if he was there when I spotted a head of dark hair leaving the cafeteria and heading to the courtyard.
Getting up and grabbing my bag, I began to follow him quietly so he wouldn’t run away.
I followed him through the courtyard and through a few little alleys until I came to a huge oak tree in the middle of what looked like a garden.
It was completely secluded and I doubt anyone even knew what this place was other than Cole. He went and sat against the oak tree, leaning against the bark while I hid behind a bush, spying on him like an idiot.
“What on earth are you doing Scarlett?” Cole asked.
I let out a squeak and lost my balance, falling into the bush. After much struggle, I managed to untangle myself from the leaves and stand up.
“How did you know-?”
“I’m not an idiot Scarlett. Now what are you doing here?”
“I was hoping we could talk.”
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A / N : hi guys *waves* im alive *giggles nervously* I apologise for the delay in the writing and posting of this chapter but I was busy and stressed and had no inspiration but I finally managed to whip up a chapter for you amazing peoples!
I really hope you liked it and let me know whether you prefer Cole or Scarlett? I would love to know!
And if you enjoyed this chapter make sure to leave me a vote so I can know! Thanks for reading and do not worry because a new chapter is coming very soon!