The One who got Away

Chapter Eighteen – Zane

Leah leaps backwards as if she’s been electrocuted, her entire face flames a bright shade of red. She’s giving us away, making us look guilty, and we didn’t even do anything. Maybe just a little bit of flirting and some touching. If it were up to me, we would have done a whole lot more. It’s a shame we didn’t get the chance.

“N… nothing,” Leah stammers. “I was just making breakfast but now,” she makes a dramatic show of looking at the clock. “I’m late for work so I’m going to have to get going. You can finish it yourselves.”

She pushes past me and Brandon, running as if she can escape what just happened. I didn’t expect to see her this morning, I never thought I would get the chance to start on my plan to get her back, so that was a nice treat. I don’t mind waiting for her, she’s worth it. I’m more than willing to play the long game.

“What was that about, mate?” Brandon asks with a cold tone as soon as we’re alone. “That was odd.”

“I don’t know.” I shrug, trying to act innocent. “Like she said, she was just cooking breakfast.”

“So, why did you need to be so close to each other?” His hands crosses his chest. “Should I be worried?”

Yes, I want to scream. Worry away because I’m going to make her mine somehow. We’re going to be together.

But I don’t say that. Not yet, now isn’t the time. Me and Leah are nowhere near that place yet and I’ve only just got Brandon back into my life. I don’t want to fuck all of that up until I know for sure.

“Don’t worry about anything,” I insist. “Except maybe breakfast burning. I was just coming to help. I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed it, but your sister isn’t the best cook in the world. She gets distracted.”

“Oh, well…” I can see Brandon wavering. “I suppose I do know that Leah’s a terrible cook.”

“Exactly.” Relief floods me. I’ve gotten away with it again. I’m still quite amazed that I got away with it the first time around. “So, sit down and let me finish making the food for you, unless you aren’t hungry…”

“No, I’m starving.” He rubs his belly greedily. “Thank you. That sounds awesome. Cheese on toast?”

I smirk because Brandon remembers that about me. There are so many times he could’ve forgotten that. Just because I cherish the memories of our teenage years together, doesn’t mean he has to. It’s awesome.

“You know me, always cheese on toast. That okay for you?” He nods. “Good, now you take a seat.”

We make small talk for a while as I cook, and continue to do so as I plate up the food. This is odd, it used to always be Brandon cooking for me. I guess I never realized back then that I could take a turn every now and again. I just didn’t think about it because my mind was always on something else. I’m glad I get to do it now.

During this time, I learn the basics of what Brandon’s been up to over the last five years. We probably shared all this information with one another last night, but I can’t really remember it, and if I can’t there’s a chance he won’t either. We just kept drinking, and drinking, and drinking. It was mental, but fun.

Then, once Brandon is finished I give him a vague outline on my life as well. I suppose over time we’ll get to the nitty gritty of things but for now this is enough. It catches us up at any rate.

Leah doesn’t come back up again until I’m ready to leave. As I shrug my jacket on and I make some disparaging remark about having to face the two people who haven’t ever really cared about me, Brandon’s expression turns deadly serious. I don’t even think what his problem might be, I just dive right in.

“Is everything okay, mate?” I ask him kindly. “You look like you have something on your mind.”

“Yeah, I do.” He nods a bit too rapidly. I can tell this isn’t going to be good. For a moment, I brace myself expecting him to tell me that Jenny hates my guts and that she doesn’t ever want him to see me again. Much as I’ll hate that, I’ll have to respect his decision to choose whoever he wants. But thankfully, it isn’t that. “It’s Leah, she… she’s a good girl. She hasn’t always had it easy, you know that. Dad dying and Mom not being around much hit her hard. I had to step up and be there for her.” I don’t know where he’s going with this, but it doesn’t feel good. “I don’t ever want her to be hurt, okay, that’s my main issue. I think she has a good guy in Patrick.” Urgh, Patrick. I haven’t even met him and his name makes my skin crawl. “I don’t want that ruined. I don’t want anyone to get in the way of someone who makes her happy, do you understand what I’m saying to you?”

Then, he gives me a deep and meaningful look. One that actually makes me uncomfortable. He’s warning me away from Leah without actually having to say the words. He doesn’t want to destroy our friendship but he wants me to get the message all the same. In a way, this makes me absolutely have to respect what he wants.

“Oh sure, I get that.” I smile blandly. “I know exactly what you mean.”

But on the other hand, he’s just turned the girl that I already want into the most exciting, taboo thing in the world, and I hate to still be that guy, but the sensation is delicious. I will try and keep away for the sake of my friendship but Brandon has just made it that much harder…

“Right, I’m off to face the ‘rents,” I reply, keeping things normal. “I will see you very soon.”

***

The intense sense of dread fills my chest the moment that I pull up in my parent’s driveway. I don’t want to face this, I would much rather burn off on my bike in the other direction, but I can’t put this off forever.

I sigh deeply and take the awful walk up to the front door, expecting the worst. As I go, images of Leah pop up into my mind, filthy images that I really shouldn’t be thinking, especially after the promise that I just made, but I can’t help myself. She’s a delicious juicy piece of forbidden fruit that I just want to sink my teeth into.

Stop that, I warn myself. I just promised Brandon and I also have to get my head in the game.

This isn’t going to be easy, I’ve only seen them a handful of times in the last five years and it hasn’t ever been fun, but I’m a damn adult now. I can face whatever shit they throw at me head on.