The rest of the day had gone pretty smoothly for Brooklyn. She met up with the girls in her next class, and completely ignored Harry, which was difficult since most of the students spent half the class looking between Brooklyn and Harry, hoping that some drama would happen.
She had tried to find Brandon, but he had disappeared- or gone into hiding according to Alice.
At the end of the day she walked out into the carpark with Violet and Jasper took them both to work.
Brooklyn was grateful that Harry didn't come to the diner that evening. She nearly had a heart attack when Ace and Kal walked in, but they remained a pair.
"I'm home!" Brooklyn called as she walked through her front door later that night.
"Hi, honey!" Her aunt called. "Can you come into my office?"
Brooklyn got to work untying her apron as she made her way to her aunts office and smiled when she saw her. "What's up?"
"I just wanted to let you know that dinner is in the fridge and... I need to know what happened to Brandon's face," Lisa said and Brooklyn shifted awkwardly.
"He didn't tell you?"
"He comes home with a black and blue face and tells me that he walked into a tree," Lisa said and crossed her arms over her chest. "Brooke, please, I just need to know."
"I think it's pretty obvious what happened," Brooklyn said.
"So it was a fight?"
Brooklyn nodded. "Yes. And I'm afraid to say it was not in Brandon's favour. It didn't last very long." Brooklyn could have easily told the complete truth, but something within her didn't want her to tell on Harry, even after what he did.
"Gosh," Lisa sighed. "That's not like him."
"I'll talk to him," Brooklyn said. "Don't worry."
"Thank you, dear," Lisa smiled wearily. "Anyhow, how was school."
Brooklyn couldn't help but laugh. "You do not want to know."
*
Brooklyn knocked onto the door of Brandon's room and pushed it open, poking her head round.
"Come in," Brandon sighed, looking up from him laptop. He was sitting on his bed, dressed in navy pyjamas.
Brooklyn walked in, holding two mugs of steaming tea and handed one to Brandon. "Hey," she said softly and sat down at the end of his bed, crossing her legs. "How are you?"
"Fine. My ego hurts more than my face," Brandon said.
Brooklyn looked at Brandon's bruised face. "You've got a lovely shiner," she said sheepishly. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, B, I was stupid."
"Yes you were," Brooklyn nodded.
"You were meant to say that I wasn't stupid!" Brandon gasped and Brooklyn laughed.
"No, you walked up to the scariest guys in school and yelled at them. What did you expect to happen? I saw Greyson beat someone up on the first day of school!"
"Harry is usually a lot more... reserved. He usually sits there looking bored, adds a smartass comment once every three hours and rolls his eyes at people. I never thought he would take a crack at me!" Brandon said and shook his head. "Guess I was wrong."
"I guess you were," Brooklyn said. "You know he gets angrily easily. I was shocked he punched you, but I wasn't really surprised."
"Thanks," Brandon said.
"I've never seen him speak so much before I saw him speaking to you," Brandon noted. "B, why do you talk to him?"
"I... It just happens," Brooklyn sighed. "Trust me, I don't go out of my way to talk to him."
"But he was here last night," Brandon said. "Why?"
"How do you know that?"
"Lisa mentioned it. Why was he here?"
"He... he was tutoring me," Brooklyn mumbled and took a sip of her tea.
"Get a different tutor," Brandon demanded.
"That's not really my choice," Brooklyn said awkwardly, not liking Brandon's gaze of hatred. "Why don't you like them?"
"Because they're bad news, and you're... happy and bright and nice, you shouldn't get involved with them."
"Do you know them?"
"I don't need too."
Brooklyn sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Can we not talk about them anymore? Please."
"I'd gladly change the subject."
"Great. Why did you lie to Lisa?" Brooklyn asked and Brandon groaned.
"She asked you what happened? You told her didn't you?"
"I told her that you had a fight," Brooklyn said slowly. "That's all. Why didn't you tell her?"
"It's more hassle than it's worth," Brandon said dismissively.
Brooklyn sighed and nodded. "Okay. Well, I said I'd come and talk to you and I have, so I'm off to bed!"
"Oh, and here I was thinking you came to speak to me because you care."
"I do care!" Brooklyn argued and Brandon smiled.
"Night, B."
"Night," Brooklyn said and climbed off the bed and made her way into her room. Her head barely touched the pillow before she fell asleep.
*
"You need to tell her," Ace said to Harry as he walked into the lounge that evening, after him and Kal returned from the diner.
"You need to learn to mind your own business," Harry snapped.
"You need to learn how to take some advice!" Kal called and grinned at Harry as he sat next to Greyson who raised an eyebrow at Harry.
"He isn't wrong," Greyson shrugged.
"I will tell her, just not yet."
"Why?"
"Because I just punched her cousin," Harry said. "I don't think she's too happy with me."
"You also hurt her," Ace added.
"You're a real delight, aren't you?" Kal said. "What did you do?"
"I didn't mean too," Harry said quickly. "The pain in her head... I was angry with her and somehow I caused her pain."
"If you tell her then I'm pretty sure she won't go to that party with Josh," Greyson said. "But you can just ignore me and fuck things up like you usually do."
"Oh, because you're such a sweetheart with the ladies and know everything about them?" Harry scoffed.
"That's exactly why," Greyson smirked.
"I'm not telling her, not yet."
*
Brooklyn woke up the next morning for an early run. She was motivated, and sure that she was going to avoid Harry like the plague.
The run made her feel awake and upbeat and when she returned home she popped her head into Brandon's room.
"Wakey wakey!" She called and he groaned loudly, rolling over in his bed.
"What?"
"Somebody's grumpy," she laughed. "I just wanted to ask if you were leaving for school early or normal time."
"Normal time," he said, his voice muffled by his pillow.
"Great! Can I catch a lift?"
"Only if you make me coffee," he said and Brooklyn chuckled.
"Okay, and I'll even let you borrow my concealer for that lovely bruise you're sporting," she said sweetly, laughing when Brandon turned to glare at her.
"Go and make me coffee," he groaned.
Brooklyn went back to her room to get ready first. She knew Brandon wouldn't even get out of bed for another half an hour. She showered and cleaned up and stuck her damp curly hair up into a messy bun. She tried contain the fly aways, but she gave up when her curls decided not cooperate. The sun was shining brightly outside so she dressed in a white shirt style dress secured with a braided brown belt and brown sandals.
She touched up her face with a little makeup, spritzed some perfume and walked out of her room with her bag on her shoulder just as a sleepy Brandon emerged from his room.
"One coffee coming right up!" She called as she passed him and made her way downstairs and into the kitchen and put the kettle on to boil.
While she waited for the kettle to boil she made herself some toast and bit into just as Brandon entered. He was now dressed and slumped down at the kitchen table.
"My head is pounding," he mumbled and winced when he touched his tender bruise.
Brooklyn smiled. "That's what you get for confronting the toughest guys at school," she said and quickly made his coffee and slid it in front of him with two aspirins.
"You don't even seem annoyed at Harry."
"Oh, I am," Brooklyn nodded and took another bite of her toast. "Don't worry about that. But I'm also annoyed at you, from now on no one decides who I can talk to or not. You can voice your concerns, and I can ignore them."
Brandon arched an eyebrow at Brooklyn and she smiled at him. "I hate Harry," he said.
"I hear you," Brooklyn nodded. "But don't worry, I'm staying clear of him."
Brandon raised another eyebrow, not sure whether to believe Brooklyn or not. "I-"
"Would you look at the time, we're going to be late. Chop chop lets go!" She said quickly and Brandon rolled his eyes. "No more talk about the H word!" She said sternly.
"Gladly," Brandon nodded and stood up and made his way to the front door.
"So, are you going to the party tomorrow?" Brooklyn asked as she sat in Brandon's car.
"What party?"
"Austin's. I hear half the school is going," Brooklyn said.
"Austin? Nah, I'm not friends with him."
"So? I'm sure he's not friends with a lot of people that are going," Brooklyn pointed out. "Come! Get drunk, let loose, have fun!"
"I'm going round Charlie's tomorrow evening with some of the guys," Brandon said, referring to one of his friends.
"Bring them!"
"I'm not a party guy," Brandon shrugged and Brooklyn pouted.
"Bore."
"I'm sure you'll get over it," Brandon chuckled.
"I don't know if I ever will," she teased and Brandon rolled his eyes.
"Shut up," he chuckled and the rest of the drive was filled with random talk, mostly about how Brooklyn was settling in.
"Thanks for the drive, cus," Brooklyn said when Brandon parked in the car park at school.
"No problem. Do you need a lift home?"
"Nah, I think I'm going to the diner with the girls."
"Look at you with all your new friends," Brandon teased and Brooklyn shook her head and opened the car door and climbed out.
"Goodbye, Brandon," Brooklyn chuckled and shut the door behind her. She turned round and gasped in surprise when she bumped into Harry who had just got out of his car. "I... I, um... Excuse me," she muttered and tried to move past him but he blocked her path. Brooklyn narrowed her eyes at me and turned round, but she was suddenly grabbed and pulled round to face Harry again. "What?" She said.
"I'm not sorry," he said and Brooklyn glanced at his hands that were on her waist, spreading sparks through her body.
"I know you're not," she snapped. "Now get off me."
"He deserved it."
"So what? It doesn't mean you should have punched him!" Brooklyn gasped.
"You were annoyed at him too."
"That still doesn't justify punching him!" Brooklyn exclaimed. "Now get the hell off me, Harry!"
"Don't yell at me, babe," he said.
"You deserve a lot more than yelling," Brooklyn said and glared at Harry.
"If only you knew," Harry muttered, it seemed as if he was talking to himself. "This would be so much easier."
"Harry, I don't know what the hell you're talking about and I don't care," Brooklyn huffed and tried pushing him away from her. "Please get off me."
"Are you still going to the party with Josh?" Harry asked, his eyes darkening slightly.
"I don't see how that concerns you," Brooklyn said and averted her eyes.
"So you'll happily go to a party with a boy you don't even like and can't touch, but you try and avoid me? The only guy you feel comfortable touching." Harry said. "How the hell does that work?"