ALAYNAIt was afternoon when Ollie and I return to the suites; an express delivery arrives that turns out to be a game console for my siblings. An Xbox. I’m sure it’s Brandon’s doing because he’s in our living room with everyone.
Kit is on Brandon’s lap, holding out a joystick. My heart aches again, seeing how beautiful he is and how well he is getting along with my siblings.
“Do you like it?” he asks my brother, flashing a breathtaking smile.
Kit beams. “Yeah! I’m playing this with Alvin. He’s my friend next door, and he’s playing with this blue car and ka-boombaam“I’ll just talk to your sister for a moment. Go play with your siblings, okay?”
Keaton nods and jumps out of his lap, sprinting toward the TV. Brandon strides over to Oliver and me. He gently takes hold of my elbow. “Where have you been? I was looking for you.” He doesn’t even bother looking at his cousin.
“Is everything okay?” Mom suddenly appears, coming from the kitchen with the apron tied to her waist. Brandon releases me.
“Everything’s fine, Mom.”
She assesses Brandon with her eyes but eventually walks away.
“Let’s talk,” I say. “I have something to tell you, and I want everyone present.”
Brandon said they’ll be leaving on Sunday, and that’s already tomorrow. I will have to tell him now.
I go back to the executive suite, where everyone is gathered, and I’m surprised to see Pauline there in a wheelchair. Oliver remains at the door, but his siblings approach him. Brandon follows me and stops when I storm into the middle of the living room to get everyone’s attention. Arianna and Jason are still at Mom’s, and one of the twins is missing, but it doesn’t matter.
“Guys, this is probably the only time I can speak with everyone since some of you are going back to Athens. You see, I don’t like to sound like some spokesperson here,” I chuckle at my own dry joke at the silence from them all. “But I guess I’ll just wish everyone well because... Oliver and I are taking a different path.” I refrain from looking in Brandon’s direction.
“Oliver and you?” Casey’s tone rises, her face bewildered. “I didn’t see that coming.”
“I’ve spoken to him before, Casey. I just wasn’t sure,” I answer.
“And now you are? Wait.” She holds up a hand. “Where are you two going?”
Cassius seems to have an idea since he is the only one who isn’t surprised. He lowers his head and pinches the bridge of his nose. Pauline is playing innocent, but I can tell she’s delighted with this news because her eyes are gleaming, and Constantine is scowling.
Brandon rushes to my side and snatches my arm. “What the fuck are you saying, Alayna? You’re going to make me lose my mind.”
I struggle against his grasp, but he doesn’t let me go.
“Answer me!” he roars.
Oliver finally steps up and tries to reach out a hand. “Man, you don’t have to take it like that.”
Brandon shoves it away. “Get your fucking hands off me! I don’t know what your deal is. I’ve tried to understand you, but you’ve crossed a line, so back off!”
Oliver looks hurt. “It’s not like that, Brandon.”
“Then what? I’m getting fed up with all of this. I tried to explain myself a million times but—”
“You can’t expect her to wait for you, man,” Oliver says, and it’s the first time I hear him stand up for his opinion.
“What does it have to do with you?”
“Whoa, whoa! Everybody, calm down,” Constantine says, standing between them.
Casey appears next to me and pulls me away.
“Guys.” Cassius approaches them too. “There are children next door who might hear you. Alayna’s mother is here, too,” he says, his voice calm.
Brandon sees me on the corner and again rushes toward me. He grabs my hand. “Then we should talk about this matter alone“Brandon, don’t!” Casey tries to keep me with her, but her cousin is strong enough to drag me to the hallway. He spins me around and makes me face him with a tortured expression; tears are rising in his eyes.
“What the hell was that, Alayna?” he exclaims, pointing at the door. “Is this a fucking joke? Are you trying to get back at me? Is that it?”
I tear my gaze away from his, clasping my sweaty palms together. “I’m not getting back at you,” I mumble. I only planned my escape, but I’m not going to tell him that.
“Please tell me that it’s not fucking true.” He grabs my shoulders, shaking me. “You’re not going with him, are you? Tell me you’re not.”
I don’t want to hurt him this way, but I’m hurting too. I’m already burning inside, but it’s for the better.
“What the fuck is this, Alayna? Were you betraying me? Is that it?”
“No! I told you, Brandon, it’s over between us. Finally over this time.” I wipe my tears away, still unable to look at his face.
He runs a hand through his hair. “Fuck!” he bellows, then kicks the wall. I let him let release his tension. “You didn’t tell me you had feelings for Oliver.”
“Is that what you’re getting angry about?”
“Were you playing with me, Alayna?”
“Did you just accuse me of cheating?”
“Then what?” He throws his hands in the air. “You two were making a fucking plan to leave together.”
“Leave together? Goddammit.” Oh my God. He’s unbelievable. I’m so fucking furious. “Are you hearing yourself right now? Do you think I’d stoop that low to get back at you? Brandon, you are the one who’s going to marry another woman!”
“That’s unfair.”
“No!” I squeal, poking his chest. “You’re“But you tried to break up with me—”
“No, I didn’t try. I broke up with you, so it’s over. And please, stop coming to a conclusion that disrespects me and your cousin. It’s ugly.”
“No, no. no,” he shouts, his voice reverberating. I’m just glad we’re alone on the floor. “You can’t do that to me. You can’t give up on us like this.”
“Oh God, I can’t do this anymore with you,” I finally manage to say through frustrated breaths. “I’m just so, so tired. I’m not strong enough to deal with everything you’re doing with your life but believe me, I wanted to support you. I want you to succeed, but I’m never going to go through hell again. All we do is fight, can’t you see? Maybe we really aren’t meant for each other.”
“We fight because you won’t listen to me. This isn’t you. That“No one is betraying you! Oliver just tried to help me,” I insist.
“Then you’ll refuse his help. We are going back inside the room, and you’ll tell Oliver you’re not going. Before I leave tomorrow, let’s at least fix this, and I’ll take care of everything else. Please, I’m not letting you go anymore.”
I shake my head. He doesn’t listen. He just won’t fucking listen! I’m tired of repeating things over and over. God, he sounds like a dictator.
“How about Pauline then? Do you expect me to run into your arms as your mistress?”
His jaw ripples. He doesn’t answer.
“That’s what I thought, too.” It’s his silence that hurts the most.
“I don’t love her—”
“I don’t love you anymore, Brandon!” I blurt out. I can’t think of anything to say but this lie. He has to let me go.
“What?”“I thought I did, but maybe I’m just obsessed with the idea of getting your attention. This is who I am, right? I flirt with all your cousins, right? That’s the real me.”
A beat passes. “Lying doesn’t look good on you, Alayna.”
I choose to go with the truth, then. “I have a life I need to fulfill for myself. Oliver is offering me that. A brand new life away from all of this. I can’t go on the same shit when you left me, which I already told you a gazillion times. I’m getting tired of all this redundancy. It’s frustrating. Can’t you really see that we’re probably just playing around?”
“Uh-huh, that’s not going to work.” He folds his arms against his chest. “Whatever he offered, I’ll do better.”
Why is he so persistent? “Harder, yeah, okay.” I take a deep breath. “I am saying the truth. You didn’t choose me againHis shoulders drop, and a lone tear runs down his face. “Alayna, I never tasted any sweetness in life until I met you. Yes, I’ve hurt you... but I was trying to protect you—and fuck, I made so many mistakes in the process. But my enemies are still after you, and they have to be stopped. So if I have to protect you again“I’m not even sure anymore now who’s leaving who.” I force a smile amidst all the irony. “I have decided, Brandon. I’m leaving with Oliver. I’m sorry.”