Her Journey Begins (18 page)

Chris grabs his hand before he gets to her crotch,
“
Go home and get ready for you date with Amber, so I can go help mom make dinner. I want to eat before I have to go to work, and Brandon
”
Chris says sweetly,
“
You better not be late to school tomorrow because Amber kept you awake until 2 a.m.
”

  
“
Chris, I love you.
”

  
“
I know and I bet that
’
s what you tell all the beautiful girls. Now go home.
”

Chris walks into the kitchen and Barb turns around.
“
Where
’
s Brandon?
”

“
I sent him home to get ready for his date with Amber.
”

  
“
Oh Chris you are so funny. Aren
’
t you worried about her having dinner at his house?
”

  
“
No, not on his part anyway. It
’
s just his mom that bugs me. So
…
do you want some help with dinner?
”

  
“
No, but you can sit in here, do your homework, and keep me company if you want.
”



   Chris
’
eyes follow Brandon as he passes her desk on the way to his own.
“
You
’
re here early this morning.
”

Brandon sits down behind her and tugs on her hair.
“
I thought we could talk before class starts, but first, good morning beautiful.
”

Chris starts to fidget. She wants to know what happened last night and yet she doesn
’
t.
“
How did dinner go last night?
”

  
“
Chris, turn around and look at me.
”

Chris shakes her head.
“
I
’
m afraid to.
”

  
“
Okay, you are going to hear some stories today. It just depends on how much Amber blabs.
”

  
“
What kind of stories? You make it sound like something happened between you and Amber last night. Did something happen Brandon?
”

  
“
Well after dinner my mom said to me,
“
Brandon, why don
’
t you take Amber up to your room?
”
And I asked her,
“
Why would I want to take Amber to my room?
”
And she threw at me,
“
I just thought the two of you could listen to some music. You
’
ve taken Chris to your room, why not Amber?
”
And she said it in a tone that
…
I just looked at her and told her flat out, You invited them, you entertain them, I
’
m going to Brent
’
s and I walked out. Now depending on Amber
’
s mood, she
’
s either going to say, I took her to my room and we made out, or she
’
s going to tell everyone that you are a slut. Your turn
…
how was your first night at work?
”

  
“
Brandon! Does your mom know I
’
ve been to your room?
”

  
“
No, I don
’
t think so. I think she was just trying to see my reaction. Now are you going to turn around and look at me?
”

Sighing Chris turns around in her chair,
“
I
’
m a slut now? Okay
…
If the shoe fits, I guess
…
That
’
s okay, I guess it
’
s better then you making out with Amber in your room. A slut? Come on, really? As for my first night at work, I liked it. I am learning. I
’
m a little slow, but the customers were polite and patient. Your turn
…
Brandon do you still love me?
”

A smile is tugging at the corners of his mouth, but Chris sees a desire burning in his eyes.
“
Run away with me and I
’
ll show you just how much.
”

  
“
Ugh, I
’
ll never get rid of the moniker,
slut
, will I?
”

  
“
No, but that
’
s okay, as long as you
’
re only my slut and not anyone else
’
s.
”

Chris looks off to one side, then the other with just her eyes and mumbles.
“
I
’
m going to have to look up the meaning of that
…”

The bell rings and the teacher and the other students start coming in.



   Brandon and Brent are already sitting at the table when Chris walks up with her tray. They are looking here and there avoiding eye contact with her.

  
“
Alright you two, quit smirking. I
’
m not a dirty, untidy woman. And I
’
m not promiscuous.
”
They both start laughing out loud.
“
Shut up
…”



   Brandon is standing next to Chris
’
last class when she walks out.

  
“
What are you doing here?
”

Brandon leans closer and whispers in her ear.
“
I came to walk
“
my
”
promiscuous girlfriend home.
”

Chris hands him her books.
“
Well at least that sounds nicer than slut. So, we are walking home today, how come?
”

Brandon takes her hand.
“
Because, it
’
s our special time and I love walking you home.
”

  
“
Where
’
s your car?
”

  
“
Brent has it and he
’
ll pick me up at your house later.
”

After dinner Brandon drops Chris off at work. Brandon knows he doesn
’
t want to go home yet and ends up hanging out at Brent
’
s for a few hours. Walking in, Brandon sees the light on in the den and heads towards the stairs.

  
“
Brandon, come here, I need to talk to you before you go upstairs.
”

Brandon takes a deep breath and walks into the den.

  
“
Have you been at that girl
’
s house since you got out of school?
”

  
“
No mom, I
’
ve been at Brent
’
s and that girl happens to have a name. It
’
s Chris, or don
’
t you remember.
”

Brandon
‘
s mom waves her hand in the air.
“
Fine, but she isn
’
t the reason I called you in here. What I want to talk to you about is how disrespectful you were towards our guests last night.
”

  
“
What do you mean? I wasn
’
t disrespectful to them. Maybe you shouldn
’
t have been offering their daughter to go to my bedroom with me. I
’
m going to bed.
”

  
“
Brandon, come back here.
”
Brandon stops, but doesn
’
t turn around and go back.

  
“
I want you to quit seeing that girl. Do you hear me?
”

  
“
Night mom
”



   Walking into class the next morning, Chris sees Brandon has his head down on the desk. Chris kneels down next to him and whispers.
“
Brandon, what are you doing here so early?
”
As her hair brushes across his forearm he grabs it and tugs.
“
Good morning beautiful.
”

Chris sees the dark circles under his eyes.
“
Good morning. Now why are you here so early?
”

  
“
I didn
’
t have any place else to go.
”

  
“
Oh Brandon
”

  
“
Chris I can
’
t wait to graduate, then you and I can get married and get a place of our own.
”

  
“
Are you asking me to marry you?
”

Brandon lifts his head and looks into her eyes.
“
I will, but not yet. Will you say yes?
”

  
“
I don
’
t know. You sure know how to take the surprise out of it.
”

Brent walks in and sits down.
“
What are you two talking about?
”

They both ignore him.
“
Brandon you haven
’
t even asked me to the prom yet?
”

  
“
Will you go to the prom with me then?
”

  
“
No, probably not.
”

  
“
Good cause I already asked Amber.
”

  
“
What!
”

Laughing Brandon puts his head back down and covers it with his hands.
“
I
’
m kidding. Now will you marry me?
”
Brandon uncovers his head and folding his arms on the desk, he lays his head down. Poking Chris
’
arm Brandon nods towards Brent.

Chris looks over at Brent and sees his mouth hanging open. Laughing she tells Brandon,
“
Yes, if I have to.
”
Chris stands up, reaches over, and smacks Brent on top of the head,
“
Close your mouth, we are only joking.
”
And then sits down in her seat as the teacher walks in.

   Chris, what
’
s your mom making for dinner?
”

  
“
I have no idea, why?
”

  
“
No reason. I was just wondering.
”

Brent looks up at Chris.
“
Because, I
’
m taking Wendy out for pizza and then hanging out at her house, so he doesn
’
t have any place to go. Hey, I
’
ll let you two work this out. I see that new cheerleader waving at me. I
’
ll catch you later.
”

Chris grabs Brandon
’
s hand.
“
Come on.
”

  
“
Where are we going?
”

  
“
I don
’
t know. Somewhere where we can hide out till lunch is over, maybe under the bleachers. I
’
ll let you feel me up.
”
Brandon grins at her and Chris smiles back.
“
I knew that would cheer you up.
”

Sitting on the grass under a tree in the quad area, Brandon
’
s lying down using Chris
’
lap as a pillow. Chris runs her fingers through his hair.
“
Maybe we should take a break from seeing each other for awhile.
”