Lola's eyebrows rose and fell with the movement of her eyes as she watched the two humans, her head on her paws. Elizabeth's eyes remained trained on Brandon. If he was nervous at all, he didn't show it. Asides the tiny smile that remained on the ends of his lips, his face remained expressionless. "There is nothing to be allowed, Brandon," she dropped, got up and began for the kitchen. "Why is that?" She looked back to see him following her. Turning back, she shrugged. "You're with Megan. I'm not your home." "I'm not with Megan." That caused Beth to stop. She turned to face him, her brows turned down. "You two broke up? What happened?" Brandon rose a brow at the concern he heard in her voice. "We were never together." He watched her eyes take on the hue of confusion. "What?" "We were never together." "But... That can't be right," she mumbled to herself. "It is. Megan and I were never together." Beth's eyes found his and after a few seconds of staring, crossed her arms a
Tears rushed to her eyes. Cupping his face, she rose his head. "Anima gemella," she whispered, giving him the tenderest of smiles. When he frowned, confused at her tears, she chuckled shakily. "I feel so honored that you let me see all this. See you." She nodded solemnly, holding his gaze. "Thank you. For you, I will not doubt myself again. I see now that my fear was unnecessary. You have never tired to butt in and make me feel incapable. It was just a stupid fear. I'm sorry." A gentle hand cupped her cheek, his thumb catching a tear even as a smile remained on her lips. "Just don't push me away," he whispered, his eyes beseeching. She shook her head. "Never." Never again. Her lips crashed down on his. They shared a gentle, passionate and sealing kiss. A kiss of a promise made and established. A kiss of new beginnings and revealed personalities. A kiss... Of love. With her forehead resting against his, she sniffled and said quietly, "In case you haven't gotten the memo, I'm you
The next morning met Brandon grumpily returning home to change and join Beth for a church service, and Beth being all too happy about her newly gained freedom. After a three hour long, rather jovial and peaceful service, Beth made Brandon drive them to a local restaurant where she treated them to spicy burritos and tacos that tasted so good, it was downright sinful. From there, they made their way to their favorite chocolate shop, and parking a street away, Brandon got out after Beth, intertwined their fingers and began leading her to the shop. "You know a photo could be taken of us like this, right?" She warned in passing, a happy smile on her face. Brandon glanced down at her, his eyes shielded by his dark shades. His head then veered around. "Oh yeah? You think someone's watching?" She shrugged a shoulder. "Could be." "Well then, let's give whomever it is a show." She looked up in time for his mouth to descend upon hers. Beth looked up at the dark gray blocks of her apartmen
Nothing silenced the streets of New York quite like rain. They rushed out of the car and ran into her apartment building with the rain pelting harshly against their backs. Sharing a laugh at the feat, they stood by the window, watching the rain flog the asphalt road. "What's the plan now, Beth?" Beth turned to Brandon, her eyes still alight with laughter. "What plan?" "The plan for work." Her smile didn't dim. Her chest didn't cave in. Though it was surprising, she wasn't ready to start investigating the feeling. All she did was tilt her head to the side and shrug. Something in her refused to feel discouraged. It was like her gut knew something she didn't. That someway, somehow, she would be fine. Very fine. And she relished the feeling. "I don't know." With that pixie smile still on her face, she turned back to the window. Monday morning birthed the bright sun and even brighter laptop screens. Though it was the fourth of December, the working class were still hard at work.
Friday brought Brandon to an early morning coffee session with Equilibrium magazine where they discussed technology and its advancement since the start of civilization. He was walking out of the two-hoursl long meeting— where there was no actual coffee!— when he got a call from a certain ambitious minister, telling him that his family was around and was headed to his office. After listening, for three long, torturous hours to the man's pitch on why he should be an investor, he declined as gently as he could, his Asian wife's continuous 'subtle' talk on how marriage to their daughter would be 'prestigious and proper' definitely a contribution to his refusal. As they exited his office, the Asian's glare doing nothing to affect him, exhaling in stiff irritation was all he could do not to scowl at the 'shy' smile of their 'docile' daughter. Not with that look in her eyes, she wasn't. Going to listen to his creative department talk to him about their new idea and its modus operandi for
Brandon's eyes travelled from the structure with a bouncer at the door to the female in the passenger seat. Beth's eyes were stuck on the star-shaped lights on the roof of the ridiculously large building. "You're sure this is a club? It looks like a museum." He almost laughed. "It is. Just wait till you get inside." She turned her head to look at him. "You've been here before?" More like he was part owner. "Once or twice." "Mm." She curled her lips for a split second. "What's the name of the club? I don't see a banner anywhere." He almost scoffed. "A banner? Baby, how many clubs have you been to?" Biting her lip, she glanced at him, smiled and said, "None." With that, she slid out of the car. Hurrying after her, he caught her arm right before she could make it past the red velvet rope, and spun her around. The sheer glee of excitement he saw in her eyes made his warning all the more worth giving. "Elizabeth françesca West, no alcohol." She rolled her eyes. "I know. I
There they sat, talking, reliving memories and laughing, overcome with genuine joy and a very heavy but lightweight air of wholesomeness. "Sing something," Brandon urged. Her eyes met his. His gaze held hers, waiting. She loved him so much, her heart quivered with the extent of it. She snuck a hand under his untucked shirt and placed her palm on his chest, wanting to feel him. "Copping a feel?" He arched a brow. "I'm sorry." She began to pull her hand away, but his quick grip stopped her. "No, no. I like being molested by you." She made a face. The laugh that escaped him came from deep within, throwing his head back. Giggling along with him, Beth began to sing a Mama Cass song. "Stars shining bright above you..." He pulled up in front of her apartment building. They turned to look at each other at the same time and chuckled. "I had fun tonight." "You're welcome," she responded, a sharp smugness underlining her words. "I still found no friend in the club," he reminded.
After leaving for hers the next morning only to be absent for the rest of the day and most of the next, Elizabeth showed up at his door on Sunday evening in a white polo, faded blue, baggy jeans that were folded to just above her ankles, moccasins, a black sling bag across her torso and a face cap, her smile awfully expensive. "Hey, sport!""Beth--""Go get dressed. I'm taking you out."Confused and slightly put off, Brandon folded his arms across his chest, pinning her with unyielding eyes. Rolling her eyes, she mumbled, "Ecco lo sguardo. Brandon, please?""Where have you been the past thirty three hours?""Tell you what, I'll answer all your questions and then some when you get dressed. How about that?" She bit her lip in anticipation. "No. I was working before--"She rose a brow."I'm serious.""Seriously spiting me," she injected.He rolled his eyes and turned to walk back inside. "Nope. I choose to be the more mature one out of us both. Spiting you is beneath me. Sadly." Foll