Chapter 68

"Could you make me something to eat first? Also, where's your storeroom?" Brandon said.

"That one." Jaden said as he pointed towards a room at the corner.

"Un...will pork do? Or are you a vegan?" Jaden said.

Brandon looked at the storeroom and said "It's okay, I'm purely into non veg stuff..."

"Alright then. I have some leftovers, let me heat them up for you." Jaden said and opened the refrigerator.

Brandon opened the storeroom's door while Jaden unwrapped the plastic from the bowl.

"Say Brandon, why are you here?" Jaden said.

"Can't I be here?" Brandon said as he looked through the tools inside the storeroom.

"Ha ha, no, it's just...quite unusual for you to come to my place. You usually hang out with Harry."

"And that gave you the right to hang out with him too?"

"Well...since you don't like it when I hang out with Kate-"

"Of course I don't want you to hang out with Kate either."

"Ha ha...do you want me to become a loner?"

"No, I just want you to never appear in front of me or anyone I know, ever."

"That's mean! That only-"

*SLAM*

"You talk too much." Brandon said as he slammed a huge axe just beside Jaden.

Jaden started shivering and almost turned back to look at Brandon.

"Don't turn back. I'll kill you." Brandon said.

Jaden looked at the bowl and then at the microwave.

"Un. . . . Brandon, what...happened?" Jaden said.

"That's why I hate you. Get some news about what's happening inside this little world of yours."

"W- What do you mean?"

"Thanks to you...I've lost one friend"

"NO WAY! Who is it?" Jaden said.

"Tsk! Stop acting all pure and innocent, I know you're a jerk. Harry is my childhood best friend, you think you can just snatch him away from me?" Brandon said.

"What? NO, I didn't snatch him away from you! He's still your best friend!"

"NO HE'S NOT!!!...He's changed...He said that he hates it when I talk to girls or when I leave him behind...He's tired of loving me." Brandon said.

"....No one ever got tired of loving. They got tired of waiting, assuming, hearing lies, saying sorry and hurting." Jaden said and turned towards Brandon.

He held the axe and said "If he doesn't like all that about you, then I think it's time you change that attitude of yours. You're already 16...how much longer do you intend to wait? Till the time everything is over?"

"Oh so now YOU will give me friendship advice. Has my life become so miserable?" Brandon said.

"No, I'm just telling you that there is still time-"

"Who are you to tell me?" Brandon said.

"Huh?" Jaden said.

"WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T DO?! YOU'RE NOT MY MOM!" Brandon shouted as he pushed Jaden and the axe fell on the floor.

Jaden just looked at Brandon with surprise. Soon, realisation struck Brandon.

He looked at Jaden for a while and then left his apartment.

Next day at school...

"Hey hey, it's Valentines next week. Are you going to the dance?" A girl said.

"I'm going! I want to invite the prince!"

"There he is! BRANDON!!"

Brandon looked at the girl and waved at her with a smile.

"Brandon, are you going to the Valentine's dance?" She said.

"Yeah. Are you?"

"Yes...Un…would you like to go with me…to the dance?" She said.

"I'd love to, but, you see, I'm going there with someone else. Sorry." Brandon said with a smile.

"Oh! Okay…I understand. Have fun." She said.

"Kate, let's go to the Valentine-"

"No. I'm not going." Kate said.

"That was fast." Brandon said "You better say yes or else!"

"Or else? Will you start dancing alone? Please don't do that, even nerds and geeks will pity you."

"I'll kidnap you...to dance with me."

"ARE YOU A CRIMINAL OR WHAT?!"

"Don't force me to commit a crime in that case." Brandon said.

"*Sigh* Look...two guys dancing together...it's just weird and gross. So, forget it. Grab a chick if you really wanna dance with someone that badly. I'm sure there would be many of them who would be more than willing to go with you. Right, Mr. Prince? See ya." Kate said and walked away.

Brandon stood in the hallways and looked at Kate walking away.

...'I feel like Harry'....Brandon thought.

Suddenly, he saw Harry walking towards his class.

Brandon's face lit up and he shouted "Har-"

"HARRY!" Jaden shouted as he ran towards Harry with a brown file in his hands. He started talking to Harry while both of them walked towards their class.

Brandon just looked at them.

"Oh! Brandon! Are you going to t-the Valentine's dance?" A girl said from behind Brandon.

"I don't know." Brandon said coldly and walked away.

"Huh?" The girl said as she looked at Brandon's back.

"What are you doing here?" Anna said as she looked at Louise who sat on her desk with his legs crossed.

"Oh! You know, same ol' things- Eating grass and feeding horses." Louise said.

"Tsk! Then please go and eat the grass somewhere else, senior. I need to do some schoolwork. I don't understand, how are you so free even though you're a third year?" Anna said.

"I've been wondering the same thing." Louise said.

"I doubt you do." Anna said.

"Are you going to the dance?" Louise said.

"Are you asking me out?" Anna said.

"No, I'm just forcing a conversation to kill time." Louise said.

"WHAT THE- YOU DON'T HAVE ANY GENTLEMAN LIKE QUALITIES!" Anna said.

"Did I ask for a feedback?" Louise said.

"YOU!!!"

"Hmm? Go on. Ask me out." Louise said.

"Okay, get out." Anna said.

"...Tres, your friend needs serious help." Louise said.

"SHUT UP! GET OUT!" Anna shouted.

Few days later....

"Hey...the prince seems to be in a foul mood. Did something happen with him?" A girl said as she looked at Brandon, who was sitting on his seat, reading a book.

"Yeah...He usually doesn't read…But he looks hot nonetheless!"

"RIGHT!! JUST LIKE A 'COOL SENIOR'!!" She squealed.

"OMG!!!" All of them fangirled together as a group.

The city was hit by a thunderstorm which continued even after the school was over. But it is weaker now.

Everyone went back home, while Brandon sat on his seat, reading the book.

Finally, he kept the book inside and looked at the sky.

"I can't believe I forgot my umbrella today of all days." He said as he walked towards the shed, a few metres away from the school building.

Upon reaching the shed, he met Harry. He was fixing his broken umbrella.

"Oh! Hi Brandon" Harry said with a friendly smile.

Brandon just waved at him with one hand while his other was in the pocket of his hoodie.

"OMG! YOU'RE DRENCHED!! YOU IDIOT! WHAT IF YOU CATCH-"

"Where is the umbrella stand?" Brandon said.

"Over there- HEY! Don't ignore me!!" Harry shouted as he got up.

"I'm not ignoring you." Brandon said as he opened the umbrella.

"Then?" Harry said as he crossed his arms.

"It's just that....*Sigh* Why are you even trying to show that you care? Mind your own bloody business." Brandon said.

"WHAT?! THIS IS MY BUSINESS! WHAT IF YOU CATCH A COLD?!" Harry said.

"What if I catch a cold?" Brandon said as he stood under his umbrella.

"Well... it'll be bad." Harry said.

"I know what's good or bad for me, thank you very much. After all, I'm 16 years old already, right?" Brandon said and started walking.

"What? HEY! I'M NOT DONE YET!" Harry said.

"But I'm done. Believe me, I am." Brandon said.

"What...the hell?" Harry said to himself.

"Hey, is that Brandon?" MJ said as he turned back and looked at Brandon.

Louise turned back and looked at him too.

"PFF- LOOK AT THAT! HE'S USING AN UMBRELLA BUT HE'S COMPLETELY DRENCHED! WHAT A FOOL!" MJ said and started laughing.

"OMG! That's Brandon, right?" A girl said. Their group was walking just behind Louise and MJ.

"KYA! I want to share my umbrella with him!"

"Me too!!"

Finally, a girl kept her umbrella in her bag and ran towards Brandon.

"Hi Brandon! I don't have an umbrella. Can I share yours?" She said, while acting all cutesy.

Brandon passed his umbrella to her and walked away.

"PFF- THAT GIRL JUST MADE A FOOL OUTTA HERSELF! GYAAAHAHA!!!" MJ laughed.

"W- Wait! Brandon, you'll catch a cold if you walk like this in the rain." A girl said as she got close to Brandon.

'I'm sure there would be many of them who would be more than willing to go with you. Right, Mr. Prince?' Kate's words resonated inside Brandon's mind.

"Here, let's share mine." She said and gently touched Brandon's hand.

Brandon gasped "DON'T TOUCH ME!!" He shouted as he slapped her hand and she fell on the ground.

"...Brandon?"

-To be continued