Most of all, I just wish she would tell me what happened. The truth. As certain as I am that the woman I so loved could not have murdered anyone, I can not reconcile that certainty with the fact that she did not deny it.
By the time I reach the outer door to her apartment, my clothes and hair are soaking wet from the rain. My feet are bleeding and blistered, but none of that matters. All that matters is making this right. I pound on the outer door, shouting out her name. When I receive no reply, I turn the knob. The door opens, and I rush upstairs to where her apartment area lies. I internally prepare what I’m going to say to her, anything to convince her that I care about her no matter what. Anything to convince her that I don’t believe this cold and callous lie about her. As I ascend the final step towards her apartment, I reach out to the final door that lies between us. I brace myself, closing my eyes as I grip the doorknob. I can only hope she does not turn me away again. Pulling the door open, I part my lips to declare my undying love for her-- as dramatic as that likely sounds. However, it seems this nightmare simply will not end as I take in what lay inside her apartment. Or more specifically, what was absent.
The whole place was cleaned out. Brianna was nowhere to be seen.
CHAPTER SIX
Unable to accept what lies before me, I bolt into the small apartment area, searching for any trace of the woman I love. Every trace of her is absent, save her lingering scent on the pillows and sheets she had slept upon the night previous. Tears spring to my eyes, and I’m stricken by what we’ve shared in this apartment. Did it truly mean nothing to her?
I trace my hands along the sheets, drawing my lip between my teeth. Perhaps I should give up. That would be the logical thing to do. Ronald’s story was beginning to seem more likely, but I couldn’t allow myself to believe it. Why else would Brianna bolt from town entirely, however? Then, it struck me. That was her plan. Leaving town. Well, how did she very well expect to do that without the very car I had seen abandoned in the parking lot? Knowing my destination, I bolt from the abandoned apartment, scrambling down the stairs. The rain is only pouring down harder, and thunder booms in the skies, but I’ve come too far to give up now. I’m already soaked, after all. I struggle to remember where the nearest bus stop is, and upon recalling, I quickly make my way down the sidewalk. Cars fly by me, water splashing from the road and soaking me even more thoroughly to the bone. I shiver, cursing my foul luck and even more fervently cursing that scumbag Ronald. In the distance, I spot the bus stop, with one long figure standing underneath the shelter.
“Brianna!” I scream, bolting towards her. She turns in my direction, eyes widening as if she can’t believe what she’s seeing. She hesitates for half a second before rushing out from under the shelter, shedding her coat and throwing it around my shoulders. She shields me from the rain as best as she can, and though it’s a lost cause at this point, I allow her to do so. She drags me underneath the bus stop shelter, eyes wide and wild as she takes in my dishevelled appearance.
“Kitten! What on Earth were you thinking? You’ll catch your death out in this weather and--” She pauses, taking in my blistered and bleeding feet. “Sit, sit, god, what in the world--” She continues, but before she can go any further, I interrupt her.
“I love you, Bri.” I blurt, reaching out to her. She makes no move to slip away, though the confession clearly alarms her.
“You don’t know what you’re saying.” She mutters, helping me to the bench and propping my feet up, examining them with a cringe. Tears spring to my eyes, and I grasp her by the shirt, pulling her closer to me.
“Why does everyone keep dismissing me? Don’t my feelings matter? I know what I’m saying, and I mean it, Bri. I love you. I’ve loved you since I first lay eyes upon you. If you don’t feel the same… well, of course you don’t, but… that’s fine! I just… I just want the truth.” I choke out, tears spilling down my cheeks. Out of desperation, I press my lips to hers, and she is agonizingly stiff against me. Then, slowly, she wraps her arms around me, tenderly moving her lips against my own. I sob against her, and I know this is likely the least sexy situation on earth, but at least she’s not gone. She pulls away after a moment, keeping a hand tangled in my hair. She considers me with a worried expression, pressing our foreheads together in a familiar show of affection.
“Of course your feelings matter. But how could you love me? Your father…” She trails off, averting her eyes. I guide her into taking a seat beside me on the bench, knowing that my time could very well be running out. It’s only a matter of time before the bus comes, and somehow… somehow I have to convince her to stay.
“I don’t believe that you’re a murderer, Brianna. I believe something happened to make you feel like you deserve that title, but… you’re no murderer. Just explain what happened.” I plead, reaching out to cup her cheeks in my hands. She looks at me with tears in those beautiful eyes, and I would give anything to take that pain away. She rests her hand atop one of my own, pressing her cheek into my palm. She closes her eyes, seemingly allowing herself to revel in the sensations for a brief moment.
“I… my girlfriend and I…” Brianna begins, pausing and inhaling a quaking breath. “We were on vacation. We were driving from the West Coast to the East Coast, and I planned to ask her to marry me once we reached our destination. I never got the chance. While I was driving one night, a storm hit pretty bad. She suggested that we book a hotel and wait it out, but I was so eager to reach our destination and…” Brianna trails off in a choking sob. I wait patiently for her to finish, wiping away her tears.
“What happened, Bri? You can tell me. I won’t blame you. I love you.” I murmur, brushing a hand through her hair.
“We were in a car accident. A truck slammed into the passenger side of her car, and she… was killed on impact. I survived, with barely a scratch. The other driver couldn’t see us because of the bad weather, so… you see, what your father suggested isn’t untrue. I… I am a murderer.” Brianna wept, and my heart clenched in my throat at how utterly forlorn she seemed. I pulled her into my arms, the sound of the bus growing near causing my heart to pound in my chest.
“Bri, Ronald only twisted your story to serve his purposes. You’re no murderer. It was out of your hands, what happened. It’s unfortunate, and I know that you loved her, but… you can’t blame yourself forever. Especially not for things that are ultimately out of your hands. Believe me, I’ve watched my father blame himself for my mother’s death for years, because he didn’t make the trip in her stead, but… Oh, Bri. If he knew the truth, he wouldn’t blame you.” I murmur, pausing as the headlights of the bus catch my attention. It comes to a stop in front of the bus stop, and Bri glances to the large vehicle with uncertainty in her gaze.
“I should… leave. You’d be better off without me. You deserve better.” She sputters, and I tense my hands in her shirt, pulling her flush against me and kissing her tenderly. She stiffens against me, but soon relaxes into the kiss. Both of us have tears streaming from our eyes, and I realize we probably look entirely foolish, wrapped up in each other beneath the bus stop shelter. The bus driver opens the door, squinting out at us in the rain.
“Are either of you planning to board?” The man calls out, ire obvious in his tone. Brianna opens her mouth to reply, but I stare pleadingly at her, willing her not to say what I’m certain she plans to.
“I could never be better off without you. You’re the only person I’ve ever loved, like this.” I whisper, knowing how insignificant it must seem to this woman who lost her soulmate to a car accident. She hesitates, glancing towards the bus driver. He quirks a brow, tapping his watch in a way that seems to indicate what a rush he’s in.
“We were actually just trying to stay out of the rain, sir. Sorry.” Brianna calls out, and though it’s obvious that her intention was to leave, judging by the pile of suitcases at her side, the bus driver rolls his eyes and nods before sliding the door shut once more. As the bus drives away, Brianna watches it go, before
turning to consider me with a quirk of her lips. “I thought I could never love again. Not like I loved… her. But then you walked into my life, and… well. If you’re not willing to give up on me, who am I to push you away?” She murmurs timidly, seeming to consider her next words. “I… love you too, Kitten.” She confesses. My heart swells with adoration, and I can feel the tears pooling in my eyes as I jolt forward to kiss her. Suddenly finding the foul weather rather fortunate, I lose myself in her embrace.
The rain will slack off soon, and the storm is finally over.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The rest of the summer seems to pass in an utter blur, with my father and Brianna tentatively making amends. Upon hearing her side of the story, my father was stricken by how poorly he had treated her, though she assured him apologies were strictly unnecessary. At the very least, she had allowed him to put her back on the payroll, and most of the remainder of the summer was spent mending broken ties at the bakery. As far as Ronald goes, I have no idea what happened to that sleazeball. All I know is that it’s going to be nearly impossible to go back to school now that the summer is over.
I’m at the bakery early, exchanging chitchat with Jana as Brianna cooks in the back. My father steps in, looking at the three of us with a proud smile. I approach him, still feeling apologetic for how cruel I had been to him. He pulls me into his arms, resting his chin atop the crown of my head.
“I never realized how lucky I could be.” He murmurs, and I draw away, tilting my head in curiosity. His lips quirk mirthfully, and he glances to the back where Brianna watches us with a warm smile. “Here, I thought I’d only ever have one daughter.” He grins, kissing my forehead. I giggle and Brianna’s eyes widen, showing that she had clearly heard the older man. He glances to the back area, and she pretends to busy herself with cooking.
“Brianna, dear, come out here, please.” My father calls out. She reddens, but obliges, awkwardly shuffling out of the kitchen. “I feel it’s only appropriate to let you take your lunch break early, seeing as our Kitten has to leave soon.” He says, looking a bit mournful. Brianna wrings her hands uncertainly before nodding, grabbing my father in a hug.
“Thank you, sir.” She murmurs. He booms in laughter, watching the two of us as we awkwardly watch each other from the corner of our eyes. He rests a hand on my shoulder, meeting my gaze with warmth, and for once, confidence.
“I’ll make sure your boo is well fed while you’re off at college. Is that the correct term? Boo?” He smiles, knowing how uncomfortable I’ll get.
“Dad!” I groan, dragging out his name petulantly. He smiles warmly, and Brianna rumbles a laugh as well. Seeing how warm the two are growing with each other makes me wish I didn’t have to leave so soon. Before long, he’ll probably be as protective over Brianna as he is with me. I smile, reaching out to pull my father into another hug. “Thank you. For everything.” I murmur into his ear. He chuckles, his body shaking with mirth.
“Anything for my Kitten. Now, you two lovebirds go say your goodbyes. You need to get back on the road soon, don’t you?” He murmurs, ushering me away. I spot him wiping a tear from his eyes, and swallowing a lump in my throat, I take Brianna by the hand. “I expect you back in time to close, Miss Brianna.” He calls out as I drag her away.
“Yes sir!” She calls back, falling into step beside me as we clear out of the bakery. I can tell by the tension in her shoulders that something is bothering her, though it’s pretty obvious what that ‘something’ is. We walk hand in hand down the sidewalk, making our way to our familiar spot at the bus stop. It’s devoid of people, as is the norm, and we take a seat on the bench. Brianna wraps her arm around me, burying her face in the top of my head. She inhales shakily, and I can tell she’s nearing the verge of tears. Truth be told, I’m scarcely holding myself together as well.
“You know I’ll visit as often as I can. Not just the summer. And… you can always visit me, you know? My dad offered to help you pay off that car, right?” I murmur, wiping a tear from my eyes. She rumbles a laugh, refusing to move from her spot curled around me.
“He’s helping me enough by letting me work for him.” She retorted, brushing her hand through my hair. “I can’t help worrying… that something will happen to you. I know your dad is worried too, but…” Brianna trails off, drawing away. “We’re both really proud of you. I would never stop you from going back to school, so I just want you to promise that you’ll be safe.” She mutters, rubbing the back of her neck. I smile fondly at her obvious attempts to refrain from latching on to me, and as always, I’m ever enchanted by what a softie this supposed tough girl is.
“Brianna, you know that you and I are forever…” I purr, and she reddens, rubbing her cheeks in embarrassment. I lean in, capturing her lips in a kiss as the bus pulls up to the stop. The door opens, and the bus driver rolls his eyes upon seeing us.
“Don’t you two have any place better to hang out?” He grouses, and I offer him a polite smile.
“You won’t have to worry about me for a few months, Mitch. I’m headed back to college, so I’ll be out of state for a while. I’m trusting you and daddy to take care of my little Bri bear.” I grin, and his cross expression melts away, giving way to amusement.
“Ah, hell. You know I wouldn’t let anything happen to your schnookums.” He says, putting the bus in park for a moment and stepping out to sweep me into his arms. In the months previous, we’d come to know Mitch as a pretty nice guy, and he’s become one of Brianna’s best friends. I suppose it was inevitable, considering how many times he’s caught us making out at the bus stop. He knows it’s a special place for us, but never gives up on the chance to give us hell over it. I know he cares a lot about the two of us, and he jokes that we’re the purest example of true love he’s ever seen. It comforts me knowing that Brianna will have plenty of support while I’m in college, but still…
“Seriously. Take care of her.” I whisper in the grouchy man’s ear, and he chortles in response.
“Of course, Princess.” He grins. He draws away, stepping back up into the bus. He pauses, glancing towards Brianna. “If you’re not too busy moping tonight, me and the boys are playing poker at my place. You’re welcome to join.” He calls out. She quirks a watery smile, but nods, apparently not trusting herself to speak. As the bus pulls away, I retreat to her side, taking her hands in my own.
“What if you find someone… better. In college? Someone smarter? Or… prettier…” She mutters, and I bark out a laugh. I trace my finger along her bottom lip, snagging the new piercing in the middle. I grin, giving it a teasing little tug.
“Oh, there could be no one more beautiful. To think, I used to think piercings were tacky.” I grin, teasing her.
“And I used to think short skirts and heels were dumb.” She retorts, quirking a grin. My watch begins to beep, and I curse, looking at the alarm that signals it’s nearing time for me to leave. She looks pained for a moment, but shakes it off, gathering me in her arms and peppering kisses across my face.
“As much as I’ll miss you, you had better head out. Be safe, okay? If it starts raining or gets too dark to see or--” She rambles, but I cut her off with a chaste little kiss.
“It’s not that far a drive, baby.” I murmur. She reluctantly seems to accept that, releasing me and walking me back to the bakery, where my car is parked. As I slip into the driver’s seat, she leans in the window to steal one, final kiss.
“I love you, Kitten.” She murmurs, drawing away.
“I love you too!” I call out the window, turning the ignition and slowly backing out. As I drive away, I catch sight of my family and my newfound love in the rearview mirror. Though we have to be apart for now, I know that nothing will come between our love-- Not even murder allegations. Resolving to text her that little joke later, I draw my eyes away from my rearview mirror and look to the road ahead.
What a great summer.
Too Virgin For Him
~Bonus Story~
A First Time
Bad Boy College Romance
Danielle Anderson
Books are all I know. Surrounding myself with them has protected me and got me into college with a free ride but I feel like I don’t belong. In my co-ed dorm I am faced with college guys everyday but none of them pay any attention to me except Kyle, the tall ladies’ man at the end of the hall. He’s obnoxious and thinks he’s God’s gift to women, but he is handsome and when he rescues me at the last moment I discover there might be a redeeming quality to him after all.
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