The Beginning of Something More (SECOND BOOK)

A Birthday Gift

Brandon's Point of View

I take a walk out in the park after school, trying to sort out my thoughts. I look up at t the sky, trying to remember what Nikki likes, what Nikki loves, how she always is. I know I love her, but I want to know her better than that. I want to know what she likes, what she loves, and even after a year or two I only have a small idea of what it's like.

Maybe I should get her a scrapbook full of our photos together. I could decorate it. I know she likes Lady and the Tramp. Maybe I should add a few photos of all the things she likes, us together, our friends, the band-all of our moments until now. I want to see her smile because of the present. I want her to know it came from the heart, and not from a magazine.

Photography is what I do best-other than my insane humor (just kidding)-and I want to apply that to the present I'm giving her. I can't draw amazingly, but I can try to apply that too. Maybe I can grab some photos from her art competition. That would be pretty awesome, if I could get my hands on some.

Nikki is pretty awesome. Maybe I should ask Theo and Marcus to help me out. Marcus is having fun with his crush right now, though, so I'll call later.... I can't believe he hasn't hooked up with her yet though...

My crush agreed...I think about Nikki's smile, and her eyes lighting up when she sees me, and I find myself daydreaming.

I hear my phone ring, and I look down at the number.

Brandon: "Speak of the devil."

I answer the phone.

Nikki: "Hey Brandon."

Brandon: "Hey Nikki."

Nikki: "I was wondering if you wanted to come to my house. My family is out and I decided to stay home, so I decided this would be the least embarrassing time for you to come over."

Nikki chuckles softly from the other side of the phone. I can feel heat rise to my face and my heart skip a beat. Being with Nikki alone? In her house? I've been with her alone before, sure, but never at either of our houses. For some reason, I'm both excited and extremely nervous. My next words come out more shaky than I'd wanted them to be:

Brandon: "S-Sure."

Nikki: "Great. I wanted to show you some of my art in my room. It'll be fun to get to bond a little more-then again we seem already very intertwined....I'm not clingy, right?"

I smile and shake my head, sighing. I don't think it would even bother me if she was clingy. She isn't.

Brandon: "I don't think you're clingy, Nikki. I love you."

Nikki: "Gee, you're too sweet. You better not have sugarcoated that though."

Brandon: "I refuse to put sugar on it. We might get cavities!"

I can practically envision Nikki rolling her eyes right now. She laughs, and I chuckle a little.

Nikki: "Okay. Hope to see you soon. Come at 6 if you can."

Brandon: "Okay, see you soon."

I hang up the phone and look up at the bright blue sky. I smile, and walk back home to get changed. As I'm walking, I think about how long Nikki and I have been together. We have been through a lot, and I hope we turn out okay.

~~~~~~~~~~~26 minutes later~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By now, I'm on my way to Nikki's house and I'm wearing a baby blue button up shirt, jeans, and black converse (Author Note-I think that's how you spell that flat footed shoe everyone likes.) . I'm almost there and my camera hits gently my chest from time to time as I walk. I decided to bring that way I have more stuff to put in the scrapbook I plan to make.

I finally reach the door after fifteen more minutes, and I knock on the door softly. I hear shuffling from inside the house for a few minutes until the door opens and I see Nikki.

She's wearing hoop earrings and a purple shirt. She's wearing jeans shorts, converse, and her hair is up in a high ponytail. She smiles at me and gestures me inside.

Nikki: "Hi."

Brandon: "Hi."

I smile as sweetly as I can. I'm nervous.

Nikki: "Want to come up to my room now then?"

Brandon: "Sure."

We walk up to her room, and my heartbeat seems so fast and loud you could probably hear it a mile away.