Patience

Babbling

"Sorry it took us that long." the guy apologized for the delay and handed Johnny their dinner package "But as you can see, we're packed today."

"That's alright. Thank you." Johnny took the bag and looked at Seth.

"Seth, what are you..." Brandi started, but got cut off by Seth.

"I'm having dinner. With Summer. See? Over there? That booth? Ryan, Marissa, Summer and I are having dinner. She called earlier and asked us to come, so... here we are!" he exclaimed.

"I see..." Brandi looked down and bit her upper lip. Was Seth trying to make her jealous? Telling her so openly he was there having dinner with Summer. If he was, it was working. She was a little jealous. Hadn't he told her they weren't a couple anymore? "So... you're back together already?" Brandi looked Seth directly in his eyes.

"Not quite, but pretty much, yeah." Seth nodded.

"Ok." Brandi still had her eyes locked on Seth's "That's good for you." she faked a smile and Johnny sensed she wasn't feeling comfortable. He pressed her harder against him, so she'd feel her big brother was there to defend her from whatever it was that she needed.

"Yes, that's good for me, and good for everyone, actually. Because now we can like... triple date, you know?"

"No." Brandi frowned "What do you mean?"

"Well, we could all hang out. Ryan, Marissa, Summer, me, you and your college boyfriend here." Seth took a better look at Johnny. He was a little intimidating, especially for Seth, who got intimidated by just about everyone.

"What are you talking about, dude?" Johnny asked and Seth sensed his New York accent.

"Oh, so you're also from New York. That's great. So, you guys must have been dating for a long time, if you decided to move to California with Brandi."

"Brandi?" Johnny looked down at her. Brandi was just standing still, still absorbing the idea that Seth and Summer were together. Officially together.

"What?" she looked up at Johnny.

"Didn't you hear what this dude just said?" Johnny asked her.

"No, I'm sorry. What was it?"

"He said, and I quote, 'you guys must have been dating for a long time, if you decided to move to California with Brandi'."

"Oh!" Brandi exclaimed "No, no, no, no, no! It's nothing like it. Johnny is..."

"Oh, so your name is Johnny. That's nice. Nice to meet you, Johnny. Brandi and I have met this week, so I guess there wasn't enough time for her to tell me about you, so... don't worry. I'm sure she likes you a lot, she just didn't tell me about you, because..."

"Seth! There's nothing to tell. Johnny is my brother." when Brandi said that, Seth just wanted to disappear. He was so ashamed of himself, it took him a while to get back on track.

"Siblings?" Seth asked, embarrassed.

"Yes." Johnny nodded and couldn't keep the smile off his face. He was totally digging the idea of Seth making a fool out of himself.

"Oh... ok. So... not a couple?" Seth asked.

"No." Johnny answered again, still holding his smile "So I guess there won't be any triple dates for us." he chuckled this time, he couldn't handle it anymore.

"Johnny!" Brandi hit his arm "Excuse my brother here."

"No, that's ok, that was actually pretty funny. No triple dates for us." Seth faked a laugh "Good one, Johnny." Now, for some reason, Seth was just trying to impress Johnny, especially after making such an asshole out of himself.

"Thanks, dude." Johnny smiled.

"Listen, we better go. Mom is waiting for dinner." Brandi said to Johnny.

"Yes." Johnny agreed.

"Oh, you guys came in to buy a family dinner?" the two siblings nodded "That's so cool, because my mom can't cook and we always get food ordered in. So, we have that in common, Brandi."

"Our mom can cook; she just wasn't in the mood tonight." Johnny informed.

"Oh..." Seth got embarrassed again "So... we don't have that in common anymore."

"Yeah. Listen, we're going." Johnny said.

"Ok. I'll see you at school tomorrow." Seth told Brandi.

"Unfortunately." Brandi whispered.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you."

"I just said see you." Brandi lied and turned around with Johnny on her side, leaving the place.

"Bye." Seth said from where he stood.

.

"Oh, dude, that was the funniest thing ever!" Johnny exclaimed as soon as they were out of Crab Shack.

"Stop it, Johnny."

"Come on, Brandi. Can you seriously say you got a crush on that imbecile there? He couldn't keep quiet for 2 seconds, for crying out loud! How can someone stand being with a guy like that?"

"Just stop it, alright?" Brandi rose her voice to her brother "He's not like that." she defended him "Not all the time, anyway." she said lower "He gets like that when he's nervous. He starts babbling nonsense."

"Oh, he was doing that alright."

"I know. But I don't get why he was so nervous. He was there with Summer, that he just said he got back together with. So... what was he so nervous about?"

"Oh, little sis..." Johnny entered the car and Brandi did the same "You have so much to learn."

"What do you mean?"

"He obviously didn't get back with that girl."

"What do you mean?"

"He came to talk to you. He left everyone at the table to come and talk to you and see what the story was about you having a boyfriend."

"What?"

"Didn't you see that what bothered him was to see you with a boyfriend? A college boyfriend, as he himself said. He was so threatened!"

"Really?"

"Of course, Bran. That guy is so obvious. He is totally digging you too. You know that, right?"

"No, he's not. He's into Summer, his ex-girlfriend. He talks a lot about her and I can see there're still feelings there. From both parts."

"Well, I don't know about her, but even if he does have old feeling for his ex-girlfriend, he has new feelings for you, sis."

"You're talking nonsense."

"Bran, he was completely, totally jealous tonight. You got him, sis. He's yours! Congratulations! You've won the big prize. Now you just have to gather the courage to go and collect it."

Brandi didn't agree with everything Johnny was saying, but some of that made sense. Why was he babbling so much like he was? Why was he trying so hard to show he was there with Summer? Some things didn't make sense unless he was really trying to make Brandi jealous. But why? She didn't get it.