Patience

Unexpected

It was 3 p.m. sharp when Brandi left her Chemistry class, heading to her locker. During her walk, she was looking right and left for Seth. No sign of him. She placed her books inside her locker and headed outside. Maybe Seth would be there.

"She didn't like it, man." Seth said to Ryan as soon as he saw him leaving his classroom.

"Who? Brandi?" Ryan asked.

"Yes, Brandi. Who else? She didn't like it at all. Actually, she hated it. Totally hated it."

"What are you talking about? How do you know?" they talked as they trailed to the parking lot.

"I saw her when she got the letter from her locker. She read it and didn't even care about what I wrote."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Seth." Ryan informed.

"What do you mean? Do you know something? Did you talk to her? Did she tell you something, Ryan? Tell me everything she told you if she..."

"Chill, Seth." Ryan cut him off or else Seth would go on forever "I didn't talk to her, but I saw her in the cafeteria and she was holding your letter and CD. She was reading the letter and seemed really interested. It looked like she was reading it more than once or twice."

"So... she was rereading the letter?" Seth stopped to think and Ryan nodded at his question "That's good, right?"

"I guess..." Ryan shrugged.

"That is good, man. But... what if it's not?"

"I don't know. But I'm sure she'll come and talk to you."

"Are you, Ryan? Are you really sure? Because I'm not so sure about it."

"Don't worry. She will. When she's ready, she will. Just don't put any pressure on her. Just let her come to you. Do not go to her, or else you'll screw everything up."

"Ok. Ok. So, I'm waiting. Waiting for her to come and talk to me. Ok. I can do that." Seth nodded.

"Good. Now let's go."

Brandi was leaning on her car and looking around the parking lot for Marissa's car, hoping she'd see Seth there. But no sign of him yet.

She had Seth's CD and letter still in her hand and looked down at them. She smiled weakly while looking at the items. She knew what he wanted. And now she knew what she wanted. She wanted Seth. And she had to tell him that.

She looked up again to search for him, and this time, she saw him coming down the stairs. Ryan and Marissa were by his side.

She didn't know if she could just go to him and ask to talk to him. But what other way could she do it? She took a deep breath and headed in their direction.

"Seth?" she said almost whispering when she approached him, but he had his back to her and couldn't hear her calling "Seth?" she said a little bit louder this time and Seth turned around, already smiling, recognizing immediately Brandi's sweet tone.

"Brandi. Hey!" he had a big smile on as he approached her. Brandi's heart skipped a beat. What a smile he had!

"Hi." she said a little uncomfortable, because Ryan and Marissa also stared at her "I was wondering if... Hm... If we could... I mean... if we could talk."

"Of course!" Seth answered right away.

"Oh..." Brandi was caught off guard by Seth's promptness "Ok. Good. Do you... Ahm... Do you wanna do it now or tomor-"

"Now works for me." Seth cut her off, still wearing his big smile.

"Ok." Brandi shook her head "Good. Then... Where do you... where do you wanna do it?" Brandi realized the ambiguousness of her phrase, so she continued "I mean, talk. Where do you wanna talk?"

"Wait here." he placed both hands on her shoulders and before stepping closer to Ryan and Marissa "You can go right ahead. I'll meet you at the house later, man." Seth said his goodbye.

"Ok. Don't do anything stupid, alright?" Ryan advised.

"Don't worry. I can take it from here. Thanks. Bye."

Seth watched as his friends trailed to Marissa's car. He soon turned around and stepped closer to Brandi.

"So... where do you wanna do it?" Seth also realized the ambiguousness and rephrased that "Where do you wanna talk?" Brandi smiled.

"We could go to the Crab Shack. We could get something to drink and..."

"That's fine with me."

"Good. And... you're driving with me, I'm guessing?" Brandi realized that would actually be the first time they'd be alone in a small space like her car.

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

"No, of course not!" Brandi said right away.

"Awesome."

"So... ok... we can go now. My car is..."

"Spring!"

Brandi suddenly froze, recognizing immediately the voice behind her.

"Ok, don't look now..." Seth started to say in a low tone of voice "But there's a dude calling out for someone named Spring. I mean, who has that name? Of course, there's Summer, but Spring? I've never heard anyone called Spring and... And he's coming this way. He's looking at us. That's weird, right?" Seth said before the guy got close enough to them "Do you..." Seth started, but stopped talking when Colin took her by the arm and turned her around.

"Brandi?"

"Colin." Brandi said softly.