When Everything Changed (Currently Rewriting)

9. Let's Get Through This Shitload Dump

CHAPTER 9 | Let's Get Through This Shitload Dump

The very next day and its following days, I had been constantly ignoring and avoiding Brandon.

He would make such effort to come up to me and try to explain and all, but I just turned around and walked away from him. This had been happening for about a week. I am quite tired and deeply annoyed already, and I hope he is feeling the same way.

Deep inside of me - ignore this facade I had put on - I miss him. I crave for his presence and his voice. I would like to hear his jokes and our childish banter. I would like to forgive him, but it hurts me much whenever the idea pops up again.

Most of the school days, Brandon would stuff random pictures of both of us in my locker. I would always open my locker, and the little polaroid photo would fly out and land on the ground. It would mostly be pictures of us both in the wackiest moments.

For example, mermaid man and barnacle boy in his backyard. 

Secretly, I would slip it into my bag. At home, I would paste the pictures in this special scrap book that is full of Brandon and me. So far, I have about fifty plus pictures of both of us. 

This morning, Brandon had slipped in a picture of both of us back then when we were neighbors. Our mothers took a picture of both of us smiling with casts on our arms. The day before that day, I fell off and broke my arm. I had to get a cast, and gladly, Brandon wrapped his arms with tissue so we both would match. 

Pretty sweet, I think.

I smiled genuinely and grasp the picture against my chest.

Nostalgia.

 
••••

 
Angelica and I strolled to our second block, coming from the courtyard. 

"Had you spoken to Brandon yet?" Angelica asks from beside me.

"Not yet, and I may not for the remaining while," I responded. It is a very touchy subject, and I always tend to change the topic before the waterworks starts.

Angelica pulls me to a stop in the middle of the hallway. "Alright, you may hate me for saying this," she starts, "But you shouldn't treat Brandon like that."

I opened my mouth to interrupt her, but she cut me off. "Shut up for a while and listen, alright?" She takes a gulp and continues.

"First of all, you should talk to Brandon. From the story you had told us, you made quite an assumption before knowing what was true. You do not have the right to hold a grudge against him. You need to make him explain, because if you were in his position, you would want to explain the truth.

"Secondly, if it was true, just give him a chance. He is trying his best, with lots of efforts, to get you to forgive him - much less, at least for you to talk to him. Someone who doesn't care wouldn't even try to do all those that Brandon is doing right now.

"I know you may have trust issues or whatever, maybe because of something horrible in the past, but I understand. It's your risk to take, and the best is just taking the chance. If you get hurt, then so be it. You couldn't prevent yourself from ever hurting in life.

"This is just words of advice coming from someone who have gone through loads of shit in life."

Angelica ended her long preach by walking away. I knew she knew that I need some time alone to think about what she had just told me. Honestly, that is perfectly correct!

Angelica, indeed, is wiser than you expected her to be.

 I continued my trip to my second class, and I was kind of rushing since I am pretty sure marked tardy. Actually, it is now ten minutes after the bell, so yeah.