look after you ( andrew bazzi )

XXII

brandon paced in front of adeline's door, biting on his bottom lip. his hands were on his hips, his mind racing with thoughts and possibilities. he heard her door open, his head perking up.

"b? what're you—"

"i need to tell you something. i won't be able to get past it if i don't say it out loud. it's been eating at me for the last few months and i can't carry it around with me anymore." brandon said quickly, letting out a breathe. adeline raised one of her eyebrows, crossing her arms over her chest. "i'm in love with you and i know i'm not supposed too, but you picked me up when no one else cared enough too. you were there for me without a reason to be, you just were. you're genuine and kind and beautiful and i love you more than just a older sister who i can look up too. you don't have to tell me how wrong it is because you're zions sister. i know, but falling you was something i couldn't help."

adeline's lips parted slightly, the woman looking down in a way to not meet his eyes. "brandon, you cant help who you fall for, but—"

"i know you don't feel the same, adeline. i've accepted that. you love andrew." brandon pursed his lips, pushing his hands into his pockets.

"i don't lov—"

brandon quickly cut her off. "you look at him like i look at you. it's okay. you can't help who you fall for, right?"

"hey, rose?" adeline watched rosalia brush her hair in front of zions mirror. "brandon is going to take you to school today because i have to take elom back to the airport, okay?"

"e is leaving? already?" rosalia asked with a pout, putting her brush down. "i don't want him to leave. you look so much happier when he's around."

adeline sent the child a sad smile, the woman leaning down and laying a kiss on the child's forehead. "i don't want him to leave either."

"so you're in love with adeline?"

brandon choked, his eyes widening. "what?"

"zion and i listened to you. i know respecting privacy, but i couldn't help it!" rosalia sent the boy a smile. "zion stopped listening after he heard what you say you loved her. i'm sorry that you got hurt, b."

"it's okay, little bit. i'll be fine." brandon returned the smile before keeping his eyes on the road. "i'm actually rooting for adeline and your dad."

"really? me too." rosalia grinned, going through her book bag until she found her recent drawings. "i drew these for everyone, but i'm going to wait and show them at thanksgiving."

brandon parked the car in the school parking lot, taking the drawing into his hands. it had a few people, brandon recognizing himself, zion, elom, and adeline along with a smaller figure holding adeline's hand. brandon grinned at the drawing, handing it back to the child. "i love it."

"i drew one with my uncles, but i have to redo it because i messed up on the colors." rosalia started rambling about how she chose the wrong color schemes, brandon nodding along. "oh, i have to go! school starts in a whole five minutes!"

"adeline is supposed to come back to school around lunch time, so you'll go home with her." brandon and the child got out of the car, the two walking to the door of the school. "i'll see you after school?"

rosalia nodded, putting her hand out to the boy. brandon furrowed his eyebrows, pushing his glasses up slightly. he put his hand out as well, shaking the child's small hand. "bye, b."

"bye, rose."

the two walked away from each other, brandon getting in his car and driving to his own school as rosalia went to walk into her own.