Afterglow (BWWM)

Chapter 24

I reluctantly made my way through the food court to meet up with my mother. Her introduction with Drew could not have been worse. Not that she needed to be introduced, she knew exactly who he was. The problem was she didn't like him. And today did nothing to change her mind.

I also had to figure out what to do about Drew's homework. It was burning a hole in my bag because he didn't want it. With everything going on, Drew's work was the one thing I knew I could do. It was my way of letting him know that I was still in his corner, even if my indecisiveness led him to believe otherwise. His homework was my only bargaining chip. If he didn't want it, then what did that leave me with? I'd be no use to him.

I reached the common area where my mother told me she'd be waiting. I found her right away. She was waiting for me like she said she'd be, the thing is, she wasn't alone. She was sitting on a stool at one of the tall tables and, in some weird twist of fate, seated across from her was my former crush.

Brandon.

No sigh.

I waited for my brain to go blank and my mouth to go dry. The sensation never came. I only felt...confused.

He doesn't give two shits about you...

I could hear Drew's voice in my mind, reminding me just where I stood with Brandon.

For way longer than I cared to admit, I thought Brandon was the one. Then I learned I was nothing more than locker room gossip.  So why was he sitting with my mother? Why couldn't he just disappear from my life? The last thing I needed was more complications while Drew and I tried to navigate the new territory we found ourselves in. 

As if sensing my presence, my mother looked up. She called me over with her hands using a beckoning motion, but my feet remained glued to the ground. I couldn't help feeling like I was walking into a setup. As bad as I wanted to turn around and pretend my life was back to normal, I needed to get this over with. I couldn't stand here all day. Eventually, I forced myself to move forward, taking measured steps.

Brandon looked over as I approached the table. His big brown eyes, open and friendly. He smiled, showcasing even white teeth. "I knew you'd show up eventually," he said.

I forced an answering smile. I tried not to be taken in by his innocent expression as I sat at the tiny table. Brandon seemed to fill the space. His broad shoulders took up more than his fair share of room at the table, making the setting seem very intimate. He and I had rarely, if ever, been this close. I turned to my mother in an attempt to ignore my newfound awareness of his body.

"I thought it was just going to be us. Did I miss something?" I said.

"Don't be dramatic. I was waiting for you when I saw Brandon. He surprised me by recognizing me before I even had a chance to introduce myself," my mother said.

"I remembered her from the last time she visited," he said as if that explained everything. My mother had been on campus with me before, but it wasn't like she and Brandon had some memorable exchange. Though their time together was enough for him to make an impression on her. Perhaps she'd made one on him, too.

"It was great seeing you again, ma'am," Brandon said.

"Please stop with this ma'am business," my mother said admonishing him gently. "My name is Ria."

Brandon smiled shyly. "Ma'am I can't. It's how I was raised. My mother would have some choice words for me if she knew I called you by your first name."

My mother's smile grew. "What a polite young person you are, Brandon. Such a rare thing in someone your age."

"My mother would be very proud to hear you say that, ma'am."