Pretend // Brandon Arreaga

36- New Memories

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After what seemed like months, Caroline and Kelsey were almost on their way to moving to LA. Brandon had flown back in to Phoenix with Caroline after the holidays and Zion had flown in after his time with family. While he wouldn't admit him and Kelsey were an item, he sure wouldn't let her out of his sight.

"Nice to know I was asked to help just because I'm the only one who can reach the top shelf." Zion said, picking up the last box from the kitchen. 

"Well that's better than just being an extra pair of arms." Brandon retorted from the living room as he placed picked up the treasured telescope off the floor.

Caroline popped up from the other side of the living room and dove for the telescope. "Don't put that in a box! I'll put it in the front seat with us."

Caroline held it in her arms as Brandon picked up the last box from the living room. Brandon and Zion walked out the apartment, leaving the girls alone in the now empty apartment.

"Crazy to think this is the end of Phoenix." Caroline sighed, looking around.

"So many memories made in these two years here with you, especially in this apartment." Kelsey smiled, patting a small hole near the front door.

"New memories for a new town and new home." Caroline replied with a smile.

Caroline stood there and thought back on all the memories she had made over the last two years in Phoenix. While she was ecstatic to go to Los Angeles, she was sad to leave behind a place she had learned to call home. She shut the door, as if shutting the past life she had.

Brandon was waiting for her in the car. He was more than excited to have her near him so he could see her whenever. He felt like he had been waiting for years for the current moment, when in reality it was really only six months ago he had rekindled his friendship with her.

"See you again in LA." Kelsey said, shoving Caroline into the car door.

"See ya!" Caroline shrieked, opening the passenger door and climbing in.

She wasn't sure if she was prepared to let Brandon drive her car for six hours while she slept or not. Her and Kelsey had been up all night packing and labeling everything in the house for moving day. Kelsey's parents had left in the moving truck earlier so the stray boxes that didn't fit where piled into the girls cars.

"You ready?" Brandon asked, looking up from his phone.

"Yep! We are good to go for LA." Caroline smiled, buckling up.

"Alright. Get some sleep now." Brandon chirped, starting the car.

Caroline got comfy and closed her eyes. Before an hour into the drive she was asleep. Brandon hates not having her to talk too for the drive, but he knew how tired she was. After several bathroom breaks and fast food drive thru stops, they had made it to the new apartment. Everyone else had decided to meet them there and were already busy unloading the truck with Kelsey's parents. Brandon woke up Caroline by shaking her softly.

"We're here." He smiled.

Caroline groggily stretches and got out the car to find the whole gang outside the apartment building. Vera was the first to run up to her.

"Ahh, bitch! I missed you and Kels!" Vera screamed, hugging her with her full body.

"We're glad to be here for good now!" Caroline yelled back.

Everyone greeted her and Kelsey when she got there. They had almost the whole truck unpacked, so all that was left was to unpack the cars. It didn't take long to get everything into the apartment and settled in for the night before Nick and Auburn broke out the house warming gifts.

Caroline walked onto the balcony with two glasses of the champagne Auburn had supplied as a house warming gift. Brandon leaned over the balcony, looking out over the town. Caroline stood beside him and handed him a glass.

"We finally did it. We live in the same town." She whispered.

"I know. Cheers to endless sleepovers." He smirked, facing her and holding up his glass. Caroline held her ups before chugging the champagne.

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him softly. Caroline wasn't sure what the future held for the pair, but she knew it was great things. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt that happy or more certain about anything in her life. Brandon made everything better, made everything seem perfect even if it wasn't. She was so thankful for that August night in Phoenix when she literally crashed into him because if she hadn't, she wouldn't have found the true love of her life.

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Thank you all so much for coming on this journey of my first PRETTYMUCH story. I have LOVED every minute writing it. I hope you all read my other PRETTYMUCH stories that contain these same characters in them.

Thank yo for also letting this book get to 3.5K when it ended! I look forward to seeing you all for the first chapter of Lighthouse!