Finally Falling

Bonus Scene

Jace is having a meltdown.
Usually, they involve burpees and backflips.
But this time, they involve a confused Brandon and roller skates. 

"Just...do it, man. It's not that hard." Brandon says and I have to keep myself from giving Jace a bear hug and kicking Brandon out of our house. 

Jace looks up with narrow eyes and a hunched posture. 

"You have the emotional capacity of a toolbox. I'm clearly in dire need of sympathy and this is how you treat me? The next time you want help with anything related to Kate, go ask Justin."  

I look at Brandon, trying to hide my toothy grin but he does everything to avoid eye contact with me.
Jace makes a horrid expression and then wails, "Do you think I forgot how to swim too?" 

Brandon shrugs and leans on the back of the sofa. "Most likely." 

"Okay, maybe you should sign up for those webinars on how to approach social settings," I suggest and he replies with a half-smile, "I figured if I got you after our first interaction, everyone else is just banana bread." 

"And I'm, what, red velvet?" 

"You're icing, baby," he grins with his dimple.

"Hi," Jace interrupts with a cheery smile, "do you remember when I told you I found you guys cute? Yeah, sorry, I was running on coffee and mashed potato."

Brandon's about to bite back when Justin walks in with a carton of milk in one hand. 

"Who drank all the milk?"  

Justin's in denial on the fact that Brandon and I are going out. Which is just his way of saying if-I'm-mean-to-your-date-deal-with-it. 

"Why're you sitting on the floor, Jace?" He asks after no one answers his previous question. 

"I tried to rollerblade and I slipped." He emphasises the word meaning he's still in shock. Justin doesn't ask for anymore context which isn't surprising because, well, Jace is Jace. Instead, he returns to the topic of milk. 

"We can go get some if you're that desperate," I offer and Brandon begins moving in my direction. Justin seems like he's caught in a state of panic as he opens his mouth and then closes it once. 

"Jace will go with you," he declares. 

Brandon hands me the jacket that was on the couch and gives me a half-smile again. I can't explain it, but I literally fall for Brandon more every day. My family's done nothing but show him the weirdest and probably the most unattractive sides of us, but never once has he judged me for it or brought it up. 

Jace, Justin and I have been one caffeine-deficient, highly sensitive system forever. There's been nobody but us in our lives for the last six years and now Brandon has wedged his way into all of ours.
With all of the challenges Justin tries to throw his way, he's never once wavered. 

"You know what," Justin walks out of the hall. "I'll just go with you," he says as he returns with his coat. I look at Brandon and wonder how he's not throttled Justin yet as he keeps making his dislike for Brandon clear. 

When we arrive at the supermarket there's an awkward pause as we decide what else we need to buy in order to properly function. Justin starts an argument with Brandon over which brand of cereal is better and Jace comes to stand next to me to watch the spectacle. 

"Do you think Justin has bets with himself to see when Brandon finally cracks?" 

"Jace, I'm scared," I blurt out while still looking at Brandon and Justin. 

Jace looks at me but I don't turn to him. Then I pivot abruptly. "I'm gonna screw this up." It all starts rushing out. "He's, like, amazing and I'm this weird blend of awkward and wow, I feel like vomiting every time I think of what happens when he gets irritated by me or-or I say something co-" 

Jace shakes my shoulders but he has this massive grin on his face when he says, "I've never seen you get so bothered by a person before." 

"I know," I slump, "Don't look at me." 

"It's a good thing," Jace reassures me, then adds, "I mean, obviously don't tie your entire self-worth to a guy or anything but...Brandon's a good person. And you guys help each other be better people. He's so much more relaxed when you're around, I mean, you can see it in his conversations. And you're like, less reckless with your...lifestyle. You think things out much more." 

"Klumsy," I hear Brandon call and when we turn, Justin and Brandon are at opposite ends of the supermarket. Jace and I head to him in the confectionary aisle where he's examining a packet of lollipops like they're a whole new species. 

"I don't know if Jace likes chocolate or toffee better?"

Jace whispers, "I told you the both of you are better when together." 

Brandon looks up, clearly not expecting Jace to be there. 

"You've probably forgotten how to ride a bike as well so I thought some comfort food would be good." 

"What do you guys wanna eat?" Justin appears behind Brandon. 

Jace and I share a telepathic look of disbelief. 

Justin's inviting Brandon out for dinner which means they either have the same taste in cereal or Justin's accepting Brandon as someone permanent in our lives because dinner is the one meal the three of us always eat together.

Justin and Jace go to the counter while contemplating cuisines while I pull Brandon back for a little talk. 

 "Look, Klumsy, I know I'm charming, probably the hottest person you've ever laid your eyes on and everything but please, not in the supermarket." 

I roll my eyes and hit his arm really gently. He grabs my hand and moves closer to me, placing his other hand on my wrist. It's nine o'clock and so all the kids that should be in the confectionary aisle are at home. 

He places a kiss at the side of my mouth and mumbles, "Was there something you wanted to say?" 

"Mrs Marthelem is behind you." 

His hold on me loosens and he whizzes around faster than I can catch in anticipation of his grandma who's visiting for a few days. 

"You," he says while I try to stop laughing, "are in for some payback." 

I ruffle his hair and grab his hand, dragging him to the car because Jace and Justin seem to have left. 

"Klumsy?"
I hum in response and his statement makes me stop dead in my tracks. 
"I have this weird, cosmically unexplainable feeling every time I'm with you or think about you. I think there's a term for it: I'm in love with you." 

I stare at him and then the ground and then my hand in his and his eyes are on me, all intense like he could never flinch. I can't speak even though I desperately want. I want to say-

Justin's footsteps sound and then his voice. "Okay, so we're going to that Italian place around the corner. I should warn you though when Kate eats more than three bites of anything to do with heavy cheese, she gets diarrhoea and the entire house has to suffer through it."