What the heart wants

Chapter 13

Brandon pulls me to a hidden section, towards the edge of the playground. To the right, there is a small brick wall with a thick, dense bush which stretches from edge to edge. The wall breaks into two in the middle by a few steps leading up to the side entrance of the sports building. On the left, there are overgrown hedges covered with a wire mesh, facing the street outside the school. In front, there is a sky high gate with square holes so you can see the school entrance. We were completely alone, secluded in this place and I began to get nervous. Brandon tells me to sit down. I hesitate but he insists that I am seated. I perch myself on the brick wall and he sits beside me. His face full of concern. I begin to get inpatient.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"I have been wanting to tell you this for a long time. The whole trip I tried to tell you but I kept getting interrupted. " Brandon explains.

My mind drifts back to the trip. I remember him constantly trying to tell me something, but Owen would always randomly show up and distract me.

"Okaaay, what is it?" I ask.

"I don't know how to tell you this but-"

"You're pregnant. And you don't know who the father is." I joke.

"What? No, how could I-" Brandon replies, extremely confused. He stops when he sees me laughing and laughs with me. Then, he starts again.

"What I was trying to say is-"

"You are in love with me. I get it. How can you not be? I mean I am awesome. AHA!" I joke again. But this time he looks at me wide eyed and shocked. My laughter dies down as I begin to realise.

"Wait, I was just joking. But do you actually like me?" I ask, bewildered and somewhat scared of the response.

"That is NOT what I was going to say but if you would just stop interrupting me, maybe I would be able to get to the point!" Brandon says, exasperated

"You still didn't answer my question" I say in a small voice.

"LILY!!" Brandon shouts.

"Soorry sorry! Go on.. I won't interrupt you again."

I gesture zipping my mouth with a key and throwing the lock away. Brandon shakes his head in amusement.

"Can I continue now?" Brandon asks.

I nod my head.

"Okay, I didn't want you to find out from anyone else so I am telling you this now. Owen...is going out with Amelia."

"Is this a prank?" I whisper. "Because if it is then it is not funny" I say, holding back the tears.

Brandon pulls out his phone and shows me a picture from Owens facebook.

"Amelia even met his parents. See, that's them and that's Owens family. They are official."

I stare at the photo and my lips begin to quiver. Brandon notices this and pulls me in for a hug.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I would have told you sooner but I thought you would chooseHumza and now when you said you may be in love with Owen I knew I couldn't hold the truth any longer."

I stayed in his arms. Not saying a single word. The thoughts raging through my mind. A girlfriend? And not just any girlfriend, Amelia! Amelia is a milk chocolate beauty. Her hair is long, black and silky, always perfectly done in a cute hairstyle. Her teeth are as white as light and so straight despite never wearing braces! Her smile is so adorable and she is so ladylike. How was I to compete with her? Then I remembered the science lesson the other day. He called me cute. He pinched my cheeks, looked into my eyes and called me cute! We play fight all the time, he gave me his jumper on the trip when it was cold, he called me cute!