M͓̽y͓̽ c͓̽o͓̽n͓̽v͓̽i͓̽c͓̽t͓̽ [B͓̽W͓̽W͓̽M͓̽]

25 - What happened in 2k16✔️

+Brandy

"What the hell is going on with everyone?" Michelle asks as we walk around Walmart, getting the groceries we needed. "You and Mia are at odds, you and Elijah are giving each other weird looks. You're barely at the warehouse and when you are there, you're there for Elliot." She stressed. "Everything's changed... we're not what we used to be, and it's starting to freak me out. It's like... it's like we're not family anymore."

I push the cart, breathing in the cool air of the store. "I know that... and I'm sorry everything's been changing so much."

"You've gotta fix it." She exclaims, putting the eggs in the cart. "Your fault or not... you've gotta fix it because you're the oldest and because you brought us into this thing. It may not seem fair... but Brandy I've had enough. I miss our family and I'm tired of this wedge that's been put in the middle of us."

I sigh, shaking my head. "Why does it always fall on the oldest to repair a broken home?"

Michelle shrugs. "I'm not even sure. Maybe it's because you guys are the wisest." She concludes. "But just think about it for a moment. If I can notice that we aren't a family anymore, what do you think Elliot sees?" My eyes fall on Elliot and I watch quietly as he looks through the variety of juices. "Put yourself in his shoes... how do you think he feels?"

She had a point.

"Elijah is married." I blurt out, after a week of holding it all in.

"What?!" She shouted, getting the attention of other customers. "Mind y'all damn business." She snapped, causing everyone to scurry away. Michelle looks back at me, halting the cart. "He's what?" She questions in a softer tone.

"He's married, Michelle," I repeat, hating how the word sounded coming out of my mouth.

"When did you find out?"

"Last week."

"Last week?!" She shrieked. "And you're just now telling me this? Brandy, this is crazy! Just wait till we get home, I'm gonna fuck him up. Real talk, his ass is mine!"

"Calm down," I tell her, as Elliot looks in our direction. "Just... just let him be. We weren't really a thing anyway, so him being married or whatever... it's not a problem." I whisper the last part, my stomach-turning. "I'm over the whole situation, really?"

"Fuckin liar." She says, throwing a box of popcorn in the cart. "I hate when you lie and when you sit here and keep everything all bottled up inside that big head of yours. I'm your girl, you're supposed to tell me at least half of the things you're going through, so I can carry some of that weight." Michelle looks at me, placing her warm hands on top of mine. "You're only one person, Brandy... you can't carry the whole weight of the world all by yourself."

My eyes look away from her, my hands pushing at the cart some more. "Spill the beans about the Italian guy that keeps texting your phone and I'll let you in on what's happened."

Michelle huffs, before looking that at her hand. She'd painted her nails black this week, which raised some suspicion with me. Black was never her color. "Fine." She says giving in, a smile tugging at her lips. "Knowing you, you already put two and two together. So, yes, the Italian guy I've been texting is Kevin. I like the idiot, even though he's a little older. There's something about him... he's just so different compared to all the other guys I've talked to in the past."

"But?"

She frowns as she puts two boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios in the cart. I throw in some whole wheat bread. "But what if him being different is a facade? What if he's the nicest guy now and as soon as I agree to be in a relationship with him, he's not the guy I thought he was?"