Page 86 of Organized Chaos
No way.
Time and time again, I paid the price for any interaction with Brandon. The first time I broke my cardinal rule and spoke to him, I lost my virginity, along with my sanity. The last time we spoke, Brandon burnt my book and the subsequent will to continue my visit with Milo. It had been weeks after the fact, and Milo was still shunning me.
I also lost my home in Paris, which wasn’t Brandon’s fault, but let’s go ahead and blame it on him. I had no qualms scapegoating things on him. It was the universe’s way of punishing me every time I betrayed Milo’s trust for Brandon Stupid Cooper.
Brandon spoke as if I hadn’t responded to his proposition. “I know a place nearby. We can talk there.” He took five steps in the opposite direction. When I didn’t move, he twisted his body. “You coming?”
“No, thank you,” I replied tersely.
Brandon shrugged and continued. The way he arrogantly walked away, fully expecting me to change my mind, left me dumbfounded.
Did he really show up unannounced and then expect to have a civilized conversation? There was no way in hell I’d follow that stupid, conceited...
“Hey!” I called out, following after Brandon. I tugged at the sleeve of his jacket. It had no effect in stopping him, so I matched his brisk pace. “You have my phone.”
“Yes.” He patted his pocket.
Brandon rarely made a move without the guarantee of bending others to his will. He was walking away after gathering the necessary insurance.
Milo tracked my phone. Milo and Raven were synced to my Google Calendar that detailed my daily plans. I even listed church or plans to hang out with Chris so they could reach me.
If Brandon walked away with my phone, God knew where it’d end up. I was already on Milo’s shit list. I had no interest in making it worse.
“Give me back my phone.”
“I will... at the coffee shop,” he replied easily.
“What coffee shop?”
Brandon nodded ahead. “I told you. The one nearby.”
“I can’t have coffee with you. I’m busy.”
“You just got out of school.”
“I have to study.”
“But you already know everything.”
“In that case, I don’twantto have coffee with you.”
“Too bad.”
“Just give me back my damn phone,” I snapped, scalp prickling with an oncoming migraine.
“I will. At the coffee shop,” he reasserted.
I looked around the street, which was fairly empty, and I considered informing a neighbor about being mugged in broad daylight by my brother’s best friend. Unfortunately, it’d only serve to embarrass me. I had promised to do better and be less reactive. I refused to lose my shit in the middle of the street because of Brandon.
We walked in silence. My blood was boiling from the sight of him, or perhaps I felt dizzy from shock. The last thing I expected was this encounter.
Brandon appeared unflustered by the piercing tension, which further pissed me off. He wordlessly held the door open as we reached the popular neighborhood café and followed me inside.
The shop was a fusion of art and culture. There were eclectic pieces all over the walls, and the owners regularly encouraged patrons to share their talents in front of a live audience.
A set up in the corner with mic and speakers indicated that either it was open mic night, or a local musician might play a few songs. The café was generally busy, but not so much this afternoon.
My eyes swept the room involuntarily. I prayed we didn’t come across anyone who knew us. While coffee was an innocent enough outing, Milo would go ballistic if he found out about the companion. He might be giving me the cold shoulder at the moment, but it didn’t change the situation.
