I hadn't wanted to give him the stupid job, but Jessie didn't give me a choice. Besides I was the nice guy who never did any wrong. Now I had to see him every day. The more I saw him and Jessie together the more I realized she wasn't really nice to him. She bossed him around a lot and he didn't seem to notice. She had done that to me in our relationship which is why we broke up. Well not the only reason, but it was one of the big ones. I hadn't told her that though or the kids, but she was kind of rude. The kids didn't seem to notice it either and they kept telling me that we were perfect together. I had thought the same thing at one point, but I knew better now. One day after Jessie headed to the park with the kids I had Brooks help me carry some groceries up to Bertram. One the way down I confronted him about Jessie.

Me - "So how are you and Jessie?"
Brooks – "Good. Really good."
Me – "Really? You don't mind being bossed around?"
Brooks – "What do you mean?"
Me – "Nothing"

His tone of voice when I said that made me back out of saying anything else.

Brooks – "No seriously what do you mean?"

The elevator doors had opened up and I stepped off and back behind my desk. "Nothing" I say again. Mr. Smith came in at that moment which meant Brooks had to leave, but he'd be back soon. I had no idea what I was thinking when I confronted him about Jessie. I just knew I hated seeing them together. There was a reason why she had gone through boyfriends like candy. She was the problem most of the time. Before Brooks was back Jessie showed up. Of course, she had the ultimate timing ever. The elevator opened and Jessie and the kids stepped in. I made eye contact with Brooks just as the door closed. Yeah things would be awkward between us now because I'm pretty sure he thought I was jealous. He'd be right, but for the wrong reason. It wasn't him I was jealous of… it was her. I hated that about myself because I didn't like Jessie.

At the end of our shift I was in the small room we were given to keep our stuff when Brooks walked in. "Hi." He says looking tired. I nod in return as I change out of my doorman shirt. I switch into a plain grey one before slinging my bag over my shoulder. "Wait" Brooks says stopping me by blocking the door. "What's up?" I ask as I yawn. "I see it now" I look at him confused "See what now?" He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair "I see the bossiness." He explained to me what had happened once the kids had gotten off the elevator. "Not only is she bossy, but she is super untrusting. She thought maybe I was cheating one her with someone. She doesn't trust me. I can't be with someone without trust." We had moved from the door as he explained to me what had happened. "So what are you going to do?" I ask. We had sunk to the floor as he told me how he pulled her to the side to talk to her. "She claimed she wasn't any of those things, and she dumped me." I look at him and he looks upset "Oh man, I'm so sorry… I didn't mean for that to happen." He turns and looks at me "I guess it is for the best. At least now my mom will let me have my old job back." I bump his shoulder with mine reassuringly "You get all your money back too, so you won't need to be here." He sighs "Yeah… but I never honestly cared about the money. The animals on the other hand… they actually matter."

We finally got up and started walking out "Oh… I don't actually have a place to stay." Brooks says as we are out the door. "You're mom lives here though." I say. He looks at me "Yeah… true. Well I guess I'll just head back up. Goodnight Tony." I watch him take a step towards the door before I grab him "I was kidding. You can stay with me" "Oh thank the lord" he says. We both laugh as we walk down the street. "So where exactly do you live?" "I live about a block from here. It is super small, but home-y and it was cheap and close." He smiles "Sounds nice.

It wasn't until I got to my house that I remembered I didn't even own a bed. I flick the lights on revealing my small house. "I just remembered that I don't own a bed… but you can sleep in my chair… it reclines." He looks around and shrugs "I don't mind the floor." We argued for about 10 minutes before he finally agreed to take the chair, but only if I joined him. It started out awkward as we both tried to find a comfortable way to sleep on the chair together. Finally we ended up finding a position where we both fit. It wasn't long before we fell asleep. When I woke up I forgot I had fallen asleep on top of someone. "Morning" Brooks says. "You're awake." I mumble as I start getting off of him. "Yeah, for a few minutes now. I just couldn't move… you were on my arm." I was standing now and he was stretching his arm out. "Sorry" I say fully meaning it. He laughs "No, trust me; it was a lot better than staying with my mother."

After that I had to head into work, so he walked me. He was going to talk to his mother. It wasn't long before Brooks showed back up. He waved at me as he left and I waved back. I guess I had made a new friend. At the end of my shift Brooks showed up. "What's up?" I ask. "Nothing. Just wanted to see how your day went." I told him all about how boring my day was as we walked to my house. When I opened the door I dropped my keys. I turned to see Brooks smiling. "What?" I finally manage to say. "It's my way of saying thank you for being a good friend." "Are you kidding me! I can't even buy you a grilled cheese!" Brooks laughs "Go ahead… give it a try."

I sit on the new bed he had surprised me with. It was comfy "I can't accept this." I finally say. Brooks shrugs "Well too late… I just don't like the idea of you sleeping in a chair every night." I laugh "Dude… Thank you." I walk over and pull him into a hug. "No problem." He hugs me back before letting go and sitting down in my chair. "Do you mind if I stay here another night? My mom sold my old place and my new one hasn't gone through yet, but don't worry tomorrow it will be done." "Yes absolutely. You can stay any time you need." Brooks laughs as he reclines the chair "Same to you." He was asleep long before I was. I found it hard falling asleep on the new bed. I'm not sure when I was able to fall asleep, but it wasn't for long. I woke up to someone shaking me. I sat up fast and hit someone in the face with my face. "Ow" I say grabbing my forehead. Brooks was rubbing his forehead as well "Sorry, I just didn't want you to be late for work." "What time is it?" I get out of bed and look at my clock. "Crap, I have to go." I rush out the door leaving Brooks in my house.

Brook's POV

I watched him run out leaving me here. I had started to like the guy as more, and I was trying to get closer to him, but it didn't seem to be working. It was so much easier to win a girl's heart over then to win a guy's. What did I have to do? I didn't want to over crowd the guy so I only saw him when I 'visited' my mom. It was a good excuse to see him every so often. We hung out sometimes, but even then when I tried to put the moves on him he totally didn't notice. I got busy at work, so I ended up not seeing him for a week. I decided to visit my mother one day and was sad to see that he wasn't the doorman for the day. Before anyone could see me I walked out. I argued with myself for a few minutes on rather I should go to his house.

I decided yes. I walked the short distance and knocked. He opened the door and he wasn't wearing a shirt. "Hi" He says with a smile "Come in." I followed him in "Is it your day off?" I ask as I sit in his chair. "Yep… I didn't have anything to do… how did you know I wasn't at work?" "I went by and saw that you weren't there." "Oh so you were looking for me?" It was meant as a joke, but I was caught off guard. I sat there awkwardly as he raised his eyes "You were? Do you need something?" His question only made things more awkward "No… I was just going to say hey. Um I think I'm gonna go now." I get up mentally slapping myself when he grabs me "Don't go." He says. I turn "Kiss me." What was I doing? "What?" He says. "Kiss me" I say again. What the hell? Why did I say it again? But before I can really start shaming myself he kisses me.