Chapter 3: Approaching the Situation
Bradin went into the kitchen hoping that he'd catch Lauren. He had to talk to her and tell her how he feels about her. Bradin had thought about how to approach her for the past 10 days... Sadly he could think of nothing that wouldn't scare her away...again. So he thought he'd just kind of wing it.
Lauren walked into the kitchen and headed towards the cabinets. She didn't seem to notice Bradin. She searched through the cabinets a bit and turned around to see Bradin right there. She jumped, "Oh my god I didn't see you there! You scared me, don't do that again!" She looked at her feet before leaving the kitchen.
"Hey Lauren!" Bradin called. Lauren spun around. "Could we go for a quick walk?"
"Uh...sure, why not" said Lauren a little confused on what he wanted.
They walked out of the house and went to the beach. They walked along the water in silence for a while. Once they got a little ways away from the house, they stopped. Bradin stared out at the ocean, deep in thought.
Lauren couldn't take the silence anymore. "So..uh... What did you want to talk to me about?"
Bradin sighed, "I knew you were gonna ask that. Damn. ... Well I don't know how to say it so... Lauren I love you."
Lauren gasped, "Oh my god!" She fell to the sand.
Bradin sat face to face with her and held her hands. "Ever since you came to our house, I've been absolutely crazy about you." He put one hand on her face, "You're everything I've ver wanted... You're so beautiful... Will you please go out with me?"
Lauren choked, "W-What! Did you just say what I think you said?" Bradin nodded as he took his hand off of her face and grabbed her other hand. "WOW! I-I... wow. This is a bit of a shocker. I had no idea that you loved me... I don't even know what to say to you."
"Say you will! Please!" Bradin pleaded while making a sad puppy face.
Lauren thought to herself, 'Damn, not the puppy dog pout. I can never say no to that! How can I say no to such a cute face?' "I can't believe I'm gonna say this but... I'll go out with you." Bradin's face lit up and he pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the lips. "But if you move too quickly or you mess up, Westerly, you're done! Go it!"
"Yup! I got it all. I'll be a good boyfriend. You can count on that!" Lauren leaned over a kissed him. Bradin pulled her into a hug and kissed her head. "Thank you... I love you"
Lauren smiled... He was so sweet to her... "I love you too..." As soon as she said that Jay's lecture about not falling in love with Bradin popped into her head. She pulled out of Bradin's hug. "This'll be great... But I just don't think Jay will be too happy-"
"No! Don't tell Jay! He can't know!" Bradin interrupted.
"I wasn't going to." Bradin looked at her confused. "Yeah. Jay already came to me and said not to fall in love with you or get hooked up in your charm. He was totally serious too. I've never seen my brother that serious with me. I asked why not. He explained all that you do with girls... and Ericka... Jay got really pissed at you for that one didn't he?"
"Heh, yeah." Bradin said really glumly. The epidemic replayed in his mind. His heart felt like it was being crushed. Lauren pulled him into another hug and kissed him. She knew how much that hurt him. "Yeah... We can't have that happen again." He looked up at Lauren who just smiled back at him. Bradin cheered up... Just looking at Lauren somehow always cheered him up.
After hugging and kissing a little bit they got up and went to the house. On the way there Bradin said, "Just pretend like we're just really good friends... Like we've been doing."
They got to the house and sat on the couch and watched TV. Moments later Jay came back from the beach. "Yo Brae! Can I talk to you for a sec?"
Bradin turned around, "Yeah sure." He got up off the couch and went over to Jay.
"In my room... Lauren I'm just gonna borrow Bradin for a little bit." Jay walked into his room and shut the door.
"So, what's up?" Bradin said completely clueless to what Jay wanted.
"Damn it Bradin, don't play dumb with me! I saw you on the beach with Lauren today... What was that all about?"
Bradin's stomach dropped, he saw them. He thought something up quickly. "Oh that! I had been really mean to her the other day and I wanted to apologize to her. It certainly took a while for her to forgive me though... I was really a jerk to her."
"That better be all it was. You better stay the hell away from her Bradin... Or there's gonna be trouble down in your department. Got it!"
"Jay I like Lauren and all... but not like that! I swear!" Bradin said trying to be as convincing as possible.
"Alright, I'll believe you... Now get the hell outta her you" Jay said hitting Bradin in the back of the head. Bradin left the room. Jay sighed, this kid was gonna be trouble.
Bradin went to Lauren and whispered to her, "He's on to us!"