Hi guys! This is one of the longer chapters, and I really like it!
Also, I know more of you are reading, but why no reviews? That makes me sad :(
So will you review this and go read my other story? I'd love you forever!
The rest of the school week went by too slowly for Brylee. All she wanted to do was go home and curl up with a book and a nice big cup of coffee. Her birthday was coming up on Saturday, and she usually went out with Lucy, seeing as though she was her closest friend, but she was in the hospital, so as of now, she had no plans.
She also hadn't seen James since the day they got coffee, and she wondered what was up with him. She was hoping she didn't scare him away, but she didn't recall saying anything bluntly rude or honest. She gave up for now, just glad that school was done for the weekend, and that she only had seven more days of school until it was Christmas break. She was hoping that Lucy would be out of the hospital by next week, because the two women had talked about going somewhere warm together.
Brylee pulled her car into a spot at the local grocery store, then grabbed her bag before getting out of her car and heading for the entrance. Light snow had begun to fall, and the brunette woman beamed, knowing this was only the beginning. She walked into Sherwood's grocery store, immediately walking over to the bakery. She was going to buy herself a red velvet cake with buttercream frosting.
Was she upset that she was spending her birthday alone? A little bit, but she didn't really need people around to tell her she was getting older. Sure, she would love to see her parents, but they didn't care. They never did. She was always alone when she was younger, her parents always working, or going on impromptu weekend ski trips.
She wondered why they even had a kid if they didn't care. She couldn't remember her parents ever congratulating her on a good report card, ever caring about how she was, never wondering about the boy she was dating.
She was shocked they even came to her graduation, but part of her only felt that her parents came so they could brag to their friends about how their daughter was second in her class. She would've been Valedictorian if it wasn't for that stupid Brian Walker. That kiss ass.
But whatever, she didn't care anymore. She was onto better things.
Brylee walked around the bakery area, lips pursed, as she looked for a cake. She saw every other kind, except for the one she wanted.
Of course, she thought.
She sighed, almost ready to give up.
"James, could you just hurry up?" Ashley asked her older brother. She was starting to get impatient with him, but didn't know if it was these pregnancy hormones or if her brother was really standing in the cake mix aisle, staring at the red boxes like it was his job.
He had told her everything that had happened to Brylee, including how they went out for coffee on Monday and talked about her birthday. He told her how he wanted to do something nice for her since her birthday was coming up soon, and he had the perfect plan.
But these fucking cake mixes were driving him off the wall! He didn't know which one to get, and he was starting to get frustrated. He told his sister he'd only be a minute, but that was practically half an hour ago, and his pregnant sister had enough of it.
"Ash, which one? Extra fluffy or moist?" James asked, holding up the two boxes.
"I don't know James," the younger women said, sighing. She was only a month and a half pregnant, but was already experiencing a lot of the side effects to pregnancy.
"Which one do you think she'll like better?" he asked now. Ashley groaned, then took the two boxes out of her brother's hand and threw them into the green basket.
"Let's go," she said, turning on her heel.
"You can't just buy both!" he said, following behind her.
"No, but you can. You're paying," she said, and James laughed.
"Where are we going?" he asked when Ashley headed toward bakery section.
"I could really eat a donut," she said. "So that's where I'm going."
Ashley walked over to the bakery section, and saw Brylee there, looking down at a white box, squinting at a label. She reached blindly behind her and hit James' chest, and her brother looked at her.
"What?" he asked. Ashley smiled, then nodded toward Brylee. James grinned, then brushed past his sister.
Brylee was looking at a chocolate cake, contemplating if she should just get that instead. She really wanted red velvet, but they didn't have any, and she most definitely wasn't in the mood to make one. She saw a figure walking in her direction out of the corner of her eye, then glanced up and realized it was James.
She felt herself smile, and she gave him a small wave. "Hey."
"Hey," he said, smiling right back. How could you not when a smile that gorgeous was just for you? James looked back at his sister, and she walked up to his side. "You remember Ashley, right?"
"Of course!" Brylee said, hiking her bag higher up on her shoulder. "How have you been?"
"Really good," she said. "You?"
"Things are starting to look better," Brylee answered, grinning. She stole a glance at James.
"Well that's good," she said, nudging James with her elbow. She knew Brylee was talking about seeing James again, and she could tell by the look on the older women's face. Girls just knew.
And Ashley knew that Brylee was starting to fall for her brother again. And she couldn't be happier about it.
"Well, I'm gonna go get some donuts, and leave you kids to chat," Ashley said, smiling, then left the two alone.
"So, um…" James trailed off, not completely sure how to word this. "Are you doing anything tomorrow?"
Brylee shook her head slightly, looking a little embarrassed. "No."
"Do you wanna…hang out?" The brunette women grinned, barely able to contain herself. Someone actually wanted to be with her on her birthday!
"Well, you know that it is my birthday," she said, sticking her hands in her coat pockets and trying to muster up her cutest look.
James nodded, laughing a little. "I know. I figured that maybe you'd want to do something."
"I'd really like that."
"Awesome." He smiled. "I'll come over around four thirty?"
"That's fine," Brylee said.
"Oh, and don't buy that cake."
"Why?"
"Just trust me."
She looked at him for a moment, and wondered what was going on in that pretty little mind of his. "Alright."
"James?" Ashley said, and her brother looked over at her. "Will you buy me a box of these?" She already had one in her hand, looking half-filled so far and James smiled.
"Sure," he said.
"What does your sister need an entire box of donuts for?" Brylee asked, walking around the table to the side James was on.
"Well, I don't know if I'm allowed to tell you or not," James said as they walked over to his sister. He didn't want to cross any boundaries and tell people, because he knew that his mom didn't know yet.
"James didn't tell you?" Ashley asked, turning around to look at them. Brylee shook her head. James hadn't told her anything about Ashley. "Oh. Well I'm pregnant. Explains a lot, doesn't it?"
"Oh my gosh, congratulations!" Brylee said, giving the shorter girl a hug. "That's great!"
Ashley beamed. "Thank you. That really means a lot."
James' younger sister turned and walked toward the checkout, a smile on her face, and she knew her brother had found the one.
When Brylee got home half an hour later, the sky was black, and the snow was coming down heavily now, blowing her hair around her face as she walked to the front door. She shivered as she dug through her bag for her keys, then pulled them out and unlocked the door.
She closed the door quietly behind her, then flipped the light on and dropped her bag, letting it fall to the floor, before pulling her coat off and hanging it up. She sighed contently as she headed up the stairs, feeling a little warmth inside her as she thought of James' words.
Whoever said that California changed him was a liar. He still talked to her the same way, her voice sincere no matter what he was saying, meaning every word he said. She wondered if the other things had stayed the same.
Like if his hands still felt the same, taut but slightly calloused on the fingertips from playing guitar. Or if his lips felt the same, so smooth and soft.
She could only hope she'd be able to figure it out.
