Chapter 21: Confusing Arguments

"Oh, come on! You call that a pass?" Brandon exclaims towards the tiny television that was playing some basketball game. I shook my head. I would never understand men and sports. I mean, I liked them, but not to the extent that I would yell at the TV screen like the basketball players could actually hear me.

"You do know they can't hear you, right?" I question but smile in spite of myself. I can't even feel irritated because of the fact that he's actually talking and being active. After last night, I never thought I'd hear him talk again.

He glances at me. "It never hurts to get all your frustration out by yelling at people on the TV."

"I completely understand your logic."

"Good." He smirked and I practically melted. I lifted my hand and clasped his cheek.

"I'm so glad you're okay," I say, eyes getting misty again.

"Hey, no more crying. I told you this wasn't your fault. I'm the one who left from the party."

"Yeah, only because I invi-"

"And I've forgiven you for that. I was overreacting. Kinda like you're doing now." He smirked.

I shook my head. "You asked me to stay out of it and I still-"

"Come here," he interrupted, tugging my hand that was on his cheek. I stood up from my chair and leaned in closer to him. I didn't have to bend far since he was propped up on multiple pillows. My face stopped about a millimeter from his.

He stared into my eyes a moment longer before closing the distance. My god, I didn't realize how much I really missed this. The feel of his lips against mine was heaven. He leans back against the bed again, pulling me with him using his good arm. I make sure not to put all my weight against him and I almost lost myself in the sensation of his lipe before I hear a throat clearing behind me.

I quickly straighten and turn around to see none other than the two people who disapprove me with Brandon the most. His parents.

Just my luck.

"Um, hello Mr. and Mrs. Woods. It's nice to see you again," I say nervously. Mrs. Woods doesn't even spare me a glance as she sweeps into the room and hugs Brandon around the neck tightly.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again," she fiercely exclaims to Brandon. He patted her back comfortingly but said nothing. Mr. Woods walked in and glanced at me. Man, Brandon looked so much like his father that it was scary. The only type of hello he gave me was a nod and a forced smile, then he turned his attention to his son.

Mr. Woods clamps a hand on Brandon's uninjured shoulder as Mrs. Woods backed away. "How are you doing, son?"

"I'm fine. No need to-"

"Don't you dare say that there was no need to worry," his mother snaps. Brandon blinks at her in surprise. "You were in a terrible car accident that has left you in such a bad state. I mean, look at you!" she gestures wildly to his body. "You're completely battered!"

Brandon rolled his eyes. "I just broke my leg and messed up my shoulder. Again. I'll. Be. Fine. Why does no one believe me when I say that?"

She was about to respond when her gaze landed on me. Her eyes narrowed. Uh oh. "From what I've been told, none of this would've happened if certain uninvited guests weren't at the party. Oh, wait. I think your girlfriend handled that perfectly, didn't you, sweetheart?"

I swallow the lump that had formed in my throat. Brandon sighs and says, "Don't start."

"Um," I clear my throat. "Maybe I'll just go get something to drink and let you all talk." I wasn't going to get into any arguments with Mrs. Woods. That was just going to cause more stress on Brandon that he doesn't need.

Brandon says, "You don't have to leave," the same time as his mother says, "That would be lovely." The tension in the room was almost tangible.

"Could you bring me back a Coke?" Mr. Woods questioned, practically making the decision of leaving for me. Before Brandon could retort, I said I would be right back and left the room.

I let out a huge breath of relief as I walk towards the soda and snack machines. I had to cross the waiting room to get there. Digging into my purse, I sneak out two dollar bills to buy the sodas with. My body is practically on auto-pilot at the moment. How can they hate me so much just because I was a waitress? It probably has more to do with them thinking I have no money. They must think I'm a gold-digger or something.

With a sigh, and two sodas, I spin around and slam right into someone, almost dropping my drinks. I look up to apologize but the apology stopped in my throat when I saw who it was.

Steven.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I hiss, instantly pissed off. Even though Brandon was okay it didn't make me all fine with the fact that Steven had something to do with him landing in the hospital.

"Look I don't have a lot of time but I wanted to talk with you," he glances around in a paranoid manner.

I wanted to argue that we had nothing to talk about, but we definitely did. Starting with Brandon's "accident".

"Come over here," he requested, gesturing me closer to the waiting room. What is his problem?

"Alright, I have to make this fast. I don't have time to explain it all but I wanted to warn you," he rushed out.

My eyebrows drew together. "Warn me about what? What do you know about Brandon?"

"He's the problem!" He began to raise his voice but lowered it and said, "It's not safe for you to be with him anymore."

"What are you talking about?" And why was he talking like he was in a huge rush? What's he running from?

"Think, Stella! That wasn't just a car malfunction that caused the accident. Someone went in and tampered with the brakes. It was an assassination attempt." I didn't even have time to gasp at this because Steven went raving some more. "You have no idea how dangerous the business world can be. Brandon has obviously been trying to shield you from the politics of it all."

"Wha.. wha-I," I stammer out. Steven shakes his head impatiently and glances around again.

"Look, the attempt obviously didn't work and news is starting to spread about it. If they can't kill Brandon off immediately, they'll come after what he seems to treasure the most. You."

"Me?" My head is pounding with this new information. I quickly recover from my momentary stupor. "Wait, who is 'they'? Who's trying to kill B-Brandon?" I couldn't even fully say the words Brandon and kill in the same sentence.

"It-" Steven suddenly stops when he sees two big, burly men dressed in black walk through the hospital doors. "Shit."

Steven pulls me back towards the vending machines and behind a wall that separates us from the waiting room. Steven grabs my hands. I resist but then stop when I see the desperation in his eyes.

"Tell me what's going on, Steven. Who's doing this?" I persistently ask.

Steven pulls out a Sharpie pen and re-takes my hand to write a street address on it. "Meet me here at 4 PM tomorrow. I'll explain everything. And come alone. I have to go." Before I could rebut, he departs by saying, "You know as well as I do that you don't belong with this crowd. It was never you. Get out while you can." And with that he snuck away the opposite direction he came.

It takes me a few moments to gather my bearings. What the hell just happened? Talking to Steven confused me even more than I thought possible. Tons of question are running through my head right now. Steven was running from someone, but who? Could it be the guys who tried killing Brandon? And out of the whole encounter, I still don't have a name to blame for the accident. Steven only confirmed my assumption that this was an assassination attempt, but it still shook me to the core realizing that it was actually true.

I take a deep breath in and out and quickly swipe my eyes. Calm down, Stella. It will be fine. We'll find out who did it and put him behind bars.

Maybe if I kept saying it, then I'd actually believe it.

I make my way back to the hospital room after collecting myself. I had to tell Brandon about the little information I knew. Before I turned the corner, I heard raised voices coming from Brandon's room. I creep closer and listen to a seemingly heated argument.

"Brandon, you know I'm telling the truth." I recognize that voice to be none other than Mrs. Woods.

A throat clears. "I have to agree with her, son."

"I don't care what you agree with. She's not going anywhere so deal with it or leave," Brandon snaps back.

Mrs. Woods gasps. "How dare you talk to me like that?"

"Mother, drop this thing right now and there will be nothing to argue about."

"Oh, come on, Brandon. Wake up! Can't you see she's changed you? You were doing so well with your endeavors and now you're missing meetings, losing customers, and landing yourself in the hospital. And when did that all begin? When you started seeing her, that's when it began." I have a feeling I know who 'her' is now.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm a grown man and I make my own decisions. Stella has nothing to do with how I manage my business. And if she's changed me at all then she has defiantly changed me for the better." My heart warms at his defense of me.

"You're in love with her, aren't you," I hear Mr. Woods blurt. My heart stops. I should feel bad about eavesdropping but I couldn't back away.

Before Brandon can reply, his mother seems to answer for him. "Of course not! The girl is just a fling that he will soon-"

"Yes," Brandon interrupted softly. Did I hear him right? "Yes, I am and if you can't accept it… then leave."

Dead silence met his proclamation. I hear a chair screech as it slid across the floor. I'm guessing someone stood up abruptly.

"You can keep this up as long as you want, Brandon. I can't stop you but you'll soon have to realize she doesn't belong in our world. Our lifestyle." I flinched. It was close to the same thing Steven said. I can't believe that. I won't believe it.

Okay. Time for Stella to make an appearance again. I knock on the door as if I hadn't heard a thing. "Hey. Umm, here's your soda, Mr. Woods." I hand it to him and he actually meets my eyes and thanks me.

Mrs. Woods huffs and says, "Get some rest, Brandon. We'll talk more tomorrow."

"I don't think we will," Brandon retorts back. He and his mother lock gazes in a cold stare. It takes Mr. Woods pulling Mrs. Wood away from Brandon's bed for the gaze to be broken. She gives me a lasting haughty look before turning and leaving the room with her Husband in tow.

I turn to Brandon. "So…"

"How much of that did you hear?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Why would you think…"

"You aren't any good at hiding your emotions on your face, Gorgeous." He grinned.

I walked closer to his bedside. "I started listening a little when your mom was saying I pretty much changed you."

He closed his eyes in apparent frustration. I don't think it was directed at me. When he opens them, he says, "Since I'm feeling better now, I was hoping you would at least sit on the bed with me. I made room." I looked at the small space that Brandon was indicating. There was no way I could lay there for a long time comfortably but I smiled anyway and gently lie next to him on my side. "Better?"

He smiled. "Much"

We were silent for a few minutes, just enjoying the close proximity. Staring into my eyes, Brandon asks, "So… if you heard what my mom said, then you probably heard what my dad asked, right?"

"Yes."

"And you heard my answer, right?"

My stomach was flipping like crazy right now. "Yes."

Brandon looked down and stayed silent for a few moments. Not looking directly into my eyes, he asks, "Well… what do you think about that?"

I lift my good hand up and smooth it over his cheek until he looks at me. "I love you, too."

He breaks out in a grand smile and coxes me closer for a kiss. This time there wasn't an interruption from anyone. My nagging thoughts faded away and there was only us. Brandon and I. Just the way I always want it to be.

Too bad I didn't always get what I wanted.

A/N: Thanks sooooooooooooooo much for reading and reviewing!

Now, we got some major drama coming in the next chapters. You didn't think the business world was dark like that? Think again, lol.

Who was Steven hiding from? Why did he have to leave so quickly? Who is really behind all of this? Two of these questions will be revealed next chapter ;-)… okay maybe three… you'll see what I mean when I update.

They finally said the three big words! Yay! I know many will freak out just a bit over the last sentence of the chapter. Just thought I would hint with a bit of foreshadowing. Nothing is always what it seems…

BUT even before I begin writing the next chapter. I MUST know if I even should. And there is only one way for me to know if my readers want more.

So… Review!