Chp 2
I decide to hit the subway, instead of driving when Erin called and asked to come and look after Nicky while she has to leave on an urgent matter. The case was solved and Erin put the killer, the building janitor who fought with the victim over a woman, to jail. As I sit down and listen to my iPod, I notice him – Brandon Sullivan, looking at me and smirk. I look away, pretending to be oblivious, but my iPod is on shuffle mode and it plays Colbie Caillat's song 'Falling For You'. I can't help but smirk. Nope, I won't fall for some guy that easy. When the train is about five minutes from my stop, I stand up to the nearest railing at the nearest door and wait for the train to stop. Then, I feel hot breaths near my neck. Do I dare to turn around? Yes, I do, but then I wish I didn't.
His face is like a few inches from mine and damn! He's a good looking guy, enough for me to gulp and gawk for three seconds. "Hi", his voice is somewhat purring. "Hello, Mr. Sullivan", I say. "The case is solved and I'm still Mr. Sullivan", he says. "As I said before, I'd prefer to keep things professional", I say. He chuckles and says, "Well, Ms Darrell, should we go out for a coffee on a professional basis then?". I smirk at his attempt to woo me. "Sorry, Mr. Sullivan, I can't. I have to go and babysit my niece", I say.
His face closes in any rooms between us and I could've sworn the tip of his nose brush against mine. "How bout get another babysitter and we go out?", he asks. "You're persistent, aren't you?", I ask back. He simply twitches a smile. "Well, I'm afraid, I still have to decline", I say and the train halts suddenly, which cause me to fall into his arms. Holy cow! Talk about his arms' muscles and the abs I just touched. I quickly regain my feet and run outta the train, but I honestly swear that his hand touched my ass as I ran out till I reach the surface. I take deep breaths and calm down. I look around and he's nowhere to be seen. Glad that was over.
I walk over to Erin and Nicky's apartment. Erin instructs me to make sure Nicky finishes her homework before we could go out or anything; then she leaves. "Can't I just do the homework later?", Nicky asks and pouts. "Let's put it this way. We'll do the homework together and then we'll go out for a movie and ice-cream or something. How about that?", I say. She smiles and nods. As I help Nicky with her Science report, I can't help but to think of my encounter with Brandon Sullivan. Nicky notices me and asks, "Who is he?". I raise my eyebrow, quizzically and say, "Who's who?". "The guy you just met", she says with a mischievous grin. I roll my eyes and tell her to finish her homework or no one is going out.
After watching a movie, we go to get ice cream and walk at a nearby park as we eat our ice cream. We sit at a bench and watch as an older man feeds a group of hungry pigeons while his wife tears some bread crumbs and gives them to the duckling at the bank of the lake. Then, I see a man, someone too familiar walking towards us. It's Brandon Sullivan. He really is persistent. I groan internally and roll my eyes. He stops and gives a bow like a gentleman. "Hello again, Ms Darrell, I take that this is your niece?", he says. "I'm Nicky", Nicky holds out her hand as she introduces herself and they shake hands. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Brandon Sullivan", he says.
"Did you follow me here?", I ask spontaneously. "No, Ms Darrell, I happen to be here on a walk", he says as he masks his face with a smile. I snort; not very ladylike thanks to Danny, and say, "Yeah right". "May I sit?", he asks. "Sure, why not?", says Nicky, enthusiastically and I give her a glare, which she reply by sticking her tongue out. I sit in the middle, which is a good thing that he stays away from her, but a bad thing because I have to sit next to him. He stretches his arm and then places it behind me, as if I'm his girlfriend. Nicky is smiling all the way. Teenagers…. "So what do you do for a living?", she asks. "I work as an executive advertisement", he says. Nicky gives me a huge grin. Executive means rich. I simply poke her sides and she giggles. "Well, how do you know my Auntie Em?", she asks again and begins the usual teenage questions to a hot guy, but surprisingly Brandon didn't mind at all at her questions.
Wait! Did I just call him by his first name? Damn it! After spending half an hour sandwiched between those two, I tell Nicky that it's time to go. Nicky sulks and get up to skip a few steps ahead. I walk behind her with Brandon. "Are you free tomorrow?", he asks. "If I say no, what would you do?", I ask him back. He laughs and says, "Then I'll just have to come back and ask you again". I simply roll my eyes to him.
The train journey went quietly and again, I'm sandwiched between Brandon and Nicky, though Nicky keeps pushing me towards him. Our hands lightly brush against one another and I feel the electric rush. Why is this happening to me? When we arrive at our destination, Brandon grabs my hand and kisses it. "Till we meet again, Ms Darrell", he says. I only nod and leave with Nicky. As we walk home, Nicky beams with excitement. "Oh my god! You like him!", she says, eagerly. Do I like him?
"No I don't", I say. Was that a lie? I can never tell. "Admit it, Auntie Em, you really like him", says Nicky. I pull her for a bear hug and ruffle her hair. "You're still a kid. Wait till you are in my shoes, then you'll know", I say. We arrive back at the apartment and order pizza for dinner. We watch another movie and Nicky falls asleep next to me. I help her to bed and sit at the couch, waiting for Erin, who comes home by 11. She asks how our day was and I tell her everything, but I left out Brandon from the picture. Nicky can do the story telling about him on my behalf. I return home and immediately land on my bed to sleep.