Consciousness and Confidence

Maybe, I'm making a bigger deal of this than should be expected. This is Brian we're talking about. He could do this and not mean anything by it.

Something in the pit of my stomach told me this wasn't true.

After I had ordered Brian to prove that he has changed, he did nothing. He stood infront of me with an expression I could only describe as unsettled.

He was thinking, or debating. Either or, I stood planted on the sidewalk infront of my house waiting for him to respond. Looking back now, maybe it seemed longer than it actually was.

Suddenly, he began moving towards me. He shuffled his feet so that they were almost on top of mine. I could feel my breath catching in my throat.

His eyes remained locked to mine, his showing twinkles of happiness while mine, I was sure held fright.

His face grew closer, and closer. My eyes darted from his lips and back to his eyes, while his did the same. Was he going to do it? Was Brian Haner really going to kiss me? Right here? Right now?

Brian's left hand slipped ever so gently behind my head, and pulled me closer to him. I was sure he was going to kiss me now. We were too close. I could practically feel my heart beating within my chest.

But, his face slipped past mine, and went over to my right ear. Before he even began to talk, I could feel his breathing on it. It tickled.

"One day, I'll prove it." he whispered.

His breathing sent goose-bumps down my spine, and I shivered a little. I prayed to God that he didn't notice.

Before he stepped away, he did one more thing that shocked me completely.

Brian Haner Jr. kissed me. Not on the lips, but on my ear. But, still. An action like this coming from Brian left me in a completely stupified state.

He pulled away from me and flashed what I could only describe as a charming smile. Charming? Brian can't be charming; not to me at least.

My face turned beet red and involuntarily my hand moved its way up around my right ear that was still tingling from where he had pressed his lips to it.

"I-I-I" I stuttered, not knowing how to respond to what just occured. "I- uhm..."

He chuckled a bit at me before grabbing my left hand and dragging me back towards the house. "Come on, now." he urged, pulling me along like a dead fish.

"Uhh..." My mouth would not nor could not respond with any sort of witty comment or come back to take away the obvious lack of comfort I was having.

Brian, however, paid my baby babble no heed. He just continued to drag me back into the house until I was in the basement where Matt and the guys were setting up equipment.

"Matt, I think you've lost something." Brian teased, pulling me through the doorway. I managed to let out a little sideways smile.

"Wha-" Matt looked up from his microphone to meet my eyes. "Oh, thank's Brian."

"No problem."

The guys all glanced up at me but acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary and continued setting up. Matt glancing up and down constantly at me for a few seconds, my hand still weaved with Brians.

"What happened to your ear, Ry?" he questioned, motioning to the right side of my face.

The blood rushed to my face again as I realized my hand was still clutching my right ear. I quickly dropped my arm.

"Oh, uhm I just, uhh- it just feels weird." I replied, lamely. Matt seemed to buy it, Jimmy didn't. From across the basement, I could see him sending me an unconvinced look.

Brian detached his hand from mine, suddenly. I looked over at him to see him smirk and wink at me once more before walking over to his space on the florr and begining to adjust the amps.

I stood, like I did outside, completely dumbfounded. This is the same Brian Haner, right?

All I wanted to know is what the hell happened to him? And, how exactly is he planning on proving it to me?