Love the Way You Lie

Fiddling with the knobs on the radio in her car, Brandy backed out of her driveway of her home. She really thought this day would never come, but there’s always a time for everything.

“This is Libby Lu here at KOZ comin’ at ya with all kinds of music from everything from mainstream, to underground. We’ve got you covered here.”

“We’re going to a take a quick break from my playlist for a second and help a fellow female comrade out. This next song goes out to Kandice from Newport Beach,” The girl introduced, and then her voice softened. “I know breaking up isn’t easy hun, so when you’re leaving, play this song as loud as you can and I’m sure he’ll get the message once you’re gone.”

“Just gonna stand there and watch me burn. Well that's all right because I like the way it hurts. Just gonna stand there and hear me cry. Well that's all right because I love the way you lie. I love the way you lie.”

Brandy slammed on the brakes, praying that there was no one behind her. She felt the same sympathy and pain that this Kandice girl was feeling. The same rejection, same anger, same heart ache. All of it.

After all, she was just there a little over three years ago.

“I’m leaving you Johnny.”

“Wh-Wha-What?”

He mentally hit himself in the head for saying something stupid like that.

She rolled her eyes. “How did I not see that one coming?” She said out loud, taking one of the bags and throwing it over her shoulder.

“Brandy!” He cried. “You can’t just fucking walk out on us!”

She stopped moving and stared down at the bed sheets with angry eyes. “Oh and you can?”

“I never walked out on us!”

She drew in a breath and closed her eyes, shaking her head. “Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that.”

She picked up the other bag and walked over to where he stood in the doorway, trying to push past him, but he wouldn’t have any of it.

“Johnny, just move.”

“No.”

“Jonathan,” She said more sternly.

He grabbed her upper arms with his hands and looked straight in to her blue eyes. “Brandy, I love you.”

Part of her wanted to say it back, but the other half, the stronger half, didn’t let her do it.

“It’s too late for that.”

“But what am I going to do without you?” Was the only thing he could come up with.

“You can find someone else to fetch your beers.” She glanced back over at the ring sitting on top of the dresser. “Someone who deserves to wear that.”

“Baby, you deserve this!”

“No,” She said quietly. He could see the tears already falling down her cheeks. “I don’t deserve any of this. I deserve more than just lies Johnny.”

Realizing that she was still stopped in the middle of the road, Brandy put her foot back on the gas pedal. She needed to get back to Huntington Beach, and fast. If not for him, but for her friends. They needed her right now more than anything.

With her head clouded with all kinds of thoughts, she turned on to Pacific Coast Highway, knowing that that would take her all the way there and give her a nice view to look at along the way.

She smiled to herself, pressing the gas pedal even harder and remembering those words he said to her on the phone.

”Brandy, I love you.”

“I love you too JC.”

----

She pulled up to the familiar looking home, hoping that Matt and Val had not moved since Brandy had left. But with the extra two cars in their drive way, plus his charcoal colored pick up truck and her silver Dodge charger, she knew that this was still where they resided.

She parked on the street and locked her car behind her, though she knew this wasn’t really a bad part of town, she wasn’t going to take any risks.

The heels of her shoes clicked on the stone walk way as she neared the door. Just from looking at the outside of Val’s home, Brandy could already sense the darkness that had washed over the once cheerful home.

Her hear pounded in her chest, waiting for someone to come answer the door. Secretly she was hoping it would be Johnny who did, but was relieved when it was Gena, Zacky’s girlfriend since 07.

Gena’s brows furrowed together when she saw who was standing on the other side of the door. “Brandy?”

She sighed. “Hi Gena.”

“I take it you heard the news,” Gena said glum. Brandy nodded. “Is that why you’re back?”

“And I need to be here for someone who has no one,” She said with a slight smile. Gena returned the gesture and opened the door wider for Brandy to come in.

“They’re in the den,” Gena said before walking off in another direction. Brandy assumed that’s where the girls were hiding out, comforting Leana.

Brandy went down to the den and paused before knocking on the door. You could hear things being shuffled around before someone got up to answer it.

“Brandy?”

She had gotten used to the surprise of her being there now.

“Hi Brian,” She answered back quietly. Even with the door only being half ajar, she could already tell that he had changed a bit in the last three years. His hair was longer, and darker. His nose ring that he once wore was gone, but the little hole still remained. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

“What are you doing here?”

“I figured Val would have told you by now, but I guess she didn’t,” Brandy said looking down at her shoes. “I’m here for Short Shit,” She explained, using his nickname in hopes to lighten the mood in the house. He nodded and opened the door wider, revealing the other three cuddled up in blankets sitting on the floor. Death had hit them at the worst time.

It didn’t take long for Johnny’s eyes to find Brandy’s as he got up quickly from his spot on the floor. She stood in the door way and waited for him to come over, unsure of whether she was allowed in or not.

“Johnny,” She spoke softly.

He closed the door behind them and leaned up against it. “Brandy,” He said after a minute of silence. “You’re really here.”

She nodded, feeling the tears welt up behind her eyes. “Yeah, I am.” He offered her a hug, which she gladly accepted, feeling that same comfort and safety she had once felt before.

“I am so sorry,” She whispered.

“It’s okay. I was being an ass to you,” He whispered back, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. “I forgive you.”

“I forgive you too JC.”

”Told you things had changed.”

”Shut up Jimmy.”