Sequel: Hearts So Pure ›
A New Beginning
Fourteen
I slammed the door as I walked inside, and I heard noises coming from the kitchen. I followed the noises, and found Brandon leaning on my kitchen counter while my dad held a towel to his bloody nose. My dad saw me come in, and not taking his hand from Brandon’s face, he said, “Leah! That psycho across the street really hurt Brandon. He’s lucky, Brandon just told me he doesn’t want to press charges. I think you owe BOTH of us an apology.” My jaw dropped. How dare he! I began to speak, “Dad! What! Brandon came over here, drunk and ready to fight, trying to grab me. Garrett defended me, and if it wasn’t for him I’d probably be the one with the bloody nose.” My dad shook his head, and Brandon spoke up, wincing. “Leah, I came over here to apologize. I wasn’t drunk. And I never threatened anyone. Garrett rushed at me out of nowhere!” he said. “You lying fuck!” I screamed, and my Dad stood up, raising his own voice. “How dare you accuse him of lying when he’s the one who got hurt. And who are you to talk after you and that boy ditched school and spent the day doing god knows what! You’re grounded. And you’re not allowed to see that boy, ever,” he said. I didn’t say anything. It was no use. I felt a tear rush down my cheek and I rushed out before Brandon saw- I didn’t want him to get the satisfaction.
After locking myself in the room the whole night and spending the evening texting Garrett, I heard my Dad at the door. “Brandon’s staying over tonight- he’s in no condition to drive. I’m going to the store.” I didn’t respond. No condition to drive!??! He had a bloody nose and MAYBE a few bruises. What a baby. And to think I dated him. I opened my window, and I watched my dad drive away. He was alone in the car, so I knew Brandon was probably in the living room, making himself feel at home. As soon as my Dad backed out of the driveway, I bolted. I swung open my door and marched to the living room. I saw Brandon sitting there with an ice pack over his cheek, remote in hand, and legs resting on the coffee table. “You’ve got a lot of balls, Brandon!” I said. “Coming to MY house and acting like a complete psycho, then lying to my dad about what happened. I hope that shit hurts, you fucking deserved it. Hell, you deserve to be hit even MORE. I don’t know how I could ever stand you. You make me sick.” Brandon didn’t look up from the TV. He stayed completely still. Taking my chance, I grabbed my sweater from the couch and reached for the door. With his eyes still on the TV screen, he said, “Your dad told me if you try to go to that asshole’s house to tell him. He went to buy bars for your window, and if you try to pull something, he’ll take off your door.” I didn’t turn around, I just said “Kiss my ass,” as I turned the knob and walked outside.
It was dark now, and as I rang Garrett’s doorbell, I heard a woman’s voice inside. Then the door opened, and an older woman- probably early forties- opened the door. “You must be Leah!” she said, smiling. “Garrett’s told me all about you. Oh, and you’re even prettier than I imagined.” I felt myself blush and smile real big, and for a second I forgot about everything that happened. “Garrett’s in his room. You can stay for dinner if you want?” she said. “Oh no thank you, ma’am,” I said, “My dad’s out buying pizza. I can only stay for a little.” She looked a little disappointed, and I promised I’d stay next time, then I walked to Garrett’s room. He was laying on his bed, face down. Johnny Cash was playing from his computer, and his room was a mess. He didn’t hear me come in, so I took a seat on his bed and said “Nice.” He immediately turned around, seeing me. His face lit up and he said, “Leah! What happened with your dad? I’m so sorry, I only hit him ‘cause he looked like he wanted to hurt you.” He was stumbling over his words, and I have to admit, he was adorable. “Garrett,” I said. “It’s fine. I’m glad you hit him. He deserved it. And my dad went to the store. He’ll be back soon, I just came to tell you that my windows are gonna be barred up.” Garrett looked down, and rubbed his already messy hair. “Damn…” he said. “Yeah,” I said. “I know.” Then he turned to me, placing his hand on the small of my back. “Let’s make this count then,” he said. He pecked me lightly on the lips, and began kissing my neck. He pulled me closer to him, and I told him, “Garrett, your mom’s home!” He stopped, and said, “Well, we’ll just be quiet.” I laughed, and his lips were on mine again, and his hand was traveling up my back. I slid my arm around his hips, trying to pull his shirt off, when I heard a car’s engine. I sprang up, and from his window I saw my Dad pull into my driveway. “Fuck!” I said. Garrett saw, too, and he pulled me in for one last hug. He kissed my cheek and I said, “Garrett, I really gotta go.” He nodded, and said “Okay, text me or something. I love you.” He let go and I immediately ran out of his room, and then his house. I opened my window, climbed inside, and as I was closing it, I heard my dad walk up to my door. “Leah,” he said. “I’m gonna be drilling right outside your window. Don’t get spooked.” I grunted, and I heard his footsteps walk down the hallway. A couple seconds later, he was outside my window, with a couple of thick, black bars in one hand and a drill in the other. I watched him as he placed bar after bar, then I turned my attention to Garrett’s house. I saw his curtains part, and there he was, looking at my Dad. He didn’t notice me, but I noticed him. He was biting his bottom lip. I smiled, he looked so cute. I was still smiling when I remembered what he said only a couple minutes before. “I love you.”
After locking myself in the room the whole night and spending the evening texting Garrett, I heard my Dad at the door. “Brandon’s staying over tonight- he’s in no condition to drive. I’m going to the store.” I didn’t respond. No condition to drive!??! He had a bloody nose and MAYBE a few bruises. What a baby. And to think I dated him. I opened my window, and I watched my dad drive away. He was alone in the car, so I knew Brandon was probably in the living room, making himself feel at home. As soon as my Dad backed out of the driveway, I bolted. I swung open my door and marched to the living room. I saw Brandon sitting there with an ice pack over his cheek, remote in hand, and legs resting on the coffee table. “You’ve got a lot of balls, Brandon!” I said. “Coming to MY house and acting like a complete psycho, then lying to my dad about what happened. I hope that shit hurts, you fucking deserved it. Hell, you deserve to be hit even MORE. I don’t know how I could ever stand you. You make me sick.” Brandon didn’t look up from the TV. He stayed completely still. Taking my chance, I grabbed my sweater from the couch and reached for the door. With his eyes still on the TV screen, he said, “Your dad told me if you try to go to that asshole’s house to tell him. He went to buy bars for your window, and if you try to pull something, he’ll take off your door.” I didn’t turn around, I just said “Kiss my ass,” as I turned the knob and walked outside.
It was dark now, and as I rang Garrett’s doorbell, I heard a woman’s voice inside. Then the door opened, and an older woman- probably early forties- opened the door. “You must be Leah!” she said, smiling. “Garrett’s told me all about you. Oh, and you’re even prettier than I imagined.” I felt myself blush and smile real big, and for a second I forgot about everything that happened. “Garrett’s in his room. You can stay for dinner if you want?” she said. “Oh no thank you, ma’am,” I said, “My dad’s out buying pizza. I can only stay for a little.” She looked a little disappointed, and I promised I’d stay next time, then I walked to Garrett’s room. He was laying on his bed, face down. Johnny Cash was playing from his computer, and his room was a mess. He didn’t hear me come in, so I took a seat on his bed and said “Nice.” He immediately turned around, seeing me. His face lit up and he said, “Leah! What happened with your dad? I’m so sorry, I only hit him ‘cause he looked like he wanted to hurt you.” He was stumbling over his words, and I have to admit, he was adorable. “Garrett,” I said. “It’s fine. I’m glad you hit him. He deserved it. And my dad went to the store. He’ll be back soon, I just came to tell you that my windows are gonna be barred up.” Garrett looked down, and rubbed his already messy hair. “Damn…” he said. “Yeah,” I said. “I know.” Then he turned to me, placing his hand on the small of my back. “Let’s make this count then,” he said. He pecked me lightly on the lips, and began kissing my neck. He pulled me closer to him, and I told him, “Garrett, your mom’s home!” He stopped, and said, “Well, we’ll just be quiet.” I laughed, and his lips were on mine again, and his hand was traveling up my back. I slid my arm around his hips, trying to pull his shirt off, when I heard a car’s engine. I sprang up, and from his window I saw my Dad pull into my driveway. “Fuck!” I said. Garrett saw, too, and he pulled me in for one last hug. He kissed my cheek and I said, “Garrett, I really gotta go.” He nodded, and said “Okay, text me or something. I love you.” He let go and I immediately ran out of his room, and then his house. I opened my window, climbed inside, and as I was closing it, I heard my dad walk up to my door. “Leah,” he said. “I’m gonna be drilling right outside your window. Don’t get spooked.” I grunted, and I heard his footsteps walk down the hallway. A couple seconds later, he was outside my window, with a couple of thick, black bars in one hand and a drill in the other. I watched him as he placed bar after bar, then I turned my attention to Garrett’s house. I saw his curtains part, and there he was, looking at my Dad. He didn’t notice me, but I noticed him. He was biting his bottom lip. I smiled, he looked so cute. I was still smiling when I remembered what he said only a couple minutes before. “I love you.”