A Step to Love

It was the middle of March and things had been…sort of okay. Alex and I still did not speak, but I guess that was not as important as Brody’s attitude in the last couple of days. He kept telling me he was busy and if I called unexpectedly, he told me five minutes later he had to leave, but thankfully, my birthday was coming and he had promised to stay the whole time with me.

At least I hoped he would stick to his promise this time.

I was currently lying on Sasha’s sofa with my head on her lap, so really I couldn’t see her face and Brit was sitting legged-crossed on the floor, completely concentrated on the movie currently playing. As always, I had my mind focused on my thoughts and didn’t even bothered to follow the storyline.

“What are you going to do Sunday?” Sasha asked all of the sudden. I tried to lift my head, but failed at the attempt.

“What do you mean? You want to do something?”

“Yeah,” I heard her say, but felt her pick up some popcorn and bring it to her mouth.

I laughed at the two girls that were acting like zombies. “What do you want to do?”

Brit suddenly turned off the TV causing Sasha to groan. “Brit Brit! He was about to kiss her, dammit!”

Brit ignored her. “Maybe we should go to a park or something.” She suddenly got excited. “Or we could buy the stuff for your birthday party!”

Sasha nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. What do you think?”

So, the girls and Jake were thinking on throwing me a birthday party. It wasn’t going to be a surprise or anything, but it was definitely a get together with music and pretty shit that it was going to be held on Sasha’s house. After the party, the gang was pretty much staying for the night and then the next day we were going to the movies. It was Sasha’s idea and her mom, thankfully, had agreed on it.

I nodded in agreement and Brittany squealed. “Yes!” Her blonde curls bouncing up and down once again.

As if on cue, my phone started ringing immediately and when I read the little screen, I held up my index finger to the girls, indicating it would be a minute (not literally, of course) and went outside.

“Hey, Brody,” I said through the phone, not particularly smiling like always. I knew as soon as the five minutes were up, he would make some excuse to go. “What’s the reason for your phone call?” I decided to add.

“Hey,” he replied on the other end. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”

A smile immediately appeared on my face. “Really? What about me in particular?”

I heard him chuckle. “Mainly, how much of a lucky bastard I am because I have someone as beautiful as you and also, I’ve been thinking that I need to see you tonight.”

I bit my lip. “No can do.”

“Why?”

“Because, I’m at Sasha’s house staying for the night.” I replied, somewhat surprised he had forgotten. I had told him this like ten times last week.

He sighed. “Right.” He took another heavy breath before replying. “Well, can’t you sneak out or something? I really want to see you.”

This time I was the one that sighed. “I’m sorry, Richard Broden Evans, but you’ll have to wait until next week.”

He laughed. “Fine, Lillian Elyse Parker Santiago.” I giggled at the bad pronunciation of my mom’s last name, but soon stopped when I heard a knock followed by some mumbling. “Uhm, I have to go.” I knew any minute he would say those three words, so I just mumbled an “okay.” “I love you, sweetie. Goodnight.”

“Love you, too. Same.” And with that I pressed the red end button of the phone.

~*~*~*~*~

The clock on Sasha’s bedside table told me it was 12:47am when I heard something hit the window. I felt Sasha shift next to me and I tensed up when I saw that a rock was being thrown at the window again.

“Annie!” I heard Brit whisper.

“What?” I whispered in return with an annoyed tone.

There was another sound on the window. “Fuck!” Sasha hissed. “What was that?”

“I don’t know, but make it stop.” I mumbled and turned to my left side. Then I felt Sasha lift from the bed and walk a few steps. Moments later, there was a tiny chorus of ‘awws’.

“Oh my God, Lilly.” Sasha walked up to me as I sat up. “Guess what?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Uhh, what?”

Brit jumped up and down from the window. “Oh my pink!”

Sasha pushed me playfully. “Your man is here.”

“And he has some flowers!” Brit yelled again, earning a glare from Sasha as in telling her not to scream too loud.

I was still trying to process the information. My man? With flowers? Here?

I jumped immediately out of the bed curious of who “my man” was. I mean, it could be Brody, but Sasha thought I still liked Alex, so…I wasn’t exactly sure of who was she talking about. I pulled my jacket from the clear mess that was in Sasha’s bean bag and put it on, then walked toward the window.

There I saw Brody standing in the garden like a complete idiot holding a bouquet of what looked like a dozen white roses. Goshie, it was too adorable. Sasha and Brit did not hesitate in opening up the window, so that I could talk to Brody.

I waved at him with a shy smile.

He looked at me for a brief second before doing what I was afraid he’d do. He stepped on the small space just in front of the window and then put the other foot on a branch of the tree next to the house. My eyes widened and fear took a hold of me. “Brody!” I hissed loud enough for him to hear me, but low enough for Sasha’s parents not to get a hold of what was happening. “You’re going to fucking hurt yourself!”

But before I went down there and got him off of that tree myself, he made it to the window and sat on it.

“Hey, Beautiful,” he whispered and smiled.

I on the hand, hit him on his arm getting and “ow” from him. “Don’t you ‘hey, Beautiful’ me.” But that just made him chuckle slightly. “How the hell did you know Sasha lived here?”

His smile got wider as he took a hold of my hand. “By love, that first did prompt me to inquire. He lent me counsel and I lent him eyes. I am no pilot. Yet, wert thou as far as that vast shore washed with the farthest sea, I would adventure for such merchandise.” I giggled, surprised as he quoted Romeo. Then he handed me the roses.

I took them from his hand and wrapped my arms around his neck. He wrapped his around my waist. “I love you,” I murmured.

“So sweet,” I heard Brit whisper and Sasha agreed with a dreamy “Uh-huh.”

He pulled away to look into my eyes. “I love you, too.” And he kissed me softly on the lips for several seconds. I felt him grin when Sasha and Brit squealed softly next to us.

This time I pulled away and Brody held my head between his hands. “What are you doing here?”

He pressed his lips against mine again. “I need you with me.”

“You sir, don’t have a clue of what a ‘no can do’ means.”

“Nope,” he agreed. After several seconds of staring at each other in silence, he turned to Sasha and Brit that were waiting anxiously for what would happen next, I presumed. He looked back at me. “Come with me.”

“No, Brody.” I started to pull away from his hold by taking his hands off of my face, so he lowered them to my arms.

“Please? I’m sure your friends won’t mind.” He turned to them. “Right, girls?”

They both agreed by shaking their heads, but I still was not taking the risk. Hello! Why was I going to do with a guy at almost one in the morning?! Besides, this was my time with Sasha and Brit—it was tradition to leave at twelve in the afternoon on sleepovers.

“No,” I repeated.

“Oh, come on,” I heard Brit encourage. “There might not be another opportunity like this at home. Just do it.”

“Yeah, Lilly. Plus, he got you your favorite flowers and he quoted the dude. Come on,” Sasha agreed. I laughed at how Sasha referred to Romeo, and eventually, I gave up causing the girls to squeal and jump once more.

“This is called peer pressure,” I muttered.

Brody smiled a pleased smile. “Yay,” he whispered and suddenly disappeared from the window.

I looked down and saw he was returning to the floor and I wondered how the heck was I going to get out, but then I saw Brody stretch out his hand.

…he expects me to jump. How cliché…

“Save this until I get back,” I said to Sasha and Brit that were still by my side, handing them the roses. “Love you.”

“Be safe,” Sasha said, hoping she was referring to getting down.

“And have fun,” Brit whispered.

“Bye,” was all I said before making my way down into Brody’s arms.

I heard him come with an ‘uh’ sound as my body crushed his causing us to fall on the floor. “Sorry,” I whispered. He just smiled and helped me to get up. Then we walked toward his car and stepped in.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked suddenly, tired of the silence that surrounded us. It was not uncomfortable or anything, but after what he did, I felt like all I wanted to do was talk to him.

He put his hand on my knee, but before he could reply, I squealed as I realized something. “What?!” We came to a sudden stop.

“I still have my pajamas on,” I said, feeling my cheeks turn red.

“You scared me, Lils.” Then he sighed dramatically, surely faking. “Oh, you poor thing, you.”

I hit him again, this time with less force.

“What?” he asked innocently. “I don’t mind.”

I laughed. “Well, I do! It’s like being in underwear, for crying out loud.”

He just smirked as we continued our way to whatever place he wanted us to go.