Past acquaintances
The very next day, Brandon was out there in his running shorts and a tank top. Sofia could tell he’d already been running because his shirt was dampened with perspiration.
He ran up to her as soon as he saw her. “Hey.”
“Hey.” The first thing she noticed was a tattoo on his upper arm, but she didn’t say anything. Something about it being on his big, muscular, sweaty arm, made looking at it feel wrong.
Sofia still couldn’t get over how different he looked. He seemed so improved, and she was happy for him. Everyone thought he’d end up in jail, and here he was, clean-cut and looking healthier than ever. “How long you’ve been out here?”
“About an hour.”
“Really?” she said. “Wow, how much longer are you gonna be? I usually only do about an hour total.”
“Yeah, well, I’m a Marine, honey.” He wiped the sweat from his face with his big shoulder. “An hour ain’t shit. Pardon my French.”
Sofia smirked. “Yeah, but you’re practically walking.”
Brandon’s eyebrows shot up. “Is that a challenge?”
Sofia smiled and took off sprinting. She felt him closing in, and she turned it on. Sarah had been the best on the team in high school. She taught Sofia how to turn up the speed fast. She felt herself pull away. Then suddenly, Brandon started closing in on her again. She reached the park, ran into the grass, and touched a tree, the one that she’d always made her target. “I win!”
“What?” He reached it and ran past it. He slowed down and turned around, walking back toward her with his hands on his hips. “You cheated.”
“I did not!”
He bent over, putting his hands on his knees. “First of all, you didn’t even tell me we were starting, and then you invent the finish line just as I’m catching up?”
Sofia laughed, bending over to hold her knees as well, and tried catching her breath. “You’re the one that brought up the challenge.”
Brandon walked over closer to her and leaned against the tree. “Damn, you’re fast.”
~
honey.”
She straightened up and leaned against the tree. Brandon moved closer to her. “I remember.” He smiled, a little too close to her face.
Her racing heart fluttered. As much as she wanted to rest, she didn’t think standing there with him anymore was good idea. She took a deep breath. “You ready for more?”
He looked at her unbelievably. “You’re kidding me.”
“I won’t invent the finish line this time. Last one to my house is the loser.” She put her finger and her thumb to her forehead in a shape of an L.
Before he could even respond, she took off. It was a few moments before he was right behind her. This was good practice for her. She turned it on and broke away again. She was almost there, could see the gate to her backyard, when Brandon snuck up behind her. She tried to step it up, the expression on her face completely determined, but she was so exhausted and her muscles ached so badly, she couldn’t, and he came up from behind her, beating her by a foot.
Sofia slowed down, coming to a stop just a couple houses past hers. She walked back to where he was leaning against the fence. Neither could talk, they were breathing so hard. She circled around holding her sides, trying to catch her breath. Even though it was just a friendly run, it irked her. She hated losing. She glanced at him and then away. “Don’t be mad, honey.”
She had to laugh. “Whatever.”
“You almost had me.”
“Yeah, well almost isn’t good enough.” It was a struggle just getting the words out.
She couldn’t stand it anymore. She had to sit down, so she leaned against the vinyl fence and slid down until she was sitting. Brandon came over and sat next to her. His leg touched her thigh. It was wet with perspiration, and his pinky caressed her own glistening thigh as he massaged his leg.
“You still writing?”
Sofia turned to him. “You remember?”
“Of course. I still have that piece you sent me.”
“You do?” Brandon was the first person aside from a teacher or a professor she’d ever let read anything she wrote.
She’d since let Eric read some of her stuff. But since she stopped writing for so long, she hadn’t had much to show him in years, other than her school work.
“I was really impressed.” He wiped the sweat away from his brow. “I’ll be honest. I was a little nervous it wasn’t going to be too good. But I really got into it.”
She smiled, remembering the email he sent her back. She’d been surprised herself about how eloquent he’d been when speaking of her writing. Then he admitted to writing a little poetry himself. She asked to read some and he sent her one. She didn’t really get it. She printed it out and tacked it to the small tack board in her room, determined to try to figure out the message. It was still there even after all these years, under a buns, anch of other stuff, but she hadn’t read it in a long time.
“I’ve taken a bunch of creative writing classes, so I’ve written a lot there. But only recently did I start writing again for pleasure.”
“Really?” His eyes were always so piercing, and so lash heavy, it was almost sensual the way he stared at her. “Why’d you stop?”
She shrugged, unwilling to admit the truth. “I got busy, I guess.”
Sofia’s chest heaved up and down still, and Brandon glanced at it. As much as her legs ached, she pushed herself up. “I’ll get you next time.”
“What? You’re done?” He looked up at her.
Sofia looked back at him. “I gotta go.”
“I was hoping we could talk.”
She tilted her head. “About what?”
“There are some things I’ve always wanted to tell you.” He must’ve read her expression because he added, “Nothing your boyfriend would have an issue with. I know you’re with Eric now and I respect that. I’m not the guy I was when we were kids. I’d just like a few minutes so we can talk.”
She stared at him. Brandon pulled himself up quickly. Sofia’s eyes inadvertently glanced at his muscled shoulders. He was immediately face to face with her. She almost took a step back, suddenly feeling a little overwhelmed by him. “So when can we talk?”
She had no idea what he could possibly want to talk go her about. Even though he said it was not anything Eric would have an issue with, his eyes seemed to invade her when he spoke to her. If Eric or even her brothers witnessed it, she was sure they’d all have issues. But she had to admit, she was curious. “Another time. Not now, I really gotta go.”
Brandon touched her arm, and she almost jumped. “I look forward to it.”
She felt shivers shoot up her back. They weren’t exactly bad shivers, but they definitely made her feel something she knew she shouldn’t be feeling.
“Bye.” She walked away and hurried into her yard.
***
Eric switched the channel on the television. He stopped on footage of a car accident. He turned to Sofia, who was lying half-asleep on the bed. They’d rented a room again, and after an exhausting, but incredible night of love making, he’d finally woken up.
“You remember when Asia’s dad got in the accident in high school where the passenger was killed?”
Sofia was awake now. “Yeah.” She sat up slowly, propping herself against the pillow.
“Well, get this. The person that was killed was his mistress.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, that’s why she moved away seniored tress. year. Her parents divorced, and her and her mom moved to Los Angeles. She said her mom didn’t even know at first. Her dad told her mom it was just a co-worker he was giving a ride home. Then a few weeks later, the mistress’s husband showed up at their house and told her about it. Isn’t that crazy?”
When she didn’t respond, he turned to her. He couldn’t make out her expression but it wasn’t good. “What’s wrong?”
“How often do you talk to Asia?”
“When I see her in the coffee shop, but she doesn’t work every day.” He had a feeling where this was going. “Why?”
“Did you go out with her in high school?”
Eric thought about it and suddenly he felt like kicking himself. “No, I didn’t go out with her.”
“I heard something about you and her, I just don’t remember the details.”
“What difference does it make, Sof? That was a long time ago.”
“So you did?” She sat up even more.
Eric took a deep breath. “I hooked up with her once after a party in like the ninth or tenth grade. I don’t even remember anymore. Is that what this is about?” He clicked the television off. “Is that why you made the comment about her dressing like a whore?”
“Why? Did that bother you, Eric?”
“No, I just thought it was kind of random.” He almost didn’t say it, but he did anyway. “And a little rude.”
“Oh, I’m sorry my opinion bothers you.” She stood up, pulling his t-shirt over herself. She crossed her arms. “Obviously, your opinion of someone who wears short shorts and fishnet stockings with her tits practically hanging out is different from mine, since you still hooked up with her.”
“I think everyone’s a little ashamed about some of the styles they wore in high school, Sof. She’s not like that anymore.”
“Oh really, Eric?” If looks could kill, there’d be a gaping hole between Eric’s eyes. She raised her voice. “Why don’t you tell me what she’s like? You two real tight now? Is that why she would tell you something so personal about her dad?”
As much as Sofia hated to admit it, she was just like her brothers. Her temper could go from zero to sixty in a split second. Eric had a feeling this was going to get ugly, because she was starting to piss him off. He dropped the remote on the bed. “You know what really bothers me, is that you would question my loyalty to you even after all these years. I’ve never given you any reason to.”
“You’ve never once brought up the possibility of me going out there to visit you and you know I wanted to. And now you keep talking about this girl you see every day. Someone who shared something so intimate with you? A girl you hooked up with once. Of course I’m going to have doubts.”
Eric stood up, forgetting he was still naked. He bent over, pulled his boxer briefs from the ground, and slipped into them. “I already told you, I don goiou,c stood upt see her every day. I’ve only had coffee with her…” He nearly choked on his own words. Why the fuck did he just say that? “…a couple of times.”
“You had coffee with her?” Sofia spun around and grabbed her sundress from the chair. She pulled off the t-shirt, allowing Eric a beautifully naked view of her for a few moments until she pulled the dress over her head.
“I meant—”
“You’ve been having coffee and catching up with the whore you once hooked up with.” She slipped on her sandals.
“Sofie, don’t say it like that.” He walked around the bed towards her. “I got coffee and she hadn’t started her shift yet, so I sat with her for a little bit. That’s all.”
Eric tried touching her arm, but she pulled it away. “Don’t touch me!”
“Sofie, baby.” He took her arm again, even though she tried pulling free. “Why are you getting all worked up? If I’d have known how upset this would make you, I would’ve never—”
“Told me?”
“No, I would’ve never even talked to her.”
She tried to pull away from his hold, but he held her. She took a few steps backward in an effort to get away from him. Eric kept up with her until they were against the wall.
“I’ll find another coffee shop, okay?”
She squirmed, but her struggle with trying to get away from him, had lost a little fuel. He took advantage and pushed his body against hers, letting her feel the rise she’d given him from just seeing her naked even after being with her all night.
“How many times?”
He licked her bottom lip. “How many times what?”
“You said you had coffee with her a few times.”
“Twice.” He kissed her.
He wouldn’t be stupid enough to tell her the truth now. He’d done nothing wrong, but the fact that he knew Asia’s schedule and he was beginning to look forward to chatting with her, had already started feeling wrong. He had no idea Sofia knew about him and Asia back in high school.
“Promise me you won’t talk to her again.”
He pulled her dress up, spreading her legs. She drew in a sudden breath.
“I promise.”
She wrapped one arm around his neck and pulled him out of his underwear. Within seconds, they were making love against the wall. He listened to those soft pants of hers he’d grown to love. He may have enjoyed catching up with Asia again, but where Sofia would get the idea that anyone else would ever do was beyond him.
***
Monday morning, Sofia stretched as she walked through her backyard toward the back gate. Wh banbsen she got out, she held on to the gate with one hand and stretched her leg behind her with the other.
The conversation she’d had with Eric that weekend still lingered in her mind. Even though she gave into him and didn’t storm out of there like she had intended after he admitted to having coffee with Asia, the doubt still loomed. She’d hardly slept the night before just thinking about it. Eric could continue to talk to Asia every day and she’d never know about it. He still hadn’t mentioned anything about her going out to visit him.
After stretching a bit more, Sofia began running. She’d only been running for five minutes when Brandon was by her side. Sofia smiled, looking down at Troop. He’d finally started walking on his leash without Brandon having to drag him.
The sweat dripped down Brandon’s face. “You’re late today.”
“Yeah, I slept in,” she said. “It felt good, too.”
“Late night?”
She shook her head. “Actually, I was in bed early, but I had a hard time sleeping.” She considered taking off in a sprint to beat him to the park, but she didn’t think Troop would be able to keep up.
When they finally did get to the tree, Sofia bent over to pet Troop.
“You gotta hurry back again, or do you have a few minutes to talk?”
His eyes gave Sofia that funny feeling she got from him on Friday. The dark stubble on his hard chin made the blue of his eyes that much more piercing. She glanced away, petting Troop some more. “I have a few minutes.”
Brandon sat down on the grass He pulled a few blades of grass out of the ground, then looked back at her. “I wanted to thank you.”
“Thank me?” Sofia searched his eyes.
“Yeah, there’s no way you’d know this, but you’re the reason I enlisted in the Marines in the first place.”
She shook her head. “Me?”
“Yeah, you,” he smiled. “Remember when we used to talk in Geometry class and you would talk about doing whatever it takes to reach you’re goal, and never give up?”
Sofia remembered the conversations. But she was so into trying to keep her spot on the relay team back then, most of her motivational speeches were geared by that. She sat down across from him, but not too close. “Yeah, I remember.”
Brandon smiled and gazed at her for a moment, making her avert her attention back to Troop. “Back then, my life at home was crap. Always had been, actually. My dad had always been abusive, mostly to my mom, but on occasion, he turned it on me, too. I hated life—I hated everyone. I talked to nobody, and I mean nobody. I had no friends and wanted no friends. I think you were the only one I ever opened up to. I thought it was ironic too ‘cause I’d been such a jerk with you growing up.”
Troop jumped on Sofia’s lap. She hugged the puppy, petting him all over. “You weren’t so bad. I thought maybe you just did it to get to my brothers.”
Brandon look> Blocked at her incredibly. “Why would I want to do that? Alex has always been a monster, and he wasn’t even the biggest one back then.”
“So why did you?”
Brandon glanced away. “I don’t know. I think I just didn’t know how else to react to you. Anyway,” he lifted a shoulder. “I thought a lot about what you said back then. You were always so cheery and optimistic about everything and it sort of motivated me to do something with my life. I hated school but I hated coming home even more. Then one day you talked about the career center at school. Did you know I never even knew our school had a career center until you brought it up?”
“You’re kidding me? That’s all the teachers and counselors ever harped about.”
“Yeah, like I was listening,” he scoffed. “So I actually went down there and picked up the information on the Marines and started reading up on it. That’s how I decided it was the best thing for me. I knew college wasn’t for me, and it would get me away from my dad. I felt bad about leaving my mom, but sometimes I got the feeling she felt worse about me having to see all the crap he did than her having to live with it.”
He stared at Sofia for a moment. She’d always known there was more to Brandon, even back then. Hearing him talk about his family now made her feel terrible. It wasn’t his fault. She couldn’t even imagine being such a loner and no family support.
“Seeing me as a Marine changed something in my dad. It’s like suddenly he had something to be proud of. Everything in my life changed, including my dad. Life at home is so much better now. I always said I had to thank you some day formally.”
“No way, just ‘cause I mentioned the career center? Brandon, I’m sure you would’ve heard about it eventually.” She laughed nervously.
“It’s not just that, Sof. You were so kind to me even after all I’d done to you as kids, and if it hadn’t been for you I probably wouldn’t ever showed up to class. I think that class was the only one I never ditched.”
“You just needed a little push, that’s all.”
“And you were it. I was close to spiraling out of control. If it hadn’t been for me listening to you, who knows where I might’ve ended up?”
There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment, then Sofia cleared her throat. “I don’t think I did much to deserve that kind of credit, but I will say I’m really glad everything turned out the way it did for you.”
“I have something I’d like for you to see. You think you can come over my house one of these days?”
His sensual stare was now softer. Running with him was one thing. Going to his house would be crossing so many lines. Not just with Eric, but she was sure her brothers would have a fit. Since he’d steered clear and not been a pest his last year here, her brothers had actually begun to talk to him a little, but she knew they still didn’t trust him completely.
“You wouldn’t even have to come in. I can bring it out to the porch.” His eyes implored. He reached over and squeezed her shoe. Her eyes took in his muscular forearm and immediately felt weird about it.
“Yeah, I could do that.”
“How ‘bout right now?” He squeezed her shoe again. “You have ti“ ditme?”
Last night, Naomi’s words kept ringing in her head. Don’t you ever get curious? Only the words kept her sleepless, because she was certain Eric had become curious. It felt wrong, but damn it, she wasn’t even having coffee with Brandon. All she was doing was going to his to see what he wanted to show her. “Actually, I do have a few minutes.”