Tamina

Twenty-four hours before present

To Brandon: Good morning, Brandon, I hope you slept well, and thank you for last night, it was great. Just messaging to wish you a good day :)

Three hours have gone by since I'd left a message for Brandon, and like a fool, I'd jumped at every time it buzzed for spam or random notifications such as the weather or news. Nothing from him. Throughout my shift, Jasmine has hounded me and gave me jealous glares, and even Charlie caught her and gave her a small punishment for her 'poor work attitude' and to say it made it worse was an understatement. Incorrect orders, and sly remarks, but nothing harmful.

After checking my phone one last time, my mind distracts itself with Gladice's maple coffee and coconut cookie wedge. She's a sweet old lady with frizzy pink hair that loves to talk about everything from the minute she wakes up to the time she sees you in great detail, but we'd have it no other way. At least, we other than Jasmine who throws her a sour sneer.

Charlie dabs at his brow with his napkin, Isabelle opens the door for a customer with two cupholders on hand, allowing a nice gust of fresh air to billow in. It's been overly warm for the shop today, and the only thing that comes to mind is Jasmine's Cheshire cat grin whenever one of us mentioned the heat.

"Tam, can you clear the cups away when you have a minute?" Charlie calls whilst exchanging cash over the till and twisting over to the coffee machine.

"Aye, Sir," I chuckle before shuffling around Elena who's answering a customer's enquiry over a frappe.

Gathering up stray wrappers and napkins in one hand, I take two cups in the other before making a trip behind the counter and back to repeat until each section is spotless and wiped down. Washing up would've been straight forward if it weren't for Jasmine trying to win over Charlie for her earlier offence, so I let her. Happy Jasmine, happy job.

"Tam, can you occupy the second till? It's getting busy!" Isabelle yells once she's served a lanky man in a baseball cap, and I'm quick to do so.

Squeezing past a couple of customers who thank me on the way, my feet come to a steady stop behind the cash register and my lips tug up into a smile. "Alright, who's next?"

I can't wait to go home.

Work finished just over an hour ago, and after a reassuring talk with myself, I'm now shopping for brownie ingredients for when mum and dad return from their spa trip tomorrow. I'd rather find something to distract myself now rather than later to get my spirts back to normal.

Clenching the device in my hoodie pocket, a ragged sigh comes from me. I've lost count of the hours when I'd last messaged Brandon, and now I'm too tired to try. The only thing keeping the doubt at bay is the fact he might be working, and shamefully, it's good enough for me.

With a long huff, my shoes squeak against the grey vinyl, and my eyes stray on each side of me for the ingredients needed for their surprise. Ten minutes later, I find the flour needed tucked in the back of the shelf before shuffling down the aisle toward the till where the familiar raven-haired girl stands. Sammy stands with her natural gleaming smile, and it only brightens when she spots me. Whenever I'm in and it's her shift, there's never a moment when she isn't smiling at one of the customers or asking how their day is.

"Hey, Sammy, how's your day going?" I ask, setting the items on the belt.

Operating the mechanics for it to move, she says, "All's good here, thank you. How about yourself? Didn't you have work today?"

My head bobs. "That's nice, and yes, just finished. I'm looking forward to a good hot chocolate now."

She laughs and swiftly runs the total for me to pay, and replies, "Make sure to extra enjoy it for me."

"I will," I chuckle.

After bidding one another goodbye, I'm stuffing the shopping in my backpack and halfway zipping it up before my phone vibrates. Once zipped and out of the shop, my steady pace slows as my fingers fish out and unlock the gadget, and my hope sinks when mum's name occupies the notification bar.

From Mum: Hello, darling! Dad and I are delaying a day, so we won't be back until after tomorrow. How are you feeling honey? We miss you xx

Even though dread fills me, the smile can't stay off my face.

To Mum: Hey, mum! All's good here, and I'm missing you both. I can't wait to hear all about your spa week, and I hope you're both keeping well too. I love you xx

Shoving the phone back into my pocket with a small sigh, my feet continue back home. The breeze is nice and welcomed, birds sing as they soar by, and people wander around with their loved ones or make hasty steps for fear of being tardy. Soon after, my eyes drop and fixate on the concrete, and my mind urges me to get home as fast as I can.

When I'm finally stood on my doorstep, it feels as if the time to walk home had doubled, my chest feels heavy, and my mind has a sudden fog swarming around it. It's a discomforted feeling that only intensifies when my thoughts stray to Brandon.

Damn Brandon. . .

Once I'm inside, my gaze lingers on the wall he had me caged against. Shaking my head, my feet kick into gear to carry me toward the kitchen to store the supplies until tomorrow. When I nip round to cook the brownies, they should hold in time for when they get back. If not, then I guess it will be another distraction, and a well-rewarded one.

Dropping onto the sofa with more force than intended, my hand reaches out for the book Brandon got me when we first me—officially—but stops when the pads of my fingers are a breath away. The longer my sight remains on it, the harder I find it is to pick it up.

What's wrong with me? Snap out of it.

His words about 'expecting' my texts and that he 'can't wait' floats around my mind, and how he said he 'will' get back to me has my mood dropping quickly. But there's nothing I can do apart from make sure he's OK, and like a fool, my fingers fly across the screen.

To Brandon: Hello, sorry for texting again, I just wanted to make sure you were OK, I'll speak to you later.

My finger hovers over the 'x' key but decides against it. I'm not committing to that just yet.

Sliding my phone onto the coffee table, I throw my head back with a frustrated groan. "Why does it have to be so complicated?"

Present time

Twenty-four hours have passed since I'd messaged Brandon, and there's been nothing from his end. Twenty-four hours is enough time for me to know that I've been stood up, and that means it's time for me to put him behind me. . . somehow.

Damn it. How can I forget Brandon after what we've shared? He was nothing but nice and a gentleman to me, he made me feel special, like whatever I said or did mattered. And we shared that stupid, yet romantically passionate kiss. God, he made me feel good and loved all in those few minutes we were in the hallway, and it hurts to know that it was all a big farce.

But what did he have to gain?

Checking the time, my foot taps impatiently against the wooden slats of mum and dad's kitchen, the key being the only thing to feel stable in my pocket as a disappointed sigh comes from me.

Just like before, I'll plaster on a smile and pretend nothing ever happened. It's not like I'd told them anything for them to notice, so there's no need for unnecessary comfort when I'd known this would happen from the start. Perhaps that's why it feels numbing more than painful. Either way, ignorance is bliss.

The knock at the door startles me, and I'm surprisingly slow at trudging through the house and opening it. When I do, my stomach twists and my brows furrow as my eyes connect with those shades.

"What are you doing here, Brandon?" I'm proud my voice came out strong instead of surprised, or worse: sad.

"I came to see you." And his voice is just as strong, if not more so, and determined.

"Why?"

"May I come in?"

When no words come from me, he carefully steps though, leaving me to shut the door. With an aggravated breath, my feet follow him into the kitchen, and my arms cross. "I asked you a question, Brandon."

He sighs, scratching the back of his neck and showing the curve of his muscle under his denim jacket. "Yes, love, I heard. I saw you come here, and I came. I'm sorry I haven't been in contact; I've had pressing matters to attend to."

I scoff. "It only takes one minute to send a message, why did you really ignore me?" My tone hardens and my gaze turns to the oven. "Better yet, just tell me this was one big ruse for you to pass time and be on your way—"

"Tamina, will you stop for one second?" Brandon grits out. "The only thing I could think about every second of the day since I left you was you, and it drives me insane." He inches closer and removes his shades before dropping them on the counter beside me. "I've had pressing matters with my family that I can't willingly ignore, and because of that, it has kept me away from you. Trust me when I say they get what they want."