Already on his way to Bloomington, Brandon was happier than any other moment in his life. He was admitted to more than one university, but he opted for the program at Illinois Wesleyan University, a very nice place to live, a small city and the most important: far from Helena, Montana.
After he made himself home, he had a good night of sleep. By morning, he woke up feeling happy, full of energy, even if his body was still recovering from the beating two days earlier.
Maybe in Bloomington, Brandon ws about to get his fortune.
During his first class, he was just sitting there, waiting for the professor. He got used to being alone, no one wanted to sit with him in high school.
But today, a pretty girl came into the classroom, she looked around and chose to sit beside Brandon.
“Hi, My name is Erika. Nice to meet you!” The girl greeted Brandon, which made him very nervous.
“H..Hi, I’m Brandon.” He replied.
Looking at the nervous boy, the girl smiled.
“Could you tell me about this lesson? I don’t know much about it, I’m afraid that professor would ask me some questions.” Erika said to Brandon.
“OK…”
Brandon never met a girl like Erika before, and gradually he forgot to be nervous. He was a very good student, so he started to be very confident teaching Erika.
Soon the professor came in, Brandon had to stop his teaching, but all his attention was paid to Erika.
It was the first time Brandon forgot to listen to his lesson.
After the class, Brandon stood up and was about to leave, but Erika stopped him.
“Hey Brandon, have you got any time in the evening? I want to have dinner with you, to thank you for teaching me. I never understood the professor so easily in class.” Erika said smiling.
“Ah… are you asking me out?” He asked, then he just wanted to slap himself on the face.
‘You can’t talk to a girl like this, Brandon!’
“Yes. So would you come or not?” Erika answered with a great smile on her lips.
She was not angry! Actually, she seemed pretty happy.
They waited for the class to be over and they went together to a place she said she knew. The girl said she used to spend her vacation period in that city, although she was from Helena, just like him! It was only natural that she knew a nice restaurant and so, he followed her. They arrived at a big hotel and walked to the restaurant on the second floor.
“I hope you like italiano!” She looked at him with shy eyes and bit her lips, putting a stray of her hair behind her ear.
“Yeah, I… I really like it!” He looked at the prices when they received the menu and he felt really awkward.
"What 's it?” She asked, noticing that he was feeling uneasy. Her brows were furrowed.
Brandon didn’t feel good by having no money with him. Not enough money with him. And it would be better if he let her know before they ordered anything.
“Ah, I’m sorry. I think I can’t afford this place.” He said, looking down and moving his lips nervously.
“Well, this first time is on me, then!” She replied with a big smile and touched his hand. Brandon’s heart was beating like crazy. She… she didn’t mock him! And more: she offered to pay for him, without using a condescending tone.
‘Is she real?’, he thought, his eyes clearly showing his infatuation. ‘As I thought, my life is starting fresh!’.
After they ate, Brandon didn’t order anything expensive. Even if she was nice, he didn’t want to seem like he was taking advantage of her, by any means.
“Ah…” She started to speak and blushed crimson. “Hmm. I have a room booked for tonight. Would you like to…?”
For a moment, Brandon didn’t know what to reply. Actually, he was not even sure he heard her right. Was she inviting him to go to the hotel suite with her? That was too intimate! Did she want to do… that with him? He had never…
“Sure!” He answered, finally.
“I promise I won’t take too long. We can just have more privacy, you know?” She said and he nodded, very excited.
She paid for the bill and held his hand, while they went up in the elevator, towards the room Erika had booked.
Once inside, they sat on the bed and started to talk a bit, and then, she approached him more and her face was very close to him.
“I want to kiss you, Brandon…” She said. He, who had never been so close to a woman, one that wanted to kiss him, only nodded. He was already a man and longed to be with someone.
The kiss started very lightly, nervously. Brandon held her waist and her scent was intoxicating him. They started to take off their clothes and she was now without her t-shirt.
“I’ll go to the bathroom… You can start taking off your clothes. I’ll be right back.” She said and kissed his lips lightly, before she went through the door.
Brandon couldn’t believe how things are going so great! He felt weird by taking off his clothes, but he believed the girl was going to clean herself before they did anything. He wanted to do the same. ‘Maybe when she leaves the bathroom.”
He took off his pants and, at that moment, hell broke loose. The door was opened with a bang and Brandon was startled, incapable of moving.
“Look who is here! I bet you thought you’re going to get aid, huh?”
Brandon would never forget this voice.
It was Kayle!
Kayle. Kayle Jarmerson, with all his almost 6.5’ height, muscled arms, dirty blond hair and malicious icy blue eyes, was there, inside the room, holding a camera and his friends were just behind him. Brandon could only think about Erika, but all his worries vanished in the next moment, because she left the bathroom and was held by Kayle, who kissed her. “Did you really think she would want you? She is my girlfriend, you idiot!” Kayle asked, full of venom in his words. “Let’s show the world what Mr. Brandon Ashford’s incredible body!” Everybody, except Brandon, started to laugh. He cast a glance at Erika and she was not the same person from minutes before!Brandon was not too skinny, but he was not too muscled, either. His body was full of bruises, given by none other than Kayle and his friends. “What are you doing here? Why are you here?” Brandon ended up asking. He thought his life was going to change, once he was far from those bullies who made his life a living hell since he was
“Do you really think we’ll fall for it, Brandon?” Kayle sneered. He looked at the others who were getting up from the floor and they all started to nodd. “My dad is rich and you, shit head, is a good-for-nothing beggar!”Brandon remained silent, just watching while his butler worked on the phone. He was just staring, serious, and his expression was blank. Erika, who was still by Kayle’s side and watched the whole thing, was now observing Brandon a bit better. She had just played her role as Kayle asked and, in fact, she had not looked at the man near her. But now she could see how handsome he was. And of course, his kiss was great, although she could never admit it. “Kayle’s father will end you!” One of the bullies said. “Not only you, Brandon, but those clowns, too!” “Yeah, he will. Nobody touches me and lives another day!” Kayle smirke, nodding. “All done, sir. The information is gathered.” The old man said in a very polite and professional way. Then, turning to Kayle, he contin
The next day arrived and Brandon acted as if nothing happened. He got up, took his shower, put his clothes on and after having his bag on his shoulder, he left for classes. His butler had called a few more times, but he was not in the mood to answer just to dismiss the man. While he was walking inside the campus, he noticed that a few people were looking at him and he frowned a bit, but thought that was nothing, after all, except from Kayle and his friends, he was not known. “Sexy abs, huh?” Brandon heard someone say, but he didn’t think the person was talking to him and kept walking to his classroom. “Damn skinny. He should eat more.”“At least he seems to be quite big down there.”“Gross! Don’t talk about it… his body is not nice…And he is weird. A loser.”Now, Brandon was sure they were talking about him. Not that he really cared about what others thought or said about him, but in some way, it disappointed him. Going to college should have been a new start, a new life, but no. I
“Is everything alright, here?” The professor asked and Kayle got quiet, looking elsewhere. “No, actually, it is not.” the girl said and turned to the professor. “Mr. Sharman, those guys here were bullying our classmate.” She pointed to the respective people. “Bullying? Like in high school?” The dark haired professor asked, frowning while looking at the bullies. "Definitely. And here is proof!” She showed the professor all the small papers and flying notes. After the professor read two of the papers, he looked at Kayle and the others. “We’re gonna have a little chat after class.” He said and motioned with his head for the blonde girl to return to her seat, because the class was going to start. They spend the whole morning with Mr. Sharma, so Brandon only got the chance to talk to her by lunch time. “Ah, hi.” He called her while she was collecting her belongings. “Hi!” She smiled at him. Brandon tried to keep the thoughts about how beautiful and shining she was from his head. A f
Lucinda was with her hand offered to Brandon. He looked at her face, at her hand and decided to shake it. “Friends.” He said and when she took her hand back, he didn’t like it very much. “Have you eaten?” She asked. “Not yet.”“Neither did I… I’m starving! Wanna eat with me?” Brandon frowned. “Ah, weren’t you supposed to have eaten with your boyfriend?” “He’s not my boyfriend.” Her response was very fast, meaning she wanted to make it clear. “And he was called by his father, so he just left me here and left.” “Ah, I see.” Brandon said, nodding and looking down. Inside, he was smiling. So she was not dating the guy. He knew he shouldn't be all happy with those news, but he was, in the end. “We can go wat and I tell you a bit more about this complicated situation I’m in.” She said and smiled at him. “Shall we?” “Definitely. I’m starving as well.” They both walked, side by side, to the food court of the mall. They were not talking, just walking and Branon could smell her shampo
Lucinda yanked her arm and stood again, taking a few steps back. “As I said, you do not own me, Damon. I won’t stay here and keep listening to this. Excuse me.” She started to walk away, but Damon followed her and held her by the waist. “Lucy, come on. I’m jealous, ok? You are to be my wife and I don’t want you talking to that kind of loser.”“He is not a loser, ok?” She took a deep breath. “Look, Damon, I know our parents want us to marry and all, but it does not mean we have to.”“No, we don’t have to, but I want to. I want you.” He held her arm, making her stop walking. “Lucy, please. I want to be the man by your side.”He was looking at her with pleading eyes, but she couldn’t stand him. Yes, he was dazzling handsome and most of the girls were falling for him. But Lucy couldn’t stand his personality. “I know. But then… please, let me be for a while. I need space. And you need to stop acting like this.” Damon remained quiet. At first, he was reluctant to marry Lucinda Fairfax.
The three men turned to Brandon and looked him up and down. The taller, probably their leader, started to laugh. Brandon was tall, around 6,5”, but he was skinny and the three guys were not buke, but much stronger than him. “Sod off, idiot.” The taller guy said. “You leave her be and I’ll go with her.” Brandon answered and the three of them made weird sounds, mocking him. “She is having fun with us, now, get the fuck out of here! Unless you wanna have fun, too.” The bunker one threatened, taking a small knife from his pocket. “Bran, go and get help!” Lucy said and received a slap across her face. It busted her lips and Brandon couldn’t stand by and watch. He did something he never did for himself, he fought.Of course, he had no chance against one of those guys, let alone two of them. The third one just stayed around Lucy, trying to kiss her and roaming his hands over her body. After a while, Brandon, who was on the floor and raised by his shirt, fell to the ground with a thud wh
The next day, Lucy didn’t go to college, but Brandon did and people looked at him strangely, since he was clearly hurt, but nobody asked him if he was alright or if he needed help. Not that he would ever think they would. Damon saw Brandon and turned his head, pretending he didn’t know him. Brandon chuckled. Of course, it was all an act to impress Lucy. How predictable, huh? Brandon just walked to the building. It was Friday and he couldn’t wait for the day to be over.Nobody picked on him, but he saw some girls looking at him with a certain curiosity, but none talked to him, so he just shrugged and let it be. “Mr. Ashford, may we have a word?” Professor Ramirez asked when Brandon was about to leave class. “Of course, Professor.”The class was soon empty and the tall, dark man leaned on his desk with his back to it, folding his arms in front of his chest and looking at Brandon. “I’ve heard you got into a fight. And for what I can see, that was not a good one.” Brandon sighed befo