In the Life (19 page)

It was almost as if Adrian was playing hard to get. No one played hard to get with Braylon! By now, he should have fucked Adrian's brains out at least twice. Adrian should be calling him everyday just to try to get another taste. Things should be going so much differently.

Braylon found himself calling Adrian more and leaving him messages. Normally, he would not chase after anyone, but Braylon felt compelled to. Not only did he have the desire to have sex with Adrian, but a part of him felt that it would be great to rub in his brother's face. It would even things up. Kind of like an eye for an eye.

This cat and mouse game could continue a little longer. Deep down, Braylon was beginning to enjoy it. It would make the conquest feel even sweeter. Oh, and speaking of games...

"Hello?" The sound of Jerrell's voice was mixed with surprise and annoyance.

"Hey baby. I ain’t talked to you for a minute. What’s good?"

Braylon had purposely waited to call Jerrell. If he had made this call sooner, it would have seemed to have been because of his brother and their tryst. By waiting, the call could have the more natural feel that it required.

"Really? After last time I saw you..."

"I know," Braylon coolly interjected. "I was wrong. I was such a jackass to you and I apologize. I would have called sooner but I knew you were probably still mad at me. Emotions were running on high and they needed to be cooled down. Once again, I am sorry for that. Do you accept my apology?"

There was quiet on Jerrell's end. All he could hear was a television in the background. If it wasn't for that, Braylon would have thought that he had been hung up on or lost signal.

"Yeah." The intensity was gone from Jerrell's voice.

"So, I had a question for you. Well, it’s more like a request. To show that I am truly apologetic for how I acted, would you like to go out on a date with me?"

"Huh?" Jerrell sounded shocked. "Ummm, can you hold on a minute?"

Braylon heard Jerrell say something to someone. He couldn't make out what was being said, but he couldn't help but wonder if he was with Brandon. Had he interrupted a good time? Was Jerrell keeping this phone call a secret from him? The thought made Braylon smile. He loved his brother with all his heart, but a lesson had to be taught.

"Yeah. Sorry about that." The sound of the TV was gone. Either he had put it on mute or he had changed rooms. Most likely, he had done the latter.

"So, what about that date?"

"You are asking me out on a date?"

"Yeah, I know that we normally only chill out at the apartment and do our thing, but I was thinking that we should do something different. I know you are tired of only seeing the four walls of my bedroom."

Jerrel laughed. "You know I am."

"Well, come on then. You know that I am not big on the whole dating thing so how about you pick the place. We will do whatever you want to do and it will be my treat."

Once again, there was silence. This time there was no background noises to assure him that the phone hadn't been disconnected. Braylon didn't understand the silence. If anything, he should be the one showing reservations. Anything that Jerrell wanted to do? Who knew what that boy would come up with?

"Why do you want to go out on a date with me? Like you said, you are not the dating type."

"But you are special. I don't always act like it, but I know that you are a great person. You are the type of person that I should have around me. The type of guy I would love to get closer to." Braylon knew he had to lay it on thick. He almost had him where he wanted him.

"Okay." Braylon could hear Jerrell smiling through the phone. "One date."

Meanwhile, in the other room, Brandon was indeed in front of the television. The episode of Law & Order was getting so good, he did not notice how long Jerrell had been gone. Benson and Stabler had been thrown another plot twist that was preventing them from capturing their man.

When Jerrell did get back, he returned to his position back on the couch although it was not as close as it had been before the phone call. Brandon did not say anything to acknowledge his return or inquire about the mysterious phone call. That would have to wait until commercial. However, Jerrell was the first to speak as the Walgreen's ad flashed on the screen.

"Brandon, how come we haven't gone out? You know, out of the house."

"I don't know," Brandon shrugged his shoulders not entirely sure where this conversation was coming from. "I mean, I thought we had been good chilling here."

"But you don't want to go out nowhere? With me?" Jerrell repositioned himself on the sofa so that his whole body was directly facing Brandon.

"Sure, I do. Why wouldn't I?" Brandon was past confused and he was sure that it was showing on his face.

"No reason. Just asking," Jerrell responded. He loosened up his body and let it into Brandon's. He snuggled up to him and pulled Brandon's arm around his shoulder. He focused back on the television. "So what did I miss?"

Chapter 13

Brandon was the first to show up to the restaurant. He was supposed to be meeting Don'ya there for a much needed night out, but Don'ya was already almost twenty minutes late. Since Brandon had been quoted a thirty minute wait by the hosts, Don'ya and his late arrival did not faze him much. By the time he showed up, their table was ready.

"Sorry about that," Don'ya said as they were taking their seat. "You could say that Travis and I were playing babysitting tag with Evan. He relieved me when he got home from work."

"Is Evan still being a handful? You've got one more week, right?"

"We did, but Sasha asked if we could keep him two more weeks. It seems that she has hooked herself a baller and he wants to take her somewhere special."

"So Sasha is cool with you playing step-mother?" Brandon joked. Don'ya cut him a look that made Brandon laugh even more.

"First of all, he calls me DonDon. Not uncle, not daddy number two, and definitely not step-mother. And to answer your question, yeah she is cool with me. Sasha and I have for the most part always got along. I think she rather have me around than having some other woman try to weasel her way into the mommy position. You know what I mean?"

The waiter made his way to the table. After introducing himself, he took the guys' drink orders, two top shelf margaritas. Both men admired how attractive the server, Daniel, was. He was a smooth, dark chocolate brother. A nicely shapened goatee framed a beautiful set of juicy lips which when curled into a smile showed off some dazzling pearly white teeth. His trendy squared glasses complemented his oval face.

"Are you and your brother still acting like children?" Don'ya asked once the drinks had been delivered.

"You know, it’s the strangest thing. It’s like we are arguing without the argument. We both know that the other is mad or whatever, but we have not said anything to each other about. We just have been staying out of each other's way. I've been at Jerrell's house mostly."

"And with Jerrell, how is that going?" Before Brandon could answer, Daniel came back for the food orders. It was not lost on Don'ya that the server was giving Brandon extra attention. There was a lot of eye contact, smiles, and a joke or two which could have been a sign of flirting. Brandon seemed oblivious to it all.

"Lil bro, I do believe the waiter is trying to get at you."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Exactly what I said! You didn't see how he was looking at you? Even when he was taking my order? Wake up, dude!"

"Naw," Brandon brushed it off. "He wouldn't be checking for me."

"Why not? You are a very good looking dude and you know that. And don't say it’s because of your weight because I don't want to hear it. Look, I know how you feel. I felt that way in high school, but I took control of what I didn't like and lost my weight. It’s not like you are sloppy with it. If that were the case, then I could try to understand why you down yourself, but even still I would tell you that you need to cut that shit out. Putting on a shy act when you know there ain’t a damn thing shy about you!"

"Yeah, yeah. I know," Brandon responded while reaching for his drink. "What can I say? Old habits and insecurities die hard."

"So are you gonna give the waiter your number or should I do it for you? Remember that’s how I got with Travis. I ran a drink to his table when I was working at TGI Fridays and now look at us."

"Yeah, and all the drama that came in between," Brandon joked. Don'ya looked past the sly comment.

"Well, are you gonna do it?"

"That’s what I was about to tell you before. I think I might like Jerrell."

Don'ya couldn't believe what he was hearing. Just a few days ago, Brandon had told him that he didn't think nothing was going to come off this newfound relationship. Brandon's own words were "it is what it is".

"I am thinking about asking him to be my Valentine." Brandon smiled and gave a little chuckle. "Can you imagine that? Me with a valentine?"

"Stranger things have happened." Don'ya was smiling too. "So what brought this on?"

"I was over to Jerrell's house the other day and he started talking about going out on an actual date. I think he may have been hinting that Valentine's Day is right around the corner. What better day to go out on a date than Valentine’s Day?"

Brandon and Don'ya talked more about the topic as well as others over their meal. They were in deep conversation when Don'ya saw Braylon coming into the front door and to Brandon's shock, he wasn't alone.

It was Jerrell and Braylon's date night. They had no idea that Brandon was watching as they were being seated in a booth on the other side of the restaurant. True to Braylon's promise, Jerrell picked the place and Braylon was going to pick up the tab.

For the most part, everything was cool. Nothing about it felt like a date. It was just two friends going out to grab something to eat. They laughed. They talked. They both genuinely enjoyed each other's company.

"I have a confession," Jerrell said. "I only agreed to this because I just wanted to know how it would feel."

"And?" Both Jerrell and Braylon were cautious of their words. Neither of them wanted to be ousted in this public setting.

"It was cool," he confessed. "But lately I have been really getting close to..."

"I know," Braylon said. "And I am cool with that."

"You know?" Jerrell had no idea that Braylon was privy to what was going on between he and Brandon. "Are you really cool with it?"

"Tonight made me realize, really, just how cool you are," Braylon spoke with full honesty. "I think that you two should see what could happen. You picked a good one."

"So we cool?"

"Of course. Just don't hurt my brother or me for that matter, or else you will have problems after all," Braylon laughed. "And I don't think that you would win in a fight against me, no offense."

"None taken," Jerrell chuckled his response.

Tonight may not have turned out the way that Braylon had first planned, but it was going the way it should. He had been letting some dumb sibling rivalry affect his actions and treatment of his brother. At the end of the day, he should have been happy that his twin had finally stepped up and possibly found someone that he could chill with. Sure, the way that it all went down was not the best, but Braylon knew he hadn't always been a choirboy either.

Brandon and Don'ya paid their check and were ready to leave out. To say that Brandon was a little pissed would be an understatement. He was mad. He was mad at Braylon for being out with Jerrell, mad at Jerrell for agreeing, and mad at himself for caring at all. This sort of thing always happens when you are about to let your guards down.