week, always at his place. I explained to Jake that Brandon is protective, and I’m not ready for them to meet yet. He was understanding, and said that he likes having me to himself anyway.
I still think of Cole regularly. It hurts, knowing that I most likely am never going to see or talk to him again. I hope that he is alright. Brandon never talks about him to me, nor Mum or Dad. I haven’t really spoken to them since I told Cole to stop that night on the phone. My heart aches at the thought of losing a family, but I can’t hide the fact that I’m the one who has ripped the family apart.
Brandon and Cole won’t be in the same room together. Brandon keeps me away from anything that Cole is involved in, like Sunday lunch at Mum and Dad’s. We talk on the phone, but I haven’t been there for a few weeks. I hope that the boys can sort their problems out if I’m taken out of the equation.
***
“He’s a teacher at your school,” Brandon whispers as I enter my bedroom. He’s standing in the middle of my room, looking very angry. I stop and stare. I knew he wouldn’t be happy with me when he found out.
“A colleague,” he’s deceptively calm. “Do you know how stupid that is, Erin? If you get caught, it’ll be you who loses your job. Not him. You. This I why I didn’t let you date, why I didn’t want you to. You ran to the first guy who smiled at you. This, Erin, is why you should listen to me, very closely.” He’s looking directly into my eyes, “Break up with him. You’ve only been going out a few weeks, so it shouldn’t be that hard a task. Then things can go back to the way they were, and you will have a secure job and a career to work on.”
I hold my tears back. He’s making me choose again. “You said that you’d let me make my own decision about this.”
“That was before I found out that he was your colleague!” Brandon’s anger is coming to the surface now.
“You said....”
“I take it back.” I look at him as to say ‘are you serious?’ “Break up with him, Erin. I mean it.”
“No,” I whisper. “I won’t.”
He stands up straighter, “Fine, but when this ends, and it will, you’ll lose more than just a boyfriend. You’ll lose your job, and something like this doesn’t just go away. It follows you and your career around for years. I’ll be here to pick you up, but I won’t be able fix your career. You’re making a huge mistake with him. You’re risking too much,” and he leaves the room, leaving me alone and feeling uncertain on what his motives are. Brandon has said it himself; he doesn’t want me to date, yet he doesn’t see me in any way more than a sister.
***
“So, just to be clear, you and Brandon are purely platonic right?” I stare up at Beth, her cheesy smile looking down at me. Jake is sitting at his desk, head turned toward our conversation, but not looking in our direction. Where is she going with this?
“Yeah, he’s my brother,” I inform her, watching her carefully.
“Good,” she jumps up from the side of my desk. “That’s good. Otherwise, it would have been awkward today.”
I frown at her, “What are you talking about, Beth?”
“Brandon and I ran into each other the other night. We got talking, and well, one thing led to another,” my stomach drops. “There’s something there, a connection, so we’re going to see where it leads us, together.” Her eyes flick across to Jake, and then back to me. She knows; she is the one who told Brandon who Jake is.
“Good for you, Beth,” I fake happiness. “It’s about time Brandon went and found a girl he could settle down with. I’ve always told him he sleeps around too much.”
She smiles a coy smile, “Just not with you.”
“Incest is against the law, and the fact that you would suggest such a thing is sick and perverted.” I get up from my desk and leave her shocked expression behind.
Cole
I see her marching into the office, and she’s pissed. That’s the
I still think of Cole regularly. It hurts, knowing that I most likely am never going to see or talk to him again. I hope that he is alright. Brandon never talks about him to me, nor Mum or Dad. I haven’t really spoken to them since I told Cole to stop that night on the phone. My heart aches at the thought of losing a family, but I can’t hide the fact that I’m the one who has ripped the family apart.
Brandon and Cole won’t be in the same room together. Brandon keeps me away from anything that Cole is involved in, like Sunday lunch at Mum and Dad’s. We talk on the phone, but I haven’t been there for a few weeks. I hope that the boys can sort their problems out if I’m taken out of the equation.
***
“He’s a teacher at your school,” Brandon whispers as I enter my bedroom. He’s standing in the middle of my room, looking very angry. I stop and stare. I knew he wouldn’t be happy with me when he found out.
“A colleague,” he’s deceptively calm. “Do you know how stupid that is, Erin? If you get caught, it’ll be you who loses your job. Not him. You. This I why I didn’t let you date, why I didn’t want you to. You ran to the first guy who smiled at you. This, Erin, is why you should listen to me, very closely.” He’s looking directly into my eyes, “Break up with him. You’ve only been going out a few weeks, so it shouldn’t be that hard a task. Then things can go back to the way they were, and you will have a secure job and a career to work on.”
I hold my tears back. He’s making me choose again. “You said that you’d let me make my own decision about this.”
“That was before I found out that he was your colleague!” Brandon’s anger is coming to the surface now.
“You said....”
“I take it back.” I look at him as to say ‘are you serious?’ “Break up with him, Erin. I mean it.”
“No,” I whisper. “I won’t.”
He stands up straighter, “Fine, but when this ends, and it will, you’ll lose more than just a boyfriend. You’ll lose your job, and something like this doesn’t just go away. It follows you and your career around for years. I’ll be here to pick you up, but I won’t be able fix your career. You’re making a huge mistake with him. You’re risking too much,” and he leaves the room, leaving me alone and feeling uncertain on what his motives are. Brandon has said it himself; he doesn’t want me to date, yet he doesn’t see me in any way more than a sister.
***
“So, just to be clear, you and Brandon are purely platonic right?” I stare up at Beth, her cheesy smile looking down at me. Jake is sitting at his desk, head turned toward our conversation, but not looking in our direction. Where is she going with this?
“Yeah, he’s my brother,” I inform her, watching her carefully.
“Good,” she jumps up from the side of my desk. “That’s good. Otherwise, it would have been awkward today.”
I frown at her, “What are you talking about, Beth?”
“Brandon and I ran into each other the other night. We got talking, and well, one thing led to another,” my stomach drops. “There’s something there, a connection, so we’re going to see where it leads us, together.” Her eyes flick across to Jake, and then back to me. She knows; she is the one who told Brandon who Jake is.
“Good for you, Beth,” I fake happiness. “It’s about time Brandon went and found a girl he could settle down with. I’ve always told him he sleeps around too much.”
She smiles a coy smile, “Just not with you.”
“Incest is against the law, and the fact that you would suggest such a thing is sick and perverted.” I get up from my desk and leave her shocked expression behind.
Cole
I see her marching into the office, and she’s pissed. That’s the
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