CH 10

“Where do you think you’re going Gia?” Flo asked her daughter as she walked in the door. Gia stood up when her mom came in, dressed and ready to go on her date with Brandon. “Out with Zander.” She lied. “We need to talk about something.” Flo said stepping into the family room where Gia was. “OK.” Gia said looking up at her mother. “Phil told me about that boy that dropped you off the other day.” Flo said. Gia looked down. “He did?” She asked. “Gia, he told me what kind of car he drives. He’s rich, honey what have I told you about guys like that?” Flo asked, raising her voice. “That I can’t trust them.” Gia said softly. Flo nodded her head. “Its men like him who will hurt you the most Gia, men like your father.” Flo said. “What was so wrong about dad? He loved us.” Gia cried. “No he didn’t Gia! He left us; he left us because he couldn’t commit to his kids. He was rich and handsome but he took no responsibility’s for his family!” Flo yelled. “No! He left because you were working so much! We never saw you, and when we did, you would always be thinking about work. He left because you didn’t have time for him! He left because you didn’t love him enough!” Gia shouted at her mother. Gia’s head was whipped to her shoulder at the force of her mothers slap. “That man brought me more pain then Phil could ever unleash onto you! He left me alone and broken. He left me with two kids who had no respect for me. He left because of you, because he didn’t love you.” Flo spit. “No.” Gia shook her head sadly. “Yes Gia, he left because he didn’t want you, just like your brother left. Why do you have to ruin everything? Why do you have to be you?” Flo cried. Gia’s tear rimmed eyes dance angrily up at her mothers face, as her chin trembled. “I hate you.” She whispered before walking past her and out of the house.

Nikolas was aware that his brother was going out with Gia today. It angered him greatly but he chose to let things just happen. If Gia wanted to be with him, she would. He decided that he was becoming way too involved with Gia. The doorbell rang and Nikolas went to go get it. He swung the door open and was not expecting it to be Gia; his brother said that she would be here in about a half hour from now. He had planed on leaving to go out with friends before she got there, so that he wouldn’t have to see his brother and her together. But there she stood in front of his door, and she looked incredible. He had never seen her like this, out of her uniform, other then the night they met. She was dressed casual in a pair of jeans with a vine of roses going up the leg, she wore it with a tiny red tank top and she had a pair of tennis shoes on her feet. Her braids were down, long and straight. She looked absolutely amazing. But he thought she looked sad. “Oh, hi Nikolas. I know that I’m early but, the bus schedule is weird, it was either this or be late.” Gia stumbled. “It’s OK, Brandon isn’t home though, but you can come in and wait.” Nik said. Gia nodded her head and stepped inside. She looked at Nikolas, he was dressed casual in a pair of kaki shorts and a green polo shirt, his hair was slightly messy, he looked sexy. “Gia, are you OK?” Nik asked stepping closer to her. She looked to him like she had been crying. “Yeah I’m fine. Hey look I want to thank you for the other day, with Jake. I just can’t believe how much he likes you.” Gia said. She saw the slightly hurt look in his eyes. “I mean, not that you’re unlikable or something. He’s just usually not that friendly with people right off the bat like that.” Gia added. Nik smiled slightly. “He’s a great kid. I would love to see him again, some time soon. Maybe we could go to the park again next week?” Nik suggested, forgetting about his plan to move on. Gia smiled weakly. “OK, yeah like the same time and day, that’s usually a good day for me because I need to pick him up early from Carol’s.” Gia said nodding her head. Nikolas smiled. “Great.” He said. Brandon walked in and immediately spotted Gia, not at all fazed by the fact that she was talking to his brother. “Hey Gia, you’re here early.” He said walking up to them. “Yeah sorry it was the bus schedule.” Gia said again, knowing full well that it was because she didn’t know where else to go. “It’s OK, let me just go get ready real quick. You look beautiful by the way.” He said walking up and kissing her on the cheek lightly, his eye flicking over to his brother, catching the look of fury on his face. “Thank you.” Gia said shyly as Brandon walked away. Nikolas clinched his fists; he wondered why Gia would accept complements from his brother but not from him. He watched Gia, she stared off sadly as she stood waiting by the steps, her arms crossed over her chest. “Are you sure you’re OK Gia?” He asked softly. “Yes, please stop asking me Nikolas, I’m fine.” Gia said looking up at him. Nik nodded his head and dropped the subject. Nikolas had to leave when his brother came downstairs, he couldn’t watch Gia leave with his brother so he went into the kitchen and left them.

“Gia, come on you can put a little more effort into then that, you’re only using one hand.” Brandon exclaimed as Gia swung at her little orange ball. Gia made a face at him as she looked up at him. “Oh sorry I don’t get all serious about it like you do.” Gia said rolling her eyes. Her day with Brandon was cheering her up. Brandon laughed as Gia began to imitate him as she tried to make her next shot, going slow and looking contently at what she was doing. She shot and still didn’t make it. “Here, go slower like this.” Brandon said coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her, gripping onto the club and hitting the ball, watching as it still didn’t go in. “Nope, that didn’t help. I just suck!” Gia said shaking her head sadly. “Yeah you do.” Brandon said nodding as he stepped back and looked at her. Gia’s jaw dropped. “No I do not! Take that back right now.” Gia yelled. Brandon shook his head stubbornly. “No you suck Gia, I’m telling you honestly it’s really bad. I bet you won’t make the next shot.” Brandon said. Gia looked over at the zigzag maze in front of her, it really didn’t look that hard. “What’s the bet?” She asked, cocking her eyebrow. “You miss it, I get a kiss. You make it, I have to walk to school for a week, no driving, what do you say?” He asked. Gia smiled at him, they had been flirting all day and Gia couldn’t help but feel special in his presence. “Deal! I’d love to see you car-less. That would be a funny sight. You’d be miserable.” Gia said laughing. She stepping up to the coarse and placed her ball in the provided groove. She swung carefully, this time really trying to make the shot, watching it roll down the green Astroturf, her heart skipped a beat when it came so close to the hole, but stopped just at the edge. She turned around; shocking as she saw for the first time how close Brandon was standing behind her. “Th..that was really close.” Gia stuttered as Brandon stepped up to her. “Hmm yeah it was, pay up Gia.” He said leaning in, pressing his lips to hers. The events of that morning caught up to Gia, her mother’s words still lingering on in her mind and in that moment; this kiss was what she needed. She opened her mouth to allow Brandon’s tongue entry, sucking on it desperately when it did. Gia wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling his hands run up her back as he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss even more. Gia, for the first time in so long, felt wanted. She moaned as tears began to wet her eyes, the pain in her heart slowly melting away as she felt needed by this man. An image of Nikolas suddenly popped in her mind, for some reason she felt guilty and needed to end the kiss. Gia pulled back so suddenly that Brandon had to catch his footing, stumbling forward slightly. “Whoa Gia, what’s wrong?” He asked, concern filling him as he looked at her face. “I, I can’t do this, I’m sorry but I just can’t do this.” Gia said, placing her hand on her chest to clutch her rapidly beating heart. “Gia it’s OK. You look upset, did I do something wrong?” Brandon asked. “No, no I’ve just had a long week and I really need to get some rest that’s all.” Gia said. Brandon slowly nodded his head. “OK let’s go.” He said offering her his hand, which she took.

Brandon and Nikolas’s moods were both poor that night; Brandon was being so quiet as he ate dinner. Nikolas finally spoke to him as they cleaned up after dinner. “Did something happen with you and Gia? You seem upset.” Nik asked. Brandon laughed. “Like you care. But if you must know, something’s bothering me about Gia, I don’t know what’s wrong but she seemed sad tonight.” Brandon said. Nik looked down, slightly shocked that his brother would care so deeply about Gia’s feelings. “Yeah she seemed sad to me too.” Nik said. “Everything was going fine though, after a while I got her to smile more. But then we kissed, and it was great, but she pulled back and she looked so sad.” Brandon said. Nikolas swallowed the lump in his throat. “You kissed her?” He breathed. Brandon smiled up at his little brother. “Gia’s an amazing kisser isn’t she? Oh wait you wouldn’t know.” He said cockily. Nikolas walked up and hit his brother across his jaw, watching him clutch it as he leaned over in pain. “Fuck you Brandon!” Nik yelled before he walked out of the kitchen.