5: Deep...

5: Deep...


CANDICE ON THE SIDE!


"And there were times when I knew how you felt, and it was hell to know it, my little one. Brave Dolly Schiller."


-Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita


Candice leaned on Bryan's shoulder, as she changed the channels, nothing catching her attention. These were one of these days that she considered a lazy afternoon. 


Bryan decided to let Candice be in such close proximity to him, as he knew that trying to reason with her wasn't going to be easy. 


Candice gave a low moan of boredom, "I'm bored." She announced. 


She checked to see if Bryan heard her, but to her disappointment, he didn't seem to hear her, as he was typing away on his phone, his face lighting up. 


She mentally groaned to herself, feeling her body turning cold, she angrily got off Bryan and crossed her arms. 


Bryan turned to her, confused, "You feeling alright?" He asked, to make sure. 


"No." Candice replied.


When Bryan waited for an answer, Candice spoke up, "I'm bored. And you're no fun." 


Bryan stared at her for a moment, blinking, then turning back to is phone. "That's not my problem." He stated.


Candice gaped at him, "What is with you today?" She demanded. 


"If you're that bored, maybe you should go to school. Like a normal teenager."


"I can't." Candice protested. "I won't." She crossed her arms. 


"Right. Because you think you're too good for it, and you know everything? That's a pathetic excuse." Bryan stopped, when he saw Candice's lips quivering. 


"Screw you." She said, her voice low. "You don't know me." 


Bryan scoffed, "Do i need to? I know enough.You're one of those people who only think for themselves." 


Candice gasped, quietly, her eyes melting in despair. "Then you know nothing about me." 


Bryan rolled his eyes and shook his head, taking his eyes away from her.


Candice felt tears prickling her eyes, as she tried again, "Y-You need to stop being so b- mean to me, you know." She said, in her stuttering voice higher pitched than it normally was, as she swallowed hard. "O-Otherwise i'll ask my mother to fire you-" Her voice broke, as she gave up, and buried her face in her hands. 'They won't understand. They'll never understand.' She chanted in her head. After what is seemed like 5 minutes, she felt hands gently wrapping around her wrist, and uncovering her face. 


"Hey," Bryan said, softly. "It's okay. I was only kidding around. I'm sorry, Cand...Candice." 


 Candice glared angrily at him, "How dare you judge me? You don't even know me!" 


"I know, i'm sorry-" Bryant ried to say, his heart pounding in his chest, but he didn't know why. 


"You're so mean, you're really mean..." Candice mumbled, refusing to look at him. 


"Look." Bryan said, gently grabbing her shoulders. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have said that about you. You're right. I don't know anything about you. And it wasn't my place to judge." He wiped her tears away, her shining blue eyes staring up at him, "Will you forgive me?" 


Candice thought for a second, looking away from him, her cheeks bright red. 


"I guess so." She mumbled, quietly. 


Bryan exhaled in relief. Candice then pushed him away and stomped upstairs, without saying a word. 


 ----


"Bryan, can i- actually have a word with you for a second?" Ms Harrington said, right before Bryan was going to leave.


"Uh...yeah, sure." 


 Ms Harrington put her bag down on the coffee table. "So, how are you finding it so far? Is Candice giving you any trouble?"


Bryan blinked, then shook his head to quickly, "Um, no. Not at all."


She smiled tightly, "That's good to hear..." She bit her lip, as if she was debating in her head whether or not to tell him something. "Just- she's really a...interesting character to deal with. She's changed since last year." 


Bryan frowned, "How so?"


Ms Harrington shook her head, swallowing hard, "I don't know where i went wrong...or if i just didn't know something...What if i wasn't there when she needed me the most?" She sniffed and apologized, "I'm sorry i just...she used to be so sociable...she used to laugh, go out all the time, hang out with frieds...you know...all the normal teenage stuff...but then out of the blue...she just stopped talking...she stopped eating for a few months...then...she just acted like a different person. She stopped going out with friends, i mean...i guess she still communicates with them by phone but...she refuses to see anyone."


"Why?" Asked Bryan.


Ms Harrington shrugged, "I don't know." 


Bryan narrowed his eyes, a sinking feeling in his chest.


"She...it's like she had a different personality...She used to hold a look in her eyes whenever she looked at me...hatred? Sadness? Or did she feel like i didn't love her anymore? She started going out of control, snapping at me whenever she gets the chance. I couldn't handle it...i was tired of all of it...so i decided that i needed a break...i'm still on that break. The reason why you're here is because i just can't have the strength to take care of her...and as horrible as it sounds...i feel as if me being here is just going to hate me even more. So i...i avoid stepping foot in here...i go to work all day, and at night i check up on her then leave again to sleep at a friend's...i just...i can't brig myself to..." She paused, covering her mouth.


Bryan was speechless for a second, then he clenched his fist. "Did you ever ask her what her problems were? Talked to her or even be there for her?" He asked.


Ms Harrington looked up, stunned, the her eyes fell, "I don't know...i felt myself growing disconnected to her that it was already too late."


"But you're her mother." Bryan stated, raising his voice slightly. "It doesn't matter whether she hates you or not. You're supposed to be there for her instead of running away from your problems. Do you know why she probably seems to hate you? Because you might've not being there at the time where she really needed you."


Ms Harrington shook her head furiously, "I tried, you can't tell me i didn't try-"


"How did you try exactly? Because i'm questioning why you're away half of the goddamn day when she's your only daughter-"


"Because i'm scared and i'm stressed-"


"Listen." Bryan said, sternly. "I don't know Candice as much as you do. But that girl...It obviously looks as if she's had something happen in her life that you don't know of, she needs someone who loves her, and if you're not willing to be that person, then don't be surprised when the law knocks on your door, telling you that you're neglecting your child. Are you telling me she's alone the whole night while you're away?" Ms Harrington stared up at him, ot answering, with wide, teary eyes. 


Bryan stood up, his heart hammering in his chest. How could a mother like that exist? Is that the reason Candice is the way she is? What did she go through? He took one last look at Ms Harrington, the walked out of the door. 


Candice looked down, sitting on the staircase, watching Bryan walk out of the door. She clenched her teeth, then slowly and quietly walked back up the stairs, swallowing in her cry. 


----


Bella pecked Bryan on the lips, her arms wrapped around his neck. "Hey, what's the matter?" She asked, softly. 


Bryan shook his head, "It's nothing." He said, taking his jacket off, and sitting down on the couch, trying to take his shoes off too. 


"No..." Bella insisted, sitting down next to him, "I don't like it when you're sad. Tell me. Is something bothering you?" 


Bryan sighed, "I just...i can't believe..." He paused, sitting back on the couch, facing the ceiling. He closed his eyes and shook his head, "Nothing. It's nothing." He said, forcing a smile and kissing her cheek. 


"Okay...well..." She stood up, went behind the couch and started hugging him from behind, "I'm thinking we could have a little day off, then?" She mumbled softly in his ear. 


 Bryan's lips twitched into a grin at the thought of that idea, "That's not a bad idea." He replied. 


Bella chuckled and kissed Bryan on the cheek. Bryan turned around, and grabbed Bella by the waist, as she squealed, toppling over the couch and onto Bryan. 


"You're not gonna kiss me properly?" Bryan asked, teasingly. 


Bella smirked down at him, and pressed her lips onto his, her lips stayed on his for 5 seconds, then she sucked his bottom lip, making him shiver. She pulled away, "Is Friday good?" 


*FLASHBACK OF CANDICE*


She was too under dressed for this. 


Candice grinned excitedly either way, giggling uncontrollably, and holding her friend's hands tightly, as they sneaked into the backyard of Brandon Lee, this semester's top party animal. The wind blew past the girls, as she felt cold air blow through her hair. She was glad she was wearing a thick jumper, even though she'll be looking like a total outsider with a casual attire.


"You called me out here for this?" Hayley asked, frustrated. "It's so cold. This isn't worth it. She complained, her lips shivering.


"You don't see anyone else complaining." Candice hissed. 


Hayley pouted, and one of the girls chuckled. 


Candice dropped her shoulders and turned to Hayley. "Come on. You're the hottest one out of all of us. Why do you never take that to your advantage? We can't spend the rest of high school staying at home during party nights. Do you know how many boys stare at you when you walk down the hallway?"


"That sounds so typical." One of her friends cut in


"You're too quiet and shy. You need to change that. And this is the perfect opportunity. I heard this was going to be the Sophomore party of the year. " 


Hayley thought for a second, biting her lip, her baby blue eyes looking down, then bouncing back up, gleaming. "Cheer-leading," She exclaimed. 


Candice blinked at her, then rolled her eyes, looking away while shaking her head. "This is why we didn't get invited." 


Tucker stood close next to Brandon, standing i the corner of the room. "This." He said, carefully holding out a plastic back with 3 pills in it, "Will do the magic." 


Brandon smiled, "Shit." Brandon said, impressed, "I didn't know the quiet kid could impress me." He snatched the plastic bag, and shoved it in his back pocket, "You can stay. I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship." Brandon said, pleased, as they shook hands.


Candice's ears were invaded by music, as she saw all the popular people towering around the kitchen island. The quarterback, Nick Clinton, his (temporary) girlfriend Cecelia Ludwig, who keeps jumping from boy, to boy, and beside her was Gabbyson Stuart, the school's bomb shell, but unflirty and mysterious. Candice thought she was rather boring. 'What was so special about her? And why does everyone seem to like her? Her attitude stinks.' She thought, bitterly. Nick's ex girlfriend was next to him, leaning her elbow on his shoulder casually, as if they were everyday friends, watching the spinning bottle on the counter island, before it stopped and pointed at Nick. Suddenly, Nick and the ex faced each other, kissing passionately, which Cecelia didn't seem to care much about, flipping her head and talking to one of her friends. 


Candice smiled to herself, as she sucked in a deep breath, "Okay..." She said, "Just...try to blend in." She told her friends, before the rest of her 20 minutes turned into a blur. 


--


"Hey, Hey. You okay?" Two guys asked Candice, softly shaking her and chuckling softly. She realized it was Brandon Lee, and another guy she didn't know. 


Candice moaned, holding her head up, "My head hurts." She mumbled.


"Want to lie down upstairs?" The guy next to Brandon whispered in her ear, making her feel uneasy. But she nodded, too dizzy to argue. 


--


After Brandon and Tucker were done with her, they dressed the unconscious girl up again, then carried her outside into the hall. 


People ignored the two guys, thinking Candice was too drunk to walk. The went outside, and threw her on the sidewalk, her unconscious body painfully hitting the concrete sidewalk. 


--


Candice abruptly woke up when someone shook her violently. "Candice! Wake up! We have to run, they caught us."


"That's because you kept bringing attention yourself, dumb ass!" Said her friend, slapping her friend on the forehead.


Candice squinted her eyes, confused about her surroundings, but Hayley helped her out, "God, how much did you drink?" She asked, but didn't wait for an answer, as she hurriedly pulled Candice, running with the rest of the group. Until Candice felt something rise up in her chest, as she bent down and stopped, vomiting all over the sidewalk. "Oh god..." A voice echoed, "Let's get her home..."


Candice stared out of her bedroom window, grounded for a week. She still felt sick and dizzy. But a feeling was lingering at the back of her head, then she let of a sob. It hit her.  She remembered everything, as she cried for hours, trying to make that memory fade away, covering her ears. She was so powerless...She was scared. 'Oh my god'  Candice thought to herself, 'Why did this happen to me?'


*END OF FLASHBACK*


NOTE!: Brandon lee is the same Brandon from my book Justice Will Be given (the one who nearly rapes Gabbyson) And Gabbyson Stuart too is from JWBG (Obviously) And also Cecelia Ludwig. This is just when they were Sophomores. You'll see how some stuff are related to JWBG it doesn't matter if you haven't read the story because this is a completely different plot and you will still understand it perfectly! 

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