Date: Sat, 9 Jan 2010 18:32:42 -0800 (PST) From: Tsctv Tsctv Subject: That's life part 17 "The Games We Play" (Josh) In a New Year where things seem to be starting off right ,I hadn't spoken or seen Casey which I could care less at this point but I noticed Brandon pulling away he didn't show up to hang out with me , in fact it seemed he was avoiding me over the break , but why?" that was the big question that was on my mind. School felt right , I felt really good about myself , it was a new year time to make new changes, I walked to my locker and sighed , "Great , I'm alone again" I said out loud. Then I heard laughter , one voice in particular , I looked it was Brandon , he was with Kelly Dennis ,she is really pretty, they looked to be holding hands, he saw that I was looking and let go. He was with that girl , I hated her from first sight ?. So much for having a good new year I thought. "Hi Josh" he said looking nervously I looked at him intently then the girl she looked at me then him "Brandon" I said , kind of coldly then shut my locker and walked away, I had no right to be mad , I did this , I believed in Casey , I pushed him away into some other girls arms it was my doing *************************************************************************** (Brandon) I hated seeing Josh Hurt , and I knew It was because of Kelly, he saw me holding her hand and laughing , but he looked miserable , I know what your thinking what happened to Josh and I , well over break Josh seem to want to be alone so I respected that , then I went to the Pocono's and met Kelly , we kind of hit it off , before I knew it I took her out on a date , but nothing else happen and I got a surprise when she was here at my high school this morning . don't get me wrong , I like Kelly but she isn't Josh, no one can be josh . But Josh doesn't want me , and I have to face that sad fact . I know a lot of you are wondering what Is going on , no I'm not Straight , I never was, its just I don't want another guy , I know it doesn't make sense but with a girl it's easier for me to not get involved so much. "So , why don't you introduce me to your friends" Kelly smiled kissing me on the cheek , I smiled "In due time ," I said the bell started to ring we parted ways , I made it to my class Jessica smiled and waved so did I but I noticed Josh just sitting there , I decided I would talk to him , I sat next to him he didn't even look at me "hey" I said "hi" he responded not even looking at me "How was your New Years" I asked he chuckled a little "Lonely, I guess the saying is right , if your not with the person you want to be with for New Years then you'll destined to be alone for the whole year" he said still not looking at me I felt bad , I found my hand rubbing his back he tensed up and kind of leaned forward so I couldn't touch him,. "so , is that your girlfriend" he asked I didn't want to respond "well , we are kind of Dating nothing serious" I said "Great, congrats to you I guess " he put his head down, I wanted to cry , I knew what he was feeling and I didn't want him to feel that way. "Josh I want.." before could finish the teacher came in *************************************************************************** (Vince) " hey...how'd it go with Brandon ?" I asked. "Oh you must have saw his new girlfriend," Josh said angry I put my arm around his shoulders in a playful manner. "Well, I just think you two belong together, and that a little misunderstanding is going on, Kelly is nothing more then a substitute" We walked right into them , we all exchanged glances. I gulped hard as I saw Brandon's arm around her shoulders . "Josh ,um.." was all Brandon said josh just walked away for him , I saw Brandon put his head down in defeat "We need to talk now!" I snapped. I caught both Kelly and Brandon off guard. "Babe I'll be in the guidance if you need me" she said turning and walking off Brandon stood their looking at me , he knew exactly what I was going to say "Look man , I know, what it looks like but.." I cut him off "Brandon , josh is so in love with you, and you are in love with him , stop this, before it's too late" I said he looked at me kind of in thought "What do you mean , to late?" he asked I put my arm around him letting it drape off his shoulders we started walking down the hall "You two have this pattern , that one of you have to screw up , Josh did it when he brought Casey and you were so miserable, now Casey isn't with Josh and you just couldn't stay single for five seconds , you had to get with Kelly, and you knew how josh would feel about that, so it is you who is screwing up this time, do you honestly want to go down this route again , hurting Kelly , when you know who you love and you know it isn't her, look man , I was the Kelly in the situation not to long ago, it hurts when you are just the substitute for the real thing" I said putting my head down He put his hand on my arm "I'm sorry but , I don't think there can be a Josh and me any more" he said walking away. *************************************************************************** (Josh ) How do you exactly handle , seeing your ex move on. this sucked so bad, I didn't want to stay in school any longer I just had to leave I went home and Jason was home "Hey little brother , shouldn't your ass be in school" he said looking at me as if he was dad. I loved my brother but come on it was hard to take him serious some times and this was one of those times "yeah well I have a lot on my mind" I said taking off my coat and boots, I walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch , he sat next to me "want to talk about it" he asked , I shook my head no and just closed my eyes , I wanted to just sleep and that I did. I woke up and was in school I saw Karen and Craig kissing , but wait wasn't Karen with Jeff now and didn't Craig move to Florida , then I saw , Casey , he was with someone I couldn't make out the guy's face but his clothes looked familiar , and I saw Brandon my heart fluttered , he smiled at me , I went walking to him , and he came walking to me, like something out of the movies , but what happen caught me off guard he went around me and I turned he went towards Kelly hugging and kissing her , that's when everyone I knew was surrounding me "you'll be alone for the rest of your life " "No one will love you" I put my hands to my ears and just said shut up but I could still hear them. "Stop , STOP!!" I screamed then I felt someone nudging me shaking me I opened my eyes and Casey was standing their. ":what do you want" I said angry he put his head down , I sat up and then tried to calm down I spoke calmer "how did you get in" I said he half smiled . "your brother let me in , he gave me some choice words , but he let me in" Casey said I noticed he looked rather pale and he had kind of dark circles around his eyes "have you been sleeping and eating" I asked , he looked around "I should go" he half smiled I stood up and stopped him :Casey , I know you fucked up but you need to take care of yourself," I said I just wanted to hug him , and I did , he rested his head on my shoulders I didn't want to hate him anymore , I just wanted him to be okay " really ,josh I know we can never be , but one day I hope we can be friends again" he said sadly I smiled "I would like that" he grinned then we said our goodbyes and he left *************************************************************************** (Amber) Paula made sure the Church was being Prepared for her son's wedding "Okay , I'm so not happy I wanted my wedding to be on Christmas day" I said Paula rolled her eyes "well , this is the best they could do , and this church is beautiful" she said I agreed Sean came up behind me and kissed her neck " how is my beautiful bride to be" he said I turned around and kissed him "Enough you two, you will have plenty of time to do that at the wedding, it is in a few days" she said We ignored her and kissed anyway , "Nathan and Matt should be here tomorrow with little Nate we have Rehearsals for the wedding and dinner party" Paula announced while walking away to meet the pastor "Your mom is nuts" I said he laughed " I know but she wants our wedding day to go smoothly" he said while kissing me again I pulled back "and it will" I added *************************************************************************** -the next day- (Brandon) Why did the guidance counselor want to see me, I thought to myself , I walked in and told the receptionist I was here , she told me to have a seat , a few minutes later , I was told to go in I never really ever came to the room it was stuffy and not modern at all Mrs. Sherwood sat their , she was young looked like she was out of college to me . "Hi you must me Brandon Lawson" she said I sat down not knowing what to expect "yup, that's me , so I don't understand what did you want to see me about" he asked Well Brandon , while you were in rehab we thought you would be home schooled and with your track record it seems you missed a lot more days of school then you know it" she said , I didn't know I was doing that bad "so what I'm trying to say is , it is inevitable that you repeat the 12th grade in the Fall" she said those words hit me like a tone a bricks , I thought I would be done with this school, but that wasn't the case Granted, I did miss a lot of school , I'm not that bad of a student to be left back, after that I was not in the mood for anything I sat on the floor near my locker and just sat their. Josh came up to his locker and looked down at me I looked up "what's the matter?" he asked looking sad himself I shrugged my shoulders "It looks like I'll be here for anther year" I said he stopped what he was doing and sat down next to me "what do you mean, aren't you graduating" he asked I shook my head no "it doesn't look that way , Mrs. Sherwood said I had to repeat the 12th grade. I said he moved close "I'm sorry, but hay we will see each other around since I'm not graduating either. I seem to smile at the thought of being near josh again "um I should go" josh said he started to get up but I grabbed his hand which caused him to fall back down we were close to each other he kissed me I pulled away " I cant I'm with Kelly" I said , he looked hurt , why didn't I just say I want you too. What the fuck was wrong with me "what about me" he said I got angry "what about you, I asked the same question when you were with , Casey , you flaunted your relationship in my face for months" I said He stood up so did I "so that's what Kelly is? , a way to flaunt her in my face" he said I shook my head "no I care about Kelly a lot" he laughed I got madder : "keep on telling yourself that buddy" he turned to walk away "in fact I care about her more then you" I said he stopped then turned he starred at me , I starred back at him "Screw you" he said I walked closer to him "screw you" I said then we started fighting, I had him pinned against the wall and he pushed me, we fell on the floor it was funny because neither one of us tried to swing on each other or really hurt one another badly , this was just a fight out of frustration between us " I hate you" Josh said " I hate you back" I said, we both somehow got up still grabbing and pushing around Josh put me in a headlock the bell rung we were still fighting , Karen , Jeff, Brooke, Vince and Kelly came rushing over I got out of his headlock and pinned him against the wall he was trying to break free and he did he grabbed each other and was trying to flip the other on the ground everyone was watching , Vince grabbed Josh "stay away from me, you loser" I said he looked as if he wanted to cry which made me tear up Kelly grabbed me and hugged me Vince let go of Josh he stormed out of the school I looked in his direction wanting to go after him but the damage was already done "Josh wait" Karen called after him , Brooke and Karen went after him , Vince came up to me "what happened" he asked Kelly was still hugging me " nothing , that's what happen, Josh is Crazy that's all I have to say" I said Vince looked at me and shook his head , this was not my fault I thought. "what is his deal" Kelly said , Vince shook his head "you don't know half of it" *************************************************************************** (Josh) I got home and was upset I was enraged I went upstairs and just buried my face in the pillow and screamed , Jason came rushing in my room "Josh you okay" he asked he saw how red I was "Who did it, I'll shove a size 12 sneaker up their ass" he said I buried my face back in my pillow he got on my bed and laid next to me "was it Casey or Brandon , or some new guy you've been seeing , come to think of it , you are getting more play then me" he said "Jason!" I screamed looking at him , he put up his hand "okay I'm sorry, so who was it" he asked I sat up "It was Brandon , he has a new girlfriend , we kissed , then had a fight he said he hates me, but I said it first it's all complicated" I said starting to cry again he looked sympathetic and kind of confused towards me and pulled me in a hug. "look I'm not much for the mushy stuff but I will be for you because you're my brother and I love you , and I hate to see you hurt like this" I just laid my head on my brother's shoulder "I figure this is a minor setback , and what ever you said was said out of the heat of the moment, look believe it or not I was a dumb sixteen or seventeen year old boy, I said some stupid stuff to my girlfriends but its all talk" he said I felt a little better talking to him but not completely , hours later after he left. I laid in bed wishing non of this happened. I Wished I never knew Brandon Lawson... ************************************************************************