Hey guys! Well, I promised it, so here it is!
This story (Reclaiming Brandan) and all of its parts, components, etc., are the intellectual property of me(ddrarrow_reborn@yahoo.com) and are not to be stolen, reproduced, slightly altered and claimed as one's own work, and so on. Please don't steal my stuff. If I find out that you've been copying my works, I will pluck your eye out! (Pai Mei beard flick)
This story is completely fiction. Meaning, this story is fictitious.
Additionally, there is no erotica in this story. Additionally, springing a boner due to reading this story will lead to your dick exploding and possibly killing you.
One more thing. I said that this story would take place in mid-summer 2007, but I've decided to add a little backstory. So, we'll be traveling back to 2003.
Reclaiming Brandan
Prologue: Our First Encounter
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Today is September 4, 2003. My name is David Hernandez. I'm in sixth grade, and it's been exactly a week since school started. Middle school is okay. There's been a lot less teasing and stuff like that than elementary school, but I don't like having to do all of this homework. It sucks.
Right now, I'm starting first period. I have... Uh, crap... I can't really pronounce this guy's name, but I'll give it a shot... Mr. Pr-... Uh, whatever. I'll just write it. His name is Mr. Prasparilla. I'm serious. That's his name. Anyways, he's my Social Studies teacher.
Today, he's decided that we (Meaning, the kids in this class.) need to know each other a little better, so he's paired each of us up with another person and we're going to learn five things about each other.
As Mr. Prasparilla is going down the list, I begin to realize that he's going in alphabetical order.
"Hernandez... Hummell... Okay. David and Brandan! You two will be working together."
I was actually really nervous about this, since my experiences in elementary school had turned me into a rather shy and withdrawn kid.
"Okay... Let's get this done and over with, alright?" said my partner.
"Uh... Alright, I guess." I mumbled.
And we worked to finish our "project". I learned that he had two half-brothers and one sister, and he learned that I liked to travel, especially to the Philippines.
"That actually wasn't so bad..." he said.
"Yeah. You said your name was Brandon, right?"
"It's Brandan. With two "a"s."
"Huh. That's new. I'm David." I said.
"Alright... Funny, we finished this project, and we didn't even bother to introduce ourselves!" Brandan said.
"Yeah. Well, class is about to end. I'll see you at lunch, then, I guess."
"Okay." he said.
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Ever since that day, Brandan and I were best friends. We went to each other's birthday parties, we would hang out every weekend, we were the best of friends...
Those days were over now, though... The Brandan Hummell I knew was gone.
Reclaiming Brandan
Chapter One: The End
"Fuck you, David! You know what! Fuck you! I've had enough of this bullshit! I just can't stand being around you! It's just... It's too fucking awkward! I know I should've told you before, but I never had the heart... But still, this shit is over!" he was letting it all out. What he'd wanted to say for so long... It was all coming out now.
It's funny... I'd been expecting this moment for a very long time now... Ever since I came out, Brandan has been acting very differently. Well, not VERY differently, but differently enough that I could sense something changing.
He was raised in a Republican family. No matter how much he tried to change that, it would always be there. I knew that we wouldn't be friends forever. It just wouldn't make any sense. A gay kid being friends with a Republican kid? Honestly... That's as probable as Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort getting it on in front of a resurrected Cedric Diggory!
...Er... Okay, that was weird...
"Brandan..." I sighed. "I knew this would be coming. I guess that means that we're not friends anymore, huh?"
"Unfortunately, it does mean that. I'd better get going now, before I'm spotted with... With..."
"Just say it, Brandan. Say it like the way you used to."
"Before I'm spotted with some faggot!"
"Alright then. Leave."
And at that moment, Brandan turned on his heel and walked out the door. I closed it behind him and sat on the couch. I needed some TV.
Most people would be breaking down at this point, but not me. I'd known that my friendship with Brandan was over already, so it came as no surprise to me when he came to my front door. It had started as a rather peaceful conversation, actually...
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'DING-DONG'
"Coming!" I shouted. I ran down the stairs and opened the door. "Hey, Brandan..." I said. I wasn't expecting any visits today...
"Uh... Hi, David." he said. Immediately, I could sense that something was going on.
"Do you wanna come in?" I asked.
"Sure." he said. I led him in and closed the door behind him.
"So, what brings you to my lovely establishment of a house?" I asked.
"Hahah..." he chuckled. "Well, not much, but..."
I already knew what was happening. I'd known that this was going to come for a while now... Ever since our conversations became one-sided and being around him felt... Well, a bit awkward, really. The warmth and friendliness that was once there was now gone, and replaced with uneasiness and to some extent, a subtle hostility.
But still, he didn't have the heart to say anything. I might as well push him in the direction he wants to go...
"Just spit it out, Brandan. Obviously, you're here for a reason, and I'm sure I know why, but I have to hear it from you." I said, in a more business-like tone.
"Uh... What do you mean, David?" Brandan asked, a bit more nervous now. I had him now.
"Come on, dude! Grow some balls or something! People, especially you, don't come over to my house for no reason! You have something to tell me, so spit it out or leave like a pussy!"
"Fuck you, David! You know what! Fuck you! I've had enough of this bullshit! I just can't stand being around you! It's just... It's too fucking awkward! I know I should've told you before, but I never had the heart... But still, this shit is over!"
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It was so strange... All of my friends were gone... Except for one...
I flipped open my cellphone and dialed a number.
"Hey, Jake?"
"Yeah, David?" Jake responded.
"Do you mind if you could come over to my house sometime soon?"
"No, not at all. I'm actually bored as fuck right now. I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Alright. See ya then." I said. I hit the "end call" button and flipped my phone shut. It was nice to know that I still had Jake with me.
And as promised, I heard the doorbell ring a few minutes later. Outside was Jake.
"Hey Jake!"
"Hey David! What's up?"
"Nothing much, Jake..."
"Are you sure? You sound like something's wrong..."
"Well... It's about Brandan."
"What? What happened?"
"C'mon. Let's sit down first." I said.
We made our way to the living room, where we sat down on a couch.
"So, what's wrong?" Jake asked,
"Well, I knew this day was coming... Brandan's changed... We're not friends anymore..."
"tch... I knew this was coming..."
"So was I, Jake..."
"Well, I'm still here, and you're still with me. To me that's all that matters."
"Yeah... You're right. As long as we're together... Well, then life can be at least a little okay."
"Yeah. David..."
"Yeah, Jake?"
"You know how much I love you, right?"
"Er... Is this going in an R-rated direction?"
"Hahah... Just shut up and kiss me, you fool."
Jake leaned towards me and our lips made contact. The sensation was dulling, yet warm. Sort of like one of those weird infrared foot massager thingies. I guess one could compare it to drinking alcohol, without the whole feeling sick and puking part.
Kissing Jake made the world seem right again. Like everything would be okay, as far as I was concerned.
After we separated, I looked straight into Jake's eyes, and said, "That was nice. I needed that."
"Any time for my boy. I love you so much..."
"And they say that love is an unbreakable bond... I love you too, Jake."
"Yeah. Ya know what, I'm bored. Let's watch some TV!"
"Eh... Alright. What's today?"
"It's August 3."
"Ah. Damn. Nothing good is ever on on a Friday."
"Well, you have that "On Demand" thingy for your cable."
"Yeah... You're right, Jake! Let's watch some music videos or something."
"Sounds good to me."
And so we continued to the On Demand channel in our quest to quash our boredom. Jake and I watched a few videos, including the new one from Fall Out Boy, for "The Take Over, The Break's Over". We both thought that it was at least a little strange that the video would take place in Pete's dog's dream, but we thought that it was kinda funny when the band got attacked by these people with water balloons.
"Dude, that video is on crack!" I said.
"No shit, man. Did you see those breakdancing mailmen? What was up with that?"
"No idea, man. No idea..."
We checked the clock on the cable box. It was already 6:30.
"Hey, David? I think I might need to go home now..."
"That's fine. Thanks for stopping by. I'm a lot better now, thanks to you."
"Any time, studmuffin."
"Did you just call me "studmuffin"?"
"Why, yes, I think I just did."
I paused for a bit. "Studmuffin it is, I guess." I said, with a straight face.
Jake broke out into laughter. "Hahah... Fine. You're still David. I'll see ya later, okay?"
"Alright. Bye, Jake." I said, as he walked out the front door. I stood there a bit, until he had arrived at the corner, and then I closed the door so that random bugs wouldn't get into the house anymore.
I went upstairs, to my room, and locked the door. I picked up my new acoustic guitar and started plucking a few notes. After a while, I subconsciously began to sing.
'Oh, I was there on the day,
They sold the cause for the queen.
And when the lights all went out,
We watched our lives on the screen.
I hate the ending myself,
But it started with an alright scene...'
"Damn..." I said to myself. "Brandan loves this song. I should probably stop playing this before I get too sentimental...'
Inside, I still missed him, even though it was just a little bit. All of those days when we would hang out and joke around and stuff. Those days when we would just have fun being around each other. Those days when we could go to each others' houses if something was wrong...
But those days were gone. Where the hell did I go wrong? What the fuck did I do?
I decided not to frustrate myself with the problem any further and put my guitar away. I pulled out my iPod and hooked it up to my stereo system. I had no idea what I was listening to previously, but I couldn't decide what to immerse myself in, so I just hit the "play" button.
'I wish I was free of this...
I see her in my dreams,
Wish that she wasn't there,
She still haunts me and I,
Still feel her breath on me,
Still want to taste her skin,
But I know that would kill me...'
Eh. Maybe a bit of screaming would help to get rid of some of this stress...
"NO! DAMN HER! STILL I, CHOKE ON HER LIES! STILL REELING FROM HER LAST CARESS HER GOODBYE!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Being so loud was having an effect on me, really. It was like a little bit of pain and anguish was expelled from my body.
"That's so much better..." I mumbled to myself. I collapsed on my bed and turned the volume of my music down to a level where I could fall asleep.
During that night, I had a rather strange dream. In fact, I wouldn't even call it a dream. In fact, it was more of a flashback, if anything.
==========
I was standing there, in a cafeteria. Actually, it was the cafeteria from my middle school. I sat down at my usual lunch table with my little "circle" of "friends". Josh, Trent, Dan, Robbie, Will, Mark, and Brandan were all there. Naturally, I sat next to Brandan since we were friends before moving to this table. I looked over at Josh, and it seemed as if he was trying to avoid eye contact with me.
Wait... This must have been back in eighth grade!
Suddenly, I was facing Brandan's direction.
"Hey, Brandan... Can I talk with you in private?"
"Uh, sure..."
We both got up and walked outside.
"Uhm... Brandan?"
"Yeah, David? What's up?"
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Suddenly, I was back in the world of the conscious.
That dream... Hell, it wasn't a dream. It truly was a flashback. Everything was just as how it played out back in eighth grade. There weren't any odd parts or distorted memories at all... It was all crystal clear.
And then I remembered. Where it all started going downhill. Where I fucked up and when our friendship began to deteriorate... Just two fucking simple words and everything changed.
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"Uhm... Brandan?"
"Yeah, David? What's up?"
"...I'm gay."
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...Phew. Sorry for the delay, guys. I was out on an unexpected vacation for a week with no laptop or anything.
All feedback, including comments, suggestions, questions, conversations, and/or book and movie reviews are to be sent to (ddrarrow_reborn@yahoo.com). Oh, flames are okay too, I guess.