Aubrey
Ihaven’t been able to sleep properly in days. No matter how many times Trent reassured me that everything would be okay, I’m still reeling over the fact that Brandon might know about me and Trent.
I pinch the bridge of my nose and groan softly.
“Ugh… why can’t I just calm down?” I mutter to myself, though the words barely feel real.
I know I’m being super dramatic. Brandon knowing—or anyone knowing at this point—really shouldn’t be a big deal.
But the way he might have found out has me all twisted up inside.
And then there’s the fear that he might have told someone else.
Logically, I know that’s unlikely. Brandon isn’t the type to involve anyone in drama he thinks could blow up—and this could one hundred percent result in drama.
He probably wouldn’t even mention it to me.
But still… my stomach knots just thinking about it.
That brings me to why I’m currently parked outside his house, hands gripping the steering wheel, heart hammering, readying myself for a conversation I’m absolutely terrified of having.
“Ugh… stop being such a baby and get out of the car,” I whisper, gripping the wheel a little tighter.
Before I can change my mind, I open the car door and climb out. I shut and lock it, then slowly walk up the path toward Brandon’s front door, each step feeling heavier than the last.
I take a few shaky, calming breaths and knock three times, then step back, my heart practically hammering out of my chest.
The door swings open, and Brandon’s brows pinch together in confusion. “Strawb? Did we have plans that I’ve forgotten?”
“Oh… no, no. I just—I just wanted to stop by. Maybe have a chat,” I stammer, my voice wobbling slightly.
Brandon blinks at me for a long moment, clearly thrown. “Oh… okay. Well… come in, I guess? I’ll just close up my laptop and meet you in the living room.” He hesitates, clearly unsure, then steps aside to let me in.
I glance around the quiet house. “Avery not here?”
“She’s with Mom. I’m picking her up in an hour.”
“Oh… okay,” I murmur, my stomach twisting.
“You want a drink or anything?”
“No, I’m good, thank you.”
Brandon nods and wanders out of the room, leaving me alone. I sink into the couch, and immediately the unfamiliarity hits me. This is my brother’s house—not a stranger’s—and yet the walls feel like they’re closing in.
Trent’s words from earlier echo in my mind: “Maybe this is a good thing. Maybe it’s time to start telling people?”
I know he’s right. I know he’s struggling with the fact we’re a secret. And yet… something in me still trembles at the thought of taking that leap. My chest tightens, my hands fidget, and I realize that even the safest spaces can feel terrifying when your world is about to change.
Before I can spiral any further, Brandon steps back into the room and drops down onto the couch opposite me.
“What’s up, Strawberry?” he asks, his tone casual but his eyes searching.
I twist my fingers together in my lap, my throat dry. “I guess… well, I wanted to talk to you about what you saw on Thanksgiving.”
Brandon’s expression shifts—tightening just a fraction. “I didn’t see anything.”
“I know you did, Brandon.” My voice comes out smaller than I intend. “I know you saw me and Trent coming out of my bedroom.”
He exhales, leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees.
“Aubrey, let me stop you right there,” he says firmly.
“I saw two people coming out of a room. I don’t know what happened in that room—nor do I want to know what happened in there.
But if there’s something you want to tell me—something that includes as little detail as possible, because there are things a brother just doesn’t need to know—then I’m all ears. ”
I stare down at my hands, my chest tight. “I don’t know what to tell you,” I admit quietly. “I don’t know what to tell anyone.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m scared.” My voice is barely above a whisper.
“Of what exactly?”
“People being angry with me… or causing drama in the family.” My stomach twists just thinking about it.
“Aubrey…”
“You’re making me so much more anxious using my real name,” I chuckle nervously, trying to shake the feeling away.
“Okay… strawberry,” he says with a slight laugh. “Let’s just say that you and Trent were more than friends. I wouldn’t be shocked by that. I don’t think anyone would be.”
“Even Kade?” I ask cautiously.
“Okay, well… maybe Kade would be shocked. He isn’t paying attention to anyone but Liv these days.
” He leans back, giving me a reassuring look.
“What I’m trying to say is, if there were something going on, no one would be mad at you for it.
Trent’s a good guy—one of the best. I see the way you two look at each other when you think no one’s looking.
I think we’ve all known you’ve had a crush on him for years, and for as long as I can remember, he’s always been protective over you. ”
I swallow hard, my throat tight.
“So if you think my reaction to seeing you together on Thanksgiving was a bad one… it wasn’t. I was just shocked. Because as much as I don’t want to believe my baby sister is doing… naughty things in her childhood bedroom… I know she was. And that… kind of makes me want to be sick.”
I snort a laugh, tears welling in my eyes, feeling a sense of relief I’ve needed since Thanksgiving.
Brandon shifts in his seat, glancing at me for a beat before standing and walking over to couch I’m sitting on. He sits down beside me, close enough that I can feel his presence, but not crowding me. His eyes meet mine, calm and patient, silently letting me know I’m not alone.
“Are you happy?” he asks softly.
“Yes,” I whisper, my voice trembling.
“And he treats you right?”
“Yes.”
“Then that’s all that matters, Strawb.” Brandon wraps me in a quick, brotherly hug, holding me just long enough to make me feel supported.
I let the tears I’d been holding back finally fall, my shoulders shaking slightly.
We stay like that for a little while, the weight of worry slowly lifting as his presence steadies me.
“No one will be mad at you for following your heart,” he says gently, “But it’s the secrets that destroy people.”
I notice the flicker in his eyes, the way his shoulders stiffen for a fraction of a second, like he’s remembering something he doesn’t want to say.
“You might be scared, but if Kade finds out about this without you telling him first… he will be crushed. So if you and Trent are endgame, you need to tell him before he finds out on his own.”
I nod, knowing he’s right, and already feel a little lighter just knowing Brandon knows. But if I’m being completely honest, my reluctance to tell people—and make mine and Trent’s relationship public—isn’t just about how others will react. It’s about my own fear.
Before Trent ended things the first time, all I wanted was for everyone to know we were together. But because of the rules he set, and the things he said when he ended things, I’ve become terrified to fully trust that it won’t happen again.
All this time, it’s been a secret, and somehow that’s been safe. It’s just been us, and everything has felt fine. But what happens if we tell everyone and he changes his mind? What happens if this never meant as much to him as it does to me?
And what happens if I’m never able to believe that this time is different—no matter how many times he tells me it is?