Never Too Late by zzmbrashear (reading in the dark txt) 📕

I looked at him.
“Are you okay?” I asked because he was in the same spot he was when I left to get dressed. He was still shirtless and speechless. I was in love with the metal picture I just took. His muscular body, his hair and baby blue eyes made me fall in love.
“I love you.” He said then grabbed me and bent me down and kissed me.
“What has gotten into you?” I asked.
“Shut up and kiss me!” He said. He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around him. He carried me to his room. Our lips didn’t separate. He laid me on his bed and still our lips didn’t separate. After making out for an hour or so we hear a door close. We look out side and see his parents walking into the house. “Shit! They can’t know your here.” He said and got up fast and put on his shirt.
“I think its a little late for that. We should go down stairs.” I said then he nodded his eyes. We tried sneaking down the stair but his mother caught us with out even looking.
“Jesse.” She said when we hit the last step.
“Yes, Mom.” He replied.
“Don’t be rude, introduce her.” She said then turned to me. My hair was still wet and a mess. I was wearing Jesses sisters dress.
“This is Dani.” He said while rubbing his neck. Then he turned to me. “Dani, this is my mom, Kim.” He said. He was wet from me being wet but he was also muddy from not taking a shower yet.
“Hello, nice to meet you.” I said.
“Its nice to meet you too.” Then she directed the conversation to Jesse. “Jess honey, you know the rule.”
“We just came from the school. We played a game of football and she was covered in mud. She came to shower before returning to her house. Thats all.” He said.
“Did you take a shower too?” She asked.
“No.” Jesse replied.
“Nice inside shirt.” She said. Then Jesse looked down and hit his head with stupidity. “She plays football?”
“Yes. Very well so.” Jesse told her.
“Hmm... I hope we meet again. Maybe under better circumstances next time.” She said to me. Jesse put his arm around me and motioned me to the door. When we got in his truck he pulled out of the driveway fast.
“Well, that was pleasant.” I told him. He laughed. When we got to my house we kissed and he said see you later. When I got inside my mom was waiting.
“Who was he?” She asked.
“A guy I’ve been seeing for almost a month now.” I told her.
“Why, haven’t I heard of him?” She asked.
“Because he wasn’t important enough. Mom, he is really important to me.” I told her smiling from ear to ear. She didn’t say anything for a while.
“Honey, don’t get too into it. I don’t want you to get hurt like I did.” She said then looked down.
“Truth is everyone is going to hurt you, you just have to find the ones worth hurting for.” I told her then went to my room. When I got there I had a missed message, it was from Braydon. He said,
“Dani, I miss you. I should have never let you go. Studying isn’t the same. Nothing is the same. Come back, Dani. Please.” Then he hung up. He sounded so sad and helpless, but he realized too late. I didn’t want to think of it anymore. I haven’t talk to Jasmine in a while because of what she did with Braydon on the other line.
Jesse took me out to a restaurant for our one month anniversary.
“Have you been here before?” I asked as he opened the door for me.
“No, this is my first time.” He told me. I had been bothered by the phone call from Braydon. I didn’t want it to affect the time I spent with Jesse but some how I knew it would. We sat down and I couldn’t help but daze off. I kept thinking of Braydon and what he said. “Dani. Dani!” Yelled Jesse when I didn’t answer.
“Yeah, sorry.” I said and looked him in the eyes to show I was paying attention.
“Is this about Braydon again?” He asked very mad.
“Jesse, I’m sorry but everyone has a past and its not my fault that mine is back!” I said. “I’m just going to leave. Happy one month anniversary!” I said in a loud sarcastic voice.
“Dani, don’t. Come back, Dani!” Jesse yelled from the table. When I walked out the door I heard him come after me. I kept walking and walking. I didn’t stop till I got to my house. I must have been walking for hours.
“Danielle! Where have you been?” My Mother asked as soon as I walked through the door. I saw Jesse standing next to her.
“What is he doing here?” I asked very hostile.
“I asked you something first. Where have you been!” She screamed.
“I walked home.” I stated. Jesse started to walk near me. “Don’t.” I told him in a very serious voice. He took three steps back.
“Why didn’t you ride home with Jesse?” She asked me. She looked at Jesse and he hung his head.
“Can we talk outside?” Jesse asked me.
“No.” I said and then my Mother gave me a look which I knew she was making me go talk things out. I headed out side and Jesse followed. We stood by his truck so my Mother couldn’t listen. “What do you want, Jesse?” I asked. He could tell I was ticked off.
“I’m sorry. I was wrong to question you. I know you would never do anything to hurt me.” Jesse told me. I didn’t say anything. “Dani, say something!”
“I think we should take a break.” I said and he dropped the books he had in his hand.
“What?” He asked. “You come into my life like a bullet headed for my heart and now you want to ‘take a break’? Don’t you understand that I love you?” He said. I loved Jesse but I wasn’t in love with Jesse. I didn’t say anything to him. I walked straight to my house. I didn’t want to leave him like that but I had to. I couldn’t keep leading him on when I know I would never be in love with him. When I got inside I knew my mother heard the whole thing. Later that day at dinner I decided to ask my Mom about something that we had never talked about.
“Mom?” I asked as she passed me the potatoes.
“Yes, honey.” She replied. I took a deep breath.
“Do you think Dad will ever come back?” I asked. She stopped dead in her tracks.
“Why?” She asked avoiding the question.
“I don’t know. I just miss him. You two seemed so happy.” I told her. I knew she was holding back tears.
“Danielle honey, you Father was only happy because he was banging his secretary in his free time. He was happy because he got what he wanted and not thinking about how it would affect his family. Your Father is a bastard!” She said. Her voice got louder towards the end. I know my Father cheated and I know it was wrong but he is my Dad and I can’t just forget him. My Mother and I didn’t talk the rest of dinner. Although I was kinda surprised about what she said I also expected it.
I would be in school right now if a idiot in our science department listened. Our school had a explosion in the science lab. Two kids mixed the wrong solutions and blew up half the floor. They were okay but were temporarily blind. I thought that they deserved it. When my Mom was at work I heard a knock at the door.
“Who is it?” I asked before touching the door knob.
“Jasmine.” The person answered. Once I heard there reply I quickly opened the door. It was Jasmine. At that moment all my hatred for her disappeared. She jumped in my arms.
“I’m so sorry Dani!” She said.
“Its okay. I forgive you.” I said. She looked at me in a weird way like she was hiding something. “What is it?” I asked her.
“Dani, your my best friend and I love you. I’m sorry I did this behind your back but you deserve to be happy.” She said and then stepped aside. Braydon walked through the door. I was speechless. He didn’t say anything either.
“Say something.” Braydon said. I wasn’t sure if I was furious or over flowed with love. I walked out side so he followed. It was partly dark and it was muggy. “Dani, say something.” He repeated.
“What do you expect me to say, Braydon? Do you want me to say that I couldn’t sleep? That I couldn’t even stand to get up in the morning but I had to? Do you want me to say that I thought about you every second of everyday? What do you want me to say?” I asked him. His tear hit the pavement like shattered glass.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you. The further you were went away the more I noticed I loved you.” He said to me. He tried to reach for my hand but I pulled away.
“Its too late.” I told him. I turned around and started for the house but he grabbed my hand.
“Its never too late.” He told me. My heart broke into a million pieces. What if he hurt me again? Could I take it? He pulled me in for a kiss. I saw Jasmine watching from the front door. After he kissed me I looked into his sparkling brown eyes.
“I love you.” He told me. I couldn’t believe it.
“I love you too.” I said with tears rolling down my cheeks. He wiped them and then hugged me.
I’m now fifty years old. I have been married for thirty years. Braydon and I have six grandchildren and three of our own. I’ve told the story of Braydon and I many times to my grand children and they keep wanting to hear it more. I don’t know what happened to Jesse. Braydon moved in with us. Jesse transferred to a different school. I still wonder what would have happened if I stayed with Jesse but I wouldn’t want to miss what had happened for the world.


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Publication Date: 09-29-2011

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