Page 2 of Ask No Questions

“Hi, Brandon.” I smiled realizing he hadn’t seen me in person since I was a scrawny fifteen-year-old with braces.

“I’m so glad you’re finally here!”

I threw myself at him while dropping my bag and purse to the floor, and he caught me in a hug. "Me too! Mom’s been out of control. I can't tell you how grateful I am that you saved me. I promise I will not make you regret this!”

Brandon laughed heartily then took a step back, shaking his head. "I promise nothing you do would ever make me send you back to Mom and Neil.”

He said their names like it left a bad taste in his mouth. “I graduated high school early so I could get away from them as fast as possible. I'm just sorry I wasn't in a position for you to come with me. But now, here we are! Roomies until you leave me for college."

He draped his arm over my shoulders while we waited for the carousel to deliver my bags. When I snuck a glance up at him out of the corner of my eye, I caught him smiling at me. "It’s really good to have you here, Bree."

Once I had all my luggage, I walked close to Brandon as we made our way to the parking structure and found his silver BMW amongst the sea of shiny, silver luxury vehicles. Apparently, there is only one color option for cars costing over sixty thousand. I settled into the soft black leather seat and watched the rows of palm trees passing by as we wound our way through the famous traffic of Southern California.

"So, how close is your condo to the ocean?” Small talk with my brother felt strange, but reality was setting in, along with my anxiety. I had barely seen since he moved out four years ago. Regular texts and video calls kept us close, but I didn't really know what to expect with him and the life he created here.

"Uh, yeah I guess it is. It’s nothing spectacular. It’s just a little two-bedroom condo. I mean, you can see the ocean from the living room and my bedroom which is great, but yours faces inland ... sorry."

"Oh please, I would take a cardboard box to get out from under the same roof as Mom.” Closing my eyes, I tried to block out thoughts of anything from back home.

“I know the past couple of months have been rough, and you're probably nervous. I am too. This is probably the craziest thing either of us has done, but this is your chance to get away from everything that happened and start over.”

“I really hope so.” I dropped my head back and stared out at the cars moving slowly next to us.

A few minutes of silence passed before he seemed to sense my tension and changed the subject. “Are you excited about starting at a new school?”

Coughing to cover my laugh, I shook my head. “Am I excited about being the new girl for my senior year? Really?”

He chuckled, realizing how absurd that sounded. “Fair enough, but at least you already know someone. Mckayla will watch out for you.”

My cousin Mckayla was my age, and we had spent every summer together growing up, though that tradition stopped a few years ago. Our moms were sisters but acted nothing alike. Aunt Diane treated me more like a daughter than mine ever did.

“I know, but we haven’t seen each other for a while. What if we don’t have anything in common anymore?”

“Just trust me. Plus, everyone at school will want to know you since you’re the new kid. People will be fascinated by the cool city girl.” He wagged his brows before looking back at the road.

I snorted at his description. Me? A cool city girl? “Whatever you say, weirdo.”

Since we were stuck for a while, I figured it was time to get some of the awkward items out of the way. “So, should I look for a job? I want to find a new dance studio soon, but I can probably get a part-time one to help out with things.”

He looked confused for a moment before answering. “Don’t worry about getting a job. Mom has taken care of everything for you financially, and Neil even told me to take you to pick up a car tomorrow since he is selling your Jetta. We just want you to focus on school and dance.”

Okay, this was too perfect. What did Mom and Neil want in return? They weren’t the type to give anything without wanting something from me. There was always a catch.

“What else do they want?” I doubted he had the answer, and his frown was the only confirmation I needed.

I should have known they would find ways to insert themselves in my new life. They wouldn’t just let me have my own life away from my them and their twisted expectations. Moving to live with Brandon had taken careful planning and pleading, but I was finally able to convince them after the party that my leaving was in their best interest. They didn’t want to tarnish their impeccable reputations with their circle of friends because their daughter was in a downward spiral. It had been an easy sale, but now what were they up to? Was accepting their money worth whatever they had up their designer sleeves?

Two

Brandon was being modest in the car about his ‘little condo’. We arrived at one of the top floors in a huge tower that had a pool, doorman, and an entire level of amenities I couldn’t wait to explore.

He opened the front door, allowing me into my new home. After walking through the entry hall, the first room we entered was the kitchen. White cabinets and light wood floors added to its modern style.

“Wow, this is beautiful! The kitchen is so fancy! Do you like cooking?” Neither of us were taught to cook, but maybe it was something he picked up in college.

Brandon turned and looked around. “Not really. I just like the look of stainless-steel appliances.”

“You shouldn’t let all of this go to waste. I guess it’s time for me to learn.”