Chasing us, p.19
Chasing Us, page 19
“No,” he began, “There is nothing keeping you here. Come with me. You can be there through everything. We can live this together,” he beamed as he now held my hands tight.
“Brandon, that sounds amazing, but it’s your dream, not mine.”
Shaking his head, Brandon tried to erase my words from his mind. “Leigh, you are my dream. A record deal is my dream. We can have it all, please come with me,” he asked again, this time with more worry in his voice.
“Let me think about it,” I said.
“What is there to think about?” Brandon almost yelled as he threw his hands in the air.
“I have a life here too,” I argued. “I can’t just give up everything,” I cried out. Suddenly, Laura’s words were running through my mind and I knew more than anything, I wouldn’t allow myself to end up like her.
“Why not? I would do it for you!” he yelled as I watched tears begin to form in his eyes.
There it was, the true testament to what our relationship could withstand. Brandon would give it all up for me. Was I willing to do the same? As my mind raced, the only thing that stuck out to me was the image of a life without him. And, that was not something I ever wanted to see again.
“Yes,” I stated, allowing my words to ring clear through the now thick air between us.
“Yes?” Brandon asked, as he was not sure what I was saying.
“Yes, I will go with you,” I said, my voice shaking with nervousness. “I can’t live without you now that I have you. I will go to L.A. with you, but not until after the semester ends.”
I stopped and watched his face closely. I was agreeing to help him reach his dreams, but I had a stipulation attached.
“Are you serious?” Brandon asked, no trace of emotion on his face.
Nodding my head yes, I anxiously awaited his reaction. “I will finish the semester and then look into transferring out to a college near where you will be, or even taking online courses where I am now.”
Jumping, Brandon yelled out as he scooped me up again. “Thank you. I can’t believe you are coming with me. It sucks I have to wait until the end of the semester, but if that’s what I have to do to get you to come, then I will just have to wait and suck it up.”
Smiling, I kissed him hard as I hugged him. I couldn’t believe that Brandon was finally getting his dream come true and I would get to witness it. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to stay with Brandon during his entire time in L.A., but for right now, I had agreed to come with him for a while and that seemed good enough for now.
Chapter 18
As I walked with Brandon hand in hand, I sucked in a deep breath as I fought back the tears that were forming in my eyes. The airport was crowded and Brandon’s flight was prepared to leave in thirty minutes. I had helped him pack, had listened as he practiced over and over again new songs, and had spent as much time with him as I could before he was scheduled to leave Kentucky.
As I prepared to watch him fly away, I reminded myself that this was not goodbye, but only a see you later. Because I would see Brandon later, in fact, it would be six weeks from now. I had already booked my flight and Brandon had asked for a few days to take a break from recording and see me while I was there. With promises of nightly phone calls, daily FaceTime sessions, and minute-by-minute texts, we refused to allow the distance between us to become a problem.
While he wasn’t excited when I finally confessed that I wouldn't be staying with him in L.A. right now, I had sworn to him that I would come out to L.A. in the fall. I had decided to apply to several small colleges in and around L.A. and would soon be with him while he finished his record and possibly began touring. I knew that right now, my life was in limbo, but nothing could change how I felt about this man.
“Are you ready for this?” Brandon asked as he let go of my hand and turned to face me.
“Yes, because you will do great out there and I will come see you soon,” I said as I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him.
Holding me tight, Brandon seemed to relish in our hug a little bit longer.
Over the loud speaker, a woman announced that his plane was now boarding.
Both Brandon and I cringed as we realized we would be separated for the next few weeks. The reality of the situation hit me hard and I almost couldn’t breathe from the impact. Kissing me again, Brandon sighed as he placed his forehead against mine. “Tell me not to go,” he said.
Shaking my head, no, I smiled at him. “No, you deserve to see your dreams come true. I won’t stop you. I love you too much,” I said through tears.
Brandon placed his hands around my face and kissed me again, this time so strong and passionate I almost collapsed.
Reaching into my back pocket, I pulled out an envelope and handed it to Brandon. “I have a gift for you,” I said, as I wiped away a tear.
Brandon, looking at me curiously, took the envelope and inspected it. “Go ahead,” I urged. “You will miss your plane if you don’t open it now,” I joked.
Opening the seal, Brandon pulled out a three-page document. As he began reading the words, I saw his eyes light up and a wide smile spread across his face. “Is this real?” he asked, waving the documents in the air.
Trying to control my emotions, I could barely answer. “Yes.”
Pulling me to him, Brandon held me close as he looked deep into my eyes. “Baby, you got a publishing deal?” he asked with amusement.
“Yes, I received the contract last week. I had to really think it over, but after talking with the editors and agents again, I decided this was an amazing offer. My book will be published next summer,” I beamed.
“This is incredible,” Brandon shouted as people walked by us with strange glances.
“Yeah, it is,” I agreed. “It also means that I can take online classes to finish my degree if needed and that I will now get paid to do what I love. If this book sells and they offer me more publishing deals for my other books, I could really make this my career.”
“Hell yes!” Brandon screamed out. “My girlfriend is going to be a published author,” he yelled for all ears to hear. “You could write and travel with me,” he beamed.
“Shh,” I urged as I smacked his arms. “Brandon you are making a scene.”
“I don’t care. Look at us, our dreams are finally coming true and it is because we took a chance and made it happen. Baby, I love you so much,” he said as he kissed me again.
The loudspeaker interrupted again as they announced this was the final call for boarding.
Turning, Brandon cringed as he picked up his bag. “I love you,” he said with such force that the words sank deep into my soul.
“I love you too,” I said.
As Brandon began to walk away, I had to suck in my breath to keep from calling his name again. I knew that he was about to do something incredible, and that notion alone made me smile through my tears. I was happy for him and that trumped my fears and sadness.
As he stepped into the corridor that would lead him to his plane, Brandon turned around one last time and waved.
Smiling, I waved back.
Opening his mouth, Brandon offered me a huge grin as he called out my name. “Leigh,” he yelled, gaining my attention and that of every other person at the airport. “Marry me,” he demanded more than asked.
Not sure I heard him correctly, I strained to hear him. “Marry me?” he asked this time, yelling out the words louder and with a much wider smile.
Nudging me from behind, an older woman smiled. “Answer that boy or I will do it for you,” she demanded with a smile.
“Yes!” I screamed out, jumping in the air so he could see the smile that was now ingrained on my face. “I love you, Brandon.”
“I love you too, Leigh,” he stated before turning and walking onto the plane.
I stood in the airport long after the plane took off and several other people boarded and departed from various flights. I watched as the lives of people all around me were transitioning, and changing based on life changes and decisions. I had started this journey with Brandon as my friend. Slowly, he evolved into so much more; someone I came to love in more ways than I could ever express. While I had faced threats and the fear that I would someday have to say goodbye to Brandon, I still allowed my heart to feel and explore his soul. With Brandon leaving and my own dreams right in front of me, I knew that everything would work out the way it should. Maybe Brandon and I would get married and live a happy life as a rock star and a writer. Maybe both of our dreams would implode and we would be forced to go back to our lives the way they were before we set off on our trip. Or, maybe, Brandon and I would discover that what we found on the road had been nothing more than a love and admiration for another talented and driven person. I wished that I held all of the answers I wanted in the palm of my hand, but I didn’t. Regardless of how things turned out between Brandon and me, I would always cherish the people we helped each other become. The moment in time spent together had molded us into two people who followed our dreams and didn’t let fear or judgment stop us.
With a full heart, content mind, and a soul at ease, I finally left the airport and drove back to my apartment. I had just agreed to marry Brandon. I was about to become a published author, and for the first time in my life, I was sure of myself, and the person I was becoming. I knew I didn’t need to chase us, we would become the couple we were meant to be. Whatever was destined to happen, would eventually work itself out.
I was a new person and I loved the new me.
Acknowledgments
To the ones I loved and lost. To the relationships that never were. To the ones that have regrets. This book is for every moment experienced and to believe in the ones yet to be.
About The Author
M.A. Lee is a contemporary New Adult Romance writer. She resides in Kentucky with her family and two dogs.
M.A. Lee, Chasing Us
