Ring Ring Ring! Branwen jumped up from the couch to answer the phone. Looking longingly at the last teeny bit of chocolate syrup at the bottom of the bowl that had once contained cookie dough ice cream, she shook away the urge to lick the bowl and spoon. Running to the phone on the kitchen wall, she picked it up breathless, "H..He..Hello?" she asked, trying to catch her breath.
"Hi Branwen, it's Chelsea."
Branwen sighed, "Hey Chelsea, what's up?"
"Ummmmm, I don't know how to say this. I was at the movies and I saw Chris there."
"So? He goes to the movies." Branwen wondered what Chelsea was going to say.
"With Dee Dee Masters?"
"Dee Dee Masters!?" Branwen couldn't believe it. Why would Chris go to the movies with another girl, especially Dee Dee Masters?
"Yep, Dee Dee Masters. I'm sorry you had to find out this way Branwen."
"Thanks Chelsea. Talk to you later?"
"Sure, you gonna call Chris?"
"You bet! Bye." Branwen hung up and dialed Chris's number. There was no answer.
*********************
Branwen couldn't get a hold of Chris all weekend. She had hoped she would calm down, but waiting to talk to him was making her madder. She had finally reached him on Sunday night and asked if he could come over to her apartment Monday (there was no school).
Ding! The doorbell rang. Branwen smoothed her black skirt and ran the brush through her hair a final time. She was so NOT looking forward to this. Plastering a fake smile on her face, Branwen opened the door.
"Hey babe."
Branwen managed a shaky, "Hi."
Chris looked at her, "Okay Branwen, what's up? What's bothering you?"
Branwen looked at Chris, the smile gone, "Would it bother you if I went to the movies with Bobby Blair?" Bobby was an old boyfriend.
Before Chris could help it, an expression of panic crossed his face. He looked at Branwen, "What are you getting at?"
"Dee Dee Masters. Know her?"
"Ummmmmmm, no?"
Branwen could not believe it, he was lying to her. "Don't you dare try to deny it Christopher Harris. Plenty of people saw you there, with HER. Why are you lying to me?"
"I don't know. Dee Dee is just so fun and nice and....."
Branwen gave him the meanest, ugliest, nastiest look Chris had ever seen.
"Get out." was all she said, in a small, quiet tone of voice.
"But Branwen....."
"Get out! Don't you here me. Are you stupid in addition to being a jerk and a liar? GET OUT!" Chris walked towards, and then out the door. "I hope you two will be very happy!" She yelled after him, and then slammed the door.
****************
A voice called to Branwen as she walked down the hall at school,"Hey Branwen, listen. Ummm about the other day-"
Branwen looked at Chris, "Oh hello Christopher." she said in an icy tone of voice. She gave him another mean look, "Good bye Christopher." and with that she walked away.
All of Branwen's friends knew about the break up, but they didn't bring it up. Branwen was not a happy person. She had become her regular anti-social self again and it was annoying the heck out of Venus. She tried and tried to make Branwen feel better, but every time she would say or ask something, Branwen would pretty much just ignore her. Venus finally gave up, and it was Toni's turn.
"Hey Bran!" Toni said, approaching their locker after school. Branwen grunted in acknowledgement. "Ahem...um...." Toni began, flustered, "Plans for after school?"
"Library." Branwen said shortly.
"Oh cool! Wonderful! Super! Want to come to my house later?" Toni asked hopefully. Maybe a night out would make Branwen feel better.
"No. Gotta go, bye." Branwen shoved her books in her backpack and left. Toni stared after her for awhile, then packed up her stuff and left too.
********************
Branwen hopped in her car and drove to the library. She sat down at an empty table, opened up a book, and worked on homework for about an hour, when a cute guy approached the table and sat down across from her. Branwen rolled her eyes. It was Matt Marsh, the cute, nice, funny, athletic, semi-popular guy. Branwen did not feel like talking to anyone. She pretended to be engrossed in her science book.
He sat there for about ten minutes, "Don't you talk?" He finally asked Branwen.
"I do when there's intelligent conversation." That stopped him for awhile. He opened his math book.
He stared at it for awhile and then muttered, "I am totally going to flunk the test tomorrow."
Branwen looked up, "I'm sorry, I believe you've mistaken me for someone who cares."
Matt looked at her for a moment, "Can't you be nice?"
"I really don't know."
"Maybe you should try it sometime."
"Why should I be nice to you?"
Matt gave her a LOOK, "Branwen, come on!"
She stared at him, "Can't you think of a better place than the library to pick up girls? I'm not interested."
"Really? I hadn't guessed."
"I should try being nice? Take your own advice, moron."
"Are you implying that I'm stupid? You can't talk to me like that!"
"Oh no? I think I just did." With that, Branwen grabbed her books and walked out of the library. Matt followed her.
"Hey! Look, I'm sorry!" he called after her.
Branwen ignored him, got in her car, and turned up the radio.
Matt stopped short, "THAT is your car?" he asked, pointing to her black, shiny, hum-v.
"No, I broke into this car and decided to steal it."
Matt rolled his eyes, and stood there.
"Where's your car?" Branwen asked him.
"I have a motorcycle, and it's in the shop. I have to walk."
"Want a ride?"
Matt's face lit up, "Sure!"
"Too bad." Branwen said, and then laughed at the expression on Matt's face. "Oh come on," she said, "I was just kidding! Hop in!" Matt got in and they vroomed off.
Branwen dropped Matt off at his house, and he promised to call her the next day. Feeling good, Branwen drove home. She parked her car and walked up the stairs and into the building. She felt so good that she even walked up the five flights of stairs to her apartment. However, that good feeling when she got to her door. Chris was standing there.
Branwen stared at him for a moment, "What are YOU doing here?"
"Poor little Branwen. That's what everyone's saying. They all think I'm a big jerk, and you did nothing wrong. The whole school hates me now, and it's all your fault."
"Ummm, newsflash: you ARE a big jerk! And it isn't my fault. I didn't cheat on you!"
"Then why were you hanging out with Matt Marsh?"
"Hello? I'm not going out with you any more. Duh!"
"Yeah I know you aren't. You're going to wish you never did."
"Ohhhhh, I'm shaking in my italian pumps. What are you going to do Christopher Bar-"
"Don't you ever, ever say my middle name!" Chris interrupted.
"What, Bartholemew? Bartholemew, Barthalemew, Bartholemew, Bartholemew, Barthollllemyoohoo!" Branwen said in a sing-song tone of voice.
Chris swung at Branwen and punched her in the chin. Branwen screamed. "Shhhhh!" Chris said urgently. Raising her hand to her cheek, Branwen felt a surge of pain. Then her chin went numb.
"That was not smart." Branwen told him. Then she gave him a "shot in the pills", with her steel-toed boots. Chris groaned, then grabbed Branwen's arm and flung her into the wall. "AAAAGH!" Branwen screamed again, and slumped to the floor, holding her arm. Chris looked around nervously, hoping no one had heard. Then he ran down the stairs.
********************************
"Branwen?" Matt called out, seeing her leg at the top of the stairs, "Branwen? You forgot your book. Hey, I saw Chris run down, do you-" Matt stopped short when he saw Branwen by the door. She had a bruise on her chin and her wrist was a nasty shade of purple. "BRANWEN! What happened? Are you okay?"
*authors note: Matt is Matt Marsh. The other Matt is no longer in the stories, as he is a big jerk.*
Branwen groaned, "Matt? Wow your brothers look just like you."
"Brothers?"
"Yeah, there are three of you...."
"Branwen, what happened?" Matt was standing over her. "How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Fifteen, twenty?"
"Come on, be serious!"
"Branwen? Oh Branwen? How come you're in the hall? I hear your voice..." Venus walked up the stairs. She did a double take when she saw Branwen's bruise and Matt standing over her. "MATT! My god! What are you doing? Branwen, did he hurt you bad? I swear Matt, I don't look so tough, but I can be baaad." Venus paused and rumaged in her purse. "I can even be deadly!" She yelled, with her nail file raised like a knife.
Branwen nearly died laughing. "No, no Venus!" She managed to say before Venus attacked Matt. "Matt didn't do it! It was...Chris." She mumbled the last part. Then gasped.
"Branwen? Branwen, what's wrong? Are you okay."
"Branwen?" Matt was very confused.
Branwen almost laughed at the look on his face. "Oh, I'm okay. I get a little short of breath sometimes.I had resperitory problems for awhile. I had part of a lung removed." *see Treenie's Story*
"Does it happen a lot?"
"Not that often."
"Okay okay! Branwen will explain this later! Branwen, what did happen to you? What about Chris?" Venus exclaimed.
Branwen looked a little dizzy. "Punched me...threw into the wall. My arm hurts."
"Maybe I can help! I got a C+ in first aide!"
"Ummmm...I don't think so Venus..." Branwen didn't really want to do something even worse to her arm.
"Branwen, why don't we go to my house? My mom's a doctor, she can help you out. Come on, I'll drive you, I took my dad's car. You come too Venus." Matt helped Branwen get up, and they left.
***************
"Oh my god Branwen! What happened?" Toni exclaimed the next day. Branwen had covered up her bruised chin with make up, but she had a wrist brace on.
"Tell you later." Branwen said. Too many people were around. She had been telling people she fell on her arm. Chris passed them in the hall. Branwen gave him one of her mean, nasty looks. He just sort of smiled and put his arm around Dee Dee, then walked away. Branwen stared after them for a moment.
"Hey gorgeous." Said a voice behind Branwen and Toni.
Toni turned around, thinking the comment was directed towards her. "M..M..Matt...uh...hi." she stammered.
At the same time Branwen replied, "Hi Sweets." Then she laughed at Toni. Toni turned an interesting shade of purple and then laughed at herself. Matt looked confused. "I gotta get to class." Branwen told them. Matt said goodbye and left.
"Gorgeous? Sweets? Are you guys 'involved'?" Toni asked Branwen as they walked down the hall. Branwen smiled and turned the corner to get to class. "Hey! You didn't answer!" Toni yelled after her. But Toni knew the answer.
***************
Branwen was walking back to her apartment from Matt's house. It turned out he only lived two blocks away. Suddenly something jumped out of the shadows. She turned around and gawked.
It was the monster from the other day. "Comet Power!" Branwen screamed and she transformed. This time she didn't waste any time with a little 'dance'. "Comet Ice Crystals Flame!" She yelled.
The attack sailed towards the monster. "AHHHHH!" It screamed as it was hit with a surge of ice which burst into flame. The monster sort of growled and rubbed her hair, trying to put the fire out. "I'll get you my pretty, and your little staff too!"
Branwen looked at the monster for a second, "Melting yet?" Branwen asked. She paused, "Y'know, you really do look better as a brunette," She began as she checked out the monster's scorched hair, "That purple didn't do a thing for you. By the way, if you didn't catch the name, I'm Sailor Comet. And you are?"
"My name is A'Sivera. You're going to pay for this Sailor Whatsit....You really like the brown hair?"
"Totally! It works for you. Want to look, I have a mirror in my bag..." Branwen opened her bag and took out a small pocket mirror. A'Sivera took it and gazed at herself, primping her hair. Branwen almost laughed at the monster's stupidity. Unfortounately for Branwen, the monster caught on. A'Sivera made sort of a growling noise and pointed at Branwen. Branwen shot up off the ground and into the air. Desperately trying not to fall back to the ground far below, Branwen clung to an emergency fire escape. The monster laughed, and slithered down into the sewer.
Branwen powered down and just hung there. She had no clue how to explain getting up there in the first place if someone who could help her came along. Suddenly she heard a voice, "Branwen? What on Earth are you doing up there?" It was Darien. 'Thank goodness.' Branwen thought. Now she wouldn't have to make up an explanation.
"Ohhh, just hanging out. I thought I'd take some time and just think about what to make for dinner, maybe work on a plot for my english story...Oh don't just stand there! GET ME DOWN!" Branwen paused and then added, "Please?"
Darien laughed, "Let go, I'll catch you."
"You're sure?"
"No, but what else can I do?"
"I feel so reassured..."
"Come on, who would miss you if I don't catch you, huh?"
"Ohhh, I'm feeling the love. Okay, I'll let go. You better catch me though."
"What are you going to do if I don't?"
"Darien, please!"
"No, literally, what will you do if I don't catch you? You'll probably break your neck. What could you do then?" Darien laughed at the look on Branwen's face. "Oh I'm just kidding! Come on, let go. I PROMISE I'll catch you."
Branwen sighed and let go. She closed her eyes as she plummeted to the ground and landed in Darien's arms. Darien laughed again, "Come on, I'll walk you home."
Branwen and Darien walked to Branwen's building, and went up the elevator. "Bye" Branwen said to Darien as the elevator doors opened. Whistling cheerfuly, Branwen turned down her hallway and screamed. Chris was there. Branwen shuddered, his eyes were strange. "Chris! What are you doing?"
"You've been talking, haven't you? People know about your arm Branwen. They know."
"So what? Haven't you hurt me enough? You want to hurt me some more? Chris, please! We can get you some help. Please!"
"You're scared aren't you? You're afraid of me?"
"I think I should be!"
"Well, I won't keep you waiting." Chris charged at her and Branwen jumped out of the way. She dodged his attacks and made as much noise as humanly possible. She screamed, banged on doors, and stomped on the floor. No one came. Branwen turned to make a break for the stairs, when something hit her over the head. Branwen screamed some more and kept on screaming. Finally, she heard a yell.
Someone had come. More than someone, there was a group of people gathered. Branwen couldn't tell who anyone was. Her head hurt, she was dizzy, ans she had fallen to the ground. She tried to look around. Where was Chris? People were talking, running around. What was going on. It made no sense. Then Branwen knew.
"Branwen, are you alright?" It was Darien! Darien had come!
"I..I..I'll be alright. What..What's going on?"
"I heard you screaming and I called the police. Who was that guy?"
"My ex-boyfriend." She answered bitterly.
"That psychopath?"
"He wasn't like that. Not until..until.."
"Until what?"
"Until I broke up with him."
Darien nodded. He was silent for a long time. "The police want to talk to you tomorrow morning. Want me to pick you up and drive you to the station?"
Branwen nodded, and suddenly all the tears she had been holding in came out. Branwen sobbed, in an awful hiccuping way.
"Branwen? Branwen wha..?"
"Oh Darien, I just don't know what to do. I just...I'm scared Darien. Scared silly. I just can't..."
Darien opened his arms and Branwen fell into them. "It'll be okay Branwen. He can't hurt you anymore. It's okay."
"That's just it Darien. It's NOT okay! He was the sweetest guy and then.... I could have died Darien! I WOULD have if it wasn't for you. Darien, I just...Oh I don't even know how to say it."
"Can I do anything? Do you want to come stay with me for a few days or something?"
"No. No...I'm sorry to be so much trouble. I never fall apart like this. I'm sorry, I'll be fine." Branwen wiped her eyes.
"You're sure?"
"No."
Darien laughed, "Branwen, I'm serious now. That guy had problems, but he's gone. Don't worry about him. Like I said, he can't hurt you anymore. I swear Branwen, if something happens and he comes near you I will kill him! Now listen," Darien looked Branwen in the eye, "just put this behind you. Forget it, and most of all forget him." He smiled, "Well, now that that's over with, want to go out for ice cream?"
Branwen laughed, "No, unlike Serena, I can lose my appetite, and I did. Thanks anyway."
"No problem. Listen, why don't I take you to Venus's house? Stay there for tonight at least. I'll pick you up tomorrow."
"Okay....Thank you Darien." She whispered.
Darien smiled, and Branwen knew now that everything would be okay.
Back to Fan Fic
