After school, I headed to the parking lot with the guys. Jordan was leaving with his date, Jacob hopped into the passenger seat, and I took the driver's seat.

As I reversed, Jacob suggested, "Let's stop at Burger King for something to eat; I'll text Justin." I nodded in agreement.

At the Burger King drive-thru, Jacob ordered, "Two double cheeseburgers, two large fries, and two large drinks, please." 

A few minutes later, we received our order, and Jacob paid.

When I pulled up in front of Justin's house, I noticed two cars instead of one. Jacob said, "I'm going home. Take your burger, and I'll see you tomorrow," ditching me at the last minute.

Sighing, I got out of the car with my food. Justin came out, his lips looking red. "My dad's home, and he isn't the nicest person," he said as we walked to the door together.

Once inside, I heard Jessica arguing with her husband in the kitchen. "This has gone too far, Bill! You said you'd be home this morning!" she exclaimed. Bill, with blonde hair and silver eyes, sighed and replied, "I was busy, Jess. Please understand."

Justin interrupted, "Mom, Ana is here." Bill looked at me and said, "So Mr. Montez is your father? I can see your mother's features in you." I nodded.

Jessica pulled me out of the kitchen, looking sad and worried. "Are you okay?" I asked. "Not really. Bill doesn't come home often, and your mother was a good friend of mine—that's why Bill recognizes you."

I asked, "Do you remember Justin having a friend named Brandon?" She stiffened. "Yeah, he was nice, but then his family had problems, and he stopped being Justin's friend. Why do you ask? Do you like him?" I blushed and looked away.

"It's okay; he's a nice guy who doesn't sleep around. I think you two will become good friends," she said. I hoped so too.

We sat by the pool, and I took out my burger to eat. Jessica said, "Justin told me you're visiting your mom on Saturday. Do you mind if I come instead of him?" I nodded.

Justin came outside with a textbook and notebook. I teased, "A bad boy doing his homework? I'm so surprised." 

He rolled his eyes. "Well, I want to go to college, you know."

Jessica stood up. "I'm going back inside now," she said, walking away.

Justin sighed, "She's just stressed. She thinks Dad is cheating, but he assures me he isn't."

I asked, "Did he ever do it in the past?" "Yeah. I was born in June, and my other brother in July. He had an affair while with my mom, and we didn't find out until I was in 8th grade. There was a huge fight when the other woman told my mom. Brandon is my stepbrother now," he explained.

I was quiet, processing this. "Well, if he's not talking to them, that doesn't mean you have to stop talking to Brandon," I said. Justin replied, "Only you and Carlos know about this. Brandon doesn't want to talk to me; we haven't spoken in four years."

I sighed; I understood family issues. "Where does Brandon live with his mother?" I asked. "A couple of blocks from here. They've moved on; he has a stepfather and a little sister," he said.

I remained silent. "I'm sure he'll come around, Just. Give it time. It took a year for my dad to forgive my mom, and I only forgave her last year," I reassured him.

"I know my dad loves both his sons, but I'm his favorite," Justin chuckled.

***

I left around 5:00 PM and passed by Brandon's street, hoping to talk to him soon. When I got home, Dad wasn't there; he had a late meeting and was flying to Hong Kong on Friday, so I wouldn't see him until next Saturday.

I ordered pizza for dinner, took a bath, and put on sweatpants and a V-neck top. The doorbell rang, and when I opened it, the delivery guy was Brandon, smiling at me. "That'll be $10.00," he said. I handed him the money and took my pizza.

Before he left, I asked, "Want to stay and help me eat my pizza?" He nodded. "Sure, I'm Brandon, by the way." I replied, "I'm Anastasia, but you can call me Ana or Anne."

He walked in, and I closed the door. "Wow, I didn't know the nerd lived the rich life. That explains the BMW and motorcycle," he remarked. I chuckled as we headed to the living room, where family photos adorned the walls.

Brandon exclaimed, "No way! Mr. Montez is your dad? The big tech business owner in Hong Kong?" I nodded.

We opened the pizza box after sitting on the couch. Brandon turned on the TV and opened Netflix. "Let's watch Fast and Furious 7," he suggested. 

He had his father's hair and maybe his mother's eyes, but I could see a bit of Justin's face in him.

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