The Brother of My Boyfriend: A Love for Two
Chapter 12

Jason walks slowly towards his room, his mind filled with thoughts about his mother Morgana's imminent arrival. As he lies down on the bed, memories of that special night he met Mandy flood his thoughts.

Jason leaned back on the bed, smiling as he remembered that night. He couldn't help but let out a soft laugh at the thought of Mandy mistaking him for his brother in the dark. It was one of those situations that became a funny memory, a small twist of fate that ended up changing the course of their lives surprisingly.

Still chuckling to himself, Jason continued to relive the moments he shared with Mandy. Another memory surfaced: the day she made Raquel believe they were a couple. The surprise on Raquel's face, followed by shared laughter between Mandy and Jason, echoed in his mind.

While still lying in bed, Jason couldn't help but remember the gentle touch of Mandy's lips on his. It was a moment that caught him off guard, an instant of connection that he would never forget. The warmth of that kiss still reverberated on his skin, and he wondered if Mandy also thought about that moment.

With a racing heart and a mind full of thoughts about Mandy, Jason finally succumbs to restlessness. He grabs his phone, hands trembling, and dials her number.

As the phone rings, his breath quickens, anxiety mingling with anticipation. He wonders if Mandy will answer and what it will be like to hear her voice on the other end of the line. The call connects, and for a brief moment, silence fills the space between them.

Jason's heart seemed to beat louder with each passing second as the phone rang. Then, finally, he heard Mandy's gentle voice on the other end of the line. However, contrary to his expectations, the silence lingered, stretching like an invisible thread between them.

Jason's anxiety escalated, and he could feel the weight of the silence becoming almost palpable. Finally, Mandy broke the silence, her voice whispering almost imperceptibly. It was when her insistence made him speak.

"It's me, Jason," he said, his voice laden with restrained emotion. It was as if the simple act of saying his name was enough to break the spell of the lingering silence.

Mandy, on the other end of the line, broke the silence with a surprised and somewhat sleepy voice. She asked Jason how he got her number and why on earth he was calling at this hour of the night.

Jason could hear the perplexity in Mandy's voice, and a shiver of nervousness ran down his spine. He quickly explained, attempting to find an explanation that made sense, but was also honest.

"I'm sorry for waking you up, Mandy. I... I needed to talk to you. It's important." His voice trembled slightly, but there was an underlying determination. He hoped Mandy would understand the urgency that prevented him from calling at that hour.

Mandy quickly gets up from bed, rubbing her eyes to dispel some of the sleepiness. With her heart racing, she fears that something may have happened to Dylan.

"Did something happen to Dylan?" she asks, concerned.

"No, nothing happened to him. What makes you think something did?" he asks.

"The fact that you're calling me at 3 in the morning?" she responds, irritated.

"It makes sense. I called because I wanted to apologize for being a jerk to you, and I wanted us to be friends since we're in-laws," he suggests.

"And you couldn't wait to tell me this tomorrow morning?" she questions.

"You're right. It's just that I can't sleep, and I thought maybe you were awake, but I see you're just like Dylan," he teases the situation.

"You don't know anything about me, so don't act like you do. Okay, you're Dylan's brother, but what makes you think we're going to be friends? Since the day I met you, I haven't stopped having anxiety attacks and confusing you with Dylan. That night made me, for the first time, hide something from him. You don't know what it's like to have to hide something from someone you love just to avoid hurting them, because the only relationship you've had was as a teenager who's now gone and you're out there taking advantage of Megan," she snaps at him.

"Wow! You know how to hurt people. Dylan can't keep quiet, can he? That's always been his weak point. He didn't have to say anything to you about Emma, but it's okay. I just wanted us to start fresh as friends. I thought you were a different kind of girl since my brother speaks highly of you, but I was wrong."

Listening to Mandy's voice on the other end of the line, Jason felt a tightness in his chest as he realized the frustration and confusion in her words. When she mentioned Emma, his deceased girlfriend, it was like a sharp dagger had been plunged into his heart.

Before he could think better of it, driven by pain and conflicting emotions, Jason made an impulsive decision. He abruptly hung up the phone, severing the connection with Mandy.

On the other hand, Mandy remained silent for a moment, unable to believe what had just happened. She brought her hands to her head, feeling the confusion and pain swirling in her mind. "What did I do?" she murmured to herself, her voice heavy with sadness and frustration. She couldn't understand how things had come to this point.

Mandy clung to her pillow, feeling the softness of the fabric beneath her fingers as she reflected on the words that had been exchanged. She knew that her words had been harsh, perhaps even cruel, and the weight of it all overwhelmed her. However, Mandy also understood that an apology over the phone would not be enough to undo what had been said. She knew she needed to face Jason in person, look him in the eyes, and express the genuine regret that now consumed her heart.

The courage to do so had not yet manifested. She remained in the solitude of her room, uncertainty hanging over her. The night's silence enveloped Mandy, and she realized she would have to wait for the dawn to decide on how to approach the situation and try to mend what had been broken between them.

****

In his room, Jason felt the weight of the hurt inflicted by Mandy's words. Remembering Emma had always been a wound he had learned to live with, but in that moment, the pain seemed sharper than ever. He sighed deeply, feeling the tightness in his chest. Jason turned to the drawer beside his bed, opening it carefully. There, rested a photo of Emma, a radiant smile frozen on paper.

Holding the photo tenderly, Jason sat at the edge of the bed and began to speak to her as if she were right there beside him. "I miss you so much, Emma," he murmured, his voice heavy with longing. "Sometimes, it feels like time stands still, and the pain only grows stronger. I wish so badly that you were here."

The words came out with a mixture of sadness and resignation. Jason gently ran his fingers over the photo, as if he could feel Emma's presence there. Even though she was no longer physically by his side, her love and memories continued to live in his heart.

The sun was beginning to peek through the window, spreading its golden rays across Jason's room. He woke up slowly, eyes still sleepy, and it was then that he realized he was still clutching Emma's photo. Jason rose from the bed carefully, placing Emma's photo on the table beside it, as if leaving it there to watch over him. He felt he needed her strength and support at that moment. After this gesture, he headed to the bathroom, where the warm water from the shower enveloped him, bringing some comfort and clarity to his tumultuous mind. As the water fell, he pondered over everything that had happened. Upon exiting the bathroom, dressed and more composed, Jason found himself face-to-face with Dylan. Surprise and questioning filled Dylan's eyes. Without beating around the bush, Dylan asked why Jason had told Mandy about Emma.