Chapter 516) The Bri-Paradox

 “Getting over someone doesn’t mean you stop loving them. It simply means you started loving yourself more.” 

~Unknown

Chestnut Ridge
Near the Kershaw Ranch

Her hands were shaking hard, as she steered the car up the hill. This car packed a lot more punch than anything she had driven in the few months she had her driver license for now, not to mention that it had taken her forever to find this place and now – while the sun going down looked incredibly scenic, it also meant that it was getting darker – fast, which scared her. She’d NEVER find the way back to the highway – or anywhere else for that matter in the dark – since she already barely could find her way here in bright sunlight. She had to stop and ask for directions a whopping five times since she took the exit off the highway.

Behind a bend FINALLY a small cabin came into view, so she let out a sigh of relief. At least she had found some sort of civilization after all the prairie and rocks, hopefully this was even her intended destination, at long last. The 2 hours it was supposed to have taken to get here from Connor’s place had already turned into almost 6 and a half.

As she pulled the car off to the side, two horses came running past, her eyes grew big, looking after them, so she missed the figure of a man approaching.

He startled her as she exited the car.

“Well – You’re not Connor!” the man said, then his eyes grew wider once he recognized the unexpected visitor, “BRI!”

“OMG – am I glad to see you – FINALLY! I thought I was lost in some never-ending prairie and mountain vortex forever here! Hi … umm, just FYI – two horses just ran THAT way. Hope those weren’t yours.”

“They are, Hells Bells and Sundance. There’s some type of grass down there they really like. Dad and I used to joke that they are going out to eat. Hehehe. They’ll be back. I got a dog around here somewhere too. You’ll see her when ya see her, I suppose.” he said, smiling and the familiar drawl caused shivers to run down Bri’s spine.

“You don’t have them fenced in? I started riding too, by the way, and am actually already pretty good at it, but those horses are in paddocks and such, never ever loose unless they have a rider. So they are fenced in or they’re in a stable or barn … where IS your stable or barn?! Aren’t you afraid they run away or someone would steal them?”

“Don’t got one, don’t need one. They got a shelter over there for when it’s raining or snows, don’t happen THAT often here, or they’ll find themselves some trees. They are smarter than to run away, and I’d love to see anyone try steal one of them. Hahaha! Whatcha doin’ here? I thought you were Connor, that’s his car, ain’t it?” Jackson pointed at the Bentley Continental GT Convertible. Even non-car-afficionados could tell that this quarter of a million bucks price tag ride wasn’t the typical beginner driver’s car, then again, this was Chase Cameron’s daughter.

“Yeah, it’s Connor’s, I borrowed it. Iris and I are visiting him, Keira and Chris for the weekend. Jasper is with his parents at some super-lame chess tournament, mom and dad sent us to visit with Connor so they can have the weekend to themselves to probably do things I REALLY don’t even want to imagine. I … umm … had some … errands to run around here and … here I am.”

“Errands? You drove over 2 hours from San Sequoia to Chestnut Ridge for some errands?! And by borrowing Connor’s luxury car you mean: he doesn’t know you took it? No way he’d just give you the keys.” Jackson suspected.

“Umm .. yeah … kinda. I mean, he’s my brother, so …no big deal, right? Not to mention he doesn’t really need a car to get around, being a vamp and all, so no issue. Look, I wanted to talk to you, but you’re not answering my texts. I sent about a thousand and one, at LEAST! Not to mention I tried calling you SO many times. Thought I’d come by to see if you are still alive.”

“Yup, still alive and kickin’. Last time we spoke you made very clear that you didn’t want anything to do with me anymore and told me not to contact you again. So … I didn’t. Honestly, I haven’t even been checking for messages, since you are kinda the only one who sends me any. I was also in Henfordshire for a week, to visit my dad. I definitely have no reception there, not with that cucumber I have for a phone. I honestly didn’t think I’d ever hear from you again.” Jackson shrugged casually.

“OH. MY. GOD! Seriously? HELLO – I was upset. As were you. I didn’t mean it – obviously – at least not like … that!” Briar Rose gestured wildly.

“Hm. Well, you wanna come inside? Might as well, cos you ain’t getting out for a while, and it gets chilly the moment the sun goes down. The freight train is about to come through, that shuts down the railroad crossing you took for at least 30 minutes, usually longer if they have to stop. No way around, at least not by car.”

“Okaaaaay. Weird place. I mean, seriously – THIS?! I feel like I fell back in time, like that chick from that one time-traveler series everyone likes. My mom and Maddie read all the books. All this looks like eighteen hundred something.”

She followed him to the cabin, once inside she was even more shocked at how simple it was.

“Oh wow, everything is … wood. But he has electricity. Wow. A true relief.” Bri evaluated.

“Yeah. Hard to find them concrete plants and wallpaper shrubs around here, so we just use the wood instead. Coffee? Just made a fresh pot. Almost as if I knew you were coming, speaking of, why DIDCHA come? I mean, for real, not the errands BS again, please.”

“I have asked myself that ever since my GPS gave up on me and even Waze won’t work. Not even the hint of reception. My phone is basically an old-fashioned iPod slash paper weight now. I mean, who lives like that?! I’d be clinically insane in two days!”

“That is what I have been telling you. I can’t respond to messages or calls I don’t get, which I never do until I happen to be in the perfect spot to have signal, and then I get everything all at once. I never ignored you. Believe me now?”

“I do, I feel SO sorry for you – and am downright appalled. Somebody needs to fix this, maybe a GoFundMe or something for you poor people out here! I admit, when you used to tell me that, I always thought you were full of shit. Who can live in a place with no cell service and let me guess, no internet? I heard of blackout days, which sound uber-brutal, but this is a blackout hell. No thanks! Anyway, whatever. Look Jackson, I wanted to apologize about how things went with us last time and I was hoping we could kinda … you know … be friends again? Like before. And like … talk and text and video and all. Right?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Jackson’s eyes met Bri’s and for a moment they locked, making her feel hot and cold, knowing she was stuck here with this boy who somehow turned her mind upside down repeatedly. He looked so grown up and tall and … manly. His eyes seemed to look straight into her soul. That smile of his … hmm hmm hmm! His lips looked so … so …. ‘wonder what they feel like kissing?’ shot into her head, making her blush instantly, so she looked around, clearing her throat.

“Cool deco.” she said the first thing that came to mind.

“All that is still my dad’s. I haven’t really changed much, except move his bedroom door to the other side. I didn’t like it in the kitchen, kept running into the handle trying to make food. As you can see the kitchen is practical. Only the basics. In other words: miniscule. Every inch counts.”

Her head snapped around to him, wide-eyed she stared at him.

“You can move doors?!”

“Sure. Not really that hard once you figured it out. Want the tour?”

She nodded, following him around the very small home, the tight spaces meant she got close to him again and again, her heart raced, and her entire body tingled. He smelled so … fresh, but also always like horses and leather and … something indefinable. Like Jackson, that’s how. Jackson-scented.

They talked a little, Bri kept getting lost in his eyes, missing everything he was saying, making for a few almost awkward moments, until someone was at the door, tearing her mind out of her Jackson-induced lala-land for good.

“This late? It’s dark!” she noticed startled.

While staring out the window into the approaching darkness outside, wondering how the heck she was supposed to get back to San Sequoia now, Jackson answered the door, Bri was too wrapped up in her worries to pay attention at first. When she finally looked over to see who interrupted them, she saw Jackson kiss a girl!

Bri swore she was having a stroke judging by the way she felt, while she could almost hear her heart break into two pieces. As Briar Rose gasped for air, the girl now noticed her.

Bri couldn’t help acknowledging that girl was gorgeous!

Flaxen blonde hair, a natural color, not from a bottle, even features, the brightest blue eyes Bri had ever seen and the same effortless tan Jackson and his father always had, of someone who spent a great deal of time outdoors.

“Tay, this is Briar Rose, my dad’s best friend Connor’s little sister. Evidently she had business in the area and dropped by. Bri, this is Taylor.”

Taylor now smiled at Bri, who was trying to digest Jackson’s lackluster introduction. ‘My dad’s best friend’s little sister?!?!?!’ WTH?! THAT was all she was to him? Just someone’s little sister? Seriously now?! WHAAAT?!

“What a precious name, Briar Rose, aww. Isn’t that from ‘Sleeping Beauty’? How adorable, suits you too, princess. Saw your fancy car with the San Sequoia license plates. Quite a drive all the way out here from there. Heard it’s nice in the bay area, really modern and progressive and such. I’ve never been, but Jackson has and said he’d take me one day soon. Any suggestions on what we need to see?” Taylor said in the same drawl Jackson had.

Bri shook her head, unable to quit staring. Why would this town have such beautiful girls?! That girl was Del Sol Valley material! WFH?! Oh right, that girl also asked something, answer required. What was the question again?! Oh, yeah … polite drivel.

“Hi. Your name is also … like … nice, umm Taylor. No clue about San Seq, only visiting there myself, I am from Brindleton Bay actually and not really into sightseeing, I guess their biggest attraction is that red bridge anyway, but you can literally see that from pretty much anywhere there.” Bri worked up, trying to look casual and cool and even attempted a smile.

“Brindleton Bay? Oh goodness, now that is a REALLY long way from home, I’ll say! Isn’t that clear across the country, over where all the rich old people go to retire?” Taylor looked amused – so was she genuine or was she being snooty?!

While Bri still evaluated what the correct response would be, Jackson spoke, nudging Taylor, both locked eyes briefly, smiling at each other, causing Bri more jealous pangs and a sick feeling.

“Naw, you’re thinking Oasis Springs or maybe Sulani. The Bay has those old money people who have been hoarding wealth for many generations and bored and retired celebrities and such. Her dad is the latter. Coffee darlin’?”

Darlin’?!?!?!? Bri thought, as Taylor nodded and smiled at Jackson, which along with their banter rubbed Bri very wrong, a sudden harsh heartbreak mixed with those admittedly unfounded jealous pangs.

Then suddenly she snapped at both of them

“My dad’s neither bored, nor retired! He and Colton have a new album coming out soon! And I am not over here blasting you guys’ home, so what the actual fuck?! Rude much?!” she ranted.

“Whoa! Spicy little girl, looks 14, but sounds like a 44-year-old angry drunken sailor. Nice!” Taylor said, unimpressed and with a smirk that just seemed smug to Bri. Maybe she was, maybe she was just trying to be funny, but Bri instantly hated her for obvious reasons.

“I am not spicy or a sailor, just because I don’t sit here taking other people’s bullshit – rude, by the way – and I am not a little girl! I am 16, I LOOK 16, making me what, two, three years younger than you!? Wow, yeah, that’s like major! Not my fault that people here haven’t heard of personal care and sun protection and look 80 by the time they turn 20! And just FYI, you two judgmental degenerates, I didn’t even say anything about the million things that are wrong with this place and its residents, because I have manners, and it would take days to list everything that is messed up here anyway! So – screw you both, this was a mistake!” Bri hissed at them.

A moment of shock followed, before Bri just ran out, startled by how dark it actually was, literally pitchblack, she couldn’t see the hand before her eyes, let alone the car, but was not going to go back inside to be the butt of everyone’s jokes, so she headed into the general direction she thought her parking spot could be, until strong arms pulled her back, and she ended up facing Jackson, in the dark, she could barely see his outline, but could smell his ‘Jackson-scent’.

“Careful, you almost walked right into the pond. I think that’s my dad’s and AG’s thing, not ours.” he chuckled.

Bri pulled away from him abruptly.

“We don’t have ‘a thing’ and I don’t want to have a thing with you anyway! Glad you and your brain-amputated bedwarmer are having a laugh at my expense. Real nice, Jackson. Your dad would be SO proud! Leave me alone! Just go back inside and laugh about me with her! I am getting the hell out of here. Coming here was such a bad idea! ” Bri ranted.

“That again, huh? Bri, look, that just ain’t happening. I know you’re pissed, for whatever reasons which I am not even getting into here, and just for the record, nobody was laughing about you, this is how we interact around here. And you’re not going anywhere. I am not letting you, cos it ain’t safe, so you can holler all ya like, nobody will hear it anyway. You are coming back in, willingly, or I will just toss ya over my shoulder and carry ya in. Guess what? You’re staying overnight, safer that way. You can sleep in my dad’s room, I already put on fresh sheets two days ago cos he’s trying to come for a visit soon with Izzy, his girlfriend, so she can see where he and I were born and raised and how we live here.”

“I am not staying here at that crusty old shed with you and your high and mighty Miss Chestnut Ridge 2024, while you bully me before you go and screw each other’s brains out in the other room! No effing way! What the hell!? Why didn’t you say you had a girlfriend!?”

“Didn’t come up and you didn’t exactly greet me by telling me you had a boyfriend. Last time we spoke on the phone you were denying it. Remember? I saw on social media that you are DEFINITELY dating that curly haired rich dude, and even YOU captioned it ‘Me and my BOYFRIEND’. Oh, I am sorry, I speak English, I meant you wrote ‘BAE’.”

“I didn’t say I don’t have a boyfriend or that you can’t have a girlfriend, but personally I wouldn’t like it if I went to my boyfriend’s place and found he has his ex as an overnight guest! Or is that how you roll around here, no matter who and what, as long as it has a pulse?!”

“Ex? You’re not my ex. You’re barely a friend, so I was being generous here!” Jackson argued back.

WHAM!

That truth was the hardest punch yet. Felt like a physical punch to Bri as well.

Feeling defeated, shivering as temperatures really had dropped a lot since they were out here earlier, Bri followed Jackson back to his cabin, where she stood around the living area awkwardly as Taylor and Jackson went off to the side, talking too quietly for her to hear what they were saying, before they kissed a few times, Bri had to avert her eyes, as it just hurt.

Eventually, Jackson and Taylor walked over to the door, which he gallantly opened for her, they kissed a few more times before Taylor left, waving and smiling back at Jackson before he shut the door, his smile faded when he turned back around to look at Bri, who pouted.

“So, what’s this now? She just goes home? Because of me? Let me guess, now I am getting it from you for cockblocking you and ruining the night of boundless backwood cowboy sex you and Miss Wet Dream of Chestnut Ridge were gonna have? Well, hashtag don’t care, NOT sorry. Sucks to be you. In SO many ways, actually. I feel sorry for you for having such a bitch as a girlfriend. Yikes. But I guess in this place you get what you get, which isn’t much. Clearly.”

“Are you done yet? Three is a bit of a crowd in this house, all things considered. She felt you might be more at ease without her. Cos – CLEARLY you have a problem with Tay. To quote you: rude much?!”

“It’s called being real. I was just being honest, cos I don’t take crap from randos, okay? So what is happening here? Your girlfriend just left so you can be alone with another girl overnight?! SERIOUSLY?! This town and its people are totally messed up! You all are WHACK! Probably because of the lack of cell service and internet, you all need that bad, so you can know what’s up in the real world and become normal!” Bri ranted.

Jackson just shrugged.

“Called trust. Should try it sometimes. We don’t need internet or cell phones for other people to tell us what to think and what to wear, we like using our heads – not to mention we don’t have time to stare at tiny screens all day long. Speaking of, if you wanna call your parents or Connor, I can show you where and how to angle yourself to …”

“NO!” Bri just cut him off.

“Okay, then I will.” Jackson headed to the door, but Bri, held him back.

“Don’t you dare!” Bri warned, which did nothing to Jackson, who frowned.

“Bri, Connor’s been good to my dad, and to me, no way am I letting him sit at home worried about you! Hey, maybe he’ll do that vampire beaming thing and gets you out of here right away, I hope he does, seeing how you clearly are a fish out of water. Well and if not I have some good news though, at least the toilet is indoors, cos I am fancy too, indoor plumbing is not always a given around here, this place used to have an outhouse near the ridge, my dad put in the plumbing only a few years ago. Ya know, that’s us backwoods Neanderthals here, just one step up from shitting in the streets when we take breaks from trying to walk and chew gum at the same time, after screwing everything with a pulse, right?” he sounded lightly upset.

Jackson pulled out his cell phone, turned around and went outside onto the front porch, shutting the door behind himself.

Cursing to herself, Bri sat down. Man, now he was pissed at her too, not to mention she’ll be in a world of trouble, with Connor, with her parents … and if Bradford ever found out about this … poor Brad. What the hell was she doing anyway when he was at home missing her? Running after this … moron in a cowboy hat? ARGH! Idiot, Bri! You have Brad. Screw Jackson and his lame dumb ways!

A knock on the window startled her, against the glare she could make out Jackson gesturing for her to come outside, which she did, as he handed her his phone.

“Stay in this spot, don’t move, don’t walk, right here or it will drop. Here’s Connor for ya.”

“Great. Thanks much.” Bri’s tone oozed sarcasm, as she grimaced ripping the phone from Jackson’s hand, while bracing for her big brother’s lecture.

Sometime later she was laying on the bed, wearing one of Jackson’s shirts, which she had pulled up to smell on so much that she had practically sniffed the entire scent out of it. Connor had laid into her on the phone, but luckily was stuck at the hospital as he had two emergency surgeries scheduled in a row and couldn’t come get her until late morning, Keira was home with a colicky baby and Iris. So, Bri had to stay overnight, wondering why her life felt so messed up, when in reality, one could say she had it all, anything any 16-year-old could wish for. Rich and famous parents who loved her, a set of extra parents in Colton and Maddie, a twin sister she mostly got along well with and a kinda sorta brother in Jasper, who was kinda cool most of the time, she scored well with Bradford, an amazing boyfriend from a really good family, while she lived in a stunning home, took frequent vacations and even weekend trips to cool places like San Sequoia, since her older brother lived here. So, what the heck did she ever want with a guy like Jackson and his awful cabin here?

This place was crap! And the boy was too! Plus, he had a girlfriend now. A beautiful one. What the hell? Why couldn’t that Taylor look like a talking trash pile? Why did she have to be prettier? WHY!? No fair!

Bri got up to use the restroom, while washing her hands she looked at herself in the mirror, then pouted.

“I am just as pretty. Maybe prettier. He’s just hurt because of what I said, and just started dating the first girl he saw. That’s it! I’ll show him he is wrong about Taylor – and me!”

She dried off, fixed her hair a bit, pinched her cheeks like she had seen in some movie, then went to Jackson’s room door, about to knock, when she changed her mind and instead just entered the room quietly, shutting the door making barely a sound, then crawled into bed with Jackson, who was still mostly asleep, just drowsily wrapped his arm around her, pulling her tightly against himself, which had Bri’s heart racing so hard, it took her breath away. Nervously, she gently touched his cheek, ran her fingers through his hair, like she always had wanted to, then began to feel her way down to his neck, on to his chest with just the right amount of hair, her finger followed the hairy trail across his firm stomach, halting at the elastic of his boxers.

After some long moments of hesitation her hand slowly wandered to the top of his boxers, her breathing became shallow and faster as her fingers slowly snaked their way inside … when suddenly a hand grabbed hers, tightly, Jackson’s head jerked up, she could see his widened eyes staring at her for a moment, before he sat up and slid to the bottom of the bed.

“What the hell!?”

They stared at each other, neither able to say anything, so Jackson got up running his hands through his hair as if it could undo Briar Rose’s touches. Horrified Bri watched him, scared, embarassed, confused until her gaze wandered down the front of Jackson, halting just below his beltline, her eyes grew bigger and her mouth opened. Jackson noticed her stare, looked down on himself, his eyes widened as well, before he turned away from Bri, cursing and very agitated.

Seconds later he literally fled from the room, grabbing a stack of clothing and his boots on his way out.

“Jackson!” Bri jumped out of the bed to follow him, but he wasn’t in the main room, nor the bathroom or her room, so he had to be outside. Scared, barefoot, and wearing only one of Jackson’s shirts, armed with the flashlight from her cell phone, she tried to find him, but was too afraid to go out too far for fear of getting lost in this darkness.

The next morning had long dawned, before the cabin door opened and Jackson wandered in, straight to the coffeemaker. Bri jumped up, relieved.

“Where were you!? You were gone all night! I was worried, I didn’t catch a wink of sleep!”

She wanted to run to him, hug him, but everything about his demeanor warned her that it would be a big mistake, so she kept her distance.

“JACKSON! Oh my Gawd – where have you been all night!? I was so scared something might have happened to you! Oh wait – I didn’t even think of the obvious: you went to stay overnight at Taylor’s, didn’t you?! Ugh – and I sat here worrying. Argh!”

“No, I didn’t. That would have been so wrong on so many levels for so many reasons. I grew up here, Bri, lived here until my mom died when I was 8, then I went through various foster homes in the surrounding towns, so I never really left, then back here to this town again after my dad bailed me out of that last damn foster place. Meaning, I know the area, slept in some leaves under some overhang. My friend Cheyton and his dad taught me how to survive in the wilderness. They’re Chippotahwah’s. Natives.” he explained without ever turning around to her.

“YOU SLEPT OUTDOORS?! What the actual … are you nuts?! There are coyotes and bears and mountain lions and snakes and … things around here!” Briar Rose was shocked.

“Yup.” he confirmed tight-lipped, still without looking at her, sipping his coffee while sitting down at the little table in the kitchen.

“Jackson, about last night …” she started inching closer to him, but froze in place when Jackson said

“Your brother is here.” Jackson cut her off, as he nodded his chin up towards the window.

“WHAT?!” Briar Rose’s heart dropped. Already?!

“Yeah, I called Connor before I came back to come drive you and his car home. He was just out of his last surgery and said he’d be here soon.” Jackson explained, waving at the window, just before the door opened and Connor entered.

“Morning Jackson. Briar Rose, I can’t believe you are not even dressed. Get changed, NOW, and then get your ass in the car INSTANTLY! Hope it was worth it to you, cos THIS is going to have a LONG aftermath for you. Mom and dad are already waiting back home for you for a REALLY intense session about this and you will definitely be grounded. But first you’ll get to ride back home with me to my place, cos I want my chance to have the 2+ hours to tell you what I think about all this.”

Even without Connor’s rant it took one look at his grim expression and Bri already knew it was going to be a very long 2 hours riding home with her big brother. 2 hours of non-stop lecturing. The dream just didn’t want to end. Oh wait, this has been a nightmare from the start. And grounded too. Ugh. Better start thinking about excuses for when Brad started wondering WHY she was grounded, cos he would NEVER hear about ANY of THIS.

So Bri couldn’t say what she wanted to say, Jackson remained tight-lipped and aloof, and Connor was fighting hard to not blow up at his little sister, grinding his teeth seeing her in Jackson’s shirt. When she returned dressed, she could tell they had been talking about her, so with a huff, she headed out to wait in Connor’s car. Jackson never came to say goodbye, stayed by the door of his cabin, watching them.

Bri closed her eyes and just braced for what was coming. The first of several of such blasts, first Connor, then her parents, and probably also Colton and Maddie. And all that while her confused heart was already bursting apart with feelings she didn’t really understand – not to mention all the guilt.