Match Made in Heaven

Chapter 9: Standing Ground

Brandon's heart raced as he read the email from the company he had been interviewing with. They wanted to move him onto the final interview stage. Excitement and nerves mingled as he realized how close he was to potentially landing his dream job.

He immediately started researching apartments in the area between himself and Brianna, trying to find something that would fit his budget and lifestyle. He wanted to be prepared in case he got the job offer, wanting to have everything in place to start this new chapter of his life.

Brandon spent hours browsing listings, making notes, and comparing prices. He wanted to find the perfect place, somewhere he could see himself building a future with Brianna. He imagined them decorating the apartment together, making it their own.

Brandon couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and hope for the future as he searched. He knew landing this job could change everything, opening up new opportunities and possibilities.

Once he had a list of potential apartments, Brandon sent out a few inquiries, hoping to set up some viewings in the coming days. He wanted to be proactive and have everything in place so that if he got the job, he could move quickly.

He had been dreaming of this opportunity to leave home for months, and now that it was within reach, he couldn't contain his enthusiasm. As he was deep in thought, researching apartments and envisioning his future, a knock on his bedroom door startled him.

*Knock* *Knock*

"Hey, Brandon, mind if I come in?" his dad's voice came from the other side.

"Uh, sure," Brandon replied, quickly closing his laptop and trying to compose himself.

His dad entered the room, eyeing Brandon with a hint of suspicion. "Everything okay? I heard you typing away in here."

"Yeah, everything's fine," Brandon said, forcing a smile. "Just working on some stuff."

His dad glanced around the room, his gaze lingering on Brandon's closed laptop. "You've been spending a lot of time on that thing lately," he commented, his tone casual but with an underlying edge.

"Yeah, I've been looking into some things," Brandon replied vaguely, hoping to deflect his dad's curiosity.

His father raised an eyebrow. "Anything I should know about?"

Brandon hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. Knowing that their views often clashed, he had always been cautious about discussing personal matters with his dad.

Brandon cleared his throat, trying to appear nonchalant. "Just been working on a coding project here and there, you know, in my free time."

His dad's expression softened slightly at the mention of coding. "Ah, I see. Well, it's good to keep busy with something productive."

"Yeah," Brandon said, relieved his dad seemed satisfied with his explanation.

There was a moment of awkward silence before his dad spoke again. "Listen, I know things have been a bit tense between us lately, but I want you to know I'm only trying to look out for you. If you need to talk about anything, you can talk with me. I just want what's best for you."

Brandon forced a small smile. "Thanks." Internally, he knew he couldn't trust his father with the truth about his plans. Their relationship had taken a toll over time. They had been close at one point, but as Brandon got older, he started to see his father's shortcomings. 

His father studied him for a moment, sensing the reluctance in Brandon's response. "Is something bothering you? You seem distant lately."

Brandon hesitated, resisting the urge to unload his frustrations. "It's just... I don't know. I feel like you don't really understand me. You've always been so focused on what you think is best for me, but have you ever stopped to consider what I want?" Brandon looked up at his dad with slight tears in his eyes. Having had such a close relationship with him growing up, and seeing the man his dad had become now pained him to even be saying such words towards him.