Author’s Note: I don’t own Beverly Hills 90210.
Brandon scanned the halls looking for the girl that now consumed his every thought. Parting the seas of the oncoming West Beverly students he was determined to correct the situation from the previous night. His intention was never to make Stephanie feel obligated to do anything, though her comment about “others guys,” kept repeating in his head. He wasn’t like other guys and was now fully focused on proving it to her.
He cleared a path through the last short layer of frantic teens and found Stephanie surveying her locker. “Hey,” he planted himself beside her. “Hey,” she replied back barely acknowledging him. The awkwardness grew as she continued to keep her eyes ahead avoiding him. “Look, I’m sorry about the other night,” Brandon was hoping to make everything better before the first period bell. “Sorry about what?” she questioned still refusing to make eye contact. He wasn’t sure how to take her cold response. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. It’s just that, well, I’m not like other guys and my intentions aren’t the same as most guys.” As he finished his comment, a pair of gruff hands came from behind Stephanie and wrapped around her as she smiled.
Brandon watched as James Franks came up and began spooning his girl. Not only was he putting the moves on her, but she was responding. She turned to James and kissed him firmly on the lips. Upon releasing him, she finally looked over at Brandon. “Don’t worry about it,” she slyly stated. Closed her locker and walked away from a now very confused and increasing angry young man. He continued to stare as they held hands down the hall.
Within seconds of their departure Brenda walked up behind him. “I’m sorry, Brandon.” Brandon didn’t realize that Brenda had watched the entire exchange from only 10 feet away. She didn’t trust this girl and she was forced to watch Stephanie squash his heart as she blatantly disrespected him leaving in the arms of another man. She continued to prove herself as a menace. Brandon seemed like a deer caught in headlights. He didn’t move and he continued his gaze in the direction of his betrayer though she had already made her way out of sight. Brenda waited for a response from him unsure of what else to say. Brandon finally sucked up his pride, “I’m fine, Bren,” and without looking back, walked away.
Brenda was forced to share a room with her brother’s tormentor during first period watching as she flirted with any guy that showed her any bit of attention. Brenda was ready to lash out at and call her out in front of the entire class. She wanted to drag her out from her desk, throw her up against the wall and repeatedly punch her in the face and stomach. She couldn’t believe how disgusting she could be and yet, in the back of her mind, she heard Kelly’s words. ‘Her father abused her.’ Was that truly an excuse? Does that make it okay for her to mess with other people’s affections? Does that make it alright to be selfish? These questions were never going to be answered and they were only contributing to her confusion and hatred. No matter how badly she wanted to hurt Stephanie Sloan, she knew that Brandon and Dylan would never forgive her. That fact, and that fact alone, kept Stephanie from feeling her wrath. The bell finally rang and she broke free of her rage inducing confines.
Brenda slipped on a comfortable pair of blue jeans and a black tank top then ran to the bathroom to check her hair. Standing at the mirror, she fluffed her hair with her fingers and turned her attention to the door cracked to her left. “Brandon?” she asked in the direction of the opening. She received no answer, so she cracked the door a little more. “Brandon? Are you ready?” She peered through the open crack to find her brother, dressed in a blue button shirt and blue jeans, staring off at the wall ahead of him while resting on his bed. She let herself in and sat next to him. “Brandon?” she tried one more time.
“I don’t really feel like going out tonight,” he sadly stated. “Brandon, you can’t let her get you down. She isn’t worth it and the best thing for you to do is not dwell. Come on, we’re going to the movie and I don’t want to hear anything else about it. Besides, you’re driving,” she commanded with a huge smile trying to comfort him as well as she could without showing her building resentment. He took in a deep breath and rolled his eyes in her direction. “Alright,” he finally caved in, giving her a little smile and getting up from the bed.
They made their way downstairs and into Brandon’s car. Brenda did her best to keep the conversation on anything but his woman troubles. They discussed the ugly cars that drove by, how she hated red lights and trying to decide whether she wanted popcorn or snow caps at the movie. As they pulled up to the theater, they made out the eye catching appearance of Dylan’s jet black Porsche parked outside. Brandon pulled into the side lot and parked. The twins made their way up to the front of the theater meeting Kelly, Donna and Dylan already waiting outside.
They greeted everyone and Brenda took her time making it over to where Dylan was standing and waited for a reaction from him. She was hoping this night wouldn’t become anymore tense and Dylan’s first reaction was going to dictate whether or not that happened. She turned her eyes up to meet his and he slowly turned his attention to her. She held her breath. Dylan let out a little smirk without saying anything. It was better than nothing and she was willing to take it. Tonight was going to be okay. She put her hand around his back and he quickly returned the gesture. “So, we ready to buy the tickets?” Kelly asked.
“I thought Steve was coming,” Donna interjected. Kelly rolled her eyes as Donna pointed out Steve’s car pulling up to the parking lot. “See?” she stated with her small ‘I was right’ smile. Kelly turned her attention to Brandon, “You alright?” He looked at her putting on his best fake smile, “I’m fine,” he tried to be convincing, but failing miserably. “Brandon, I told you not to let her ruin your night,” Brenda added in the direction of her sulking sibling. It dawned on all of them who Brenda was talking about; all, that is, except Steve who only caught the tail end of the comment. “Who?” his ignorant question radiated through the group as Brandon became a little flustered. “Stephanie Sloan,” Donna innocently answered.
“Oh, her,” he stated, “I heard her and James Franks have some big plans tonight.” Brandon’s interest had been peaked by this bit of information, “Like what?” Steve instantly realized the stupidity of his comment and tried to act speechless. “Steve?” Brandon pushed the question. “Brandon, don’t worry about it,” Brenda tried to skip the topic so they could all enjoy the night out without any drama. Steve couldn’t hide the gossip any longer, “Well, James was talking about his plans to take her to The Point.”
Brandon went from sullen to angry within a split second. “Damn it,” he raised his voice, “That scumbag,” he unintentionally stated his thoughts. Dylan reiterated his earlier warning, “Brandon, I told you not to get tangled up with her.” Brandon reacted to his voice, but not to his words, “Dylan, you have to come with me.” Dylan already knew the answer, but asked anyway, “Where?” Brandon let his feelings take over him while everyone watched, “I’m not going to let him use her like every other guy she’s been with. That’s part of why she’s so screwed up. You know her better than I do, maybe you can talk some sense into her.”
Dylan shook his head, “I don’t think so, man,” but Brandon was not taking no for an answer. He was going to go get her and they all knew it. “Fine,” Brandon started walking to his car when Brenda looked over at Dylan hoping to get him to change his mind so her brother would at least have someone with some sense there with him. Dylan let out a heavy sigh, “Wait, it’ll be a faster drive in the Porsche.” Brandon turned around, running up to the sports car already parked outside. “Thanks.” Dylan just shook his head, kissed Brenda on the cheek and jumped into the driver’s seat. The group watched as the two sped away.
Dylan was right. His car was much faster and The Point was only a few blocks away. They reached it in no time and Brandon jumped out. Dylan refused to move. Brandon eyeballed him and Dylan quickly proclaimed, “I said I would come with you, I didn’t say I was going to be a pervert looking in the back seats of other people’s cars.” Brandon just rolled his eyes and took notice of the only two cars currently parked besides Dylan’s. A yellow Pontiac and a red Mercedes sat parked within 20 feet of each other. He quickly surmised that dealing with Beverly Hills kids meant that the Mercedes was where he was headed. To his dismay, he found that he was right as he approached the rocking vehicle.
He walked up to the fogged windows and knocked, knuckles first, as hard as he could. The gyrations within the car stopped and the window descended down to reveal James and Stephanie in a very compromising position. He could make out the unbuttoned and open brown shirt of the young James and watched as Stephanie unwrapped her panty exposing death gripped legs from around him. “What the hell?” James yelled out the window. Brandon did he best control his fist-balling reaction and just ignored him, “Stephanie, come out here.” She looked up finding a very angry gentleman staring back at her. “What’re you doing here, Brandon?” He calmly stated, “I’m saving you from making a mistake.”
He watched as the anger rose in her face. She pushed James onto the floor in front of the, grabbed the door handle and swung her legs around using James’ chest to catapult off from and stepped out of the car. Her obviously disheveled appearance and he wareness of they obvious position he found the two entangled in made Brandon question whether or not he was too late. He scanned her over and realized she was wearing the exact same short revealing black dress she had worn for their date. “Stephanie, you don’t have to do this.” She couldn’t control her frustrations and began yelling, “This is none of your business.” “It is my business, I care about you and I want you to realize that you don’t have to do this. Jerks like James Franks aren’t worth it,” Brandon loudly shouted back.
“What the hell do you know? You live in your perfect little existence with your perfect little family. You have no idea who I am and you think you have some right to save me. Go to hell,” she tried to walk away heading to the passenger seat of red Mercedes, but was diverted when Brandon grabbed her arm, “No, I’m not letting you leave with him.” She was now provoked to attack and she did so with unbelievable speed causing her left palm to come in contact with his right cheek, “You don’t have any say in my life.” Though the throbbing in his cheek quickly dispersed through out the rest of his face, he refused to release her. James had snapped out of his bewilderment and confusion after fully restoring his usual preppy appearance and introduced himself into the scene, “She said to let her go.” Brandon hadn’t realized exactly how big James really was and found that he felt as if he was now the small David facing down the mighty Goliath as James grabbed him by his arm. The mighty Goliath raised his hand landing a right-cross into the cheek that was lucky enough to escape Stephanie’s wrath on seconds before, causing Brandon to fall to his hand, but remain with feet firmly planted on the ground. As if from nowhere Brandon’s side kick, Dylan, made he his entrance in the nick of time returning the right-cross to his enemy rendering James unconscious and sprawled out on the rocky earth below him.
“You picked a hell of a way to go about this, Walsh,” Dylan threw at him as he motioned to the giant that now rested soundly in front of them. “Are you kidding me?” Stephanie was left once against astonished and enraged by the increasing number of idiots that deemed themselves her saviors entering the action sequence she was forced to witness. Dylan went to the aide of his now swaying friend as he tried his best to reason with his other very angry former friend, “Look, he isn’t going to give up so you mine as well come with us.” She turned her attention to the her date that, in his current condition, was of no use to her and realized that if she wanted to get home it was walk or suck up her disgust and go with them. Since she wasn’t sure exactly where her shoes had ended up she decided to walk to the Porsche ignoring the two banes of her existence.
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