Damn Dress: A Love Story Ch. 03

I just so love the people coming here and bitching about the story that is 16 years old but refusing to do anything but react on naked emotion rather than thinking logically or trying to analyze the piece as it's written. If you're going to gripe about something, have facts on your side because your feelings don't matter against the facts.

***

Fact is this story revolves around so many truths with male and female psychology and even stereotypes that we so easily forget---but that are true nonetheless--and if the reader stops to think why these situations happen, the story makes perfect sense and it's not even the kind of story some people mindlessly label it as.

***

First of all, it is an accepted psychological fact that most if not all women want to be totally desired by their men. Let's make no mistake here: Brandon never set out to conquer Sienna, and he couldn't understand why she was after him; the story clarifies she wanted him from little girl because he was her Prince

Charming. Now reality generally proves different from what our minds imagine (the crux of the world-famous, best-selling novel "Don Quijote"), and that may be the disconnect that some readers feel because some can't conceive of a person that holds a candle for someone for 10 years. The reality is the story stipulates Sienna believed Brandon was going to be hers AND she did everything to prod him, provoke him, tease him, and get under his skin to produce the exact reaction that in her immature mind thought was going to lead to something romantic at first. Poor Brandon could not vocalize nor understand everything that was happening to him, because he did not receive the type of care and affection he should have from his parents, and then his aunt and uncle both abused him physically and mentally and if one thinks that kind of character is going to be healthy psychologically, then you need to go have an MRI done and see if you have a brain in your skull. The fact is someone like that's going to be hellaciously messed up and need to fix a lot of stuff. What does that bring us to now? It leads us to the stereotype/truth that at least some women are attracted to bad boys: they think they can fix them, and they think they can change them. How does the story prove this? The story never condemns Brandon for how life shaped him; likewise, when Sienna observes Brandon's friends, she observes that they are nice guys but guess what? She has zero interest in any of them. Why is that? It sadly--and more truthfully applies in the last 5 to 10 years--that nice guys finish last with most females. If you don't believe that, then you need to go look up Olivia Alexa on YouTube and you will find her telling you the way the cow ate the cabbage, and that is the fact that when someone asked her where all the desirable guys were in a friend's life and why they weren't in that friend's life…what was the answer, it was that the friend in question friend-zoned all of those guys and disqualified them from any type of romantic interest. Do we know of any type of stereotype or saying that proves this correct? What...you never heard of the saying “nice guys finish last?” The story never states this explicitly but make no mistake: that is exactly what Sienna knows he's dangerous and that he has anger issues... but that doesn't stop her headlong charge to have him. In fact, she's far more possessive of him first then he is of her. The other thing is that he's never experienced this kind of overpowering and all-consuming love, although some readers could logically argue that when he first beds Sienna, it's nothing but pure unadulterated lust; however, in this chapter we see he turns a corner and while he can't apologize for what he did, he apologizes through his actions by trying to be more gentle with her. Sometimes with this type of character mentality, you have to be patient. The fact of the matter is he doesn't go after all females like this, which means he's not an undesirable nor an unlikable character; it just means that he never received the coping mechanisms and the proper tools for him to process emotions in a healthy fashion the way well-adjusted people would. That's the whole charm and ultimately the painful underpinning of the story: she won't have the tools to help him fully readjust and become healthy psychologically--but she can and already is helping him because his mentality exteriorizes that he had never once felt that kind of overwhelming love in his life. With him reflecting again upon fact that Jackson is the only one that ever treated him like a father towards a son. The problem is though that obviously this can't be a father/son relationship because they are not related--it can only be the emotional bond between the two of them and that's as far as it goes--readers choosing to really dig into the psychology of these two men would see that Brandon is a name and a psychology that normally experiences exceptionally painful events in his life; Jackson is equally damaged because he can't normally deal with conflict well, which is exactly what Sienna stated when she showed up to her own birthday party in that peach dress. Go back and read that since too many of you missed it, because it clearly stated that she knew her dad "never dealt well with conflict." Too many readers act as if Jackson is a perfectly healthy man too--but he isn't because his wife just up and left him--and he is still dealing with all those unresolved feelings and emotions (as if he failed her or "wasn't man enough for her"), and he has much as anyone else needs to hashing this out in a shrink's office to be able to process them in a healthy fashion. There's even another part of this story which reflects biological facts that few people have bothered to investigate but a few have and they managed to uncover that the very thing known as the grandmother's curse is actually biologically true: that is that Sienna inherited her mother's fire, drive, wild and fiery spirit because personality has been proven to be between 40 and 50% genetic: you don't have to believe me, but you should go look up the program called "The Truth About Personality," shown on BBC Horizons in 2012 because a doctor studied all these pairs of genetically identical twins and was able to conclusively determine what I just revealed. So the other scientific fact the story proves to us is that BEFORE you couple with a potential partner, you damn sure better make certain that both of you have the kind of personalities you would want to see in your child, because the likelihood is extremely high that the child will get many of the qualities from the two of you and then you'll have to deal with it, for better or worse. For that matter, who can blame Jackson for reacting the way he does because he's only able to see it because this tale strongly implies he adopted Brandon as a son, and that's why he's so disappointed in him: he's throwing him out as if he had sex with a sister, when it was simply a non-biologically-related female that he happened to know very well. It's also one thing to know somebody has a crush on you and it's a completely different thing to truly realize the depth and gravity of those feelings that the person with the crush may have been nursing all those years. The other truth this story buttresses is that if any person wants to get good at some activity, they have to spend at least 10 years doing it. So for all intents and purposes---and whether we like it or not--Sienna guaranteed or doomed herself to this course of action, which is why she can overlook the first time she was with Brandon; this is also why the story shows him fighting himself because some part of him knows that what he did is wrong, and that he should have done it differently. That's why he's trying to do it better now but is then cut off by Jackson who is understandably offended by it all. It doesn't matter how close any two or three people are because if they love each other enough, they will hurt each other; that is a fact of life that nobody should be griping about.

***

This author so nailed the psychology behind Brandon, Jackson, and Sienna in every possible way--as well as their respective psychologies as males and females--all the while painting three different people with three different sets of insecurities that happened to come together and interact. To place that many variables in one story and make it all exactly accurate is no easy task. If you as a reader can't stand Brandon, you are ignoring he's damaged and has to improve himself; if someone can't stand Jackson for kicking Brandon out of his house, then you're ignoring that Jackson is fighting his own poor communication skills as well as his own insecurities and demons. That still leaves Sienna, who's driving these people together---but let me make this plain--the story does not blame her for forcing them to deal with each other. So because of how carefully and intricately woven the story is without missing a heartbeat, I wholeheartedly rate this story a 5. The fact this story and these characters aged so well and are more relevant today that after 16 years testifies to this author's superior skill crafting a story that scandalizes some, yet pleasantly surprises those reading all parts of it carefully.

This story really should be labeled non con.

Uhh the fact that she's newly 18 and this 28 year old mentally broken man with anger issues and violent tendencies is taking advantage of this very young girl is very disturbing, even if it is "fiction". Because, at the end of the day, shi like this happen irl which makes this book even more disturbing. Like, the guy borderline rapes her bruh... so weird.

This is sick and definitely amounts to sexual abuse. Soular, you sound like you need counseling pretty badly before you do something that fucks up your own life and someone else's.

bruvvvv there’s a reason why it’s fiction bcs shit like this doesn’t fly so well irl like why are ppl so pressed on a website like this like let ppl write what they want to fucking write and if u don’t like it move tf on. There’s so many stories on here that can cater towards ur preference but y’all gotta fuck off with “she’s not emotionally mature” and “he’s a perv” like bitches it’s FICTION. Stop looking at these stories as if it’s encouraging you to pursue relationships like these bcs it’s FICTION FICTION FICTION and that’s why y’all are on this site in the first place you freaks of nature. Either go get laid irl or STFU bcs u guys ruin it for the writers AND the readers who actually want to read this kind of FICTION. rmbr that word u cunts.

I can't believe all the negative comments this story is receiving now. Just as the others, I too read this and the other stories by Soular years ago, when I was in college. I still thoroughly enjoy reading them, 10+ years later. She is an immensely talented writer and created some extremely compelling and engaging stories. There's depth and character development throughout her stories and the dialogue flows well and is believable. This is why I keep coming back. I find it a rarity to come across such a talented writer of IR fiction who is able to weave such incredible tales.

The only challenging part for me about coming back to read these stories is thinking about how stable and sane the world was then compared to what it is now in 2021. I could read these without a sense of urgency or dread for the future.

I too read all of soular's novellas years ago when I had considerably less life experience. From that younger perspective only concerned with what it feels like to be wanted, all of these male leads desperately lusting after these young women to the point of turmoil was desirable. From my perspective now, however, I can clearly see all the dysfunction and abuse that fills these pages and characters. As just older than Brandon is here, I know how ridiculously fucked up he is. The man needs therapy desperately but is instead taking a young woman's longstanding crush as license to indulge himself without thought to her or her pleasure, to the point of what is arguably rape despite Sienna not defining it as such or knowing enough to define it as such– all to soothe this lifelong hurt in himself. He's actively using her to feel better about himself and she doesn't know any better to not make the mistake of characterizing that as love. At no point was he ever concerned with Sienna or her well-being, going so far as to note that he's not wearing condoms and that she's not on any kind of birth control and then still actively deciding not to finish in another way because "let the chips fall where they will". That is terrifying to me now, that utter lack of empathy and consuming obsession with possession. It's also disturbing to see how that fiery attraction is consistently blamed on the female characters in these stories; it's their fault the men can't stop themselves from making increasingly stupid and risky decisions and action because they're just too attractive and tempting for their own good. Fuck all that noise. Grown men are capable of finding a woman attractive without jumping her and grown men that are in trusted roles of power where they are/are viewed as older brother, mentor, stepfather, etc. are capable of not manipulating that power to get their dicks wet. And casting Black women, particularly those who are lighter-skinned, in the role of Jezabelle– wanting and deserving of all the havoc she wreaks on poor men who really are good [insert eyeroll] is a whole other issue. There was a way in which Brandon and Sienna could have had the semblance of a healthy relationship, but this story does not go down that route. Now all that's not to say that the writing isn't good– it still holds up over time. It's just that the relationships portrayed have been revealed as ones that are wholly undesirable and unhealthy as that time passes.

I read this story when I was younger and didn’t know anything. Man, I thought this story was hot as hell. Now that I’m older, I can’t believe how messed up in the head both Brandon and Sienna are. How do you repay the man that is a father figure to you? A man who pretty much saved your life? You practically rape that man’s teenager daughter, get her pregnant and have a dysfunctional relationship with her. I’d would be one thing if Sienna got to experience life and came back a few years later to a Brandon who has successfully fought his demons. That’s a story the older me can get behind. All the male leads in this writer’s stories are abusive asses.

this is a story about a girl who has the mental maturity of an 6 year old child, acting like a whore and an 28 year old navy seal with no control of his aggressiv behavior because he is still the little abandonned boy.....well, if this is your idea what love is about than I'm sorry but I have to tell you, they or respective you have mental disorder.

this is just abusing, fucking, betraying....and so on.

Dear writer, you must be very young and inexperienced about life and it shows because this story is just pathetic.

Be just yourself, if you are inexperienced this is ok. I would prefere to read something about an insecure person than this fake and constructed thing/whore/child without personality .....

Maybe next time.

Brandon is one of the most despicable characters I've ever come across on Lit. I'm honestly shocked by comments of people feeling sorry for this guy. He just hospitalized a teenager(and ran from facing the consequences), and has been taking great pleasure in not only fucking the daughter of the one man who ever showed him love or respect, but seemingly was taking some weird pleasure in doing it behind the guy's back. Which is to not even mention his previous crimes of assault and rape on an eighteen year old virgin.

And yet readers are sad for HIM? Jackson could have shot him in the face and he would still be the hero to Brandon's villain in this story.

'...shook his head yes.'

Implausible relationship, terrible dialog, or rather lack thereof between single parent and purportedly intelligent daughter, I guess the rating system was gamed...this is pathetic.

Sienna irritates me, BT too uhg but I can't stop me

Also what's wrong with using protection?! They're

both stupid oh my gosh! But you're an awesome writer

and now I have to keep on reading about this two idiots

This story is a lot of fun. But in real life Brandon should be in prison. And isn't she in high school still? She just turned eighteen. There would have been some kind of social consequence for taking one of your classmates on a date, fucking some other dude in the bathroom before even the trailers end and then leaving the date beaten and bloody on the floor for getting an attitude about it. But no, three weeks go by and all is seemingly coolsville.

Still. Engaging story. Like the sex scenes. Got my dick hard.

...supposed to have half a brain, aren't they? This one just does not think before he acts. He's way too loud, too potty-mouthed, too irresponsible, untrustworthy, and plain stupid. SEALs are elite.

And btw, is it too much to ask for him to call her name when he comes in stead of ah shit oh fuck???

Enough already.

*sigh* I like where you going with the story,and I'm going to continue reading but. *sigh* Brandon just does not seem realistic too me, specifically when it comes to his feelings for what's her face. It's just sooo sudden. One minute she's this hot annoying little brat and then all of a sudden he has her heart and soul and he cant stop thinking about her and he loves her and yada-yada-yada. I just think there should be more scenes leading up to that point, the only explanation of his newfound feelings is that she was the only person that ever tell him I love you. & that paragraph alone is why I'm going to continue to give this story a shot.

He was such an asshole when he took her virginity and he acted selfish. Still I feel sorry for him. It seems he needs sienna but he isn't showing his appreciation properly.

Wow WTF I thought things were going so smoothly Brandon was opening Up To sienna but who told dad I think It was Darren

Didn't care for the pantie part at all!

the story would be more enjoyable. Jackson is right when he said Brandon is just a punk. A pigheaded full of himself punk, with stunted maturity, who think that only his opinion matters. I shudder to think if real life Navy SEALs would be like Brandon, a soldier who has lethal weapon body but emotionally equivalent as a toddler throwing temper tantrum.

that was sad @ the end. what will brandon do now? will he honestly give up and walk away or will he fight for what he wants? can't wait to find out! excellent writing :)

Wondered how her dad was going to react to this whole thing. I think it's interesting that you had him confront Brandon so soon in the story though. I have a hunch that Sienna isn't going to let this go, or else there wouldn't be more chapters in the story.

"She just walked out of the bathroom without washing her hands and he eats her out"! Hilarious!!! That puts a smile on my face, I never actually thought about it that way, but still, I really can't stop laughing!