Live Again // Bradley Simpson

Chapter 19: Childhood and drugs

"There's so many things about me you wouldn't want to know." Charlie whispered to him.

"Can't be that bad?" Brad replied, running his hand through her hair. The two were in the back of Brads car cuddling now. 

"It wasn't really my parents fault for the whole, depression thing when I was younger. I fucked up myself. After the whole, Kelly thing, I started to take drugs and fucking guys because of what I was going through. I was only 17, Brad. I was suffering from a mental illness, one that had been developing inside for over 4 years. It kind of just. Blew."

"Blew?" He asked.

"Things don't happen all of a sudden. You don't make up depressed. It just builds up until it finally explodes." She cries, holding onto him. "I'm sorry Bradley, that I'm pulling you into my dark world."

"Charlie. Don't be. But tell me everything, please, it's better for us. It's better I know, I want to help you." Brad pleaded, kissing her forehead to reassure her.

"When I was younger, my dad had a drinking problem. He was also a racist, homophobic smart ass. He didn't approve my sexuality or my beliefs. I was stupid and did everything he didn't want me to do. Never came home, and always stayed out of his sight. Did me no good, because when I did see him, shit went down."

"What about your mum?" Brad asked, bringing Charlie closer to him.

Charlie didn't want to continue, but she did, because for once in her life, someone was here for her. She had a gut feeling Brad was what was best for her. "She knew she couldn't do anything. I mean without my mum none of this would be happening. She paid for everything, took me places and gave me that last bit of hope."

 "Your mum must be a brave woman. I'd love to meet her." Brad replies.

"Maybe. I'm still sorting stuff out with them. "

"I thought when you went back to Australia, you talked to them."

"For a few days, but that's not enough time to make up for the years of pain."

Brad didn't know what to do, he wasn't a psychologist, or anything like that. He was just good at listening. "Babe. Do you wanna skip class and go back to bed with me?"

Charlie thought about the nice offer. "I'm already going to miss my first class. You better get me back to Uni so I can get my next class. Or Casey will be calling you next minute." 

Charlie then slowly, and reluctantly got up, and crawled back into the passengers seat and Brad followed, but got into the Drivers seat.

Charlie walked out of the lecture theatre and into the crowded hallway. She spotted Casey amongst the students and quickly shuffled through the body of students and nudged her.

Casey looked over at Charlie and faked smiled and walked off. Charlie followed until they got out of the crowded hallway and outside into the cold open air. Casey stopped and turned around, facing Charlie.

"You like left for a whole week, didn't bother to text or anything. I was forced to see you tweet every goddamed day about Mr. Bradley Simpson. Then we finally have time together, you don't even turn up to class. I thought we were friends." Casey shouted at Charlie.

Charlie took a step back. Casey had never gotten so angry at her.

"So, don't go expecting me to be your best friend anymore. I'm done with fake bitches. I don't care about all the fucking shit you've been through." Casey continued, her face was red with anger now. Her fists were clenched and red also.

Charlie took a deep breath. 'Typical of Casey' Charlie thought.

"You're not going to say anything are you? I guess that Bradley didn't change you. You're still a heartless bitch." Casey spat and walked off.

Charlie awkwardly rubbed her neck. It took every ounce of her to not argue back. Charlie had learnt over a long time to never talk back, just to ignore and move along. She was used to being told mean things, and she was used to burying it deep inside her to release when no one else was around.

Charlie huffed and straightened her back and walked back to her dorm room. When she arrived, the door was already open. Casey's boyfriend was lying on the couch smoking a cigarette, despite the 'NO SMOKING' sign he could clearly see from the couch.

"Look who's back." He greets with a nod.

"Thought you didn't care about me." Charlie replies, wanting to poke the finger at him. He was a manipulative ass hole. The only reason Casey was dating him was because the sex, and the free rows of speed. Charlie had to admit, she got a friend benefit which meant free rows of speed too.

"My liaison, can't ignore you, but I've got some more speed for tonight, we're blowing up this place. Also snagged myself a load of coke and I've already got lines of heroin for the lads." He says, getting up off the couch and heading over to the kitchen table, which was full of straws and lines of powder.

Charlie shrugged off the offer, as being high whilst studying wasn't ideal and went into her bedroom. The bed was still unmade from when she last slept in it, over a week ago. Her room smelt like someone had been cooking in it, but it was probably the fact that she had an en-suite and that Casey's boyfriend was using it to store his load.

Charlie went to her bathroom and opened it up, revealing stacks of green packages laid out on the floor and an intoxicating smell of cocaine. "Fucking hell. Hanny, get your ass here! You can't store a million dollars worth of cocaine in my bathroom!"

Hanny was there quicker than he snorted speed. "Yea, well you shouldn't have opened that."

The intoxicating smell of cocaine quickly filled her bedroom. Charlie quickly exited the bathroom and slammed the door shut. "I hope our neighbours like the smell of cocaine and don't rat you out. I mean, they know about what goes on in here. But this was way to far. How the fuck did you even get in here?"

Hanny shrugs. "You're such a pussy. You know I've got my master plan. Nobody catches me."

"Who's a pussy?" Came a way too familiar voice to Charlie from behind. "And what master plan?"

Charlie spins around to see none other than Bradley Simpson standing there, looking very shocked.