nobody | brad s.

seven

I push my hair away from my face and tighten me jacket around me as the wind picks up. I dig my shoes underneath leaves as I trudge on to the school. I faked being sick yesterday so I could miss out on school. I was scared. I don't know why. Maybe I was afraid that I would see Brad, and he'd still be mad or disappointed; I don't like it when he's like that.

I furrow my eyebrows and lift my head once I hear the soft sound of guitar string followed by a smooth voice. The woods is an odd place to find someone practicing music, but I continue to slowly step toward the direction it's coming from.

I get close enough to where I can clearly hear the voice, although I'm not sure who yet. But I do have a pretty good idea. "-I just lay awake,
no I can't sleep."

I crack a smile as I round the side of a tree to be faced with Bradley, his back turned to me, making him unaware of my presence. "I close my eyes,
and you are here,
with me tonight."

"In anoth-" I step forward, my weight crunching on a twig of some sort. Bradley's head whips back and he slips off from his position on a fallen tree, landing on the ground. I rush over to him, but he's already up by the time I reach him. Brad's cheeks are flushed pink with embarrassment as he dusts off his clothes, avoiding my eyes.

"I see you've been working on that song." I softly smile and pick up his guitar to hand to him.

He frowns and shrugs, his hands quickly reaching out for the wooden acoustic.

"So you're still mad at me." I assume, rather than asking.

Bradley sighs, taking a seat on a tree stump and resting his head in the palms of his hands. "I hate being mad at you. But you were right."

"I was right?" I murmur.

"About me. I guess my temper can get out of hand sometimes. I'm sorry. Again." He grimaces at the word 'again' and hangs his head.

I shrug and walk over to place a hand on his shoulder, lightly rubbing up and down.

"Can we talk alone tonight?" He stands up, running his hand down my arm before linking our fingers.

"Why not now?"

"You have to get to class, right?" Brad says in a half-teasing, half-serious tone.

I jokingly roll my eyes and nod. We exchange goodbyes and he tells me how he'll be waiting outside my house a little while after school.

----

Throughout my whole fifth period class, I can feel Tristan's eyes on me but am too caught up in my thoughts about tonight to let it bother me. I'm picking at my nails, chewing on my lip, even twitching in anticipation for tonight. I don't know what I'm expecting to expect from the tone in Brad's voice earlier, but I know it must be something. I can feel it in my gut.

"You okay?" Tris nudges me with his knee, keeping his eyes on the board so the teacher won't notice.

I quickly nod and tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear, my gaze focused on the analog clock.

"If you want to talk about the other night, then-"

"I don't." I deadpan, my mind trailing to the events that still have me awestruck.

Right on cue, the bell rings and the school day is finally over. I'm the first one up and out of my seat as I rush to the door from my seat in the back. As I weave through the rows of desks, something - or most likely someone - trips me and causes me to fall flat on my face, my unused notebooks, folders, and such flying everywhere.

"On your way to talk to a wall?" A guy with jet black hair snickers.

"Give it a rest." Tris glares as he gives me a hand up. I flash him a weak but thankful smile before messily gathering my things together and walking at the quickest pace possible, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Wait, Ella!" He calls after me, but I ignore him and finally merge in with the group of students exiting the building from the hallway.

As soon as I get home, I change into a simple grey crewneck and pull my hair back into a ponytail. Before going back outside, I check my jeans in search for my phone. Which I apparently don't have. Most people would be freaking out, but I hardly even use mine. The only thing I have to worry about is telling my mom.

I shrug and decide to worry about it later as I hop down the stairs and sit on the edge of the porch to wait for Bradley. The autumn season has caused the day to get dark soon, and I pull my sleeves over my hands and fold my arms to stay warm. Moments later, Brad arrives in an oversized green and grey long-sleeve, blue skinny jeans, and - you guessed it - his maroon beanie. I stand and start to lead the way back down my driveway.

"Did you say bye?" Bradley's small voice breaks through the cold air.

"To them?" I flick my head towards the house and he subtly nods. "I never really have before, so why now?"

"Are you sure you don't want to say goodbye?"

"They wouldn't care anyway." I shrug and take his hand. "Let's go."

We walk in our normal silence, Brad occasionally scuffing his boots and subconsciously tugging at his beanie along the way.

"So, what's this whole thing about anyway?" I swing our hands. "And you never told me where we're going."

"Will you just follow me?" He lightly laughs and keeps his eyes on the path in front of him. We continue to walk along, beginning to trail on the edge of a highway. I'm a little skeptical about it, but decide not to question it.

"We're gonna play a game, okay?" Bradley turns to face me and I nod.

"What kind of game?" I ask as he steps closer to the road.

"All you have to do is dodge the cars. First one to the other side wins."

I gape as he walks out and crosses the first lane. "Bradley!"

"I'm winning." He smirks before crossing the next one after a red car passes.

"Stop it!" I call, but he doesn't listen. Instead he just continues to cross the lanes with ease. I cautiously step out into the road, instantly stepping off then back on. Brad's going to get himself killed if I don't go get him.

"There you go! Come and get me!"

I grimace and sprint across three lanes, occasionally squealing, and stopping at the crossed off part in the middle as Brad watches me in amusement. I glare up at him and my breath catches in my throat as I see a truck speeding towards him.

"Watch the road!" I scream from the top of my lungs, unknowingly taking a few steps out in the next lane. I slap a hand to my mouth as the truck passes by.

I let a deep breath out once I see his beanie bobbing up and down as he comes closer to the other edge of the road. Just as I turn my head, a pair of bright headlights come into view. I hear a voice shout something, and the next thing I know my head collides with the concrete.

dun dun dunnn...
terrible cliff hanger but lol who cares