"You know, while we're on the topic of that one summer...can you tell me about you running away? I know back then you said you didn't want to talk about it, but I've always wondered how that went down with you and your dad." Bradley changes the topic to what started it all.
Shelby's POV:
Five years ago...
I race home in my new Mustang, straight from Carla's house. I went over there to hang out with Bradley, per usual. She moved to California when Carol died so that Bradley wouldn't have to move to New Jersey. I go to her house a lot because my dad is usually working oversees, but this time was different. Bradley wasn't there this time. Carla told me he found out my father pulled his Naval application papers, and that he packed his shit and left for San Diego to go to college. My mind only grows more angry as I race into my house. I told him not to do this.
"Dad!" I shout, slamming the door shut with my entry.
"Yes. Shelby? Look I'm kinda busy right now." He enters the living room where I'm standing.
"How could you do this?" I scream at him. I don't explain myself. He knows exactly what I'm talking about.
"Look, I thought I was doing the right thing. I swore to Carol that I would protect him, but I fucked everything up-"
"Damn right, you fucked everything up! What were you thinking?" I shout.
"I clearly wasn't thinking, okay!"
"Maybe use your brain every now and then! Your whole 'don't think just do' motto hasn't really been working for you." I sass.
"Look, I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize to me! Tell Bradley you're sorry! You ruined his life!"
"I tried! I tried to apologize, I tried talking to the admissions office, I can't do anything about it! He wouldn't talk to me, he just stormed out of here."
"No shit! What, did you expect him to thank you?"
"I could've saved his life by doing that! The Navy isn't safe!"
"No fucking shit, it's not safe! He knows that, I know that, everyone in the goddamn world knows that!"
"You better watch your mouth, kid!"
"Or what? You're gonna pull my papers when I apply too?" I cross my arms with the utmost attitude.
"If that's what it takes to keep you alive, then y-"
"No!" I interrupt him. "Bradley is gone! You didn't want to lose him? Guess what! You just did! You pull that shit with me, and I'll be gone too."
"You don't understand."
"I understand that flying for the Navy has been his dream since he was two years old! You of all people should know how much this means to him!"
"He's not ready!" My father shouts at me.
"Yes he is, and you know that. You are just so afraid that you'll lose him like you lost Goose." I hit him where it hurts. Maybe bringing up Nick was a little harsh.
"You're right." He admits. "And you know what? I don't care if the kid ever speaks to me again. If something bad were to happen to him, I would never forgive myself. I promised Carol that I would protect him, and right now this is the only way I can think of."
"You're not doing this shit again." I tell him. "Bradley is gonna fly one day. I'm gonna fly one day, and you're not stopping me. As of right now, I'm gonna leave." I announce. I head to my room to start packing a bag.
"What the hell do you mean, you're gonna leave? You can't just leave whenever you want to." He chases me to my room as I shove some clothes in a big duffel bag.
"I'm going to talk to Bradley. He's at his parent's old house in San Diego. I'll be back in a week or two. Maybe longer." I decide.
"The hell you are! You are sixteen years old! You cannot just go stay with Bradley alone three hours away from here!" He argues with me.
"Well I'm not staying here. I don't want to be around you right now." I bluntly tell him. "I know how to drive, and I know how to take care of myself. Plus, it's Bradley. He's not gonna let anything happen to me." I defend as I finish packing and grab my debit card, along with all the cash I can find.
"You're not going anywhere!" He chases me out the door. I speed walk to my car and throw my bag in the trunk.
"I'll be back soon. Pull my papers like you did to him and I won't be back ever." I say before shutting my car door. I see his hand bang on the window.
"Shelby Nicole Mitchell, you are not going anywhere!" I hear his muffled yelling from the other side of the car. I just choose to ignore him and back out of the breezeway.
I quickly flip him off before straightening my car out and zooming down the driveway. As I turn onto the empty desert highway, I immediately call Bradley to check on him.
"I don't wanna hear it, Mav. Calling me on your daughter's phone isn't gonna get me to talk to you." I hear him sigh into the phone angrily.
"It's me!" I quickly say, knowing he was about to hang up.
"...Oh." It seems like I've surprised him. How many times has my dad called?
"Bradley, I'm so sorry! If I'd have known he was gonna do that, I wouldn't tried to stop him. This is all my fault; I should've known."
"This isn't your fault, Shel. Don't blame yourself." He tells me.
"Carla said you went home. Like San Diego, home? Like North Island home?" I change the topic and typed the address I have memorized into my gps.
"Yeah. I decided to go to college here, so I'm staying in my parent's house." He says.
"College, wow. Um that's good. So uh I'm on my way." I reveal.
"On your way here? I'm like three hours away."
"I know, but uh my dad and I got into a little fight. I got mad and left home." I say. He's quiet for a second.
"Are you serious? You really just left home?"
"Yes! I know it was stupid, and I can stay with the Kasansky's if you don't want to see me. I just can't go back home right now."
"No, you're staying with me, of course." He decides. "I can't believe you just ran away."
"I didn't technically run away. I told him where I was going."
"And he was fine with it?" He doubts me.
"Not exactly."
"You are insane." I can practically see him shaking his head although we're on the phone.
"I'll be there in a few hours."
————————————————————
"I still can't believe you did that." He laughs in disbelief. He lays back on my bed, so I follow him by laying down too. I changed into sleeping clothes halfway through my telling of the story, so not only am I tired, I'm also comfortable.
"What else would I do? I couldn't be around him, not at a time like that. And I knew I needed to talk to you before I lost you. Plus, you needed me."
"I did need you." He agrees with me. "I still do."
"I needed you too. I always have." He puts an arm around me and I rest my head on his chest. I feel his fingers lightly tracing circles down my arm, making me want to fall asleep. I shift closer to him so that I can wrap my arm around his torso, practically putting half of my body on top of his. We stay like that for a while. For a whole nine hours, apparently.
YOU ARE READING
Through The Fire
Fanfic"You said 'through the fire'" "And I meant it." Shelby "Mustang" Mitchell never knew what to think of her father pulling Bradley Bradshaw's papers from the Naval Academy. The two of them had been best friends their whole lives despite him being two...
