The Accident (Maxley)

Chapter 13: The Call

Bradley sat at his cluttered desk, staring blankly at the textbooks and notes scattered before him. The looming shadow of midterms hung over his head like a dark cloud, pressing down on his shoulders. He rubbed his temples, trying to will away the stress-induced headache that had been plaguing him for days. The equations and theories blurred together on the pages, refusing to make any sense.

"Come on, Bradley. Focus," he muttered to himself, but his mind wandered back to the incident with Max and his ex. The betrayal still stung, but he couldn't afford to let it distract him. Not now. He sighed deeply and turned his attention back to his notes.

A knock on his bedroom door jolted him from his thoughts. It creaked open, and Max's familiar face peeked in.

"Hey, man," Max said, a hesitant smile on his lips. "I was thinking, it's been a while since we hung out. How about we take a break and go skateboarding? Like old times?"

Bradley hesitated. The last thing he wanted was to face Max again, but the stress was eating him alive, and a break might do him some good. He glanced at his textbooks one more time before closing them with a sigh.

"Yeah, okay," he agreed, standing up. "I could use a break."

The two of them grabbed their skateboards and headed out to their favorite spot, a quiet park with smooth paths perfect for skating. As they rode, the familiar thrill of wind in his hair and the rhythm of the wheels on the pavement started to lift Bradley's spirits. For a brief moment, he felt like a kid again, free from worries and stress.

They laughed and joked as they performed tricks and raced each other down the paths. The tension between them seemed to ease, and Bradley almost forgot about the betrayal. Almost.

Then, his phone rang. He slowed to a stop and pulled it from his pocket, seeing his younger sister Emily's name on the screen. He answered, a smile still lingering on his lips.

"Hey, Em. What's up?"

"Bradley..." Emily's voice was a choked sob. "Please, come home. Please."

Bradley's heart sank at the sound of her crying. He could hear the terror and desperation in her voice, and it set off alarm bells in his mind.

"Emily, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Just come home. Please, Bradley," she repeated, her sobs growing louder.

"I'll be right there," he said, his voice firm. He ended the call and looked at Max, his face pale and serious. "We need to go. Now."

Max didn't ask questions. He just nodded, understanding the urgency. They hopped into Max's car and sped towards Bradley's house, the sense of dread growing with every passing second. Bradley's mind raced with possibilities, each one worse than the last.

When they arrived, the scene that greeted them confirmed his worst fears. His father stood in the doorway, frowning, his disappointment palpable. His mother was right behind him, her face stern and upset.

"What happened?" Bradley demanded, rushing past them to find Emily. She was sitting on the living room couch, her face buried in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. He knelt beside her, wrapping his arms around her small frame. "Emily, it's okay. I'm here."

She clung to him, her tears soaking his shirt. "Dad... he... he got so mad..."

Bradley looked up at his parents, his eyes blazing with anger. "What did you do?"

His father crossed his arms, his expression hardening. "It's none of your business, Bradley. Emily needs to learn to behave."

"She's a kid!" Bradley shouted, his voice shaking with fury. "What did you do to her?"

"We disciplined her," his mother said coldly. "She needs to understand that actions have consequences."

Bradley felt his blood boil. He wanted to scream, to hit something, but he knew that wouldn't help Emily. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

"I'm taking her with me," he said, his voice low and determined. "She doesn't deserve this."

"You can't just take her," his father said, stepping forward. "She's our daughter."

"And I'm her brother," Bradley shot back. "I'm not leaving her here with you."

His father looked like he was about to argue, but Max stepped in, his presence a calming force. "Maybe we should all take a step back and talk about this calmly," he suggested, his voice even.

Bradley's father glared at Max but didn't respond. Bradley took the opportunity to guide Emily towards the door, Max following closely behind.

As they walked out of the house, Bradley felt a mix of relief and anger. Relief that Emily was out of that toxic environment, and anger at his parents for putting her through it. He looked at Max, who gave him a reassuring nod.

"Thanks, Max," Bradley said quietly. "I owe you one."

Max shook his head. "You don't owe me anything, Bradley."

Bradley managed a small smile. Maybe things with Max weren't as broken as he'd thought. As they drove away from the house, he felt a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, things could get better.

I wanted to write smut but that's not my forte so I decided to get this over with before smut and fluff and all
Sorry for late chapterrr