Our Bruised Bodies | Bradley Bradshaw

ACT TWO - PART SIX

And once again Cheers!

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"Urg, she's going to be here all the time now?" Grace asked Nat as they entered the bar together, the boy already sitting around a table at the back of the bar, the same mousy haired woman next to Bradshaw, causing Nat to grip Grace's arm, before pulling her to stand by the wall next to the corridor that would lead to the bathrooms.

Nat was leaning against the wall with Grace standing in front of her, almost hovering over her the way Bradley had hovered over his girl on the night they met her, but Grace was just about a head taller than Nat, with about the same physique. Nat was still holding onto Grace's arm, tugging slightly to make her lean in so they could talk to each other over the music.

"Can I ... just to get this straight. You don't want Bradley." Nat asked, before searching Grace's eyes for anything. Anything at all that would indicate that she did want Bradley after all. And maybe she did in her own fucked up way, Nat thought. Maybe what was going on with Bradley and Grace had nothing to do with a normal traditional relationship and never would. But maybe it was there way of showing that they did want each other.

"God, no." Grace told her, her eyebrows pulled together in confusion, not understanding why Nat was pushing that topic now, when they were in a bar, Bradley and his girlfriend in their sight.

"But you also don't want anyone else to have him." Nat then said, and Grace swallowed, thinking for a moment. Well, yes, but actually no. That's not easy to answer. It's not like she would do anything either way, but she also had no business liking any girl the boys brought with them. They normally were very different to what Grace would consider good for any of them. Bradley was no different.

"You want him to be single and miserable for the rest of his life?" Nat then wondered and just to keep her mask in place, Grace allowed a smirk to bloom on her lips, before giving a sharp nod.

"Yeah, that sounds about right." She agreed, only for Nat to give her a look, wondering if she was serious before she shook her head.

"You're an awful human being." The older one said and yes, that was the intention behind it. It was easier to be a terrible person. No one dared to walk all over her, when they feared what she would do to them if they did. Kind people often get overlooked, but Grace had no business being overlooked. Not when she wanted stars. Four to be precise.

She had to work on her reputation already.

"We talked about this, Grace. For fucks sake. On one of these days, you will have to decide what you want it to be. Ignore your feeling for him and lose him forever to some girl that can see how much of a good guy he is or be brave for just a moment and get rewarded with a lifetime of love and happiness." Nat said, having Grace snort at her words.

"You really trying to sell this shit, aren't you?" She wondered. I think you're in love with Bradley for a while now. For fucks sake, shut the fuck up.

"Look, Bradley deserves happiness, and no matter how much I hope you will get your shit together and be the one giving him that happiness. If you don't, if you're not willing to do it, you can't stand in his way, okay? You can't play with two different hands of cards. I won't watch while you're being unfair." Nat told Grace, as if she was a toddler, who she had to explain to that it wasn't nice to wave a stick in front of a dog's noes before pretending to throw it, but instead hiding it behind her back.

"Fine." Grace agreed after a moment. "Okay, yes. I promise, I will be nice to his girl and him. No ill intended joke. No jabs. Happy with that?"

"Not until I know how that actually turns out when you play nice." Nat muttered, causing Grace to roll her eyes.