Bradley gasped and tensed up as he heard a voice come from behind him say "I know you're out there, you can come out..."
He slowly turned around to see Tommy sitting in a chair and smiling gently at him, seemingly waiting for him to emerge from his hiding spot. A pang of fear and guilt shot through Bradley's gut as he slowly rose and sheepishly walked towards the older man.
"...How did you know I was here...?"
Tommy chuckles his usual warm laugh.
"Oh sweet child..listen I might be old but I haven't gone completely blind." He smiles. "Come. Sit..We can talk if you wanna?" Tommy said gently.
Bradley slowly approached Tommy and sheepishly took a seat across from him. His heart was still thumping from realizing that he had been found out, and even more so because of the fact that he had essentially been spying on Max.
He awkwardly fidgeted and looked down at his feet for a moment before looking back up at Tommy with a guilty expression.
"So...you knew the whole time that I was here?"
Tommy shrugged and smiled. "Well I knew you were here..I just wasn't sure..why?" He said softly and looked at Bradley.
"You are a handsome one I must say..I can see why Max finds you so lovely.." He chuckles and sips from his water.
Bradley's cheeks immediately flushed with heat and redness from Tommy's words as he practically called him handsome, and said that Max found him lovely.
Was it that obvious that Bradley liked Max that even a homeless stranger could see it? But what surprised him more than anything was hearing that Max found him lovely...was that really true? Or was Tommy just teasing him?
Bradley swallowed and slowly looked up at Tommy, sheepishly trying to keep his cool.
"M-Max finds me...lovely..?"
Tommy smiles. "Ah..just as I thought.." He says softly. "You see..I've known Max many years. His father and I were friends. And..I'm too old for you to pass anything by me.." He smiles and looks at Bradley.
"You like Max..don't you?"
Bradley felt his heart thumping at an even quicker pace as Tommy spoke. He seemed to be surprisingly perceptive and astute...being aware of Bradley's feelings towards Max before even Bradley himself was fully able to acknowledge them.
Bradley swallowed nervously and nodded sheepishly.
"I-I guess I do...I didn't realize it until recently but...yeah...I do like Max..."
Tommy smiles his warm fatherly smile. Something Bradley's real father never did for him. "Listen..I am not your father..and I'm not asking you to trust me..but..if you would like too..I'm here to listen.."
Tommy's fatherly smile and gentle tone surprised Bradley with how comfortable it made him feel, a feeling he hadn't really experienced with his own real father. That pang of guilt hit him again thinking about how his own dad never gave him a smile like Tommy did.
Bradley was hesitant for a moment but then slowly nodded and looked up at Tommy.
"Y-yeah...I guess I could...um...I'd like to talk..."
Tommy sat back and nodded, letting Bradley be his patient and let him talk.
Bradley shifted in his chair, still feeling a bit uncomfortable but gradually starting to relax as he spoke to Tommy.
"Well... I guess...ever since I met Max...I've felt this strange connection to him. He just...gets under my skin like nobody else. It's like this weird feeling of annoyance mixed with..."
YOU ARE READING
Until I found you
Teen FictionMax and Bradley go to the same college, Max lives in the college dorms while Bradley lives in his frat house with his friends. They're known as The Gammas, and Bradley is known to be a stuck up spoiled rich kid, but he can easily get put in his plac...
