Skateboarding Lovers || Maxley

chapter 16

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𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗟𝗘𝗬
I walked into the gamma house and opened the door to the living room, seeing Tank sitting there. I walked past him towards the stairs but stopped, looking back at him.

I'd been thinking about apologizing to Tank, after all he's the one that deserved an apology the most. I was his best friend, and I just left him in a fire because I wanted to win a competition.
Of course I wanted to apologize, but I had never been good at apologizing. I hated doing it, my father never did and I want to follow in his footsteps. Besides, he's the best man I know so why wouldn't I want to be like him?

I continue up the stairs, walking over to my door and reaching towards the knob when I stop.
It will eat me alive if I don't apologize to Tank, and if I don't do it now I never will.

I turn back around and head back down the stairs, walking up to Tank who's sitting on the couch.

"Hey..."

He looks at me. "Oh, hey Bradley."

I scratch the back of my neck awkwardly while looking at the ground, trying to think of my next words.

He raises an eyebrow curiously. "What's up?"

I walk past him and take a seat next to him, looking at my feet. "I just wanted to talk."

"About what?"

I nervously run a hand through my hair, taking a glance at him then looking away again. "About- an apology. I'm apologizing. I know it's long overdue and I should've done this way sooner but you deserve an apology, Tank. And, I guess an explanation..."
I face him, scanning his face for an expression but he's just staring back at me without one so I look in front of me at my hands that I'm anxiously rubbing together and continue. "There's obviously no excuse for what I did, and this isn't me trying to defend myself." I say, taking glances at him in case his expression changed, but it didn't.
"I left you in a fire because I didn't want to lose, my ego was too big to let a freshman beat me, the freshman who rejected me at that. The only thing I cared about at that moment was to win, and I know that's shitty. I'm so fucking sorry Tank, I know I'm shit at apologies but...I can't even express how sorry I am, I don't know how I can ever make it up to you."

I look over at him, scared at what he might say.
He just stares at me before giving a soft smile and a nod. I'm not sure why he isn't saying anything but I think he understands.

He looks back at the tv without a word so I get up and head back to my room, relieved I finally got that off my chest.

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𝗠𝗔𝗫
Bobby and Pj came back to the dorm so I decided to go skate around campus to clear my head.

Whatever I'm feeling towards Bradley I just need to get over it. It's probably because I've spent too much time with him lately.

I focus on the cool breeze blowing through my hair, trying not to think about Bradley. But that doesn't last long when I realise I'm coming up to the gamma house. As I skate past, the door opens, and Bradley walks out. I automatically halt to a stop when I see him, as if it's a reflex.

He walks out with his skateboard in hand and drops it, then get's on. He starts skating towards me, when he looks up and sees me, making him stop. He stares at me for a few seconds then continues to skate towards me, stopping infront of me. "Uh...what are you doing here?"

I really, really did not need to be seeing him right now.

"Oh uhm, I was just skating by..."

He quizzically looks at me for a second before his expression drops. "Okay then."
He looks down at my skateboard, then back up at me. "You wanna go to the skatepark?"