In the wake of the College X Games, Bradley Uppercrust III finds himself isolated from his former fraternity brothers, feeling betrayed by those he once led. Unexpectedly, he begins forming a close friendship with Max Goof. As the two grow closer, t...
Once back in Bradley's room, the air between them felt lighter. Max looked over at Bradley, who was still leaning heavily on his crutches, his movements sluggish.
"Alright," Max began, rubbing the back of his neck as he gave Bradley a look-over, "I know you've had a rough day, but trust me on this—go take a shower. You'll feel better."
Bradley raised an eyebrow, his exhaustion evident. "A shower's not gonna fix everything," he muttered, his tone half-hearted.
"No, but you stink, and I'm pretty sure a little soap and hot water will help with that." Max flashed a grin, teasing to lighten the mood.
Bradley glared at him but didn't have the energy to argue. "You're an idiot," he grumbled, but there was no real bite behind his words. Still, after a beat, he sighed. "Fine. Anything to get away from you, I guess."
Max smiled, satisfied. "That's the spirit. Clean up, throw on some fresh clothes, and I'm sure you'll feel at least a little more human."
Bradley groaned in response but hobbled toward the bathroom, his crutches slightly squeaking from the weight they bore.
Once the door clicked shut behind him, Max exhaled and sat down in the chair near the window. He glanced around the room, trying not to think too much about how broken Bradley had looked throughout the day.
At least he's letting me help, Max thought, his eyes drifting to the TV. But instead of turning it on, he found himself staring at the bathroom door, listening to the muffled sounds of running water.
Time ticked by in a slow, steady rhythm, and Max allowed his mind to wander. Ten minutes passed, and the shower continued to run. Then, suddenly, there was a loud crash, followed by a pained yelp.
Max shot up from the chair, his heart racing.
"Bradley?" he called, but there was no response—just a string of swearing and groaning from the other side of the door.
Without thinking, Max rushed to the bathroom and burst through the door.
The scene inside hit him with a shock. Bradley was on the floor of the shower, water cascading down over him as he struggled to push himself up. His face was contorted with pain, and Max could see the anger and frustration in his eyes as he cursed under his breath.
"What the hell, Max?! Get out!" Bradley barked, his voice rough and full of pain.
But Max didn't move.
"I'm not leaving you like this," Max said firmly, stepping closer despite Bradley's protests.
"I can do it myself!" Bradley snapped, though it was clear he couldn't. His bruised ribs and sprained ankle made most movement a challenge. He winced as he tried to shift, water still pelting down from the showerhead.
Max ignored the outburst, kneeling beside Bradley, keeping his eyes focused away from anything too awkward. "I'm not letting you hurt yourself even more. Let me help."
Bradley gritted his teeth but didn't fight as Max gently wrapped an arm around him, helping him to his feet. The process was slow and awkward, the two of them stumbling over each other as Max tried to avoid the slippery floor and the awkward situation. Bradley's wet skin was cold, and Max did his best to focus on the task at hand—nothing more, nothing less.
After what felt like an eternity, Bradley was back on his feet, wobbling as he leaned a hand against the wall for support. Max grabbed a towel from the nearby rack and handed it to Bradley, who quickly wrapped it around himself.
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The tension in the room was palpable, neither of them speaking as they made their way back to the bed. Bradley limped over, dripping water onto the floor as Max guided him to sit down carefully on the edge of the mattress.
Once Bradley was settled, Max straightened up.
"Not my most heroic moment," Max said with a half-smile, trying to break the awkwardness.
Bradley let out a groan, rubbing his forehead with one hand. "That was a disaster," he muttered, his voice laced with embarrassment. "You should've just left me."
Max shook his head, turning to look out the window. "Yeah, right. Because hearing you swear like that was totally not a sign you needed help."
Bradley glared at him but didn't argue. Instead, he watched as Max walked over to the window, fiddling with the latch.
"What are you doing?" Bradley asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Just making sure you don't try jumping out the window later after the day you've had," Max quipped, glancing back at Bradley with a grin.
Bradley blinked, then rolled his eyes, though a small smirk tugged at his lips. "Shut the fuck up, Max."
Max chuckled, satisfied that he'd managed to break the tension. "I'm serious, though. You're not allowed to add any more injuries to that list today."
Bradley shook his head, but there was a hint of appreciation behind his usual sarcasm. He shifted slightly, grimacing as the pain in his ribs flared up again.
Max noticed the change in Bradley's demeanor—the way his energy seemed to dip, his expression growing more reserved. Bradley was retreating into that space he always seemed to go to when things got too real.
Sensing that it was time to give him some space, Max stretched his arms and gave a casual shrug.
"Alright, I think I've seen more than enough of you for one day, in fact, I saw some parts of you that I never intended to." His grin was playful, but there was a warmth in his eyes.
Bradley let out a snort. "Yeah, you better get the hell out of here before I find a way to hit you with these crutches."
Max laughed, grabbing his phone from the desk. "I'm gone," he said, turning toward the door. But as he reached for the handle, he hesitated, glancing back at Bradley.
"You, uh... you want me to come by again tomorrow?"
Bradley was quiet for a moment, his gaze dropping to the floor. Then, with a small nod, he muttered, "Yeah. I mean... if you want."
Max smiled. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, but only if you keep buying me food."
With that, he slipped out of the room, leaving Bradley alone once more.
The door clicked shut, and Bradley sat there in silence, the towel still wrapped around him, his wet hair dripping onto the floor. Despite the chaos of the day, a strange sense of calm washed over him.
For the first time in a long while, he didn't feel completely alone.
