mad hatter // r.s.l.

14 : secrets

"I'm so glad you could make it." Bradley looked up at me, her paint stained hands fidgeting. I smiled, and attempted to wipe a mark of red paint on her forehead, and another on her chin. "Haha, thanks."

"You look nervous, is everything okay?" I followed her into the art school, in which every room was open for an Open Day.

"Yeah, yeah. I just had to finish something for you to see it." She removed her apron and beckoned me into one of the art classes, where she put it away. "Let me show you around."

If I had properly pursued Art, I would kill to come to this place. They covered fine arts, fashion, photography, textiles, music and sound technology. And it looked more like a colourful home than a college.

As we walked, we were greeted by some students and Brady's teachers. I took the time to notice what she wore; it was unusual from the flowery dresses she would wear with converse or shorts with a jumper.

She had on a white shirt beneath a green tartan button down, black ripped jeans and heeled boots, her hair styled into soft curls.

"This is the gymnasium. They sometimes use it for clubs, or mass classes which are my favourite." She spoke of Art with passion, and that was very attractive. The gym was filled with people that cruised past bits and pieces of Art. "You look fascinated."

"Sorry, it's easy to forget about what a cool subject Art is when you're surrounded by chemicals." I chuckled.

"Speaking of chemicals, they found out what James Topeka was killed with; cyanide in his drink." She looked at me. "But they can't find who did it, because he poured the drink himself and no images in his cameras show anything strange."

"You're very up to date with all of this."

"How could I not be? There is some heartless, cold killer on the loose."

I snorted at the irony. She shook her head at me. "Don't laugh! You may be the next target."

"For what?" I pursed my lips.

"Being a cutiepie." She pinched my cheek and took my hand, so I followed her. However, her anxiety was almost through the roof as we stopped by a very colourful painting. She looked at me.

"What does it look like to you?" She asked, fiddling with her rings.

"It looks abstract from up close." I blinked. She nodded to the red line on the ground that stretched to a good two metres from the canvas. I followed it, and the farther I got, the more familiar it was.

It was me.

"I wasn't sure if it would be too stalkerish as we've only been friends for a few weeks. Or whatever we are." She came to stand by me. "Do you like it."

"It's actually amazing. I love how you used so many colours to make up my face and hair- and how they are all unusual colours." I couldn't bring myself to look away from it. "I love it."

"Thank god." She breathed a sigh of relief before hugging me. I returned the favour, holding my new favourite person very tightly.

+++

"I love this song." She moved from the speakers to the couch, which I had taken up. She thought for a second, then decided to just lay on me. "Selfish."

"I'm not going to complain." I laughed. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Why weren't your parents invited to your Open Day."

"How can I put this..they aren't exactly fond of my love for Arts. They chose to go to one of Luke's games." Sadness dripped from her words. "Plus, I'd rather have you there. You're nicer."

"That's a huge compliment."

I love her. I love her with all my heart and not for a second do I doubt that she doesn't feel the same. But, somebody stands in our way. Something's gotta give.

Someone has to die. But for a reason.

A reason I don't know quite yet.

"How is it that I feel so calm and collected when I touch your hands." Brady broke the silence.

If you knew what these hands got up to. "I don't know."

"It makes me sad. I wish I had met you earlier, before my parents decided to give me away as if I was a goat." She sighed. "Maybe, it would be you id be getting married to."

"I think of the same thing everyday." I fiddled with her hair, noticing how she had slipped to a deeper level of sadness, tears brimming her eyes. "Is everything okay?"

She shook her head. "I'm getting married in a month."

Anger boiled inside of me, not for Edward, but for her parents. How they would put her through this, and look over how depressed their daughter was. I held her in my arms calmly, and allowed her to just cry.

I wasn't going to go for her parents, that would be shockingly brutal. Tempting, but brutal.

But something's going to give, sooner or later, and I will grasp onto that opportunity with my life.

if you're into Halsey (OR NAH) I suggest you check out my new book 'Sage In The Badlands'. It's pretty good.