Brad found himself at a go-kart arena, of all places, laughing with Tristan and James and Connor as they waited in the queue. They paid and bounded over to the karts.
"I'm gonna get the red one!" Connor yelled loudly as he ran.
"I swear, you are four years old," Brad responded. He hopped into a blue go-kart, and Tristan and James got into their own.
And when the light turned green, they all slammed on the gas.
James somehow managed to shoot into the lead. Brad chalked it up to a super-powered kart or something. That must be it.
Connor followed not too far behind James, and Brad figured that there was no way he was going to win this race. But with Tristan racing on his left side, he honestly didn't care all that much.
"There's no way I'm coming in last!" Tris exclaimed as he flew around a corner.
"I'm not going to make that easy for you," Brad replied, hot on Tristan's heels. And that wasn't the only thing that was hot, if you ask Brad.
Tris laughed as he struggled to keep the minimal lead.
Brad was pressing the gas pedal down as far as it could go, chasing after Tris.
As they came around the bend for their last lap, James and Connor were far ahead, while Brad and Tristan were fighting for 'not last'. Brad liked the fight because he could focus on being competitive. He wasn't focusing on his worries and his 'what if's. It was just Brad and his friends having fun.
Brad cut off Tris, pedal to the metal as he flew over the finish line.
"Oh, fuck you!" Tristan cursed with a smile.
Brad slowed his kart to a stop next to James's and Connor's. Tris followed suit just behind him.
"I win," Brad stated.
James looked confused. "But I did..."
But Brad wasn't talking to James. He was thinking about Tris. It's really most of what he did these days.
Brad's "winning" was explained when Tristan came up to Brad and punched him playfully, saying, "I can't believe you made me get last."
Brad punched him teasingly in retaliation. "Sorry not sorry?"
Tris went to 'punch' him again and Brad sprinted away. "I'm the winner!" he shouted.
Tris raced after him, leaving James and Connor to look at them and laugh, getting into their own conversation.
Brad raced around a corner and pressed himself up against the wall to hide. When Tris came bounding past, Brad couldn't help but laugh as he passed him. Of course that gave away his presence, and Tristan turned around sheepishly to run at him again.
Brad made a little yelp of feigned fright and tried to run away, unsuccessfully. Tris leaped for him and grabbed him. Brad shivered at Tris's touch as it sent sparks though his nerves.
Tristan looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "Are you cold?"
"Uh... nope..." Brad replied, faking attempts to get away from Tris's grasp. He really didn't want to be let go. Like really, really didn't.
"You're weird," Tris responded. And he wasn't letting go.
"I know." Brad knew his mind was probably making something out of nothing, and only hoping for the best, but maybe Tris kind of liked him. Maybe a little? Tris hadn't let go of him yet. And they'd been playful while at the go-kart arena. And maybe Brad should sit next to Tris when they go out for lunch after this? And maybe Brad should stop lusting after Tris right now because oh god he was still looking at Tris's face and how long had he been doing that and Tris looks a little confused right now and why can't Brad pull his eyes away?
Tris's arms loosen around him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine, sorry," Brad said with embarrassment.
'You don't have anything to be sorry for," Tristan replied.
Brad sighed. "We should... go back to Cames and Jonnor... I-I mean James and Connor, crap..."
Tristan cracked up. Brad melted a little bit.
Tris let go of him, laughing. "Alright, let's go to Cames and Jonnor so we can get lunch."
"Making fun of me," Brad said with a pout that quickly faded into a smile.
"Yes, I am very much making fun of you," Tris responded.
"Thanks for that," Brad teased as they walked.
"You are so absolutely welcome," Tris replied with a grin.
The two made their way back around the corner and up the hallway they had dashed down, seeing James and Connor talking and fiddling with their phones.
"Oh look, they actually decided to come back for us," James joked when he saw Tristan and Brad approaching.
"I'm hungry," Connor announced, "can we eat?"
"I second that," Tris stated.
"Off we go!" Brad said, leading the way with a skip in his step. He couldn't shake the feeling of Tris holding him, and he in no way wanted that feeling gone.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brad made a point to sit next to Tristan at the restaurant. And when Tris ordered fries, Brad pointedly stole a few. And he caught himself grinning at Tris for random reasons, and Tris didn't seem to mind.
And for real this time, Brad was happy. He didn't have to force it. And he wasn't only thinking about Tris, he was talking to him and maybe flirting with him ever so subtly here and there, and Brad just felt great. Like maybe he could get somewhere.
Possibly.
Perhaps.
There's always a chance. Brad's not closing himself off to it anymore. He's not demanding to himself that Tris will never like him. He's been making himself depressed about that when really, he has no way of knowing if that's true.
So Brad's gonna try.
It's worth a shot, right?
Tris is always worth a shot.
