Strangers - a Brad Simpson fanfic (sequel to Be Alright)

Reunited

We just stared at each other. Blankly. The other boys appeared eventually, they stared too. So did all of the girls as they began whispering things to each other - like they knew anything.

"Guys, I'm gonna have to ask you to move. We're taking the boys in now." Said a rather large, scary looking man as he ushered James, Connor, Tristan and Brad into the hotel we were stood outside of.

"Bring her, please." Brad said, indicating to me.

The big scary looking man just stared at me, then grabbed me by the arm harshly and dragged me inside.

Brad said something to the other boys and the 3 men who I guessed were the band's 'crew', and they all left the lobby - leaving just me and Brad.

"What are you doing here?" I blurted out. I don't know why, but I felt myself starting to cry. I looked up at Brad and saw he was, too.

That's when he ran forward and threw his arms around me, we hugged for the first time in a year. "We made it, Ari. Me and the boys. We did it." He said quietly in my ear. "But I never forgot about you. Never. I still think of you every day."

"I don't... I don't believe it." I sobbed. "This whole thing... Running into you here... You being famous..." That's when I realised - I hadn't moved on at all.

"I still love you, Brad." We finally let go of each other, and Brad wiped the tears from my eyes.

"And I still love you. You're actually the reason I'm here today." He grinned at me.

"How?"

"Because the song I wrote about you is the song that got us our record deal."

Standing here, now, I completely forgot about everything that happened over the past year. I forgot about leaving. I forgot about the whole Jason situation. Everything. Gone. And somewhere, in the back of my mind, I believed that we could get back to the way it was. And from the look in his eyes, I could tell Brad wanted that too.

He took a step forward so he was closer to me and placed his arm around my waist.

"A whole year was way too long to wait." he smiled.

And then, he leaned down and kissed me.

For me, it felt like the first time all over again. And I still remember that like it was yesterday. Brad is the one person that I've ever really loved. And I can't let him go again. Not now. I've already said goodbye once. But now I've seen him, and he's here again, I refuse to say it - ever. Nothing will take me away from him now.