Baby Fat

nine

Considering Bradley's smile, Cassandra thinks Bradley may actually be enjoying the event they took him too. This time, it's just choreographer's, no dancers.

Cassandra knows she's been forcing the job on her son, and she knows he resents her for it, but this job is his best chance. That's all she's been doing since he was born, giving him his best chance.

"Bradley!" Mark Wilde greets with a large smile. Bradley smiles back—although forced, it's pretty damn convincing.

"Hi, Mark, it's wonderful to see you again!" Bradley try's his hardest to be peppy, he hopes it's convincing.

"Where have you been, I feel as thought I haven't seen you in years!" Mark puts his arm around his latest eye candy. Her names Kai. She's got beautiful, cat-like eyes, and tan skin. She's obviously Asian. At least Mark doesn't discriminate with his eye candy.

"Yeah, I just wasn't feeling it. But I am now," Bradley says. It shocks Cassandra so much she gasps. She flushes red before apologizing and playing it off as a cough.

"So, would you like to join me one weekend for some studio sessions, just to get a feel for the craft?" Mark offers happily. Cassandra places a hand on Bradley's shoulder, as if to say: yes.

"Sure, of course." Bradley smiles. He feels tired and dizzy. He just wants to go home and be alone.

"Alright, just call me soon and we can make plans." Mark reaches into his suit pocket and pulls out his business card. He hands it to Bradley who takes it and sticks it in his suit pocket. "Well, I'm sorry to cut this short but Kai here has a pregnancy class to get to and I promised her I'd come this time."

Bradley's mildly confused, mostly because Kai doesn't look that pregnant. She mostly just looks bloated. He didn't even guess pregnant.

Mark leads Kai from Bradley and his parents and out the door.

"What has gotten into you, Bradley," Graham asks slightly concerned. "You never offer to do anything close to choreography."

Bradley shrugs and smiles. "Just rethinking everything."

Cassandra smiles, for real, and hugs him. Bradley grins so wide he thinks his face may fall off.

"I love you Mom," Bradley says. "This is all because I love you."

•••

After being home for a few hours, Bradley calls Leo. Leo says he likes to hear Bradley's voice more than he likes hearing his phone ding.

"Hey, what's up?" Leo asks. He sounds out of breath and exhausted.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to work on our story. It's due in a couple of weeks and we barely have two thousand words." Bradley hates how he sounds desperate to finish the story. He's really just wants to talk to Leo.

"Can you just do some of it without me?" Leo huffs. "I'm busy."

Bradley is sure he heard a faint laugh in the background. Maybe a giggle.

"Hey, B," someone greets him. It sounds oddly like a voice he's heard before. He can't really place a finger on it. Until the someone giggles.

Whitney.

Well damn. Everyone at school knows Whitney's one of the easiest booty calls. Terrible but true. Bradley chose to ignore it. He's not going to slut shame her and call her a whore because she isn't the only one her participates in the sex.

Sex is a game for two.

"Oh uhm I—" Bradley starts before he's rudely interrupted.

"Look, B," Whitney starts, "you seem to have the habit of calling right during the best parts, so please if you're not going to join, knock it off." Then she hangs up.

Bradley has a headache. He can't believe Leo let Whitney talk to him like that. But Bradley forgot, Leo isn't his, and he isn't Leo's.

Maybe his heart breaks just a tiny bit. Maybe. He just thought Leo felt something, that he actually meant something to Leo. More than friends.

But Bradley vaguely recalls Leo telling him how he doesn't do relationships. How he doesn't do feelings.

Bradley knows cliches are dumb and well, cliche. He thought maybe, maybe, he could change the boy who feels nothing. He could be the person who breaks through the walls.

But Bradley isn't that person. He doesn't change people. How can Bradley change people if he can't even change himself to fit the mold his mom wants? How can Bradley be anyone someone loves if his own parents don't even love him?

He just needs to change. He just needs a clean slate.

He just needs to fit in.

__________

☒ - unedited

Surprised? What do you think of Leo and Whitney? Where you surprised? Please don't slut shame Whitney or wish death upon her. It takes two to tango. You can love Leo but if you're going to blame someone for your ship sinking, blame him too.

This is a Thank You For Helping Me Reach 3K Reads chapter. I wasn't going to release it until next week but in hype right now sooo!! :)))

Please tell me if you see any mistakes, I'm the queen of typos.

Read, vote, comment, and please, please share! Tell me what you liked/disliked. Constructive criticism is very, very welcome!

Rant of the chapter: murder mysteries on the hallmark channel are intense asf fam...

Dedicated to: @ everyone who's showed love and support to this book and me i love you guys

Next update: not sure but i do know I'm doing short chapters every week. i had a chapter plan that went to 60 chapters plus an epilogue but now I'm thinking somewhere between 70 and 80...

Teaser: we're gonna see more of Corrie soon, lots more of Corrie...

Quick notes:
[ 1 ] juicy shirts gonna go down comment what you think.
[ 2 ] this chapter is so short i kind of hate it but it's actually less stressing than trying to write a 1000+ worded chapter. i wrote this in like an hour, but i also have lots of inspiration though.
[ 3 ] i actually don't have anything else to say but i love youuuu :)

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