Love & War | Brad Simpson ✔️

20. "Well, you can fuck yourself twice"

Four days later and Brad and I have avoided each other as much as possible.

Well, I know I've avoided him as much as possible, and acted like he isn't even in the room whenever he's around. It's partly out of anger, partly out of awkwardness and partly my own stubborn attitude.

That day, the flat is quiet and It seems like Brad and Tris are out so I relish the opportunity I have. My uni application requires more detail and I have to upload some photos of my artwork to it. The best lighting is in the living room so I take all my best sketches in there and get to work.

An hour or so later, I take a break from working on the application and decide to make myself some food. I scour the fridge but nothing seems particularly appetising so I decide that sticking some chicken nuggets in the oven will suffice. I sigh, close the fridge door and turn around, only to come face-to-face with Brad. I jump a little because I didn't know he was even in the flat, never mind hear him come in the kitchen.

"Can you not do that?" I mutter, trying to step around him. His arm reaches out to stop me.

"Can we talk?"

Jesus, the last conversation we had was awkward enough. Do we really have to have another one?

"About?"

"Us"

I scoff at that, "there is no us"

He rolls his eyes at me, "you know what I mean"

"No, I don't"

"Fuck's sake" he mutters under his breath and I know I'm pissing him off. Good, "look, I don't want things to be weird between us because of everything that's happened, I honestly felt like we were just starting to get somewhere, I don't wanna go back to square one just because we... you know... made out"

Christ, he makes it sound like we did something scandalous. Okay, I don't think either of us saw it coming but it was only a kiss.

"And like, that argument we had the other day..."

"We didn't have an argument the other day," I say flatly, "we both agreed that it didn't mean anything"

"Ella-"

"And then you concluded that kissing me was hell"

"That's not what I said though, is it?" He sighs.

"You said you didn't enjoy it" I argue.

"Fuck's sake, Ella" he huffs, slamming his hand against the fridge door above my head in anger, "you know that wasn't true, okay? You know that was bullshit, of course I enjoyed it, why wouldn't I? You're..."

"I'm what?"

"You're... you're beautiful"

I stare at him as, for one brief moment, my heart melts like warm butter on toast because no guy has ever called me that before. Then I conclude that he must be taking the piss out of me.

"Oh fuck off, Brad" I mutter, scowling at him and giving his chest a shove to get him out of my space so I can leave before he tries to take the piss out of me any more, "you're such an arsehole"