Love & War | Brad Simpson ✔️

22. "I think he really likes you"

Brad's continues to challenge me the next day as soon as I walk into the kitchen. He's in there alone and I immediately prepare myself to ignore him; it's too early to risk a conversation and it end in him pushing me against the fridge and furiously making out with me again.

"Morning"

I do a double-take and stare at Brad. It's definitely Brad. I mean, it looks like Brad and sounds like Brad but did he really just say 'morning'? He's never said that to me in the two months I've lived here.

I scan his face for a hint of sarcasm or a smirk but find nothing but a small, innocent smile sat upon his face.

Weird.

"Um... Yeah...." I mutter, feeling completely thrown off guard. He must be up to something. Probably planning which kitchen appliance he can make out with me against next. Maybe he can lay me down on the kitchen island and climb on top of me this time. Or maybe he could sit me on the washing machine and switch it on for an extra thrill.

I quickly try to push those thoughts out of my mind, mainly because I know that if any of those situations occurred right now, I would not object to them.

I take some bread out of the cupboard to start making some toast for my breakfast, but I'm still suspicious about Brad's odd behaviour so I can barely pay attention to the bread. Maybe he's pranking me. Maybe he's put an opened bag of flour leaning against one of the cupboard doors so it falls on me when I open it. Or perhaps he's swapped the sugar for salt so my morning cup of tea will be ruined. I decided to skip on the tea, just in case.

"Are you excited to be going home today?" He asks.

I am excited to be going back home for a couple of days. I get to see my family, I get to earn some money working in the cafe and I get to eat some of my Mum's cakes. Tris is even going to drive the two of us down there so that we don't have to bother with the train. However, there's always the pitfalls to going back home - or rather, the singular pitfall. Brattany.

"Erm, yeah, I guess..." I mumble, staring at the toaster. Having a normal conversation with Brad seems weird after all the stuff that's happened over the past couple of days.

"It should be fun" Brad smiles as he stands up from the table, "shotgun the front seat though" he adds with a wink as he breezes past me and out of the kitchen. My nostrils flare in annoyance.

Yet again, my brother forgets to mention that Brad is going to be present. It's like me moving in all over again. Arsehole.

And so, as the three of us are loading up Tris's car later with our bags, I make sure to get in the front passenger seat whilst the two of them are distracted. Then when they're done, I see a figure appear in the window next to me. I look to see Brad's face pushed up against the glass.

"I called shotgun" he exclaims, his voice muffled by the glass. I just shrug, shake my head and gesture to my ears as though I can't hear him. In return, he starts rapping his knuckles against the window continuously, the sharp sound of his metal ring hitting the glass rings loudly in mine and Tris's ears.

"Jesus" my brother mutters from the driver's seat, pressing the button so that the window starts to roll down.

"I called shotgun"

"I don't remember you calling shotgun" I say innocently, before turning to Tris, "did you hear Brad call shotgun?"

"Um... no..."

"Looks like you're in the back then" I say to Brad with a sickly sweet smile. He smiles back sarcastically before reluctantly climbing in the back of the car.