our fall in may||BWS (completed)

Chapter Three

Bradley's POV

Therapy.

I hate it, but the home claims I need it. What I need is my family, but of course they ship me off to America for 'treatment'. I'll admit, I'm more damaged than a train wreck in a hurricane (A/N I crack myself up), but I still remember my mother's words before I boarded on the plane.

*Two Years Ago*

"You're eighteen now, Bradley." My mum said softly. "This is the best choice. You can't even look me in the eyes without having a panic attack. The family that's offered you a place is trained for people like you." She reached out to hug me, but let her arms drop, knowing the consequences of the simple action.

"I'll miss you." I whispered and sighed. "Goodbye mum." I finalized and jogged onto the plane, giving her one last wave.

*Present*

I walked over to my usual seat in the corner, receiving looks from the others. Typical. I fiddled with my fingers and tried to distract myself by twisting my rings; a coping skill taught to me by my caretaker, Linda.

"Don't touch him, whatever you do." Richard warned someone and I looked up to be greeted by a girl with blonde-brown hair and greenish blue eyes that were staring straight forward. Why isn't she looking at me? "Bradley, I would like you to meet May."

"Hello." She smiled gleaming straight, still not looking at me. Was something wrong with me? I know I'll never be attractive, but am I too bad for this girl to even look at?

Yes. Yes I am.

"Why aren't you looking at me?" I wondered quietly, trying to mask my pain. I looked down and realized she had a dog with her. It looked like my dog, Jesse, except pure white.

"I can't see." She spoke softly and shifted uncomfortably. "I'm blind."

I felt my pain dim, but it only worsened when I realized that I was almost relieved she was blind and couldn't look at me.

I'm a disgusting person.

"Can I pet your dog?" I asked, biting my lip after.

"Uh, okay. Taurus, heal." Taurus? What a strange name. I like it.

He huffed as he sat down next to her feet. Taurus then whined happily as I stoked his soft fur.

"I miss my golden." I mumbled and the dog tilted his head into my hand. I flinched and pulled my hand away quickly. "I've never seen a white one before."

"He was an abnormality. Where is your dog?"

"Back in Birmingham with the rest of my family" I murmured.

"Oh." She pursed my lips and I saw her small hand twitch at her side. I know what she wants. She wants to touch me. I can't let that happen.

Group was full of stories about trauma. Some people witnessed a crime, others injured. I always stayed quiet, keeping my story to myself. No one needs to know that. Today consisted looking at May. She was decently pretty from what I could see. She had a habit of picking at her nails.

I wonder what happened to her?

As if Richard hear my thoughts, he turned to her. "May, would you like to share your story?"

She stayed silent for a moment.

Then, she cleared her theist quietly before she began. I sat on the edge of my chair. "I was eleven and in school on a Thursday in April. I remember we had a new assistant teacher. It was his first week, starting Monday. He was always silent, I never even heard him speak a word. We were discussing Shakespeare's impact in literature, and I was talking to Camilla. We were saying how strange Mr. Amari was acting. He looked nervous. In the middle of our discussion, he stood up, walked to the center of the room, and yelled something. I didn't understand what he said, but Mrs. Kellogg spoke a lot of languages and she screamed for us to run." She began to cry "But it was too late." Her voice was quiet. "All I saw was the flash and heard ringing and I didn't understand why I felt pain against my back, until I realized I was across the room. All I saw was black. The screams..." She trailed off and flinched as a hand was placed on her back by a girl with jet black hair.

"It's Eleanor."

She took a breath and continued. "Camilla died as soon as the blast hit. Turns out, Mr. Amari was a worshipper of terrorism and had used a bomb strapped to his chest to kill us, along with himself. The last sight ever I saw was his angry yet proud face."

"Thank you for sharing, May." everyone said in hushed tones, but I stayed silent. Terrorists?

I felt bad for her. Most of these people had petty things that caused low forms of PTSD. I have level ten...out of ten. You can't even look me in the eyes, especially do not touch me.

__________

"How was group, Bradley?" Linda asked as I stepped into the front seat of the car.

I shrugged. "Alright. We got someone new."

"Oh, who?" She raised her eyebrows as she pulled out of the parking lot.

"A girl named May." I hesitated. "She's blind."

She stuck out her bottom lip in pity. "Poor girl."

"Yeah." I put my head against the window, trying to signal the end of the conversation.

I wish I could have let her touch me. I wish I could hug my mother or pet a dog without feeling my throats close in pain, causing me to gasp for air.

I wish Marianna Gill was never born.

_________________

Hello👋

Thanks to my hobo edvorilov , this story is going to be insane. She's helped me with so many ideas and she's one of my best friends.

Love you Hobo

-Rose