Knuckles // Tradley AU

7. Intensified - Brad

"Okay. I'm going out to see Con." I smiled a little, opening the front door "I'll be home by six!"

"I'm coming!" Ryan smiled, rushing down the stairs "I'm coming."

"Uh...This was meant to be just me and Con...Like a mates thing." I told him "To say sorry for lying."

"And how do I know you're not lying about this?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Um...I'll phone you when I get to his?"

"Oh yeah because that's not like you can fake a phone call, or call me and then go fuck him." He rolled his eyes.

"He's in a serious relationship!" I argued

"He's also bisexual." Alex countered

"That means nothing." I replied.

"Well... you're enough of a pussy to fulfil all his needs, that's all I'm saying." He shrugged, wrapping his arms around me, burying his face in my neck.

"That's not very nice." I pouted "...Are you actually not going to let me go?"

"Not without me, no." He shook his head "You can't be trusted at the moment."

"...I'll text Con." I sighed "Tell him he can bring James."

"Good." Ryan grinned, kissing my on the cheek and pulling his coat on.

"When can I start going to my music lessons again?" I asked him, having missed the last few weeks.

"When you can be trusted around men again." He countered, his arm finding its usual place around my waist as we began to walk to Cons house.

"My teacher isn't even hot!" I defended "He's like 50, I wouldn't."

"Still." Ryan shrugged "Teaches you for flirting with Tristan right in front of my face doesn't it."

"...Yeah." I sighed quietly, struggling to come to terms with my forced isolation, but knowing it was for my own good. "...James is bringing Tris." I whispered as I read the message, feeling Ryan's arm tighten around me.

"You don't say anything to that man. You understand?" Ryan hissed "A single word and you're in for it."

"O-okay." I nodded quietly, knowing it was best to comply.

We arrived at Con's house and said our hellos before we all bundled into James' car, Ryan by the window because he gets car sick, leaving me shoulder to shoulder with boyfriend and Tristan. I'll admit, although I really shouldn't, Tris was hot and smelt really good and had a jawline I'd kill for, it was easy to see why Ryan was jealous, but there was something wrong with his perfection, he looked sad, done with life, like he'd known nothing but struggle for a long time.

The drive was about an hour and around twenty five minutes into it, Ryan had fallen asleep, his arm still around me.

"Brad." Con whispered very quietly "I hate doing this with everyone around, but are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes." I nodded "Everything is fine Con, i told you, homophobes."

"He's not good for you." Tris sighed simply. It was the first thing I had heard come out of his mouth since we got into the car.

"Mind your own business." I frowned, cuddling into my sleeping boyfriend, hoping he didn't hear me talking to Tris. Praying he didn't hear me.

"Just saying." Tris shrugged, folding his arms and sinking even lower in his seat "He's no good and you know it."

"Tris." James warned "Sorry Brad, he's just salty 'cause you're drop dead gorgeous."

"And not banging him." Con added with a laugh

"And worth more." Tris grumbled, I panicked, what if he could see through the layers of concealer I'd piled on to hide the now brown coloured bruises on my eyes.

"Tris shut the fuck up and go to sleep." Con rolled his eyes "I like you better when you're drunk."

"Oh fuck off Connor." Tris replied "Cunt."

"Can we stop?" James sighed "You're acting like children. Tris go to sleep, Connor calm the fuck down."

"One, don't call me Connor, two, don't fucking swear at me." Con replied to James, turning slightly to face the man who was driving.

"Well you deserved it." James shrugged, not taking his eyes off the road, secretly? I wish he would, just for long enough that we spiral out of control and it all has to end. Wouldn't that be grand?

"I did not," Con sighed "we'll talk about it later."

The rest of the drive was silent, James and Connor having minorly fallen out, Tris ignoring everyone and Ryan staying asleep.

We got to the shopping centre and got out the car, me being pulled away from the group briefly by Ryan.

"I heard you." He whispered harshly "You thought I was asleep that whole time?" He scolded, having hold of my wrist tightly "Cunt."

"...I'm so s-sorry." I whispered "I needed to d-defend myself and you." I explained, trying to get out of his grip, watching as everyone else was waiting for us.

"When we get home." He warned vaguely, but it struck fear into my heart, I knew what was coming, and there was no way I'd be able to enjoy myself knowing what was coming.

"P-please don't." I begged "Ryan it hurts so bad, more each time, please, no."

"Well maybe you should learn to listen then shouldn't you." He hushed, putting his hand in my back pocket as he lead me back to the group "Happy, smiley, don't say a word." He whispered before we were standing with James, Con and Tris.

"What took you so long?" Con asked

"Ah, had a family thing to tell Brad about, my mum is coming down tonight and had to make sure Brad remembered some things." He lied flawlessly, as if he'd never told a lie in his life. It just rolled off his tongue, much in the way 'everything's fine' does off of mine now.

"Ugh boring." James rolled his eyes as we headed towards the escalators, knowing that Con preferred to go from the top-down in centres like this.

"That's why we didn't include you." Ryan rolled his eyes.

"...Can I smoke inside the centre or do I have to go all the way back down when I want to?" Tris asked once we reached the top.

"Tris." James sighed disappointedly "No."

"That doesn't answer my question, can I?"

"No you can't smoke in here. It's a public indoor space."

"Fuck sake." Tristan whines, throwing his head back, making the slightly (okay maybe majorly) greasy strands of blonde hair fall back with it, his Adam's apple becoming more pronounced as he did so. I prayed Ryan didn't catch me watching him, but I knew he did by the harsh pinch I received on my backside.