Love & War | Brad Simpson ✔️

43. "Brad, wouldn't you agree that I'm normally selfish and argumentative?"

I loved reading all the comments on the last chapter and hearing where you guys are from, it's so cool to have people from so many places reading my story.

So my question for this chapter is what has been your favourite part of the story so far? Mine is probably either the chicken nuggets kiss in chapter 26 or when drunk Brad barges into Ella's room in chapter 26 so let me know yours :)

"I'll miss you" Gemma pouts as she pulls me into a tight hug.

"I'll miss you too" I mumble, swaying her from side to side.

"I'll miss you more"

I grin.

"No, I'll miss you more"

"We get it" Tris mutters, rolling his eyes playfully, "you'll miss each other"

"I'll miss you too, Trissy" Gemma says, pulling away from me and squeezing my brother tightly, "don't get jealous"

He just smiles to himself and hugs her back. When she pulls away, she grabs her suitcase and wheels it onto the train. As the engine rumbles and the train starts to slowly roll away, my best friend appears in the closest window, waving her hands with a beaming smile on her face. We wave back and watch her eventually disappear out of sight but I can't help but wish I was on that train with her. A sigh escapes my lips.

The last couple of days in the flat had been tense, to say the least. Brad and I have completely ignored each other. It's like we've gone back to pre-relationship Ella and Brad but it's worse because we are in a relationship. And I'd barely spoken much to my brother until we made this trip to the train station. With Gemma and her bubbly personality being around the place, it had made things less awkward than they should have been and she'd wisely been keeping us out of the flat by suggesting things to do and places to see. But now she was gone again and I'm dreading life in the flat without her.

The drive home is quiet with the hum of the radio just murmuring in the background. The traffic is a little slower than usual but I just try to focus on the beautiful sights of London beyond the car window.

"El" Tris asks, looking over at me when we're stopped at a traffic light, "we're alright, aren't we?"

I glance over at him and any anger I have left melts away at his sad expression.

"Yeah, course" I say softly.

"Are you alright?" He asks, concern lacing his voice, "because I feel like you haven't had the best couple of days"

"No, I'm okay" I assure him, "it's just that I had that argument with you and then I had an argument with Brad and I think I'm PMSing as well" I shrug.

"What were you and Brad arguing about?" He queries, setting off again as the light turns green. His tone is very casual but I know that he's far more interested in the argument than he's letting on.

"He called me selfish and I called him a prick" I tell him, omitting all the important details, "why? What did Brad tell you we were arguing about?"

I know that there is no way Tris hasn't interrogated Brad about why I was storming out of his room calling a 'prick'.

"He said you were being selfish" he replies, "why did he think you were being selfish?"

"I stole some of his pizza"

Tris looks at me with a deadpanned expression. It's not a lie; I did steal some of his pizza.

"You know you can talk to me about stuff, El?" My brother says softly.