the roommate → brad simpson | ✓

twenty four - "i just revealed all of the governments secrets"

"Pass me the popcorn," I kick Brad's leg and he shoots me a glare, passing over the bag of popcorn nonetheless, taking a handful for himself in the process.

We were watching To All The Boys I Loved Before on Netflix. Brad was sat on one end of the sofa why I lay across it, my feet ending just at his thighs.

He was enjoying the film despite his attempt to maintain his masculinity but I wasn't judging. Instead, I was really engrossed in the film.

"I really don't like this film," he grumbles as he watches Lara Jean walk on to the coach to go to the skiing trip. I roll my eyes at him. "I'm serious! I hate this Peter guy."

"Why? He's sweet," I frown at him.

"You remember that arsehole back at uni?" His hands ball into fists tightly as he speaks, but I only give him a confused look in reply. "Uh, you know? The one that got with your best mate?"

I nod, my cheeks going red in embarrassment.

"He looks like this Peter dude," he explains and I look back at Peter Kavinsky who was now in a hot tub and I bite my lip, understanding the familiarity.

"Peter isn't an arsehole like Thomas, though," I counter and Brad shrugs, taking the popcorn bag from me. "Peter's cute."

I notice Brad glancing over to me briefly before turning back to the film with a sigh. We watch it in silence, the only sound being from the television and from the passing off the popcorn bag.

Once it finishes, I grab the empty popcorn bag from where I threw it on the floor once we'd done with it and stand up to put it in the bin. I hear Brad following behind me and I turn around to give him a small smile.

I hadn't noticed before but he was wearing a white shirt and some black Adidas joggers. He ran his hand through his hair nervously as he takes a seat the kitchen island.

Glancing over to the clock, I fill the kettle up with water and turn it on so it starts boiling, "my mum's gonna be back soon. I should let her know you're here."

"I can, uh, I can go if you want?" He asks, playing with his fingers nervously and I didn't know if it was because he didn't want to be here or if he didn't want to be home.

"I don't mind," I say honestly. "You'll have to talk to your parents eventually but if you're not ready right now, you stay for as long as you want—within reason, of course."

He nods slowly, "I'll leave later. I just don't wanna talk to them right now."

"If you don't mind me asking, why'd you fall out?" I ask, my voice quiet and soft as I pour the water into the cups from the kettle, letting the teabags soak up the water before I take them out and put them into the bin.

"My dad," he shrugs, watching me carefully put the right of milk in to the teas. I lift up the jar of sugar to him and he puts two fingers up. I nod, putting two teaspoons in and then handing it to him. "He's great and he's supportive of everything I do, but he takes everything so far. I mean everything."

"How so?" I question, watching how he reacted so I knew where my boundaries were—what I could and couldn't ask, or say.

"He takes jokes too far or too seriously until he ends up arguing with someone or he'll spark a debate and take it too far," he explains and I nod slowly, stirring my tea as I lean against the kitchen counter opposite him. "We were joking about the golf company he owns and then he got really annoyed and then started shouting at us and I didn't like it so I argued back and then stormed out."

I give him a small smile, not sure what to say. He was clearly annoyed by how his dad reacted to the joke and needed some space.

The door unlocks and my mum walks through with a bag of shopping, looking surprised at Brad sat drinking tea, "hello, Bradley. I didn't know you'd be joining us tonight for dinner."

"I'm not—"

"I invited him around, actually," I interrupt him. "We were working on some. . . some essays together. Proof-reading and stuff."

"Sounds fun," my mum starts putting away the few groceries she'd bought. Brad looks over at me, confused. "I'll order us some pizza for dinner, then. The boys will be back in time, too."

She plods out after she's done, and Brad and I watch her before turning back to each other simultaneously.

"You can stay here for the night," I speak up, and his confused frown only deepens. "My brother can lend you some clothes and my mum can clean these clothes for you ready for tomorrow. Consider it a night away from your dad to calm down."

He was surprised by my offer—well, it came across as more of a command—but nods slowly anyway, "thank you. It's strange seeing you being nice to me."

I roll my eyes at that and he chuckles, finishing his drink, as did I. We tidy up the lounge that we'd sat in to watch Netflix, before my brother and Carl got back.

They were equally surprised as my mum to see Brad sat on the sofa next to me while we both played on our phones while my mum watched this morning's episode of Jeremy Kyle that she'd missed.

Currently, we all were sat around the television watching a comedy show that Daniel had recommended while we waited for the pizza to arrive. My brother and Brad sat on either side of me while Carl and my mother snuggled up on the love seat.

The doorbell rings and my mum climbs off of Carl's lap, "the pizza's here. I'll be back in a second."

Carl follows my mum out of the room, grabbing his wallet and answering the door. Daniel turns to us quizzically.

"Are you two a thing?"

I look at him in shock and surprised, my eyes wide and I could all but assume Brad was the same.

"You know, like boyfriend and girlfriend?" He elaborates and I have to shake my head to clear my thoughts.

"We're not a thing," I roll my eyes, trying to recover from my brother's surprising question. "We're friends and roommates."

"You're looking at me like I just revealed all of the governments secrets or something. was just wondering," my brother puts his hands up in defence and I turn away from him. Brad was looking at me and I stared down at my lap awkwardly.

Thankfully, my mum and Carl come back in with three boxes of pizza. They were sharing one, Brad and I were sharing one and Daniel was having a smaller one to himself.

Brad takes the box with a thank you and places the box so that it rested half on my lap and half on his. He opened it up and the smell of Hawaiian pizza filled the room. My brother had pepperoni while my mum had a simple margarita pizza.

"I'll grab some clothes for you to wear tonight," Daniel says after we've all finished. Brad nods and takes the boxes from everyone, offering to put them in the recycling bin outside.

"He's very gentlemanly, isn't he?" My mum observed as Brad opened the door. I look at her with an eye roll.

"I'm starting to think you like him more than you like me," I comment and my mum only laughs, not denying it though I know she does prefer me over Brad.

I hope.

"Where's he sleeping?" My mum asks as she sips on some coffee that Carl had made her. "I trust you enough to sleep in the same room since you share a dorm together, but I don't want any funny business."

I roll my eyes again, "What is it with my family and thinking I'm with Brad?"

Brad walks in as though on cue, Daniel next to him with some jogging bottoms and a white shirt he can use. Brad takes them with a thankful smile before looking at me nervously.

"I'll show Brad to the bathroom," I announce as I stand up, watching my mum wink at me and I stop myself from rolling my eyes again. She'd probably make a comment about how they'll get stuck.

Brad was abnormally quiet around my family since he didn't know them, and it was strange for me to see him so out of character.

He follows behind me and I stop outside of my bathroom door, opening it for him. He starts walking but stops so that our shoulders are brushing.

"Thank you for today," he smiles. "I appreciate it."

"It's fine. What are friends for, eh?"

unedited.