Maybe It's Time

JULY, 1999 - PART ONE

Bradley's POV

I was really happy that I got to date Olivia and luckily everyone liked her too. It passed some months since the day she first met my mom and Stefani. Olivia and I were applying for colleges in that year and I didn't really want to leave it here.

Olivia applied for really renowned universities in New York. I did it too but she was the one who got it. Olivia decided to break up with me since she was going to move to another state. I tried to change her mind but I guess she just wanted to be single while living in New York City.

.I didn't leave the house to have fun for some days, just to work. I was not in the mood to do anything or talk to anyone. I was not talking to my mother, not even to Stefani. I wanted to be alone but at the same time I wanted a friend to be with me.

One day, while coming back home from work, I stopped in a grocery store and bought a pack of cigarettes and a bottle of whiskey. I lit a cigarette and went walking to my house. I knew my mom was not there, since she had to work, and I sit in front of our balcony. She didn't know I smoked. I knew the guy from the store and he used to sell cigarettes and some liquor to me, even though it was illegal.

I saw Stefani walking her dog with her little sister Natali. Her sister was very similar to her, but Natali would probably be taller. Stefani saw me and said something to Natali, who got inside home with the puppy. Stefani walked to me with her hands on the pockets of her jeans.

"You ok?" She asked me while still walking to get close to me.

"How do you think I am?" I was rude to her and felt bad after a while. She sat next to me.

"Wanna talk?" I shook my head. She sighed and grabbed my hand. "I am sorry... You didn't deserve that".

"Yeah, shit happens right?" I forced a smile and looked at her right in her beautiful green eyes. She smiled back. "Prepare yourself for this kind of thing, Stef... Sooner or later that will happen to you. And it hurts". I took a pull at my cigar. "And when that happens... You tell me and I will beat the shit out of the son of a bitch". She laughed.

"Seems like you will be fine..." She stood up and I grabbed her hand. She looked at me.

"Could you spend time with me today? I don't wanna be alone..."

"Huh... Isn't your mom home?" I shook my head.

"I am alone... My brother is probably getting high somewhere and mom is working. She will come back in the morning. I don't really wanna stay alone. Actually, I think I need to be with you, like in the old days".

"Sure... I just need to tell my parents". I nodded in agreement. She went home and I did the same. I sit on the couch and opened the bottle of Jack Daniel's when I realized I needed a glass and went to the kitchen.

I took a sip of it and almost vomited it all. I was definitely not used to it. I heard the door been opened and I walked back to the living room, now with the bottle and the glass. Stefani arrived and she brought us chips and chocolates. I laughed on the inside. She was still a kid after all, even though she was very mature for her age. I never agreed with that kind of thought that girls mature faster, but Stefani was a different child.

"Mom said I can spend the night here if I want". I nodded and took a sit on the couch again. "Well, you aware those things will make you die earlier, right?" She pointed to my liquor.

"So will the chips and chocolates". She smiled and thought for a while.

"I guess you have a point". We got in silence for a while. She sit on the armchair and sighed. "I never liked her... If that makes you feel better... ". She smiled at me.

"No, it does not". I smiled back and took another sip of the whiskey, resting my head on the couch.

"Can I take a sip of it?" I looked at her and made an ugly face.

"Of course not!"

"Please, just a sip". I sighed and gave her my glass.

"Don't tell your parents... Just a little". I watched her drinking it. She took a sip and looked at the glass. She drink that like it was water. I nodded and laughed. "Ok, give it back to me".

"Can I smoke now?" She laughed and I threw a pillow on her before she gave me the

glass back.

"Why didn't you like Ollie?"

"Because... I don't know... Honestly!"

"Mmm... Someday you'll understand that we don't choose those things. I mean... We can't tell our hearts whom to fall in love... She was not the right one to me". I laid on the couch. She nodded and I left the glass of whiskey on the floor. I didn't have much of that whiskey but I was high enough to forget the girl who broke my heart.

"What you wanna do?" She asked to me. "Wanna play something?" I shook my head negatively. "C'mon... Let's watch a movie then..."

"I feel like doing nothing". I mumbled.

"You can not stay like that forever". We stayed in silence for some minutes. "Can I ask you something?"

"You just did!" I said and she threw me the pillow back, laughing.

"How is it to be in love?"

"It's awesome! Everything seems different... I don't know... Things seems happier and all you can think is that one person".

"Was she your first kiss?"

"Nah..." I looked at her and she was staring the floor. I never talked to her about this kind of things. Stefani seemed shy and she was never like that when talking to me.

"How old were you?"

"Mmm... Your age I guess... Maybe 14. I don't really remember".

"Are you a virgin?" She asked and I gaped. Stefani looked at me like we were talking

about the weather.

"Stef... That's... Embarrassing".

"I thought I was your friend!" She didn't understand why I reacted that way. "It's not a big deal. I know how those things work".

"Ain't gonna answer that".

"Just say yes or no!" She insisted and I sighed, nodding my head.

"I am not! Holly shit!" I am sure I blushed and again we got in silence for a long time. Suddenly, I sit on the couch and looked in her eyes with a worried expression in my face. "You said you know how those things work... Did you..."

"No!" She didn't let me finish. "Ew! I mean... We have those classes at school".

"Yeah! We all do". She sat next to me on the couch with the remote and turned the tv on. I looked at her and she didn't look back. "Stef!?"

"Mm yeah?" She still didn't look at me.

"Never let any man do anything to you that you don't want". Now she looked at me and gave me a half-smile. I was looking at my feet and unexpectedly, she smooched my lips. 

To be continued...