your body is a weapon → brad simpson | ✓

five

I sip on my smoothie as I sort through Brad's questions, reading some of them over. What's your favourite colour? What do you want to be when you're older?

I glance up at him, pursing my lips as I notice he's still reading, though he looked like he was struggling. I didn't want to ask him if he needed help reading in case he decided to snap on me again.

"Are you done?" I ask instead and he looks up, nodding. "How do you want to film it? Your phone or mine, or do you want to use a camera?"

"What phone do you have?" He asks and I show him my old iPhone Seven that I'd saved up to buy after my dad and I had found a house to stay at. "My camera is technically better. We could use my phone?"

He flashes his iPhone X and I nod, putting my phone back in my bag. "Alright. That's fine." This kid is loaded with money.

We order some skinny fries and Luna brings them over for us to eat while we discuss how we're going to set out the camera.

"What if I hold it while I ask you the questions and vice versa?" He suggests. "Though I'm not sure if I trust you holding my phone."

"I'm not going to drop it or anything, don't worry," I roll my eyes at him and he swipes against his homescreen to reveal the camera. He turns it around so it faces me before lifting it up and the sound rings, signalling that it's recording.

"Should I say something to introduce the project?" He asks and I shake my head since I couldn't think of anything he could've said. "Alright, my first question is what's your full name?"

"You already know that," I roll my eyes at him, referring to the friend request he had sent me.

"But the people watching don't," he quips back and I try and hide my face from the camera as blush brushes along my skin.

"Jamie Lopez," I reply. "That's my full name, I don't have a middle name."

"Why not?"

"I guess my parents just didn't want to give me one," I shrug. "Middle names are a bit unnecessary, don't you think?"

He thinks for a moment, "I guess, it's not something I've really thought about before." He glances at his question sheet, squinting his eyes to read his handwriting. "When was the last time you climbed a tree?"

I laugh at the pure randomness of the question before I think of an answer. I wasn't an outgoing and adventurous type of person, especially since I was quite lonely. A sad smile reaches my face.

"I was probably fourteen," I answer. "I don't go out with people anymore, friends aren't my thing anymore."

He tilts his head to the side, "why don't you have any friends?" I stop myself from laughing at his bluntness because it was true, I didn't really have friends.

I purse my lips, thinking back to the last friend that I had and a sigh escapes my lips. It was fun having someone to rely on, someone to talk to about anything and someone to have fun with. I didn't have that anymore.

"I just like to keep to myself," I lie. "I don't want people to know my business, that's all."

He gives me a disbelieving look but drops it anyway, looking down at his sheet again. Half an hour passes by and we get through a few more questions before we decide to call it a night as it grew dark. I put my things in my bag and notice Brad waiting at the end of the table for me.

We walk out of the diner together, me waving goodbye to Luna on my way out. I was yet to see her parents but I don't dwell on it since I'm sure that I'll be back some point soon to do the project even more.

"Do you want a ride home?" Brad offers and I can't deny that I'm surprised. He was actually in a nice mood for once, so I accept his offer and get into the passenger seat of his car.

I tell him my address and give him directions to my house. I glance over at him, his fingers drumming quietly against the steering wheel in beat with the song playing on the radio.

When we pull up to my house, his eyes scan over the large exterior and he raises his eyebrows. "Didn't know that you were loaded, Jamie Lopez."

I don't question the use of my full name. "I'm not."

"Your mansion says otherwise."

"It's not a mansion," I roll my eyes as I grab my bag. "I'll see you later, I guess. Thanks for the ride."

"Whatever. Can you fucking go already?" He mumbles back and I ignore his sudden change in mood as I open up the car door and climb out before closing it and going up to my front door. Of course, my dad isn't in and is probably going to be back late.

I look behind my shoulder but Brad's cars already gone within the blink of an eye.

+

I was so exhausted the next day as I spent the whole night finishing homework that was due in for the next week. My head hurts as I walk into tutor first thing and I throw a smile at my teacher before sitting at the back with my earphones in while they blast Macklemore.

When the bell rings and I have to make my way out, I'm not surprised to see Brad waiting for me outside of the classroom door with his arms folded.

When I saw him, I couldn't help but be annoyed at him after last night. The way he spoke to me as though I was a piece of shit, as though I was below him, yet thought I got everything handed to me on a golden platter because my house was large, frustrated me. I had a far from easy childhood, and I didn't like that he just assumed that about me.

Sighing, I push through the crowd with him following no far behind. People glanced at me, scoffing as I move past them, sometimes bumping shoulders.

I feel hand's wrap around my arm as the crowds disperse in the crowds I turn around, pulling my arm out of Brad's grasp. "Why are you ignoring me?" He asks.

"I just want to get to class," I shrug and his hands drop to his sides. "I'm not ignoring you."

He scoffs, "funny, that is, since you looked me dead in the eye when you walked out of class and walked past me without saying anything. Does that not classify as ignoring someone?"

He wasn't in a good mood today, I noticed, and I had to tread carefully with what I said so that I didn't annoy him.

"Whatever," he rolls his eyes, stepping away. "I don't need your fucking validation. If you want to ignore me, go the fuck ahead. I just wanted to know when we were going to work on the project but I don't care anymore."

He turns on his heel, storming down the hallway and people moved out of his path. When he turns the corner, I realise my heart is beating so fast in my chest and my palms were growing clammy.

"Is everything okay, Miss Lopez?" A teacher asks me as I stand in the hallway. People must've witnessed the conversation.

I turn to the teacher with a small, reassuringly smile and nod, "I'm fine, thanks."

unedited.