your body is a weapon → brad simpson | ✓

twelve

After I had told Brad that I can go to the party tonight, a small smile had been on my face ever since. My nerves were slowly subsiding and I was growing more excited for tonight.

"Shall I pick you up?" He asks as we walk out of fifth period lesson. "For the party I mean: shall I pick you up and bring you with me?"

"You don't have to, I can just get a taxi," I assure him but he shakes his head.

"It's fine, I'll pick you up," he decides. He opens the door for me and I step outside, rain falling onto my head. "Have you got a lift home, as well?"

I could lie and say I do since I felt bad getting a lift home from him, but I didn't want to wait for a bus in this weather either.

I shake my head, "my dad's at work late tonight so I'll get the bus."

"Don't be ridiculous! Let me take you," he says, quickly walking to his car. Other people bustled past us in a rush to get home and I quickly climb into the passenger seat of Brad's car.

Once we're both strapped in, Brad pulls out of his parking space and goes straight for the car park's exit and soon enough we're on the road.

"What time should I pick you up tonight?" Brad asks as he turns down the radio.

"You don't have to," I reassure him. "I can get a taxi, I really don't mind. I'll just meet you at the party."

Of course, Brad was already set on picking me up. "I wanted you to come, why wouldn't I pick you up as well? Plus, you don't know the address."

I sigh in defeat, "fine! You can pick me up if you really want to, but I'll give you some money for the fuel since you're coming so far out of your way—,"

"Don't be silly," Brad rolls his eyes at me. "What time do you want me to pick you up?" he asks again.

"Uh, I don't know," I say shyly. "Whenever you're ready, I guess."

"I'll pick you up at half seven," he decides since I didn't really know when he should pick me up. "Do you think you can be ready on time?"

"It won't take me three and a half hours to get ready," I roll my eyes at Brad. "But yes, I'll be ready on time."

"Great," he smiles triumphantly and turns the radio back on. I lean my head against his window, waiting for the traffic to dissipate as we move barely an inch in five minutes.

"Now onto our news coverage for tonight," the lady on the radio says. "The weather is very rainy and heavy traffic is expected on main roads all night—,"

"No shit," Brad mumbles out and I look over at him with a smile, amused. "I think I can look out a window to see that it's raining, Sharon."

"—Last night there was another stabbing in Sutton," the news reporter says and I look over to the radio as the smile on my face disappears. "The victim hadn't been named yet but the police suspect it is to do with the gang violence occurring around the city of Birmingham and urge people to stay indoors—"

Brad turns the radio off quickly, not saying anything as he turns out of the lane we're in and takes a right so that we can get to my house quicker.

"How come you turned it off?" I ask him curiously. "I was listening to the news."

"I hate news reports," he shrugs. "They never tell the truth. Remember that guy that got stabbed outside of Den's Diner?" I nod sadly. "He was a rapist, and he was running from the police. They wanted to take him in anyway. The guy that stabbed him probably did the world a fucking favour."

I tilt my head, my lips pursing. He obviously felt passionate about the 'fake' news, and I didn't want to anger him. How did he know the guy was a rapist? Does it really make the murderer any more innocent?

I keep my mouth shut as he continues to drive to my house in silence.

+

I was ready half an hour early and spent that time trying to convince my dad that I was going to be fine.

"You said yesterday that you trust me," I remind him as I put the phone on speaker. He was stuck in really bad traffic and wasn't going to be home for at least another hour.

"I know, I just don't trust other people," he says from the other side of the phone. "You better tell me if anything happens, okay? And I want you to message me as much as you can and tell me when you're coming home. Will you need to get picked up? Have you got a ride there and back?"

"Yes, dad," I roll my eyes at him. I'm glad he can't see me, because otherwise he'd tell me off for thinking he's being ridiculous. "I've got a ride there and I'll message you if I need one back. Brad's taking me, okay? Stop stressing."

"I can't help it," he tells me. "But have fun, and don't have unprotected sex. Have you eaten, by the way? Never drink on an empty stomach."

"Yes, I've eaten," I tell him as I glance to the clock. Brad was going to be here in five minutes and I needed to get my shoes on. "And I already told you that I'm not going to drink—!"

The line cuts off and I assume he's got bad service or something. The weather was affecting the signal really badly since it was still pouring down with rain.

I sigh and send my dad a text, assuring him that I'll be fine, before I put on some trainers. They went fine with my black and orange camouflage trousers and white shirt that I had tucked in. I hadn't put much effort into my outfit tonight.

When Brad gets here, he honks the horn and I turn off all of the lights before getting my keys, locking up, and shoving them into my pocket, as well as my phone.

"Hey," I say as soon as I'm in the car. My hair had gotten a bit damp from just walking down to him but it wasn't too bad.

"Hi," he smiles briefly at me before we set off from my house. "Are you excited?"

"I guess," I say, a bit nonchalantly. "You're not drinking tonight?"

"I don't drink," he tells me, turning the corner. "Do you need a ride home?"

"If that's okay," I smile softly at him and he nods. I look over to him and he's wearing some black trousers with white lines on them, as well as a white button up. A few of his buttons were undone. I have to admit, he looks nice.

We arrive soon, the party seemingly in full swing. Compared to Cherry's, this party was insane. People were dancing on the roof, bra's were hanging off of the windows on the top floor and people were fully having sex on the front garden.

I scrunch up my nose as Brad and I walk up to the front of the house, and I subconsciously step closer to him nervously. I felt like if anything was going to go wrong tonight, Brad would be able to help me since he's intimidating and scary.

We walk through the open door, the floor shaking as the bass of the song blasts through the house, though it should be called a mansion.

"Do you want to get a drink?" Brad yells down at me and I shake my head, taking everything in. I didn't know anyone else here besides Brad. I turn to speak to him but he's no longer by my side and my eyes go wide. He's left me already?

Someone pushes past me, causing me to take a couple of steps back. I already regret coming here.

edited.