your body is a weapon → brad simpson | ✓

seventeen

The following Monday, Brad tells me that he is to pick me up for school. He had messaged me through Facebook, claiming how happy he was that I'd finally accepted his friend request.

I'm ready ten minutes early for Brad to pick me up and my dad had already left from work since he knew he fixing need to take me. I eat some toast as I wait in the kitchen for Brad to arrive.

My dad had taken the boxes full of the old pictures up into the attic again, satisfied that he'd thrown out all of my mother's stuff. That means the kitchen is clean once again and not crowded by loads of boxes.

When Brad arrives, I dump the plate in the sink and lock up the house before walking down to his car. The weather today wasn't particularly great as fog covered the horizon, but at least it wasn't raining for the first time since Thursday.

Brad smiles at me as I climb into his passenger seat, putting my bag down by my feet before I fasten my seat belt. Once I'm clicked in, Brad pulls off of the pavement and we begin our way to school.

"Have you got any plans after school?" Brad asks, starting a small conversation.

"My friend Luna asked me to meet her later tonight for a bit of a girl talk," I smile slightly. "She works at Den's Diner, her dad actually owns the place."

"That'll be nice," he replies. "I was gonna ask if you wanted to hang out for a bit but I'm sure we can do it another day instead."

I smile at the curly haired boy. Having someone that wants to hang out with me after school was nice, and I appreciated the effort he put into our friendship.

"We definitely should meet up another time this week," I tell him, glancing out the window. It won't be long until we arrive at school and have to go our separate ways for tutor.

"Shall I take you to the diner tonight?" Brad asks, looking over at me as we reach a red light.

I shake my head. "You don't have to, I'll just take the bus."

"Let me rephrase that," he corrects himself, "I'll take you to the diner tonight, after school."

"Brad—,"

"I know, I know, I'm amazing," he smirks at me as he hits the gas pedal. "Don't feel the need to thank me."

"I wasn't going to," I roll my eyes at him. "I was actually going to tell you that you don't need to take me because I can get the bus."

"I'm gonna take you anyway," he raises his eyebrows, challenging me. I didn't want to try and convince him not to take me but equally, he should just go home and rest instead of chauffeuring me everywhere.

"No, you're not taking me."

+

"I can't believe I let you do this," I mumble out as we pull out of the school's car park. He looks at me with a grin on his face before glancing back at the busy roads.

"I told you that I was gonna take you to the diner," Brad tells me, his voice cheerful as he takes in his triumph. "Who are you meeting again? Luna?"

"Yeah," I reply, my eyes fixated on the landscape outside of the window. "I've known her since I was little, I used to work with her as well. We don't get to catch up that often and so it's gonna be nice chatting with her again."

"Maybe you should tell her about how amazing I am," Brad flashes his teeth as he teases me. "Tell her I have really good muscles."

"Muscles? Where?" I joke with him and he flexes his biceps as they move against his burgundy shirt that clung against him. "Can we turn on the radio?"

Brad nods, reaching forward at the same time to turn it on as I do and our fingers clash together. I mumble out a quick apology as my cheeks turn red, before he turns on the radio. A random pop song plays quietly in the background and soon we reach the diner.

"Thanks for bringing me," I smile gratefully at him and he smiles back. "I'll text you in a bit, okay?"

"Yeah, let me know if you need a ride home," he tells me and I nod even though I won't. I don't want him coming out of his way just for me, so I'll just get the bus home.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I say and we bid goodbyes and I get out of the car, pulling my rucksack over my shoulder before he drives off.

I let out a small sigh and make my way into the diner, a few different groups of people sitting in the booths. Luna was sat in jeans and a polo shirt, a smile on her face as she talks to her dad who was behind the counter. It was nice seeing her in normal clothes rather than her baby pink work dress.

"Hey, Jamie," Den smiles at me as he hears the bell ring that's above the door. I smile back at him as I approach the pair, sitting down at one of the barstools. "What can I get you?"

"I'll just have some tea," I say to him and Luna turns around on her stool to look at me. "How've you been?"

"Okay, actually," she smiles. We converse quietly as I wait for my drink and once I have it, we walk over to a booth in the corner of the room. "So, hows school going? Any development on that guy you were complaining about the other week?"

"We're friends now," I say with the hint of a smile on my face. "Turns out he's a super nice guy."

"You're friends as in. . . friends that hang out?" She asks and I nod with a grin on her face. "This is amazing! It means your finally over Aiden, right?"

"I'm getting there," I say, stirring my spoon around my tea nervously. "I haven't told him entirely about Aiden yet, but he sort of knows that my friend left me a few years ago and that's why I was a lone wolf for ages."

"Do you think you'll ever tell him properly?" Luna asks and I shrug my shoulders. Brad didn't really need to know about Aiden, and it's a part of my life that I really want to forget about and leave in the past.

"Anyway," I change the topic of conversation. "How's your love life going? Any new arrivals on your Luna Express?" I wiggle my eyebrows at her teasingly, and a small grin reaches her face.

"I got Tinder and I've hooked up with a few guys, but nothing ever clicks," she shrugs. "But I don't need to settle down yet, I've got uni to worry about."

"You have Tinder? You're so old," I scrunch my nose up at her. I never considered using a dating app, but then I never really considered having a boyfriend either. They weren't ever a necessity in my life before.

"Listen, there's some cute guys on there," she justifies herself. We continue talking about boys—she showed me a few pictures but they didn't beat my expectations—and eventually her dad calls her up for her shift.

"I should probably get going now anyway," I say, looking at the time. It's almost six and my busses stop running after seven so I had to leave and catch a bus into town, then get another one into my estate. It was going to be a long journey home.

"Want a drink while you're on the go?" Den asks and I shake my head. I hug Luna and bid the pair goodbye before I leave the diner with a smile on my face.

Now, for the long journey home.

edited.