your body is a weapon → brad simpson | ✓

thirty one

Christmas came around quicker than I thought, and I end up spending the weekend beforehand wrapping presents in a frenzy.

I thankfully managed to find a decent present for Brad to have and I was going to give it to him on Boxing Day after Christmas since I won't be seeing him until then.

"You alright?" My dad asks, walking through the kitchen door as I finish wrapping Luna and Den's presents.

I look over to him and nod. "I've just got to wrap Brad's presents and then I'm done, I think. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he nods, setting down the mug of coffee he was holding. He'd been overworking himself recently and he was always tired when he was home. "I just wanted to talk to you about Christmas."

I frown, setting down the wrapping paper and looking over to him. Whenever we have this conversation, it usually means he's at work and the last thing I want is to spend Christmas all alone.

"What about it?" I ask, my voice quiet as I glance down at my fingers that fiddle on my lap. He leans against the kitchen island that I was sat at, piles of presents on the other end.

"Well, we're short of staff on Christmas," he says. "And I told them that I can't really have the day off because I want to have Christmas with you."

"Was that okay with them?"

He sighs. I feel my heart drop. "They're persistent for having me in from Christmas Eve until New Years Day. They want to finish the project as soon as they can."

I nod slowly, my heart clenching as I feel disappointment. Of course, my dad has spent two of the most special days of the year at work instead of at home with me. It was bad enough he missed my birthday but I'm not going to see him for a whole week over the festive holidays.

"I'm sorry, Jamie," he sighs, "but I've already agreed. I promise we'll have our own Christmas when I come back, alright?"

I look up at him and put on a faux smile. "It's fine, dad. Don't worry." He had to work to make sure I had a roof over my head. I couldn't be annoyed at him for earning money for us.

"How about afterwards, you and I go on a little shopping trip?" He suggests. "I'll make us a Christmas dinner."

"That'll be nice," I give him a tight smile. I know it won't be the same as real Christmas, but it's the though that counts.

He puts his hand over mine, tugging a smile on to his lips. "Do you need some help wrapping your last few presents?"

"I think I'm gonna do them tomorrow," I say, glancing at Brad's presents. He would be at the tracks tomorrow and my dad was going to be in bed most of tomorrow so I had the entire day to finish wrapping and buying presents. "I'm gonna go to bed now, I think."

"At eight in the evening?" My dad questions and I nod, putting away the tape and scissors I used before heading upstairs.

I grab my phone that was on the side to see a text from Brad. I smile slightly before reading it over. He was just letting me know he's okay—I have this urge to be protective over him when he's at the tracks because I hate when he gets hurt.

I type back a reply, telling him about my dad's work shifts and I wait for a reply while I brush my teeth and get into my pyjamas. Brad was quick to text back and told me to call him.

"What's up?" I say as he picks up. I pull my bedsheets over my body, savouring the warm feeling.

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay," Brad says, sympathy laced in his voice. "I know how much you were looking forward to seeing your dad over the holidays."

"I'll be fine," I assure him. "He promised to make it back to me and I'm sure he will. I'll just order myself pizza and open my presents up alone."

Brad falls silent for a moment, and I turn off the lamp by my bed. Brad and I become closer as friends everyday and it's nice to have someone to trust and rely on all the time. We usually hang out after school at my house since it's usually empty. He loves to do baking even though he's not very good at it. He's also really good at knowing what I'm thinking, and always knows how I'm feeling. It weird because no one's ever been like that since Aiden left my life.

"Do you want to come over to mine for Christmas?" Brad asks after a few moments of silence. Sometimes Brad and I will call each other and say nothing, just enjoying each other's company. I'll usually end up falling asleep and that's when he'll end the call.

I'm surprised by his question. "Don't be silly, you should spend time with your family."

"I will," he says. "You've never met my family, so you should come over and meet them. They won't mind, they'll be glad I have a friend that's not part of the gang."

"I haven't even gotten them presents, I'd feel like I'm intruding."

"I'll let my mum know you're coming," Brad says, ignoring what I just said. I roll my eyes.

"Are you sure? I feel bad."

"Of course I'm sure," he assures me. "I'd love to have you over, you'll keep me from going insane from my dad's stupid jokes."

I bite back a smile. "My jokes aren't any better."

"They're definitely funnier than his," he tells me. "But you're okay with coming over for Christmas?"

"I still feel bad."

"Don't," he says and I can imagine him rolling his eyes at me. "I'll pick you up at eight, is that okay?"

"Yeah," I tell him. "But I want you to open your presents before we go. I want to see your reaction."

"I told you not to get me anything!" He scolds me. "What if your present beats mine?"

"Oh, it will," I promise him. "It's so good, trust me."

"I really hope not," he tells me. "If my present is better than yours then I'll go out and buy you an even better one."

"Well, then the thought hasn't gone into the present," I say. "Then you're just buying something for the sake of it. Presents are meant to be thoughtful and nice."

He hums in agreement and we fall silent again. I don't mind, I never do. It was so weird that this boy was someone I strongly disliked three months ago and now I'm proud to call him my best friend. I never saw him angry anymore, he's always really happy around me, so maybe he appreciated me just as much as I did to him.

He's changed my life, perhaps in a small way but the point still stands. He's made me happier, feel more open. I can tell him anything because I trust him, and he can do the same back. I feel like I'm not a closed up girl anymore, someone that just sits in the back of the classroom and does the work.

"Jamie?" He says, and I'm pulled away from my thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"If we're going to stay on the phone until you fall asleep then charge you're phone," he says. "Because last time you forgot and spent the morning whining about how your phone had barely any battery."

I laugh at that. It's true. I turn over and grab my phone charger, plugging it into my phone before putting it on the side with the call on speaker phone.

I end up dozing away not long after, and I felt content.

edited.