your body is a weapon → brad simpson | ✓

forty one

After Aiden had left, I didn't really have much to do with myself. I spent most of my time watching random shows on Netflix until I grew bored and fell asleep for a few hours.

Now, I sit on the phone with Brad who had been resting and chilling out all day. I decided to call him after I had changed into my pyjamas.

"Connor, I swear to god," I hear Brad curse through the speaker of my phone. We were on FaceTime while he's playing on his PlayStation with Connor and Tristan. "I'm going to throw you off of the map in a minute."

I don't hear Connor's reply since they're speaking through their headsets since they were all in difference rooms. I see Brad roll his eyes as he starts moving the controller.

I hear shouting from the background and Brad quickly takes off his headset. Connor walks into the room as Brad stands up. "What the fuck? You weren't actually supposed to throw me off of the map!"

"You thought I was bluffing and I wasn't! I told you I would," Brad replies, chuckling as he now holds his phone. Connor says something under his breath which causes Brad to chuckle before he leaves.

"What were you even playing?" I ask. I had occupied myself with some homework that I have to hand in next week when go back to school.

"Call Of Duty," Brad says as he sits back down on his bed. "When Black Ops Four came out, they played it non stop but I'm still better than them at the game."

I laugh at that before saving and closing down the document I was writing on. I pick up my phone and hold it closer to me. "I missed you today."

"Of course you did," he quips and I roll my eyes. "I missed you too, Jamie. What did you even do without me?"

I frown slightly. I was still confused on how I felt with the whole Aiden situation. While I'm happy I've seen him for the first time in so long, I'm annoyed that he left me. But with an explanation, I know he didn't just forget about me.

Brad notices my hesitation quickly. "You okay?"

"Yeah, fine," I shake my head to clear my thoughts. "Just thinking about something."

"You looked upset, are you sure you're fine?" He asks and I nod my head. He purses his lips and looks at me with disbelief. "I think you need a hug."

I laugh halfheartedly. "I'm fine, Brad."

He stands up off of his bed, shuffling around his room. "I'm coming to your house to give you a hug."

"That's so inconvenient," I say, frowning at him. "You're meant to be resting and chilling out, remember?"

"And you're not meant to be upset," he retorts, putting the phone on his side as he tugs his coat and shoes on. He's downstairs now. When he's ready, he picks his phone up again. "I'll see you in fifteen minutes. Love you."

I open my mouth to argue with him but he's already ended the call. I sigh, plugging my phone in to charge. Walking downstairs, I hear the sound of the tv playing in the lounge. My dad's home for the first time in a while.

"Brad's coming over," I say. I'm not sure if Brad was being literal about just coming to give me a hug, but I'll invite him in anyway. "Just so that you know."

My dad, who's holding a bottle of cider in his hand, nods with a smile. "Alright, sweetheart. Is he staying over for the night again?"

"He'll probably sleep at home," I say to my dad before I disappear to get myself a drink. As Brad said, he arrives in fifteen minutes. I open the front door and he embraces me in a tight hug before either of us can get a word in.

His arms are around my torso and I instinctively wrap my arms over his shoulders, resting my head in the crook of his neck. He squeezes me tightly before holding me at arms length.

"You look freezing," I tell him. Even I was cold from the wind blowing through my door. "Come in."

He doesn't protest and steps inside. We let go of each other completely so I can lock the door up.

"Hello, Brad!" My dad shouts through to us as he hears the door shut.

"Hi, Mr. Lopez!" Brad shouts back through and I laugh quietly under my breath before putting Brad's coat on the coat rack.

We make our way into the kitchen to grab some snacks and I avoid Brad's gaze. No doubt, he's going to ask why I was 'upset' earlier. I wasn't, not really. Just a little bit stressed.

"Are you gonna tell me what was wrong with you?" Brad asks once we're upstairs and in my room. My dad trusts us enough to have my door closed now since Brad's been over so many times and never caused a hassle.

"Nothing was wrong with me," I shrug, climbing under my sheets. Brad joins me as I tug my laptop close, turning on Netflix to watch a film or two before he leaves.

"Don't lie to me," Brad tuts, slinging his arm over my shoulder and tugging me close. "Tell me what's on your pretty little mind."

I roll my eyes, scrolling through some comedies to watch.

It's not like Brad knows nothing about Aiden and I—he knows that we were best friends. Well, he knows that I was best friends with someone, not who I was best friends with.

Keeping in something so big, especially from Brad, isn't good for either of us. I should tell him, I just feel like he might get upset for some reason.

"Jamie?" Brad asks, reaching forward and putting down the laptop lid. I glance up at him. "Talk to me; we're best friends after all."

"You remember at the party on Friday?" I ask, giving in. I can't expect him to talk to me about everything if I don't do the same back.

"Yeah," he says, his eyebrows furrowed. He didn't know where I was going with this.

"Well, I was going outside to get some fresh air and Tristan was taking too long," I explain. "So I walked out to go by myself."

Brad's jaw sets. "Tristan let you just walk off from everyone else? Seriously? I'm gonna kill him." I want to comment on the fact he left me first, but I don't want to cause an argument with him.

"That's not the point," I continue. "On my way out, I quite literally bumped into your gang leader."

He tenses and I look down at my fingers nervously. He doesn't say anything, he wants to hear the story first.

"And it turns out that I know him," I say, looking back up to Brad who's eyes were closed momentarily. He looked annoyed and I regret telling him already. "He was one of my bestest friends growing up."

"Wait," he interrupts, opening his eyes and looking at me. "Are you telling me that Aiden was that bastard friend that left you three years ago?"

I nod slowly and he rolls his eyes. "Anyway, we bumped into each other and we agreed to talk about it another time because he wanted me to leave so I didn't end up getting hurt or anything. That's when I went to find you."

"And this is why you were upset today?" He asks curiously. "I'm sorry that I didn't ask about your night at the party, I didn't think—,"

"It's fine," I assure him quickly. "And I'm not upset. Confused, a little bit annoyed but also slightly relieved. I bumped into him at the shops this morning and we caught up. He explained why he left."

"Did you forgive him?"

"Sort of," I say. "I'm willing to build a friendship again but I want to make it clear to him that he's not my best friend anymore."

"Good, I don't want him replacing me," Brad says firmly and I laugh, pulling him in for a side hug.

"No one could ever replace you," I tell him. He quickly pulls me on to his lap and hugs me tight again. I nestle my head into the side of his neck.

"I won't let anyone replace me, I'll kill them before they get the chance."

Edited.