your body is a weapon → brad simpson | ✓

forty four

"Welcome back," Luna grins as I see her waiting for me by the bar. She pulls me in for a hug and I laugh. "I've not seen you in ages! Too busy being a socialite now."

I roll my eyes at her, sitting down on a stool. "It's not been that long. How've you been, though?"

"I've been good," she grins before calling her dad over. "Can you get us a milkshake each?"

"Of course," he says. "Chocolate for our guest?"

"You know me well, Den," I laugh as I slip off my bag and put it by my feet. I turn to Luna. "So, I actually came to talk to you about something because I need your advice."

"Talk to me, Hun," she smiles, putting her hands over mine. I love how she acts like a big sister a lot of the time to me.

Den arrives with our drinks and I smile at him. "Thanks." I take a sip through my straw and begin to tell Luna everything—well, almost everything.

I tell her that Brad and I have been friends for a couple of months and how we've become really close friends. I explain that there's feelings between us both and we want to become something more but I don't want to ruin our friendship. I told her that we kissed and I told her we're going to take things slow before anything becomes official.

"Wow," she says, raising her eyebrows and having some more of her drink. "That's a lot. So, you were best friends and then you kissed and now you're in that stage where you're not sure where you stand entirely?"

"Long story short, yes," I nod. "And I just want to know what you think. Have I done the right thing?"

She ponders for a moment. "Do you really feel like you like him? Or that you've been pressured into it?"

"I definitely don't feel pressured," I say. "He assured me that it's fine if I don't wanna do anything. I decided to take this step."

"That's good, then," she smiles, "If you truly feel there's a connection between you both, then I don't see why you shouldn't try it out. There's no harm in taking things slow and seeing where it will take you."

I let out a sigh of relief. If Luna, a noble and intelligent woman, can tell me that I've made the right decision, then I had faith that this will all work out.

"And I'm happy for you," she says, smiling at me. "I've never seen you so happy before. Ever since Aiden left, you've been so dull but now you're literally glowing."

Crap, I should tell her that Aiden is pretty much back in town and that I've seen him recently.

"Speaking of Aiden," I say, inhaling sharply and looking down at my lap nervously. The only person that knew Aiden being back in town is a big deal to me, is Brad. "I've seen him around a couple of times."

I don't want to tell her that I met him at his business dinner party because she might ask what it was for and I'm not that good of a liar.

"Holy crap! Really?" She exclaims and I nod. "That's crazy! What did you say to him?"

"Well, he told me why he left," I shrug, looking over to her. "We spoke about things and I think we're on good terms. I'm just overwhelmed by him being back so suddenly that I don't know how I entirely feel."

"It's good that you've spoken," she says. "And I'm sure overtime you'll become more comfortable with him in your life again."

We soon change the topic and start talking about work and school and our plans for the new year. Soon enough, she gets called up for her next shift and we bid goodbyes.

I text Brad to let him know that he can pick me up whenever and he replies straight away, claiming to be ten minutes. When he arrives, I say goodbye to Den and Luna who were busy working before walking out to greet Brad.

He leans against his car and smiles as he spots me, pushing himself off and wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I do the same around his torso.

"How are you?" He asks, looking down at me as I look up at him. I smile at him, pulling away and he holds me at arms length.

I think after the talk with Luna, I feel so much more comfortable around Brad since I know I'm doing the right thing.

"I'm okay, how are you?" I reply and he smiles, kissing my cheek lightly.

"I'm fine," he assures me. "What do you want to do? Watch a movie? Go to the park? Go to my house?"

"Can we go see that new Spider-Man film?" I ask, climbing into the passenger seat.

"The cartoon?"

"Yeah," I nod, buckling my seatbelt in. He was already fastened in by the time I got on to my seat.

"Of course we can."

+

"I'm buying the popcorn," I declare. Brad shoots me an unhappy look. "You bought the tickets, I can't let you buy everything."

"It's fine, babe," he assures me and my heart flutters at the pet name. "I got it covered, don't worry."

I quickly speed up, walking straight towards the front desk to get us both a large bucket of popcorn. Brad was surprised by my sudden speed change but races after me still.

"Hello, can I have a large bucket of toffee popcorn?" I ask and Brad stands by my side with a sour face.

The worker nods and goes to get me some popcorn. "Anything else?"

"Do you want a drink or anything?" I ask Brad smugly and he shakes his head at me.

I could see his hand moving towards his back pocket where his wallet is and I quickly link my fingers with his to stop him.

"No thanks, that's it," I smile at the worker and I scan my card on the machine before taking the bucket of popcorn. As we walk away, I let go of Brad's hand.

"I'll pay you back," Brad assures me and I shoot him a glare.

"No you won't."

He raises his eyebrows at me, as though challenging me. "Yes I will. I told you that I had it covered."

"And I told you that I'm paying for the popcorn," I say defiantly as we walk into the screening room. It was pretty much empty. "Now stop being a baby and eat your damn food."

We sit down in our seats at the back and he mumbles something under his breath as he takes some of the popcorn. As the lights turn down low and the adverts begin, Brad and I just play on our phones, messaging each other even though we're sat by one another.

When the trailers begin, I nudge him and he puts his phone away before watching them. He was telling me about how he loves watching the trailers. I'm pretty sure I say I want to see every single film they show but I probably never will.

The film was actually really good and Brad seemed to enjoy it, too. He got quite restless towards the end but I tried to occupy him with something else—he's not always good on concentrating on one thing, and he told me once that it's because of his ADHD.

"Are we going to my place?" I ask as we drive out of the car park. Our fingers were laced between each other as he drive down the road with one of his hands on the wheel. It felt so comfortable to be holding his hand.

"I was going to ask if you could stay with me tonight," he admits. "But it's up to you."

We're meant to be taking things slow, I remind myself. Staying at each other's house isn't taking things slow.

"I think my dad wanted to hang out tonight," I shrug. It's not a complete lie, my dad has been asking me to hang out with him recently because I've been with Brad so much, even when he's home. "Maybe another time?"

"Okay," he smiles, running his thumb along my knuckle soothingly. "When's he going to be home?"

"Not long after now." I say. After meeting Luna and then going to the cinemas with Brad, it's almost five in the evening. "You can stay for some food at mine if you want?"

"That's fine with me. Anything to spend extra time with my girl."

edited.