your body is a weapon → brad simpson | ✓

sixty one

The following day, I wake up in an empty bed and a text from Connor. I'm not sure why it's not from James but I don't question it, instead I pick up my phone and read over the text with anticipating eyes.

We're going to pick you at twelve. Be dressed and ready.

My heart starts beating wildly in my chest. I have an hour and a half before they arrive and my mind starts racing at the possibilities of what will happen, rather than getting dressed like a sane person would.

When I finally calm down and start getting ready, I shower and then put on some jeans and a white shirt to tuck into my jeans. I finish brushing my hair and I thankfully have time to get something to eat before I leave.

As though on cue, the doorbell rings as I finis eating and I jump up quickly, putting the dirty pots in the dishwasher and putting on my shoes and jacket before opening the door.

Connor stands in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. "Glad you got my text."

"Course I did," I nod. We both see each other's texts but never reply, I notice. Connor has never once replied to mine, just like I haven't to his.

"We better get going," Connor says with a small smile and I nod, following him down to the car after I've locked up.

We get into his black Range Rover and we begin the drive to their house. I felt like my throat had closed up and I was struggling to breathe.

Whilst being home alone most of the time, sometimes studying but mostly doing nothing, I had searched on YouTube how to control my breathing since it's a recurring theme that I'm always struggling to breathe when I'm feeling anxious.

I distract myself, counting the red cars on the road and watching the yellow lines on the sides of the roads zoom past my window. It starts to work but I feel my heart going thousands of miles an hour as Connor pulls up into the driveway to his house.

He cuts out the engine, and I let out a shaky breath, closing my eyes and counting ten.

"You'll be fine," Connor assures me and my eyes snap open, looking over to him. "He won't do anything to hurt you, he loves you. He'll just be angry, probably shout, but that's just his way of expressing his feelings since he's not sure how he's meant to be right now."

"He's always angry?"

"Yeah, since you got engaged with Aiden," Connor says. "He was angry before you guys met but when you were friends, he calmed down a lot. He just got easily agitated by us because he wanted to hang with you so much."

My cheeks flush red and my heart skips a beat at Connor's reassuring words.

"Come on," Connor smiles, grabbing his keys. "We best not leave him waiting."

I nod and unbuckle my seat belt before following him to the door. He opens it up and shoots me a small smile before letting me go in first.

"We'll go get him out of his room," Connor says as James walks through the kitchen door, shooting me a smile.

"Glad you came," James says, wrapping me in a hug tightly. "I promised you I'd sort this out." He pulls out of the hug. "And I would've texted you if Brad didn't throw my phone at the wall."

I bite my lip nervously and he smiles at me.

"Don't worry, he's calmed down a little since last night," James assures me. "And we'll be waiting outside the room to stop him from doing anything to you-,"

"James," Connor scolds and I notice Tristan waiting at the top of their stairs for them. "You're gonna scare her."

"I didn't mean to," James says like a child before looking over to me again. "He won't do anything anyway, but that's not the point-,"