The Girl He Left Behind (Bradley Will Simpson Fanfiction)

Feeling Sick

We were given our table and menus by the waitress. It was a circular table. Me and Riley sat down first as Brad sat next to me and James next to her, Tristan and Conner then sat opposite us. We looked at the menus and the waitress came over and took our orders. I still had butterflies in my stomach, my palms were sweating and I kept biting my nails like I always did when I am nervous. Tristan was speaking across the table to Riley about the university and Connor was talking to James about his food poisoning. Brad and I were the only ones not talking. I shuffled in my seat awkwardly.

"Why are you so nervous?" Brad asked startling me slightly.
"I'm not" I lied. I turned my head to look at him. He still had his beautiful eyes.
"Your biting you nails and shuffling around awkwardly what's wrong?" Brad said. He could always read me like a book, understanding all my emotions.
"I don't know" I sighed, looking down in my lap.
"Don't be nervous" he replied, he placed his hand on mine which was resting in my lap. I froze. I stared down at our hands touching. Brad noticed that I was looking down and removed his hand once the waitress brought the food over. Now that I thought about it, I wasn't that hungry. In fact I felt quite ill. "It may just be the nerves" I thought.

I tried to eat as much as possible without looking like I was trying to force myself. Everyone was in a massive conversation but I didn't feel like talking. Riley turned to me.
"Are you ok? You look kinda pale" she whispered.
"I'm just not hungry" I replied.
I placed my knife and fork down on the plate and leaned back in my chair.
"Do you want to go home?" She asked.
"No, your having fun, I'm fine." I replied.
Brad had obviously overheard our conversation.
"You do look pale" he stated.
"See" Riley said. "I'm not the only one worried"
"I'm fine" I whined.
"Do you want me to take her home?" Brad asked Riley.
"Are you sure?" Riley asked him.
"No, seriously I'm fine" I said to both of them.
"I'll walk her home" Brad repeated. Riley nodded.
"Fine, I give up" I held my hands up in surrender, I actually did feel quite ill but I didn't want to ruin this evening for Riley, she was getting on quite well with Tris.

Riley gave me the keys and said she'd be home within an hour. Brad explained why we were leaving to the boys. "Hope you feel better Abbie" Connor said. I smiled at him. Me and Brad both stood up and headed for the door. Why couldn't Riley come with me?

He opened up the door for me as I walked out, the autumn wind blew my hair over my shoulders sending shivers down my spine. We began walking along the pavement as cars headlights passed us. Brad stuck to my side as we dodged in and out of the people going by. He followed me as we went down a large alley way.

"Abbie what's wrong?" Brad asked me.
I looked down as I kept walking. Brad repeated the question getting quite annoyed. "Abbie please tell me".
I could feel the tears brimming in my eyes. A light sniffle escaped my nose.
"Ab" Brad said. We stopped walking. He pulled me into his chest as the tears came flooding down my cheeks. I sobbed into his chest as he rubbed the small of my back. The slight hint of his cologne made its way to my nose. I remember it well. It was so comforting back then when he used to comfort me when I cried. I felt him kiss the top of my head like he used to. My wet cheeks had stained his shirt. The tears had stopped for a bit, I pulled away, looking down as my make-up was probably half way down my face.
"Ab, what's wrong? Please tell me." He lifted my chin up with his finger so our eyes met."You've hardly spoken to me since I first saw you at the concert."
It took me a few minutes to collect myself.
"Brad, you hurt me. Three years. The first few days were alright because you called me, but when you stopped I was alone. It wasn't until me and Riley found each other again that I had someone. I began cutting again and for a while it helped, then Riley found out and was on full watch on me all the time. I didn't tell her why I did it I just said people were calling me names. It hurt not to tell anyone. It was painful seeing you on the TV so happy. It was hard because it these situations I would have normally come to you, but you were the one causing the situation. I couldn't take it. I began living a normal life but a day didn't go by when I didn't see you on Instagram or Facebook or listen to your music and didn't think of you. And when I saw you I panicked. I couldn't talk to you. You weren't there when I needed you to be." I croaked as the tears filled my eyes again.

I looked into Brads eyes to see they were watery.
"I'm sorry Abbie" he spoke slowly. "There is no excuse for what I did, I thought you were living your dream, when we were little you would always go on about college and uni and I thought you were gone forever. I couldn't stop thinking about you, I felt guilty every day knowing I wasn't there with you. And when I saw you again I couldn't believe it, I thought I was dreaming. When you ran off, it broke my heart again. Just seeing you broke my heart Abbie." He's voice was now shaking as the tears rolled down his cheeks.