𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐚 | ✓

s i x

"And I was wondering if you want to be my girlfriend?"

"I'd love to be your girlfriend," Magnolia smiles. She and Max were standing at her locker at the end of the day.

He then grabbed her face and smashed his lips against hers and it was just as Brad turned the corner, giving him the perfect view.

Magnolia was tense at first, but eased up towards the end. She definitely didn't expect Max to be her first ever kiss. It wasn't exactly how she had imagined her first kiss when she was ten years old, but she settled for it. Though, she was very uncomfortable with the fact that everyone could see them.

Brad couldn't watch. He couldn't watch the girl of his dreams suck face with a guy that is using her for nothing other than sex.

"I'll talk to you later," Max says. "Gotta get to practice."

Max isn't good at lacrosse and definitely does not deserve to be on the team. The fact that his father is the coach made it pretty easy for him to make it.

After Max left, Magnolia then headed to the library. That's where she waits while Peter practices, since he is her ride home. She would take the bus, but the last time she did she was harassed by a freshman.

Once practice ended, the boys went back to the locker room to change. Once again, Max and Jack were talking about Magnolia.

"Now that she's my girlfriend," Max says. "I'll have her in my pants in no time."

"Would you shut the fuck up?" Brad finally says. "Some of us don't care to hear about how you're using girls for sex. It's disgusting and immature. If you're going to talk about that, take it somewhere else."

Max didn't have a response and neither did Jack. They both knew he was right. They also knew that Brad could beat both of their asses in a matter of five minutes, so talking back wouldn't have been in their best interest.

Magnolia was walking past the locker room as she waited for Peter when Brad walked out, causing her to run straight into him.

"Ohmygosh—I'm so sorry," she apologizes profusely. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

Brad holds onto her shoulders, looking down at her. "You don't need to apologize to me, Magnolia. I wasn't watching either. Don't sweat it."

"Right. No more apologies."

"No more apologies," he confirms with a smile. "I'll see you later."

Magnolia then waits for a few minutes, still waiting on her brother. They were already walking to his car when Max exited the locker room.

"I heard you and Evans are going out," Peter says. "I think you're a little shallow for him, but it could work."

"You should be happy for me," she climbs into his car. "It's my first boyfriend, you know."

"Maybe you'll get more popular and I won't be as embarrassed to have you as a sister."

"Are you upset about something? Why are you being so mean?"

"I had a shit practice today. Fucking Brad has been in a bad mood all week and makes each practice a living hell." That confused Magnolia. He seemed perfectly fine when they spoke today.

"Maybe school just has him stressed or something."

"That dude is always stressed. It has to be something else."

"I don't know, then."

: : :

It is now later that night and Magnolia is on FaceTime with Charlotte while she paints her nails.

"Max wants me to go to a party tomorrow," Magnolia says. "I don't know if I should go."

"Why would you not go?"

"I probably won't know anyone else there. I'll be forced to cling to Max's side the entire night."

"You can always make friends, you know," Charlotte smiles. "Become a social butterfly."

"I could try. I'm annoying when I meet new people, though."

"Just be yourself. You have a beautiful personality and if you just be yourself, you will make plenty of friends."

"Easy for you to say," Magnolia rolls her eyes. "You have a whole bunch of friends."

"Not the point."

As Magnolia does her nails, she can't help but hear the voices of Brad and Anne in the background.

"Sit still, Bradley!" she scolds him.

"I'm just trying to see what it looks like in the back!"

"Are—are they okay?" Magnolia finally asks.

"My mother is cutting Brad's hair," Charlotte rolls her eyes. She then picks up her laptop and brings it into the kitchen where Anne and Brad are.

"I swear on my life I am going to shave it off if you do not sit still." Anne says.

"I will move in with dad if you do that."

"Like hell you will. That bastard doesn't care enough to call you, let alone let you move in with him."

Brad didn't respond to that. It made him think about all the times his father has let him down. He had a different relationship with him compared to Charlotte. She was still very young when the divorce happened, while Brad was a lot more aware.

He remembers saying goodbye to his dad for the last time at the airport. Derek was moving back to the UK for a fresh start. Charlotte was standing with Anne across from them while Brad and his dad hugged.

"I don't want to you to go," Brad cried. "Why can't you stay here with us?"

"I'll be happier over there, Bradley," he sighed. "I'll call you as soon as I can."

Derek had to pretty much push Brad off of him, so he wouldn't miss his flight. Brad stood in the middle of the airport sobbing for a good ten minutes before Anne finally bribed him into leaving.

That is a memory Brad will always remember because it made him realize how much his dad didn't care. He always thinks about what his life would be like if his parents were still together. Maybe the divorce was for the better. Brad couldn't take the endless fighting and bickering between the two.

At the time, Brad thought about asking to go live with his dad in Birmingham, but deep down he knew that he would never see Magnolia again if he did that.

He had to stay for Magnolia because he knew letting her go would hurt more than chasing after her, even when he couldn't have her.

unedited