𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐚 | ✓

t w e n t y t w o

"Magnoliaaaa," Brad whispers, his mouth close to her ear. She was sitting in the library chair, sound asleep with her head resting on her backpack. "Babe, wake up," he whispers again, chuckling.

The school day is over, it has been over for about twenty minutes. After blowing up her phone, Brad finally found her snoozing in the library.

With a smile, he blows on her face and she stirs awake. "Morning, babe."

"How long was I asleep?" she yawns, sitting up.

"School has been over for twenty minutes. I don't know when you came in here, though."

"I was here for all of 6th and 7th hour," she starts putting away her books. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"Hey, I heard about a really cool spot to watch all the planes take off. Wanna go check it out?"

"Why not," she stands up. "Planes are cool."

Magnolia and Brad were now at the spot. It was at the top of a hill that is right next to the airport. The sky was particularly blue today and very clear, that was part of the reason why Brad wanted to do it today.

"I like looking at planes, but actually being on one scares me," Magnolia says. "I'm always scared it's going to crash, like in Grey's Anatomy."

"I've heard Cristina's shoe is still missing."

She laughs, "Iconic."

"Magnolia?"

"Mhm?"

"I have a super, duper, important question to ask you."

She turns her head, looking directly into his eyes. The beautiful eyes that will always make her weak in the knees. "What's up?"

He takes a deep breath, "I was wondering if you wanted to be my girlfriend?"

She giggles, "I thought I already was?"

"I never asked you officially. I wanted to make it official."

"Oh," she smiles. "Then yes. A hundred times yes."

:::

It was now the next day and Magnolia was walking up Brad's driveway after Peter dropped her off. He didn't know she was coming over. She had some news that could either cause him to go into a nervous breakdown or make him happy.

After knocking on the door, Anne answered with a warm smile. She knew what was going on with her two children and Magnolia, but she doesn't want to get too involved. She knows they'll work it out.

Anne also knows that she's never seen Brad this happy in a long time and she doesn't want it to end over some silly drama.

"Bradley should be in his room," she says. "I think he's practicing."

"Yeah, his audition his really soon. It's impossible to get him to do anything other than practice," she giggles. "My parents want to have him over for dinner tonight. I'm hoping he has a few hours to spare."

"Good luck with that!"

Magnolia then walks up the Brad's room. She has officially given up in trying to talk to Charlotte. She figures that she will come to her when she's ready to talk and work things out.

After knocking a few times, she enters his room. To no surprise, he is, in fact, practicing. A smile wipes across his face as soon as he sees her standing in the doorway and he holds his arms out for a hug.

"I didn't know you were coming over? Did you text? Shit—I probably didn't hear my phone because—"

She pulls away with a smile, "I didn't text. Peter dropped me off after we went to the store. I do have some news to share with you, though."

"You and Charlotte are friends again?"

"...No," she shakes her head. "My parents want to have you over for dinner tonight."

"They do?" he begins to panic. "Why is it so last minute? What am I gonna wear? What if—"

"Calm down, Lady Gaga. It's not like they haven't met you before."

"They've only met me as Charlottes brother, not their daughters boyfriend."

"Peter will be there, too. It won't be awkward, I promise. They've always thought that you're a good guy and you still are. There should be no problems."

Brad spins around on the bench, grabbing her arm and pulling her close, making it so she's standing in between his legs. She looks down at him, draping her arms around his neck, "Don't be nervous. My parents aren't even that scary."

"Easy for you to say," he frowns. "But I love you and I'll have to meet them at some point."

She dips her head down, kissing his lips. "Thank you. I love you," she kisses him again. "How's practicing going?"

"Terrible," he spins back around, looking down at the piano. "Auditions are in less than two weeks and I sound like shit."

"I highly doubt that you sound like shit," she sits down next to him. "Sometimes you need to take break. Just let yourself breathe."

Magnolia was right. Brad has been practicing non stop with little to no breaks. It is school, maybe a small date with Magnolia, and then practicing until the early hours of the morning. Charlotte wants to smash his piano with a hammer every time he wakes her up at four in the morning by cussing and getting mad at himself for messing something up.

"I don't have time to take a break," he sighs stressfully. "This audition is my one shot. If I don't get in, I don't know what I'll do. I don't have a backup. I guess I'll have to go to one of the schools that are offering a lacrosse scholarship."

She rests her head on his shoulder, "You will do amazing. Regardless of what happens, I will be so, so proud of you."

"Thank you," he kisses her cheek. "I love you."

"Right back at ya," she stands up. "I'll leave you alone now. Be at my home dwelling by six."

"Can do, Magnolia. See your pretty face at six." he smiles as she blushes, exiting the room as quickly as she can to spare herself the embarrassment of her bright red cheeks.

unedited