Would You ↪ Bradley Simpson

seventeen ↪ that time you couldn't stop yourself

I finally got home around six. I tiredly dropped my bag by the sofa and lazily made my way to the fridge. Unsurprisingly, it was empty. I sighed and went to shower instead, setting my mindset to go back to work mode. My mind drifted at how my new friends were having a lovely superhero marathon all together while I was...meh, by myself. Being alone never bothered me that much before. While sorting my clothes out from my bag, I noticed a grey jumper that definitely didn't belong to me. It looked very much cosy and comfy, so I shrugged and shoved it over my head. I slid into a pair of navy blue joggers and finally made my way to the sofa. I wasn't sure if I wanted to have my own movie marathon or not. Yes tho. Who says no to that? 

Spider-man: Homecoming was playing when my phone buzzed loudly against my coffee table. I picked it up and spotted a few unread messages. A couple were from my only-girls group chat with Kirstie and Luce, just whining about Taylor being there and the boys being jealous of Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Evans. I laughed it off and shook my head, those dorks. One of the texts, though, was from an unsaved number.

"Hello hello :) you're cosy cosy?"

I had to pause the movie and sit up straight. I went into the group chat and looked for that number and yes, it was there. "bws" was written after the line of numbers. I was taken aback by that text so much that I didn't even reply. I had no clue what to say back. A new one popped up. "It's B, by the way. I was wondering...are you more of a Thor, Iron man, or Captain America girl?"

I smiled like an idiot as I typed. "actually, I'm a Spider-man kind of girl"

"really? :) noice"

"aren't you supposed to be watching the movie or something?" I bit my lip in excitement for our text exchange before I remembered how Taylor was there too. Right? Had she left?

"but I'm bored, peachy :("

I thought for a moment before texting the girls in our private group chat, asking if Taylor was still there. Both their replies came in quickly. "Sadly, yes" "I wish she wasn't tbh". I had an existential crisis about whether to send my next text to Bradley, but did anyway. "I thought you had company?"

I threw my phone on the other side of the sofa so I wouldn't have to deal with his answer. I grabbed my remote and resumed the movie, focusing on Tom Holland only. The notification buzz came in quickly but I was too scared to look. It took me a long minute before I gave up and peeked.

"what do you mean?"

What did I mean? Was he dumb? I mentally face-palmed and wrote another text, trying to be subtle. "You know...other people in the room or something"

 "if I cared why would I be texting you?"

My heart flipped inside my chest when the buzz of my phone kept going again and again, an incoming call by an unsaved number. The same unsaved number I was texting. Bradley. I panicked and frantically paused the movie again. I blankly stared at the screen for what felt like five whole minutes before I picked up. I didn't speak though, just waited for him to do it.

"What was that?" was the first thing he said.

I had to fight the urge to hang up on him and throw the whole phone away. "Hello to you, too."

"Who's the other people?" Brad just continued.

"Um," I squeezed my eyes shut in embarrassment. "Tristan? James? Taylor?"

There was a silence before he spoke again. "Yeh, that's what I thought"

"I'm, um, watching Spider-man" I tried to switch the topic and, to my surprise, it actually worked because Brad let out a soft chuckle.

"Getting the Spidey content you like, huh?" he teased.

I smiled like an idiot. "Yes, actually. Pretty accurate. What can I say? He's just my type"

"So let me get this straight" his voice lowered like he was walking back to where everyone was. "Your type is clumsy, goofy, curly-haired dudes?"

I opened my mouth in shock as to say something but I couldn't think of anything. Had he just... also described himself? I guess I had never put much thought into it before. Ah, shit. — "That's not what I said" I hurried.

"Sure thing, darling. Whatever makes you sleep at night I guess" he teased again and I could swear he had that smug smile stuck on his pretty face.

Before I could answer to that, an annoying squeaky voice spoke loudly in the background. "Who are you talking to, baby?"

I froze and felt my whole being shut down. Of course she was still there. I could mentally see her all over Brad, kissing him and just holding him in ways that I couldn't, and him just not pulling away. Taking it all. What was I even doing at that point? In a quick movement, I pressed the red button and hung up. The next buzz made my heart flip but, when I noticed it was the girls, I instantly relaxed. Kirstie was going all crazy for some reason, typing in all caps. "YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Taylor's wig fell off?"

"OKAY THAT'S HILARIOUS BUT NO" she replied quickly. "BRAD JUST MADE A WHOLE SCENE IN FRONT OF US AND OMG I'M WHEEZING"

I blankly read her text, confused. "Elaborate please?"

"HE WAS SO PISSED BECAUSE HE WAS ON THE PHONE IDK AND SHE INTERRUPTED HIM OR SOMETHING SO THE CALL WENT OFF AND HE WAS FUMING"

"I SHOULDN'T BE LAUGHING BUT I CAN'T STOP" Luce jumped into the conversation right away.

"THE BOYS ARE LAUGHING SO HARD RN HE'S GONNA PUNCH THEM ALL" Kirstie continued. "HE'S SO UPSET I FEEL BAD FOR LAUGHING"

I nervously bit my nails and opened my chat with an unsaved number. The first thing I did was add it to my list of contacts, so I texted him, unsure of what to say exactly. — "Are you okay?"

"Are you? why did you hang up on me?"

Again, I stared at the screen like a complete idiot, not knowing what to say back. The girls-only group chat was blowing up, both of them still writing in all caps. "AH SHIT WAIT HE CALMED DOWN IT WAS SO SUDDEN LOL" Kirstie's text popped up over my chat with Brad, closely followed by Lucee's "NOW HE LOOKS KINDA SAD THO :("

I swiped every new notification from that group chat away and focused on my chat with Brad only. I was still unsure of what to say but went for it anyway. "sorry, just...you sounded busy"

His text back was quicker than I expected. "if I was busy why would I be calling you in the first place? what's up? what's wrong?"

I lied. "Nothing :) I'm off to bed now, big day ahead tomorrow. Goodnight, B."