A Month To Live

A Month To Live (13)

Monday morning. A new day a new week. As I rolled up into school, I saw a lots of banners - all bright red of course. I remembered the football game was this Friday so I guessed everyone would he getting a mega dose of team spirit this week. It was a home game too, so the school probably wanted to impress the opposing team. Or maybe they were just trying to blind them and gain an advantage.

I parked in my usual spot and was irritated to find my backpack had spilled out onto the floor. I got out with a huff and walked around the other side of the car.

'Stupid bastard,' I muttered as I glared through the window at the mess in the backseat. I really didn't have any patience this morning.

'Language like that isn't appropriate first thing on a Monday morning', Bradley yawned, appearing beside me and leaning against the car.

'It is when annoying things like this happen,' I growled, yanking the car door open aggressively. 'Especially on a fucking Monday morning.'

'Chill out,' he said. 'Why're you so pissed off?' he asked. His eyes widened suddenly. 'If it's about sensitive female stuff then I don't want to know! I get enough of that from Remi,' he added, raising his hands.

I glared at him and whacked his chest with one of my textbooks. 'One day, I will kill you.'

He grinned at this, not the reaction I was expecting.

'Why you're in a fantastic mood today,' he said, only annoying me more and making my glare intensify.

'Okay, I don't really want to get beaten up a few days before the game because coach will have me on a roasting spit,' Bradley said hastily. 'So I'm just going to clean this up for you to get back in your good books.'

He gently pushed me out of the way, reached into the car, and deftly stacked the rest of my books before sliding them into my bag. He grabbed the pens too and I tensed slightly as he picked up my pill bottle.

'Maybe you're pissed off because you haven't had any of these today,' he said, putting my bag on the roof of my car and rattling the bottle at me. 'You got a headache?' he asked.

I sensed the hesitation in his voice. Now that I came to think about it, I did have a low throbbing ache right at my temples. I wasn't sure how I didn't notice it earlier. I guess I was getting used to the regular discomfort.

'Oh yeah,' I said slowly. 'I didn't take any this morning.' I held out my hand but Bradley popped the lid and tapped one onto my palm. He slid the pot back into my bag and leaned against the car again.

'D'you have to take these every day?' he asked curiously. I could feel the weight of his eyes on me and shrugged in what I hoped was a casual way.

'Whenever it gets bad,' I told him, raising my hand to my mouth to avoid saying anything more.

Technically that wasn't true. But I didn't have many left and couldn't take them everyday else I'd run out entirely. I guess I could buy some normal over the counter painkillers but they were nowhere near as effective.

'Wait, I have a drink,' Bradley said, shrugging off his backpack and unzipping it.

He pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to me. He really was adorably thoughtful sometimes. I shot him a grateful smile as I unscrewed the cap.

'Bleh,' I grumbled as I knocked the pill back. 'They taste really metallic,' I explained. And also faintly like sea water.

'Nothing to do with medicine tastes good,' Bradley replied. 'I remember when I broke my arm in fifth grade in a few different places, they stuck me on the gross pain meds for a couple weeks. My mom practically had to hold me down so I'd take them,' he smiled.