daddy issues → brad simpson | ✓

6 - girl

CHARLOTTE

I walk out of the lecture hall, clutching my book close to me with my left arm as I open up my bag with my right hand. It was a struggle, but eventually I had put my book away and was on my way for my free period before I had another lecture.

I tighten the bun on the top of my hair and as I drop my arms, I feel someone's hand grab on to them and pull me to the side where I'm met with a smiling Brad.

"Hey," I smile, flustered. I was surprised to see him today, especially since he hadn't replied to my text on Friday. I didn't want to message him more than once to see if he was okay, I wasn't his girlfriend or anything, so it wasn't my business.

"How are you?" He places a brief kiss to my nose and has a smile outstretched on his face.

"I'm okay," I return his grin, his arms wrapping around my waist. "Do you want something or do you always grab girls when they're walking out of lecture rooms?"

"I mean, if you're offering," he places a chaste kiss to my cheek, his breath warming up my neck as his face stays there, looking down. "I couldn't stop thinking about you all weekend. . . I was gonna call you but I thought you might be busy."

"I had work on Saturday but that was it," I place my hand on his cheek and pull his lips to meet mine.

"Have you got a free?" He asks and I nod slowly, already aware of where this is going. He takes my hand, the one that was on his cheek, and takes it in his. "How about we go somewhere else?"

"What are you gonna do? Fuck me in the toilets?" I tease him as he guides as through the empty hallways. People were either in class or in the library studying or gone home.

"Well, I was thinking the janitor's closet, but I don't mind," he titters and I let out a brief laugh. "Or I could take you back to mine, we could skip today's classes."

I breathe in deeply. I hadn't missed a single day of university this year.

"We could hang out like friends do," he continues, reaching the doors that lead outside into the crisp weather. It was only November, so it wasn't surprising that it was cold with grey clouds.

My heart was pounding at the thoughts of what he could do to me, "How about we go to mine?"

I bite my lip and look up at him for a response and he nods slowly, surprised by my offer.

"I've never been inside your apartment," he says as we reach his car and he opens the door for me. "I bet you have a shrine of pictures of me. Correct?"

"Incorrect," I shake my head with a tut. "I have one of your friend, Tristan, though. He has good hair, I'm jealous."

Brad rolls his eyes and shuts the door before climbing into the other side of his car. Once we're both buckled in, he starts the journey to my apartment, which takes unbearably long.

When we arrive, we take the lift up to the sixth floor where my apartment was, accompanied by an old lady who lived on the forth floor. I didn't realise I was holding my breath until I let out a sigh of relief when she stepped out and the doors closed again.

The remaining five minutes to my apartment was silent as Brad followed close behind me while I guide our way through the corridors. When I begin to unlock my door, I feel his lips press lightly against my neck, peppering kissed all over it.

"Hurry up, baby girl," he mutters against my skin and my cheeks flush red at the pet name as I slide the key into the keyhole.

I spin the key with one hand as the other lays in Brad's larger hand as he pushes us both forward into the apartment. When we're in, he turns me around and places his lips firmly on to mine and kicks the door closed with his foot, pulling my close to him.

"Charlotte? Is that you?"

I pull away quickly, knowing that it's Tiara's voice. She sounded alarmed, and sad. What was she doing here? She had class now.

Brad frowns, "when you said you were bringing me here I thought we were going to be alone."

"I thought that too," I mutter and I step back, out of his grasp. "Stay here, please."

He nods after a moment of hesitation as I walk to the lounge where Tiara sits there in tears on my sofa, surrounded by empty boxes that were presumably once filled with the tissues littered all over the floor and sofa.

"Oh, Tiara," I give her a sympathetic look and perch myself next to her, not wanting to sit on the snot and tear stained tissues. "What happened?"

"People happened," she sniffs, pulling a tissue out of a box that was on her lap. "Everyone started making fun of my today in class and I couldn't take it. It's been happening for weeks."

"What were they saying?" I ask, confused. As far as I was aware, no one had a problem with Tiara.

"They called me a whore," she sobs, more tears spilling out of her eyes. "Because they found out that me and James were hooking up in the school toilets."

"You were?"

"I thought you knew?" She frowns at me. "Everyone else knows!"

She lets out another strangled sob and I rub her back in an attempt to calm her down, "shhh, it's okay. We'll figure this out, but tell me who was calling you names."

"You make it seem like I'm being childish," she sighs dramatically. "They were slut shaming, not calling me names!"

"Don't shout at me, I'm just trying to help," I put my hands up in surrender. "We'll start by going in to school and reporting the people. I'm sure they won't do it again. And who's James? I'll have to talk to one of his friends about this, see if he spread anything—"

"James didn't tell me anything," Brad's voice echos through the apartment as he leans against the lounge doorframe, a frown etched on his face.

"You know James?"

"Yeah, he's my best mate," Brad pauses. "Well, one of them. He didn't tell any of us about his hookups. You must've said something to someone when you were drunk."

"I didn't," she shakes her head, turning to me. "What's he doing here?"

"It's a long s—"

Her voice lowers to a whisper so only I can hear as she leans forward to me, combing through her hair with her fingers, "did you already know about me being made fun of? Is this you trying to help me? I appreciate the help but I can't have him seeing me like this, he won't ever want to hook up with me."

I roll my eyes at her. She didn't like being called a whore yet wanted to hook up with another guy who was friends with her previous hook up.

"Why don't you go back to uni and report the people bullying you?" I suggest and she nods, shifting her bra so that her boobs looked bigger as she grabs her purse. "And call me afterwards, okay?"

She nods briefly before striding past Brad. Before she's out of view she turns to him with a raised eyebrow, "are you coming with me?"

"No thanks," he chuckles with a shake of his head as his eyes flicker over her before he turns back to me, still leaning against the doorway.

"Probably a good idea, I don't look my best right now," she mumbles before walking out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her.

I let out a sigh and look up at Brad.

"That was a mood-killer," he comments and a small smile stretches on to my face. "Shall we get something to eat?"

"I'd love that, but first I should tidy up my apartment. Can you pass me that bin?" I stand up, picking up some of the tissues with caution as he hands me the empty bin near one of the counters and I toss them in.

When I'm finished, I go to the kitchen and wash my hands before turning to Brad.

"So, what do you want to eat?"

edited.