your body is a weapon → brad simpson | ✓

sixty four

The car ride was so painful I contemplated jumping out at one point. I glanced over at him a couple of times but his knuckles were white from how hard he was gripping the steering wheel.

When we get to his house, I get out of the car and go inside before he can even unfasten his seat belt.

"Jamie, wait up—!"

I ignore him as I walk up the stairs to the bedroom. I know he's just going to follow me but I'm pretty much stuck inside anyway.

"Jamie," he says, catching up to me easily since he has much longer strides than me. "Can I just explain—?"

"Explain what, Aiden?" I snap, turning around as we reach the door to our bedroom. "You want to explain how angry you were with me because I finally saw and spoke to Brad after two months? You want to explain how you dragged me to your car and embarrassed me?"

"Embarrass you?" He scoffs. "Jamie, you fucking slapped me in front of Brad! No doubt the other boys would've found out by now! I'm meant to be a gang leader, Jamie, and gang leaders don't usually get hit by people, let alone girls!"

"You better just shut up for the rest of the night," I scowl at him, reaching for the door handle.

"Why should I when you're mistreating me?"

"You grabbed on to me!" I exclaim in disbelief. "How delusional are you that you think that I'm in the wrong? Sure, I shouldn't have slapped you, but you shouldn't have dragged me to your car and order me to get in like your bitch or something. You shouldn't have spoken to me about Brad like that. Stop blaming it on me because I hurt your fragile masculinity."

"Jamie—,"

"I don't want to hear it," I interrupt him. "I'm gonna sleep in a guest room tonight, I don't want to talk to you."

He opens his mouth to say something, despite my request, but I turn on my heel and walk inside the bedroom. I grab some pyjamas and my phone charger before going up to the third floor and going into a guest bedroom.

I change and run my hand through my hair stressfully. Everything was finally going okay after Brad and I spoke, but Aiden just had to rain on my parade.

I reach for my phone, finding Brad's contact and calling him. I just needed to speak to him and calm myself down before I worked myself up.

He answers within one ring. "I wondered how long it was going to take before you called me."

"I hope I didn't leave you waiting too long."

"Not at all," he assures me. "You actually took less time than I thought. If you took longer than an hour I probably would've driven to Aiden's house to make sure you were okay."

"Well, I'm fine," I say, glancing at my spare wrist. It was a little sore still from Aiden's tight hold but I know it won't bruise or anything. "So don't worry."

"When he dragged you down, I was already halfway there to go and beat his ass for touching you like that," Brad says, his voice laced with venom. "I should've broken his fucking face and—,"

"Brad," I say sternly. "It's fine, don't worry. I'm fine."

"You better tell me if he touches you like that again."

"Of course," I say, climbing under my bedsheets.

"You went total badass on him though," Brad says. "I didn't think you had it in you to hurt a fly, not alone slap someone across the face. I was impressed and when the boys found out, they were too."

"You told the boys?"

"After I'd calmed down from breaking a bunch vases," he sighs slowly. I always forget that Brad has ADHD and thinks irrationally in these types of situation. No doubt he had to get his anger out somehow. "What did he even do to make you slap him?"

"He, uh, said something that pissed me off," I say, not sure if I should tell Brad. He might not take it lightly. I hear the door slam shut, even from the third floor. Aiden must've gone out again. I sigh.

"What did he say?" Brad asks and I hesitate to answer. "Babe?"

"He said some not-so nice things about you," I give in. I know I'd want Brad to tell me if the roles were reversed. "It doesn't matter. I think he got the hint that he should keep his mouth shut next time."

"You slapped him up because he was mean about me?"

"You'd do the same for me."

"No I wouldn't," he replies. "I'd beat his ass to a bloody pulp before he could even finish his sentence. Then I'd consider slapping him up."

I laugh at him, before snuggling under my sheets. I wish Brad was with me, so I could sleep on his chest and he could keep me warm. We probably wouldn't get much sleep if he was here, though.

"Are you tired?" He asks after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah," I say, a yawn wanting escape my mouth as I speak. "Aren't you?"

"Yeah, but I could stay up all night if it meant I were talking to you." He says. My cheeks burn as he speaks; he's so damn sweet and adorable. "Go to sleep, babe. We'll talk tomorrow."

"You go to sleep too, then," I reason and he agrees. When he ends the call, I plug my phone into the wall and turn over in my sheets, holding back a grin from spreading on my face.

+

I wake up the next day in the early hours of the afternoon. Yesterday must've been so exhausting and overwhelming on me that I had to catch up on a lot of sleep.

I check the time on my phone and it was three in afternoon and I probably have to face the wrath of Aiden when I go downstairs, unless he's out at work.

Either way, I'm not excited for what today will bring to me.

I eventually get out of bed because my stomach starts growling and I know that I need something to eat.

When I get into the kitchen, I glance over at Aiden who was sipping on a coffee as he texted someone on his phone. Neither of us said anything.

I dig through the cupboards and end up finding a packet of noodles. I prepare it and as it cooks, I finally turn to Aiden.

"We need to get some more food."

He looks up from his phone and nods. "Okay, we can go today."

"I've got plans today," I lie. I don't want to be locked up in this house with Aiden, nor did I want to go shopping with him. After yesterday, I want to spend the least amount of time with him possible.

"Plans? With who?"

"Luna," I decide quickly. She won't mind if I spend some time at the diner with her. "I'm just gonna be staying with her for a bit."

He nods slowly. "I'll take you."

"I don't need you to—,"

"After yesterday," Aiden interrupts me. "I can't trust that you won't run back to Brad. I can't have you mess this up for me, or for the gang."

"Me becoming friends with Brad wouldn't have ruined anything," I argue. "It's bad enough you made me tell him about this damn engagement before I was ready, but now you're trying to stop us from being friends again?"

"I know that it will go from being best friends to making rendezvous with each other," Aiden replies sharply. "I know you, and I know Brad—,"

"You don't know me!" I snap. "You left me for almost four years and then when we see each other, you decide to ask me to marry you to benefit yourself and your gang. I lost Brad, I gave up my chance at being happy, because of you!"

His jaw clenched. He's trying hard not to clap back at me. I turn around and continue cooking my noodles.

"So, no, I don't need a ride to the diner. I'll get a taxi."

edited.