Hardest to Love | Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw

𝟎𝟑 - 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄

Robert gives me a little wave. "Hey there."

"Hi, Bob." I smile with my teeth. "You should be playing with the rest of the gang."

"Nah." He sniffed. "I like it better watching here."

"Hold on. I'm just gonna get my glass over by the window." I tell him, using my mouth to point. He gives me an 'okay' smile.

I pull the front piece of my hair behind my ear as I look down to grab my drink. As I turn around I see Mickey calling calling Robert over to join in on the game. My eyes move to a tall figure wearing a white unbuttoned button up shirt with a white tank top under it.

"Bradshaw." Jake calls as he comes behind from the corner. "As I live and breathe."

The man he calls Bradshaw, stands on the other side of the pool table. I look at him, observing how he looks as he keeps his eyes on Jake. He looks different from the last time I saw him. Bradley's just a couple of years older than me. I first met him when I was five. We played a couple of times, but as I grew older, I never saw much of him and his Mother. We grew up in different areas in California. He looks a lot different now. His hair is now partially wavy, pulled back a little. He also has a mustache which I didn't expect to see.

"Hangman." He speaks. His voice is a lot different too. "You look... good."

"Well, I am good, Rooster." Jake takes the cue stick from Robert, who's about to hit a ball. "I'm very good." I roll my eyes at his response knowing he has a strong smirk smeared on his face.

The two go off at each other a couple of times as I watch from behind, quietly. I shake my head once in a while as I hear a selfish comment come out of that mouth of Jake's. I give credit to Bradley for handling him calmly. If I were in his position, Natasha would be pulling me away from Jake, preventing me from punching him in the face for acting like such an asshole.

The bell suddenly rings again and everyone around me stands up and claps. I look again near the bar to see that my Father once again has caused another blow out. Reuben, Jake, and Javy all carry him out to the door and throw him into the sand. Jake says something to him and then closes the door, leaving my Father laying on the sand alone.

The music playing around the whole bar gets switched off. I look around as everyone awes. I find Bradley sitting down on the piano. He plays a couple of keys that catch Natasha's attention. She calls the guys and I over, but I wave my hand to go without me. They huddle around Bradley as he starts playing a familiar melody.

"You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain." He sings. I take a few steps closer to watch him sing. "Too much love drives a man insane. You brought my wheel, but what a thrill." Everyone suddenly joins in. "Goodness gracious, great balls of fire!"

I laugh as I watch the group sing together on the side. Bopping my head up and down, they all enjoy themselves as they sing together. Natasha jogs up to me and pulls me in the little circle they formed earlier.

"I like to laugh cause I thought it was funny." Bradley plays on the keys of the piano. When I came in, smiling, my eyes met with his. He looks up at me being hugged from behind by Natasha with his sun glasses on. "But you came along and you moved me honey!"

Natasha yells loudly from the singing. "Sing with us!"

"I changed my mind, this song is prime. Goodness gracious, great balls of fire!" He continues to sing with the crowd. I look around me, everyone's smiling. "Kiss me baby. Ooh, that feels good baby. Hold me baby. I wanna love you like a lover should."

"You're fine, you're so calm." I hear Natasha sing.

I grow enough courage and start to sing in with them. "I'mma tell the world that you're mine, mine, mine, mine!" Bradley looks up at me and smiles.