Thistle ~ Bradley Rooster Bradshaw

Sixteen

Bradley's POV;

"What the hell is going on?" My head was scrambled, I'd had no idea what was going on, why she was so angry with Mav.

"What's going on? I can't handle rejection right?" She'd thrown my own words back at me, words I'd started to regret saying, "perhaps your right, just have the wrong person"

"What?"

"You think I'm upset from your rejection?"

"What?" Mav all but yelled, I didn't pay much kind to him. 

"Perhaps I'm upset about a different kind of rejection" I couldn't look away as she spoke, who else has rejected her?, "isn't that right, dad"

Dad?

My head snapped to Maverick who just stood there, nothing to say. Was maverick her dad? Surely not. I watched her as she pushed passed him and left the room.

Shit.

I'd made a big deal out of my rejecting her, made it clear for everyone something that hardly even happened. I'd made a fool out of her. I'd made her hit me, something she could get kicked for. Guilt started to eat me up like it never had before. My feet started moving before my brain did to follow after her, to make this right.

A hand slapped across my chest before I could run down the hallway, "it's not a good time". Phoenix. I knew she was right, heck, if I were her and seen me follow I'd be ready to slap the shit out myself.

"I didn't know" my eyes stuck to her like glue as I watched her head into the changing room.

"I don't think any of us did Rooster" Natasha gave me a sympathetic smile. She shouldn't have, I didn't deserve any sympathy. I'd been a total dick.

"I can't just leave her there alone Nat" I felt the sudden urge to protect a girl I'd turned away too many times for her to trust me.

"Bagman" Phoenix turned to him, nodding in her direction. He gave her a quizzing look before realising what she'd asked of him, something he did quickly by her orders.

I walked down the opposite hallway with my hands on my head, listening as Natasha followed me, "they're together aren't they?" I asked a question I hadn't intended on asking, but subconsciously the words fell out, needing an answer. I still felt partially responsible for her running off, for upsetting her and yet there was no stopping the aggravation that began fuelling me at the thought of Lucille and Jake together.

"Who?" I turned to face her as soon as she spoke. I tried to giving her a nod in the direction of the two, "use your words Rooster"

"Hangman and Thistle, are they together?" Her face fell even more than it already had. Fuck. What the hell was I supposed to do now, I should be happy.

I should be happy that she's found someone else and that there's no chance of her am I.

I got too dangerously close before, that damn course screwed me over.

"Bradley" my name sounded like velvet coming from her lips, hypnotic, "did I do something wrong?" No, no you didn't do anything wrong. Yet, I'll have to lie to you, tell you you did. Push you away.

"Listen Thistle," using her call sign hurt more than it should've, when she'd called me by name, I watched her brows change her entire expression when they fell from a questioning position to one of sadness, "this was only ever something fun for me" I swallowed my guilt, "but it's becoming boring now".

She looked up at me in a way that made my heart shatter.

I'd fallen for a girl I couldn't have. I'd gotten close to her, no sex, never any sex, I cared for her too much to do that to her, sure I'd kissed her, I wasn't supposed to. I told myself I wouldn't promised myself I wouldn't. Here she was stood in front of me, telling me she was ready to take the next step, being vulnerable, and I'd lied to her face.