PEACHES [bws]

29. FORGIVENESS

29.

Brad held her heels for her as she balanced on the edge of the pavement, her arms outstretched to her sides as she tries to balance herself.

She giggles as she loses her footing and stumbles onto the road, careful not to cut her feet on any glass or stones on the floor.

"Careful, Summer," he says, forcing himself not to say her nickname he'd grown so accustomed to saying. This was only his second time saying her actual name.

She ignored him, stepping back onto the edge of the pavement and balancing the way across it until they reach her house. Brad follows her up to her door and she grabs her keys from the small bag on her shoulder and unlocks the door.

She yawns, her hand resting on the handle as she leans against the door. Her eyes felt heavy.

"You okay?" He asks with concern.

"I'm fine," she replies firmly yet not rudely, since she's too nice of a person to ask stuck up even to Brad, who's made her very upset.

"Here's your shoes," Brad sighs as he hands her the heels. "Don't forget to take some pills in the morning."

Brad hated how close they were physically yet how distant it was between them. He wanted to hold her, kiss her, love her. But he didn't know where to start with his apology, so he didn't say anything.

"Thanks," she mumbles as she takes the heels in her spare hands, her other still gripping the door handle to the closed door. She musters the strength to look up at him. "Brad?"

"Yes?" He looks at her hopefully. Maybe she'll ask for an explanation and he'll explain. He'll tell her everything and he'll be honest.

"Just because I let you bring me home, doesn't mean we're on good terms."

"I know," he sighs, disappointed, before looking over her tired body. "Just get upstairs safely and get some sleep, yeah?"

"I will," she drawls out, her eyes fluttering to a close but Brad holds on to her and stops her from falling to the floor as her body gives in. Her hand drops from the door handle and he picks her up in his arms.

"Why did you have to get drunk, peaches?" He says quietly, her knees bending under his arms as he manoeuvres them both inside of her home. "I much prefer you when your sober."

Her body had completely given up on her from exhaustion but she was still awake. She stirs in his arms as he closed the door with his foot, dropping her heels to the floor.

"Th-thought I'd try it," she mumbles as she snuggles against his chest while he goes upstairs. "Tried to forget you but it just made me remember you instead."

"Peach, I'm not worth being remembered," he whispers quietly and she looks up at him.

"Don't call me that," she says. "Don't call me peach or peaches or anything."

"But you're my little peach," he says as he walks into her room, gently placing her on the bed. "And we're gonna get a dog and move in together, remember?"

She looks over at him as he crouches by the side of the bed. She sighs. "How do I know you didn't just say that to get into pants?"

"I promise, pea—Summer—I promise that I didn't," he replies. She rolls her eyes before turning over on the bed.

"Lock the door on the way out," she says through a yawn before she closes her eyes. Brad sighs and stands up, walking out of her room and closing the door behind him.

He locks her door with the keys she put in her bag, posting them through her mailbox. He looks up at the clouded, starry sky and sighs.

He screwed up, big time, by losing her.

❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜

"Worst fucking headache of my life," Summer complains as Grayson opens his door at three in the afternoon.

"Shouldn't have gone drinking, lightweight," he says, gratefully taking the McDonalds breakfast she had gotten on her way down.

She didn't know how she got home but all she did know what that she had a painfully awful headache and felt sick to the stomach.

"I'm going back to bed," she says as she walks into his house and takes off her shoes and jacket.

When she woke up this morning, she had gotten up, thrown up in the toilet, cleaned herself up, showered and changed into her pyjamas. She didn't care if she looked like an idiot when she walked into McDonald's, though most people could figure she had a hangover.

"Yeah, make yourself at home," Gray scoffs. His home wasn't actually his, his parents owned it but they were on holiday in Greece since they're both retired.

"I practically grew up here," Summer calls back down to him as she walks up the stairs, gripping the banister.

He chuckles and follows her up to his room while he starts eating his breakfast wrap, certainly not complaining at how it tasted.

"Have you eaten anything this morning?" Grayson asks.

"No, I'll probably end up throwing it up," she replies. "I feel so sick."

"Don't throw up on my bed. They're expensive sheets."

"You bought them for a fiver at Home Bargains," Summer rolls her eyes as she falls onto the bed, wrapping herself in his sheets. "I'll be fine. Just gonna go to sleep."

Grayson just shrugs, getting into the bed next to her and watching the daytime TV.

Meanwhile, Brad was at work, taking calls and booking appointments for people under his name to keep himself busy. The door opens and Tristan walks in, causing Brad to roll his eyes and sigh.

While Brad and Summer ignored each other, Tristan had come to the simple conclusion that he was wrong about Brad. If what Brad said he felt towards Summer was true, then Brad wouldn't be bothered about her ignoring him. He would just go to the next girl.

Tristan had known Brad for years, so he knew that Brad definitely felt something for her; whether or not he knew that himself.

"Brad," Tristan says, causing Brad to slowly look up to his blonde friend. "Can we talk?"

Brad sighs, looking back down at the appointment book. "I'm busy doing my work."

"Never stopped you before."

"Well before, we were still friends."

Tristan winces. "Ouch. That hurt."

"So does getting snaked out by your best friend," Brad looks up at Tristan. "You know, it fucking sucked when you told her because it was so out of the blue that I didn't even get chance to even explain to her."

Tristan looks down at the floor.

"She was so hurt by these stupid and sudden revelations that she wouldn't let me tell her how I'm stupid, how I thought I was being cool, how I thought it would make me feel more secure if I didn't admit to the feelings I had for her. And because of you, I lost Summer before I could even have her."

"And I'm sorry," Tristan says. "Sorry might not even cut it but I am. I don't even know what took over me when I said it and I regret it because I've realised now that she was different to you. She was someone you liked more than you could admit."

Brad sighs, leaning back in his seat. He wanted to stay mad at his friend but he appreciated his apology and words. But if Brad could forgive Tristan for betraying him, Brad only hoped that Summer would be able to forgive Brad for betraying her trust.

"You're lucky you're my best friend."

Tristan grins as Brad stands up and they wrap themselves in a bear hug. Tristan chuckles as they pull away, glad he didn't lose his best friend.

"Now, we need to get you and Summer together," Tristan says firmly. Brad lets out a heavy sigh.

"That'll be near impossible."

"We'll figure something out."

unedited.