I woke up to feel a warm body holding me close and squinted a little to see Brad smiling at me while stroking my hair off of my face. "Good morning." He said with a croaky voice which made the butterfly's appear again. "Morning." I whispered as I noticed the position we were in. I had one leg over the top of his while he had one arm over my waist, his other hand stroking my hair slowly. I looked at his face to see his eyes looked tired as he was just waking up, he had a few red marks down the side of his face where he has been leaning against the pillow, his brown curls sat on top of his head in a mess and I just cannot take in how adorable he is right now... "How are you?" He asked in a deep tone as his voice cracked again. "Good, I had the best sleep I have had in weeks." I quietly mumbled and he smiled. "I wonder why..." He said and winked before I placed my cold hand on his leg as punishment for being cheeky. "Hey! That's cold!" Brad exclaimed as he removed my cold hand and I giggled. "Don't be cheeky with me then." I said and he rolled his eyes. "I'm not being cheeky, I'm being truthful." Brad stated and I just gave him a little smile. "What do you wanna do today?" I asked and Brad shrugged his shoulders. "I don't mind." Brad replied. "Well you're meant to have some big plan to get my trust back." I said and he sighed. "I know..." He said and I realised how stupid I have been, why do I keep thinking I need his trust back when it's clear to see that I do trust him again. I lifted his chin up slowly and gave him a little smile. "You know what, don't worry about it." I said and he looked confused. "Don't worry about what?" He asked. "Trying to get my trust back, last night proved enough to me." I explained and he held my hand. "Really?" He asked.
"Hayley!" Jodie shouted and ran into my room to see me and Brad laying next to each other, a confused look spread across her face and I jumped out of bed. "What?... What's wrong?" I asked feeling quite embarrassed with myself. "I... I just want some breakfast..." Jodie said, she couldn't take her eyes off of Brad which made me feel bad. "Ok, come on then." I said and grabbed her hand before walking downstairs with her, how stupid can I get? I can't act like this with Brad around Jodie because she's scared enough as it is about mum getting new boyfriends. I sat her down on the kitchen table and crouched down in front of her. "What would you like?" I asked and she looked quite sad towards me. "What's wrong?" I asked and held her hands. "Do you like Brad?" She asked and I had no idea what to say to that, I don't even know myself if I like Brad... "Why?" I asked. "Promise not to tell?" She whispered in a cute little voice and I nodded. "I like Brad..." She said in an innocent voice and I smiled, she's got her first ever crush on someone. She's in that faze where she likes someone and starts to think they are her boyfriend because she's young and she doesn't really understand. "Do you?" I asked and she nodded. "That's ok, you can have him." I said to try and make her feel better, of course I don't mean it because that's not right, but if it makes her happier then why not. "But you need to tell him you like him." I continued and she looked scared. "Why?..." She asked in a cute little voice. "Well how do you expect to marry someone if they don't know about it?" I said and she looked sad again. "Can I just pretend he is my boyfriend?" She asked and I giggled, I love how cute she is being right now. "Yeah." I said and she smiled. "Now, what do you want for breakfast?" I asked. "Toast." She said and I placed a bit of toast in the toaster. What do you want on it?" I asked. "Jam!" She exclaimed as the toast popped out of the toaster and I began to spread the butter and jam over it before cutting it into triangles and giving it to her on a plastic plate.
"Hayley..." I heard Brad say from the doorway and I looked up at him before looking down at Jodie to see she had gone all awkward, I smiled and stroked her hair a little before walking over to him. "Is she ok?" He asked and I nodded. "She just has a little crush on you..." I said and Brad looked concerned. "Should I be worried or..." Brad started but I just giggled. "It's normal for kids her age to find someone older attractive, after a few months she will be over it. She might just ask you to play a few more rounds of teddy bears picnic." I said and went to wash up her plate once she was finished, she ran out of the room and Brad sat down on a chair. "You really do get all the ladies don't you Brad." I said as I placed the plate on the draining board. "Apparently so..." He replied and started to fiddle around with the table mats. "Are you ok?" I asked as I dried my hands with a tea towel. "We were having such a nice time earlier." Brad said and looked up at me before I nodded. "When there is a 9 year old in the house it's difficult to have alone time." I said and Brad nodded. "Did you mean what you said last night?" Brad asked as I sat on the chair next to him. "What?" I asked. "That you feel safer around me?" Brad said and I nodded. "But please don't tell anyone..." I said and he smiled. "I won't, I promise." He said and I looked up at his messy hair, I really wish I could kiss him right now... Wait... Did I just say that I wanted to kiss him.
"Did you want to go out today?" Brad asked. "We can't, I have to look after Jodie." I explained. "She can come with us, is there a park or something?" Brad asked and I nodded. "Why don't we all go there?" Brad asked and I thought about it for a minute before replying. "Ok." I said and he smiled. "Can I have a drink first though?" He asked and I nodded before standing up. "Yeah, what do you want?" I asked. "Tea?" He replied and I nodded before boiling the kettle, I set out two cups as I wanted one as well and got a cup of orange juice for Jodie, once the kettle had boiled I poured the water into the cups and placed it back down before feeling two strong arms wrap around me from behind. I watched as his arms snaked around my waist and felt my back rest against his stomach. "Can I sleep with you every night?" Brad huskily whispered in my ear, the butterflies started up in my stomach and I nodded without thinking. "You are looking really good right now, you know that?" He asked and spun me around so my back was against the work surface and I was facing him. "Erm..." I started as his forehead rested against mine, I wanted more than anything to reply to him by saying he is looking really hot in his pjs and with messy hair but I just couldn't do it. "What if Jodie walks in..." I said and he just smiled. "I'm sure she will be fine." Brad said and tucked a strand of loose hair behind my ear. "But she really likes you and it will just break her little heart." I explained. "I'm not going to stop spending time with you just because she likes me, she is 9." Brad explained and I just stared at him.
Eventually I spun around again and continued to make his tea before passing it to him, I took Jodie's orange juice upstairs and knocked on her door before walking in to see she was trying to get dressed by herself. "Hi baby girl." I said and placed her drink on the side. "Do you need help?" I asked and she nodded as I helped pull her trousers up. "But guess what." I said and she looked confused. "You put your top on the right way round." I said and an excited look spread across her face. "I did it!" She exclaimed and I nodded, I gave her a high five and then began to brush her hair. "How would you like to go to the park today?" I asked. "Is Brad coming?" She asked. "Yes." I said and she nodded. "Erm, Hayley..." I heard Brad say and I looked over to the door to see his head poking around. "Yeah?" I asked. "Can I use the bathroom?" Brad asked. "Of course you can! There is a lock on the door and if you want to use the shower just let me know." I explained. "Why do I need to let you know if I want a shower?" Brad said and winked. "To show you how to use it..." I said and then realised what he meant. "Cold hands!" I said and he ran off down the corridor before I giggled. "Cold hands?" Jodie replied and I smiled. "It's just a little joke we have..." I said, thinking back to this morning.
I put her hair up in a pony tail before she put her socks on, I told her to drink her orange juice and brush her teeth while I go and get ready so she did just that. I walked into my room and closed the door for a bit of privacy before walking over to my wardrobe. I decided on a black Adidas top with a green jacket and black leggings, I am also going to where some black and white shoes but I don't need to put them on until later. I straightened my hair and sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror, I need to wash my hair tonight...
*knock knock*
"Yeah?" I replied and the door opened to reveal Jodie walking in, she smiled and hugged me from behind. "I like the top you chose." I said and smiled at the cute little flowers on the front. "Thank you." She replied and smiled. "I brushed my teeth." Jodie explained and I nodded. "Is Brad out of the bathroom now then?" I asked as I straightened the last piece of hair and unplugged the straighteners. "Yup." Jodie replied and sat on my bed. "Why was Brad in here?" She randomly asked as I put the straighteners away. "He was just saying good morning." I replied, she doesn't need to know that I fell asleep in the same bed as him last night. "But you were hugging..." She continued, I sighed and sat next to her on the bed. "He isn't my boyfriend, he is just my friend so stop worrying. I'm not going to get a boyfriend and leave you like mum did." I explained. "But what if you do." Jodie said. "I can't say that I will never get a boyfriend, but when I do I promise I will always be here for you. Just like now with Brad, he is my friend but I'm still spending time with you. I'm not mum, she just isn't very well at the moment and needs some time." I continued and she nodded. "Ok?" I replied and she gave me a hug which I returned.
*knock knock*
"Come in!" I replied and Brad poked his head around the door. "Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you..." Brad said and I smiled. "It's fine." I said as Jodie hugged me a bit tighter. "I just wanted to tell you that the bathroom is free now." Brad explained and I nodded, I noticed his hair is still a bit damp so I pulled away from Jodie and walked over to him. "Do you want a hair dryer?" I asked. "Please?" He replied, I grabbed mine and gave it to him before he pulled me out of the door and closed it a bit so Jodie couldn't see anything. "You are looking really pretty." Brad commented as he took the hairdryer from me, I blushed and looked down before he lifted my chin up. "Thank you, you look nice too." I said, I wanted to say he is looking really hot with his damp hair and black top on but I couldn't. "Thank you." He said and winked before walking back into his room to dry his hair.
I opened the door to see Jodie playing with one of her teddies and smiled. "I am going downstairs now." I said and she nodded before following me into the living room. "Which park are we going to?" Jodie asked as I helped her put her shoes on. "The one with the play equipment." I said as she put on the last shoe. "Yay! Can you push me on the swings?!" She asked as she stood up in excitement. "Yes, maybe Brad will push you as well." I said and winked which made her smile. "I like Brad, he is nice." Jodie commented as she hugged her bear. "Yes, he is." I replied as I put on my own shoes. "Do you like him?" She asked with a curious expression. "As a friend, yes." I said and looked down at my shoe. "What about more than friends?" She asked and I just smiled. "Are you ready?" I heard Brad ask as I finished doing up my laces and nodded. "Are you?" I asked and he nodded, I held Jodie's hand as she put down her teddy and we walked out the door. I grabbed my bag with my key, purse and phone in it before locking the door behind me.