the bet → brad simpson | ✓

10

Eventually, we arrive in front of my apartment complex, and I unbuckle my seat belt.

"Do you wanna come too? Or not?" I say. "My mom's not in so I could use the help tidying up."

"Sure, I'd love to see how rats live," he shrugs and gets out the car, locking it quickly. I roll my eyes at him and we walk through the front entrance and into the elevators, and I click my floor level. We step out and walk down the corridor until we're outside my red door.

I go to unlock it, but it's already unlocked, and I frown. Was mom suddenly in? I knock on the door incase she was, and I hear two voices and shuffling before my mom opens the door.

"Mom? I thought you said you weren't in?" I frown and I try to step through the door but she stops me. "Why does it smell like cig—mom! Have you been smoking gain?!"

"Sweetheart, calm down," she rolls her eyes. How should I stay calm when my mom is smoking in our apartment?! The last time she touched a cigarette was when she was with my dad. "You're blowing this way out of proportion."

"No, you're blowing cigarettes—"

"Who's at the door?" Someone says, and steps behind my mom. It took a moment to recognise him, but then I realise.

"Dad? What the f–" I begin but then I realise. "You know what, nevermind. I thought you had finally walked out my life for good, but obviously not. I'll just find a way to buy some new clothes."

Before my mom can say anything else, I turn away, and notice Brad there—I completely forgot!

His eyes held sympathy for me as he reached out for my hand. Instead of pulling away from his touch, I let him take it. I needed comfort right now, because my life suddenly got turned upside down.

I know I look dramatic but after everything that happened when my dad left, I couldn't forgive him. He simply left, packed up his things, and never came back. After five months of hearing nothing from him, he finally manages to get my number and asks if I wanted to fly over to California but I couldn't because of school. He ignored me again for ages, trying to send me money all the time but I'd just use it on the apartment's rent. Him and my mom were constantly arguing and it always made me feel down, seeing my mom upset because of my dad. He left us both with barely any cash, my mom working on minimum wage and barely scraping by as he was flourished with lots of money and moved to California.

I couldn't forgive my dad for everything my dad had done. Not right now, anyway.

He pulls me away from my mom and dad, who are shouting after me. My heart began to squeeze but I suppress the tears as he presses the elevator door before pulling me in and wrapping me in a warm hug.

I don't say anything: what am I supposed to say? Oh yeah, I have family problems, by the way. Instead I let him hug me and I let him run his hand over my back. My arms reach around his torso and I hold back any sobs, not wanting to get his shirt wet. Instead I let out a shaky sigh.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say in this situation," he mumbles. "And I know I'm a prick sometimes, and that I know nothing about what's going on right now, but you can always talk to me."

Before I can reply, he lets go of me and we reach the bottom floor, the elevator door opening. Mrs. Flowers from the apartment next door walked into the elevator, smiling at me, as we walked out.

Once we make it to the car, we climb in but Brad doesn't start it. Instead he sits there.

"So," he sighs, obviously not sure what the right thing was to say. I didn't expect him to say anything, not now and not in the elevator either. But the way he was looking at me, as if I would break down any second, caused me to sigh.