100 Unread Messages

100 Unread Messages; 19

wait hold up im gonna re read this story bc its been so long i forgot what happened. sorry ive been gone for so long! my reason? just life man.

"Hey, Bella! Wait up!" I hear the familiar voice and walk faster hoping he'll take the hint. He doesn't. Brad walks faster and my short legs are no match with his. I let out a groan and turn around.

"Hey." He says with a weak smile.
"Hi." I force out, looking everywhere except him. I feel his eyes on me and it takes all of my will power not to look back at his eyes. But my will power betrays me and I find myself staring into his eyes. His eyes are a dark green with blue flecks. His eyes are nothing like Alex's plain brown eyes. And for some reason I am comforted. Everywhere I look I am hit by constant and painful reminders of Alex. But looking at Brad's eyes, I don't see Alex. And it feels as if a giant burden is being let off my shoulders.

"I wanted to apologize. What I said was completely uncalled for and I'm sorry." He says slowly and quietly.

It's okay. I want to tell him that it's okay, it's fine. But I am afraid of my voice betraying me so I nod.

"Do you like ice cream?"
And to this simple question I let out a smile. "Who doesn't?"

Brad grins and takes my small hand in his large ones. "What are we waiting for then? Let's go get some ice cream, yeah?"

"Alright, but you're paying."

"Whatever makes you happy."

--
Since Alex's death, I've been cooped up in my room with nothing but my thoughts and misery as my company. But here I am, eating ice cream in a small booth with Brad, fighting over ice cream flavours.

"There is no way you like chocolate better than vanilla." Brad yells attracting weird stares around us. His face looks pained as if I told him that I was a serial murderer.

"I do! Chocolate is way better than vanilla. Vanilla is boring and chocolate is fun." I defend myself trying to hold back a laugh.

"I hate to break it to you but chocolate is the color of poop. So keep that in mind while you're eating your poop ice cream.

"How dare you! You're just racist towards ice cream." I joke and flick some of my ice cream in his face.

"Am not! Listen here chocolate lover, I'm sorry but I don't think I can be friends with you anymore. A vanilla hater is no friend of mine." He taunts.

"Who said we were friends?" I joke. A look of hurt flashes through his eyes but it vanishes as quickly as it appeared.

"What are we then?" The look of hurt is replaced with a teasing smile.

"I was thinking more of acquaintances." I taunt him back.

"I'll take it."

"Good."

"For now." He wiggles his eyebrows and I can't help but laugh at the silly gesture.

The sun eventually goes down and it's time for us to leave each other's company. We drive in Brad's car in comfortable silence and I can't help but think about today.

Today I didn't feel like a mourning teen filled with hatred and sadness. I didn't feel like someone who just lost a best friend. I felt like me again. Not Bella who just lost Alex. Just Bella. I felt like Bella.

I look at Brad who is too busy focusing on the road to see my eyes on him but I smile nonetheless.

"Thank you," I whisper. To him it might've been nothing. But to me it was everything.

I don't text Alex at all that night.