pretty little liar // brad simpson

thirteen

BRAD

"Should I be scared that before Elizabeth leaves, I'll be replaced?" James whispered, leaning over towards me. 

I chuckled, lifting the bottle and taking a swig of my beer. Across the table, Liz had her curly blonde head ducked towards Spencer, who was holding a pink martini and had her hair teased up into a stylish ponytail. They were both giggling and talking like they'd been friends since birth, and it'd been like this since the moment Liz had stepped foot into Spencer and my shared flat hours ago.

"I think this is really great for Spencer." I shrugged, finishing my beer and setting the empty bottle on the table. My heart was swelling with happiness, which I couldn't quite have put my finger on until I'd realized how much she and Liz loved each other already. "Spencer doesn't... have friends."

James raised his eyebrows at me, and I nodded in response to his questioning look. "I know, you wouldn't think such a nice girl would be such a solo-flyer, but her only friend was her roommate before she moved in. Then Anna," I made a popping motion with my hands. "Poof, disappeared."

He furrowed his brow, taking a sip of his water and glancing across the table where Liz was showing Spencer something on her phone, and the pair of them were talking animatedly. "Has your fame been hard on her?"

"Why do you ask?" I responded, furrowing my own brow at my best friend. 

"Well I know you two have not always been the happiest pair, maybe that's in part to her feeling isolated from others. See how happy she is with Liz? I don't see her like that a lot." James nodded at her, and I turned my eyes back to watch her.

Her eyes were crinkled at the corners, even when her lips weren't smiling, and it was that little thing I hadn't ever remembered noticing much now. "I don't think I've noticed her being happy. I notice when she's sad, when she's upset... but when she'd delighted, I don't think I notice it."

"Maybe it happens less than it should." James suggested, running his finger along the rim of his cup. "Maybe she can be happier in the relationship if you help make her happier in life."

I nodded, but my stomach felt like it had sunk to my feet, gluing me to my seat. How had I not realized that I didn't notice Spencer's joy? Was she not happy, or did I only pay attention to what bothered her, to what made her fists clench or her face flush.

But maybe I didn't notice because it was unusual, it wasn't often I saw those crinkles in the corners, the way her lips twitched before she fully smiled, or even how she softly balled her fists when she got excited. Watching her with Liz was like a whole new side of Spencer being exposed.

"Can I get you anything else?" Our waiter asked, stepping up to the table and glancing from the quietly chatting girls to where James and I were sitting back.

I opened my mouth to send him off, when I caught sight of Spencer's eyes crinkled, and instead grabbed up the dessert menu. "Can we get a big piece of the chocolate cake, and two forks?" I asked, pointing to the title on the menu. "And two Shirley Temples, please."

The server nodded, giving me a grin and disappearing. James raised his eyebrows at me, taking a smug sip of his water. "What's that all about?"

"She likes chocolate cake, and who doesn't like a Shirley Temple?" James nodded at my reasoning, though his face still looked a bit smug.

"What are you trying to pull here?" He asked, making a circle with his index finger and pointing it at Liz and Spencer. I shrugged, but my face went a bit pink. 

"I want her to smile like that more," I said under my breath, pausing as Liz let out a loud laugh at something Spencer said to her. "I want her to have friends and be happy, and I don't worry about it enough."

James rolled his eyes, but gave me a slap on the back. "You're a good boyfriend, Brad."

Fake boyfriend. I'm good at focusing on myself, focusing on keeping Spencer from being mad or sad, but never happy. Good at buying her cake to make her smile, but not doing anything to make her feel joy. Good at pretending to be in love, but bad at admitting it was hardly an act. Good at looking like the perfect boyfriend, and bad at actually trying to be one...

"Chocolate cake, and Shirley Temples for two," The server announced, appearing beside us brandishing a tray. 

I nodded towards Liz and Spencer, who looked up with wide eyes in confusion from their little conversation. "For the ladies, thank you sir." I grinned, watching him slide the cake in front of the two girls and place the two glasses down.

"You're too sweet!" Liz gasped, grabbing a fork and digging in with a huge grin on her face. Spencer watching me warily, her lips twitched, and then - 

"Thank you, Bradley. That's - " Spencer paused, picking up her fork and looking down at the cake. "Thank you."

I nodded, grinning back at her as she picked at the cake, her eyes crinkled at the sides.