Brad & Nick

chapter nineteen: brad's hot older brother

Brad didn't come by. He had actually taken what I said seriously, and did not stop by once for the entire week I was grounded. To top off the fact that I was grounded, I was sick. I caught a cold, and I hadn't been in school either. This was the longest time that I have ever gone without seeing Brad. He was apparently giving me my space or whatever bullshit he had texted me after we got into it a couple of days ago. Space? Georgina must have given him that idea, because Brad didn't know the first thing about giving someone space. I could see her now, egging Brad on, telling him to leave me be for a while. That I'd come crawling back to him, and realize that I was wrong. She knew the farther away she kept me from Brad, the easier it would be for her to sink her perfectly manicured claws in him. Of course, he was probably too wrapped up with prom to remember his sick boyfriend.

I wanted to text Brad. I really did because as I sat in bed, binge-watching Netflix, I knew Georgina was doing her best to seduce the socks off Brad. A part of me wanted to end those stupid thoughts that were going through her mind. While another part of me wanted Brad to come over, admit he was wrong, and kiss and makeup with me. Why did I always have to be the one to apologize first? I was tired of being the bigger person. Of course, the last and more depressing part of me, thought that I should just let Brad go before he really damages this thing we got going on.

"Brad," I groaned, collapsing on my bed more dramatically than I intended to. The more I sat in bed, the more I convinced myself that I should apologize to him. He was right. I was being crazy. I was being jealous. Brad liked me. He didn't like Georgina. I mean I was much better than her in all departments, Brad had said it himself. I wasn't as shallow as she was. I was probably much better in bed. She probably doesn't even swallow. Plus, she smelled she like just walked out of Victoria's Secret. Brad hated Victoria's Secret – the perfumes – he, of course, loved the models. What was I doing moping around in bed, watching reruns of Archer?

That afternoon, I got dressed for the first time that week, sucked up my pride, and my jealousy, and marched straight over to Brad's. I had prepared a speech, but threw it out, figuring Brad would prefer a heavy make-out session than a long-winded apology from me.

I knocked on Brad's door feeling almost invincible. That is until Lucas, Brad's older brother, answered the door. I wish I could say he hadn't changed a bit. But Lucas had changed – for one, he had gotten significantly hotter. I didn't even think that was possible. Maybe it was the fact that he was in college, coupled with the fact that he had cut off his luscious long dirty blonde hair, and was sporting a sleeker, much more hipster hairstyle. He was sporting a beard, much thicker than the one Brad had going on. And tattoos – Yes, Lucas had tattoos. He had the beginnings of sleeves that made him look a bit edgier. Urban Outfitters had completely gagged all over him, and I was eating it up like a decadent box of chocolates.

"Nicky," Lucas said affectionately. "I almost didn't recognize you. What's up?"

"Lucas," I exclaimed, managing to meet his eyes. "You're out of school already?" Brad had mentioned Lucas would be coming home soon. But he never gave an exact date. Damn. This caught me of guard.

"Yeah the perks of college," Lucas smirked. "So let me guess, you're here to see Brad? He's with some regular grade A chick, Regina, I think. They left an hour or so ago. But he should be back soon if you want to stay and hang out."

I bit my lip, shrugging. "Um – I don't know."

"Come on," Lucas grinned his perfect smile at me. "I'm bored, and I have no friends."

I laughed. Lucas – have no friends. That's a fucking lie. He was practically a God in high school. I'm sure he was even more popular in college. Had he even bothered to look in the mirror? I couldn't even look at him without getting a little stiff in my boxers. The inner seventh grader in me was overjoyed that Lucas wanted to hang out with me. He couldn't fucking believe it.