Lurid Tale of Bradley

Chapter 9

"HI Cara. Just got home. Is Jessie okay?" he asked through his cellphone as he walked toward his bed and slumped down.

"Yeah. In fact, she was sleeping here on my lap."

He hummed a yes while he stared on the glass window beside his bed. The wind made the trees sway side to side.

"Well, uh, that's good. Actually, I called because I wanted to ask you something," he said in a soft tone.

"Mm hmm. Go ahead."

A big breath came out of his mouth as he looked away from the window.

"Well?" she asked when he became so silent.

Asking a woman to a date ain't easy for him, because it was his first time telling this to an opposite sex. He wanted to say it so bad, yet he doubt it.

What if she refuses to go out with me? What am I going to do?

That thought made his head shook. He was snapped out of it when Cara asked if he was okay.

"Yeah I'm completely fine. It's just, my heart thumped so fast." He touched his chest and felt his own heart continued to drum inside.

He heard her chuckle. "And why would it thump like it was racing out of your chest, huh?" she asked in a funny way.

A smile crossed his lips as he remembered her face whenever she was talking something like that. For him, she was really beautiful inside and out. She already passed the "every guys' dream" contest if it really existed.

"Are you free tomorrow at exactly five o'clock pm?"

There was a long pause and that only made him feel nervous. His palms were full of sweat and his forehead too. He even prayed that she would say yes, and to his luck, he received it from her.

"But what about Jessie? She's afraid to be alone in here," she said with dread lacing her tone.

"Call me when you need someone to take care of her."

"She can stay with Mr. Winn if you want." He knew that the old man was a real good guy, and he was a hundred percent sure that she will be in good hands.

"Well, okay. Let's talk to him tomorrow to remind him not to pressure her," she said.

After their conversation, he hung up and positioned himself on the bed. Afterward, he turned off the lamp and darkness ate the room, including his vision.

"SO, you want me to take care of the girl because you two are going out on a date?"

They both nodded as they stood in front of his door with Jessie in between of them.

The old man let out a sough and shrugged. "Guess I don't have any other choice then. Suit yourself, love birds," he said with a chuckle.

Brad beamed and shook the guy's hand. "Thank you, Mr. Winn." He removed his hand from his and turned to Jessie, who was hugging her teddy bear. He knelt down to her level then placed his hands on her shoulder blades.

"I don't want to be here, Bradley," she pleaded with her watering eyes.

His expression became gentle because of the girl's pleads. "Don't worry, Jess. Mr. Winn here is a good guy. He was like a grandfather figure to you, isn't he?"