the roommate → brad simpson | ✓

twenty six - "a leash is probably more efficient"

"Get off before I push you on to the tracks," I threaten Brad as he slowly walks off of the train. He'd waited for every single passenger to get off before we even got up, just to annoy me. Now he was guiding us to the doors where we had to get off and taking his time.

"I'm just enjoying my surroundings, Mango," he shakes his head, unimpressed as he reaches the door. I push him off and he chuckles at how annoyed I am, pulling his jacket on properly.

I get off of the train and we walk to the escalator that took us from the train platforms up to Grand Central where the train station was.

We wait patiently for the crowded escalator to go up and I stand by his side, looking at the time on my phone and seeing a text off of my mum. I don't reply and instead slip it into pocket as Brad and I reach the ground floor.

"Which shops are we going to?" Brad asks as he walks by my side. I try finding the way out before I reply to him, tugging on his hand so that he'll follow me.

"H&M," I reply as I get out of Grand Central. Conveniently, the Bullring shopping centre was only a two minute walk at most since we only had to walk across a road.

"H&M?" He repeats, confused and I only nod in response as I press the button before we cross, looking at my left then right. "I didn't take you as someone to shop at a high street store."

"I don't always," I shrug. "It's more convenient than going to a thrift store, though."

He doesn't reply and instead follows me up to the middle floor where H&M was situated, as well as a HMV by it's other side. We walk into H&M and some pop music is playing as we look around.

I pick up a new pair of mom jeans and a couple of men's oversized shirts. Brad surprisingly just follows me around without question, watching what I picked up and what I looked at in disgust. It was as though he was analysing every movement I made.

"That'll be fifty four pounds thirty three," the lady at the counter says and I flash my card out, swiping it over the contactless machine and then taking my bag to leave.

We end up walking around HMV afterwards, picking out good albums and vinyls and talking about different artists.

"I took music for uni," he informs me as he traces his fingers over a Foo Fighters vinyl. "I don't think I ever told you that."

"I didn't know you could do anything related to music," I admit. "Except singing, I heard you singing in the shower once."

His cheeks turn a light shade of pink as he puts the vinyl down, "I didn't know you'd heard me singing, I thought I was quiet."

"You're really not," I chuckle as we start walking through the isles of CD's. "But you're good, so I'm not complaining."

"Thanks," he smiles appreciatively. "I play guitar and piano, too. And the drums and some other stuff."

"Piano?" I ask, an idea sparking into my head and he nods with a confused frown. I take his hand and guide him out of the shop and down to the top floor where a Piano was displayed with a sign that said 'Play Me A Tune'. "Play me a song on the piano?"

"I—Uh, now?" He asks, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

"Yeah! You don't have to if you don't want to, though," I assure him and he slowly sits down on the unoccupied piano seat, tracing his fingers over the piano keys.

"What song?" He questions, looking up at me and patting the seat next to him, and I sit down.

"Make one up," I suggest, a small smile on my face as he lets out a nervous breath.

"I wrote this one," he tells me as his fingers tap down on the piano to see how loud it is. The sound causes some passers-by to look over in surprise.

He places his hands over some chords, playing the piano so effortlessly as though he's practiced the song multiple times. I watch as his lips part and he focuses on his movements.

"Shall I sing the chorus?" He asks nervously, lifting his fingers off the keys. A few people had stopped to listen to his playing since it was so good.

"If you want to."

He nods and presses his fingers against the keys again and continues from where he'd finished, "Waiting for the light, night after night, night after night. And I know I will slip away. Day after day, day after day, 'til we're old. All I wanna do is lie next to you, lie next to you and stay close. Oh, but time is not on our side."

His singing was beautiful, effortless. It wasn't loud enough for other people to hear, as though he only wanted me to hear him.

"Looking in your eyes night after night, night after night. And I see where I gotta stay day after day, day after day. To find peace all I gotta do is lie next to you, lie next to you and just breathe. Oh, but time is not on our side."

He lifts his fingers off the keys for the last time, looking at me and I applaud him, a grin stretching on to my face.

"You're amazing at singing," I compliment him as he rubs his hands on his jeans. "And playing the piano."

He chuckles and we stand up off of the piano bench and my phone starts ringing. I get it out of my pocket to see my mum's ringing me.

I answer it with a sigh, "what's up?"

"I've called you ten times now," she scolds me. "I got you a phone so you could answer my calls and so I know where you are."

"A leash would be more efficient," I remark and I could practically hear her rolling her eyes. "Is there a reason why you're calling?"

Brad stood in front of me with a small frown on his face and his arms crossed. I hadn't notice how large his arm muscles were until now but I pry my eyes off of him.

"When are you going to be home? Is Brad coming back? I'm gonna go shopping," she asks and I sigh, looking up at Brad.

"He's probably gonna come back with me," I reply. "And we'll be home in a couple hours, I'll message you when we are on the train."

"Okay, see you then."

"Bye."

I end the call and put my phone back in my pocket, looking at Brad who's jaw was now set as his gaze was locked on someone else. I follow his eyesight to see Thomas and Britt standing not far away, cuddling up on a bench as he showered Britt's face in kisses.

I roll my eyes and scoff, turning back to Brad who's eyes were still on them. I frown, "Brad, are you okay?"

"I hate them," he snarls, prying his eyes off of the couple and back down to me, letting his arms drop. "They treated you like shit. They really deserve each other."

"I don't care," I announce. "It's their loss. I'm fucking amazing."

He chuckles at that, his hands moving from his sides to my arms, "you really are." His eyes flicker back over to them. "They're looking at us."

I start to turn my head to look but one of his hands quickly move to my chin so that I'm facing him. He plasters a smile on his face, pretending to laugh.

"I'm gonna kiss you, okay?" He announces, his thumb moving across my face to get some hair that had fallen over my cheek and he puts it behind my ear. "Let him know what he's missing out on. Show them you're fine without them."

"You don't have t—"

I didn't finish as he places his lips softly to mine, a hand on my waist and pulling me forward while the other one rests on my cheek. My stomach felt like elephants were stampeding around as our lips moved together and I almost frown at myself, not sure why I'm feeling all giddy while I kiss him.

He moves away, his eyes searching mine before he takes his hand in mine, interlacing our fingers, "lets get some food."

"Y-yeah," I stutter out as he turns me around and we walk past where Thomas and Britt were stood. I could feel their eyes burning into us as we walk past and Brad tugs me closer, pressing a kiss to my cheek as he chuckles.

"Mission accomplished."

unedited.